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Psychosis! (Review) - Jul 2007

Interview with Mark Tarrant, author of The Blood Rider - Mar 2007

Interview with Clifford Bowyer, author of The Imperium Saga - Mar 2007

AlienAlmanac's First Annual Top 12 Woman of Sci-Fi 2006

Interview with Raym C. Hensley - Jul 2006

Is Kong King Enough to Revive an Ailing Theatre Industry - Dec 2005

The End of Star Trek - Sept 2005

Video-to-Movie 'Halo' Effect - Sept 2005

The New Fantasy Genre - Feb 2005

Return of the Zombies - Feb 2005

Will Battlestar Galactica Fill the Emptiness of Space? - Feb 2005

Psychosis!

A friend of mine recently gave me a copy of the graphic horror anthology Psychosis!  The publication is backed by Guild Works Productions, www.guildworksproductions.com/, a site that offers new and upcoming writers and illustrators the opportunity to publish their work.  Founded by Keith Murphey and Mark Mazz, GWP partners with the Comicbook Artists Guild, www.comicartguild.com/.  Both sites mix the Pros with the Joes by allowing for new members and opportunities to submit new works.

Psychosis!, the October 2006 issue, contains five diverse horror stories contributed by a number of talented writers and illustrators:

"Whiteout" by Joseph B. Mauceri & Edward R. Flynn

"Wastrel Isle" by Scott Sheaffer, Keith Murphey, Hector Rodriguez, & Ven Yann

"Meth" by Shawnti Therrien

"Never Judge a Book..." by Robert J. Sodaro, Matt Ryan, & Steve Kuster

"Desperate Skins" by Alan Abbadessa, Rammer Martinez, & Peter Palmiotti

Psychosis! and GWP are a great way to expand your network and portfolio.  The publication is professional and shows a lot of dedication at helping new artists.  If you looking for fresh horror stories, then try Psychosis.  If your an aspiring artist looking for a way to publish your work, then try GWP.  Psychosis and other products can be purchased from the GWP website.  Good work!

Jul 2007  MEG

[AA]  What is The Blood Rider about?

[MT]  The Blood Rider is the adventures of a vampire gunslinger in the Wild West right after the civil war. It is the story of a bitter, lost, soul, Ezekiel Carson, once a devote man of God who is now a vampire. He embarks on a journey with William Hamilton a teacher from NY who is in need of a guide to help find his brother who went missing in a mining town in New Mexico. They encounter different evils, both natural and supernatural.

[AA] How did you come up with the idea?

[MT]  I was looking at a painting in my office I had won for a short film contest.  It was a close up of cowboy with a smirk wearing black and pointing his guns at you. He looked cocky, unafraid almost taunting you to draw or die trying.  I have always like westerns, and love monsters and the unknown, something just clicked and I thought why no one has done a vampire gunslinger in the Wild West as a hero.

[AA] What makes this story unique among the vampire genre?

[MT]  That's a tough question, but maybe the fact The Blood Rider calls the Vampire power, a curse and is angry about his lifestyle, because it was put on him against his wishes. He is not a pretty boy, leather wearing Victorian, Uzi toting, greasy child of the night. He does not think humans are for Breeding and Bleeding. He does not care about power or wealth, just where he can fill his next blood filled canteen. He is truly the lost soul of the vampires and only through drinking, womanizing, and having a good night at the gambling tables does he forget how lost he truly is. In most vampire stories they seem very strong, slick and have all the right angles, Ezekiel still makes mistakes, has incredible mood swings and is at war with himself.

[AA] Is this your first book?

[MT]  Currently, I have four books about the Blood Rider written and a few short stories. My goal was to create wild dark adventure stories similar to Robert E Howard's Conan but with the western horror twist. Some stories are books, while others may be only 10 pages. Book one is The Blood Rider and lets us get to know Ezekiel Carson at his best, moody, lustful, angry and a grudge on his shoulders about how he feels life has cheated him.

[AA] When and where do you write?

[MT]  I write in my office surrounded by western movie posters and Frazetta art work, an action figure of Conan the barbarian, and Master Chief from Halo. I try to find time to write after work on my second shift job, so like Ezekiel, I am up at night writing and editing enjoying the adventure of the weird Wild West.

