Turning One Man’s Haunted House into a How-To Masterpiece
My Role: Design, Layout & Photography
Timeline: 1.5 Years, 10-20 hours per week
Date: September 2014
Tools: Adobe Photoshop & InDesign
Background
Roger Hayes, a passionate Halloween enthusiast who spent over 15 years transforming his home into a legendary haunted house, approached me with a dream: to share his hard-earned knowledge in a book. He had already written all the content, drawing from years of trial, error, and spooky success—but he had no imagery, design, or clear visual direction. That’s where I came in.
​
I took on the full creative direction of the project, photographing every detail of Roger’s home haunt to visually bring the pages to life. I designed the entire book from cover to cover, crafting a layout that was both approachable and atmospheric. To highlight Roger’s own artistic flair, I invited him to create original illustrations tailored to specific pages. I also wove in subtle, playful nods to Roger’s personality—like his love for quirky, dark song lyrics and poems—making the book as unique as the haunted house itself.
​
The result is a practical, engaging, and beautifully eerie guide for anyone who wants to turn their home into a Halloween masterpiece.
The Problem
Neither Roger nor I had ever created a book before—especially one that would go from a fully designed product to being professionally printed. As a photographer, I was used to a different kind of print workflow, but book publishing came with a whole new set of technical requirements. It took trial, error, and a lot of patience (especially from our printer) to get it right.
​
Another big challenge was making sure the content felt intuitive, even for complete beginners. I designed layouts that clearly supported each step and photographed every stage of the process. To make sure it truly worked for novices, I brought in a friend—an experienced technical writer with no prop-building background—to test the instructions and flag anything unclear. His feedback was essential in shaping a book that’s not only spooky but super user-friendly.
Project Goals
Our goal was to create a fun, approachable, and visually engaging book that empowered everyday homeowners to build their own haunted house for Halloween. The content needed to feel accessible for beginners, with step-by-step guidance that made even complex builds feel doable. Just as important was capturing Roger’s creative spirit—through original illustrations, playful design elements, and photography that showcased the charm and spooky brilliance of his home haunt.
Designing the Look and Feel
The design process for the book began with finding the right balance between spooky and approachable. I began by designing the basic outline and format for the pages. I then chose typefaces that echoed the handmade, eerie vibe of Roger’s haunted house—mixing a bold, slightly distressed display font with clean, readable body text to keep the instructions clear. For the color palette, I used vibrant, garish combinations often associated with classic Halloween—bold yellows, oranges, reds, purples, and greens—to bring energy and fun while still maintaining the creepy ambiance of his home haunt.
Layout played a critical role in making the book feel intuitive. Each project was structured to visually guide the reader step by step, with photography placed strategically to match the instructions. I used Adobe InDesign to bring all the pieces together, carefully building master pages, creating styles for consistency, and assembling each spread to feel both functional and atmospheric. The result is a book that’s as enjoyable to flip through as it is to follow—and one that reflects the spirit (and spirits!) of the haunted home it came from.
Book Reviews from Industry Experts
"There is something so pure, so fun about haunting your own house! Most successful haunted house owners started that way and the pure magic of making your own props, getting dressed up as a hideous creature and lurking in the bushes for the first TOT never leaves you! Roger and Tami have captured that feeling in this book, along with a ton of practical ideas and methods n a slick package that would be just as home on your coffee table or in your workshop. A must have for any haunter!"
Ben Armstrong
NETHERWORLD
Atlanta, GA
"Home Haunting for Mere Mortals" is an amazing resource with incredible and useful information for haunters of all levels, from inception to professional haunts. This book provides everything from the cradle to the grave. You need this book, we all need this book"
Evil Deb at CASA FEAR
Final Thoughts
Challenges
Learning A New Kind of Print Process
One of the biggest challenges in creating this book was navigating a completely different print process than what I was used to as a photographer. In photography, we’re meticulous about how prints are prepared—but book publishing brought a whole new set of standards, formats, and technical details. There was a steep learning curve, and it took trial, error, and close communication with the printer to get everything just right. It was a crash course in book production—and one that expanded my skill set. (Though I prefer leaving these kinds of details to others now.)
The Devil is in the Details
Working on a book of this scale was no small feat—it required intense focus and an eye for detail at every stage. Every page needed to not only look good but function clearly as a step-by-step guide for beginners. That meant obsessing over image placement, making sure captions matched the right steps, keeping instructions visually connected to the builds, and ensuring consistency in fonts, margins, and layout flow throughout. Even the smallest decisions—like where to place Roger’s hand-drawn illustrations or how to weave in his spooky poems—had to be intentional. With so much information packed into the book, it was critical that the design never got in the way of clarity. Balancing creativity with usability was the real trick—and one I’m proud to have pulled off.
Key Takeaways
This project taught me just how much a thoughtful design can shape the way people experience and connect with information. I gained hands-on experience navigating the print publishing world, expanded my skills in layout and visual storytelling, and learned how to translate someone else’s creative vision into something tangible and polished. I also discovered the value of collaboration—whether it was working with Roger to bring out his personality on the page, or enlisting a friend to test the clarity of the instructions. Above all, I was reminded that great design is about more than aesthetics—it’s about empathy, clarity, and crafting something that truly serves its audience.
What I'm Most Proud Of
Bringing the "Dead" to Life
What I loved most about this project was the opportunity to bring someone else’s deep passion to life in a way that felt authentic, creative, and useful. Roger had spent over 15 years building his haunted house, adding to it year after year, and trusting me to help him turn that into a book was a big deal. I’m proud that I took on the full scope of the project—from photography and layout to visual storytelling and design direction—and that I created something that not only teaches but reflects the heart and soul behind it.
Creepy Vibes, Captured in Print
One of my favorite accomplishments was visually capturing the atmosphere of a haunted house on the page. I wanted the book to feel immersive—moody, magical, and just the right amount of eerie—while still being easy to follow. It’s both a practical, step-by-step guide for beginners and a beautifully designed book that is worthy of a spot on any Halloween lover’s coffee table.
The Birth of a Haunt Legend
I also took care to bring Roger’s personality forward throughout the book. From integrating his original illustrations to incorporating his love of spooky song lyrics and darkly funny poems, the final design feels like a true extension of who he is. And perhaps most exciting of all—the book helped launch his side gig in the haunt convention space, where he now teaches and shares his work with a wider audience. Being part of that transformation is something I’m incredibly proud of.