Inner Chambers

Bad-Ass Faeries: Behind the Scenes

2010-11-05T23:08:00.002-05:00

My guest blog entry has been posted over at the official blog for the Bad-Ass Faeries series. I give a little insight behind-the-scenes of my contributions to the anthology series and the creation of the fallen faerie, Gorge, and discuss the give and take that sometimes occurs between authors and editors.

Bad-Ass Faeries: In All Their Glory (Volume 3) has just been announced as a finalist the 2011 EPIC eBook Award for Best Anthology. This continues a tradition for the BAF series. The first volume, Bad-Ass Faeries, was a Finalist for the 2007 Dream Realm Award for Best Anthology. And Bad-Ass Faeries: Just Plain Bad (Volume 2) won the 2009 EPPIE Award for Best Anthology.

BAF in the NYT

2009-11-15T20:39:00.002-05:00

It's official. The Bad-Ass Faeries anthologies are part of a trend. I know because the New York Times said so, mentioning the BAF books in the same sentence as Neil Gaiman's Stardust, no less. The thrust of the article in the NYT Sunday Book Review section is the popularity of fairies in YA lit, but BAF gets a mention as a nice sampler of the style. Of course, they're still listing the old Marietta Publishing editions. The new editions of Bad-Ass Faeries and Bad-Ass Faeries: Just Plain Bad are now available from Mundania Press and available via Amazon. The most recent addition to the BAF family is series editor Danielle Ackley-McPhail's new novella, The Halfling's Court: A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale.

In my admittedly biased opinion, the BAF books are really something special. The range of stories in each anthology speaks volumes about how far creative folk can take a simple concept, finding new layers and life in it without falling back onto shopworn conventions. Writing for these anthologies has been a challenge, not only because of the nature of the concept, but because of the level of talent involved. I don't want to be the one guy who didn't pull out all the stops.

The third BAF anthology is in the works now. I finished up a solid draft of my piece for that last week. With this story in particular, I've finally determined that I do, indeed, enjoy writing fantasy. It's taken three BAF stories to convince me, and each one has drifted farther and farther from the dark, horrific sort of tales for which I've become known. In the past I've been tepid about writing fantasy, because of all genre fiction, I find it's conventions to be the most cumbersome. But writing my BAF stories forced me to stop thinking of fantasy in traditional terms (magic, royalty, romance, mythical creatures, poor peasants undertaking world-shaking quests, and so on), and look at it in the truest terms of the word.

So my latest BAF story blends traditional fairy folklore with some of the legends surrounding the blues, in particular the kings of the Delta blues, like Robert Johnson. It may be one of the best pieces of fiction I've ever written. I only hope my editors like it as much as I do.

Coming up this weekend, I'll be appearing at Philcon in Cherry Hill, NJ, promoting Resurrection House, BAF, and lots of other stuff, as well as hanging out with writers, readers, and other cool people. Come by if you live in the area.

More Signing Photos

2009-10-04T13:41:00.004-05:00

It looks like my next appearance/signing will be at Philcon, November 20-22, the formerly Philadelphia-based convention now taking place in Cherry Hill, NJ. In the meantime, here are some more photos from last weekend's book signing at Between Books. I'll be posting some news and upcoming book covers later this week.

Here's most of the gang from the signing: (from left to right) A.M. Boyle, me, Danielle-Ackley McPhail, Bernard Mozjes, and CJ Henderson. Not pictured is Mike McPhail, who was busily rummaging through the amazing inventory at Between Books, or maybe gabbing with Greg, or possibly eating cookies, or... editing the next volume in Defending the Future.

Here, Danielle shows off So It Begins, the latest volume in the Defending the Future series, edited by Mike McPhail. Up against a deadline, Danielle had only two hours sleep. So, of course, we made her read first.

And, lastly, CJ mugs for the camera with a Ben Fogletto illustration done for CJ's short story collection, Degrees of Fear, published by Dark Regions Press. Forgive the strategically placed lens flare.

Resurrection House @ Between Books

2009-09-28T22:16:00.004-05:00

The signing at Between Books went very well, despite some heavy rain (we almost had to row through part of south Jersey) and a slow Sunday time slot. A decent group of folks turned out at the shop. Even better, most of them sat still through the various author readings! I read a selection from "Resurrection House," the title story of my short story collection, which got a great response. Snacks and soda were enjoyed by all.