[AA] What is the greatest challenge you have when writing?

[MT]  Besides the time factor editing and cleaning up things, I used to get discouraged until I read some of Stephen King's unedited work, and he showed how he has to be cleaned up too, and I felt much better. His Book "On Writing" was awesome.

[AA] What do you do when you’re not writing?

[MT]  With my new daughter who has changed my life for the better.  I try to sleep, but when I have time, I love watching movies, reading comic books, watching the NFL and playing on Xbox live. I enjoy the 360 and love playing Gears of War online against people. I am a big geek.

[AA] What's your next project after The Blood Rider?

[MT]  I plan on staying in the Blood and Spurs world writing about the Blood Rider for the next few years but hope to push a few scripts I have written as well.

[AA] How do fans and readers get in touch with you?

[MT]  Go to www.thebloodrider.com and write to me. Or join the blood riders friends list at www.myspace.com/thebloodrider

[AA] Where can they buy this book?

[MT]  You can pre order at the website and it should be available in mid summer 2007.

Until then, I am sending out free short stories to those who sign up for the quarterly newsletter or who just want to read about The Blood Rider.

Interview with Clifford Bowyer, author of The Imperium Saga

[AA] What are the Imperium Saga novels about?

[CB]  The Imperium Saga is a Fantasy Adventure about Seven Kingdoms, known as the Imperium, and the gradual conquest of them by an evil tyrant known as Zoldex. The series begins with readers seeing the Imperium the way it supposed to be.  By the end of the trilogy, which is aptly entitled the Fall of the Imperium Trilogy, Zoldex pretty much conquers the realm.

[AA] How do you develop the characters in your books?

[CB]  For every one of my characters, I have a fully developed background and history.  The things that happened in their past motivates their actions in the present. I have relatives and family dynamics so that other elements of the characters can come into play. I have personalities and outlooks on certain things so that each character has their own identity and can be easily identifiable when you are reading about them. I also include things like speech patterns, weapons or equipment they may use, certain key things they potentially have, and much more. I also modify these as I am writing, so that, for instance, if a character is slashed across the cheek by a tiger, a book from now his face wouldn’t suddenly be healed. That way, I don’t forget details of what happens to my characters, and there are consequences to actions and events that could have lasting themes throughout the series.

[AA] You have seven books published with two more on the way.  What are the new titles?

[CB]  The two new books are coming out in February 2007. The first is “The Siege of Zoldex,” the third and final book of the Fall of the Imperium Trilogy. The second is “Quest for the Shard,” the sixth book in the Adventures of Kyria.

[AA] What keeps this series interesting for you?

[CB]  The characters are the most important thing. If I get away from working on the series too long, I begin to have this burning desire to go and write, bringing out more of the story and adventures of the characters. I have so much plotted and developed, with concept ideas of where I want to go, that it’s really a matter of having the time to do it all.

A lot of people who I have met at conventions, book signings, speaking events, and festivals have also told me how much they love the characters, how they can’t wait to see what is going to happen next, and how different the characters really are. The characters may keep me interested, but that kind of a reaction, the passion and excitement that I see in the faces of the fans, that’s what makes it all worthwhile.

[AA]  How did the Imperium Saga development as a role-playing game?  

[CB]  A few years ago, I was in my local comic shop (TJ Collectibles in Milford) and the owner asked me if I ever considered having a game made based on my books. To me, a game was a video game, and I would love that, but figured that if it ever happened, people would come to me to try and buy the rights to make a game. But that was not what he meant. He then sat me down and began talking about the d20 role playing games, and basically began educating me on how Wizards of the Coast was letting people make games and use their basic mechanics to help promote game play and keep people involved.

[AA] When and where do you write?

[CB]  I write from home, at any time that I have available. Usually, I write in the mornings and stop around 3:00 in the afternoon. However, when I am writing a book, I follow my outlines and try to set daily goals. For instance, I may have 5 bullet points listing the next 3 to 5 chapters. I’ll read those, think about them for a while, and then begin working on them. A short break for lunch, and then I’m back to writing. If I’m done at noon, great. If I’m done at midnight, ouch! Usually though, I do seem to finish around three.

