Charles Beaumont Premiere at The Egyptian Theatre

Hello Ghouls and Boils,

I have some terrorific news for you! Are you in the LA area? — or — Will you be in the LA area on March 27th? If so, there is an event you don’t want to miss! The official Premiere of
the documentary Charles Beaumont: The Life of Twilight Zone’s Magic Man – (puts on her best latenight ppv commercial voice) – but wait there’s more! There will also be a special signing of the Bleeding Edge. If you missed the signing in February – now is your chance! Sunni K Brock will be our behind-the-scenes reporter – so if you can’t make it… don’t fret! We will have the scoop here on She Never Slept. Below is all the information about the screening and the signing. Enjoy, my fiends!

Abstrusely,
Sarah L. Covert

Charles Beaumont Premiere at The Egyptian Theatre, L.A.
And BLEEDING EDGE SIGNING!
Saturday, March 27, 2010 – 2:00pm
The Egyptian Theatre — 323.466.FILM
6712 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA
Tickets available at Fandango.com.

At 2pm, we’ll be staging a mini-signing for THE BLEEDING EDGE anthology! Scheduled to appear [health allowing]: Ray Bradbury (The Martian Chronicles; Fahrenheit 451), Earl Hamner (The Waltons; The Twilight Zone), William F. Nolan (Logan’s Run; Burnt Offerings), George Clayton Johnson (Star Trek; Ocean’s Eleven), Jason V Brock, Cody Goodfellow, John Tomerlin (Law Man; The Portrait of Dorian Gray) and other surprise guests!

At 3pm — The documentary begins… Celebrating the life of Charles Beaumont: one of the principle writers for Rod Serling’s seminal The Twilight Zone, as well as a top writer for Playboy, and a major collaborator with Roger Corman (Burn, Witch, Burn; The Intruder; The Haunted Palace)…

First of a triple bill with Burn, Witch, Burn and The Intruder, with a Q&A after the documentary featuring WILLIAM F. NOLAN, Director/Writer JASON V BROCK, Editor SUNNI K BROCK, GEORGE CLAYTON JOHNSON, JOHN TOMERLIN and Moderated by MARC SCOTT ZICREE (The Twilight Zone Companion)!

RAY BRADBURY will be on hand to make opening remarks about his amazing mentorship to Beaumont

Charles Beaumont: The Life of Twilight Zone’s Magic Man

Writer.
Adventurer.
Provocateur.
All of these words apply to one man: Charles Beaumont. As one of the principal writers for the original Twilight Zone series, Beaumont became a mainstay of 1960s television. Later, working with filmmaker Roger Corman, he embarked on a promising career in movies (7 Faces of Dr. Lao, The Intruder). By this time, Beaumont was also a primary contributor to Playboy, Esquire, and several other major magazines of the day.
Beaumont overcame humble roots, bouncing between Chicago and Washington state. As the only child of an obsessed mother with an explosive temper, he endured many hardships, such as seeing his pets tortured and being dressed as a girl. Plagued with health problems and very fragile, Beaumont was a prodigious young talent whose artistic and writing abilities surpassed his peers.
Following his dreams to Los Angeles, the driven, intellectual Beaumont became the charismatic nucleus of a group of Southern California writers, whose ranks include Richard Matheson, William F. Nolan, George Clayton Johnson, Harlan Ellison, and Ray Bradbury among others. Charles Beaumont’s intensity and unabashed heed to confront controversy influenced early television and science fiction; he understood the human condition, and lived at the edge in everything he did and created.
At the height of his career, Beaumont began exhibiting strange and frightening symptoms: slurring words, balance problems, memory lapses. Was it alcohol abuse? Was it leftover from his childhood bout of meningitis? Perhaps it was stress…
He began to age – looking more like a man of 70 than a young man in his thirties. Charles Beaumont seemed to be trapped in one of his own Twilight Zone stories.
Whatever the cause, he would not live to see his 39th birthday.

Coming Soon: Deadfall by Shaun Jeffrey

Hello Ghouls and Boils,

There is a new zombie book on the horizon and SNS has the scoop. You can preorder copies of Shaun Jeffrey’s Deadfall from the publishers or Amazon now! The official release date is March 25, 2010. We were lucky enough to snag a review copy and my roommate Alanna Quinn has agreed to be a guest minion. As a Zompire volunteer since its first year, she is definitely an expert on the subject! Oh yes, you will hear our thoughts on this new entry into the zombie mythos soon, my lovelies! Until then, check out all the info below. Enjoy, my fiends!