The haul this time: And the Angel with Television Eyes by John Shirley in hardcover for me, and a stuffed Krypto toy and Flash Chronicles volume 1 for the young'uns.

Will post more pics later this week.

Book Signing

2009-09-26T19:01:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow I will be appearing at Between Books in Claymont, Delaware for a book signing between 1 and 4 p.m. Between Books is the coolest bookstore ever, no exaggeration. The first time I was there I found a David Schow collection and two Dennis Etchison collections I'd been trying to dig up for more than 10 years. (Okay, I wasn't trying very hard, but still...) And those were only the tip of an iceberg made up of cool, rare books, comics, and graphic novels that fill the stacks of Between Books. Greg, the proprietor, is a great guy, and he's kindly surrendering some space to me, CJ Henderson, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, and Mike McPhail to meet with readers, do some readings, and hopefully sell some books. So, if you're in the neighborhood, drop by. The location is 2703 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont, Delaware.

Regular blog entries will resume shortly!

Springing Forward

2009-06-06T08:29:00.003-05:00

Damn, I've been busy writing lately. That's good. Very good.

Back in March and April I felt off track. I was writing, but it wasn't clicking the way I like it to, and I wasn't finishing things. Everything felt like an uphill march in the snow with the wind in my face. And I wasn't alone. At least two of my writer friends commented to me back around that time (independent of each other) that they were in the doldrums too. Of course, there was another writer friend of mine who was chugging away on his book full-steam ahead, making us all look bad. But by the end of April things had turned around for me. Sometimes it's only a matter of slogging through enough scutwork to build up some momentum.

Because May was a pretty darn good month writing wise, and June is looking bright.

I'm 30,000 words into the second draft of my second novel. It's infinitely better than the first draft and I love the direction it's going.

I got a story synopsis in on deadline (literally, on the deadline) for a very cool anthology featuring a classic character. Then I got word that it was approved and to go ahead with the story.

I wrote a new short story for another anthology, submitted it, and the editor liked and accepted it. That's particularly pleasing because it's a piece of crime fiction, and I haven't written a lot of crime fiction. I like it, and I want to do more. Plus, the editor of this anthology has genuine expertise in the field of criminology, so passing muster with him makes it that much sweeter. I'll be posting more about this one as soon as the editor says it's okay.

To top it all off, I finished proofreading Resurrection House. It's always cool to read your work in print. Reading stories in pages has a distinctly different feel than reading them in manuscript. For me, the final litmus test for whether or not a story really works is if I still like it when I read it in pages or in a printed book. So I'm glad to say, everything in Resurrection House works. Admittedly, I might see a few things I'd do differently now, especially with a book like Resurrection House, which includes a range of work from my first published short story up to the present. But seeing those things is part of the fun, so I leave them be. There were relatively few corrections to be made (Note: Fingers crossed that publisher and designer agree with my definition of "relatively few"). To the best of my knowledge everything is now in and the book is heading toward publication. Exciting.

It's a cliche, but it's true: It can be hard to see the forest for the trees.

For writers that happens when we get deep into projects, and we focus on all the bits and pieces and details, the characters, plots, pacing, and prose, and forget that even when the trees all start to look the same, we're still making progress. (I spent two weeks rewriting Chapter 1 of my novel, but that work had to be done, that chapter had to be right for everything else to fall into place.) Then after awhile we can lift up our heads, look back at what we've been doing, and say, "Damn, I've been busy writing lately."

With a little luck, I'll be saying that again come sometime in July.

Resurrection House

2009-05-26T12:47:00.003-05:00

Over the weekend Joe Morey, publisher at Dark Regions Press, sent me the first proofs of Resurrection House. The book is coming together beautifully. Dave Barnett has done an elegant job in designing it, and Jason Whitley's illustrations strike the perfect mood for each story. It's exciting in a unique way to be holding these proofs and going back over these stories. Looking at it now, I think it's a terrific mix of my horror writings. The deluxe limited hardcover edition (which will include two stories not found in the other editions) and the limited hardcover edition are now available for preorder at Horror Mall. Details on the paperback will follow. Awhile back, I promised to post the final cover and table of contents, so here they are.

