Brett's Blog

THE MOTHER

2009-07-13T19:33:00.000-07:00

The US limited edition of my second novel THE MOTHER is now up for pre-order from Thunderstorm Books - http://www.thunderstormbooks.com/

or the Horror Mall -

Hardcover: (http://horror-mall.com/THE-MOTHER-by-Brett-McBean-Limited-Edition-p-19419.html)

Softcover: (http://horror-mall.com/THE-MOTHER-by-Brett-McBean-Trade-Paperback-p-19421.html)

The Hume Highway stretches for more than 800 km from Melbourne to Sydney.
For most people, it's simply a way to get them to their destination; a mostly uninteresting route dotted with low hills, scrubby bushland, and the occasional petrol station and rest stop to break the tedium.
But for one woman, the Hume is a place of death, of sadness, of loss.
And of revenge.
For this woman has a plan; a plan involving hitchhiking - hopping into any and every car that will stop and pick her up. Because she's seeking a man. A man with a tattoo.
The man who brutally murdered her teenage daughter.
Even if it takes her the rest of her life, she aims to find him.
Even if it means pain, loss...
And death.

This is the uncut version with two graphic scenes deemed too extreme restored back into the text. The book features cover art by Alan Clark; Motherly Perspectives (intros from Kelli Dunlap, Mandy Hartley, Wendy Howarth, and Karen McBean); an afterword regarding the restored text by Brett McBean; and an afterword from Robert Hood. This will be extremely limited at only 125 signed hardcover copies.

"The Mother is one helluva read. Sleek, dark, and impossible to put down. Reading this one good woman's descent into grief and madness felt like a sledgehammer to the stomach…but I couldn't stop turning the pages. The Mother did what every great book should do — it made me think."
—Richard Chizmar, Cemetery Dance Magazine

"I love Brett McBean's writing, and The Mother is McBean at the top of his form. It's a thrilling, scary, and heartbreaking story. I highly recommend it."
—John R. Little, Bram Stoker-winning author of The Memory Tree, Placeholders, and Miranda

"The Mother is a brilliant new offering from McBean that sees him slide among contemporaries such as Jack Ketchum and Richard Laymon. McBean manages to capture something rare in The Mother — a book that is both moving and horrific, demonstrating that good horror can do more than just scare your pants off. The Mother does for hitchhiking what Psycho did for showers and I guarantee you’ll think more than twice before thumbing a ride again…"
—Mark Smith-Briggs, Oz Horrorscope

"McBean drags you to hell and back, screaming all the way. "
—Steve Gerlach, author of Rage and Lake Mountain

Available as a:
Black Voltage Hardcover Edition
Limited to 125 copies
(with or without an Alan M. Clark remarque)
$85/$75

and a

Monsterback Softcover Edition
$19.95

Book Signing

2009-02-19T13:33:00.000-08:00

On Saturday 7th March, 12-1pm, I will be at Dymocks, Southland, signing copies of my novel, The Mother. There will also be extremely limited quantities of some of my overseas publications, including The Last Motel and the recently-released New Dark Voices II (so get in early if you want to grab a copy!).

Dymocks Southland is located on the third floor of Westfield Shopping Centre in Cheltenham, Victoria. Tel: 03-95841245. This event is free, and registration is not required.

So if you're in the area and have a spare moment, please feel free to pop in and say hi.

New Dark Voices II

2008-10-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

New Dark Voices II, edited by Brian Keene. Featuring novellas by Nick Mamatas, Brett McBean, and Ronald Damien Malfi. Trade paperback, $14.95

Click here to order: https://www.horror-mall.com/NEW-DARK-VOICES-2-Edited-by-Brian-Keene-p-18574.html

Delirium’s annual anthology-series spotlighting the talents of tomorrow continues with New Dark Voices II. Edited by Brian Keene, NDVII features three brand-new, terrifying, genre-bending novellas by underground favorite Ronald Damien Malfi, the critically acclaimed Nick Mamatas, and hot Australian writer Brett McBean.

“Sins Of The Father” by Brett McBean

When Tony Christopher returns home after a few months away, he expects to find his family and friends waiting, his beloved farming town of Gainesville unchanged. What he finds is quiet streets and empty houses. A strange metallic smell in the air. An ominous storm building. And Tony will uncover the shocking truth of the missing townsfolk.

“Eliminate the Improbable” by Nick Mamatas

Ever watch a detective show on TV? The sleuth hefts a flashlight and shines it into the camera. He peers into the swirling fog or the dark. But he’s not looking for some criminal, he’s not looking at a murder victim. He’s looking at you. And you are about to disappear. The people of Manhattan are vanishing — and just maybe being replaced by exact doubles and its up to two amateur detectives, both high out of their minds and one of them nameless, to solve the mystery. The only problem is that when you eliminate the improbable…only the impossible remains.

“Borealis” by Ronald Damien Malfi

On a routine crabbing expedition in the Bering Sea, Charlie Mears and the rest of the men aboard the trawler Borealis discover something unbelievable: a young woman running naked along the ridge of a passing iceberg. Just as the trawler pulls alongside the floe, the woman collapses into the snow, unconscious. The girl is rescued and brought aboard the boat, where she is cared for by the crew…only to infect them with a poison that brings about unimaginable ruination.

2008-10-18T18:19:00.000-07:00

Just a heads up.

Thunderstorm Books has commissioned a new cover for Tales of Sin and Madness. And along with the new cover (done by the talented Deena Warner), there's a new deal: people have until November 15 to pre-order the hardcover. After that date, all orders cease and however many orders have been taken is how many HC Thunderstorm will be publishing. So get your orders in before time runs out!

Of course, you can always wait for the trade paperback - but this will be published at a later date.

