This Halloween, I decided to republish The Accidental Bridegroom as an ebook because of it’s paranormal elements tying it to the mystical Day of the Dead celebration.
The Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday occurring around Halloween. Those who celebrate this holiday pray for their departed loved ones, give them gifts, and create altars helping them along their spiritual journey. We in South Texas celebrate The Day of the Dead along with the sugar-high Halloween.
I was inspired to write The Accidental Bridegroom after traveling to Oaxaca, Mexico and celebrating the Day of the Dead with friends. Those celebrating this mystical holiday make sugar skulls and decorate them with vibrant colors. They build beautiful shrines for the dead and festoon them with marigolds; these vibrant flowers are also used to decorate their homes, businesses, streets, and cemeteries.
This holiday of remembrance dates back to the Aztecs. A beautiful woman, Mictecacihuatl, was Queen of Mictlan, the underworld and fabled land of the dead. She watched over the bones of the departed and presided over ancient festivals of the dead. During modern times, she is known as the Lady of the Dead. Despite her role, she had a tragic life; it is believed that after she was born, she was sacrificed as an infant. Images of Mictecacihuatl show a fashionable woman with a defleshed body and with her jaw agape.
To others, this holiday and its celebration may sound gruesome, but on our trip to Oaxaca, we went to a cemetery and celebrated with friends at the graves of their loved ones. We chatted and drank, left gifts for the spirits to enjoy, and listened to tranquil symphonic music and mariachis play. We had an exceedingly merry time celebrating those who have come before. This joy and celebration is evident in The Accidental Bridegroom as the characters find their true love during this unique holiday season.