Mooncat Jack

Trick

Gray Gulls Gyre

Refugees

Resurrection House

The Feeding Things

Last Stand of Black Danny O'Barry

The Tale of the Spanish Prisoner

Vicious Swimmers

Five Points

Swamp Hoppers (deluxe hardcover edition only)
Derelict (deluxe hardcover edition only)

Terminator V. Robot Monster

2009-05-19T22:56:00.003-05:00

Caught Terminator Salvation tonight, courtesy of my pal CJ Henderson, movie reviewer and author extraordinaire. Not sure exactly what I think of it yet. So, I'll keep this brief for now and relatively spoiler free. As an action movie, it's tremendous, but as science fiction...well, I'll only say that it has about as much real science in it as Robot Monster. In fact, the whole thing has a sort of Robot Monster feel to it.

Let me explain.

Robot Monster is a much-maligned gem of a B-movie. Often bandied about as a rival to Plan 9 From Outer Space for worst movie ever, it is in actuality only deeply misunderstood. Robot Monster is a clever, science fiction retelling of The Wizard of Oz as if imagined by a fevered 12 year old. Terminator Salvation has that vibe. There are moments of genius in it, but overall the whole thing feels like something a 12 year old might cook up after having seen Terminator and wondering what the war with the machines might look like.

The Terminator franchise has officially become fantasy.

Is that good or bad? How the hell should I know?

All I can say is that there's a giant terminator with a gun for a head, and it shoots terminator motorcycles out of its legs, and it's the coolest damn killer robot ever. Ever.

The Final Files

2009-05-04T22:18:00.003-05:00

About twenty-four hours ago I uploaded the final story files and illustrations for Resurrection House. Everything's now in the hands of the publisher and designer, and the book should be listed on Dark Regions' website shortly. This feels very, very good. Later this week, I will post the final table of contents. In the meantime, here's a look at the not-quite-final cover:

BAF2: Just Plain Bad

2009-05-03T12:40:00.004-05:00

Bad-Ass Faeries 2: Just Plain Bad has been out for about year now. Recently it garnered the 2009 Eppie Award for Best Anthology. A new edition is due soon from Mundania Press, along with a new edition of the first volume in this series, Bad-Ass Faeries. The books are still garnering new fans and picking up attention, and rumblings have sounded about a third book. People have really responded well to the "back-to-their-roots" faeries that appear in each anthology. Being part of this series has been great. Not only has it inspired me to stretch myself as a writer, but it has connected me with a lot of new readers. One brave soul has even undertaken to review all of BAF 2 on her blog...one story at a time. Here's a link to her comments on "Way of the Bone," the first story in the book.

Behold, the Power of Writing!

2009-04-27T20:56:00.005-05:00

Last week was a rough week. Nothing spectacularly awful, but one of those weeks when not enough goes right, too much goes wrong, and way too much simply doesn't go at all. Annoying. Frustrating. And, to some extent, demoralizing. A real beat down of a week.

But these things have a way of turning around in the most unexpected ways.

Awhile back my friend Russ asked me to read his novel Finders Keepers. He's been working on it for a long time, gone through at least a few drafts I know of, and has had some very promising interest from some good-sized publishers. He's also got a website dedicated to it. When he asked me to read it, he was closing in on finishing the first draft of his second novel and planning to polish FK afterwards. Lately Russ and I have gotten into the habit of hanging out to talk about writing about once a month, and he thought I might give him some feedback before he tackled what he plans to be his final draft.

As long as I've known Russ, this was actually the first of his writing I was going to read. I get nervous when people ask for my feedback. I like doing it, but too often over the years I've found myself in the uncomfortable position of telling people things they obviously didn't want to hear. Not that I'm some wunderkind. It's only ever my opinion as a reader and writer and I take pains to be tactful, but a lot of writers, it turns out, are rather...well, thin skinned.

Shocking. I know.

Thing is, Russ ain't one of them. As I soon learned, Russ is a genuine journeyman who knows the devil isn't in the details, it's in editing and rewriting the details. So when we got together for a beer last week, Finders Keepers came up. After I finished telling him how wonderful, deep, and engaging his characters are, how crisp and lively his dialogue is, and how flat-out cool and original some of his ideas are, I got around to a few...structural items...that had bothered me as a reader. Then, somewhere along the line (Don't ask me exactly when, because we were drinking; writers are always drinking, it seems. Shocking. I know.)... but at some point, I blurted out that I thought he might want to cut the first, oh, 150 pages or so of his novel and start it much later than he had.

Then I hid behind my pint of Guinness and held my breath. And waited.

That's when Russ said, "You know, I was sort of thinking that, too." Or words to that affect. (Again, drinking.)