For more information, go here: http://www.thunderstormbooks.com/mcbean.html

It's Done!

2008-09-16T17:17:00.000-07:00

In case you've been wondering where I've been these past six months (and I know your lives have been empty without my sporadic blog posts), I've been working hard at finishing my new novel.

Well, it's finally finished. Coming in at around 148,000 words, the new novel, titled
"The Awakening" is my coming-of-age story. Well, a very dark coming-of-age story, mixed with Haitian voodoo. This is the novel I first started waaaaaay back in 2001, after completing "The Last Motel", but stopped writing after about a year when it grew too large in scope for me to handle at the time.

It's a weird feeling. Finishing any story (especially a novel) always feels strange to me - more so in this case. I've lived with these characters, in the small town I created, for seven years. Even when I wasn't working on the story, they were still with me in the background, lurking. But, as of yesterday, they are no longer mine. I've sent the manuscript out into the big bad world, and we'll see what happens.

I'll keep you posted on the progress of "The Awakening". Until next time...

A Flash Interruption

2008-05-06T16:26:00.000-07:00

My new flash fiction piece, UNBORN LIVES, has just been posted on the online Australian social/political/religious magazine, Eureka Street: http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=6227

Check it out - it'll only take you a few minutes!

Tales of Sin and Madness

2008-02-08T14:55:00.000-08:00

My first-ever short story collection is now up for pre-order, from US specialty press Thunderstorm Books.

It's due for publication around mid-year and is $30 for a signed limited hardcover. 550 copies are being published

Tales of Sin and Madness
by Brett McBean

In this, his first-ever collection, Aurealis and Ditmar award nominated horror author Brett McBean (The Last Motel, The Familiar Stranger, The Mother) continues his exploration of the dark side of the human character by bringing you fifteen tales of sin and madness. From zombies roaming the Australian outback, to psychopaths roaming New York City, McBean plunges the depths of human depravity, and delves into a sick and sordid world of serial killers, Manson-like cults, even road kill and cheap souls.

So pull up a seat in front of the campfire, grab a marshmallow or two, and come and take a journey into the heart of darkness with one of Australia's leading voices in dark fiction.

Included in this collection are eleven reprints, and four previously unpublished stories, as well as story notes accompanying each tale.

CONTENTS:
The Beautiful Place
Amanda's Gift
Stolen Lives (new)
The New Religion
Genius of a Sick Mind
Hearing the Ocean in a Seashell (new)
A Question of Belief
The Coffin
The Song Remains The Same
Temptation of the Righteous Path (new)
The Garbage Man
Who Wants to be a Survivor
A Light for Rose
The Cycle
The Project (new)

You can pre-order the book direct from the publisher - http://www.thunderstormbooks.com/mcbean.html

or from the Horror Mall - https://www.horror-mall.com/TALES-OF-SIN-AND-MADNESS-by-Brett-McBean-Limited-Edition-p-17554.html

In Delirium II

2008-01-15T13:27:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note, folks: the anthology In Delirium II (containing my story 'The Garbage Man') is now on sale. Go here to order a copy: https://www.horror-mall.com/store/product.php?productid=17321&cat=0&page=1

There are only 274 limited editions, so hurry before they're all gone!

In Delirium II is a sequel to the original In Delirium, which was edited by Brian Keene. As with the first volume, this second one is a tribute anthology to Delirium’s proprietor, Shane Staley, and is composed of stories written by authors who have been previously published by Delirium. The project was conceived and put together by John Everson.

2007 Reading List

2008-01-15T03:42:00.000-08:00

A bit late, I know, but I've been busy with the puppy, trying to train her and stop her from biting (she especially loves ankles and hands!).

So, this is a list of all the books I read in 2007* This is the first time I've done such a list, so I hope you enjoy taking a peek into my literary tastes. A quick note: I took a couple of months off mid-year to concentrate on writing, so the number of books read last year was probably slightly less than usual. Anyway, on to the list.

Weaveworld – Clive Barker

She Loves Monsters – Simon Clark (novella)

Pilo Family Circus – Will Elliot

Hunting Zoe – Steve Gerlach (novella)

Survivor – J.F. Gonzalez

Catch-22 – Joseph Heller

The Lazarus Condition – Paul Kane (novella)

Take the Long Way Home – Brian Keene (novella)

Ghoul – Brian Keene

The Crossings – Jack Ketchum (novella)

On Writing – Stephen King (reread)

The Bottoms – Joe Lansdale

Allhallow’s Eve – Richard Laymon (reread)

Once Upon a Halloween – Richard Laymon (reread)

The Woods Are Dark – Richard Laymon (reread)

A Writer’s Tale – Richard Laymon (reread)

Dahmer’s Not Dead – Edward Lee/Elizabeth Steffen

The Memory Tree – John R. Little

Boy’s Life – Robert McCammon

The Road – Cormac McCarthy

Midnight Rain – James Newman

Fight Club – Chuck Palahniuk

Survivor – Chuck Palahniuk

Dark Harvest – Norman Partridge (novella)

Summer of Night – Dan Simmons

Entropy’s Bed at Midnight (novella from the book LoveDeath) – Dan Simmons

Dying in Bangkok (novella from the book LoveDeath) – Dan Simmons

The Pearl – John Steinbeck

The Killer Inside Me – Jim Thompson

Uncle Jack – Tony Williams & Humphrey Price

*Well, as far as I can remember - I didn't keep a list, so this is all by memory. I will be keeping a list from this year though, to make things easier.

Some Updates

2007-12-09T22:06:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, I've been slack with my blogging. For that, I apologise. But I have been busy - honestly. But I hope to start blogging more frequently. So, I thought I'd post what I've been up to - why I've been absent from blogging-land. And also, you'll find a writing update and more. So, here we go.

