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FEO NEWS FOR SPRING 2005:
MARCH

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ARCHIVE NEWS

For
2003


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Haunted
Links:

The Chancery House

Dancing Skeletons
Sure, why not?

GoreLets
Once this site buries its hook in you, you won't want to pull it out.
Flash Enabled.

Halloween
Midis - Music - and Wavs

The Haunted Graveyard

The Haunted Playhouse

Hell2U
Hell, Michigan. It's a beautiful little place that's a helluva lot of fun to visit.

The Hilarious House of Frightenstein
I've never met a soul who remembers this whacked out show, yet Canadians Bill Strutt and Ben Kane have created this excellent tribute site.

The Monster Dance
Sigh... for those of you who really crave kitsch.

The Monster Mash
More dancing monsters. This time with lyrics.

The Moonlit
Road

MustDie
A Russian site. I don't know what they are saying, but it looks so COOL!

Necropsy
A fledgling Horror site hosted on the Louisiana State University servers. Not much there so far, but the roster of reviewers, including S.T. Joshi, is impressive.

Rather Good
Not Haunted or Horror but being this twisted, where else would he have a link?

The Ossuary In Sedlac
A massive and ornate building made of human bones.

Screams From The Abyss
Few images, mostly text. It's a 24 hour, 7 day a week Geoff Cooper Bitch-Fest!

Spectrum Of Fantasy
Is back online! A Russian site, with pages in English and/or Russian. Uses Shockwave!

MARCH

March 31

E.C.McMullen Jr.
E.C.McMullen Jr.

TERRI'S DEAD
And for the first time since this whole debacle started, the MSM is finally talking to the Schiavo family and getting their story. This isn't entirely the media's fault, because while Michael Schiavo had no problem talking to every damn court in the land and blaming politicians for all of his problems - even before they got involved - he didn't want to talk to the press because pulling a feeder plug out of his wife's belly was a "personal family matter". Terri's parents say that Schiavo is bad news. They sound rather convincing. Mike's brother, who only today started talking to the press (I thought this was private?) says that the Schindlers are bad news. He sounds rather convincing. I don't know who to believe, but I know this: Was it really necessary to STARVE TERRI TO DEATH for 13 freaking days? We treat our mass murderers better by giving them a far less painful lethal injection!

Let me just say that if I ever wind up in Terri's situation and all it takes to keep me alive is a food tube in my navel, then LEAVE THE FREAKING TUBE IN! I won the damn settlement, let the money take care of me! So what if my brain isn't registering thoughts like a normal brain, maybe I finally entered that perfect state of zen I've been trying to attain! Maybe I'm trying to fool any potential zombies into thinking my brain isn't worth eating! Huh? Ya ever think of that? Huh? Betcha NEVER thought of that! Whatever the hell you ARE thinking, leave starving me to death out of it! Whatever the benighted jackasses at the Los Angeles Times say, starving to death isn't a peaceful way to go. You ever hear of a painless fasting? Do those starving kids in Ethiopia look content? Did the starving Jews in Auschwitz look peaceful? As I've said before, If you are going to have an opinion, can it at least be an EDUCATED opinion? Damn!


from Del Howison
SURELY GHOSTS*

If you plan to be in the Los Angeles area this weekend, be sure to check out Dark Delicacies in Burbank. On Saturday April 2nd at 2:00p.m. Dark Delicacies will be holding a signing for two veteran horror writers with their newest books. Craig Spector will be signing UNDERGROUND and John Shirley will be signing IN DARKNESS WAITING.

A few years ago, Craig Spector did an interview with us in support of his novel (at that time), TO BURY THE DEAD.

Read the Interview.

Dark Delicacies is located at
4213 West Burbank Blvd,
Burbank, CA

*Get it? Surely Ghosts?
Surely for John Shirley and Ghosts for Craig Spector?
Surely - Shirley; Ghosts - Spector? Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Boy do I suck!

But hey! I don't have to tell YOU that!

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March 30

From Judi Rohrig of Hellnotes
THE BIGGEST NAMES IN HORROR FILMS JOIN FORCES FOR THE FIRST TIME!
LOS ANGELES, March 29 /PRNewswire/ - Showtime Networks has joined with IDT Entertainment's New Arc Entertainment, Industry Entertainment and Nice Guy Productions to present a shockingly entertaining new anthology series entitled Masters of Horror. For the first time, the most prominent directors of the horror film genre have joined forces to produce a series of new original horror films that promises to shock, terrify and captivate even the most discriminating horror film fans. Slated to direct are
Dario Argento (SUSPIRIA, TENEBRE, THE STENDHAL SYNDROME),
John Carpenter (THE THING, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS),
Larry Cohen (IT'S ALIVE),
Roger Corman (LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS),
Don Coscarelli (PHANTASM, BUBBA HO-TEP),
Joe Dante (THE HOWLING, GREMLINS),
Mick Garris (RIDING THE BULLET, THE STAND [TV]),
Stuart Gordon (RE-ANIMATOR),
John Landis (AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, INNOCENT BLOOD),
Tobe Hooper (THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, POLTERGIEST) and
George Romero (NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, DAWN OF THE DEAD, DAY OF THE DEAD) for a minimum of 13 one-hour films.