Abstrusely,
Sarah L. Covert

Deadfall
Written by: Shaun Jeffery
Published by: Leucrota Press; First edition (March 25, 2010)
Pagecount: 274 pages
ISBN-10: 0982471343
ISBN-13: 978-0982471340
Where to pre-order:
Amazon
Leucrota Press
Publishers Comments:
“Kill them or convert them – either way we win.”
A team of mercenaries race to an abandoned mining village to rescue two children held hostage by rogue ex-soldiers. But the kidnappers are a ruse, the real threat more terrifying than any of them could imagine.
Aided by a couple of unsuspecting eco-warriors, mercenary team leader Amber Redgrave must fight to survive against foes that don’t sleep and don’t feel pain.
Now as the body count rises, so do the stakes, and when the dead won’t stay dead, there’s going to be hell to pay.

Shutter Island: A Review of the Martin Scorsese Film

Shutter Island (mild spoilers)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Phoenix Films
Release Date: February 19, 2010
Historical Drama/Mystery/Thriller
Rated: R
Runtime: 138 min.
Film Synopsis:
In 1954, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his partner, Chuck Aule, go to the Ashecliff Hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island. They are investigating the disappearance of Rachel Solando, a patient who vanished from a locked room. Dr. John Cawley, the head psychiatrist, explains that Rachel was institutionalized after drowning her three children. She believes, however, that she is still home and that her children are still alive.

Hello Ghouls and Boils,

Shutter Island, a mysterious thriller based on a Dennis Lehane novel, has been getting a lot of buzz because of the names attached. Assistant Editor of She Never Slept – J R Wright – saw a special screening of this flick that included a follow-up Q&A with the screenwriter. This review has mild spoilers, so be forewarned. I know that this has been added to the list of films I would like to see, my curioustly has been aroused. So, without further ado, here are her thoughts on the film and event. Enjoy my fiends!

Abstrusely,
Sarah L. Covert.

The third book of Dennis Lehane has recently been adapted into a Scorsese film, Shutter Island, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley, and Mark Ruffalo. The previous books of Lehane’s that were adapted resulted in the films Gone Baby Gone and Mystic River. The trailer had my attention piqued, and I formed immediate opinions of what the movie would be about. I was not disappointed; my twisted mind instantly knew what the plot would entail. I went into the theater hoping that it would prove me wrong, with such a strong director and lead actor, as a Scorsese film it must be impeccable in its storytelling prowess, no? However, I was not proven wrong, and it was exactly as I had predicted. The premise is of a Federal Marshall visiting an island that boasts to have the most criminally insane people in the country harbored on it; set after WWII, in the height of the most sadistic era in psychological treatment ever. The plot twist could only be of one or two things- either he was already a delusional patient, or he was to become the next experiment. The protagonist was indeed a mental patient within the facility and everything that occurred was in his head. While this had a bit more ambitious exposition than most of the psychological thrillers of this type in the past, I still was not thwarted.

One of the best opening lines of the film was spoken by DiCaprio’s character Teddy in response to the slew of advisements he was given upon arriving: “You act like insanity is contagious.” The soundtrack seemed overly foreboding in the beginning, almost prompting you to yell “WTF” becoming so annoyingly loud you were compelled to cover your ears, and then it stops. Brief moments of doubt occurred during the second act when it seemed he had found out the truth but the truth was only his version of the truth, and thus not the truth at all. The movie was long, and while evenly paced throughout, the pacing was terribly monotone. I have never in my life outside of my home been tempted to snooze through a movie, but I did have some moments of head bobbing in this one. It was a great film in all essence of what it was trying to achieve, in its Hitchcockian contrived suspense, but all it really made me yearn for was to read the book.

However, what was really telling was the after screening Q & A with Laeta Kilogridis. She is quite the sharp witted lady, who is responsible for penning the scripts for Alexander, Night Watch, and worked with James Cameron as a producer on Avatar. Kilogridis broke down some essential moments of the film with great candor revealing parts of the process of getting the film adapted from the book. Her main position was that she didn’t want to retell the book insomuch as she wanted to convey the same feeling that she got when she read it. Obviously, there were many aspects that were different, but she insists on the idea was to convey the emotions evoked during the book, not actually every detail of the source material. Kilogridis explored through the visual topography of the island the idea of the descent into the mind using the different wards to delve into the id, ego, and superego of the character, and even used the lighthouse as the place of the level of enlightenment that the character is forced to come to terms with. It was a great study in cognitive behavioral therapy. Her bold change of the ending that Lehane wrote in the book was meant to invoke a type of philosophical thought that would elicit a moment of pause to the viewer, to maybe ask themselves the same question about how they would want to live.

