At-home Hallowe’en options with Blue Metropolis

On Hallowe’en night, pumpkins will still cast their glow, while black cats and ghosts continue to stalk the streets in this year when we are all facing a major health risk. On Oct. 31, safe and sound in your home, protected from the nasty virus, you will probably watch night fall from your living room, with your family, eating candy that poses no major risk to your health. But if that’s the case, how will you get to experience those irresistible Hallowe’en thrills and chills? Open your windows (and your computers) for Blue Metropolis’s Hallowe’en Special! It promises to give children a scare, fire up teens’ imaginations, and inspire parents to delve into murderous mysteries. It’s time to frolic with fear… safely, with Blue Metropolis.

For all skeletons, a Hallowe’en Special, Saturday, Oct. 31, starting at 5 p.m.

• For the young: Riel Nason, author of The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt (Tundra Books), will tell the story of a little ghost who couldn’t fly like the other little ghosts. The video will be available throughout the weekend and on our website for one year, even after the ghosts have disappeared.

• For parents, who like their gore with a little flair: a literary quiz, “How well do you know your crime fiction?”, conjured up by Alain Fisette. Dashiell Hammett, Arnaldur Indridason, Fred Vargas, Robin Cook: when it comes to murder and mystery, are you a whizz… or a dud? Twenty questions to test your knowledge.

• Bonus: a slew of reading recommendations that will give you goosebumps!

To quake in your boots, join us: bluemetropolis.org/halloween

Relieving distress

On another note, the COVID-19 virus affects much more than the respiratory system. This pandemic and the resulting health measures may cause anxiety and psychological distress in some people, requiring professional help. But if there’s one cure that works and can be indulged in without moderation, it’s reading. Studies have shown that reading novels encourages empathy and contributes to a feeling of overall well-being. Blue Metropolis’s Mental Health and Literature platform, which has recently been updated and improved, provides reading recommendations and writing exercises that make use of art therapy techniques and the beneficial effects of literature. Taking good care of oneself is more important than ever. And reading is more than just a pastime— it’s a tonic. Reconnect with yourself: bluemetropolis.org/well-being.