While some of the masters will be directing from their own screenplays, an equally impressive roster of writers will be contributing to the anthology, including Richard C. Matheson ("Tales from the Crypt"); celebrated horror comic book creator Steve Niles ("30 Days of Night," "Aleister Arcane"); noted horror writer David Schow ("A Nightmare on Elm Street 5"); Michael Brandt & Derek Haas ("2 Fast 2 Furious"); and renowned horror screenwriters Lawrence D. Cohen ("Carrie," Stephen King's "It") and Matt Greenberg ("1408").

Masters of Horror grew out of an informal bi-monthly dinner attended by many of the horror genre's most highly regarded directors. Mick Garris transformed their collective desire to work together into reality, and will serve as the series Showrunner.

"Showtime is thrilled to be working with this roster of filmmakers, all of whom have contributed significantly to the horror and suspense genre. The title is truly appropriate since Mick Garris and his fellow directors simply are the "masters of horror,'" said Robert Greenblatt, Showtime's President of Entertainment. "It's hard to really scare the audience these days, but I guarantee that these guys will really do just that."

"These are the stories the directors have always wanted to tell; but until now, the right venue had not existed. Showtime is the perfect partner given the filmmakers' belief that, in order to deliver something truly terrifying, they need as much creative freedom as possible and for their films to be free of commercial interruption," said Andrew Deane, Partner, Industry Entertainment. "We are thrilled that Showtime Networks will enable us to reach its important premium cable audience. Through IDT Entertainment, its Anchor Bay distribution, and IDT Entertainment Sales' licensing overseas, we can also look forward to a successful launch of MASTERS OF HORROR throughout the world."

"For its high profile directors, writers and producers, Masters of Horror is a labor of love which we hope will become a classic," said Morris Berger, CEO of IDT Entertainment. "We are delighted to work alongside Showtime Networks, Industry Entertainment and Mick Garris as we enter the production phase of this exciting project."

The Executive Producers of Masters of Horror are Mick Garris, Andrew Deane and Keith Addis. Reunion Pictures' Lisa Richardson and Tom Rowe are serving as Producers. Adam Goldworm and Ben Browning are Associate Producers on the series. Principal photography will begin in Vancouver in late April. The first six directors have been scheduled as follows:

John Landis will direct "Deer Woman," starring Brian Benben, which he co-wrote with his son Max Landis; Dario Argento will direct "Jenifer," based on the comic book by Bruce Jones and Bernie Wrightson which was adapted by and will star Steven Weber;

Don Coscarelli will helm "Incident On and Off A Mountain Road," adapted by Coscarelli and Stephen Romano from Joe Lansdale's short story;
Mick Garris is set to film "Chocolate," adapted from his own short story;
Stuart Gordon will direct "Dreams in the Witch House," adapted from the H.P. Lovecraft classic; and

John Carpenter will shoot "Cigarette Burns," an original teleplay by Drew McWeeny and Scott Swan.


From Tempe Video
SUMMER HEAT BRINGS ON "THE STINK OF FLESH"

Now that we have your attention, it's time to announce the June 7, 2005 arrival of the kinky zombie classic THE STINK OF FLESH Special Edition. And the title isn't the only clever thing about this little gem, which answers the eternal question, "How do you lead an alternative lifestyle...when everybody's dead?"

Wandering a zombie wasteland, Matool survives by his wits and animal instinct, often employing his trusty hammer and gigantic nails to fend off the ravenous hordes of flesh-eating undead. But when he is kidnapped by a mysterious couple, Matool must rely on an entirely different weapon in his arsenal to survive...

Stars KURLY TLAPOYAWA • ROSS KELLY • DIVA • BILLY GARBERINA (FEEDING THE MASSES) • DEVIN O’LEARY • KRISTIN HANSEN (Daughter of Gunner Hansen) • ANDREW VELLENOWETH • STEPHANIE LEIGHS (THE HALFWAY HOUSE) • and BOB VARDEMAN as “Mr. Rainville”

Written & directed by Scott Phillips (screenwriter of DRIVE), THE STINK OF FLESH is a no-holds-barred splatterfest featuring non-stop action and buckets of gore. THE STINK OF FLESH is sure to be a fan favorite and comes fully-stocked with as many extras as you can shake a severed limb at!