I felt that this movie was much more of a think piece than it was a suspense thriller. The almost stream of consciousness progression was easy to absorb. The most amazing part of this film is hands down, the dream sequences, which were the best in the history of filmmaking to date. They were executed without flaw, in perfect timing, and conveyed much of the necessary expository character development that was lacking in the rest of the film. In fact, because of the dream sequences, further exposition was hardly needed. Above all the best performance was by Michelle Williams, who gave every psychotic female character in the history of film a genuine run for their money in how truly believable she was. This was not our little Jen from Dawson’s creek anymore.

Final Thoughts:
I would recommend this as a must see- but not just once- twice, and maybe three times. As for me, I am going to grab the book first thing in the morning. I give this film a 4 out of 5.

J R Wright – Assistant Editor/Reviewer

Back From ‘The Edge’ – Bleeding Edge Anthology Event Report

Hello Ghouls and Boils,

I promised you a report from the big “Bleeding Edge” signing event down in LA… but sadly J R Wright couldn’t even get in because the crowds were so thick. Never fear… we have our ways at She Never Slept! It just so happens that the wife of one of the Editors is my “dayjob” boss and a friend of the strange; so I asked her if she wouldn’t mind giving us the scoop. She agreed to be a guest minion… I mean writer… and that was that. So, here it is - a day of legends and sore wrists, a behind-the-scenes perspective on the “Bleeding Edge” signing by Sunni K Brock. Enjoy my fiends!

Abstrusely,
Sarah L. Covert

 

Back From ‘The Edge’

 

How many living legends can you cram into one small bookstore on a Saturday afternoon? An amazing number, it turns out.

Saturday, February 20^th, 2010 saw legendary writers alongside up-and-comers at the mega-signing event for The Bleeding Edge anthology at Mystery and Imagination bookstore in Glendale, California. Editors (and contributing authors) William F. Nolan (Logan’s Run; he had just received a Lifetime Achievement award from the Horror Writers Association) and Jason V Brock (Charles Beaumont: The Twilight Zone’s Magic Man), hosted the event in cooperation with book shop owners, Malcolm and Christine Bell.

Brock had earlier dedicated the gathering to the memory of Dan O’Bannon (Alien), who contributed to the book and was scheduled to attend the signing before his untimely passing in December 2009. In his stead, his wife, Diane, chatted with all of the writers and the store had a portrait up in his honor.

In attendance were authors Ray Bradbury, George Clayton Johnson, John Shirley, Earl Hamner, John Tomerlin, Cody Goodfellow, James Robert Smith, and Lisa Morton. Appearances were also made by John Skipp (The Light at the End), Pete Atkins (Clive Barker’s A-Z of Horror), Dennis Etchison (The Dark Counting), Paul G. Bens (Kelland), Paul J. Salamoff (Logan’s Run: Lastday), and many other writers and Hollywood insiders. Although Richard Matheson (I Am Legend) was unable to attend, he received birthday greetings via a phone call.

 

The event was a huge success, both in sales (nearly 100 copies of The Bleeding Edge were sold!) and excitement (by estimates, over 300 people). It was covered by Famous Monsters of Filmland, and the local newspapers. John King Tarpinian kept the crowd in line with threats of “Soylent Green” for those who didn’t keep the order. Fans were lined up out the door and down the block to get their copies inscribed, as author/fan Paul G. Bens became a volunteer crowd controller, noting that the Fire Marshall was concerned about the throngs of eager patrons jammed into Mystery and Imagination. James Beach, the publisher of Dark Discoveries, was also assisting with crowd control and mingling with the authors and fans.

The Bleeding Edge has been called “A Landmark Anthology” by the genre press, and certainly this was a landmark signing. Ray Bradbury wore his medal for Arts and Letters from the country of France and signed for over two hours while warmly greeting his fans. Best known for Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, and Dark Carnival - Ray invited everyone to attend his musical, Wisdom 2116 playing in Pasadena that evening.

Many fans lined up to see Norman Corwin (On a Note of Triumph), a radio great and contemporary of Orson Welles. The 99-year-old was chipper as ever and also signed copies of his book, Thirteen by Corwin.

George Clayton Johnson, co-author of Logan’s Run, writer of eight episodes of The Twilight Zone, and the first Star Trek original series episode to be aired, sat next to Corwin. The self-proclaimed “Dog without a Collar” greeted enthusiasts with vigor, and signed with his trademark doodle and dated copyright.