* Someone stole the cherries from our tree! We had a tree full of beautiful ripe cherries, and on Sunday morning my wife comes storming into the bedroom and wakes me up with: "The cherries are gone! Someone stole all our cherries!" I stumbled out of bed, went outside and sure enough, the tree was bare - only the stems remained. Boy were we pissed. Fortunately, we had already eaten a fair amount of the fruit before the theft, and had a tub in the fridge - but still, we haven't been in our new home for two months, and this is the welcome we get! Whatever happened to the Sunbury of old - back when it was host to the pop festival, when, I'm sure, there was peace and love in the air! I wasn't born then, but I bet no one had their cherries stolen while they were stoned, listening to Queen, Max Merritt, or Billy Thorpe. Ah, how the times have changed.

* Yes, we've moved into our first home (no more renting, yay!). And yes, aside from the cherry incident, it's been great. We've still got boxes to unpack, but the place looks and feels like home. Sunbury's got the best of both worlds - it's country enough to have all the country things like lotsa birds and wildlife (we have a blue-tongued lizard that's made a home by our letterbox; it can be seen almost every day, sunning itself on one of the rocks), while still having the creature comforts like Coles, Safeway, The Reject Shop and, well, another, smaller Coles.

*We got our Xmas tree yesterday. We bought it from Oxfam, who delivered it straight to our door. We weren't sure what quality the tree would be - after all, this was bought sight unseen. It turned out to be a beauty! Tall, bushy. Came complete with that lovely pine smell. Only problem was, it didn't come with a stand, and the one we had last year is MIA. Not a problem, the wife and I thought. Sunbury has many hardwarey type places among its two Coles and cherry thieves. One of them will have a nice sturdy stand to place our lovely, tall, bushy tree in. Wrong. Bunnings - getting them in next week. Home Hardware - ordered three weeks ago, still waiting. Big W, Harris Scarfe, Target (Country) - nadda. Not one place had a Xmas tree stand. Not even the boy scouts, who were selling their trees by the side of the road, had any stands to buy. So, currently our lovely, tall, bushy tree is standing in a bucket, with only rocks to keep it from falling over - as it is, it's got a slight lean. Still, we decorated the tree yesterday and, as the song goes, it's beginning to look a lot like Xmas.

* We saw our German Shepherd puppy on the weekend. She's five weeks old and, I don't mind saying it, she's the cutest damn thing I've ever seen. The breeder bought out all three females from the litter and the wife and I spent an hour watching them play, huggin them, wanting so much to take them all home. Each had its own unique personality, but for puppies they were surprisingly well-behaved. Only two weeks until we can bring little Holly home. I'm counting the days (and hours, minutes...).

* What I'm working on. I'm still working on the 'zombie novel' - tentatively titled 'The Awakening'. Been reading a lot about voodoo, so to whoever stole the cherries, watch out - I've put a voodoo curse on those cherries. The explosive diarrhoea should be starting anyday...

Well, that's about it for now. I'm enjoying writing full-time (more about that in the near future), enjoying the semi-country life, and looking forward to Xmas. Gotta love those bad Xmas movies... (speaking of which, did anyone in Oz catch 'Surviving Christmas' last night? - man, what a steaming pile of excrement that was. What was Tony Soprano thinking?).

Until next time, later!

New Review for 'The Mother'

2007-12-08T14:37:00.000-08:00

Mark Sieber, horror and exploitation-movie guru, has written a review of my second novel: http://horrordrive-in.com/serendipity/index.php?/archives/105-The-Mother,-by-Brett-McBean.html

I'm very humbled and flattered, as this guy knows his stuff. Thanks Mark.

Snapshot Interview

2007-08-29T15:30:00.000-07:00

Here

Ned Kelly & I

2007-06-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

My novel The Mother has been nominated for a Ned Kelly Award, for best crime novel of 2007. For a full list of the nominees, go here: http://www.crimedownunder.com/nedkellyawards.html

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

2007-04-30T15:05:00.000-07:00

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?

2007-04-28T05:02:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-14T21:51:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-05T05:51:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-03T04:39:00.000-07:00

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

The Familiar Stranger is a sell-out!

2006-12-26T15:57:00.000-08:00

My new novelette THE FAMILIAR STRANGER has just sold out from the publisher. But never fear. You can still order the book through these online stores - but be quick, they (hopefully!) won't last long:

http://shocklines.stores.yahoo.net/fastbnobybrm.html

http://www.bloodlettingbooks.com/fastbybrmcli.html

My New Novelette from Necessary Evil Press

2006-12-19T16:09:00.000-08:00

I am finally allowed to announce the great news - my new novelette, titled THE FAMILIAR STRANGER - has just been released by Necessary Evil Press. It's the second in their novelette series, and features an all new cover art by Caniglia and an introduction from Steve Gerlach.

It's limited to 275 copies, and is signed by me. $14 US.

Can be ordered from the following places:

http://www.necessaryevilpress.com/fam_book.html

http://shocklines.stores.yahoo.net/fastbnobybrm.html

Synopsis:

Seth is a worker angel - one of many whose job it is to clean old souls, those soiled and broken and in need of cleaning in order to be recycled. But when Seth starts to doubt the veracity of his work, starts to wonder if old souls can truly be cleansed of their past evils, he decides to travel down to Earth and see what has become of one of the old souls.

Cassius 'Corey' Willis is living a colourless existence; stuck in a rut, he dreams of living a different life, of being somebody else. But when a mysterious stranger offers him the answer to his dreams, Cassius will learn the truth of his past. A past so stained with violence and bloodlust it refuses to be wiped clean . . . and a secret so horrific that it may shatter his very soul.

