I'm Finally A Part Of 'Friday The 13th' History (well, sort of...)

When I travelled to the camp that was the location for the original 'Friday', it was a major highlight in this fan-boy's life.
Now, a couple of my photos from that trip have been used in Eaglemoss Publication's 'The Horror Collection' - a fortnightly magazine publication focusing on New Line Cinema's three big franchises: 'A Nightmare On Elm Street', 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre', and 'Friday the 13th'. Each glossy mag contains info on the series, behind the scenes pics and anecdotes, and comes with a small but very cool figurine.

http://www.horror-collection.co.uk/magazine.html

My photos appear on page 15, accompanying an article about the making of the first 'Friday'.

Yeah, it's only a small contribution, but hell, it's still a thrill to see my name listed in the photo credits in an official 'Friday' publication.

So You Wannabe A Writer?

We live in a culture of reality TV, of instant celebrity and instant gratification. I see this perverse sensibility pervading the writing arena. I see an unfortunate rise in the number of writers who believe they have a right to be published. A rise in the number of people turning to the vanity press, or the self-published route.

Writing is a right; getting published is a privilege - one that is earned.

If you want to be a serious writer, that is, write stories to the best of your ability and have your work read by a multitude of people, then you need to think of your work as precious.

Writing is a long, slow, at times tedious, at times wonderful, process. It takes years of hard work and dedication to get your writing up to a publishable level. Chances are, the very first novel or short story you write, isn't going to be a literary masterpiece. And what more, if you think you don't need an editor, than you're one deluded fool. Even the best need their work tweaked here and there.

Writing is hard; getting published is like going through the Spanish Inquisition and dinner at the In-Laws all at the same time, while having nails slowly poked into your fingertips - painful as hell.

But, if you have the talent and, more importantly, work to hone your craft, learn from other writers who have been at it longer than you, sit your ass in the seat in front of the computer and write, then I believe, eventually, you'll be a published author - one that gets paid (hopefully a good amount, most probably just enough to last you half a year without having to work another job), rather than having to pay someone to do it for you.

I see writing, and the business of getting published, as the universe's (or God, or Buddha, or whatever you like) way of weeding out the wannabes from the true writers, those who can't live without writing, who would write stories with their spit on the pavement if all their limbs were severed, if they had to.
There's a reason it's bloody difficult to land that big (or medium, or even small) publishing deal. There's a reason it takes years and years of practice for a writer to find their voice and for their writing to reach a stage that it can be deemed worthy to be published. There's a reason we're not born being able to write like Hemingway or Tolstoy.

It's the weeding process.

And rejection is like the ultimate test. Can you take it? the world's asking. Do you have what it takes? If not, see ya later, have a nice day. But if you're truly meant to write stories for a living, then you'll take the punches. Yes getting that story or novel rejection stings, but it's the world's way of saying not quite, but keeping trying. If you have what it takes, then you'll wipe away the tears, file the rejection slip in with all the others, and keep on going.
Because if you're a writer, you have to.
You'll take that rejection and try and use it to motivate you to do better next time, so next time it'll be an acceptance.

Don't settle for instant gratification. You shouldn't need, or want, to pay for your novel to be published. You should be proud enough of your work, have enough faith in your ability, to want a legitimate publisher pay you to publish your novel.

Because you've worked hard for it. You've put in your time, dedication and have honed your craft and uncovered your own unique voice. You've listened to the advice of the more seasoned and wiser writers. You've accumulated enough rejection slips to create a paper metropolis.

Because you take your writing and the business of getting published seriously.

My Top 5...Scariest

Hey folks.

Welcome to another edition of 'My Top 5...' I haven't posted one for a while, so I figured what better list to choose than the scariest movies and stories.

If, like me, you love being scared, than this is the list for you. If you're hankering for a movie that might actually give you the willies, or to read a story that might keep you awake at night, let me, your ghoulish host, guide you through some of my picks for the scariest, spookiest, er, frightenist movies and stories around. Keep in mind, these are a personal choice and, like comedy, what scares a person is highly subjective. Also, I'm talking about fictional scary, as opposed to, say, war movies or stories. We all know that a book or a movie on the holocaust is scarier than any make believe monster.

For the movies, I've broken them up into two categories: 'Serious' scary and 'fun' scary. Two very different beasts, I hope you'll agree.

So, on with the lists.

'Serious' Scariest movies:

1/ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) - the only film to truly scare me. And by scare me, I mean I had to stop the movie halfway through and check out the window; I had trouble staying awake that night after watching the movie. Yes, the movie affected me that much (well okay, I was a young teenager, and I waited until all my family had gone to bed, and I turned off all the lights - still, this movie has an undeniable power and it still affects me today, even though I've seen it over 20 times).