At the desk where I write, I am surrounded by little items of inspiration. I have replica and collectible swords, some artwork, all of my books, the map of my world, and all development materials (which is thousands of pages) at my fingertips.

[AA] What advise would you give to other aspiring writers or writers just beginning?

[CB]  I recommend preparation. Take the time to really develop your idea and though. Do the research you need (for Fantasy, for instance, it’s research on weapons, swordplay, fighting techniques, mythology, folklore, and things like that) to do, and take time focusing on the little details that may never come out in the book, but are the things that really create the depth of your work.

In addition to the background research and materials, I spend a good three months just creating the outline and source document for the book I am about to write. It has a complete bulleted outline (sometimes chapter by chapter, sometimes even so detailed that it is scenes within the chapter), all characters within the book, locations visited, creatures involved, and more. That way, I have one document that covers everything I could possibly need.

[AA] Which movie are you looking forward to this year (2007)?

[CB]  That’s a tough one. If I had to pick just one, I’ll go with the coming attraction I just saw: Fantastic Four. The special effects with the Silver Surfer looked great, and I had a smile on my face during the entire preview. I should probably have said Spiderman, because I am a bigger Spidey fan than a Fantastic Four fan, but as someone whose read all the comics, the alien symbiote should come from outer space and the Secret Wars….I doubt Spiderman is going to some made up planet by the Beyonder in the movie, so I’ll stick with Fantastic Four.

[AA] How do fans and readers get in touch with you?

[CB]  I update a blog on a regular basis on my own website, www.CliffordBBowyer.com, and also put the latest news, updates, reviews, etc about both the books and myself on there.

A couple of years ago, a fan who visited me at several different events asked permission to create a “Fan Fiction” site. I let him, and also monitor the site and respond to questions, comments, and posting there as well. You can find it at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theimpendingstorm

Silver Leaf Books also has a “Fan Art” feature that you can find by going to http://www.silverleafbooks.com/Gallery-FanArt.htm, and posting or viewing art specifically about my books and world.

Finally, a few people recommended that I join MySpace to be more available to fans as well, and I have done that. People can find me at http://www.myspace.com/imperiumsaga

[AA] Where can fans buy your books?

[CB]  My books are available wherever books are sold. You can walk in to any bookstore, and if they do not have them, they can order them for you.

[AA] Do you have book signings or appearances coming up in 2007?

[CB]  I currently have several conventions that I am intending to host a booth at for book sales, signings, and discussions. The first is February 16th – 18th at Boskone. Then Anime Boston on April 20th – 22nd. ConnectiCon is July 13th – 15th. I’ll also likely be back at United FanCon, but I don’t have the dates yet.

Also, I’m sure I’ll have some book signings at various Barnes and Noble stores following the release of the new books. Updated information on those appearances and others can be found at either website by going to the Events section.

AlienAlmanac's First Annual Top 12 Women of Sci-Fi 2006

(...just another reason why science fiction is so great!)

Sci-fi movies were filled with good looking women this year.  We tried to keep it to a top 10 instead it's a top 12.  Don't worry we have enough server space to accommodate them all.  We based the order on how they looked in the movies.  It's not like most of us will ever see them off-screen anyway, therefore our fantasies live only within the silver screen.  Here we go....

12. Milla Jovovich - Ultraviolet

11. Keira Knightley - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

10. Natalie Portman - V for Vendetta

9. Naomi Watts - King Kong

8. Jessica Biel - The Illusionist

7. Kate Bosworth - Superman Returns

6. Charlize Theron - Aeon Flux

5. Halle Berry - X-Men: The Last Stand

4. Scarlett Johansson - The Prestige

3. Rebecca Romijn - X-Men: The Last Stand

2. Famke Janssen - X-Men: The Last Stand

1. Kate Beckinsale - Underworld: Evolution

Interview with Raym C. Hensley,

Author of The Zombie Hunter’s Bible

AA: What is your book about?

RH: It's about hunting crazy zombies.

