A Day in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Bill took the day off as vacation and drove me to Colonial Williamsburg. This time to tour th Peyton-Randolph House, most haunted house in Colonial Williamsburg. or so says the ghost tour we took back in August.

All I will tell you is something did happen to me and I got a couple of pictures. No more, as this will go in my next book. So, I guess you'll have to wait until the book is written, published, and out in bookstores to read what that is.

The last picture is the back of the Randolph House. Above it is the film crew that the three groups that toured the house had to rush through as they were going to film something there for a commercial. I plan to go back and take the last tour of the day and see what happens then.

The other photos are of Colonial Williamsburg and Public Hospital (the Dewitt Museum part, which is beneath it). Also take a gander at the first photo--read the sign. That was in the hospital, by the stairs going down to the other part. LOL

Anyway, it was a nice day in the 70s, but crowded. We found out it was William and Mary Homecoming Week. But I hope it is that crowded in the College of William and Mary Barnes and Noble bookstore when I do my book signing Thursday, October 29th.

And if you do live in the area, do come by if you can. The signing will be from Noon to 4pm at 345 Duke of Gloucester Street in Merchants Square. If ned to find out more information, the bookstore's phone number is 757-253-4900.

FOUR QUESTIONS FRIDAY

Here are four questions for you to answer. Leave your answers in the comments. Thanks.

1. What book would you recommend for someone to read for October or Halloween?

2. What kid's book did you read as a child that frightened you the most?

3. Name your top five favorite horror or paranoral books.

4. What is your favorite nonfiction ghost book?

Weird But Scary Wednesday

This threesome is spooky. Especially as two heads look to be on one body!

Scary Films for Halloween

It's that time of year again--Halloween. Where you purposely read scary books and watch scary films in the theater or on DVD.

I'm going to post here some films that I know of. If anyone else has some I don't have posted, please do leave the names in the comments. This way, others can go out and rent or buy them to watch on Halloween or up to that day.

Trick R Treat (just came out on DVD--I bought it and enjoyed it)
The Haunting (1963--forget the remake, this one is like the book, The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson)
Alien
John Carpenter's The Thing
Dog Soldiers
The Wolfman (the remake is coming to theaters so, so watch the original from the 1940s)
Ghost Breakers
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (who says we can't laugh and be scared?)
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Frankenstein (1930) and Bride of Frankenstein (1931)
Dracula (1931-Bela Lugosi-my fave)
Ghost Ship
30 Days of Night
Lady in White
American Werewolf in London (there's the sequel, American Werewolf in Paris--okay, but not up to snuff like the first one)
The Howling and The Howling II (forget the rest of the sequels-yuck!)
Wolf
Ginger Snaps and Ginger Snaps II
Cat People (both the 1940s one and the 80s one)
Dunwich Horror
The Descent
Shaun of the Dead (since ZombieLand is out-humor/horror about zombies, try the Brit humor one)
Fright Night and Fright Night II
Young Frankenstein
Nightmare Before Christmas (good to view for Christmas, too)
Beetlejuice
Let the Right One In
The Hunger
Near Dark
Moon of the Wolf
The Mad Monster
Silver Bullet
Salem's Lot
It (a mini series, but hey!)
Bad Moon
DarkWolf
Big bad Wolf
Werewolf of London
The Mummy (Boris Karloff--30s)
The Mummy and The Mummy Returns (Brandon Frazier--more adventure than horror, but fun)
Van Helsing (not scary, but fun)
Blood and Chocolate
Mad Monster Party
Mimic

I know there's more, but this will be it for me. Now for those others with suggestions, leave them in the comments.
And have a frightening Halloween!

FOUR QUESTIONS FRIDAY

It's Four Questions Friday again. Time to give your answers.

1. Do you live where leaves change color?

2. Do you use the leaves in a craft project?

3. What is your favorite thing to do with the leaves?


4. Do you make a pilgrimage to nearby mountains to see the colors up close?

Azathoth Is Here Won as Reader's Choice!

My story, "Azathoth is Here" took first place as readers' favorite in Issue 1 of Innsmouth Free Press. Thanks to all who voted. Read about it and who the runner up at
http://www.innsmouthfreepress.com/?p=2568

Weird But Scary Wednesday

Today's weird but scary picture is a doll. Let's be honest, dolls can be creepy sometimes. Least I think this one is. Do you? Ever seen or had a creepy doll before?