After I decided he wasn't trying to lure me out from behind my Guiness for a quick ninja blow to my larynx (trade secret: all writers have ninja powers), I cautiously set my glass down. We then spent about an hour and a half hashing through what he'd written, what he'd intended, how it had read to me, how he'd edited it in the past, and what he might do with it for the final draft.

The whole evening left me really energized about writing. We writers work alone too much. Sometimes we really need that little push from someone who reminds us to listen to our instincts. And sometimes we need to be reminded that writing is about going out on a limb even if that only means being honest when someone asks for feedback.

So, two days later Russ sent me a rough draft of his new first chapter. And it rocks.

Then the same day my Domino Lady author copies showed up in the mail and Jason Whitley sent me the last piece of art for my upcoming story collection, Resurrection House. And it creeped the hell out of me. Jason is that good.

And that downtrodden, sickly feeling that'd been nagging me all week simply... went away. Behold, the power of writing!

Compliments of the Domino Lady

2009-04-18T08:11:00.008-05:00

I was only passing familiar with the Domino Lady until a couple of years back. That's when pulpmaster Ron Fortier asked me if I might be interested in writing a story about her for an anthology he was compiling. A pulp heroine who originally appeared in a mere handful of stories, Domino Lady's mystique (and, perhaps, physique) has saved her from being lost to the ages. Because Ron is an old friend and a terrific pulp writer and everything about the project sounded cool, I jumped on board. I did my research, and penned a 15,000 word novella, "The Devil, You Know." Aftwerward, as is not uncommon with live projects, the Domino Lady book began to evolve. For awhile it seemed like the book might even be on the ropes, but thanks to Ron's tireless efforts to keep it alive, it landed at Moonstone Books, where the scope of the anthology grew beyond it's original plan. A very satisfying twist, indeed.

Moonstone is arguably the finest publisher of new pulp fiction and comics working today. They've published a lengthy list of comics and prose anthologies featuring the Phantom, the Spider, Zorro, Kolchak, the Night Stalker, and many other classic characters. And they've done it with style and respect for the origins of those characters. Editor Lori Gentile quickly took the Domino Lady up a notch, expanded the scope of the project, lined up pulp-style illustrations and some more contributors, and brought everything to completion for what may be the best pulp anthology I've yet been published in.

My story appears there alongside the work of my friends and terrific writers, Ron Fortier, CJ Henderson, and Martin Powell, as well as comics great, Chuck Dixon. I've read a lot of Chuck Dixon comics over the years; he's one of the industry's sharpest writers and its reigning master of action and adventure stories. Mr. Dixon's run on Batman and Detective Comics is one of my favorite eras for the Dark Knight, and that's only scratching the surface of his body of work. So, it's extremely cool to share pages with him.

So, my thanks to Ron for bringing me into the fold on this book, and to Joe Gentile and Lori G. at Moonstone for seeing the potential in Domino Lady and for being so great to work with through editing and production.

For more info on the book, Moonstone has the full details and Jazma Online has an interview with me done during production.

As for the Domino Lady, aka Ellen Patrick, she's a wealthy socialite whose father was murdered when he tried to clean up corruption in the local government. Ellen, donning a trademark, black-and-white outfit and domino mask, sets out to strike back at the rich, powerful, and evil, by stealing their wealth and exposing their crimes, carrying on her father's work in spirit if not in practice. So, of course, in my story, she gets wrapped up with a group of powerful Satanists who hold places of power in the state government, and much mayhem and danger ensues.

Back to Blogging

2009-04-11T09:34:00.005-05:00

Wow, almost a year since my last blog post. I'm lame.

But, well, it's been a hell of a year with a lot of ups and downs, some stretches of rough road, and one or two sudden, dog-leg turns thrown in, but at least there were no explosions. No explosions is usually a good sign.

So I maybe I'm not so lame. It's not like I was cooped up in the basement watching non-stop marathons of David Lynch and Alejandro Jodorowsky movies in search of the hidden meaning of life.

Life does intervene after all, and the real world must take precedence over the Inter-world. I know this because I know which one of those worlds requires me to breathe and eat and live indoors and stuff like that.

Since my last post I've had some new stories published, some old ones come back into print, scripted a four-issue comic book series that came up out of the blue, appeared in an award-winning anthology, and... struck a deal with Dark Regions Press to publish a collection of my short stories this Spring. It's going to be called Resurrection House, and I'll have a lot more to say about it here soon.

