As an English major, one of my favorite past times is finding reading over some of my favorite seasonal literature. There’s nothing like curling up beside the fire on Christmas morning with the pages of A Christmas Carol in your lap just like it is only appropriate you watch American Psycho every time Halloween rolls around.

A classic thriller genius for all generations, Poe remains one of the most revered among the literary artists for horror works. While The Raven leaves readers with an eerie under tone, other works like The Tell-Tale Heart bring up important themes like so many of his other works such as self-discovery and the impact guilt inevitably has upon us.

Stephen King

A thriller favorite, Stephen King is author to many works perfect for your Halloween, from The Shining to Cujo. The best part about Stephen King is that for most of his novels, once you finish reading them there’s a movie to go along with it-so you can curl up on the couch with a giant batch of popcorn and an even bigger blanket-and prepare to get the living wits terrified out of you.

George Orwell

If you’re a fan of dystopian sci-fi fantasies that make you think about the downward spiral our current world is headed in, than George Orwell is the perfect author for you to divulge in. Many of us may be familiar with his 1984 work, which brings up the question of just how much our government may be involved with our day to day lives. Another work of his, Animal Farm, gives the reader a scary picture that often comes in reality with the exercise of communism.

Bram Stoker

Author of horror classic Dracula, Bram Stoker also has other notable horror related works including The Jewel of Seven Stars. This horror novel involves an archaeologist in the wrong place at the wrong time who ends up becoming involved with the revival of an ancient Egyptian mummy. Stoker acts as the perfect author looking for a sense of adventure in their Halloween this year.

Truman Capote

Not only the author of the classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Truman Capote also produced such works as In Cold Blood, the thrilling tale of a cold blood murder and the convicts who run from the scene. The tale provides a thrilling depiction of an innocent farm family in a gracious small town completely unsuspecting of the horror about to visit its county lines.

Mary Shelley

While Mary Shelley was the author of thriller favorite Frankenstein, she also wrote a novel called The Last Man, which is yet another work dedicated to those lovers of dystopian futures and distorted realities. The Last Man features a quaint love story haunted by the dangers of a ravenging plague.

Whether you like gory horror tales, mystical fiction, fantastical science tales, stories of damsels in distress, odds are there’s an author out there for you and a story that’s just dying to give you the perfect Halloween experience.