My Halloween Horror Story Now Available in Audio Collection

My story, "Give Me Something Good To Eat" is included in 2009 Alley of Horror: Campfire Tales at Imagination Lane. It's a horror tale set on Halloween. Listen Here: http://imaginationlane.net/backroads/archives/43

Hosted By: Gwendolyn Jensen-Woodard
Special Guest: Zombie Astronaut

"Give Me Something Good to Eat"
Written by Pamela K. Kinney
Read by Bill Hollweg

"The Road That Never Was"
Written & Read by Alexa Chipman

"My Dog Believes in Ghosts"
Written & Read by Paul Mannering

"Excerpt from Messiah’s War Trilogy Book 2"
Written by Scott M. Sandridge
Read by Scott M. Sandridge & Alexa Chipman

What Are You Planning to Watch or Read for Halloween Month?

Since it's Halloween's month, I always read scary books and watch scary movies. Like I been reading scary books like Dead Eye by Jim Bernheimer, Laurell K. Hamilton's latest book, and my traditional ghost story, The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (only book to scare me in the daytime in a room full of people).
Bought the DVD, Trick R Treat and it's a goodie. Ordered and got Supernatural Season 4 on Blu Ray so will be watching that (of course, I am watching Season 5 on Thursdays)and tonight hubby and I going to see ZombieLand as we got free passes to see it.
What do you read or watch this month?

Reviews of Jim Bernheimer's Dead Eye and Horror, Humor, and Heroes

"Mandatory FTC disclaimer: I was given these two books by the author, promising to review them for him. They are complimentary copies of the books and no other compensation has been provided to me."

When Jim Bernheimer gave me the copies of his books, signed, I was happy to get some new books to read.

I started with Horror, Humor, and Heroes.This is collection of short stories by the author. As the title implys, there is assorted themes for this book. The first story is set from a wolfs POV. The story is treated as if the wolf is a primitive, where like humons do not bleieve in ghosts sometimes, the same goes for the wolf pack when he tries to tell them that humans exists and are hunting them. I really enjoyed this one.

But my favorite out of them all is "Raw and Real." The story takes a captured werewolf on death role, who is used for a Pay For View TV event. I had seen werewolf hunt stories before, but first time the Pay for View idea was used. There's a twist at the end, showing that television will used anything to get better ratings and more money.

Other tales include a vampire one, ones with zombies, a little girl with a devilish invisible friend and more.

This collection I gave 4 1/2 dragons to.

Dead Eye:Pennies for the Ferryman is Jim Bernheimer's urban fantasy novel. In this story, Mike Ross is in the military and driving a Hummer in Iraq when it is bombed by terrorists. The two men with him die, but Mike survives, receiving replacement parts, free medical care, and a tiny check per month for the rest of his life. But one thing he didn't get from the goverment, buthe still got also--thanks to a cornea transplant he can now see spirits. He has become the male version of Jennifer Love Hewitt.

With ghosts wanting help from the living and people wanting help to stop being haunted, evil things out to get him, and more, it seems that Mike is given a gift--or is it a curse?Life couldn't get more interesting, or deadly, too.

A thriller that hits the gut, Jim Bernheimer kept me glued to the pages. With October chill in the air and Jack-O-Lanterns grinning madly, Jim Bernheimer knows how to waeave a scary tale.

I give Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman 5 dragons.

To find out more about Jim Bernheimer and his books, his website is

http://jimbernheimer.com/

Monster Fest 2009

Yesterday, my husband and I attended Monster Fest 2009 (http://www.monsterfestva.com) at the Chesapeake Central Library in Chesapeake, Virginia. It was held from 9am to 4pm. At 7:30am we arrived to unload the car and decorate my table, setting up the books. At 10am I shared a panel with authors Beth Brown, Deborah Carvelli, Justin Cristelli, and A. B. Wallace titled "Fiction and Nonfiction Paranormal,Why so popular nowadays?" The rest of the day was spent mainly at my table, with once in while walking around the convention. When it was done and we were packed up, Bill and I joined some friends at a nearby Mexican restaurant for dinner and good conversation. By 7:30pm we were on the road for home.

Enjoy the photos above that I took (except one of all of us panelists for the panel). Someone in the audience took that for me.

