Happy Halloween!
I love this time of year and Halloween has always been my favorite holidays. You get to dress up in costumes, be silly, eat candy, tell ghost stories, and watch scary movies. There have been many great films and books about horror, but I am going to list my current 13 favorite classic movies. I have other favs in my contemporary & TV genres, but these are classics from the 1930's to the 1960's. Many of these films are from Universal's great horror vault where they carved out the horror genre with class and simple artistry. Also, wonderfully scary stars like Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, Peter Cushing & Christopher Lee lead the pack in this classic list of horror greats.
1. The Mummy (1932) with Boris Karloff and Zita Johann. One of the early greats with a mixture of lost love, reincarnation, curses, mummies, and wonderful black & white film atmosphere.
2. The Mummy(1959) with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. There were many mummy movies, but after the initial classics, but they paled until this one with two giants of the horror genre. These guys could act and always added class to the horror and fantasy films. How could you not love Hammer Horror??? The basic tale retold with Hammer's signature mood and casting. Always fun. Pick any Hammer classic and you will have a good Gothic time.
3. Dracula (1931) This film made Bela Lugosi a star. The signature spooky clack & white film and stark atmosphere still hold up today.
4. Frankenstein (1931) Boris Karloff rose to greatness as Frankenstein's monster, adding yet another notch to the Universal Studios mastery of horror.
5. Bride of Frankenstein (1935) The continuation of the story finally appeared in 1935, with Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester playing both Mary Shelly and Frankenstein's bride.
6. The Thing From Another World (1951) Howard Hawks production shines though it only touched on the original short story. Both horror and sci-fi, it was great and also had strong women in the film. A classic good for Saturday and your bowl of popcorn.
7. Curse of the Demon (1957) Dana Andrews stars in a chilling horror/film noir classic. Though the demon might be silly by today's spoiled uber special effects generation, as a kid I found it scary. The core of the story about cursing someone with a piece of parchment and a little poetic justice at the end still holds.
8. The Masque of Red Death (1964) Vincent Price was a joy to watch in anything, but this is one of the truly dark efforts he made and his class lifted the film to a higher status.
10. The Devil Rides Out (1968) A rare & obscure wonderful horror film where Christopher Lee gets to be the hero instead of the monster. There is a battle with a devil cult to save some souls and as always, if you have one of the greats like Christopher lee, how can you lose?
11. Pit & The Pendulum (1961) Vincent Price and Barbara Steele take on Edgar Allen Poe in this atmospheric horror film. Gothic horror with a 60's spin.
12. I Walked with a Zombie (1943) A great little film with big spooky heart. I regard it as a Jane Eyre type story with zombies.
13. House of Wax (1953) Vincent Price shines in the horror classic. There is tragedy, innocent maidens, betrayal, & horror chills.
Well, there you have it. My list of 13 old classics of horror for Halloween. Check them out and pop some popcorn. Have a great Halloween!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Snow White Lives!
Hello all. Just a quick blog to let everyone know a couple things. First, my new short story, "Snow White: My Story," will be published by Mystic Signals in their February 2012 print edition. The quarterly fantasy fiction magazine can be bought at their websites or Amazon.com. I am proud because Snow White has always been one of my favorite fairy tales. Many good (and bad) writers have done versions of this classic fairy tale. I have kept my tale in a mythical fairy age time, but have given Snow White a stronger voice and added some humor. I have also been bothered by obvious holes in the old story-Why the demand for her bloody heart in the iron casket? Why do bluebirds land on her shoulder? Why the dwarfs and who were they really? What about stepmother's past? Why the gruesome red-hot iron slippers on stepmother? I have answered these and more, and yes- it is still funny and still dark.
Fairy tales should be dark.
But these old folk tales of magic, lost princesses, stalwart princes, and witches were also morality tales with stark fates for the good and the bad. I love fairy tales, but the dark ones, not the sanitized tales that parents want to read to their five year olds. That is not why fairy tales were invented. Read them the Care Bears instead.
On another happy note,my husband Rick Hipps has a new short story accepted by Weird War Anthology. The story is called "Hunter's Run." It is through War of the Words Press and is a British print anthology. I am so proud.
