Yes it’s that creepy, unlucky day again; a day when some people might take a little extra care, nervous that bad things have more chance to befall them. There are a number of theories about the origin of the superstition, but however it started, it’s surely ingrained in our culture now. By the way, the fear of Friday the 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia or paraskevidekatriaphobia (good luck fitting either of those names on a prescription bottle).
Personally, I enjoy when the day rolls around; I think its stigma is amusing. It’s a day when I can pretend things are spooky for no reason. Of course as a child I grew up in a time that barely survived the majority of the ‘Friday the 13th’ slasher film franchise. I always thought the day was supposed to be about bad luck, not a psychotic killer; but then again, I guess all of the people Jason chased around were pretty unlucky. I thought some of those films were fun, and some of them were just terrible.
Nowadays when Friday the 13th rolls around, on occasion I might sketch someone a simple cartoony Jason holding his machete. Sometimes it’s nice to be silly and have fun with something that could potentially be scary. I guess I have a habit of doing that. I write a middle-grades paranormal book series called ‘Sebastian and the Afterlife’. The books all deal with death and moving on, but in a way that removes a lot of the fear about the situation; the stories are more of an adventure.
Sometimes I think it can be healthy to deal with things that scare us in that manner. Living every day in fear is not much of a life. Bad things may happen, but hopefully we can enjoy ourselves until then. So I say again – Happy Friday the 13th! Enjoy it; they only come around once in a while.
To celebrate the day I wanted to give away an e-book copy of my first novel, Sebastian and the Afterlife (if you already own it, you could get the sequel, Agents of the Reaper, instead). Hum… how should we decide who gets it? I’ve got it!
Okay, back to those Friday the 13th movies: If you were being chased by that machete wielding Jason character, name something you could hit him on the head with so that you could get away. (It can really be anything… the more creative/amusing, the better). My favorite answer will get an e-copy of my novel in whatever format you like. Comment below with your answer and a way to contact you, I’ll decide on Sunday night! It's open internationally so everyone is welcome to play.
Your Pal,
William j Barry
Sebastian and the Afterlife website
Sebastian awakes to find himself in a mystical realm somewhere between the living and the dead. Unspeakable dangers lurk in this realm. The Grim Reaper and his loyal agents work to maintain the law, as the threat of soul pirates (the wicked harvesters of spirit energy) has been on the rise. The infamous leader of the pirates, Axis Red, has a treacherous plan to take over the realm and set himself as the supreme authority.Find Sebastian and the Afterlife at Goodreads, IndieBound, Amazon
While Sebastian and his new-found friends learn to cope with the wonders and perils of this strange spirit realm, Sebastian finds himself longing for his lost love Sarah, who is still alive in the mortal world. Some things are forbidden; some lines cannot be crossed. What will Sebastian risk to be close to her again? Join them on the journey of a lifetime and beyond. From Goodreads.com
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before. ~Edgar Allan PoeFind Agents of the Reaper at Goodreads, Amazon
Sebastian, a seventeen-year-old boy in the spirit realm, is now training to be an agent of the Grim Reaper. He and his friend Onyx will need all of their new training and special powers as the soul pirates threaten the realm once again. Brocku has obtained the Oblivion Gate, and Axis Red begins to execute a plan more devious than ever.
Sebastian’s lingering concerns for Sarah and his troubled sister Kristen are put on hold when he is thrown into a perilous situation. A special team of agents must join together for a mission that even they might not survive.
At the same time, Sebastian’s friends are busier than ever. Onyx is still searching for a way to express her feelings for Sebastian. Jack is battling through his brother’s surreal dreams to reach him, and Patricia receives a new job in the realm.
In the battle between good and evil, just because you can face your fears doesn’t mean you can overcome them. Join Sebastian and his friends, as their adventure becomes darker and more dangerous than ever! From Goodreads.com
by William j. Barry
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