Praise:

'The Familiar Stranger is a concerto for sadist with piercings of black comedy.'
- Simon Clark, Author of LONDON UNDER MIDNIGHT and VAMPYRRHIC'

Brett McBean has written another winner, a creepy tale of haunted angels, tortured souls, and a bloodthirsty serial killer. The most original idea I've read in quite some time . . . . I read it in one sitting, 'cause I couldn't stop till I found out what the hell was going on! Mark my words: You won't be able to put it down either.'
- James Newman, Author of MIDNIGHT RAIN, THE WICKED and ANIMOSITY

A New Review of THE MOTHER

2006-10-24T22:23:00.000-07:00

Here: http://www.crimedownunder.com/detail/bmmot.html

I'm happy :-)

Shocklines.com

2006-10-13T20:52:00.000-07:00

I'll make this short and sweet: support Shocklines.com. Buy your horror books from Shocklines.com. Matt from Shocklines.com is a legend, so I say again, buy your horror books from Shocklines.com.

What's that you say? You want more reasons? Well here we go:

Free shipping.
Hundreds of titles under our Guaranteed Good Reads and New Voices Guarantee program, which lets them return books for refunds or store credit with no questions asked.
Many books autographed at no extra charge.
Many books remarqued by artists at no extra charge.
Personal attention to customer service.
No raised prices on out of print items.

http://www.shocklines.com

Support independent bookstores.

Dave Thornton - comedian

2006-10-08T16:47:00.000-07:00

Last night I saw Dave Thornton (http://www.davidthornton.com.au/) - one of this country's best up-and-coming comedians. He was performing his one man stand-up show 'What...Me Worry?' at the Terminus Hotel in Abbotsford, Melbourne, as part of the Fringe Festival. If you're after a damn-good laugh, I highly recommend checking out Dave's show. He is one funny mo-fo.

The Joys of Writing

2006-08-24T23:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I made the decision to stop working on the novel I had been editing for the last five months.

This was to be my next baby I was to ship to publishers and agents, hoping for that big contract. I had written the first draft a few years ago, and put it away afterwards to concentrate on getting The Mother up to scratch to send off.

So, earlier in the year, not long after I had received the call to say The Mother had been accepted for publication, I dove straight into editing this new story - working title The Save.

It was going along so well. I was happy with the changes I had made, I was close to half-way through the second draft...and then it happened.

Well, in truth, it had been on my mind for the last few weeks, but I (stupidly) tried to ignore them and I pushed on.

But they wouldn't go away. They grew. They became so big that I could no longer ignore them:Doubts.

Those horrible, annoying, frustrating little niggles in the back of your mind that warns you that something ain't right in Chinatown, Jake.

Most of the time these doubts are just the writing equivalent of cold feet on a wedding day. You think to yourself: is this good enough? Am I exploring every possible avenue with the story and characters? Writers are generally a paranoid, insecure bunch of people, so these doubts crop up fairly often.

Usually that's all they are - just paranoia.

But sometimes, they're more than that. Sometimes, it's your body's way of telling you to stop what you're doing, take a step back - this ain't working.

And that's what happened yesterday. I finally had to listen to those doubts and accept them for what they were - signs that the direction the novel was going in wasn't the right one.

I don't know what direction the novel will take; if I'll continue it at all. It may end up being a novella - who knows?

So what am I doing now? Well, thankfully I have another, close-to-completed first draft of a novel sitting waiting to be edited that I'm going to be working on instead.

It's a story I wrote a long time ago, after finishing The Last Motel. It's my favourite thing I've written. It'll be the longest and most ambitious work to date.

And it scares the hell out of me.

But I'm going to dive in and hope for the best.

Ahh...the joys of writing.

The Bitter Sting of Rejection

2006-08-15T19:25:00.000-07:00

Rejection hurts. That’s a fact of life. Whether it’s a rejection from that cute girl you hoped to take to the school formal, or losing out on that job you so desperately wanted.

It’s no different with writing. Whether experienced pro or beginner, every time you get that email or letter containing those dreaded words “…but we regret to inform you that…” you can’t help but feel bitter and sad.

I recently received a rejection from an anthology I had hoped to get into (obviously, or I wouldn’t have submitted). Like every story, I had worked hard on it and thought it had a damn good chance of getting in. But it was not to be. Ah well, shit happens and all that.

But it occurred to me, one day whilst shelving children’s books at the library (yes, these are the things I contemplate as I shove Enid Blyton books into their proper spot); there are stages of grief after getting a story rejection.

Well at least, there are for me.

Bear with me here.

The first is shock. Most times I stare at the computer screen or at the letter for a long time, just trying to process what it is the words were saying (namely – rejected!!).

Then comes anger. “Fuck you, it was a great story! You’re just too damn idiotic not to recognise the brilliance of my work. You’re just interested in by-the-numbers crap written by your mates, not my masterpiece.” And so on and so forth. You get the idea.

Next comes doubt and self pity. “Was it any good? Maybe it really was crap. Oh shit, what am I doing writing – I’m a hack. They were right. I’m never submitting a story ever again.”

Lastly, is reason and acceptance. You realise that more than likely, it wasn’t that the story was a steaming pile of dog-turds (well maybe that’s the case sometimes), but that it simply wasn’t the right story for that particular antho/magazine etc. Life goes on and “hey, I just thought of another great idea for a story…”

I go through these stages every time I get a rejection. I think next time it’ll be different, but most of the time, it’s not. Sometimes the stages come in rapid succession; I’ll go from the second to the third in a matter of minutes. Other times it might take days to run the course.

But in the end, I get over the rejection, file it away with all the others, and continue writing.

Because if you’re a writer, that’s what you do.