John Shirley, whose contribution entailed a ghost that follows a family home from Costco, was equally inundated with fans. Readers also snatched up Shirley’s novel, Bleak History, to get autographed copies.

Co-editor Jason V Brock rounded out the authors at the front of the store. Fans and colleagues congratulated him on the fine book, his editorial debut – and the overwhelming success of the event.

 

There were so many authors at the event (over 14 including surprise guests), that an additional line was formed for more writers to be seated in the second floor of the store. Upstairs, James Robert Smith, whose novel, The Flock, has been optioned by Don Murphy for a summer tent pole movie release, was blown away by the number of people. Cody Goodfellow (Perfect Union) and Lisa Morton (The Castle of Los Angeles) were equally astonished by the turn out and the company they were keeping.

Earl Hamner (The Twilight Zone, The Waltons, Falcon Crest) enthusiastically penned his name and chatted with numerous aficionados in his warm Southern drawl. John Tomerlin, who helped create The Twilight Zone’s classic, “Number Twelve Looks Just Like You”, signed alongside William F. Nolan. “This is the biggest signing I’ve ever attended for a single book!” exclaimed Nolan. Tomerlin concurred, adding that his hand hurt from signing so many times.

Marc Scott Zicree, television writer and author of The Twilight Zone Companion, noted that, except for Richard Matheson, all of the living Twilight Zone writers were present. “You’ll never see all these people in one place again,” Marc said to Jason during the group photo session. James Robert Smith kept repeating: “This is amazing! Amazing!”

There will be another signing opportunity for The Bleeding Edge in Los Angeles at The Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Boulevard, prior to the world premiere of JaSunni Productions’ documentary Charles Beaumont: The Twilight Zone’s Magic Man. The signing will begin at 2pm, with the movie starting at 3pm.

Brock and Nolan plan to follow-up The Bleeding Edge with another anthology based on cross-genre fiction and featuring authors writing out of their comfort zones. The next book is titled The Devil’s Coattails and should go to print Fall of 2010.

Sunni K Brock – Guest Minion (Writer)

She Never Slept Interviews Master of Horror Lucky McKee!

Hello Ghouls and Boils,

Tonight we have a very special treat for you! I am proud to present an interview with my favorite modern horror director, Edward Lucky McKee. I want to thank him for giving us his time. It thrills me that this is the first post with She Never Slept’s new look (thanks to logo designer Shawnti Therrien). I know many of you are already fans of Lucky, but if not… I hope this will encourage you to check him out. I won’t keep you waiting any longer. Enjoy, my fiends!

Abstrusely,
Sarah L. Covert

Lucky directing Angela Bettis through MAY's tragic moment of decision...

SNS: Welcome to She Never Slept, Lucky. Let me get some geek girl gushing out of the way first. It is no secret to SNS readers, after my Lucky McKee Fest Twitter-a-thon, that I am a huge fan of yours. And… thanks to the miracle of social networking I have been able to express my admiration directly to you. I think you have a unique vision and you are an inspiration to me as a writer and filmmaker. So, on a personal level, thank you for being here. I am sure we will have a terrorific talk.

LUCK: Aww. Shucks. Let the terrorificocity begin…

SNS: My love for the strange and horrific was born at Drive-In Double Features when I was a wee one. What was it that brought you to the dark side – so to speak?

LUCK: The first film I remember seeing was JAWS when I was about 2. And yes, it was in a drive-in. I’ve always been fascinated with the spooky stuff. I think it also helps that life creeps you out along the way. At least that’s what happened in my case.

 SNS: I read somewhere that you used to want to write and draw comics. Do you still keep up with drawing – even though your dream shifted?

LUCK: Yeah. I still draw, but it was just one of those instances where I was honest with myself. I knew I didn’t have the talent or the “gift” of favorite artists of mine (like John Byrne), no matter how hard I tried. I’m a firm believer that we all need to stay in tune with what we are truly good at and not bullshit ourselves. I don’t think enough people do that. I knew I wasn’t good enough to be a comic artist, so I found another medium to express myself through visual stories. I’m glad I picked movies or I’d probably be a lot lonelier person!

 SNS: I am sure you made films when you were in college or younger that are buried safely in a vault millions of miles beneath the earth. (chuckles) When did you make you first film and what was it about?

LUCK: I started making movies around age 12. It was a Nightmare on Elm Street sequel, that TOTALLY should have been released. Hahaha. I made a bunch of videos and things all throughout middle school, high school, college, and after. I still make them! The short we made for XBox carries on that tradition. It’s so refreshing to just pick up a camera with a few friends every once in a while and remind yourself why you started doing this. Roman feels like that to me as well. I guess what makes that one super special is that it was a fully fleshed out story/idea but done in that home movie sort of way.