I'll Be A Guest at Monster Fest in Chesapeake, VA. Tomorrow

Catch me at Monster Fest 2009 on Saturday, October 10, 2009 9AM to 5PM. The address is Chesapeake Central Library 298 Cedar Road Chesapeake, VA 23322 (757) 410-7120. The event is free. http://www.monsterfestva.com/

Definitely, I'll be selling and signing my books (both as Pamela and my pseudonym, Sapphire Phelan) at my table there, plus hopefully doing panels too.

Interviewing Pat Fitzhugh on His New Book, Ghostly Cries From Dixie

Today I interviewed author Pat Fitzhugh. His new book, Ghostly Cries from Dixie is available today. Pat Fitzugh’s bio can be found here: http://www.bellwitch.org/pf_presskit.pdf. His website is http://www.bellwitch.org/



The book can be ordered at Amazon and other online retailers, as well as manytraditional bookstores. If you’d like a signed copy, you can order it directly from him at http://www.bellwitch.org/ghostlycries.htm



1.) -Please tell us about your book, Ghostly Cries from Dixie.

Ghostly Cries From Dixie is a compilation of ghost stories from the American South. The book is 180 pages long and has 22 chapters. Each chapter is a different story. The book contains 19 pictures. For more information, please see http://www.bellwitch/ghostlycries.htm

2.) -Tell your favorite story from it. The one that most upset you, if any did.
My favorite stories from the book are “The Bell Witch” and “Mayhem on the Mississippi.” Both stories are very rich in history, which makes them scarier. None of the stories upset me; I am fascinated and intrigued by ghost stories.

3.) -What can we expect from you in the future?
More ghost stories, including a rewrite of “The Bell Witch: The Full Account” and a sequel to “Ghostly Cries From Dixie.”

4.) –Tell us about the Bell Witch, since you wrote a book about it.
It’s the story of an entity that haunted one of Tennessee’s pioneer families. It’s believed to be the world’s most documented haunting, and the only case in which a person was allegedly killed by a spirit. The mystery remains unsolved.

5.) -What motivated you to start writing about the paranormal?
My love for ghost stories; I only write about my passions. I never write “just for the sake of writing,” which I feel is a big mistake. I write because I want to share my passions with others.

6.)-Which of the books do you feel you did the best in writing in?
Although “The Bell Witch: The Full Account” (2000) contains the most information, “Ghostly Cries From Dixie” (2009) is written much better. Why? Because I am nine years older, which means I’ve had nine more years of writing experience. My writing, although not perfect by a long shot, improves with every book and article I write.

7.) -What kind of research do you do?
That depends on what I am writing. I spend a lot of time in libraries, archives, and graveyards.
8.) -Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
To me, writing should always be fun. I could never be happy, or have fun, being a slave to a “schedule.” I write whenever I feel the urge.

9.) -Who, if anyone, has influenced your writing?
Stephen King, John Grisham, and William Faulkner.

10.) -How long have you been writing - have you always wanted to be a writer?
I have been writing off and on for about 25 years. Being a writer was one of my many goals.

11.) -What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
There are two equally good rewards: 1) holding the finished product in my hand, and 2) seeing people “move” in some way (laugh, cry, yell, etc.) because I was able to connect with them through my writing.

12.) -Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.)
I live in Tennessee with my family. I enjoy writing, photography, fishing, and roadtrips. I hold degrees in accounting and computer information systems.

13.) -Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
Yes – beware of the many people and businesses who prey on aspiring writers. Secondly, read “Getting the Words Right” by Theodore Rees Cheney. It’s the only writing tool you’ll ever need. Written by a real-life editor, the book addresses the most important issues faced by writers today – coherence, unity, effective transitions, revision techniques, how to write an ending, and much more. Read the book three times.

14.)-How may readers contact you?
Through my website (www.bellwitch.org) or through Myspace.

15.)-One last question, do you believe in ghosts or the paranormal?
Yes. I was brought up in the Christian religion, and the Bible says that ghosts, spirits, and demons are real. Therefore, I believe in them.

FOUR QUESTIONS FRIDAY

It's Four Questions Friday again. Please leave your answers in the comments.

1. What is your favorite monster?

2. If you can be any supernatural or alien or prehistoric creature, which one would you be?

3. Zombie or vampire?

4. What was the last scariest book you read?

Weird Wednesday

Here's a scary, but definitely weird picture for today's Weird Wednesday for you all. Looks like Mona Lisa dressed up for Halloween herself. LOL

FOUR QUESTIONs FRIDAY

Hello, Four Questions Friday again. just leave your answers in the comments.

