O Lala! (In RVA) gets spooky with a special Halloween edition featuring author and journalist Catherine Baab — whose book Poe for Your Problems turned Edgar Allan Poe into an unlikely self-help icon. Now she’s back at it with her upcoming project, Gothic Glow-Up: Mary Shelley’s Guide to Stitching Yourself Back Together.

We talk Frankenstein, free love, grief, genius, and the surprisingly messy (and sexy?) lives of 19th-century writers. It’s brains, bangers, and a whole lot of gothic gossip — perfect for a cozy October listen.

Then, Big Voodoo Daddy drops his “Big Daddy Topic” — the eerie origins of trick-or-treating and the world’s weirdest Halloween traditions (yes, some countries hide their knives 👀). We also highlight a spooky Richmond band, a bold new Carytown boutique, and all the Halloween happenings you don’t wanna miss.

🧠 Topics We Cover

• Cat’s upcoming book Gothic Glow-Up and her deep dive into Mary Shelley’s life
• Why Shelley’s husband Percy was the ultimate gothic f-boy
• How grief, trauma, and genius collide in Frankenstein
• Gothic trivia showdown (Olivia vs. Big Daddy — who wins?)
• The eerie history of trick-or-treating and Halloween across the globe
• Local RVA shoutouts: from the Broadberry’s Halloween Bash to the return of the Gunhole (yes, that Gunhole)
• Our Band of the Week: Windhand
• Our Business of the Week: Hiss Off, a Harajuku-inspired boutique in Carytown

💀 Guest Spotlight: Cat Baab

🖤 Author of Poe for Your Problems 📖 Working on Gothic Glow-Up (coming soon!) 💬 Find her at @authorcatherinebaab 👻 Follow her on Facebook for gothic humor and literary musings.

🍸 Local Shoutouts

• Windhand — Doom metal darlings of RVA
• Hiss Off — Vintage goth-meets-Y2K boutique by Sophie Smith (behind Can Can)
• Reveler at Carytown — Hosting The Embalmers & Crack Fox this Halloween
• Red Vein Haunted House — Our favorite haunted hangout (VIP tickets = worth it)
• The Gunhole at The Valentine Museum — She’s back, baby!