HAPPY HORROR BIRTHDAY TO -
Actor John Astin (THE ADDAMS FAMILY [TV], TEEN WOLF TOO, RETURN OF THE KILLER TOMATOES!, NIGHT LIFE, GREMLINS 2, KILLER TOMATOES STRIKE BACK!, STEPMONSTER, THE SILENCE OF THE HAMS, THE FRIGHTENERS) has been in some of the worst movies ever. But it just wouldn't be a truly bad movie without him and even the producers of the awful TOMATO movies realize that. With RETURN OF THE KILLER TOMATOES, he's been in every sequel since plus the cartoon series plus the (now valuable) "Professor Mortimer Gangreen" character doll. What can we say? We just love old Gomez and wish him a happy 75th birthday!

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March 29

DO YOU BELIEVE
In weirded out freaky people? I should since some of them are beloved family members! However, if you believe that these socially inept clods actually have supernatural powers, why not check out mysteriouspeople.com? The most exhaustive resource of spooky folks I've ever seen.


HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
Actor Lucy Lawless (GINGER SNAPS, SPIDERMAN, BOOGEYMAN) is 37.
Actor Christopher Lambert (SUBWAY, HIGHLANDER - all of them, KNIGHT MOVES, FORTRESS - all of them, BEOWULF, RESURRECTION, ABSOLON) is 48.
Writer/Director Victor Salva (CLOWNHOUSE, NATURE OF THE BEAST, JEEPERS CREEPERS, JEEPERS CREEPERS 2, THE WATCH) is 46.
Today's birthday girl is known for her work in Star Trek, but did you know that during those same ST years, she was also the voice of Demona in a long running children's cartoon? Happy Birthday to
Actor Marina Sirtis (BLIND DATE, WAXWORK II, GARGOYLES [TV - all], STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT, TERMINAL ERROR, STAR TREK: NEMESIS, NET GAMES, SPECTRES, CRASH) is 45.

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March 28

KILLER QUIZ
This little game has been around for awhile, so I was suprised to find out that some of you still don't know about it. Well now you do. Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, I'd like to introduce you to:
Programming Language Inventor?
or
Serial Killer?

Who is a social outcast working to make your life better, and who is a social outcast working to end your life? Take this fun quiz and see if you could spot who to trust!

Killer Quiz

EASTER EGGS
Hey, did you find all of your Easter eggs? Did you even bother to look? There are over 12 Easter Eggs hidden throughout feoamante.com and I ain't even gonna tell you where they are. What's more, we've got the hidden whereabouts to Easter eggs in SPIDERMAN 2, and THE INCREDIBLES DVDs. Have fun!

 

HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
And on Saturday
Today's birthday girl used to grab whatever role came to her (and why not? Finding work as an actor ain't easy!), but since her breakout role with Johnny Depp, she has started turning her career toward Horror Thrillers. In the next two years she'll be appearing in no less than three. So Happy Birthday to
Actor Keira Knightly (INNOCENT LIES, THE HOLE, PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, THE JACKET) is 20. Kiera shares a March birthday with fellow PIRATES alumni, Jack Davenport.

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March 24

E.C.McMullen Jr.
E.C.McMullen Jr.

DAY OF STATE SANCTIONED STARVATION - 6
I have friends who, if fate makes them wind up in a vegetative state, want someone to "please put me out of my misery". I know this because they are quite vocal about it. I don't know if they've actually signed a legal document stating such, but they've made sure that everyone within earshot is a witness.

So let's take the case of Terri Schiavo. According to her husband, she only let her will be known to him. She never told anyone else - not friends or family - that she wanted someone to put her down should she be rendered fully incapacitated. Apparently it was just their secret. Hmmm.

Now let's take my father. When he was robust and strong he often told everyone that, should he ever wind up in a hospital attached to tubes, just pull the plug on him. He had lots of opportunity to sign a legal document, but never quite got around to it. These days, due to cancer and Parkinson's he's frequently in and out of the hospital. As the months pass, he's more in than out. Because we live on opposite sides of the country, our visits are rare. But every time I see him, Pop reminds me that, "Remember when I said to pull the plug on me, son? Don't do it." Pop tells everybody that now.

I'm also aware of the alleged GOP memo that ABC news trumpeted - yet suddenly doesn't want to actually show anyone for scrutiny. We must just blindly accept what ABC News tells us or ... it smells like another Rathergate.

One last thing. Two political cartoonists. Pat Bagley, of the Salt Lake Tribune in Utah, draws another in his series of Bush bashing (collect the whole set) by painting Terri as on par with multiple convicted 1st degree murderers (it usually takes multiple murder convictions get the death sentence in Texas). The second is Mark Streeter, who compares Terri's husband, Michael, as someone worthy of being a true American Idol.

Everybody has their own opinions, of course, but regardless of his motives, I'm really trying to get my head around the fact that anyone would call Mike a Hero (other than himself and his lawyer: and they are).

