Nice to see you! I’ve been wondering how you’re doing. Thanks for dropping by :)
This post reminded me of how one summer my friends and I decided to assemble an anti vampire kit. We dithered over the best wood for the stake, and settled upon orange because there were thorns, plus it is the only wood we could get. The holy water was easy; I palmed my mom’s nearly empty garlic juice bottle and paid a visit to the baptismal font after Mass. There was lots of sediment, which is understandable considering hundreds of hands had dipped into it. A few weeks later my mom found the bottle in my room and, not realizing, used it to make spaghetti sauce. I figured that meant I was safe for at least a few weeks.
Missed your posts and so glad to see this one when I opened Substack this morning. Your post reminded me that having a chronic illness is like being attacked by a vampire. No longer in control, and fighting for energy. Yet I personally find the moon so calming and energizing. Wishing you better moments, hours, and days ahead.
I too have a fascination and fear of vampires. Dracula is one of my favourite books, but it was Salem’s Lot that gave me the fear. I love how you had a bag ready to run to sacred ground.
We missed you, Will! Thanks for this beautifully written and fascinating read. Can’t wait to peer at the moon tonight here in Los Angeles with a strand of garlic around my neck. 🧛♀️
So happy you are back, Will! This is a beautiful piece, as always. My only sibling is 12 years older than I, and she needed a late night partner to watch vampire movies — I must have been 4 or 5. Why my parents allowed this, I'll never know...I spent many summer nights sleeping with blankets tightly wrapped around my neck and the window shut.
Glad to see you and your delicious plating of emotions served up again Will. My heart did a little extra happy beat when I saw your email.
And writing about Catholic relics and vampires harkens to Netflix’s Midnight Mass — plus the recent release of Sinners. What’s up with all these vampires again!?!?
Hugs from the cloudy PNW where we’ll have to rely on photos elsewhere in the world to see the moon.
As a child, I read a book about a gruesome murder that had taken place in my hometown. So, for me, it was random evil. One way I dealt with it was to tell myself stories in which I was the heroine defeating the depraved who targeted my family or friends.
Another fantastic post on the moon. Wishing you many moons of feeling well enough to write and do whatever else calls to you.
Good to hear from you again Will, sorry to hear that your illness got too much for writing for a while there, and I hope that you are doing a bit better now.
I completely understand that fear of vampires, and yes they really did go less scary for a long time, didn’t they? I never had a bug out bag, but I did have a crucifix (from my First Communion) wrapped around the bedpost at the top of my bed! For me, it’s that thing where they can’t be seen in mirrors or cameras that I find most scary, compared to other monsters. How can you defend yourself if you don’t even know it’s coming?! *shudders* I can really see how a blood moon would get you thinking of vampires (and vampire films): the red light during an eclipse is seriously creepy, much like that used in old school scary vampire movies.
Thanks for the review of the new Nosferatu - I’ll have to avoid that one! It looks really cool (My brain won’t ‘switch off’ after horror films, and I get dreadful nightmares for days, so I avoid them. Horror books are even worse, yet horror podcasts/audiobooks are fine for me.)
Nice to see you! I’ve been wondering how you’re doing. Thanks for dropping by :)
This post reminded me of how one summer my friends and I decided to assemble an anti vampire kit. We dithered over the best wood for the stake, and settled upon orange because there were thorns, plus it is the only wood we could get. The holy water was easy; I palmed my mom’s nearly empty garlic juice bottle and paid a visit to the baptismal font after Mass. There was lots of sediment, which is understandable considering hundreds of hands had dipped into it. A few weeks later my mom found the bottle in my room and, not realizing, used it to make spaghetti sauce. I figured that meant I was safe for at least a few weeks.
Take care, amigo!
Missed your posts and so glad to see this one when I opened Substack this morning. Your post reminded me that having a chronic illness is like being attacked by a vampire. No longer in control, and fighting for energy. Yet I personally find the moon so calming and energizing. Wishing you better moments, hours, and days ahead.
I too have a fascination and fear of vampires. Dracula is one of my favourite books, but it was Salem’s Lot that gave me the fear. I love how you had a bag ready to run to sacred ground.
Take care Will, go easy and wishing you well.
Yay! Wonderful that you have returned! Fascinating post with its mixture of creepiness and religion. Saint Francis has got your back.
There was a review some weeks ago of two recent moon books --
https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2025/04/24/lunar-myths-and-mysteries-our-moon-rebecca-boyle/
Wishing you continued and improving good health...
Thank you.
We missed you, Will! Thanks for this beautifully written and fascinating read. Can’t wait to peer at the moon tonight here in Los Angeles with a strand of garlic around my neck. 🧛♀️
So happy you are back, Will! This is a beautiful piece, as always. My only sibling is 12 years older than I, and she needed a late night partner to watch vampire movies — I must have been 4 or 5. Why my parents allowed this, I'll never know...I spent many summer nights sleeping with blankets tightly wrapped around my neck and the window shut.
Glad to see you and your delicious plating of emotions served up again Will. My heart did a little extra happy beat when I saw your email.
And writing about Catholic relics and vampires harkens to Netflix’s Midnight Mass — plus the recent release of Sinners. What’s up with all these vampires again!?!?
Hugs from the cloudy PNW where we’ll have to rely on photos elsewhere in the world to see the moon.
See you next month!
Beth
Oh my goodness. That is indeed a wild gift.
As a child, I read a book about a gruesome murder that had taken place in my hometown. So, for me, it was random evil. One way I dealt with it was to tell myself stories in which I was the heroine defeating the depraved who targeted my family or friends.
Another fantastic post on the moon. Wishing you many moons of feeling well enough to write and do whatever else calls to you.
I too would have considered fainting after seeing my fellow cinema goers being revived with 'generous doses of medicinal brandy'.
Good to have your words back, Will.
Enjoy your perspective and humor…thank you for sharing it with us…sending all good wishes for a gentle and successful recovery ❤️🩹
Good to hear from you again Will, sorry to hear that your illness got too much for writing for a while there, and I hope that you are doing a bit better now.
I completely understand that fear of vampires, and yes they really did go less scary for a long time, didn’t they? I never had a bug out bag, but I did have a crucifix (from my First Communion) wrapped around the bedpost at the top of my bed! For me, it’s that thing where they can’t be seen in mirrors or cameras that I find most scary, compared to other monsters. How can you defend yourself if you don’t even know it’s coming?! *shudders* I can really see how a blood moon would get you thinking of vampires (and vampire films): the red light during an eclipse is seriously creepy, much like that used in old school scary vampire movies.
Thanks for the review of the new Nosferatu - I’ll have to avoid that one! It looks really cool (My brain won’t ‘switch off’ after horror films, and I get dreadful nightmares for days, so I avoid them. Horror books are even worse, yet horror podcasts/audiobooks are fine for me.)
So glad to see you back in my inbox. Your words and your being are a balm.
Thanks for the update on St Thomas Moore - meant so much to be growing up in Braintree MA. Welcome back !!!
always worth waiting for
Thank you Will
Sensational read
Ending with FX relic!
Thank you