Stop contributing to the delinquency of lunatics!

Let's face it. We all stop and look when we pass by a car wreck. Do we REALLY want to see an actual mangled body being pulled from the wreckage? Perhaps some people do...but for the most part, the answer is no. Yet, we are compelled to look.

It is part of our culture now to gawk at the misfortunes of others. I hearken back to the Charlie Sheen meltdown. It was a national spectacle. He started selling tickets! He may have been crazy, but he was still thinking clearly enough to cash in on the public gullible enough to spend their cash.

We see it every day. Out loud, we complain to others. Yet, we have created the monster. You. Yes you. You are to blame for these nutcases. You engage them in debates that will have no winner. Yet, you feel drawn to try and state your case.

Stop!

All you are doing is feeding the sole purpose for a majority of these lunatics' existence: Attention. They crave it, and you give it. "But it is harmless," you reply. Really. Let's talk about some harmless nuts who sold their brand of crazy. Make no mistake, these are salesmen. And they only need to make you nod your head once to hook you. 

Names to remember: Jim Jones (The People's Temple), David Koresh (Branch Davidians), Marshall Applewhite (Heaven's Gate), Charles Manson.

Yes, there are certainly more extreme versions, but tossing those names out detracts from the idea I am trying to expound upon. My point is simple: Walk away from the madness. Hurt them where it matters...ignore them. If you are on the social media with these vitriol spewing folks, use the block function. If you are sitting on the sideline, waiting for the inevitable implosion...shame on you. Simply remove yourself and congratulate yourself for no longer being part of the problem. Because if you think you are not part of it in your silence...you are wrong. You are still an AUDIENCE. That is the desire of these pathetic individuals. 

Ask yourself this question: If a tree falls in a forest and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

The answer?

Who cares.

A break in my series on horror to visit Asylum Lake

My series on the state of horror movies will resume tomorrow. Today, I will be premiering my review of Asylum Lake by R. A Evans.

I have to start my review by doing something that I never do...address issues raised in a few of the negative reviews. The biggest being a remark made about Mr. Evans depiction of a particular religious faith. It was one paragraph in a book and it was from a character POV. The criticism is without merit and I urge any who consider passing on this title based on such a volatile statement  to ignore that review and purchase the book.

So, Asylum Lake revolves around Brady Tanner and is one of those stories that has so many elements that it spans a broad number of genres. It is a ghost story, but there is also a mystery, and a tale of dealing with grief and loss of a loved one. Mr. Evans does an outstanding job of keeping all the balls in the air as he juggles the many aspects of this story. There is even a budding romance and a tale of friendships left untended. I would most liken Evans' story telling style to Robert McCammon.

I enjoyed the fact that this tale sets up what is apparently going to be a series set around Bedlam Falls and Asylum Lake. There is obviously more to the story and the conclusion is satisfying yet leaves that door open.

I would be remiss if I did not address issues. The early portion of the book seemed to have need of some editing. The majority was clean (or I became so engrossed in the story that I failed to notice), but the first quarter could use a little tidying up. As I am familiar with his editor in passing, I know that the individual will certainly address the issues and  likely revisit the work. I will say that it was nothing worth setting the book aside, the mistakes were minor ones and not worth missing such an entertaining read. I will certainly read more by Mr. Evans.

Chapter Three: Unholy Influences (or...“The Devil made me do it!”)

William Peter Blatty’s, The Exorcist scared the hell out of Americans.  The images of young Regan portrayed by Linda Blair shocked and disturbed filmgoers. Lines at the box office often went for blocks. This movie would usher in a monster that most of society is familiar with: The Devil, Satan, Lucifer...the Fallen Angel.

For much of the Seventies, possession, cults, and the antichrist would make a claim on the soul of horror.  This would also signal a profound shift in the genre from the rubber and latex creations that had been frightening audiences for the past few decades. 

Many fans of horror were growing disenchanted.  At age eleven, I was amongst that number.  While Regan had indeed terrified me, I didn’t think of the Devil as a proper monster.  Besides, it was difficult to be frightened of an entity that not only did my church tell me every Sunday was powerless as long as I believed in God; but was portrayed by Flip Wilson as merely having the ability to make Geraldine wear unflattering dresses.

It wasn’t Satan who proved to be scary.  Instead, it was his assortment of servants and minions who would begin to affect a change in the horror genre and endanger “the monster” as a movie staple.

Race with the Devil would perpetuate the idea that you needn’t worry about Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, or Bigfoot.  The monster proved to be Middle America, where, apparently everybody worships Satan while performing nightly moonlight sacrifices of nubile young virgins.  To put an exclamation on their monster worthiness, the Satanists nail Loretta Switt’s little dog to the door of the RV.  The seal was officially broken.  The monster under the bed was no longer as scary as my next-door neighbor.

Chapter Two: In the Beginning (or...“Wanna hear something really scary?”)

Long before the moving picture, tales of the terrible and fantastic were shared worldwide. The imagination of the listener gave tangibility and substance to the beast introduced by the narrator. Oft times, these stories were tools used to warn the listener—most frequently children—about the consequences of improper behavior.

