STARVING is published.

Now in Volume 9 and Issue 16.

Read a truly original story not a rehash of hack.

LURID LIT is back and so is the Zombie Apocalypse....London style

This week I review DAVID BRINSON'S debut novel, DEAD SOUTH. The dead walk a lot and everywhere...

Enough With The Zombies Already.....

This is another reason I am happy we ditched the television. Cable expects to saturate the market this fall with undead shows. Shows that seek to copy the success of THE WALKING DEAD.

Literature has been oversaturated; in fact we have drowned in zombie tales. We have choked in hurried, hackneyed zombie apocalypse tales. Submission calls thankfully have dwindled but television as television usually does is behind the times and is always beckoning to the brain dead who are also behind the times.

The trope has been used up. The themes are basic and worn.

I just saw the promo for ZNATION.

(Long pause)

Enough already.

Book Review of "Circus of the Dead" On LURIDLIT Now!!!

Catch my review of Seth Blackburn's "Circus of the Dead" on Luridlit now. After all with the 21st approaching that may be hard to do when you are burning in the sun; and I don't mean a beach at a resort.

The Apocalypse As I Live and Watch

I write this as I watch The BBC's magnificient TOP GEAR Apocalypse Special. If you ever wonder what will happen to motoring and motor sport in the zombie infested nuclear winter that has killed us all--this is your primer. But I am happy to announce that I actually picked up a small editing gig. Not only will I have a story coming out next month in the Surreal Grotesque Apocalypse issue; I edited or read three submissions and made recommendations. I have to say I am enjoying working behind the scenes as well. This editing thing may lead to something....well it will will next Halloween, more to come on that.

One of the Best Movie Lines EVER!!!

Tonight serenading me at dinner was the Sci Fi Channel's 2012 filmed film "Rise of the Zombies". This particular apocalyptic romp stars LeVar Burton, Danny Trejo and Mariel Hemingway. Basically this is 'The Walking Dead' but on Alcatraz. Wait; zombies and prison---naw, nothing similar. The Daily News of New York gave it high marks. The Daily News is also good at wrapping fish. Anyway, just before part of the group, led by Mariel Hemingway, and note the irony in her name and lineage, is about to leave the besieged island and prison by zombies swimming over from San Fran Danny Trejo utters the most memorable line in this piece of cine and possibly one of the greatest lines in the history: 'We just sitting like sitting ducks." And I fancy myself a wordsmith? I think thunk thank not!

"The Meandering Dead" A REVIEW

This will be my last statement on "The Walking Dead" for now. I realize I am in a minority as there is so much twitter and internet buzz over this new season; but I have to say episode two did little to dissuade my disappointment. Still no Governor, no Merle, no Michonne, and no Andrea. Personally, I am not happy with the writing, the continuity holes, the conflicting treatment of characters, etc. This story is meandering for me and I don't know if I will stick around for episode three. Just a little rhyme, nothing witty to say; it must be the b-o-r-e-d-o-m. Maybe I am just zombied out. Just like the vampire as a concept was overplayed and bastardized so walk the dead.

THE WALKING DEAD in a Review

My article concerning AMC's THE WALKING DEAD will appear in SURREAL GROTESQUE'S HALLOWEEN/OCTOBER issue along with my Halloween tale 'Diminishing Sight'. Details to follow.

The Cover for RIGOROUS MORTIS A MORTICIAN'S TALES is unveiled

The Cover for RIGOROUS MORTIS A MORTICIAN'S TALES is unveiled on the Scarlett River Press website. Awesome job. The book with my story 'Mr. Friedenhandler' is coming out very soon.

The CDC and The Zombie Apocalypse-OPINION

The first time our tax dollars were used to warn about this I let it go. Okay, here is a humorous way to make people aware of the importance of civil preparedness. I thought, everybody is allowed to try anything at least once and I hope it goes away. But now a second time and quite frankly in a culture that is already ignoring reality via reality television and hunkering down in their parents' and grandparents' basements to hone their gamer skills is a little much. Do we really need to perpetuate the joke or has the joke become us? If we need to communicate with the general public in a fantasy code then I pray the game is completely afoot. That the general level of intelligence in this culture is hitting an all time low. I write horror and have nothing against zombies, but I am also an adult and understand real problems and can discuss real issues without couching them in flowery vampire terms or fleeting ghostly whispers. Can we just grow up for at least a few moments each day and use the toy department for what it is and deal head on with the real issues of the day like adults not like a bunch of overgrown children? Please. This place is a shambles because of our apathy, our squeamishness, our fear of the offensive; just grow up. Deal with the hurricance. Deal the tornado. Deal with reality. None of which are fun. Life isn't fun and can't be fun all the time. Your government is treating you like children and no one is offended by this?