Yes rejection hurts, but it’s part of the business. It’s part of any business and you just have to learn to live with it.

It makes the acceptances that much sweeter.

My Top 5...Book Covers

2006-07-30T01:17:00.000-07:00

No preamble this time - just enjoy!

1/

Steve Crisp is my favourite cover artist. His paintings are deeply atmospheric, simple in design, but beautifully detailed. Blood Games is my favourite for a few reasons: 1/ I love horror stories and movies set in the wilderness, and this cover evokes all those backwoods movies such as Friday the 13th and Deliverance. And 2/ Blood Games was the book that made me want to read Laymon all those years ago. The synopsis, along with the great cover art sold me that Laymon is my kind of writer.

2/

I know what you're ASSuming - but there's more to love in this Vince Natale cover than the sexy, sensual, billowing curtains...captures the feel of Laymon's wonderful noirish horror/thriller in all its L.A. glory - seedy, sexy, dirty, fast, hot. Yeah, gotta love those curtains...

3/

(This isn't the edition I wanted, but I couldn't find the one I wanted on the web). This terrified me when I was a youngster. My dad had an old '75 Pan paperback and I used to take the book off the book shelf and just stare at the vision of the massive shark roaring up through the water, about to enjoy a bit of afternoon tea. When I finally got old enough to read it (Jaws was one of the first adult books I ever read) I found that the story was just as scary and exciting as the cover - which is the ultimate in primal terror.

4/

Like Jaws, this cover scared the shit outta me when I was young (hell, it still gives me the creeps). Takes the "There's something hiding under the bed" of every kid's nightmares and amps it up. "Hi, Georgie..." *Shudder*

5/

Another Steve Crisp gem. The small picture doesn't do the incredible detail justice. Like all his paintings, it's moody and evokes all sorts of B-grade horror movies from the past (Texas Chainsaw Massacre on water anyone?). Brilliant stuff.

6/

Ok, so I broke the top 5 rule - but this is honestly one of my favourite covers. Keith Minnion captured the Friday the 13th-esque/b-grade slasher mood of my novel perfectly. I couldn't have asked for a better cover: Thanks Keith!

A Poem

2006-07-29T18:51:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd share with you guys a poem I wrote when I was in grade 4 or 5 (I was a wee-lad of about ten).

Now, if I remember correctly, the assignment was to choose a picture - any picture - and write a poem inspired by that picture.

Me, being the charming sicko I was (still am, really), trawled through the various horror movie books and found a delicious photo from some movie I have no idea the name of, of a girl sitting in a booth or the back of a car, an axe imbedded in the top of her head, blood flowing down her face, her mouth locked in a final shocking gasp. Very gruesome, very shocking - so very perfect!

Anyway, here's what I wrote all those years ago:

MY POEM by Brett McBean

A young girl age sixteen was sitting in a cafe drinking caffeine,
When suddenly the clouds turned black and in walked a maniac.
He yelled out "Kill" and that made everyone race out with a chill.

He turned around and saw the girl, brought out an axe and was ready to kill.
He walked over then he stopped, by this time he was about to chop.
The axe went down the sky looked dull, the echoed sound of her cracking skull.

He hit her so hard her brain turned to jelly, while it felt like chainsaws cutting in her belly.
Blood trickled down upon her face, across her leg, it felt like mace.
It soon was over and of course she was dead.
The rain was gone, but what a mess.

Copyright Brett McBean 2006

Not exactly Shakespeare, but hey, I'm sure it gave the teacher a good scare!

The Horror...The Horror...

2006-07-26T17:20:00.000-07:00

A lot of people (particularly family members, especially grandparents) wonder why I write horror. Why do I want to write about such nasty, gruesome subjects such as psychotic killers, ghosts, death and the occasional nipple chewing (read The Last Motel if you wanna know what that’s about)? Isn’t there enough craziness in the world – why dwell on the negative?

I’ve loved horror – not just writing, but reading and watching films – for about as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories have to do with horror: cowering under a table while the family watched Friday the 13th: Part 5 when I was around nine; going to a horror exhibition of classic horror icons such as Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster and the Hunchback of Notre Dame in the Victorian Arts Centre when I was around eight; being terrified of the G’mork whilst watching The NeverEnding Story at the cinema when I was around five.

Among the first books I read were horror – from Midnight at Monster Mansion (a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' book) to Pet Sematary (the very first adult novel I ever read).
I was always drawn to horror movies – some of the earliest films I remember loving were Jaws, Alligator and Poltergeist.

Horror is in my blood, it’s the way it’s always been. I don’t really have a choice (and I wouldn’t have it any other way).

But why am I drawn to the ‘dark side’ so to speak?

And is it such a bad thing? Why do people always associate loving horror with evil and corruption?

It’s my belief that everyone has a dark side. Everyone has violence and the propensity to do evil.
Thankfully, most of us have enough sense and morality to balance that darker nature, and most know enough not to act on those darker urges even if at times we feel like doing so.

But being aware of your darker side isn’t necessarily a bad thing – it’s only by knowing the enemy that we can defeat it. Pretending something doesn’t exist doesn’t make it go away; ignorance isn’t a means of conquering that thing you wish would simply vanish. Just because you acknowledge your dark side, doesn’t automatically mean you’re evil. I know that if someone breaks into my house and wants to do serious harm to my wife, I’m prepared to kill that person if necessary – but does that mean I’m evil? No, I just know I have that protective instinct in me, doesn’t mean I’m going to start acting like Ted Bundy at every spare moment.

Violence and death is a part of life – it’s unavoidable. Wars have been fought (and are still being fought), people do horrible things to one another; history is most definitely stained red, and I can’t see it ever changing.