AA: What inspired you to write about zombies?

RH: Aside from my life-long love of zombie films and The Zombie Survival Guide, zombies are a special
breed.  They walk on a fine line between humor and horror.

AA: Is this your first book?

RH: I have written other weird books like Mad Mountain written in my William S. Burroughs phase; and Aloha
Mannequins in my Hunter S. Thompson phase.  I have another fiction/nonfiction How-To book called Lying with Love: How to Live a Happy Life by Lying (because you love too much)! It's a joke book, of course.

AA: How long did it take you to write The Zombie Hunter's Bible?

RH: It took a rather long time...one whole December.

AA: Where is your favorite place to write?

RH: Parks and bars.  Writing drunk (slightly) opens up the right-side of the brain and frees those creative sparks. If I could write anywhere, it would be in my own condo in Waikiki!  For now, I have to write in my tiny room.

AA: Any challenges while writing the Bible?

RH: I wanted to put in more drawings but that takes up more pages.  And that means that the customer has to pay more too, and I don't want that to happen.  I can't see people wanting to buy this silly book for over $20.

AA: Who published your book?  Any challenges trying to get it published?
RH: Lulu.com printed it up, although I am the publisher.  I do all the hard stuff like marketing and cover design.  I've really enjoyed what they've done for me, and I don't really see myself leaving them for a big publishing house.  If you do your research, you'll find that in the long run those big publishers give up on the writer.  At least with Lulu and self-publishing, I don't have to worry about my work going out-of-print.

AA: What are your interests when you're not writing?

RH: Darts, drawing, drinking, filmmaking, singing, playing guitar, candle burning, picture taking, graphic design, fashion design, taiko drums, volunteering at the library, playing therapist to depressed friends, going to strange Goth
clubs, cooking...anything creative.

AA: What advice would you offer other aspiring writers?

RH: Write! A writer writes.  For good or bad.  The End.

AA:  What is your next book about?

RH: My next book will be one of my dreams with crude child-like drawings.  It'll be called A Nail from a Suicide's Coffin: A Book of Dreams.  It's inspired by William S. Burroughs' book of dreams, My Education.

AA: Where can people purchase your book?

RH:  At Lulu.com. www.lulu.com/content/180179

AA: Where can people contact you?

RH:  My film & television production GroundOne at www.cornjob.com, and Myspace at www.myspace.com/raymhorror

Is Kong King Enough to Revive an Ailing Theatre Industry?

At the end of the day, it's all about making money and increasing profits year over year.  We're seeing a slow decline of ticket sales at the movie box office.  Revenues in 2005 seem to be at it's worst and the blame is pointing toward the filmmakers.  It's not the movies.  There's been a number of excellent films in 2005.  With a line up like Star Wars, Batman Begins, and King Kong, it's a little hard to believe that films are to blame.  The truth is technology.  These days, anyone can see a better quality film and sound than most theatres right in the comfort of their own home.  From plasma TVs, big and wide screens, surround sound, and digital quality, this technology is within most people's budget.  Another factor, the film-to-DVD window is shrinking and will probably continue to get smaller.  So, why go the theatre?  In only a few months, film addicts can see their favorite summer blockbuster before the summer ends.  This has much more appeal to many viewers over traveling to the nearest theatre, waiting in line, and sharing the movie with a hundred other people.  By the way, you can't always pick the people you sit near either.  There's always someone who's ignoring movie theatre etiquette.  Keep in mind, it's the science fiction and fantasy movies bringing the ticket sales.  When was the last big comedy or drama that broke records?  Okay, I'll give you Titanic.  There are still many people who enjoy the nostalgia of going to the movies.  Even so if there are choices for movie goers, don't be surprised that people would rather stay at home.  The next couple of years should prove interesting.  We'll probably see technology continue to improve, on-demand programming increasing options, and film-to-DVD window continue to shrink.

