S.E. Schlosser -- December 8, 2007
About S.E. Schlosser
S.E. Schlosser will once again entertain us with the stories she has collected including those
from her latest book Spooky Campfire Tales. S.E. Schlosser is the author of the Spooky series
by Globe Pequot Press, which includes Spooky New England, Spooky South, Spooky
Southwest, Spooky New York, Spooky California, Spooky New Jersey and Spooky
Pennsylvania. She has been telling stories since she was a child, when games of "let's pretend"
quickly built themselves into full-length tales acted out with friends. A graduate of both Houghton
College and the Institute of Children's Literature, Sandy received her MLS from Rutgers University
while working as a full-time music teacher and a freelance author.
Sandy currently works as a Manager of Special Applications for Consumer Reports Magazine,
where she oversees product strategy; manages user interface issues; directs changes to the
information architecture of ConsumerReports.org; and helps coordinate marketing efforts.
Sandy is the webmaster and writer of an award-winning, internationally-known web site called
American Folklore that features retellings of folktales from each state. This site was created as
part of a graduate study at Rutgers the State University of New Jersey in October 1997 and is
used daily by teachers throughout the world in lesson plans for students of all levels. Stories from
the site have also been used in college text books and in Masters level programs.
S.E. Schlosser will once again entertain us with the stories she has collected including those
from her latest book Spooky Campfire Tales. S.E. Schlosser is the author of the Spooky series
by Globe Pequot Press, which includes Spooky New England, Spooky South, Spooky
Southwest, Spooky New York, Spooky California, Spooky New Jersey and Spooky
Pennsylvania. She has been telling stories since she was a child, when games of "let's pretend"
quickly built themselves into full-length tales acted out with friends. A graduate of both Houghton
College and the Institute of Children's Literature, Sandy received her MLS from Rutgers University
while working as a full-time music teacher and a freelance author.
Sandy currently works as a Manager of Special Applications for Consumer Reports Magazine,
where she oversees product strategy; manages user interface issues; directs changes to the
information architecture of ConsumerReports.org; and helps coordinate marketing efforts.
Sandy is the webmaster and writer of an award-winning, internationally-known web site called
American Folklore that features retellings of folktales from each state. This site was created as
part of a graduate study at Rutgers the State University of New Jersey in October 1997 and is
used daily by teachers throughout the world in lesson plans for students of all levels. Stories from
the site have also been used in college text books and in Masters level programs.
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Post Meeting Write-up
Our December Face the Fiction was a great time and guest Sandy Schlosser was amazing.
Before I recap some of the moments not mentioned in Steve's very nicely done recap, I have to
thank all of the people who attended and helped make the night a success. Every one who
walked in the door had something to contribute, whether it was food/drinks, books, DVDs, gifts,
these people came ready for festive! A very special thanks to Aubrey - without him the night could
not have been the fantastic night it was. He stepped up to not only help me out with the food but
remembered the sternos, designed and decorated the room complete with streamers (risking
life and limb on those chairs), made centerpieces from scratch, brought a PA System so Sandy
and the readers had a microphone, saved the day with an extra-long extension cord, helped
serve the food - basically, what didn't he do! A heartfelt thank you Aubrey. Thanks to Steve and
Jim for the great snacks. Thanks to them, Remi is now addicted to "blue" potato chips - lol.
Thanks to Bill for the very generous contribution of drinks. Thanks to Liz B for the awesome fruit
tray. Thanks to Taras for the delicious chocolate cookies. Thanks to Aurelia & Adeena for the
tasty pasta salad (and the beautiful handmade shawl). Thanks to Dean & Madeleine for the one
bite cupcakes. Thanks to Paul for the cheese and crackers. Thanks to Chris for the plethora of
donuts. We had way more than we needed! And a very special thank you to you all for simply
being there - it made it the best gift ever.
Thanks for all of the generous contributions for the book/movie swap. Steve, Jim, Bill, Taras,
Chris, Jo and I were all able to get rid of much stuff. I even had bags ready for the takers. Thanks
takers!
Now for the recap - our night started when several of us arrived early to set up and decorate.
Aubrey and I made like Martha Stewart while Sandy and Jo tested the DVD and projector. As
people drifted in, they grabbed some snacks, found a seat and enjoyed pleasant conversation
and checked out the freebies available for taking. When Todd arrived, with Mom in tow, we sat
down to a delicious variety of foods. Wraps, fried rice, egg rolls, chicken wings, pasta salad,
potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw, pickles, pepperoni/cheese tray and more! You couldn't
make just one trip - the table beckoned you with its sirens song.
When we finished the dinner portion of the night, we went downstairs to view the DVD of Sandy
being interviewed for the WB show Supernatural. Being an expert on folklore, Sandy was asked
by the writers of the show to consult with them on several episodes (one about an evil clown - my
personal nightmare!! I hate clowns! One about the crossroads legend/Robert Johnson, and one
about tricksters - a very funny Supernatural episode). We viewed the clips then moved back
upstairs where Sandy and several "volunteers" did readings from Sandy's newest books.
