Film Festival

Please check out the site for the Corspedance International Horror Film Festival, and consider submitting a film (if that's your thing) or attending (if you're in the area).

And Thus We Come Full Circle...

File under "There are NO Coincidences":

1) My favorite band? JUDAS PRIEST

2) My first "big" professional and publishing success: my book on JUDAS, entitled JUDAS: IMAGES OF THE LOST DISCIPLE

3) The first new music act I've really gotten into in a long time (probably since Green Day or Drowning Pool): LADY GAGA.

4) Her new hit: JUDAS

5) The inspiration for the song (according to her MTV interview): An ex who betrayed her and whose favorite band was JUDAS PRIEST

So, remember kids - NO COINCIDENCES. All fate, 24/7. (But, you only know it is after the fact.)

Be Sure to Order Your Copy!

Of the awesome essay collection, TRIUMPH OF THE WALKING DEAD, edited by Jim Lowder and with an essay by me and many other fine folks! And if you're going to San Diego Comic Con, you should see a display for it at the Ben Bella booth.

While you're stocking up on your horror essay reading, check out the trailer for Vince Liaguno's BUTCHER KNIVES AND BODY COUNTS (also with an essay by me on the less well known Tobe Hooper film THE FUNHOUSE).

Finally, and with copies now shipping, try GENERATION ZOMBIE from McFarland, edited by Stephanie Boluk and Wylie Lenz, with another essay by me!

Didn't really realize how many essays I'd done last year until they all came out at the same time!

Veni Vidi Vinci!

And I'm finally back from my long trip to Italy. I can't post every detail, and I'll be thrilled to talk about any details on Facebook, but I thought I should give an overall recap here.

There are several recensions of this travel log. This is the shortest - really just an itinerary. I've left out return trips (I went to the Campo di Fiori, Pantheon, and the Corso most days) and regular events (such as class). Excuse any misspellings - I've Anglicized some things but not others, I'm sure.

Friday, May 20 - Arrival; Pantheon

Saturday, May 21 - St Andrea della Valle; St Luigi dei Francesi; Campo de Fiori; Piazza Navona

Sunday, May 22 - St Peter's Square; Pope blessing the crowds; Ponte San Angelo; Bocca della Verita; Trevi Fountain

Monday, May 23 - Santa Maria sopra Minerva; Sant Ignazio

Tuesday, May 24 - Colosseum; Forum

Wednesday, May 25 - Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura

Thursday, May 26 - Ara Pacis; Via del Corso

Friday, May 27 - Palazzo Barberini

Saturday, May 28 - Leonardo da Vinci exhibit

Sunday, May 29 - Museo Nazionale Palazzo Altemps; Spanish Steps (bottom)

Monday, May 30 - Roman synagogue; Capitoline Hill; Largo Argentina

Tuesday, May 31 - St Peter's

Wednesday, June 1 - San Clemente; Forum museum; keyhole

Thursday, June 2 - Palazzo Pamphilj; Via Margutta

Friday, June 3 - Vatican Museum; Sistine chapel

Saturday, June 4 - catacombs

Sunday, June 5 - Orvieto; Florence

Monday, June 6 - (Florence) Duomo; Santa Croce; Galileo Museum; Ponte Vecchio

Tuesday, June 7 - (Florence) Borgello; Santa Maria Novello; Casa di Dante

Wednesday, June 8 - (Florence) monastery; Academia (Michaelangelo's David); city market; Uffizi gallery

Thursday, June 9 - Venice; Rialto Bridge; Grand Canal

Friday, June 10 - (Venice) watched garbage barges work; Campo Santa Margherita; Santa Maria Gloriosa; Piazza San Marco; Doge Palace; Museo Correr; Basilica San Marco

Saturday, June 11 - (Venice) Accademia museum; back to Rome

Sunday, June 12 - (rest)

Monday, June 13 - (rest)

Tuesday, June 14 - Galleria Borghese

Wednesday, June 15 - Capitoline Museums; Ara Coeli; view from midpoint of Vittoriano

Thursday, June 16 - Piazza de Populo; Ponte Milvio

Friday, June 17 - Vatican museums (more thoroughly, took 3.5 hours)

Saturday, June 18 - Ostia Antica; Pyramid; non-Catholic cemetery

Sunday, June 19 - Villa Borghese; Bioparco

Monday, June 20 - Capuchin crypt; Spanish Steps (top)

Tuesday, June 21 - Castel de San Angelo