SNS: Your first IMDB credited film (as a Director and Writer) was called “All Cheerleaders Die”. I still have yet to track it down. I hear that it is very funny. It is a horror/comedy, correct?

LUCK: Yeah. It’s definitely horror, and definitely fucking hilarious. Some day Chris and I will put it out there. It’s just sitting on the shelf, aging like wine. It’s a helluva lot of fun, and our first little baby. I’m glad you can’t track it down! That means when we eventually release it, people might actually buy it! hahaha.

 SNS: I first became familiar with your work when I stumbled upon “May “several years ago. I was working in a video store at the time. I found the cover very intriguing and when I glanced at the back and read the description I thought it sounded up my alley. I decided to take it home and watch it that night. I am so glad I did. When people complain to me about modern horror, I like to point them to May. The film won 8 awards and now has a “cult following”. So – as you have probably guessed by my waxing on and on – I have several questions about “May”.

- You can tell by watching the film it was made with love. It appears that everyone on the crew gelled. What is your favorite memory from the set?

LUCK: Well, there are tons of favorite moments. I mean, that was my first solo writing and directing feature, shot on 35mm Panavision, etc. I mean, it was a big deal to a kid from the sticks to have that opportunity. I guess the best memory is shooting the ending and knowing that we really captured something special and personal and that there were 30 people standing around trying to make it seem like the loneliest thing you ever done saw. I owe them all for that, forever.

- When we watched “May” during the Lucky McKee Fest everyone in the room said they identified with the character May strongly… Do you get that reaction a lot?

LUCK: Sure. I do get that reaction. Everyone knows what it is to feel lonely, awkward, etc. I sure as hell do. It was just one of those stories where you poured all that insecurity into a fictional character to say to people “Look. I feel this way too. Maybe we can dissect it a bit and not feel so alone after taking it all in.” I know the film brought me out of a lot of personal insecurity just by doing it. I find my favorite art is special to me because it makes me feel like someone I don’t know understands me. It helps you not feel so lonely.

- The costuming in the film is perfect. Was it difficult, initially, to find the right “look” for May?

 LUCK: Not at all. It was in our research, it was in my drawings. It’s always different when it becomes reality, but you’d be surprised how close it all came to what was initially envisioned.

- The Art Department deserves wild kudos on the set design. Each character’s home suited their unique personalities so well and there are so many tiny details. How much input did you have in this area? Were you pleased with the overall look of the film?

LUCK: I had a tremendous amount of input and fed my production designer a bunch of the art I liked and she shared a bunch that she liked and we came up with a special look. Part John Waterhouse, Part Walter Keene, part Nirvana, part Julia Margaret Cameron, etc. It all made a nice fusion and each character ended up having an environment that represented their character as you say. My production designer Leslie Keel is just an astounding creative force. She makes me look smarter than I am.

- What was your reaction the first time you watched the final cut of the film?

LUCK: Tired! But damn proud. Even with all it’s flaws, I still have a tremendous affection for it, being my first solo baby.

SNS: In the movie “Roman” you play the lead part and Angela Bettis directs. Was it odd for you to switch roles like that?

LUCK: Not as odd as you would think. I mean, she had to hold my hand a bit at the beginning to help me get comfortable, but once we got started it just felt like me and Angie working like we always do. I mean, when I direct I get in the mood with the actors, this just meant I had to remember to shave and look in the right directions and stuff. Hahahaha.

SNS: You were very good as Roman. I enjoyed your performance and was rather impressed. Do you prefer being behind or in front of the camera?

LUCK: Behind the camera. For sure. I will only act if it’s necessary because of a lack of people, or if it’s something a friend really wants me to do. It’s not an aspiration of mine. It’s just come out of necessity when it’s happened. But you never know, maybe someday someone will have seen a couple things and think I’m right for something? Who knows. I never close doors to possible creative endeavors. Of any type.

SNS: You were asked to direct a Masters of Horror episode for Showtime, “Sick Girl”. It was strange, horrific, gross, sweet and funny – all at the same time. Bravo! What was the experience like for you?

LUCK: Just plain fun. We were like little kids left at home alone with that one. We just went nuts and had fun and made a mess of things!

 

SNS: “The Woods”, a phantastically creepy tale featuring Bruce Campbell and Patricia Clarkson, was the first film that you directed that you didn’t have a hand in writing. How was that experience different for you?