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March 23

OPENING THE BROKEN-CLOCK MIND OF SERIAL KILLERS
Is Carol Anne Davis' specialty. Her past books include, WOMEN WHO KILL and CHILDREN WHO KILL. Now comes her latest in the series, COUPLES WHO KILL: Profiles Of Deviant Duos. Yes, romance between homicidal maniacs can be intense. It includes new information from torture-killer Charles Ng and an interview with one of Fred & Rose West's survivors. The book profiles every variation of couple, from psychotic cousins to a homicidal mother-son team to twisted sisters.

For further information visit her website at carolannedavis.co.uk

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March 18

From Mysterious Galaxy
THE VIRTUAL PLOT

Plan to be in the San Diego, California area this month? These are the writers appearing at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore for signings and such.

Irish Mystery Author: Ken Bruen
Title: THE MAGDALEN MARTYRS
Description: Irish investigator Jack Taylor’s favor for a friend turns deadly.
Event Time: Tuesday, March 22, 7:00 PM

Cooking Mystery Author: Joanne Fluke
Title: PEACH COBBLER MURDER
Description: Hanna Swensen is the main suspect in a rival’s murder.
Event Time: Wednesday, March 23, 7:00 PM

Comic Book and Prose Author: Jeff Mariotte
Title: WITCH SEASON: WINTER
Title: WITCH SEASON: SPRING
Title: BOOGEYMAN
Description: Mariotte signs and discusses the concluding volumes in his teen horror series and his novelization of the popular horror film.
Event Time: Saturday, March 26, 2:00 PM


HAPPY HORROR BIRTHDAY TO -
Actor Brad Douriff (EYES OF LAURA MARS, BLUE VELVET, CHILD'S PLAY, THE EXORCIST III, HIDDEN AGENDA, GRAVEYARD SHIFT, CHILD'S PLAY 2, DEATH MACHINE, ALIEN: Resurrection, URBAN LEGEND, BRIDE OF CHUCKY, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: The Two Towers, and a lot more) is 55.

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March 15

HORROR TOON
Today's Horror toon comes from political cartoonist, Gary Brookins, of The Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Sunshine.

Then, Scott Stantis gives his take on the same scenario.

Sunshine Laws.

HAPPY HORROR BIRTHDAYS TO -
Director Renny Harlan (A NIGHTMARE ON ELMSTREET 4, DIE HARD 2, DEEP BLUE SEA, MINDHUNTERS, EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING) is 46.
Director David Cronenberg (SHIVERS, RABID, THE BROOD, SCANNERS, VIDEODROME, THE FLY, THE DEAD ZONE, DEAD RINGERS, eXistenZ, SPIDER) is 62.
Musician/Actor Dee Snider (Band: TWISTED SISTER. Movies: STRANGELAND, DEEPWATER) is 49.

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March 14

SATAN'S 3 RING CIRCUS OF HELL
Long time readers of this site will recall my very positive reviews of Robert S. Rhine's SATAN series of comic books. As it turns out, when you enjoy some people's work and they find out about it, they admire your good taste. Robert writes to tell us the following:
Here it finally is horror freaks... the graphic novel you've been waiting for...
R.S. RHINE presents: SATAN's 3 RING CIRCUS OF HELL! featuring 40 of the top artists in the biz,

Complete Artists list:
WILLIAM STOUT
TIM VIGIL
JOHN CASSADAY
TONE RODRIGUEZ
HILARY BARTA
JIM SMITH
VINCENT WALLER
ERIC PIGORS
FRANK DIETZ
STEVEN MANNION
FRANK FORTE
JOE VIGIL

D.W. FRYENDALL
SHANNON WHEELER
MIKE SOSNOWSKI
TOMMY CASTILLO
BRYAN BAUGH
JOHN HOWARD
DAVID HARTMAN
JACOB HAIR
GAK
NENAD GUCUNJA
JOE BUCCO
KEVIN COLDEN
MARK COVELL
STEVE COBB
ANDY BRADY
ALEX PARDEE
DAVID PALEO
FRANKIE B. WASHINGTON
JOHN WATKINS CHOW
RICH LONGMORE
RAFAL HRYNKIEWICZ
STEPH DUMAIS
ALEKSANDAR SOTIROVSKI
JEFF GAITHER
CLAY HENSS
MATT HOWARTH
DAVID HARTMAN
ALASTAIR FELL and
NORMAN CABRERA

For more info, check out Robert S. Rhine.


MAD LOVECRAFT
Mad Libs® is a creation of writers Leonard Stern and Roger Price and is a registered trademark of the Penguin Putname publishing company. Julie Galliard of Gothhouse, is aware that if this section of her site becomes popular, she'll have to change the name or remove it entirely. But for now, enjoy her freebie webtoy of H. P. Lovecraft Mad Libs at Gothhouse.org.