Using a tale of terror as a morality parable is an ages old practice. A horrifically inhuman monster was usually symbolic of man’s evils. Every monster, no matter how horrible, possesses a weakness exploitable by mankind. This assured that humanity would always triumph over its own flaws and shortcomings.

Certain stories in every genre are usually singled out as path-forgers or standard-bearers. Two stories in horror must be acknowledged as Matron and Master: Frankenstein and Dracula. Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelly breathed life into her monster in the summer of 1816. The world should be thankful that Switzerland was hit with a dreary and rainy season that year. Bram Stoker would introduce the term “undead” and usher in the rise of Count Dracula in 1897. Both stories would see their film adaptation as well as countless knock-offs over the decades.

The genre of horror would unleash beasts of every shape and size. Many of the featured monsters were deformed manifestations of our fears...or evils. Oppenheimer’s atomic creation would inspire hordes of mutated fiends bent on mankind’s extinction. One of the most notable “stars” of celluloid from that era would be Godzilla. This monster was Japan’s physical embodiment of the two bombs dropped on their homeland.

A couple of decades after the Second World War, a man from Pittsburgh would serve up an unwitting icon of monsterdom. In 1968, George A. Romero would Americanize a Haitian legend. The flesh-eating ghouls of Night of the Living Dead would be the image makeover that gave modern horror the zombie. 

Chapter One: Opening Credits (or, “Welcome to my nightmare...”)

In 1968, George A. Romero unleashed the “Americanized” zombie into society; his ghoulish zombie continues to reign supreme amongst its cinematic brethren some forty-plus years later as the horror genre has devolved into the “slasher” film, starring your neighbor or the stranger that you passed on the street in the place of an actual monster. The zombie must be considered as one of the most underappreciatedly terrifying creatures in the horror genre. A society obsessed with its own value and importance has effectively robbed the zombie of much of its bite. Darkened cinemas and late-night television have provided the collective “us” with flickering images to shudder at. We sit in the shadows watching, and sometimes praying for a stronger gag reflex. Through the years, the monsters ceased being creations of latex and rubber and instead were simply…us. A fact that Romero seems to have known all along.

The rise of the slasher has diluted the horror genre. Make-up artists and special effects wizards no longer need to create scary monsters. Costumes need to be nothing more complex than a hockey mask and butcher’s knife. The single most important factor now seems to be that there be an ample amount of blood being spilled over the bodies of partially or completely unclad co-eds.

All of my life, I’ve been inexplicably drawn to “monster” movies. Late nights on Fridays were reserved for whatever low budget, locally produced, cheesily hosted weekly horror movie presentation that was being broadcast. Anything starring Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., or Bela Lugosi was deemed a “must see” long before the National Broadcasting Company trademarked the phrase. The Horror genre–not to be confused with the Thriller or the Mystery—was driven by a horrifying and inhuman monster.

Meet John O Brien...(from the Summer of Zombie Blog Tour

Summer of Zombie Blog Tour

John O'Brien

John O'Brien is a prolific author who's written some of the best zombie action you will ever read… but why take my word for it? John lets you glimpse each of his releases, what it's about, and what to expect.

A New World

There is no Sanctuary…

That was taken away in the blink of an eye.  Humanity went out not with a whimper, but a bang

A swiftly spreading flu virus sweeps across the globe bringing many services to their knees.  The high mortality rate of the virus brings fear to the world’s populace.  Panicked governments and pharmaceutical companies quickly develop a live strain vaccine.  The world changes…..

Jack Walker is a former Air Force pilot and special operator retired to the country to live the next years of his life in peace.  That peace was not to last long as he is suddenly thrust into a world where the infrastructure which cherished Armani suits, night clubs, fast and expensive cars and watching the daily stock market vanish.  Left in its place is the material world mankind built but a majority of the population has vanished; replaced by a new, savage, unrelenting, cunning, animalistic species which hunts and operates at night.

Written in the first person, it takes you through an accounting of what that world and survival looks like through the eyes of someone being suddenly thrust into a situation that looks normal from first glance, with regards to the physical environment, but with a terror lurking underneath and survival in question at every turn.  Imagine yourself looking out of your window and everything looks the same; buildings stand tall and straight reflecting sunlight from their exteriors; trees sway in the morning breeze; cars sit silently in parking lots; a bright blue sky looks down and the air clear of smoke from burning fires. Except there is one simple but huge difference, there's nobody around.

A New World: Chaos

Book I

Jack, a sometimes humorous, sometimes philosophical ex-special operations pilot and soldier is one of the few left to struggle through the desolation left in the aftermath; seeking to survive as a new ferocious species emerges from the rubble, hungry and unrelenting.  Will his special forces training be enough?  Will he be able to keep his children safe and guide the few survivors through perils that now roam the world they once knew?  Or will the hordes that now own the night prevail, forever removing the last of mankind from existence?  Humankind was once at the top of the food chain.  But that has now changed.

A New World: Return

Book II. 

Safety is the dream.

Nightmare is the reality. A nightmare where danger lurks around every corner.

