I got home from the fourteenth Horrorfind convention late yesterday afternoon. I'm still exhausted, even after getting twelve solid hours of sleep last night. A weekend like this one takes a lot out of a man.
I realize that some abstained from going to the convention for personal reasons. There was a bit of controversy in the community about it. I respect that. However, I could not resist attending and I'm very glad that I did. It was one of the best in the convention's history. At least for me.
A lot of people in the horror fiction community prefer cons that focus primarily on writers and writing, and I can dig that. But for me, I adore the mix that Horrorfind offers. I love the pageantry of the costumers, the deranged movie freaks, the surreality of celebrities walking around the hotel. It's wonderful.
I have never been one to share a room with just anyone, but I had two roommates this year. It was a blast. Just like Summer Camp.
I originally had plans to go with Jim Marshall, and this guy is simply amazing. He has one of the most generous natures of anyone I've ever known, and he is also one of the most devoted collectors I've ever met. I'm not talking about the type of person who gets all of the Lettered and most extravagant editions that are available, although that is cool, too. No, Jim looks to the past for the most part. His collection of old anthologies is astonishing to behold. Trust me when I say that you probably have never seen anything like what he brings to the show. His books are things of beauty and wonder.
Jim's a funny guy. Give him a couple of beers and he has the room lampshade on his head, dancing like a lunatic. But he can down a dozen Long Island Iced Teas in an hour and feel nothing. Well, maybe I'm slightly exaggerating.
Thomas F. Monteleone is one of the genuine legends of the genre. The man has done nearly everything involved in publishing: novelist, journalist, scenarist, editor, publisher. A true renaissance man. He's also one hell of a raconteur. Hearing Tom's stories and listening to him expound on everything under and beyond the sun is extraordinarily entertaining.
Tom didn't know that he was going to come until the last minute, so he ended up bunking with me and Jim. He thanked me for allowing him to stay in my room. I should have thanked him for making the weekend so memorable.
Friday night was fairly sedate. We partied, but took it relatively easy. On Saturday morning Tom and I even hit the gym for a brisk workout. Sunday morning was a far different story.
We all partied up hard on Saturday night. Bourbon, Long Island Iced Teas, beer (two dollar Heinekens at the bar!). We made it back to the room about 2:30 AM, and we tried to have Important Conversations. I think I'd be really embarrassed if I heard tapes of it.
Had you had a peek in our room around 9:30 AM on Sunday, you would have seen three sorry middle aged specimens. We were all hurting and when we staggered out of the room to find the hotel restaurant in search of caffeine and nourishment, Tom noticed that he had not even tied his shoes. It was bad.
But well worth it. The con was wonderful and everyone was great. Yeah, there were a couple of mooks causing some minor disturbances, but you'll get that in any crowd of that size. 99% of the people were gracious and well-mannered.
Just as I never watch movies at conventions, I almost never go to readings. I'm too busy socializing with friends who I rarely get to see. So once again I apologize to those whose readings I missed. I make one exception and that is for my roommate, Tom. Tom doesn't just read a story. He performs it. It's like theater. Sometimes even bordering on standup comedy.
Michael Laimo shared a reading spot with Tom, and I hadn't seen him in a long time. It was good to catch up. Mike is a good guy and always fun to talk to. He read an excerpt from his novel, Dead Souls, which will be shown on Chiller as an original TV movie. Mike says that from what he has seen of the movie, the filmmakers nailed his story. So please don't miss it if you get Chiller. I think they do a better job than what you will see on SyFy.
I'm not an autograph hound. I like having my books signed, but I don't do the celebrity lines. I do enjoy speaking with them and seeing them come and go, but I don't need their signatures. Of course there are always exceptions. I'm picky about whose pics I have framed on my mantle. I have signed photos of Forrest J Ackerman, Ruggero Deodato, Dick Miller. And now I have Mary Woronov. I have always loved seeing her in the movies. Eating Raoul, Rock 'n' Roll High School, Death Race 2000, Cannonball, and especially Hollywood Boulevard. I told Mary that I love that movie, and she smiled and said that Hollywood Boulevard was one of the most fun times she ever had on a set. She said they were laughing and ad-libbing throughout the entire making of it. I said that it really showed in the results of the movie.
I also told Mary that I loved the Roger Corman/New World pictures she was in. I said that they were so fun, and while there was violence in them, the movies rarely seemed to be mean. "Yes", she replied, and lamented at how so much stuff today is so mean.
Mary Woronov is a classy lady who has obviously taken care of herself. She's still attractive and is smart and friendly. A really sincere person.
When you are reading something by Ron Malfi, you're likely to be on the edge of your seat. When you are with him, you're likely to be laughing the whole time. He's a character and really fun to be around. He brought his father along, is a hell of a cool guy. I didn't have a whole lot of extra money this weekend, so I only bought one book: The Narrows, by Ronald Malfi. Ron has never done wrong with his writing.