That is all for now. I am writing another short story and waiting to hear about another submission.
Luv & Hugs
Verna McKinnon
Fairy tales should be dark.
But these old folk tales of magic, lost princesses, stalwart princes, and witches were also morality tales with stark fates for the good and the bad. I love fairy tales, but the dark ones, not the sanitized tales that parents want to read to their five year olds. That is not why fairy tales were invented. Read them the Care Bears instead.
On another happy note,my husband Rick Hipps has a new short story accepted by Weird War Anthology. The story is called "Hunter's Run." It is through War of the Words Press and is a British print anthology. I am so proud.
That is all for now. I am writing another short story and waiting to hear about another submission.
Luv & Hugs
Verna McKinnon
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Red Palace: The house that darkness built
I have posted another "Tales of Obsydian Nights" short story for your reading pleasure. It is the darkest and most violent of my Obsydian stories and was one of those published in Descending Darkness as part of my series (sadly that webzine is no longer). Obsydia is darkness personified and clever in her cruel recruitment. She demands worship and sacrifice, and knows how to play the weakness of the human soul.
This story is important for another reason. At the end of the story, when those poor folk that have not succumbed to darkness are escaping the city, we meet a powerful wizard helping those people. His name is Neelam and he is important for many reasons, not only because he is a strong adversary to Obsydia in several stories, but because he is an important character that will be in my Familiar's Tale series starting with book 2, Tree of Bones. Neelam is a wonderful no-nonsense character. He is strong, gritty, and when I write him, the dialogue flows like water. There are certain characters that rise to take control of their rightful place in the story. Neelam is one of those. So was Darcus, who started as a two chapter one-shot character in my book and blossomed into the weary and noble mainstay that refuses to leave the tale. Neelam is someone I like to write, and his familiar Surya make a wonderful balance of wizard and familiar. There will be more Obsydia tales coming-and Neelam will be in some of those fighting her evil with sword and magic.
More later. I await more news on my book cover for Tree of Bones. Also, happy birthday to my publisher and editor, Joseph Dickerson.
Verna McKinnon
This story is important for another reason. At the end of the story, when those poor folk that have not succumbed to darkness are escaping the city, we meet a powerful wizard helping those people. His name is Neelam and he is important for many reasons, not only because he is a strong adversary to Obsydia in several stories, but because he is an important character that will be in my Familiar's Tale series starting with book 2, Tree of Bones. Neelam is a wonderful no-nonsense character. He is strong, gritty, and when I write him, the dialogue flows like water. There are certain characters that rise to take control of their rightful place in the story. Neelam is one of those. So was Darcus, who started as a two chapter one-shot character in my book and blossomed into the weary and noble mainstay that refuses to leave the tale. Neelam is someone I like to write, and his familiar Surya make a wonderful balance of wizard and familiar. There will be more Obsydia tales coming-and Neelam will be in some of those fighting her evil with sword and magic.
More later. I await more news on my book cover for Tree of Bones. Also, happy birthday to my publisher and editor, Joseph Dickerson.
Verna McKinnon
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Conan The Barbarian-Jason Momoa and a rockin' Howard world
Okay, just in case you are a devoted Arnold fan and love the original film version of Conan the Barbarian, stop reading now. Because as a devoted fan of Robert E. Howard and his work, the new Conan the Barbarian film with Jason Momoa rules in my world.
Few film adaptations of an author's work are like the original stories and I was not expecting it to be. You can only hope for a tribute of the writer's original perspective. The 1981 film missed on every possible level, and though it can be viewed as a fun fantasy film, it was never Conan to me.
However, this new film possesses the wild sensation and gritty life of Conan's world that I remember from the original stories. Jason Momoa does a great job of portraying the bigger than life action hero. He is basic and elemental. A born warrior, wild and free, with an odd sense of chivalry and basic code of honor. In the film, which is very violent as Conan's world was, he fights with lusty abandon and seeks to right the wrongs of his world in his way-by his sharp sword. He moves as I imagined, like a panther and Jason was expressive without going over the top. He has little dialogue, but then, Conan is a man of action, not windy speeches. The supporting cast is great! Rachel Nichols was cool but feisty. Rose McGowan was very creepy as a witch with daddy issues. We always love Ron Perlman, and his role as Conan's father was wonderful. Stephen Lang was a great surprise as the main villain. Leo Howard deserves cudos as the young Conan. The visuals are a treat. Vivid, colorful and raw-from the costumes to the fighting choreography to the cinematic portraits of the Hyborian age of ancient ruins and dangerous lands full of exotic spice and mystery.