Writing – or reading, or watching – horror is simply a way of dealing with life. It’s taking something scary and staring it straight in the face. It’s being able to experience something that would normally make you scream or cower with fright within the safety of your living room.

Most people who love horror don’t wish harm on others – they don’t think of life as cheap and get kicks out of seeing someone die. What they do get a kick out of is being scared, of visiting the dark rooms that inhabit all of us and trying to understand this mad, cruel, wild, fun, brutal, beautiful ride we call life.

And by visiting these dark rooms, we often find we’re purged of the violence inside us; it’s by locking it away, throwing away the key and trying to forget where the door was located that can do the most damage. Because, eventually, the monster is going to get restless and come smashing out of its cage.

I love horror because I find exploring the darker side of life stimulating, enlightening and cathartic. It’s a release. Life can be scary, scarier than any novel or movie, and to me, it only makes sense that the best way to combat that fear, is to try and understand what makes people do the things they do; and then, hopefully, things may seem just that little less frightening.

And besides, it’s fun to be scared.

My Top 5...Greatest Singers

2006-07-20T05:16:00.000-07:00

I must stress - this is who I think are the greatest singers (from popular music), not necessarily my favourites.

Ok, so let's begin:

1/ Bob Marley - probably a controversial no.1, but let me tell you: there is something in the man's voice that I have never heard (felt) before in anyone else. I really can't explain it other than there is truly something otherworldly about Bob Marley. He's technically great, sure, and can move you emotionally with the simplest of ease. He can evoke pain, joy and every emotion in between with just one word and doesn't have to overblow to achieve it. But, again, I have to say it - there is a quality to Marley's voice that is magical, that hits you in the heart, that is best experienced, rather than analysed.

2/ Eva Cassidy - I only recently discovered the beauty that is Eva Cassidy's voice. If I could only describe her voice in one word it would be: pure. Her singing is totally without pretention, vocal tricks; it's simply beautiful. I don't think I've heard a voice that could be as powerful and ballsy in one song, then achingly delicate in the next. Whether it's heartfelt blues or a sweet ballad, every word she sings is powerful and meaningingful. And listen to her version of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' and tell me is isn't the most moving performance you've ever heard.

3/ Elvis Presley - more than just gyrating hips and looks that made girls swoon, Elvis the Pelvis had an incredible voice. Soulful, powerful, sexy, evocative - and totally unique. Could belt out a bluesy ballad as easily as he could croon a sultry ballad.

4/ Aretha Franklin - the most powerful female voice of all time? You bet. But she did it wth such ease and without having to burst a blood vessel or using vocal tricks (Idol anyone?). Technically stunning, hugely influential, if you wanna learn how to sing soul properly, study Ms. Franklin - she's the best.

5/ Freddie Mercury - in my mind, the finest pop/rock singer of all time. He had an incredible operatic quality, but fused it with a growling, cheeky rock vocal that could move you with its soul, stun you with its theatrics - and all in the one song, sometimes within the space of a few seconds.

Honourable mentions: Stevie Wonder; Dusty Springfield; Michael Jackson; (and many more that I just can't think of right at the moment...).

The Books Have Arrived!

2006-07-16T19:33:00.000-07:00

I am currently holding in my sweaty, quivering hands my author copies of The Mother (due out in August from www.lothian.com.au). It's an exciting time - my first mass-market paperback! Yes, I can now truly call myself a 'paperback writer' :-)

My Top 5...TV Shows

2006-07-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

To start things off, I've decided to go with the idiot box.

1/ The Simpsons - It's true, the show is a pale shadow of its former brilliance, which is such a shame. If they had ended at around season five or six, they would've had the greatest show of all time. As it stands, it's still one of the best shows of all time (the first four or five seasons remain, in my mind, the finest thing televsion has ever produced), but the creators should've quite while they were miles ahead (something the Brits know how to do). Still, even with the lesser last few years, The Simpsons is still my favourite show.

2/ Seinfeld - The best American sitcom of all time (or is that anti-sitcom?); among its many incredible and groundbreaking acheivements was the fact that a show about nothing, with four self-absorbed and often very unlikeable main characters, could still manage to be side-splittingly funny and endearing.

3/ Degrassi Junior High/High - If you grew up with the show (like myself, who was only a few years younger than the cast in the show), you'll only have the fondest of memories watching the (sometimes too familiar) dramas of Joey, Caitlin, Spike, Wheels, Snake and the rest of the gang. They're almost like old friends. 'Wake up in the morning...'

4/ Gilmore Girls - The newest show on my list. This is so much more than the simple teen soap-opera it may appear to be - it's funny (funnier than most comedies at the moment), moving (more heartfelt than most current dramas, and a lot less sappy), intelligent, witty, incredibly well-written, marvelously acted, and contains one of the best and most original cast of quirky characters of any show. And it's fun to play 'spot the pop culture references'. Who wouldn't want to live in Stars Hollow?

5/ The Wonder Years - Like Degrassi, this show was instrumental during my formative years. I was moving from primary school into high school when this wonderful show started, so I could relate to Kevin Arnold's many adventures in life, love and family. At turns funny and dramatic, TV shows don't get much better than this.

Honourable mentions: Diff'rent Strokes; Married...With Children; Beverly Hills 90210; The Office (UK version); Freaks & Geeks; Fawlty Towers; Happy Days; South Park; King of the Hill; Curb Your Enthusiasm; Beavis and Butthead.

The Top 5 Of Everything

2006-07-15T20:52:00.000-07:00

Staying true to my comment about being a list-a-holic, I've decided to start a series of 'top 5' lists. These will be on anything from movies and books, to food and women (yep, that's right!). They will be a fun little diversion between the bigger entries, so I hope you enjoy them and feel free to post comments either on my choices, or your own.

