The Halloween Bash Wrap-up Party

The final episode of Raspberry‘s story, The Halloween Bash, just came out this month, and we’re not ready to say goodbye! Settle in with your favorite drinks and snacks while we chat about everything from the characters to behind the scenes moments!

*Please note that this post will contain spoilers for The Halloween Bash.

First impressions of the story vs. impressions now?

Raspberry

When I first started outlining this, I had it as 3 episodes: setting up the Bash, the Bash, the aftereffects. Then, me being me, more details and scenes kept coming and I needed more time and space to give the characters their moments, so it turned into this. I’m my own worst critic, so I already want to go back and do more edits, but I think overall the story turned out to be one of my favorites to write. I used a lot of my favorite tropes and got to have awkward teens, which is always fun to write!

Pineapple

The first draft had really long chapters and Raspberry was worried about the length, but I remember thinking “ah… the flow is really good, and who cares about the guidelines we ourselves set?” These kinds of things don’t really bother me if I feel that it’s better for the story itself, so I told her that. She ended up splitting it up, anyway, though, ha ha. I do think that maybe it’s better this way! It is a very YA story, and the shorter chapters kind of reflect that as well. The flow has always been good, and I never had much to say about other than how much I loved this one! I read something recently about how writing is trying to make other people care as much about your characters as you do, and I really feel like we as readers get to see how much Raspberry cared and loved this story.

Apple

Confession time: during my first read through, I was so worried that Ash was going to take credit for all of Bec’s ideas. I love that she didn’t! Ash would never stoop to those levels. I should have believed in her! But it’s so funny to me that I didn’t trust Ash the same way Ash didn’t trust Bec. We were both waiting for the other shoe to drop, haha! But that also just goes to show how fantastic Raspberry is at sucking readers into the drama right from the start.

Who’s your favorite character?

Raspberry

I can’t choose a favorite child! I would like to opt out of this haha

Pineapple

Of course I really liked Bec and Ash, separately or together!! Ash is a sweet child, a baby gay, and I need her to love herself as much as I love her, but also to find some older queers who will teach her their ways!! Bec is cool!! I wish I was as cool and loud about my protests as she is.

But also, shout out to Shelly! She seems so dumb and I really love that about her. She is THE queen bee of the school but not in a typical way. I don’t know what it is, but something about her just… entrances me.

Apple

There are so many fun characters, but Bec is my favorite for sure. If there is a valid point to be made, my girl will make it—hammer and nail it to the bulletin board even. She do be going through it, though. I love how well Raspberry balances Bec’s amazing strength and outspokenness with her vulnerability. Those little glimpses we get into Bec’s home life and her family definitely pack a punch. Every episode I read, I was just like, “Please let this child be happy!”

Favorite moments or scenes?

Raspberry

Oh, that’s hard. In terms of ease of writing, I loved the car scene with Bec and Ash’s banter that starts the attraction (though, let’s be real, there was probably already attraction). I feel like that scene came easily and flowed better than I hoped. In terms of memorable, the purple lipstick for sure. Credit goes to Pineapple for that one, but I feel like that’s one of my favorite parts of the story. AND made me want purple lipstick.

Pineapple

One of my favorites is the purple lipstick scene! Yes, of course, because I made an offhand comment about how purple was a good color for a witch costume, and Raspberry added it into the story. I’m touched and in awe at what she did with it. I also really liked some of the little details that Raspberry added in, like Ash’s flashdrive being folders in folders in folders. Like the drummer of Babes in Black winking at Ash as they leave the stage–that one would go in the movie trailer for sure. We also HAVE to talk about the bloody paint hand prints!! I loved that scene SO much. Also one of my favorite lines in the whole story was from episode two: “She’s just hacked herself a large hole in my door and is trying to fit her designer shoes through.” A classic.

Apple

I love the scene where Ash and Bec talk on the phone! It’s the part that made me realize how much they’d come to understand each other. And the moments that follow that (Bec making sure Ash eats and helping Ash avoid the haunted maze and Ash covering for Bec when she thinks Bec was behind the paint bucket incident) make me so happy. Seeing these two go from wanting nothing to do with each other to having to work together because of the bash to having each other’s backs is the absolute best.

Are there any fun behind the scenes moments you’d like to share?

Raspberry

Going to the lipstick scene, Pineapple commented on one of the drafts that she imagined one of the characters having purple lipstick. I knew it wasn’t something Ash would wear normally, but I loved the idea of purple lipstick so I worked it into the story. And then it just kinda stuck. Now I want an enamel pin of purple lipstick haha (Pineapple, you’re an amazing artist, so…)

Pineapple

Fun fact, don’t tell anyone, but Raspberry actually isn’t a huge fan of horror! She’s the Ash here ha ha. I’m a big fan of it, though, and so are my sisters and a couple of my friends. So when Raspberry asked for horror recs, I got carried away and made a nine-page long guide with some relevant summaries, trivia, and facts for her!

Apple

I remember Raspberry sending a message in the group chat to say she was thinking about extending The Halloween Bash to eight episodes, and I had to try so hard to be chill and professional about it. On the outside, I casually said something about how she should go for it if she was feeling inspired, but on the inside I was throwing confetti. I’m still holding out hope for even more stories with these characters!

Thanks for partying with us!

We’d love to hear about all your thoughts on The Halloween Bash too! Feel free to leave a comment or find us on Twitter @jaamwriting!