2/ The Shining (1980) - Kubrick's masterful interpretation of the brilliant King novel. Truly a work of art; one of the most ornate and beautifully terrifying movies of all time. The sense of dread and claustrophobia is palpable.

3/ The Evil Dead (1982) - yes, this is an over-the-top gore fest; part scary film, part tongue-in-cheek horror flick. But the film still manages to really get under my skin. It's super low-budget, which adds to the grainy reality of the film. And effective lighting, bizarre music and the kinetic use of the camera add up to a nightmarish and sometimes very intense experience.

4/ Deliverance (1972) - while it's not considered a traditional 'horror' film, this '70s masterpiece, in my opinion, is scarier and more intense than most so-called horror movies. Very realistic, very disturbing, this gives me chills every time I watch it.

5/ Maniac (1980) - a real sleaze fest of a movie, this is arguably one of the most brutally realistic and ugly films ever made. But there's no denying its raw power and that it succeeds in its purpose - that is, to present the life of a sick, sad serial killer. Seedy, bloody and very hard to watch. This is one unsettling movie, and the segment with the nurse being stalked by the killer in the subway, is wonderfully done and very intense.

Honourable mentions: The Hills Have Eyes ('77); Night of the Living Dead ('68); The Exorcist ('73); Ringu ('98); Suspiria ('77); Freaks ('32); Onibaba ('64) A Nightmare on Elm St. ('84); Haute Tension ('03); Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer ('86); Spoorloos ('88) Dark Night of the Scarecrow ('81)


'Fun' Scariest movies:

1/ Jaws (1975) - a brilliant movie, full of wonderful characters, superb acting and directing, a memorable score; and, of course, mountains of suspense. Does contain some genuinely intense and disturbing moments.

2/ Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) - yes, I'm deathly afraid of spiders, so I guess you could call this technically my all-time scariest movie. Aside from the thousands of huge, hairy tarantulas, it's darn silly and cheesy, but very entertaining.

3/ Arachnophobia (1990) - another spider movie, this one not quite as squirm-inducing as KotS, but it's a much better movie. Still can't watch it with the lights off, though.

4/ Poltergeist (1982) - a masterpiece of special effects, while still managing to have a strong story and likable characters. While it's mostly harmless fun-scary, there are some very intense and bloody scenes, and contains a scene that every kid who has worried about monsters under the bed can relate to...

5/ The Wizard of Oz (1939) - now don't laugh. Those munchkins terrified me as a youngster, and the flying monkeys ain't exactly a walk in the park, either...

Honourable mentions: Piranha ('78); Gremlins ('84); The Lost Boys ('87); Child's Play ('88); Scream ('96); NeverEnding Story ('84 - the scenes with the Gmork scared me when I as five); Alligator ('80).

Scariest Stories:

1/ The Shining, Stephen King (1977) - the scariest novel I've ever read. A masterpiece of terror on all levels: personal, visceral, supernatural, it's all here.

2/ The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe (1843) - how a story so short and so simple can be so terrifying and memorable is an incredible testament to the talent of Poe. A must read (and it'll only take you a few minutes!).

3/ Pet Sematary, King, (1983) - a dark and frightening novel, this is the first adult novel I ever read; no wonder I'm so screwed up now!

4/ The Exorcist, William Peter Blatty (1971) - just as scary as the movie (I think more so), this is a beautifully written and realised story. Moving, moody and intelligent.

5/ The Lottery, Shirley Jackson (1948) - one of the best and most powerful short stories I've ever read. Scary because it's believable, and so well-written.

Honourable mentions: Song of Kali (Dan Simmons, '85); The Cellar (Richard Laymon, '80); The Haunting of Hill House (Shirley Jackson, '59); I Am Legend (Richard Matheson, '54); Red Dragon (Thomas Harris, '81); Jaws (Peter Benchley, '74); Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury, '53); Midnight at Monster Mansion (a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' book, '84); The Girl Next Door (Jack Ketchum, '89).

Update on the New Novel

Exciting news - today, I finally finished the first draft of the novel I'm currently working on. Whoo-bloody-hoo! About time, I say. Well, it's far from finished, there's still a lot of work to be done on it yet, but to type 'the end' on the story is a great feeling.
The novel, working title 'The Zombie Novel' (though it's more akin to a coming-of-age story) clocks in at around 140,000 - by far the longest first draft I've written.

This has been a long time coming. I started the novel in 2001, after finishing 'The Last Motel', stopped writing the story about a year later, 100,000-odd thousand words in. I went on to write three more novels (one of which, 'The Mother' has been published), finally going back to it late last year.

I'm extremely excited about the story, feel its my best novel yet, and I can't wait to see what happens when I've finally completed the final daft and send it out in the big bad world.

I'll keep you posted.

