It’s no doubt that all of you folk who are steeped in the genre already know about James’ injury, and the subsequent medical expenses that have arisen from this unfortunate incident. And it’s no surprise that the genre stepped up and took matter into their own hands, whether sending good ju-ju Newman’s way, or offering to kick the bark off of the offending tree that assailed such a gifted young man.
Well, for all of us who wish we could help in a bigger way… now you can! And you can manage to grab some major league purchases to go along with your generosity, as well!
Take a look over at Ronald Kelly’s blog for more info on how you can “Help the Hoss”.
*Sorry for the delay on this one, folks. Colum and Kendra’s coverage will be coming up in the next few days. (mostly Kendra’s, though. Colum is super lazy these days.)For those of you living under a rock or who are… you know… not Canadian, FanExpo is the great white North’s answer to New York Comic-Con, San Diego Comic-Con, and all the rest of them. Picture the standard cosplay, panels, and celebrities, but with an extra dash of people saying “Excuse me” while drinking a double-double. While not the only Canadian con, it is most definitely the largest, and this was by far its biggest year yet.
FanExpo began as the Canadian National Comic Book Expo way back in 1994 by Hobby Star Marketing Inc., but has since grown to become the 4-day event that it is now. No longer just comics and sci-fi/fantasy, you can now find sections dedicated to anime, gaming, horror, and, new this year, sports, all clustered around a ton of vendors designed to joyfully take all your money while you try to figure out why exactly you thought you needed a $500 Death Star throw rug.
Colum and I were on hand for 3 of the 4 days and, in true back-to-school spirit, I put together a guide of what I learned while standing in lines and eating $8 hot-dogs that tasted like cardboard. Continue reading →
There are two things I love in these tight economic times. Free food, and free coffee. And when I can’t have those, I dig me some cookies… but that qualifies as food. And damn if I don’t like looking at all this lists of “26 people you should be happy you aren’t friends with”, and “50 pictures of one corgi looking cuter than a porkchop in a convection oven full of singing daisies”.
And then, when all else fails, I love me some free ebooks.
That’s why I’m so damned stoked about Brian James Freeman’s new website, eHorrorBargains.
Already, he’s scoured the entirety of the internet and brought us bagains on books by the likes of Stephen King, Joe Hill, William Peter Blatty, Clive Barker, and so many more. Hell, if I didn’t already own a ton of these in paperback and hardcover, I’d probably be over there spending all of my bill money on them right now.
But alas, I have financial obligations and… awwww screw it. I’m heading over there to snag The Exorcist for $4. Seriously. If you haven’t read this one, you’re obviously living under a rock. And blind. Or possibly dead. Or maybe you never even existed and I’m just sitting here blabbing to nobody. Because seriously… why the hell wouldn’t you have read it already?
And hell, if you’re going to read The Exorcist for the first time, I suggest you read The Amityville Horror right after, just like my mother did 30+ years ago, and like I did around 10 years ago. Your nightmares will thank you, and your pee-soaked mattress will hate you.
Okay. Never mind. Just go visit the hell out of this site. Now now now.
On March 21st the horror community lost a special literary talent, Rick Hautala. Many fans were simply in shock while others shared their happy memories and experiences with the author via social networking sites and online forums. Although Rick will be dearly missed by his fans and friends, no one suffers more greatly than the family. They not only have to learn to cope with their emotional loss, but figure out how to survive the financial burden that comes with death. I can’t speak personally about the the struggle the Hautala family is dealing with, in particular Rick’s wife Holly, but when I came across Brian Keene’s call for help (originally posted March 24, 2013) to the fans and authors inspired by Hautala I had to share. In his post, he pulls from Christopher Golden’s website which expands on Ms. Hautala’s situation.
Unfortunately, Rick’s sudden death could not have been more untimely. The life of a freelance writer is often one lived on the fringes of financial ruin, and Rick struggled mightily to stay afloat in recent years. Just within the last couple of months, that struggle became difficult enough that he could not afford to continue paying his life insurance bill, and allowed it to lapse. Though he could never have foreseen it, the timing, of course, could not have been worse. Then, just this morning, Holly discovered that the social security benefits she might hope to receive as Rick’s widow are not available to her until she turns sixty, three years from now. Efforts are under way on projects that we hope will earn some money for Rick’s estate, but meanwhile there are costs involved with his death to consider, and then, for Holly, the struggle will continue.
If you can help the family cover these costs you can donate via PayPal to holly_newstein@hotmail.com.
If you would behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life. For life and death are one, even as the river and sea are one.
– Kahlil Gibran
I have a soft spot in my heart for the words of Kahlil Gibran for some reason, and it’s times like this where I find he speaks volumes. Within the last few weeks, the horror community has lost some fine talent, and gained legacies we will not forget any time soon.
On March 13th, 2013, noted horror author and editor, David B. Silva, passed away at the age of 62. While probably known best for the trail he blazed with The Horror Show and Hellnotes, Silva was also the accomplished author of 7 novels, an untold amount of short stories, and a laundry list of edited works. He was a mentor, friend, and guru to many of the authors you call your favourite, and played a huge role in shaping the genre into what it is today. On a more personal level, he played a huge role in my yearn to start reviewing, the advent of my first review site, Paperback Horror (pre-personal “blog” format) and, by default, Dreadful Tales itself. He was a powerhouse in this community and he will be sorely missed.
7 days later, on March 20th, 2013, we were levelled with yet another loss. News of James Herbert’s death, at age 67, cycled through the media like a tornado bent on tearing the genre apart. Herbert authored 24 novels from 1974 to 2012, 2 non-fiction works, a handful of short stories, and a graphic novel. His works were adapted into 5 films and, in 2010, he was not only made the Grand Master of Horror at the World Horror Convention, but he was also appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours. His presence in the genre was one he, reportedly, never understood, as he stated in his book Faces of Fear: “I don’t understand why I am so successful. And the longer I stay that way, the better it’s going to be, because that’s what keeps me on the edge, striving if you like.” His contribution to horror in literature will never be forgotten, and most likely never equaled.
And then today. Today the news of Rick Hautala’s death swept the genre off its feet, rocking our scary little boat to a full on capsizing. At 64, Hautala leaves behind 27 novels – a whole whack of which were written under the pseudonym A.J. Matthews, and 5 co-authored with Christopher Golden – 6 novellas, 4 screenplays, countless short stories, 4 collections, and god knows how many other major contributions to the genre. To say his passing was untimely and shocking would be an understatement, and I can confidently speak for Dreadful Tales and the whole horror community when I say he will be missed. Our hearts are heavy tonight for Holly Newstein Hautala and family. Rick, who was recently given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the HWA last year, has left behind a legacy most of us could only dream to equal, and one that we, as fans and authors, should always strive to keep alive.
One of my favorite quotes to ever come out of our community belongs to Rick, spoken during his Lifetime Achievement speech (video included below) – and one that I just had to watch and hear again tonight:
“We all know the difference between a pizza and a writer, right? A pizza can feed a family of four.”
It’s with much sadness that I say one final goodnight to David, James, and Rick.
Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.
– Khalil Gibran
View Rick Hautala’s HWA Bram Stoker Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance speech below:
It’s no doubt that all of you folk who are steeped in the genre already know about James’ injury, and the subsequent medical expenses that have arisen from this unfortunate incident. And it’s no surprise that the genre stepped up and took matter into their own hands, whether sending good ju-ju Newman’s way, or offering to kick the bark off of the offending tree that assailed such a gifted young man.
Dreadful Tales 