Jack Walker, journeyed half way around the world and completed his daring rescue. He must now return home, traversing a world filled with endless hordes of night runners; the genetically altered, ferocious species that now inhabit the dark recesses left over from the demise of mankind and now dominate the planet. The only things more dominate are the billions of corpses left to rot where they died.

It is through this world that Jack must use his special forces training to lead a small group of survivors back home to where there is the faint hope of sanctuary. His training is pushed to the limits as he is confronted with situation after situation coming face to face with the night runners. He must walk that delicate, fine edge between action and keeping his kids out of harm's way; between taking risks and turning away as he continues his quest for survival.

Never having walked away from risky situations, Jack must now carefully weigh his decisions as the stakes are much higher. His kids' very safety hangs in the balance, along with the safety of the few remaining survivors. This gripping, action-packed tale tells Jack's story of survival in a post-apocalyptic world filled with peril.

Safety is the dream.

Nightmare is the reality. Those who have survived remember a time when the dream was the reality. But now, the world has moved on.

A New World: Sanctuary

Book III

Danger lurks in the shadows

A place where the brave tread warily

Jack Walker has returned from the rescue of his girlfriend with a small band of survivors. Their harrowing journey from the Middle East included a stop at the CDC where they learned vital information about the ferocious new species that hunt at night. The night runners dominate the landscape and a world turned upside down by the sudden death of billions.

With humanity on the brink, the small group must carve out a sanctuary against the nightly onslaught from night runners on the prowl for food. They must enter into darkened buildings in search of supplies; darkened buildings that are now the domain of the night runners. Danger lurks with each step and death lies in waiting for the unwary. Jack and the group must stay one step ahead of the game; a game where the night runners continue to adapt to this new world. Will his training and instincts be enough? Will this last remnant of humanity make it through this next phase of survival?

The shadows await...

Beckoning

A New World: Taken

Book IV

Dark clouds gather

A storm is breaking...

With the sanctuary built, there is a respite from the nightly night runner assaults. Jack Walker and the group of survivors have bought themselves a little breathing room. Or have they?

A peaceful daytime outing turns into yet another nightmare sweeping Robert and Bri up with it. The world has changed. Another danger has emerged. Ferocious packs of night runners still prowl at night and Jack must now locate and rescue his kids. With vengeance on his mind, he heads into the heart of an armed camp. Night runners own the night and encircle the encampment. Jack must thread his way through this ring of fire to bring his kids to safety. Will his actions bring safety or invite more harm? With Night runners behind and armed men in front, Jack's skills are pushed to the limit.

Mistakes were made.

Payment is coming....

John O’Brien Bio

John O'Brien is a former Air Force fighter instructor pilot who transitioned to Special Operations for the latter part of his career gathering his campaign ribbon for Desert Storm. Immediately following his military service, John became a firefighter/EMT with a local department. Along with becoming a firefighter, he fell into the Information Technology industry starting two large casinos in Washington as the Information Technology Manager and becoming the Network Manager for the Washington State Legislature, the Northwest Information Technology Manager for the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Network Systems Manager for Hollywood Video. Currently, John is self employed with his own Information Technology consulting company consulting and managing various businesses with their information technology needs. He also volunteers for a local youth center managing their computer lab. As a former marathon runner, John lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and can now be found kayaking out in the waters of Puget Sound, mountain biking in the Capital Forest, hiking in the Olympic Peninsula, or pedaling his road bike along the many scenic roads.

John O’Brien Links

Web Site

http://anewworldseries.com/

Facebook Profile

http://www.facebook.com/JohnWBOBrien

Twitter

http://twitter.com/#!/A_NewWorld

Books

A New World: Chaos

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004W0CL2Y

A New World: Return

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005OSXDE8

A New World: Sanctuary

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006PY6ZAY

A New World: Taken

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007NP3XUE

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All six of us - Todd Brown, Mark Tufo, Ian Woodhead, Armand Rosamilia, John O'Brien and Dave Jeffery - hope you'll keep following us on the Summer of Zombie blog tour, and comment as we go along.

And… one lucky commenter for each blog will receive a Free eBook or Print book from one of the authors! Simply leave a comment with your e-mail address and we'll pick a random winner each day! Simple as that!

Live, from Milwaukie, Oregon...

June 1st saw the kickoff of my Summer of Zombie Blog tour with Armand Rosamilia, Mark Tufo, Ian Woodhead, and Dave Jeffery. I guess that meant it was time to start a blog. I should probably look a t a few more blogs so I have some idea as to what I should be doing, but then I remember that I have lived my life making my own path and cutting my own trail.

Friday night, I was fortunate to be a guest on Musings from the Dan O' Brien Project. As somebody who has listened to Dan's show before, it was a real pleasure to be a guest. One thing I enjoy a lot about Dan's show, he lets the writer speak his mind. He doesn't try to guide his guests in a particular direction. You want to hear my real thoughts...not wonder or guess...this show will give you that.

So, a few happy announcements, on June 3rd, you will get a chance to meet one of my cohorts: John O' Brien. Also, I want to say that I am the proud father of a high school graduate. My daughter Ronni graduated...and not only that, she wrote and delivered the speech for her class. She overcame so much...and persevered.