Also be sure to checkout Julie's ongoing comic adventures of the Goth House. They are snooty, self-absorbed, moody, brooding, pouty, out of touch, and naively judgemental. They are Paris & Nicole with a straight black hair-do and no perkiness! This fortnight: Percival Changes His Shirt.

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March 11

From Del Howison
HEAR YE, HEAR YE!

Do you plan to be in the Los Angeles area this month? On Saturday March 19th at 2:00p.m. Dark Delicacies will be holding a signing for author John Farris signing his new Southern gothic thriller PHANTOM NIGHTS. He will be joined by illustrator William Stout signing his posters to the new Animal Planet special Dragons.

Dark Delicacies is going to host a mass signing at their store on the afternoon of Saturday June 25th during the Bram Stoker Awards weekend in Burbank, Ca. If you are an author who is planning on attending the Stokers and would like to participate in the signing please e-mail Del or Sue Howison at darkdel@darkdel.com. Arrangements will be made to make sure your books are at the event.

Dark Delicacies is located at
4213 West Burbank Blvd,
Burbank, CA.


HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
Thanks to THE X-FILES, gory "forensic" thrillers are huge on television prime time.
"What killed this victim?"
"I dunno, let's pull out his guts and dissect his brain Like This!"
Stepping into this new paradigm, and making a career of it, is today's birthday boy,
Actor David Anders (ALIAS [TV], THE SOURCE, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, CHARMED) who is 24.
Writer/Director Christophe Gans (NECRONOMICON, CRYING FREEMAN, LE PACT DES LOUPS) is 45.
Also, according to The History Channel.com, today in 1818, what is considered to be the story that birthed both Horror and Science Fiction was published. Mary Shelley's MODERN PROMETHEUS or FRANKENSTEIN was born into the world. Mary was only 21 at the time. Let's hear it for early achievers!

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March 10

From Michael Laimo
GETTING IN DEEP WITH LAIMO

(FeoNote: Michael writes to tell us the following)
I am very pleased to report that my novel DEEP IN THE DARKNESS, released in paperback from Leisure Books in February of 2004, has made the Bram Stoker Award preliminary ballot in the category of NOVEL. For the next three weeks, active members of the Horror Writers Association will vote their choices for the novel that most deserves to be recognized for 'superior achievement'. The list of recognized novels is a virtual who's who in the field of horror literature:

The Wind Caller by P. D Cacek (Leisure)
Skin Medicine by Tim Curran (Hellbound Books)
The Boys are Back in Town by Christopher Golden (Bantam)
Survivor by J. F. Gonzalez (Midnight Library)
The Dark Tower VI: The Song of Susannah by Stephen King (Donald Grant/ Scribner)
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower by Stephen King (Donald Grant/Scribner)
Deep in the Darkness by Michael Laimo (Leisure/Flesh & Blood Press)
Move Under Ground by Nick Mamatas (Night Shade Books)
The Manor by Scott Nicholson (Pinnacle)
Perfect Circle by Sean Stewart (Small Beer Press)
In the Night Room by Peter Straub (Random House)
Blood Road by Edo van Belkom (Kensington)
Deep Blue by David Niall Wilson (Five Star Books)

Five novels will ultimately make the final ballot, and be recognized as Nominees for the Bram Stoker Award. It is my opinion that all the above novels deserve such a distinction. Good luck to everyone!

My forthcoming novel, THE DEMONOLOGIST, will be released in May, now only about 45 days away. I am very excited about the release of this book, perhaps my most horrific novel to date! I have been very busy giving pre-publication interviews, and am currently setting up some signings. Keep your eyes on my website, www.laimo.com, for updates. And, make certain you grab a copy from your local bookstore! The book should start showing up on the shelves around April 25th.


HAPPY HORROR BIRTHDAY TO -
Actor Katherine Isabelle (VOYAGE OF TERROR, DISTURBING BEHAVIOR, GINGER SNAPS [all], SPOOKY HOUSE, BONES, CARRIE [TV], FREDDY VS. JASON, SHOW ME) is 23.

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March 9

HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAY TO -
Since 2000, this birthday boy has turned his attention to Horror Thriller movies. Happy Birthday to
Actor Kerr Smith (FINAL DESTINATION, THE FORSAKEN, PRESSURE, CRITICAL ASSEMBLY, CRUEL INTENTIONS 3) who is 33.

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March 8

KELLY LIVES!
In January, I reported that Horror writer, d.g.k. Goldberg aka Kelly Goldberg, had moved on from a long bout with cancer. Nothing can change death, but life remains valuable and the folks at ConCarolinas in Charlotte North Carolina are showing that this year by dedicating their 2005 show to one of their favorite participants.