LUCK: It was a for hire directing job. It really helped me in a lot of ways. It was like skipping major grades in school going from a small indie to a bigger budget studio thing. I’m very glad I didn’t put a personal script of mine through that system because those fucking people are brutal and heartless. They have no idea how to culture talent, they just expect you to do what they say, no matter how little sense it actually makes. At least that was the case on that film. I am still very proud of it and think I made the best possible film I could have given my lack of experience and the studio’s measure of douchery.

SNS: You wrote, directed and starred in (along with Angela Bettis and Carlee Barker) a short film that is available on the XBOX called “Blue Like You”. (The one time I have cursed not having one!) I hope to see it someday. It’s sort of an unusual venue for a short film. How did this gig come about?

LUCK: I met James Gunn at a Masters of Horror dinner in LA and he told me he was doing these things and asked if I wanted to join in. I said “Hell yeah” and it actually ended up happening. James is good like that. He doesn’t just bullshit you and say “Oh, yah, bro, we should totally work together some day.” and then it never happens. He made it happen and it was a fucking blast.

SNS: You also composed the music for “Blue Like You”. Is there anything you can’t do?

LUCK: Bird Juggling.

SNS: You will be working with Angela Bettis yet again on a Ketchum story, “Offspring: The Woman”. You and Ketchum worked on the script together. What has it been like collaborating with him on this project?

LUCK: It’s been a dream. A fantastic collaboration. I think the film will really surprise you.

SNS: IMDB has listed that “Hippy” is in development. The whisperings on the intertubes say that it is a psychedelic, road-trip, horror movie… What can you tell us about the film?

LUCK: Just that it’s a movie that my buddy Chris HAS to make some day. It is really really fun and has the potential to be sort of iconic. I’m really proud to be a part of that creative team.

SNS: Do you have any upcoming projects or news or random sarcastic statements to share with us?

LUCK: Just the Ketchum/Bettis collab that’s coming up. That’s my main focus right now, but there are always ideas and things in the pipeline. I think if I talk about them before they become more real, it sort of jinxes them. Sarcastic comments? For the first time ever, you have me at a loss for words. Heh. Cheers, darlin’.

Boilerplate for the Hugo!

Hello Ghouls and Boils,

It is award season again and I wanted to take this time to talk about Boilerplate. 2009 was an excellent year for us at She Never Slept and we didn’t even launch the site until mid-Summer. I had a lot of interesting films, music and books cross my desk… some of which I am still trying to get to. (stares at the ever-growing pile) But – without a doubt – Boilerplate was the most incredible thing that I have ever had the opportunity of reviewing. It’s a fantastic story that is beautifully illustrated and truly unique. Exquistely detailed and designed, this book is filled with both true history and speculative fiction – a combination that makes your mind wander and your imagination blossom. (Please see the full review and interview with the creators >>here<< !) Sadly, I cannot vote for the Hugo Awards… but I think it would be a crime if this book did not at least get a nomination. It is an amazing little slice of heaven in a world full of standard fare. If you can vote for the Hugos, please consider Boilerplate for Best Related Work and/or Best Graphic Story. If you can’t vote for the Hugos, then I encourage you to buy the book… Boilerplate: History’s Mechanical Marvel is a permanent part of my collection. I pick it up off the shelf to read often; you won’t be sorry. Thanks for your time, my fiends.

Abstrusely,
Sarah L. Gerhardt

The Eleventh Annual Fandance Film Festival

Hello Ghouls and Boils,

I have some phantistic news from our friends at Guerrila Productions…. it’s that time of year again – the Fandance Film Festival is almost here. Are you a filmmaker? Ever wanted to make one? Fandance would love to check out your shorts. I will let the folks at GP tell you all about it. Enjoy, my fiends!

Abstrusely,
Sarah L. Gerhardt

The Eleventh Annual Fandance Film Festival
It’s small, geeky, and very, very fun!

The Eleventh Annual Fandance Film festival will be at
Norwescon 33
April 1-4, 2010
Doubletree Hotel, SeaTac, Washington

The Shine
Forget about the tuxedo, the parachute, and the collagen injections – this is a film festival you can have fun at!

Welcome to the Eleventh Annual Fandance Film Festival, hosted at Norwescon 33! Eleven years of madness, eleven years of filmmaking, eleven years of seeing all the latest and the greatest and the funniest and the weirdest and the most bleeding, squealing, giant smashing roboting edge entertainment still available without extensive tipping (mind you, we’re not saying “no”…). The Festival is a celebration of low- and no-budget cinema, brought to wondrous lurching life by amateur filmmakers from all around the Pacific Northwest.

