For about 8 years, we’ve lived happily with two cats – a boy and a girl. Sadly, the boy is gone now. He went out one day (I have indoor/outdoor cats) and never came home. I’m pretty sure he’s never coming back. And yes, I have cried some big tears over that.

But now I’m left with a petite girl cat named Tali who may be small, but she’s quite the huntress. She’s 10 years old now (or is it 11?) And maybe she’s lonely without the other cat. She’s certainly been more loving and a whole lot more demanding. But I don’t know about introducing a new kitten into the house.

The primary problem is that I travel a LOT. So I can’t sit at home and make sure new kitty knows about litter boxes and the like. But on the other hand, Tali will probably be very lonely without us at home when we do travel. And of course, the worst case scenario is if the new kitty and the old one do NOT get along. OMG, that would be AWFUL!

So…give me advice, give me stories! Have you managed to introduce a new cat to an old one? Was it okay or a disaster? Tell me, tell me! I’m dreaming about new kittens almost every night. (Apparently, I want a new kitty). Anyway, one random commentor will get a copy of my newest blaze In Good Hands by Kathy Lyons.

One year when it was raining no one was out trick or treating. My Dad suggested I put on my blue raincoat, rain boots and hat. Then he gave me an umbrella and I was the Morton Salt girl. The neighbors loved it and thought it was hilarious that I would make my dad traipse around in the rain. (I might have whined a little, but the costume was his idea.) I couldn’t have been more than six and it was one of the best nights ever, because I had whole bags of candy neighbors gave me because no one else was dumb enough to go out in the rain.

Then there was the year my mom was in the hospital for a rather serious operation. Dad and Grandma Irby were with her, which left Grandpa Doc in charge of the Halloween festivities. Life had been a little crazy just then and no one had thought I might need a costume. I was crushed at the time, but now realize what was going on with my mom and why Halloween wasn’t on anyone’s list of priorities. My Grandpa couldn’t stand me being unhappy for a second. (We didn’t have a lot of funds, but we did have a ton of love in our family.) He found a brand new mop head, put my grandma’s silk bed jacket on me with a woolen skirt and my black Mary Janes. He called me a fancy Raggedy Ann, and I was five so I believed him. I had some strange looks that night but the neighbors I think felt a little sorry for me and gave me tons of extra candy.

I called it a win.

Flash forward several years and it was time for me to come up with costumes for my own kids. Being spoiled as they are, and I can’t sew, so most of the costumes were bought. I loved it when they were little and I could dress them up as ducks or dragons. But it wasn’t long before Batman and Power Rangers came into action and the days of the super cute costumes were gone. Only once have we done a homemade costume for them. When the oldest was ten and his brother was seven, they decided they were too old to trick-or-treat, that is until all their friends came to the door and wanted them to go with them.

We had no costumes so we cut holes in twin sheets and they went as ghosts. It wasn’t very original, but it was funny. After that year we always bought scary rubber masks just in case. They’ve had some really ugly ones through the years.

As an adult, I occasionally have the need for a costume and I usually keep it pretty simple. Sometimes I’m a witch or I go to some old standbys. There’s the blackened eye, with a letter P on a sweatshirt. Black-eyed P. Or the small cereal box taped to a shirt with a plastic knife or axe going through it. Cereal Killer. (Both of those were devised by my very creative friend Debbie Lindsey.)

I still enjoy handing out candy to the little kids and seeing all the costumes. In fact, we usually have a party that night but I won’t go until later so I disappoint any of the neighborhood kids. I know the feeling of someone dumping a handful of candy in your pumpkin basket. Though, my kids used pillowcases so they could get more loot.

So I want to hear about your favorite Halloween costumes. What were some of your favorites? Do you have a favorite candy? (Mine are Reeses.) What’s the most fun you’ve ever had on Halloween?

Tell me, I really want to know.

We live in what I call Beavercleaverville. It's a small village type neighborhood tucked into a sprawling metropolis. Many of the neighbors do elaborate decorations and have very cool haunted houses. I'm lucky if I remember to put the fall wreath on the door, and to tell my husband to buy candy. But I enjoy the festivities just the same. This year Halloween falls on a Saturday so there's a pretty good chance we'll be invited to more than one party.

And that's my problem. I'm not big on dressing up in costumes. I like them, but only when other people wear them. I've been this way since I was a little kid. I never wanted those store bought costumes my kids adored. Put a rain hat, rain coat and galoshes on me and call me the Morton Salt Girl and I was a happy kid. (That was a rainy Halloween, and man did I rake in the candy. My dad took me around with his umbrella, but we only saw one other kid doing the same.) The crazy thing is, I don't know why I'm that way. I love the way costumes look, and the idea of masking one's identity. But I don't like wearing them. If I do anything it's something like a sweatshirt with a giant P and I blacken my eye so that I'm a black-eyed pea. Or a t-shirt with a small box of cereal velcroed to it and a knife stuck in the box, so that I'm a cereal-killer. And one of my favorites, a witch's hat and black clothes.

My friend Shannon was gnome last year. It was hilarious. My friend Deb was Elvis down to the wig, jumpsuit, white shoes and dark glasses. She also did the coolest Medussa costume ever. I wore black.

So I'm curious about several things. Do you like to wear costumes? What are some of your favorites now, and from when you were a kid? Do your kids like dressing up? (My oldest is into it, but it depends on the situation when it comes to my youngest.) What do you think will be some of the popular costumes this year? What will you be wearing?

And I'd like to know your thoughts about my new cover. Consider it my treat, no tricks, for you! I LOVE IT! TAKE ME IF YOU DARE is a Feb. 2010 release. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Take Me If You Dare Cover