I've updated my website with new info, images, and story excerpts and links.

I've also reconnected with some old friends, had new adventures with some other friends, and all around gone through what feels like nigh onto a decade's worth of life changes in less than twelve months, but, hey, that's life.

And if you think I'm going to blog furiously over the next few weeks to catch us all up on what these things are and how they've impacted my life and writing... forget it. I'm going Stan Lee on this. If you missed the last issue or even the last year's worth, don't worry. Captain America's clinging to the side of a giant robot, the Red Skull is screaming maniacally, and there's three seconds before the nuke goes off. That's all you need to know to enjoy the ride.

So, here's the first review for So It Begins. This is the second anthology in the military science fiction series, Defending the Future, edited by the smart, talented, and gentlemanly Mike McMphail. It includes my story, "War Movies." The first volume, Breach the Hull, included my story, "Killer Eye."

More blog soon...

Breach The Hull Review

2008-05-13T20:32:00.004-05:00

Just saw this review of Breach The Hull. My story, "Killer Eye," published in this anthology marks my first foray into military sf, and it's been garnering some great feedback, such as this reviewer's comments calling it "well-conceived." More on the anthology here.

First Review of 2008

2008-01-03T22:11:00.000-05:00

Here's a great way to kick off 2008, with a nice review of the anthology, Dark Furies, which includes my story "Gray Gulls Gyre." Thanks to Jeff Edwards for the kind comments. Dark Furies has been out for awhile, now, but it's definitely worth hunting down a copy. Happy New Year!

Season's Greetings

2007-12-22T21:02:00.001-05:00

New Story Online at SpaceWesterns.com

2007-09-12T20:24:00.000-05:00

The aptly named SpaceWesterns.com has posted my tale, "The Law of the Kuzzi," set in the Byanntia universe created by Bruce Gehweiller. Originally published in No Longer Dreams, it is represented here as part of the Byanntia sequence, with other stories written by CJ Henderson and Mr. Gehweiller.

Byanntia is a frontier world where human colonists struggle for survival against a harsh environment and strange, native lifeforms. "The Law of the Kuzzi" tells the story of an early encounter between Kuzzi (Byanntia's intelligent natives), the colonists, and a band of illegal hunters. Read it here.

Many thanks to Nathan Lilly for his excellent work on the site and his enthusiasm for Byanntia.

BAF Review from The Harrow

2007-07-05T20:57:00.001-05:00

A new and rather favorable review of Bad-Ass Faeries is in at The Harrow. It's nice to see some comments about the anthology, which appears to be off to a strong start and is gathering a nice audience, thanks, in large part, to the tireless efforts of editor Danielle Ackley-McPhail.

Altered Review Posted / Zombies Rise

2007-07-01T15:36:00.000-05:00

My "guest review" of Altered has been posted, not yet at DVD Late Show, but at Kevin Smith's pop culture web site, Quick Stop Entertainment. You see, Chris Mills, who runs DVD Late Show is also a columnist for Quick Stop, and he graciously included my comments about the alien abduction flick in his most recent update. Thanks, Amigo.

And now, the previoulsy promised cover for The Dead Walk Again...

Art by Stephen Blickenstaff, edited by Vincent Sneed, published by Padwolf, full details are posted on my web site, and an Amazon link will be forthcoming.

Summer's Here & Altered

2007-06-18T21:04:00.000-05:00

Summer doesn't officially arrive for a few more days, but it's hot here this week. Not blistering, sweat-fountain, eyeball-melting hot, but hot enough early enough in the season to have me wondering if our recent string of relatively mild summers might be at an end. Time will tell.

In the meantime, go watch Altered.

I'm not usually one to push a movie on folks, but I've become downright evangelical about this flick, hawking it's virtues to all my genre-lovin' friends. Don't look for it in theaters, though; it went straight to DVD. And, apparently, that's a good sign these days, because Altered is light years better than most of the horror movies that have hit the big screen in the last few years.

Long story short, it's a horror/sci-fi hybrid about an alien encounter gone incredibly wrong...and incredibly strange. It's directed by Eduardo Sanchez, one of the creators of The Blair Witch Project, who amply proves he's got the chops to tell an actual story this time around. It's a smart, character driven piece that pulls no punches (and its not for the squeamish).