Gene's reading of a trapeze artist seeing the ghost of his murder victim was quite good. Todd's
dramatic reading of "ONE MORE HEAD" in the voice of the Miner 49er was too funny. Sandy
scared the heck out of us with the creepy Jack-O-Lantern story. Dean apparently took his story to
a whole new level and decided comedy was good. His "but I love you" in the simpering voice had
Sandy saying, "I don't recall this being a comedy." He then tried to share the knife Bill gave him
with Sandy, but she wouldn't take it. So, instead, he gave it to me. Aubrey thought better of this,
much to Barry's pleasure (don't think I didn't see that relieved Thank You, Barry - lol). Madeleine
read a great story about the Salem witch trials. Sandy finished up with an "uplifting" (Chris style)
Christmas story about Der Belznickel - better be good boys and girls.
We enjoyed all sorts of yummy snacks and coffee while listening to the stories being read. We
started cleaning up and putting things back - everyone pitched in,but no one wanted to leave, so
we continued the night (at almost midnight!) at a diner. We were very dirty stay outs but we had
an awful lot of fun. I am so thankful to all of you who chose to share your holiday with us - you
made it very special. We still have Suspense Central on Monday, 12/10, 8:00pm at Panera's on
Rt. 4 and the Special Activity dinner on 12/19 at 7pm. Hope to see you all then too.
Our December Face the Fiction was a great time and guest Sandy Schlosser was amazing.
Before I recap some of the moments not mentioned in Steve's very nicely done recap, I have to
thank all of the people who attended and helped make the night a success. Every one who
walked in the door had something to contribute, whether it was food/drinks, books, DVDs, gifts,
these people came ready for festive! A very special thanks to Aubrey - without him the night could
not have been the fantastic night it was. He stepped up to not only help me out with the food but
remembered the sternos, designed and decorated the room complete with streamers (risking
life and limb on those chairs), made centerpieces from scratch, brought a PA System so Sandy
and the readers had a microphone, saved the day with an extra-long extension cord, helped
serve the food - basically, what didn't he do! A heartfelt thank you Aubrey. Thanks to Steve and
Jim for the great snacks. Thanks to them, Remi is now addicted to "blue" potato chips - lol.
Thanks to Bill for the very generous contribution of drinks. Thanks to Liz B for the awesome fruit
tray. Thanks to Taras for the delicious chocolate cookies. Thanks to Aurelia & Adeena for the
tasty pasta salad (and the beautiful handmade shawl). Thanks to Dean & Madeleine for the one
bite cupcakes. Thanks to Paul for the cheese and crackers. Thanks to Chris for the plethora of
donuts. We had way more than we needed! And a very special thank you to you all for simply
being there - it made it the best gift ever.
Thanks for all of the generous contributions for the book/movie swap. Steve, Jim, Bill, Taras,
Chris, Jo and I were all able to get rid of much stuff. I even had bags ready for the takers. Thanks
takers!
Now for the recap - our night started when several of us arrived early to set up and decorate.
Aubrey and I made like Martha Stewart while Sandy and Jo tested the DVD and projector. As
people drifted in, they grabbed some snacks, found a seat and enjoyed pleasant conversation
and checked out the freebies available for taking. When Todd arrived, with Mom in tow, we sat
down to a delicious variety of foods. Wraps, fried rice, egg rolls, chicken wings, pasta salad,
potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw, pickles, pepperoni/cheese tray and more! You couldn't
make just one trip - the table beckoned you with its sirens song.
When we finished the dinner portion of the night, we went downstairs to view the DVD of Sandy
being interviewed for the WB show Supernatural. Being an expert on folklore, Sandy was asked
by the writers of the show to consult with them on several episodes (one about an evil clown - my
personal nightmare!! I hate clowns! One about the crossroads legend/Robert Johnson, and one
about tricksters - a very funny Supernatural episode). We viewed the clips then moved back
upstairs where Sandy and several "volunteers" did readings from Sandy's newest books.
Gene's reading of a trapeze artist seeing the ghost of his murder victim was quite good. Todd's
dramatic reading of "ONE MORE HEAD" in the voice of the Miner 49er was too funny. Sandy
scared the heck out of us with the creepy Jack-O-Lantern story. Dean apparently took his story to
a whole new level and decided comedy was good. His "but I love you" in the simpering voice had
Sandy saying, "I don't recall this being a comedy." He then tried to share the knife Bill gave him
with Sandy, but she wouldn't take it. So, instead, he gave it to me. Aubrey thought better of this,
much to Barry's pleasure (don't think I didn't see that relieved Thank You, Barry - lol). Madeleine
read a great story about the Salem witch trials. Sandy finished up with an "uplifting" (Chris style)
Christmas story about Der Belznickel - better be good boys and girls.
We enjoyed all sorts of yummy snacks and coffee while listening to the stories being read. We
started cleaning up and putting things back - everyone pitched in,but no one wanted to leave, so
we continued the night (at almost midnight!) at a diner. We were very dirty stay outs but we had
an awful lot of fun. I am so thankful to all of you who chose to share your holiday with us - you
made it very special. We still have Suspense Central on Monday, 12/10, 8:00pm at Panera's on
Rt. 4 and the Special Activity dinner on 12/19 at 7pm. Hope to see you all then too.