Halloween may around the corner, but the spooky spirit was still alive and well at the 2026 Frightreads Book Festival, held at the Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship, Maryland! For fans of horror, fantasy, science fiction, and everything that goes bump in the night, this festival offered a wonderful opportunity to celebrate storytelling, meet talented authors, reconnect with fellow fans, and enjoy a few surprises along the way.

As someone who loves a good story, whether it’s told through the pages of a book or brought to life on the silver screen, I was excited to see what Frightreads had in store. And I can happily say that the festival delivered a memorable experience filled with fascinating conversations, familiar faces, and plenty of fandom fun!

One of the highlights of my visit was meeting the Charm City Ghostbusters, a dedicated group of fans who bring the beloved *Ghostbusters* franchise to life through their enthusiasm, costumes, and impressive equipment.

There’s something magical about seeing those familiar jumpsuits, proton packs, and Ghostbusters insignias in person. For anyone who grew up watching the original 1984 film, it’s enough to bring back memories of Venkman, Stantz, Spengler, and Zeddemore saving New York City from paranormal chaos.

What made meeting the Charm City Ghostbusters so enjoyable wasn’t simply their appearance. It was the passion they brought to the festival. Their love for the franchise was infectious, and they reminded everyone that fandom is about more than watching a favorite movie. It’s about sharing that excitement with others and keeping those cherished memories alive.

After all, when something strange is happening at a book festival, you know exactly who to call!

Another personal highlight was the opportunity to chat with Robert Greenberger, a talented author and editor whose career spans decades of work in comics, science fiction, and popular culture. Not only that, in the local conventions, he has been a celebrity square on Sci-fi Squares, which I hosted.

For longtime fans of Star Trek & comic books, Greenberger is a all-true familiar name. His contributions to the worlds of DC Comics and Star Trek have helped entertain generations of readers, making him someone whose knowledge of storytelling and the entertainment industry is well worth hearing.

Getting the chance to speak with him was one of those experiences that reminds me why I love attending conventions and festivals. Reading an author’s work is one thing, but having an opportunity to engage in a conversation with the person behind those stories adds another dimension to the experience.

Our conversation was a welcome reminder of the creative talent that festivals like Frightreads bring together. Greenberger’s longstanding involvement in science fiction and comics made our chat especially meaningful to me as a lifelong fan of both. It’s these personal connections that make an event truly memorable.

One of the pleasant surprises at Frightreads was seeing another familiar name in the Maryland convention community: Farpoint Convention! For those unfamiliar with Farpoint, it’s a longtime fan run convention that celebrates science fiction, fantasy, media, literature, and the people who make these imaginative worlds possible.

Seeing Farpoint represented at Frightreads was a wonderful reminder of just how connected our local fandom community has become. Whether you’re a dedicated Trekkie, a lover of fantasy adventures, or someone who simply enjoys meeting fellow fans, conventions like Farpoint provide an opportunity to come together and celebrate the stories that inspire us. And there’s good news for fans looking ahead to the new year!

The presence of Farpoint at Frightreads was also a reminder that these events don’t compete for our enthusiasm. They complement one another, creating more opportunities throughout the year for fans to celebrate their shared passions.

If there was one encounter that added an extra dose of Hollywood nostalgia to my Frightreads experience, it was meeting and talking with actor Zack Ward, best known to generations of moviegoers as Scut Farkus, the infamous neighborhood bully from the beloved holiday classic A Christmas Story.

Now, let’s be fair. Scut Farkus wasn’t exactly the kind of kid you’d want to encounter on your way home from school. With his unmistakable yellow eyes, menacing grin, and intimidating presence, he became one of the most memorable bullies in holiday movie history. But meeting the man behind the character was a completely different experience!

Ward was a delight to talk with, and one of the best parts of our conversation was hearing him share some fascinating behind-the-scenes insights into both the original 1983 classic A Christmas Story and its 2022 sequel, A Christmas Story Christmas. For fans like me who have watched the original film countless times, getting an inside look at the making of these movies from someone who was actually there was a real treat.

There’s something special about hearing an actor reflect on a film that has become such an important part of American holiday traditions. What began as a modestly received theatrical release has grown into a Christmas staple, with generations of families returning every year to Ralphie Parker’s quest for the legendary Red Ryder BB gun.

Ward’s return to the role of Scut Farkus nearly four decades later in A Christmas Story Christmas also gave our conversation a wonderful sense of continuity. Hearing Ward discuss his experiences with both productions made me appreciate how a movie can become something much bigger than anyone might have imagined when the cameras first started rolling. And while Scut Farkus may have terrorized Ralphie on screen, Zack Ward certainly made my day at Frightreads!

What I appreciated most about Frightreads 2026 was how it brought together different corners of the entertainment and literary worlds under one roof. Yes, books were at the heart of the celebration, but the festival offered much more than an opportunity to browse the work of talented writers. It was a place where horror enthusiasts, science fiction fans, movie lovers, and convention regulars could find common ground. And that’s what makes events like Frightreads so important.

Frightreads reminded me that the best stories aren’t always found between the covers of a book. Sometimes they’re the stories we create through the people we meet along the way. 

FINAL GRADE: A+

About The Author

Dean Rogers

Editor-in-Chief/Entertainment Reporter

I knew early on that I wanted to take my place among the stars. One day, my mother saw me reading The Washington Post at a very young age. Who would have known that it would be the building blocks of my journey? Since that day, I dedicated my life to learn all that is learnable. I read everything from encyclopedias to books to dictionaries to magazines. I’m also an avid television viewer, with my favorite genre being game shows. If you’ve seen me on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire or Wheel of Fortune, then you know that this interest has served me well!

My unique style of reporting began back in junior high school, when I started to chronicle the events that shaped my life. Whether it was the annual family vacation or the local science fiction convention, I shot numerous pictures and recorded my thoughts so I could truly appreciate the history. During my senior year at Friendly High, I wrote what was to be my first masterpiece, “Advanced Space Academy – A One Week Journey.” I sent the eleven-page article back to the U.S. Space Camp staff. The article was highly praised for being “one of the best written articles in the history of U.S. Space Camp.” From then on, I knew what I wanted to do for rest of my life — to be a reporter.

Since then, I have trained in Broadcast Journalism at Bowie State University (2008) in Bowie, MD, earning a B.S. in Communications. I gained experience in news production and editing through field experiences with Bowie Community Media Corporation, Prince George’s Community Television, and Bowie State University Television. I also wrote scripts for a variety of quiz shows for over five years.

As a lifelong movie buff, I now see close to 100 films every year. I took this love of movies to the next step when I became a co-host for Eclipse Magazine TV in the fall of 2005. While at EMTV, I interviewed celebrities, worked on red carpets, and attended a wide variety of movie screenings. In January 2009, I took a leap of faith and started my own entertainment news magazine, The Rogers Revue. Shortly afterward, my lifelong journey of studying the silver screen and writing about what I learned finally earned me a place in the Washington Area Film Critics Association.

All of this has led me here, giving you the latest entertainment news for the DMV and the entire nation, and I am truly excited for whatever will come next.

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