More than just the movies, this 180-minute extravaganza of entertainment will also include the filmmakers who regale you with terrifying tales of their productions. Be there or be a regular right quadrilateral!

The Fandance Film Festival is the final phase of the Let’s Make a Movie Workshop. The Workshop walks participants through every step of making a movie, from conception to the premiere of the finished product. This year at Norwescon also marks the ten-year anniversary of the Let’s Make a Movie Workshop! Visit Norwescon’s pages for The Fandance Film Festival and the Let’s make a Movie! Workshop.

The Pitch
The integral part of this is, of course, the movies. We need ‘em! The shorter, the better (ten minutes maximum length – no minimum length) and any genre is fine (but if you’re smart, you’ll realize that this is a sci-fi/fantasy type convention) but the judges reserve the right to be way grossed out by what they see. We reserve other rights as well (including not showing something), but we can’t spell them out here and if you tried pronouncing them your tongue would become a macramé Klein bottle and there’s no two ways about that!

Some sort of prizes will be awarded. Perhaps handsome certificates Suitable For Framing. Perhaps solid gold figurines custom sculpted by Ancient Artisans. (plan for the former, in case the Artisans get finicky)

The Rules
1. It really ought to be ten minutes or less. We’re flexible about this, but it’s got to be good. “Long” is not a synonym for “good.”
2. Send a DVD copy of your short. Something that can be played in an ordinary DVD player — and check it before you send it, to make sure it’s readable. We’re not responsible.
3. You must be a member of Norwescon, and preferably at the convention that weekend. We’ll probably call you out or call you up for a Q&A at the end of your movie and/or an intro. Plan ahead.
4. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for us to contact you, as well as your email and other contact info. If we don’t have your contact info, we can’t contact you.
5. Include a signed and dated statement declaring “I release all rights to broadcast/display/present this movie to Norwescon for the purposes of the Fandance Film Festival and other supporting situations/advertisement ONLY, including the right to duplicate it for mechanical/projection purposes.”
6. There is no entry fee for the film festival, but you DO have to be at the convention legally, so that costs a little. However, if you’ve never been to Norwescon before, it’s a total treat and well worth the cost. Assuming you’re some kind of geek. Which you are, if you’ve gotten this far.
7. Submission deadline is March 15, 2010, which is cutting it kind of tight for us, but we’re flexible. If you can’t make the deadline, at least contact us. Maybe we can work something out.
8. The “Fan” refers to Fandom and such — not to big air-moving tools. In other words, we won’t do a fan dance on stage. Besides, you don’t want that anyway.

The 10-9
Send submissions to:
The Fandance Film Festival
c/o Guerrilla Productions
11105 SW Cottonwood Lane
Tigard, OR 97223

Any questions, contact Guerrilla Productions >>here<<!

She Never Slept – Logo Design Contest!

Hello Ghouls and Boils,

It’s 2010 and I want to update SNS with a new logo! Sadly, I can only draw with my words… that is where my artistic talent stops… the pencil/wacom is not my friend… so I have decided to hold a contest. Maybe you can be the one to help give She Never Slept a new look for the new year!

What do you need from me? The image can be as large as you like, but it must look good at 140×140 pixels. It must be relevant to the site’s theme and content (Science Fiction, Strange Tales, Horror, Drive-Ins and more — or read our About page for furter info). You can incorporate the sites name or initials (SNS) but they must be legible at 140×140. Try to stick in the same color ranges of the exisiting site.

What do I get out of the deal? As the winner you willl receive a $50 cash prize. Your logo will be the official logo at She Never Slept and you will be credited on the site. You will also receive a sidebar link (with image) to the site of your choosing!

And lastly… The deadline for entry is February 16th. A winner will be announced and showcased by March 2nd. Entries or questions should be sent to me >>here<< ! Good luck and as always… Enjoy my fiends!

Abstrusely,
Sarah L. Gerhardt

The Bleeding Edge Anthology and Signing!

Hello Ghouls and Boils,

I have terrorific news to announce! The Bleeding Edge Anthology is now available. This book is filled with legendary masters of the strange and a good smattering of the new breed as well. We will be presenting a review here on She Never Slept soon (it is on my nightstand pile now). Also, if you live in LA – or near LA – or can easily get to LA towards the end of February – I recommend going to the book signing on the 20th. And if you go tell Ray he is one of my biggest heroes! The information from the publishers on the book and signing are below. Enjoy my fiends!

Abstrusely,
Sarah L. Gerhardt

The Bleeding Edge
Edited by William F. Nolan and Jason V Brock. Trade Hardcover with dust jacket; cover art by Kris Kuksi. Foreword by S. T. Joshi. Signed by both editors.