I was glad to see Samhain Publishing with such a big presence at the con. I spoke to their marketing head for a long time, and they really seem to be trying to do it right. Samhain isn't trying to be Leisure Books II. Not as much over the top stuff. More haunted houses and not as much grue. We need these guys on the scene, and they are doing e-books and trade paperbacks. Best of all, the books are brought to us by one of the best editors we have: Don D'Auria. They are using some established names, as well as a lot of newcomers. Buy a book. Try a new author.
It was great to catch up with Jerry Chandler and Don May, of Synapse Films. Most of the indie horror/exploitation DVD distributors have gone belly-up. These guys keep plugging in there, even after the DVD collector's frenzy has died down. We need this as well. Please buy a DVD from Synapse now and then. I scored a nice DVD/Blu-Ray edition of The Exterminator at the con. God, I love this sleazy, dirty little movie.
So many people. I know I'm going to leave some out. Hell, I partied with some for hours and I can't remember their names! I want to do some call-outs though.
Norman Prentiss is one of the rarest talents in the field. He's also a great guy. It was good to finally spend some time with him and his partner, Jim, who unsurprisingly is smart and funny. Damned good people.
I can say lots of things about Nick Cato and Colleen Wanglund, who showed up together. Words like sharp, savvy, urban, cool, awesome. Nick and Colleen know exploitation movies. I love these two people and wish I could spend more time with them.
Sheri White is one of the Horror Drive-In family, and it was great to see her again. It was especially nice to meet her husband, Chris, and their beautiful daughters.
Many from the community have forsaken The Horrorfind Weekend, but it's really good to see Ron Dickie still making the scene.
Nanci Kalanta was only there for a little while, and it had been too long since I had seen her. It was good to catch up with her and her amiable husband, Phil.
Perhaps my oldest friend in the horror fiction community is James Newman. I met James on a message board called Gorezone in what seems like a lifetime ago now. He and Donn Gash and I have been friends ever since. I wish Donn would make it to another HF soon.
I met a bunch of new people. New friends. I can't remember the names of some of them, but it was fantastic to get to know Shelby Rhoads, Sheri Sebastian-Gabriel, John (Shock Totem) Boden, and Gregory (Mr. Funky Werepig himself) Hall.
I know that I am forgetting some wonderful people. Probably best friends of mine. All I can say is, I'm overwhelmed by it all. Overwhelmed and exhausted.
People I work with think I'm some sort of weirdo for going to a horror convention. Not only that, people think that everyone associated with the genre is abnormal. You know what? They're right. Fuck normal. It's dull and tedious. I like colorful eccentrics and I especially like the ones who love horror. Not just love it, but live and breathe horror in all its forms. Online communities are nice, but there's no substitution for being with people in the real world. If you're reading this, you should go to at least one horror convention a year. There's nothing else like them in the world.
I realize that some abstained from going to the convention for personal reasons. There was a bit of controversy in the community about it. I respect that. However, I could not resist attending and I'm very glad that I did. It was one of the best in the convention's history. At least for me.
A lot of people in the horror fiction community prefer cons that focus primarily on writers and writing, and I can dig that. But for me, I adore the mix that Horrorfind offers. I love the pageantry of the costumers, the deranged movie freaks, the surreality of celebrities walking around the hotel. It's wonderful.
I have never been one to share a room with just anyone, but I had two roommates this year. It was a blast. Just like Summer Camp.
I originally had plans to go with Jim Marshall, and this guy is simply amazing. He has one of the most generous natures of anyone I've ever known, and he is also one of the most devoted collectors I've ever met. I'm not talking about the type of person who gets all of the Lettered and most extravagant editions that are available, although that is cool, too. No, Jim looks to the past for the most part. His collection of old anthologies is astonishing to behold. Trust me when I say that you probably have never seen anything like what he brings to the show. His books are things of beauty and wonder.
Jim's a funny guy. Give him a couple of beers and he has the room lampshade on his head, dancing like a lunatic. But he can down a dozen Long Island Iced Teas in an hour and feel nothing. Well, maybe I'm slightly exaggerating.
Thomas F. Monteleone is one of the genuine legends of the genre. The man has done nearly everything involved in publishing: novelist, journalist, scenarist, editor, publisher. A true renaissance man. He's also one hell of a raconteur. Hearing Tom's stories and listening to him expound on everything under and beyond the sun is extraordinarily entertaining.
Tom didn't know that he was going to come until the last minute, so he ended up bunking with me and Jim. He thanked me for allowing him to stay in my room. I should have thanked him for making the weekend so memorable.
Friday night was fairly sedate. We partied, but took it relatively easy. On Saturday morning Tom and I even hit the gym for a brisk workout. Sunday morning was a far different story.
We all partied up hard on Saturday night. Bourbon, Long Island Iced Teas, beer (two dollar Heinekens at the bar!). We made it back to the room about 2:30 AM, and we tried to have Important Conversations. I think I'd be really embarrassed if I heard tapes of it.
Had you had a peek in our room around 9:30 AM on Sunday, you would have seen three sorry middle aged specimens. We were all hurting and when we staggered out of the room to find the hotel restaurant in search of caffeine and nourishment, Tom noticed that he had not even tied his shoes. It was bad.