So, let's get started, shall we...

The Greatest

2006-07-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago, a good friend asked me, along with a selection of other horror-type people, this question for an article he was writing: Who is the greatest horror writer?

Well it got me thinking, and though I had it narrowed down to two writers, ultimately, my decision wasn't an overly hard one.

Now, 'greatest' means different things to different people.

For me, it had to satisfy these two critereas:

1/ Good writer. Not best (which to me is not the same as greatest), but still a damn fine writer.

2/ Influence. They had to have had a major, and lasting, impact on the genre.

So for me, there was only one name: Stephen King.

Say what you will about his writing (I admit it can sometimes be bloated, and, as is the case with writers such as King who are extremely prolific, his output is wildly uneven in terms of quality), but at his best, there is scarcely anyone who can touch him. He can tap into our most basic fears with frightening ease and create characters that are rich and more vivid than any other writer I know.
As for his his influence, well, aside from inspiring countless writers over the years, show me anyone who hasn't read at least one King story (horror fan or otherwise) and considering nearly every single word he has written has been adapted for the big - and small - screen at one time, is proof that his work has pervaded popular culture.

So that's my mumber one, but what about all those other great writers of the macabre?

Because I'm a list-a-holic (you'll be seeing a lot of top 5/top 10 type of lists in the future on this blog), I'll list my top 5 greatest horror writers.

But wait, there's more!

I'll also include my top 5 favourite horror writers at no extra charge, because (and I've had many a heated discussion with mates over this) greatest and favourite are vastly different.

And to make things fun, I'll include my favourite work by each author.

Top 5 Greatest Horror Writers:

1/ Stephen King (The Shining)
2/ Edgar Allan Poe (The Tell-Tale Heart)
3/ Richard Matheson (I Am Legend)
4/ H.P. Lovecraft (Dagon)
5/ Shirley Jackson (The Lottery)

Top 5 Favourite Horror Writers:

1/ Richard Laymon (Savage)
2/ Stephen King (The Shining)
3/ Edgar Allan Poe (The Tell-Tale Heart)
4/ Jack Ketchum (The Girl Next Door)
5/ Edward Lee (The Bighead)

A Rocky Interruption

2006-07-13T01:11:00.000-07:00

Here's the trailer for the upcoming sixth entry in the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa:

http://www.themoviebox.net/movies/2006/NOPQR/Rocky-Balboa/trailer.php

Am I happy that Stallone is putting on the gloves again as the iconic underdog? Yes and no. Yes because I grew up watching the Rocky films and I love them dearly and, like old friends you haven't seen for a while, I love the characters that populate the films (though, admittedly, most of them have gone from the series, leaving only Rocky, Paulie and Apollo's old trainer Duke - I believe even Adrian has died in this new film - the only characters that were in the original). No, because really, when is enough truly enough? Hasn't every storyline and drama been played out that can be played with these characters?

Still, I'll be there at the cinema cheering the old Italian Stallion one more time - how can I not?

The Genius of Charlie Chaplin

2006-07-12T05:35:00.000-07:00

Believe it...or not:

A few months ago I had never seen a Chaplin film.

I of course knew OF him - his Little Tramp character is, arguably, one of the most instantly recognisable characters of all time (hell, even Hitler aped a part of Chaplin's look), with his bowler hat, funny little moustache, baggy pants, floppy shoes, and of course, his cane. But, aside from some clips here and there over the years, I had never actually sat down at watched any of his films.

That's all changed now.

I decided, in order to pass film 101, that I needed to rectify my Chaplin-less existence, so I splurged and bought this box set:
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0000AISJG/202-9818036-3598246?v=glance&n=283926

And I'm so glad I did - it was one of best purchases I've ever made.

A little while ago I wrote a small piece about Ray Garton (www.bitingdogpress.com/Bitingdogpub/garton/home.htm), which was included in a tribute book that was presented to the great writer at this years World Horror Convention. My piece was titled 'Ray Garton, You Know?" and was basically about how some writers you instantly know you're gonna love when you first read their work - as was the case with Ray Garton.

And was the case when I watched my first Chaplin film.
Now, my wife was almost as eager as I was to watch Chaplin's films, and so together, we sat down and started watching his feature films chronologically, starting with The Kid. I instantly knew I was going to love Chaplin. I knew I was in the hands of a master. I loved The Kid - it was as funny as it was moving (I dare anyone not to shed a tear at the sight of young Jackie Coogan crying, pleading for the Little Tramp to come and rescue him from being taken to the orphanage). But the incredible thing was, each film we watched was as good as, and sometimes better, than Chaplin's first feature.
Each film was in turns funny, poignant, even satirical.
And I learned something else - Chaplin's genius didn't just extend to his acting; he also wrote, directed and composed the music for every single one of his feature films (and a great deal of his shorts).

Just brilliant.

It's hard to pick a favourite - The Kid (1921) is wonderful, and contains, in my opinion, the best child performance in history; The Circus (1928) is arguably most out-and-out funniest; City Lights (1931) is incredibly moving, with possibly the best opening and closing scenes to any film I know of; The Great Dictator (1940) is a classic lampooning of the 3rd Reich.

But my two absolute favourites (I can't narrow it down to just one) have to be:

The Gold Rush (1925) & Modern Times (1936).

The first is a comedic masterpiece (and contains such classic scenes as the shoe eating, the dance of the bread rolls and the Tramp as a chicken), which also contains one of the most devastatingly sad scenes of any Chaplin film - when the Little Tramp is stood up on NYE.
The second is one of the best satires of our soul-destroying modern culture ever made. Containing such memorable moments as: the Tramp rolling through a cog-machine; being mistaken for a communist leader; and edging closer and closer to a dangerous fall in a department store. The film also contains the haunting song 'Smile' composed by Chaplin himself.

