October is a month that is uniquely suited to fiction. As people hang ghosts on their porches and decorate their front yards with skeletons, graves, and witches’ feet, the divide between the real and unreal feels more pliable. Kids, and many adults, don Halloween costumes and pretend to be someone else for the night, to tell another person’s story. Fiction, too, exists on this line between real and imagined worlds. That is why we dedicate every October to a Scary Story Showcase, focusing on the fiction that sends chills up our spines: stories that scare us, that surprise us, that make the boundary between our world and the unknown seem a little smaller. We have lots of goodies lined up for you this month, including original fiction by Jac Jemc and an interview with Carmen Maria Machado. But, to get in the spooky spirit, start by taking a look at some of the highlights from our October archives. Check out Brian Evenson’s story “Room Tone” about the horrific consequences of a filmmaker’s perfectionism. We are proud to have Brian as the judge for this year’s Fall Fiction Contest, now open to submissions. Take a close look at the difference between horror and terror, with this brilliant essay by Lincoln Michel. Let Marjorie Sandor walk you though the uncanny in this deeply unsettling essay. Don’t miss our interview with award-winning science fiction, fantasy, and horror editor Ellen Datlow. Or, read Adrian Van Young’s discussion of Laura Benedict’s supremely creepy story “When I Make Love to the Bug Man.” Hungry for more? Don’t worry. This is only the first week of October. There is lots more otherworldly fiction, essays, and interviews to come.