The briar patch for a horror fan*

Here’s the stack of short films and full-length features I have to get through by Saturday. And don’t forget to leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a DVD of Blacula and a signed copy of Blood Groove. *If you don’t know the reference, check here.

Scare fare laid bare (i.e., my favorite horror films)

In anticipation of Halloween, and to get in the mood for my upcoming gig as a judge at the Madison Horror Festival, I thought I’d talk about my favorite horror films, why I like them so much and what I like (and don’t) about horror films in general. My favorite horror film remains George A. Romero’s original 1979 Dawn of … Read More

On the trail of local dragons

I knew about the trolls. They’re all over town. And the Mustard Museum, for a while at least, remains here in Mount Horeb, WI. But I’d never noticed the dragons. That’s irony for you. My upcoming novel BURN ME DEADLY deals with a belief in dragons, and here I was in a town that actually harbored some. I’m sure I’d … Read More

The core problem with JJ Abrams’ Star Trek

(Warning: this post really shows my geekiness. I make no apology for it.) I finally figured it out. And now, I have to share it. I went to JJ Abrams’ Star Trek reboot prepared to dislike it. I generally hate remakes, even good ones, because no matter how well done (i.e., Battlestar Galactica), their success is merely a reflection of … Read More

At the Fiery Altar: the dragon cult of Burn Me Deadly

When I knew dragons — or at least the belief in them — would figure prominently in the second Eddie LaCrosse novel BURN ME DEADLY, I began to read as much as possible about their meaning in various societies, with an emphasis on those of Europe and the United Kingdom. The trope I wanted to examine was the classic (or … Read More

Past imperfect: recreating 1975 for Blood Groove

When I decided to set my vampire novel Blood Groove in the seventies, in particular the year 1975, I gave myself an interesting dilemma. It was a period I remembered (I was 12 in ’75), but not with the historical details I’d need to recreate it. So I had to do a fair bit of research to make sure I … Read More

Announcing the cover of Burn Me Deadly

Here’s the cover of my next novel, Burn Me Deadly. The artwork was done by Jean-Sebastien Rossbach, who also did the paperback cover for The Sword-Edged Blonde. So what do you think?

Read chapter one of The Sword-Edged Blonde

You can read chapter one of The Sword-Edged Blonde by going here. And don’t forget to leave a comment here for a chance to win a signed copy of the paperback edition (and maybe an advance copy of the sequel, Burn Me Deadly.)

First dragons: Vermithrax from Dragonslayer

My upcoming novel BURN ME DEADLY involves, in part, a group who worship fire-breathing dragons. Because really, if you’re writing fantasy, eventually you have to deal with dragons in some fashion. They’re a trope, like swords and/or sorcery. Ignoring them would be like leaving the horses out of a western. Not that I mind. Dragons continue to fascinate us because, … Read More