I spun a lengthier review for my buddy Chris Mill's DVD review website, DVD Late Show, and I'll be posting a link to it here just as soon as Chris gets the piece posted over there. (For now, feel free to check out Chris' bank of previous reviews of B movies and other genre fare; click on Guest Reviews to read some of my reviews.)

And, though, it's been quiet around here for a few weeks, I expect to be posting a bit more frequently, starting with a glimpse of the fantastic cover for The Dead Walk Again later this week...

Bad-Ass Faeries

2007-05-02T21:43:00.000-05:00

It was one of those stories that started out as a headscratcher, a theme well outside my usual literary stomping grounds. What could I write about faeries? It was exactly the kind of challenge I love best. I don't write a lot of fantasy stories, which made the project even more demanding (and which is probably why I wound up throwing in an edge of horror). So, I sat down to write, and the result became "Sally Smiles," a twisted tale from the world of the Midnight Hour, a dark glimpse of love, romance, demons, and childhood fixations.

That was many moons ago, and until now the only public airing of "Sally Smiles" was a well-received reading I gave at Lunacon back in March. So I am extremely pleased to say that I now have the official word that Bad-Ass Faeries has rolled off the presses and is available, featuring "Sally Smiles" and eighteen other ventures into the faerie wilds.

The book can be ordered from Amazon or the publisher, Marietta Publishing. Cover art is by Amy Brown. To celebrate its release, there will be a launch event at Balticon at the end of the month. And the editors and publishers have cooked up some really cool contests, giving readers a shot at winning an autographed Amy Brown collectible figurine and a one-of-a-kind set of handcrafted faerie wings. If you're going to be in Baltimore on Memorial Day weekend, stop by the con to meet the editors, a whole a herd of the authors, and check out the book.

Into the Ether

2007-04-29T21:55:00.000-05:00

Good writing weekend.

I wrapped up three new pieces.

Two short stories, now submitted to editors at two anthologies. I'm really pleased with how both turned out. Fingers crossed the editors agree.

Also completed the final rewrite on a four-page script for The Midnight Hour. Jason Whitley and I have concocted a breezy little origin story for Madeline Night and the Midnight Hour. I wrote the initial script a couple months back and waited for Jason to turn in his stunning artwork before tightening up the text and kicking it over to lettering madman, the Devil Genghis. Since we're eventually going to be posting this on the Midnight Hour web site, Jason will be finishing it up in full color in his usual amazing style. Here's a sneak glimpse:

And, lastly, I got word that Bad-Ass Faeries has rolled off the presses and copies will be released soon. This anthology features my short story, "Sally Smiles." I promise cover art and much more detail in just a couple of days as the editors have cooked up a contest and a launch event at Balticon next month to get things rolling.

Ravencon Wrap

2007-04-24T20:59:00.000-05:00

The last day of Ravencon proved pretty quiet. But, of course, that's when they get ya...

My last panel of the con was a 10 A.M. discussion of artificial intelligence and computers as villians in science fiction. I was a bit apprehensive as the topic falls outside my usual areas of expertise, but I was happy to serve as moderator and ask questions. Turned out to be one of the best panels I've ever sat on. Guest of Honor science fiction author Robert Sawyer, author Stephen Euin Cobb, and podcasting pioneer Paul Fischer were the panelists. Thanks to their erudite comments and the input of an exceptionally well-informed audience, we maintained a lively discussion despite the early hour. The upshot (and I'm simplifying greatly here) was 2 votes in favor of the likelihood that computers will take over and turn against us in the future to 1 vote against. Me, I'm looking forward to reading the Robert Sawyer novels I snatched up in the dealer's room. That guy knows his stuff.

The gents were kind enough to pause for a photo after the panel with, from left to right, Paul, Stephen, myself, and Robert.

After the panel I had time enough to bid farewell to a few folks and then hit the road back to New York. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful drive for several hours--until the traditional jam up around exit 6 off the New Jersey Turnpike and a couple of hours of stop and go, topping off at 35 mph when things really picked up. But then if I didn't get delayed in Jersey, I suppose I wouldn't really feel like I'd been out of town. Way to go Garden State...!

Highlights from Ravencon

2007-04-21T20:10:00.000-05:00

Last night's Mystery Panel turned out to be a blast. I was one of the panelists subjected to random and often bizarre questions lobbed at us by moderator Tony Ruggiero and the audience. The capper was a question from artist Cort Skinner asking panelists what bodily function they would use to describe their writing. In another panel Elizabeth Massie led us on a great discussion comparing classic Gothic horror literature with modern horror writing. And tonight I just wrapped my last panel, about how book titles and covers are created and how they work, while just outside our room the costume party carried on with riotous enthusiasm.