Ditmar Awards

My novel THE MOTHER has been nominated for a Ditmar (an award for Australian sci-fi/fantasy and horror) for best novel of 2006. I've also been nominated in the 'new talent' section, which is a very nice surprise. Here are the full list of nominees:

Novel
Carnies. Martin Livings, Lothian
Prismatic. Edwina Grey, Lothian
The Mother. Brett McBean, Lothian
The Pilo Family Circus. Will Elliot, ABC Books
The Silver Road. Grace Dugan, Penguin

Novella/Novelette
Aftermath. David Conyers, Agog! Ripping Reads, Agog! Press
The Dead of Winter. Stephen Dedman, Weird Tales, #339
The Devil in Mr Pussy (Or how I found God inside my wife). Paul Haines, C0ck, Couer de Lion Publishing
The Souls of Dead Soldiers are for Blackbirds, Not Little Boys. Ben Peek, Agog! Ripping Reads, Agog! Press
Under the Red Sun. Ben Peek, Fantasy Magazine #4, Prime Books
World’s Whackiest Upper Atmosphere Re-Entry Disasters Dating Game. Brendan Duffy, Agog! Ripping Reads, Agog! Press
(Fifth place nomination a tie)

Short Story
Burning from the Inside. Paul Haines, Doorways for the Dispossessed, Prime Books
Cold. Kirstyn McDermott, Shadowed Realms #9
Honeymoon. Adam Browne and John Dixon, C0ck, Couer de Lion Publishing
Surrender 1: Rope Artist. Deborah Biancotti, Shadowed Realms #9
The Bat's Boudoir. Kyla Ward, Shadowed Realms #9
The Fear of White. Rjurik Davidson, Borderlands #7
(Fifth place nomination a tie)

Collected Work
Agog! Ripping Reads edited by Cat Sparks. Agog! Press
C0ck edited by Keith Stevenson & Andrew Macrae
Doorways to the Dispossessed edited by Paul Haines and Geoffrey Maloney, Prime Books
The Year’s Best Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy Vol.2 edited by Bill Congreve & Michelle Marquardt, Mirrordanse Books
Eidolon I edited by Jonathan Strahan and Jeremy Byrne, Eidolon Books

Artwork
26Lies/1Truth, cover art by Andrew MacRae, Wheatland Press
Agog! Ripping Reads, cover art by Cat Sparks, Agog! Press
Daughters of Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century cover art by Cat Sparks, Wesleyan University Press
The Devoured Earth, cover art by Greg Bridges, HarperCollins Press
The Arrival, cover art by Sean Tan, Lothian

Fan Writer
Stephanie Gunn
Shane Jiraiya Cummings
Danny Oz
Miranda Siemienowicz
Mark Smith-Briggs
Matthew Tait
(Fifth place nomination a tie)

Fan Artist
Christopher Johnstone
Jon Swaby

Fan Production
ASif website, Alisa Krasnostein – Executive Editor
Inkspillers website, Tony Plank
Outland, Directed by John Richards
Tabula Rasa website, David Carroll
The Bullsheet website & ezine, Edwina Harvey & Ted Scribner

Fanzine
AntipodeanSF, editor Ion Newcombe
ASIF – Australian Specfic in Focus, editor Alisa Krasnostein
Captain's Log, Austrek clubzine
Ethel the Aardvark, MSFC clubzine
HorrorScope, editor Shane Jiraiya Cummings

Professional Achievement
Angelia Challis for establishing Brimstone Press as a mass market publisher
Bill Congreve for Mirrordanse Press and 2 issues of the Australian Year’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy
Russell B Farr for Ticonderoga Publications
Gary Kemble for work on ABC’s Articulate and promoting the genre through radio and other mediums
Alisa Krasnostein for providing new paying markets for readers and writers of both fiction/ non fiction, art as well as forums for reviews/interviews within the speculative fiction genre, enhancing the profile of Australian speculative fiction.
Justine Larbalestier, for editing Daughters of Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century

Fan Achievement
Marty Young for his work establishing and promoting the Australian Horror Writers Association
Alisa Krasnostein for establishing ASIf
Tony Plank for establishing and maintaining the Inkspillers website

New Talent
Stephanie Campisi
David Conyers
Shane Jiraiya Cummings
Alisa Krasnostein
Brett McBean

The William Atheling Jr Award
Miranda Siemienowicz for her review of Paraspheres appearing in Horrorscope
Justine Larbalestier for Daughters of Earth: The Battle of the Sexes in Science Fiction
Robert Hood for Man and Super-Monster: A History of Daikaiju Eiga and its Metaphorical Undercurrents. Borderlands #7
Grant Watson for Bad Film Diaries - Sink or Swim: The Truth Behind Waterworld. Borderlands #8
Kathryn Linge for her review Through Soft Air, ASif

http://www.natcon.org.au/2007/Noimination_shortlist_2007.html