12.18.2005 MG

The End of Star Trek

Well, Star Trek went out with a whisper while Star Wars ended with a roar.  How do two pinnacles of sci-fi genre that span a couple generations end so differently?  Call it sci-fi saturation or space opera dilution.  Star Trek built a world around human discovery and space exploration.  After a while that formula can only be repeated so many times.  The storylines were not that much different between the original series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise.  Even so, the revival of ST:TNG was a refreshing comeback which spun off ST:DS9 and Voyager.  All three were successful runs, keeping in mind it was several years before the Star Trek revival.  Unfortunately, ST:Enterprise failed at continuing the drama that could sustain a collective audience.  Honestly, did anyone really care much about the characters and their cause?  We all knew the outcome, which left little to the imagination and possibilities that prior series were able to deliver. 

Unfortunately, the creators and producers of Star Trek are intent on developing a new film expected to take place after ST:Enterprise and before the original Star Trek.  This will be a big mistake and only further saturate the franchise.  There are fans of Star Trek who feel opposite about the genre and wish for a break.  Perhaps it is time to give Star Trek a little rest and rediscover itself with fresh ideas and new storylines in the future.  09.01.2005 MG

Video-to-Movie 'Halo' Effect

Microsoft landed a large movie deal with Universal and Fox to produce its popular video game Halo.  MTV Films (Viacom) just acquired the film rights to the popular action horror game The Suffering.  Other video games such as Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Dungeon Siege are moving forward with bringing gaming to the big screen.  Doom will be up first this fall and will set the tone for the rest.  If it does well, we may see even more of your favorite video games get scripted for Hollywood.  If it sucks, watch some of these deals reconsider their investment.  Just as long as no one brings Brittany's Dance Beat to film, we should be safe.  09.01.2005 MG

The New Fantasy Genre

Where is the genre of fantasy headed?  There's been an outpouring of eastern films like Hero and House of Flying Daggers and Hidden Dragon Crouching Tiger.  Historical fiction films like Troy and Gladiator and Arthur also found their audiences lately.  Not since Lord of the Rings has fantasy been truly represented in film and books and nothing so far has been as good.  Ever since the first Lord of the Rings film hit theatres, there's been rumors of Peter Jackson directing The Hobbit, and yet, it's been only rumors.  Even so, it seems more attention has drawn to the real genre of fantasy: swords and sorcery, dragons and wizards, and orcs and goblins.  The good news: the near future readies for Disney's Chronicles of Narnia and there's talk about making a film of Stephen Donaldson's Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.  There's plenty of room for epic fantasy films and media to draw fans from the dark, dank, backrooms of role-playing fantasy.  02.01.2005 MG

Return of the Zombies

2004 was surely the year of the zombies.  2005 looks just as packed with films where the dead take revenge on the living like Land of the Dead, The Devil's Rejects, The Amityville Horror, White Noise, and Darkness.  The last time zombies walked the earth was back in the 70's.  There must a correlation between the walking dead and war.  The Vietnam War portrayed many gruesome and bloody images.  Among protests and sit-ins, many Americans disputed our involvement.  At the same time, filmmakers produced Dawn of the Dead, Night of the Living Dead and many others in the 60's and 70's.  Since the beginning of the Iraqi War after 9/11, filmmakers have produced films that have played with our subconscious minds.  It makes one wonder if history will show that we had no business being in Iraq just as we did 30 years ago in Vietnam.  In the meantime, get ready for the return of the zombies!  02.01.2005 MG

Will Battlestar Galactica Fill the Emptiness of Space?

Within the span of a light year, Star Trek is struggling, Star Wars is concluding, Andromeda is weakening, and Farscape is cancelled; what's left for us fans?  If Galactica proves to be as worthy a series as its premiere last year, it may fill that empty, black, void of space fans have been searching.  Already, the Galactica buzz is stirring distain on how the new version will be nothing like the nostalgia of the original.  Well, no kidding.  Many people probably weren't happy about Star Trek: The Next Generation either, but ST:TNG ended up running nearly twice as long as its predecessor.  Dubbed as "re-imagined," Galactica has tremendous potential through an original storyline, character depth, and special effects that makes the emptiness of space real and lonely.  It's sure to draw the curiosity of fans from the original series and attract a new generation of devoted viewers.  The survival of the human race and the battle against the Cylons premieres January 2005 on the Sci Fi channel.  02.01.2005 MG

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