But well worth it. The con was wonderful and everyone was great. Yeah, there were a couple of mooks causing some minor disturbances, but you'll get that in any crowd of that size. 99% of the people were gracious and well-mannered.
Just as I never watch movies at conventions, I almost never go to readings. I'm too busy socializing with friends who I rarely get to see. So once again I apologize to those whose readings I missed. I make one exception and that is for my roommate, Tom. Tom doesn't just read a story. He performs it. It's like theater. Sometimes even bordering on standup comedy.
Michael Laimo shared a reading spot with Tom, and I hadn't seen him in a long time. It was good to catch up. Mike is a good guy and always fun to talk to. He read an excerpt from his novel, Dead Souls, which will be shown on Chiller as an original TV movie. Mike says that from what he has seen of the movie, the filmmakers nailed his story. So please don't miss it if you get Chiller. I think they do a better job than what you will see on SyFy.
I'm not an autograph hound. I like having my books signed, but I don't do the celebrity lines. I do enjoy speaking with them and seeing them come and go, but I don't need their signatures. Of course there are always exceptions. I'm picky about whose pics I have framed on my mantle. I have signed photos of Forrest J Ackerman, Ruggero Deodato, Dick Miller. And now I have Mary Woronov. I have always loved seeing her in the movies. Eating Raoul, Rock 'n' Roll High School, Death Race 2000, Cannonball, and especially Hollywood Boulevard. I told Mary that I love that movie, and she smiled and said that Hollywood Boulevard was one of the most fun times she ever had on a set. She said they were laughing and ad-libbing throughout the entire making of it. I said that it really showed in the results of the movie.
I also told Mary that I loved the Roger Corman/New World pictures she was in. I said that they were so fun, and while there was violence in them, the movies rarely seemed to be mean. "Yes", she replied, and lamented at how so much stuff today is so mean.
Mary Woronov is a classy lady who has obviously taken care of herself. She's still attractive and is smart and friendly. A really sincere person.
When you are reading something by Ron Malfi, you're likely to be on the edge of your seat. When you are with him, you're likely to be laughing the whole time. He's a character and really fun to be around. He brought his father along, is a hell of a cool guy. I didn't have a whole lot of extra money this weekend, so I only bought one book: The Narrows, by Ronald Malfi. Ron has never done wrong with his writing.
I was glad to see Samhain Publishing with such a big presence at the con. I spoke to their marketing head for a long time, and they really seem to be trying to do it right. Samhain isn't trying to be Leisure Books II. Not as much over the top stuff. More haunted houses and not as much grue. We need these guys on the scene, and they are doing e-books and trade paperbacks. Best of all, the books are brought to us by one of the best editors we have: Don D'Auria. They are using some established names, as well as a lot of newcomers. Buy a book. Try a new author.
It was great to catch up with Jerry Chandler and Don May, of Synapse Films. Most of the indie horror/exploitation DVD distributors have gone belly-up. These guys keep plugging in there, even after the DVD collector's frenzy has died down. We need this as well. Please buy a DVD from Synapse now and then. I scored a nice DVD/Blu-Ray edition of The Exterminator at the con. God, I love this sleazy, dirty little movie.
So many people. I know I'm going to leave some out. Hell, I partied with some for hours and I can't remember their names! I want to do some call-outs though.
Norman Prentiss is one of the rarest talents in the field. He's also a great guy. It was good to finally spend some time with him and his partner, Jim, who unsurprisingly is smart and funny. Damned good people.
I can say lots of things about Nick Cato and Colleen Wanglund, who showed up together. Words like sharp, savvy, urban, cool, awesome. Nick and Colleen know exploitation movies. I love these two people and wish I could spend more time with them.
Sheri White is one of the Horror Drive-In family, and it was great to see her again. It was especially nice to meet her husband, Chris, and their beautiful daughters.
Many from the community have forsaken The Horrorfind Weekend, but it's really good to see Ron Dickie still making the scene.
Nanci Kalanta was only there for a little while, and it had been too long since I had seen her. It was good to catch up with her and her amiable husband, Phil.
Perhaps my oldest friend in the horror fiction community is James Newman. I met James on a message board called Gorezone in what seems like a lifetime ago now. He and Donn Gash and I have been friends ever since. I wish Donn would make it to another HF soon.
I met a bunch of new people. New friends. I can't remember the names of some of them, but it was fantastic to get to know Shelby Rhoads, Sheri Sebastian-Gabriel, John (Shock Totem) Boden, and Gregory (Mr. Funky Werepig himself) Hall.
I know that I am forgetting some wonderful people. Probably best friends of mine. All I can say is, I'm overwhelmed by it all. Overwhelmed and exhausted.
People I work with think I'm some sort of weirdo for going to a horror convention. Not only that, people think that everyone associated with the genre is abnormal. You know what? They're right. Fuck normal. It's dull and tedious. I like colorful eccentrics and I especially like the ones who love horror. Not just love it, but live and breathe horror in all its forms. Online communities are nice, but there's no substitution for being with people in the real world. If you're reading this, you should go to at least one horror convention a year. There's nothing else like them in the world.
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