Well, let me just say that October is my favorite storytelling month of the year!  All those ghost stories and spooky tales are great to bring groups together.  (They usually try to get closer for protection, but whatever we can do to bring people together seems to be a good thing!)  There's nothing like a slightly scary story to bond an audience.  There are so many amazing Halloween and harvest festivals around, and some of those have figured out that storytelling should be part of that.  Check out your local area for venues....or, you could just hire a storyteller for your Halloween event.  Parties at this time of year are always better if story is involved.  You can decide how much "fear factor" you want:  storytellers can meet your needs from whimsical to terrifying and everything in between.  So, make a cup of hot chocolate and open up a scary novel to get you in the mood, and then hire a storyteller today!  Many cities also offer Ghost Tours and stories of haunted locals.  If you're in northern Utah, check out Ogden and Salt Lake City Ghost Tours--all the stories and chills without the gore of the haunted houses.