Check out ConCarolinas

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March 7

DEBRA HILL MOVES ON
I never knew or met Debra Hill, but she had a profound influence on Horror fiction in general and Horror movies specifically. Debra Hill (HALLOWEEN, THE FOG, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, THE DEAD ZONE, ESCAPE FROM LA), along with John Carpenter (THE THING, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, THEY LIVE, IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS, VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED [1995], GHOSTS OF MARS) and Dan O'Bannon (ALIEN, DEAD & BURIED, HEAVY METAL, THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, TOTAL RECALL, BLEEDERS, ALIEN VS PREDATOR), were three friends who eschewed the "Damsel in Distress" motif found in nearly every damn Horror movie that had ever been made until they came along. Prior to Debra Hill, woman characters were always helpless victims: Screaming freaking idiots that fell apart at a moment's notice and ran tripping over the proverbial branch or stone or their own damn feet before being paralyzed by fear as the monster slowly approached them, kidnapped them, and waited for the heroic male to rescue them.

When Debra, Dan, and John came along, they created a whole new trope (only they didn't know it at the time), of a woman character who could be vulnerable, terrified, yet still retain the strength of character to save herself against far more powerful forces through sheer intellect. The heroines couldn't possibly match the strength of their attackers, so they outwitted them.

Female characters that are feminine and intelligent? That custom buster became a winning formula for decades to come, until of course, it too became a formulaic crutch of hack writers everywhere. Just as surely as the Racial Cliché is a sloppy hack tool, so is "The woman who battles the beast and wins in the end."

Still, that's a lot better than several more generations of damn screaming damsels in distress.

Debra Hill spent her career producing movies having strong women characters who could be flawed, vulnerable, even damaged - yet still wholly dimensional and in charge of their own will. Storytelling and movies are better because of her. Hill was working on the remake of THE FOG when she left. Good-bye, Debra, you've left a void.


HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
And on Sunday
If you are a writer and want to read Horror that will REALLY scare you, check out today's birthday boy,
Writer William F. Nolan (THE NORLISS TAPES [TV], TRILOGY OF TERROR [TV], BURNT OFFERINGS, TRILOGY OF TERROR II [TV], HELLTRACKS, BLOOD SKY, THE MARBLE ORCHARD, NIGHT SHAPES, SHARKS NEVER SLEEP, NIGHTWORLDS) who is 77.

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March 4

THE RETURN OF QUATERMASS!
From Mary Shelley to Howard P. Lovecraft and beyond, there have been many writers who have taken Horror from out of the supernatural and into the realms of science. One of the most popular SF Horror shows in Great Britain started on television and then into movies. Every UK knows I'm writing about Professor Quatermass and his adventures. And yer reading about it! Why not get the full story from a real writer? Okay, a real English writer then.

News/BBC/Quatermass.

IT'S ALIVE!!!
Today's Horror Toon is a political cartoon from Jeff Parker of the newspaper, Florida Today.

It's Alive!!!



WHO IS WRITING THE NEXT GREAT JOHN CARPENTER MOVIE?

From Creative Screenwriting
AND THE WINNER OF THE NEXT GREAT JOHN CARPENTER MOVIE IS...
After weeks of jumping at every shadow, checking the closets for boogeymen, and sleeping with the lights on as we pored over thousands of fear-inspiring pages, Creative Screenwriting Magazine is proud to announce the winners for The Next Great John Carpenter Movie Contest.

SPEED DEMON by Randy Vampotic and Mike Sorrentino!
Congrats to the writers, who are currently developing the project with Stan Winston Productions!

But wait, there's more! We have a couple more winners we'd like to introduce you to:
1st Runner Up
INFECTED by Steve Nolan

2nd Runner Up:
THE LAKESIDE SLASHER by Brian Belefant

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest. It's gratifying to see such talent and terrifying imagination at work (Now get started on your script for next year's contest!)!



SID HAIG

From CreationCon
FANGORIA'S WEEKEND OF HORRORS!

If you plan to be in the Los Angeles, California area in June, you may want to know about the following:
Days of Darkness are past now that Fangoria is teaming together yet again with CreationCon to have the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors in Burbank, California. Celebrity guests include

The cast from HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES
Sid Haig
Bill Mosely
Matt McGrory
Irwin Keyes

And also features Bruce Campbell and Jennifer Tilley.

Plus Horror movie directors Wes Craven, Tobe Hooper, and Mick Garris.

For more info, check out Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors.

Continued at Cons.


HAPPY HORROR BIRTHDAY TO -
Writer - Director - Producer, Paul W.S. Anderson (MORTAL KOMBAT, EVENT HORIZON, RESIDENT EVIL, RESIDENT EVIL 2, ALIENS VS PREDATOR) is 40.
Actor Gunnar Hansen (TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, THE DEMON LOVER, HOLLYWOOD CHAINSAW HOOKERS, MOSQUITO, REPLIGATOR, HATRED OF A MINUTE) is 58.
Actor Frank Novak (SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT PART II, SLEEPWALKERS, CARNOSAUR, STEPMONSTER, WATCHERS III, RAPTOR, THE FALL OF NIGHT) is 60.
This actor so loves scary stuff that he even directed and produced a documentary about HALLOWEEN - the Holiday! Actor Daniel Roebuck (NIGHT SCHOOL, RIVER'S EDGE, PROJECT X, TERROR EYES, THE FUGITIVE, FINAL DESTINATION, THE VAMPIRE HUNTERS CLUB, BUBBA HO-TEP) is 41.