1. Do you believe in ghosts?

2. have you ever done paranormal investigating?

3. Ever taken a ghost tour in your town or elsewhere?

4. If read my ghost books, whose else have you read?

HAPPY OCTOBER EVERYONE

It's October 1st! The beginning of a scary time for us all!

Weird Wednesday

Keeping with the scary, Halloween theme until end of October for Weird Wednesday, here is some scary smoke stuff. I think alien in dark way, or even demonic presence. What do you think?

Books in the Park and Paranormal Virginia

Above is the photo of dark fiction author Jim Bernheimer (it was his camera), me on his left and SciFi/fantasy author Catherine Asaro at the Books in the Park. They were nice people to share tables with and chat with. I have copies of their books and plan to read them. Even reviewed them here on this blog. So stay tune.

Surprising the festival wasn't as busy as last year's, which was the event's first year. I could figure out why. Maybe the economy?

When Romantic suspense author Katheryn Mix and I got into Norfolk and parked her car at the garage we were told to go to, it began to rain. Until noon, it rained off and on, mainly in downpour. But right on cue, maybe couple minutes late, at Noon, the sun came out, blue skies showed and the clouds went from dark to white. By 4PM, it was definitely about 80 degrees.

By the time I got home, it was about 7PM. Traffic was congested and slow, even at a standstill sometimes, so it took longer than normal. I suspected many people took the opportunity of warm weather to go to the beach that day.

Outdoor signings now finished, from here on you will find me indoors. First one, Get in the Know presents Paranormal Virginia will be this Thursday at the La Prade Library 9000 Hull Street Rd. Richmond, VA 23236-1304 (804) 276-7755, 10:30AM to Noon.

The event is free. I am also pretty sure you must be a senior citizen for this. Call the library for more details on it. I will have afterwards a book signing, so this will be a good tie to get copies of either Haunted Virginia: Legends, Myths and True Tales and Haunted Richmond, Virginia, or both. It will be either cash or checks since it will be me selling them.

FOUR QUESTION FRIDAY

It's almost the end of September. Few more days and it'll be October. How time flies.Speaking of time, here's four questions for you to leave an answer in the comments.

1. Do you think time really flies or crawls?

2. If you could earn a whole day's time for yourself what would you do with it?

3. Being close to the end of the month, are you looking forward to October, or do you wish there were more days to September?

4. Do you think time travel can be possible?

I'll be Speaking at Life Through Literature in Petersburg, Va. Saturday, Sept. 26th

Join me as I speak at Petersburg Public Library's Life Through Literature September 26, 2009, 3:30PM to 4PM. The event will be held at Poplar Lawn Park in Petersburg Petersburg, Virginia 23803. For map of where the park is:

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Poplar%20Lawn%20Park%2c%20Petersburg

For more information on the whole event held Noon to 8PM: http://www.ppls.org/ The event is free.

Weird Wednesday

Since it is about seven days to October and Halloween is on its way, I will be posting spooky, weird pictures on Weird Wednesday. Enjoy the first one today.

Henricus Park's Publick Days

Yesterday, my husband and I went to the second day of Henricus Park's Publick Days in Chester, Virginia. It was a nice Sunday, sunny and not too hot as the day wore on. In fact, it started off pretty cool when we got into our car to drive to the park.

As you can see from the photos, they reenacted even more so than normal the Citie of Henricus in the 1600s. It is the second settlement after Jamestown. This is where they say Pocahontas and John Rolfe married. Usually it costs something to do something like this normally, but not this weekend.

The place was crowded after a while. But when we arrived to park, we got to do so in the first lot, right next to the park's entrance. When we left, we saw buses bringing in people who had to park in lots farther away. But we both felt that Saturday had to be way more crowded.

Not all reenactors were from the 1600s. There was a group of Civil War soldiers, as you can see from one of the photos. There was supposed to be others from WWI and WWII too, but we never saw them. Bill figured they were there only on Saturday.

Also the Godspeed (this is not the original one--Godspeed was one of the three ships that brought John Smith and others to New World) had came up river from Jamestown for the two days. So we got to go on board.

I also got to aim one of the replicas of a gun they used and I even took a picture of Bill standing next to some tobacco plants, which was one of the primary farming they did in Henricus back then.