A landmark anthology that contains original, never before published works by: Ray Bradbury, Gary A. Braunbeck, Jason V Brock, Christopher Conlon, Norman Corwin, Cody Goodfellow, Earl Hamner, George Clayton Johnson, Nancy Kilpatrick, Joe R. Lansdale, Richard Matheson, Richard Christian Matheson, Lisa Morton, Kurt Newton, William F. Nolan, Dan O’Bannon, Frank M. Robinson, John Shirley, James Robert Smith, Steve Rasnic Tem, and John Tomerlin. Both editions feature opaque vellum pages, printed with 100% vegetable inks using wind power; printed and bound in the USA. Trade has a Smyth-sewn binding in cloth boards.

Deluxe signed by 23 contributors

 

The Official signing for The Bleeding Edge! Over 10 writers in attendance! Surely to be the largest event in 2010, with MANY legends attending from the anthology…

CONFIRMED to sign (health allowing):

RAY BRADBURY (The Martian Chronicles; Fahrenheit 451)
WILLIAM F. NOLAN (Logan’s Run; Burnt Offerings)
GEORGE CLAYTON JOHNSON (Ocean’s 11; The Twilight Zone)
R.C. MATHESON (Dystopia; Masters of Horror)
JASON V BROCK (Charles Beaumont documentary; Dark Discoveries)
LISA MORTON (The Lucid Dreaming)
JAMES ROBERT SMITH (The Flock)
JOHN TOMERLIN (The Twilight Zone; Challenge the Wind)
NORMAN CORWIN (On a Note of Triumph; Lust for Life)
EARL HAMNER, JR. (The Twilight Zone; The Waltons)
CODY GOODFELLOW (Radiant Dawn; Jake’s Wake)

We are also anticipating other writers and filmmakers to attend as Special Guests!

Additionally, Jason V Brock would like to dedicate this signing to the memory of Dan O’Bannon, who was planning to attend before his premature passing on 12/17/09. He will be missed!

UPDATE — 1/13/10: Looks like Dennis Etchison (Dark Country; Talking in the Dark) and Marc Scott Zicree (The Twilight Zone Companion; Babylon 5) will be there. Stay tuned.

Host: The Bleeding Edge – anthology
Date: Saturday, February 20, 2010
Time: 3:00pm – 6:00pm
Location: Mystery & Imagination Bookstore (818) 545-0206
Street: 238 N. Brand Blvd.
City: Glendale, CA

Lucky McKee Marathon with live updating on Twitter!

Hello Ghouls and Boils

Happy 2010 to all of our fiends – old and new! I hope your holiday season was filled with spooktacular surprises. 2010 is going to be a phantastic year for scifi, strange tales and horror! I am already receiving some brilliant stuff to talk with you all about. I am so excited to share the treasures I have dug up (or have magically landed in my lap). I am almost done reading The Saint Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires by Eric Stener Carlson (a Tartarus Press book) – you can expect to hear all about it in the next week or so. I am also working on an article called, “My Decade of Horror”. We have new reviews coming from the Minions as well – so stay tuned!

This evening I am having a (belated) birthday celebration. And since it’s my birthday I get to pick the theme! This year I am having a Lucky McKee Fest – a terrorific triple feature: May, Roman and The Woods! Good wine, good cheese, good friends – blood, guts and gore – what more could a girl ask for?

Lucky McKee is one of my favorite modern Horror Masters. If you are unfamiliar, do yourself a favor and look into his work.

The first movie we will watch is perhaps my favorite modern horror film – May

Second we are watching Roman (which ashamedly I have yet to see). I am excited to watch this one!

And the final movie for the night will be The Woods (Bruce Cambell, Patricia Clarkson – Woot!)

For those of my fiends who are sad they can’t be here to celebrate my 34th trip around the sun – fear not! I will be doing live updates on She Never Slept’s Twitter Page! That’s right, you can read all of my thoughts on the films (and I am sure the folks joining me for the fest will chime in too!) as I am watching them. The party starts at 7pm Pacific and goes until the films are over. WARNING: This will NOT be spoiler free. So if you haven’t seen these flicks it is probably best to avoid She Never Slept’s Twitter page for tonight. *grins wickedly* (Remember: you don’t have to sign up to see my updates. But if you are on Twitter, please do follow us for the latest news and exclusive content!)

I must go prep for the party now ghouls and boils. Have a frightening Friday whatever you do! Enjoy my fiends!

Abstrusely,
Sarah L. Gerhardt