Here's a snapshot from my afternoon panel, a discussion of how writers create their characters. From left to right are myself, Edmund Schubert, David B. Coe, Dennis Danvers, and Elizabeth Massie.

And here's a shot of me hanging out with Danielle Ackley-McPhail, author and one of the editors of the forthcoming Bad-Ass Faeries anthology (to be released in May), which will include my short story "Sally Smiles."

Ravencon Bound

2007-04-19T18:45:00.000-05:00

Off to Ravencon tonight. I'm hoping hotel Internet access will be better than it was in Toronto for WHC, so I can actually post while I'm there. I've got a full line-up of panels, and it looks to be a great show. Taking along some work, as well. Two new short stories now in the editing stages and some reading I've fallen behind on...

Gut-Check Movie Review: Burn The Wicker Man (2007)

2007-04-16T20:30:00.000-05:00

I gave it a shot. Even knowing the odds were a million to 1 or worse that it could possibly be any good, I gave it a shot....

The original The Wicker Man is a good movie. Entertaining, atmospheric, and intelligent, it tackles some unique themes that perhaps are as relevant today as they were during its orginal release. I wouldn't go as far as calling it great. A B-movie classic, maybe. Even an important, if somewhat minor, benchmark in the horror genre. And, hell, it's got Christopher Lee, as Lord Summerisle, at his aristocratic best.

The remake is none of those things. And Ellen Burstyn (Lady Summersisle) is no Christopher Lee.

With Neil LaBute in the director's seat, I held out a sliver of a chance for the movie to be at least interesting if not good. I've seen a couple of LaBute's other movies and read some of his short fiction. It's not really to my taste. He writes nasty stuff. Unlikable people doing detestable things and treating each other badly. But he's got an unmistakable voice, and I was curious to see how that might manifest in a horror movie.

But apparently LaBute decided to play this one by the Hollywood numbers with a script that barely qualifies as fit for direct-to-DVD filler. In fact it's quite typical of what passes for horror in Hollywood among people who don't know or understand the genre (which seems to be most major studios, their scriptwriters, and the majority of big name movie stars).

Deviating from the original only to capitalize on every opportunity to dumb down, sanitize, or otherwise diminish the original story, there's nothing unique or distinctive onscreen here. Nicolas Cage overacts. Burstyn struggles to let us know she actually has a pulse. And a ham-handed metaphor involving bees and sexism replaces the original's creeping sense of dread, which was born of a much deeper and more primal cultural and religious conflict.

The final image of Cage trapped and screaming in the burning wicker man aptly captures just how I felt when the credits began to roll.

I wished I could pull the disc from my player and chuck it on the flames...

Website Redux

2007-04-10T21:58:00.000-05:00

My newly redesigned and reconfigured website, www.jameschambersonline.com, is now live.

Give 'er a surf, eh?

Gut-Check Movie Review: The Black Dahlia

2007-04-09T20:45:00.000-05:00

The Black Dahlia was my introduction to James Ellroy, and my love of the book made me really want to enjoy this movie. Sadly, it was not to be. Director Brian DePalma almost never fails to disappoint, and though this proved one of his more competent outings of recent years, it still fell miles short of the mark. There's the uninspired casting to blame, the tepid pacing, and a script more hollow than a jack o' lantern on November 1, but really it's the combined weight of all these flaws that drives this film to the greatest of sins when it comes to film noir--it is forgettable. Granted there are moments of brilliance and the movie posseses more style than it knows what to do with. Parts of it are fleetingly poignant or wonderfully atmospheric. But in the end, with a rushed and very clumsy conclusion, it simply adds up to a big nothing. I recall hearing somwhere around the time of the theatrical release that a three-hour version of the film played much better and even earned kind words from Ellroy. It's conceivable that with more of Ellroy's story translated intact, the movie could have taken on greater depth, but even if an extended version comes down the pike someday, I still think I'll opt to reread the novel instead.

Wolrd Horror Con--The Recap

2007-04-06T00:14:00.000-05:00

Okay, so blogging from the con didn't really pan out. No problem. I'll just catch up now.

It was a good con, a really good one.