Just as nice, though not historical, was being able to look over the river and see in the distance the bridge that is part of 295. We had been over that bridge many times since lived in Chesterfield. Though not as much since 895 was opened.

Please enjoy the photos, and if you're ever this way, or even live in Richmond or Virginia, but never been to Henricus Park, here is their website: http://www.henricus.org/

Cool News!

I am very excited. Not gotten the contract yet, but I received the news that my poem, "Dementia," was accepted for the Terror at Miskatonic Falls anthology. This will be published by Shroud Publishing. I had to share the cool news!

Arrrgh! Talk Like a Pirate Today!

Yes, it's that time of year again. Naw, not bloody Halloween or autumn. I be talkin' about "Talk like a Pirate International Day." Why, there even be an official site for it: http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html
Kinda like ya wanna blow ye hronpipe for joy--right-o, me mate? So, today gits yer piratey hat on and swagger, cause its time to talk like a pirate. If youse don't, I'sa gonna lams it to you, right-like.

Four Questions Friday

Today's Four Questions Friday will be about autumn since it will soon be that.Please leave your answers in the comment. Let others know about this so they too, can leave their answers. Thank you.

1. What part of autumn do you like?
2. If autumn isn’t your most favorite time of year, tell us which season is.
3. Do you have a tradition of something you do every fall?
4. Since both Halloween and Thanksgiving are holidays of autumn, which one is your favorite?

Weird Wednesday

Did someone carve this tree into a figure, or did it grow like this. Very strange tree. Maybe it's a dryad. Kinda creepy, besides weird.

My Birthday and Four Questions for Friday

Today is my birthday. Yes, I am a 9/11 baby, though being older than the 9/11 incident it was my birthday before that.
Today, I will start Four Questions for Friday on my blog. Unless I have something like a book signing to report (like I have one tomorrow 1-4PM at Creatures and Crooks BookShoppe3156 West Cary Street Cary Court Park & Shop Richmond, VA 23221 804-340-0277 or toll-free 888-533-5303 Saturday. http://www.cncbooks.com)I will do this.

1. Being my birthday, do you celebrate your birthday?

2. What was your most favorite gift that you received?

3. Which one was the worse?

4. Of all your birthdays, which year was the best one for you?


Now it's up to you readers to leave a comment and answer the questions. Let's make this something I feel I can do every Friday.

NEW VOICES--Writing Competition for Students 11-18

New Voices

As a child, I dreamed of being a famous author. I secretly wrote poetry and short stories that are still in some of my diaries (and never to be seen by anyone’s eyes but mine). In high school, I won a few of my high school’s poetry contests. Needless to say, I was excited, but never considered pursuing writing as a career. Had I been given the chance to submit my work to professional authors and receive positive feedback with recommendations on how to improve my work for free as well as the possibility to win publication and a prize, perhaps my chosen career path would have been different. Regardless, I know the encouragement would have meant the world to me.

Well, that’s exactly why New Voices was started: to encourage young writers to write and to read. A writing competition open to students in public, private, or home schools and ages 11-18 years of age (6^th-12^th grades) around the world, New Voices offers what few other writing competitions offer: encouragement and comments from professional authors, editors, publishers, teachers, and librarians on every entry received, not just finalists. It’s an exciting and wonderful opportunity for young writers interested in pursuing a publishing career.

Run completely by volunteers, New Voices has no entry fee. Matter of fact, entrants need never pay for anything involving the competition. PDF versions of the winning entries are available as a free download -- http://www.newvoicesyoungwriters.com/anthology.html -- on our website. However, they can attend the New Voices’ tract at EPIC’s yearly conference in New Orleans this year. The fee to attend is $40, which covers the workshops and lunch. The attendees will even have an opportunity to sign up for a “practice” pitch session with publishers, editors, and published authors. For more information about what we’ll be doing at the conference, you can visit our conference page -- http://www.newvoicesyoungwriters.com/conference.html.

Prizes in the past have included money orders, checks, ebook readers, gift certificates, and cash.

Entering is as easy as following this link -- http://www.newvoicesyoungwriters.com/enter.html and following the submission guidelines posted on the page. New Voices is looking for short stories, poetry, and essays.

Entries are accepted up until October 20, 2009, at midnight. Finalists will be notified toward the end of December.