 

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March 3


Devin Doherty
(in the hat)
and her sister Jaidon
From Brian Knight
DEVON'S SMILE
When you face the Bogey Man and win, you own him.

Not just a line of BS, but a truth I’ve learned watching one brave girl face down one of the deadliest killers in the world, and win.

Twelve year old Devon Doherty’s cancer went into remission about a year and a half ago, but now it’s back, and her doctor says it’s terminal. He gives her a year, at most. I don’t want to believe this. I have to hope that her spirit and strength will keep her going against the doctor’s predictions, and that maybe she’ll beat it again.

I have to hope, but we all know that happy endings are not the normal order.

On one level this is a tragedy, albeit a small one in a wide world of huge injustices, but on another, Devon is still the winner. Even though her cancer came back, she still beat the biggest Bogey Man a person can face.

Fear.

I would have fallen apart.

She has not.

She is living her life with an enthusiasm that is inspiring. From attending a special Prom put on for her and her friends, to opening a concert by a local band called The Jackmormons (the proceeds went to buy her a dream trip to Paris, which she is on her way to now, I hear), to playing Little Red Riding Hood at the local civic theatre, she is living well. She’s getting more out of life than most healthy, able-bodied people.

This is her spirit. This is her gift. It is her gift to anyone who has ever known her, or watched her face life with a smile, despite what it has dealt her.

Devon lives in my town, Clarkston, Washington. My kids went to school with her until this year, when she moved on to Junior High. I’ve seen her at school functions from a distance, always friendly and kind to everyone around her, always smiling at life. A few weeks ago I saw her again at a local charity function raising money to help her family pay medical bills. Again, a picture of life and spirit. And always smiling. A smile that would break your heart.

She’ll be back soon to face more treatments, more of the constant travel between Clarkston and Seattle to receive that treatment. More pain. More fear. I hope that her spirit will stay strong even if her body fails, and that she’ll continue to face what comes her way with the same joy for life that has served her so well.

And I hope she never loses her smile. That would be a tragedy too.

I’ve been in almost daily contact with Devon’s grandmother, Debbie Russell, and while she’s happy Devon was able to get her dream trip to Paris, there is still more worry about medical bills, and travel expense for her trips to the Seattle doctor. Cancer isn’t cheap, folks.

I’ve done what I can to help, setting up a charity book auction with the assistance of the amazing Matt Schwartz (Shocklines.com), and a number of generous contributors. Money raised in this auction will go to Devon’s family to help with the medical bills.

In a perfect world Devon would be cancer free, but we don’t live in that world. The next best thing is for Devon and her family to be able to spend the rest of their time together enjoying each other’s company and loving each other, not worrying about paying for the illness that will eventually separate them.

I will continue to hope for a miracle, a remission, anything that will give Devon more time, but even if that doesn’t happen, there will always be the small miracle of Devon’s smile, and the spirit she shares with everyone whose life she touches.

Visit Devonsdream.org.


SHAKE HANDS WITH JESUS!
Plan to be in the Los Angeles area this March? If so, you should know that Saturday, March 12th at 2:00p.m., Dark Delicacies will be holding a book signing for author Jesus Gonzalez (CLICKERS) signing his two new novels SURVIVOR and THE BELOVED. Joining Jesus will be authors Michael Reaves and Steve-Elliot Altman signing their graphic novel THE IRREGULARS.

Dark Delicacies is located at
4213 West Burbank Blvd,
Burbank, CA.

HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
Writer - Director - Producer George Miller (CHAIN REACTION, MAD MAX, THE ROAD WARRIOR: MAD MAX 2, TWILIGHT ZONE: The Movie, BEYOND THUNDERDOME: MAD MAX 3, THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, DEAD CALM) is 60.
Actor Laura Elena Harring (SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT 3, BLACK SCORPION II, LITTLE NICKY, MULHOLLAND DR., WILLARD, THE POET, THE PUNISHER, ALL SOULS DAY: DIA DE LOS MUERTOS) is 41.

 

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March 2

HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
What introduction is needed here?
Writer Peter Straub (JULIA, GHOST STORY, SHADOWLAND, FLOATING DRAGON, THE TALISMAN [w/Stephen King], KOKO, THE HELLFIRE CLUB, MR. X, BLACK HOUSE [w/Stephen King], LOST BOY LOST GIRL, IN THE NIGHT ROOM, and more) is 62.

