LEGEND OF THE PUMPKIN THIEF by Charles Day

As the town folk sleep, something creeps into the neighborhood. Hidden in shadows, its presence is as old as time itself, its intent not born of goodness.

Nick, a young man who fancies himself a detective, wakes to find his carved out masterpiece missing. Now a mystery is afoot, and Nick has his first assignment, to find out who or what is snatching up the town’s pumpkins and why.

Unfortunately, as with all great detectives, obstacles stand in Nick’s way—the neighborhood bully and his cronies, and the strange old lady and her dog who share the run down house at the end of Nick’s block. As Nick investigates, an urban legend unravels…

The Legend of the Pumpkin Thief.

Nick fears the legend as he embarks on the most dangerous adventure of his young life. Collecting clues, ever closer to the true nature of evil, he learns that curiosity comes with a high price.


Without giving too much away, can you tell us what your book is about?

Okay, I’ll try. The story revolves around, Nick, a Seventeen-year old, who wants to go on to college and eventually sit for the police exam. His ultimate goal is to be a Detective someday. As the story develops, he’s forced into doing some early detective work when some pumpkins suddenly disappear in his small town of Chesterville.

An urban legend foretells of a Pumpkin Thief who chooses a town each Halloween, stealing the pumpkins so his ghosts, goblins, and other Halloween creatures can have their right to free passage into this chosen town. Without the pumpkins to keep them away, they have free sovereignty to wreak terror and mayhem. Is Nick’s town chosen one this year?

Although this is a young adult novel, my first actually, it’s fun for all ages. I had a blast writing this, and I’m excited to be working on my next YA novel for them. I really enjoy writing for this genre.


How long did it take you to write this book?

All together, about six months for the first draft.


What was your inspiration to write this book?

As a kid, my friends and I loved Halloween. We always caused ruckus in our neighborhood, and we picked on this old lady at the end of the block. You’ll see in this book that my fictitious character, Mrs. Needlewhitter, is the same old lady who we just loved to tease. And I’m a huge fan of this holiday, so….


Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book?

Simply put, you’ll have a blast remembering all the great times you had as a kid on Halloween.


Do you have a specific genre that you always write in or do you try writing in different genres?

No. I thought I did when I published my 14 short stories, since most of them were horror to some extent. But I also enjoy a good mystery, and I wrote two, “Deadly Workout” & “The Plan,” which have both been sold to small press publishers. In fact, “The Plan” is now out with Naked Snake Press and on Amazon.com


Do you have any writing projects you are currently working on?

Most certainly. I love to write stories.

It releases all the voices in my head. I seem to have transitioned from the short stories to novellas and novels. I enjoy the fact that I can really build my characters and go to unexplored territories with them. They lead, and I follow without question. Otherwise, I seem to receive retribution. You don’t even want to know what they do inside my head, nasty little buggers. And, I might add, I have an ample supply of characters that have great stories to tell.

I currently have three books under consideration with small press publishers from 2011, “Kyle McGerrt, Monster Hunter & Destroyer of the Indian Curse: Book 1 Hunt for the Ghoulish Bartender.” As you can see, this is going to be a western horror trilogy. I’m already at work on his next adventure, “Book 2: Curse of The Earth Monster.”

“Redemption,” a collaborative Novella with Mark Taylor from across the pond, is about two friends who get drunk at a bar and then drive home, only to hit and kill a young girl. Problem is, they killed the wrong girl, and now she’s coming back for revenge, along with some furry friends of hers. What’s so cool about this book is that my novella is all about Al Fudrucker, and his showdown with the dead girl. Mark’s novella is all about Al’s friend, Benny Fairwhether, and both books interrelate. It’s two separate novellas around 20,000 words each. A one book treat, and a great concept that my publisher came up with.

As for 2012, I’m only going to concentrate on three projects that I’ve already started, I hope! Hehehehe! Anyway, first up is “Summer Camp,” a horror novel I hope to have done and ready to send out to only the most respected agents in NY before the end of this year, as my goal is to get this book into the big NY publishing house. Hey, I know every writer has this dream, and if I don’t at least try I’ll never feel that I took a shot at this dream.

I’m a huge advocate for the small press publishers, but I need to have one novel I can step into deeper waters with, right? I also plan on pitching something at the WHC in Salt Lake City this coming March. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed.

The second is my next YA horror novel, “Immortal Family,” that I’m writing exclusively for Noble YA Publishers. I’m hopeful they will like it, but if they don’t, it will be up for grabs for another publisher who may want it.

And the last is “In the Eye,” a horror novel set around a deadly Hurricane. I’ve written about 10,000 words so far on this, and will seek out a small press publisher who would find this something they may want to publish. Any takers on a partial?

I wanted to say thank you, to everyone who came by to read my interview. It means so much. I promise you, you will not be disappointed with Legend of The Pumpkin Thief. It’s a suspense driven good old fashioned fun and scary novel! Happy early Halloween!


Charles' and Jester's BIO:

Charles Day A.K.A, the evil little Jester, is an HWA affiliate member and the Mentor Program Committee Chairperson, and a full member of the New England Horror Writers Association. He's published 14 short stories with various small press publishers, including his novella Lockdown (Wicked East Press, 2011) which received an endorsement form four-time Bram Stoker winner, Lisa Morton.

His biggest success to date is the sale of his first horror novel, Deep Within (Twisted Library Press, Spring 2012), his first YA horror novel, Legend of The Pumpkin Thief (Noble Publishers, Jan 09th, 2012) and a novella Deadly Workout (Dopamavoli Books, Spring 2012). His novelette The Plan a Mystery is now available from Naked Snake Press and on all online retailers.

He has also edited his first anthology Tales of terror & Mayhem from Deep Within the Box (Wicked East Press, Winter 2012) compiled with 24 amazingly terrifying stories by talented authors in the horror genre. Includes the debut story of how the evil jester became so damn evil in The Gift, By Charles Day, edited by Hollie Snider.

He is also the founder/owner of Hidden Thoughts Press- Non fiction books, where the focus is on mental wellness collections- and Evil Jester Press, a fiction imprint.

He firmly believes that after walking the dark and dingy halls of a psychiatric ward as an employee for 12 years, many of the characters that speak to him daily in his head are those he may have watched over, anxious to share their stories through the written word. You can find out more at charlesdayfictionwriter.blogspot.com. Welcome to their twisted world.