Dearest Hauntlings,
For decades I’ve devoted my life to four very different (sometimes 180-degrees-oppositional) vocations, and am now even more querulous that I could do all four simultaneously. But I’ll tell you that my Halloween/Haunt production has been the one that’s kept that blissful, innocent inner child going all this time, much more so than when making movies, music, or writing/researching, and other externally bestowed and internally honed gifts. While living all those things was exhilarating and got me into cool places, it was always more often an alienating mixture to most people I met. My concentrations into so many meaningful and beautiful aspects within ALL of our lives–and my aging, plus meeting an increasing number of desperately opportunistic and deceitful people–have taken their toll. Despite the kinds of logic most of us were taught and/or taught ourselves, I’m starting to understand this paradox, and am gaining strength through that understanding.
My “UnLivingston” haunt in Montana in 2017 was likely the last haunted attraction I’ll have physically produced. I have seeds growing in Europe for their “first wave” of haunted attractions, but I hope to not be doing much manual labor. (Oh who am I kidding! Even just hours after surgeries I can’t resist physically working on things that I channeled from something holy in this damned universe). It is GOOD to grow old.
I will continue my writing, research, and love of all things Halloween. A few years ago I designed a University course called “The Political [yet fun!] History of United States Holidays” and you can bet I’ll spend most of those poor students’ time in Fall semesters talking about Halloween! Ha!
I’ll also continue consulting and providing my unique props, insight, advice and hard-won experience in the Haunt industry to others, just as our favorite haunted house uncle–a man I’m proud to call a friend, Leonard Pickel–has been doing.
From here on out, this site will focus more on Halloween and Haunt history, legends, fictional stories, games, multimedia, and other elements that I’ll continue to contribute to our favorite holiday.
Happy Haunting (all the year through)!
Nico Holthaus