It has always seemed odd to those closest to me that I have never enjoyed dressing in costume for Halloween. It’s true that once I was out of “my mom made my costume” time of life I rarely was enthusiastic about designing or donning anything remotely bizarre like in the quest for candy. In a family necessarily budget minded on what could realistically be spent on the holiday, my parents nevertheless managed to pull it all together in a single day on Halloween. Being the fourth of five children initiated me into a rather specialized identity in my household, not the eldest, or the youngest, the smartest or best looking, the best in school or sports or anything else that was noteworthy. I liked to read and I liked to be unobtrusive. I preferred backstage to the limelight and to a certain extent still do. Halloween was the time for me to work the background, lighting, music, scene; the aspect of the holiday that I carved out for myself, the one I still prefer. Making a mark in the shadow. Into the Cauldron: Halloween Miscellany of Malevolent Mirth is another shadow walk into Halloween. Welcome.