 

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March 1

From William Gagliani
GAG ORDER WICKED KARNIVAL SPECIAL!

In the Shameless Promotion Department, I would like to call your attention to the release of Wicked Karnival Issue #3, which features yours truly in the Author Spotlight this time around. The theme is Poison Love, and I hope this bitter valentine will find you appropriately receptive.

Wicked Karnival #3 is available for on-line reading and also, for the first time ever, for pdf download. You get my short story "Lead Me Into Temptation" (published in SHADOWPLAYS and an Honorable Mention in The Year's Best Fantasy & Horror, 14th edition), as well as my article "Horror As Literary Element," appearing here for the first time anywhere, and finally David L. Tamarin's vigorous interview - in which I expose some of my deepest and darkest secrets (but not all, by any means, not all...).

To sweeten the deal, besides my section of fiction/article/interview, you'll also find interviews with Tom Piccirilli, Douglas Clegg, Phil Rickman, and Paul Kane. There's fiction by Dan Foley, Clint Hall, David Hayes, Josh Reynolds, and Michael A. Kechula. And great nonfiction articles by Darren Franz, Brian Knight, Deborah LeBlanc, Laurel Starling, T.M. Gray, and Robert W. Walker. Reviews by Brian Yount, Nancy Jackson, Brutal Dreamer, and more! Plus some wicked art by William Nick Johns, Charlie Siebert, Tracy Flynn, Neil Foster, Tom Kelly, Brian Yount, Art Skull, and Tom Moran! The whole team deserves a huge applause...

Find Wicked Karnival #3 at: wickedkarnival.com. You can read it right there in all its colorful glory, or scroll down to the link for a FREE pdf copy of your very own.

Freezenerve and the Wicked Karnival design team really outdid themselves, and the zine looks great! Feel free to let them (and me) know what you think.

And if you find something you like, also feel free to visit me at williamdgagliani.com for more info, stories, and photography. Look for more updates in the near future.

I will see many of you in New York next month, as I'll be attending the World Horror Convention. If you haven't registered yet and would like to, it's not too late! See whc2005.org for all the info.

In the meantime, I wish you well in 2005!


From Karen E. Taylor
THE WOMEN OF PERSEPHONE

The Persephone Writers Organization is a professional association for women who write horror. The group is actively inviting women who write dark fiction, non-fiction, and poetry to join others with similar professional goals.

Only twenty per cent of horror writers are female. On the internet, lists of favorite books by horror writers have female authors at less than one per cent. Persephone would like to introduce fans of horror to authors they might have missed and to welcome readers who have never considered horror as something they might enjoy.

The purpose of Persephone is to promote the professional education and advancement of women writers of the dark literary arts; to raise the level of awareness of women's past and current contribution to the field; to provide support, camaraderie, and information about the art and business of writing; and to establish a unified voice against discrimination and inequities in the treatment of female authors of dark fiction and non-fiction. Activities under discussion include the development of a Persephone website, a Persephone presence at conventions and other public events, promotion of members' work, the annual writers retreat, and continuation of lively and informative online conversations.

Persephone has been growing slowly since its inception in November 2003. The recent introduction of President Karen E. Taylor (noted author of the Vampire Legacy series) and a Steering Committee to make the plans a reality offer women who write dark fiction, non-fiction, and poetry a professional writers organization that addresses their needs and concerns. For information about joining, contact Laura Anne Gilman of the Membership Committee at dymk@lycos.com.

Persephone will be hosting a presentation and book signing at the 2005 World Horror Convention in New York City on April 7 through 10. For more information: http://www.whc2005.org/

Contact: Karen E. Taylor, President

Persephone Writers Organization

HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO-
Actor Jack Davenport (MACBETH, TALE OF THE MUMMY, THE WISDOM OF CROCODILES, THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, THE BUNKER, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: Curse Of The Black Pearl, MARPLE: THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY) is 31.
Actor George Eads (SPRING, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION [TV]) is 38.
Actor Antonio Sabato (FATAL ERROR, MINDSTORM, SHARK HUNTER, BUGS), who is a leap year baby, is technically 33.

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FEB. 2005 NEWS

Contributors to feoamante.com are going places!
See below!


THE BREED

Starring Adrian Paul (THE HIGHLANDER),
Bokeem Woodbine, and Ling Bai (THE CROW), This Alternate History movie is part Horror, Part crime, part S.F. and all Vampires.
From the screenplay by our own
Christos N. Gage and Ruth Fletcher Gage.

  Feo Amante's Horror Home Page and feoamante.com are owned and copyright 1997 - 2005 by E.C.McMullen Jr.
All images and text belong to E.C.McMullen Jr. unless otherwise noted.
All fiction stories belong to their individual authors. All artwork in The Gallery belongs to the individual artists.