All inquiries can be directed to Marci Baun or Danielle Thorne at newvoices.chair@gmail.com.

Marci Baun
Publisher
Wild Child Publishing -- http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/
Break free...read wild!
Freya's Bower -- http://www.freyasbower.com/
Weaving passion into words...

Weird Wednesday

Is that a very big cow, or is the person really much smaller? Good question for today's Weird Wednesday picture.

Visiting Haunted Crawford Rd. Bridge i n York County

Yesterday, on way to a party in Virginia Beach, my husband and I stopped in York County at the reputedly haunted Crawford Road Bridge, for my new nonfition ghost book I am working on right now. I took plenty of pictures, front of it, back , and even while standing inside. This was Sunday morning of September 6th. I hope to come back at night, take few more pictures.

The road is a lot of woods on each side and a calm country one. The kind you like to drive down. Hardly any other vehicles.

As for the bridge, it looked like the one picture I got of it from off the Internet. Lots of graffiti all over it, on the outside and inside, on the walls. There were KKK and Nazi symbols, along with the normal graffiti you would see. There were a couple of creepy words on the back side, up at the top. Looked like someone wanted to write witch and below it, the word, dark. As for the hauntings? Good question.
I felt something while there. I did use my recorder. if got any evps, it will be in my book, so I can not mention them here. Nothing out of the ordinary in ay of my pictures. Maybe when do the night time version, I will get some then. We shall see.

On the ghostly legends about this bridge (this is from my book, Haunted Virginia: Legends, Myths and True Tales)http://is.gd/2ZZTx:

"There’s a bridge on a section of road where Tour Road crosses over Crawford Road that at night weird things happen. The legend bandied about it is that African-Americans were hung from it.

They say that an African-American woman in a white dress is seen standing on the bridge at the edge and then falls from it to dissipate just before hitting the pavement.

But the strangest stories that are told about this area that vehicles seem to stop running as they approach the bridge. Then the same vehicles start up again when they are pushed past the “haunted” spot. Not all cars need to be pushed though. Some say that their car shifts into neutral and will roll uphill some distance. Afterwards, they would check out their cars later and find hand prints all over it."

I know that the story of vehicles put in neutral and suddenly will roll forward, with even hand prints on the paint afterwards, is in many other such legends all over the world.I have another such story about a witch in the witch chapter of Haunted Virginia: Legends, Myths and True Tales, set in another part of Virginia. Fellow author and good friend, Theresa Bane has another tale like mine in her ghost book, Haunted Historic Greensboro. And I am sure there are many others in other books or that people heard of.
If you know of one where you live, do share about in in the comments, so others can read about them. And do tell us where this place is.

Please Vote for My Story to Win-Got Til 9/30

Please vote for my Lovecratian horror story, "Azathoth is Here."

As says here:

Have you read our first fiction issue? No? Shame on you, check it out here and then go vote for your favourite story.

The writer with the most votes gets $50 CAD and bragging rights. So do a little survey and give an author some extra cash. Voting is open September 1 to September 30. http://www.innsmouthfreepress.com/?p=1545

So help my story to win.

Labor Day

Labor Day is almost here. For those outside of the United States, this holiday came about as the creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. Always the first Monday in September, it's a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the U.S.

Even to this day, 100 years after the first Labor Day observance, there's still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday.

There are some records that say that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, was first one to suggest a day to honor the workers.

But his place in Labor Day history hasn't gone unchallenged. Others believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882. This was when he served as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.

Tuesday, September 5, 1882 was when the first Labor day was celebrated, and this in New York City only. This was because of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held the second one a year later, on September 5, 1883.

It was in 1884, that the first Monday was chosen to become the holiday. The Central Labor Union urged other labor organizations in other cities to follow their example. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. Next came state legislation. The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the first to become law was passed by Oregon on February 21, 1887. After that, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment. By the end of that decade, Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania joined in. twenty-three other states adopted the holiday in honor of workers by 1894. Congress passed an act by June 28, 1894, making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

Parades happened during this day, followed by festivals. Over time the way it is celebrate has changed, to even now a being in many people's minds as the last official day of summer to grill or swim in the pool. As for being for the American worker's day off, many stores are open and workers working.
But still, it is a day we should all reflect on how all workers should have a day to celebrate the hard work they do.

Weird Wednesday

Today's Weird Wednesday picture is a squirrel unzipping himself and look what emblem is showing!