Toronto is an expensive city (that's coming from a lifelong New Yorker), so there were few book purchases this trip. Only one, in fact: the special hardcover edition of Postrcripts # 10. I even had to pass up a nice, signed copy of Joe Lansdale's Savage Season (next time for sure). Luckily, folks were generous, and I wound up coming home with some top-notch reading to keep me going for awhile. Gave away a few copies of The Midnight Hour in return, and I hope people enjoy them.

At the top of the con reading pile: Via Dolorosa by Ronald Damien Malfi and Gifted Trust by John Paul Allen.

Con events such as the mass signing, the Stoker awards, and the general run of panels all proved enjoyable and interesting, but the best part of this con was getting to meet a mob of great people. The World Horror Con has always struck me as just about the most laid back con I attend. The weekend is about kicking back, hanging out, and getting to know people. The amazing thing this weekend was how many writers and readers I wound up talking to and just having a casual conversation. They ranged from aspiring wordsmiths just starting out to folks at just about the same point as me to international best-selling authors to Stoker winners and the con Grandmaster. There were worlds of writing experience on tap, and it was great to plug into it all.

The Canadian location attracted a healthy crowd of Candian horror folk (of course) and many from the UK. Interesting to get a different perspective on things from our colleagues north of the border and across the pond.

The heart of the con, as usual, rested in the after hour activities--the parties, the improptu gatherings, the bar. Every night was a late night.

By Sunday morning I was pretty well drained and eager to make the trip home.

A lot of people hit rough ground going or coming through customs, but I lucked out with an easy enough time both ways. A special tip of the hat to Donna and Steve of Ego Likeness, who kindly gave me a lift to the airport (I'm listening to Water to the Dead as I write this.) and Jennifer and John of Raw Dog Screaming Press for introducing me to Donna and Steve.

Next year: Salt Lake City.

World Horror--Toronto, Day 1 and 2

2007-03-30T16:50:00.000-05:00

Wi-fi at the Marriot Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto is not proving terribly good, so this is going to be short and sweet.

Arrived yesterday after a smooth flight and connected with Jason Whitley. Did a quick tour of the neighborhood before picking up our badges and officially launching into the con. Got some cool stuff in the official con "swag bag," including Heart-Shaped Box, the debut novel by Joe Hill, which I've been hearing good things about.

Later, we bounced back and forth between a pair of parties and chatted with many of our fellow horror folks. Spent some time catching up with Allen K. and his wife Christine. Allen gave me a sneak peek of the cover for Inhuman # 4, which looks great.

Today's highlights: a panel of top editors and agents serving up some useful tips and info about pitching to agents and editors, a short stop-motion film adaptation of "The Pit and the Pendulum," and an hour-long discussion between Tom Monteleone and GOH Joe Lansdale.

Tonight: more parties.

Are We Blogging Yet?

2007-03-27T22:55:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my blog.

About 10 years back it occurred to me I ought to start some sort of regular online column on my website (www.shadowhouse.com, at the time) as a way of keeping in touch with my friends and readers and hopefully attracting some new readers. This was back before “blog” had made into the dictionary. It seemed like the thing to do. But being me, I promptly procrastinated the idea into oblivion while the world roared onward. Blogging turned from novelty to necessity to a no-holds-barred flood of information, opinion, facts, pseudo-facts, and wishful thinking. And every time I thought about gearing up my own contribution, I ran up against the same obstacle.

What could I possibly add to the din?

I’m not blogging from anywhere special or for anyone in particular, other than my readers. I’m not dishing up the inside scoop from behind the scenes, and I harbor no aspirations of becoming a pop culture maven. I don’t spend hours scouring the web, so I can’t offer a multitude of links to witty animations, clever websites, and obscure resources. I'm not a politico, I don’t want your vote, and I generally don’t have breaking news to report, except about my writing. And I’m not especially eager to bare my soul and secrets to the world at large. I’m a private person by nature, and I prefer to sneak such things into the world disguised (heavily) as fiction.

So, what can I possibly blog about?

My fiction writing, for one thing. I'll start there.

Beyond that I’ve decided the best way to find out is trial by fire. Thus, I’m launching this blog the day before the World Horror Con begins and will be blogging from the con as hotel Internet access permits.

Comments and blogging tips are most welcome. A decade after I was ahead of the curve, I'm now pulling up the rear of the pack. Perhaps Toronto shall lead me to my blogging destiny.