Chaplin's comedy is timeless - still as funny and even relevant as the day they were made. His films and comedic brilliance have influenced countless actors and directors (there was even a biopic made of Chaplin's life - called, strangley enough, Chaplin, which contained a masterful performance by Robert Downey Jr in the title role; even Johnny Depp chanelled the ghost of the great comedian [as well as Buster Keaton] in the quirky drama Benny & Joon).

If I had my way, all his films (including his many shorts; one - his WWI comedy Shoulder Arms (1918) - is among my favourite Chaplin films) would be mandatory viewing in every home (just like the entire Beatles catalogue should be mandatory listening).

I highly recommend you check out the films of Charles Chaplin.

Because genius never dies.

Cold Weather, Horror and Circles in Canberra

2006-07-06T04:53:00.000-07:00

June 9-12 saw people from all over Australia (and a few from overseas) converge on our nation's capital for the third annual Conflux convention.
Now this is a mostly sci-fi/fantasy based convention.
I'm not a huge sci-fi/fantasy fan. Never have been. I started reading horror when I was a young lad, and that's where my passion lies. However, I decided to attend this convention for two reasons.
One was that it would give me a chance to take a gander around Canberra, a place I hadn't been since 1989 on a family holiday (and even then my most vivid memories were watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade at a very empty theatre, and throwing up one morning while staying at some budet motel).
So I thought it was high-time I checked out the sites of the political hub of Australia.
The second reason was that the first two books of the now defunct 'Dark Suspense' series from Lothian Books (www.lothian.com.au) - Carnies (www.martinlivings.com) and Prismatic (www.tabula-rasa.info/EdwinaGrey) - were to be launched. I thought it a great opportunity to not only meet some of the authors (the three Prismatic authors, David Carroll, Kyla Ward and Evan Paliatseas, as well as the author of The Darkness Within, Jason Nahrung - (www.jasonnahrung.com - whose book is scheduled to be released early next year) but to support local horror.
So, along with my lovely wife (who I had made a promise to spend a lot of time with sightseeing around Canberra), we drove up the Hume (where my latest novel The Mother is set) and, after an exhausting eight-hour drive, got into Canberra around six o'clock at night.
Now, driving to any unfamiliar place can be daunting, but as well as getting in when it was dark, Canberra is made up of a lot of circular roads, so this made arriving at Canberra a not very pleasant experience - we got lost, twice, but eventually made it to the convention hotel (Rydges Lakeside, located on the London Circuit - that's the outer circle, kiddies, not the inner, which can be very confusing and totally frustrating when you find yourself going 'round and 'round on the inner, and trying to get to the outer).
But, we made it to the hotel, already a little mad at out nation's capital.
Now, I'm not going to give a day-by-day, blow-by-blow run-down of my time at Canberra (which sould be renamed Coldberra - boom tish!). Not only would it bore you, the reader, but, quite frankly, I can't be bothered writing all that.
So, I'll just list some of the highlights:

*Visiting the war memorial. The memorial itself - the eternal flame and the walls commemorating the dead - is powerful and beautifully simple. The war museum is fascinating, but exhaustive. You'd need either all day (and even then you'd be buggered and your eyes strained from reading all the information pertaining to the exhibits) or do the museum in two lots. And that's no problem because, incredibly, it's free to look around the museum.

*The joint book launch of Carnies and Prismatic. It was disappointing that certain ex-Lothian people couldn't be there, but it was still a nice time. I got to meet my fellow Lothianites (minus Martin Livings, currently in London), and people I've spoken to via the web, such as Rob Hood (www.roberthood.net whose first words to me were 'You sick bastard'; hehe, thanks Rob, you're words meant a lot to me). It was nice to catch up with Marty Young - president of the Australian Horror Writers Association (www.australianhorror.com), and Bill Congreve, of MirrorDanse Books (www.tabula-rasa.info/MirrorDanse). And to meet Lee Battersby (congratulations!), and Angela Challis and Shane Jiraiya Cummings from Shadowed Realms (www.shadowedrealms.com.au/main.htm). So it was a good mix of horror people - a nice change, I must say, from the sci-fi/fantasy heavy vibe of the convention. My main disappointment - and this is my fault, being a fairly shy person - was that I didn't get to introduce myself to Ellen Datlow, who was kind enough to give her time to be at the launch.

*Hearing from David and Kyla that they saw Carnies and Prismatic at the local Dymocks in Canberra.

*Showing Michelle, on the way home, Lake Mokoan, which plays an important part in The Mother. It was great for me, also, seeing the lake on a clear day. Last time I saw it, it was surrounded by fog, so I got to see the lake in all its glory, which, though not quite as creepy, was still a horrible/wonderful sight.

And that's pretty much it. I didn't spend a lot of time at the convention. And besides, there wasn't the party atmosphere of a World Horror Convetion. True, I did feel a little out of place at a sci-fi/fantasy con, and because a lot of the panels/events happened at the National Museum of Australia, rather than the hotel, you couldn't just head down to the bar and start chatting to a fellow con-attendee.
But it was still worthwhile, and at least I learned one important thing - Canberra's a nice place to visit, but I'd never want to live there.

Second time around

2006-07-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

Well my original blog, associated with my website host, was hacked into, or at least something strange happened to it to make it go all screwy, so I decided to hop on over to one of the popular blog spots, so here I am (I hope it's a cool spot, not one of those places that only attracts nerds, or where the boys are all on one side and the girls giggling on the other).
Anyway, I'll be posting something incredibly insightful and entertaining soon - I just wanted to say hi and see if I can actually get this new blog working (I wasn't blessed with a computer brain). So until then...