Q: “What is a Home-Haunt?”

A: “Well, it means different things to different folks, but for us it has meant that we haunt our front and back yards. For the past couple of years, we have run brief (5-10 minutes) tours of all of the spooky, creepy and gory scenes that we’ve constructed in the spirit of Halloween. For 2002, we will be only decorating our front yard for the treat-or-treaters who decide to visit. If you search the net, you’ll find that we aren’t alone. As the holiday increases in popularity, so more home-haunts spring up year after year! I think that Tombsely House of Terror might even have some competition this year from other people on our block!”

Q: “Is it free?”

A: “Yes, it is free. I wouldn’t dream of charging admission (okay, I did once dream of it, but it will never happen ), but if you’d like to give a donation—We’d gladly accept it. Should I get a lot of donations, I would use them to make a contribution to the Upland Animal Shelter. We have a soft spot for cats—black or otherwise.”

Q: “Can I bring the young ones to it?”

A: “Young children (under the age of 6 or 7) can come and enjoy the front graveyard scene and get candy, but I don’t think that they’d handle the scary situations out in the back yard --and hesitate to let them in. (Psst, remember for 2002, there WILL be no walk-through haunt.) We don’t get our kicks from terrifying very young Trick-or-Treaters and making them cry. I’m sure Tombsely will be different from year to year, but rest assured that I’ll be doing my best to get some good screams.”

Q: “Is it scary?”

A: “YES! Even some adults take hold of the hand of the ghost-hostess while touring the haunt. The monsters and spirits in the back never touch any of the Trick-or-Treaters but do lunge out to scare them as they walk (or run) past. Fog machines, strobe lights, black lights and other such effects are part of the tour as well. We had over 300 visitors in 1999 and over 300 in 2000. Halloween 2001 was severly impacted (and perhaps rightfully so) but the 9-11 tragedy, so our number was way, way down--we had just under 100 visitors last year.”

Q: “Where are you located?”

A: “Just follow the link to our Hours and Directions page.”

Q: “Who are you people?”

A: “The remaining 364 days of the year we are pretty normal. Honest! This just happens to my favorite holiday and I make the other people in my house play along. In my normal life, I’m finishing up graduate school.”

Q: “What will you do if it rains?”

A: “SSSSSHHH! If the rain gods hear you and make that a possibility . . . I just don’t know what I’ll do! Run amuck probably!”