If you are open minded about a new Conan and can leave the 1981 effort in the past, please see this movie. I loved it. I cannot wait for the DVD!!!
More later,
Verna McKinnon
Few film adaptations of an author's work are like the original stories and I was not expecting it to be. You can only hope for a tribute of the writer's original perspective. The 1981 film missed on every possible level, and though it can be viewed as a fun fantasy film, it was never Conan to me.
However, this new film possesses the wild sensation and gritty life of Conan's world that I remember from the original stories. Jason Momoa does a great job of portraying the bigger than life action hero. He is basic and elemental. A born warrior, wild and free, with an odd sense of chivalry and basic code of honor. In the film, which is very violent as Conan's world was, he fights with lusty abandon and seeks to right the wrongs of his world in his way-by his sharp sword. He moves as I imagined, like a panther and Jason was expressive without going over the top. He has little dialogue, but then, Conan is a man of action, not windy speeches. The supporting cast is great! Rachel Nichols was cool but feisty. Rose McGowan was very creepy as a witch with daddy issues. We always love Ron Perlman, and his role as Conan's father was wonderful. Stephen Lang was a great surprise as the main villain. Leo Howard deserves cudos as the young Conan. The visuals are a treat. Vivid, colorful and raw-from the costumes to the fighting choreography to the cinematic portraits of the Hyborian age of ancient ruins and dangerous lands full of exotic spice and mystery.
If you are open minded about a new Conan and can leave the 1981 effort in the past, please see this movie. I loved it. I cannot wait for the DVD!!!
More later,
Verna McKinnon
Monday, July 25, 2011
Tales of Obsydian Nights
Hello Familiar's Tale Fans!
I have posted the first of several short stories set in the world of "A Familiar's Tale" in my featured story section of my website. "The Bloodstone Queen" is the first story and recounts the birth of the dark immortal
Queen Obsydia. These stories are set a thousand years before Gate of Souls, A Familiar's Tale book One, but are very integral because it reveals important events of this world's past and also many important characters that are central to my current book series. Every world has a past and this one is a stage of darkness where light was challenged. You will meet a young Cathal and Belwyn, Neelam the Wizard and his familiar Surya, who are important characters in books 2 through 4 of my Familiar's Tale series. You also will get to know first hand Obsydia, who will be a major force of wickedness in books 2-4 of my book series. My second book is coming out soon, I just wish I could reveal more.
I first wrote these short stories as a way to build the past of my fantasy world where our heroes Runa and Mellypip (and their family and friends) are thrust into a world of intrigue and magic battles, and it helped me as a writer to fully develop the current timeline of my characters and plots even more. Many of these Obsydia short stories were published several years ago in a web zine under the series "Tales of Obsydian Nights," and I was proud of those stories. Some of the tales are violent and dark, much darker than my books, but provide juicy knowledge into my world and its history.
The eras of my world are broken into time lines using jewels as a reference for each era. The Diamond Age, where the Eternals created the universe and walked the world when it was newly made, The Emerald Age, where life evolved and developed and the first peoples and animals were born, The Sapphire Age, where all the races achieved greatness, both mortals and mages, and life was bright and full of magic and light. The fourth age is "The Bloodstone Age, when a dark star struck the world, hurled by a jealous Ahridum, Eternal of Darkness and Chaos. This plunged the world into a period of despair, death, destruction, and war. Whole kingdoms were destroyed and evil took deep root. This climaxed with the birth of Obsydia, who became the Bloodstone Queen and ruled the world.
Light was dimmed, but heroes fought for the Light in this terrible era of shadow and blood. There are tales where the heroes lose and some where they win, but it all leads to the exciting prologue that you will read in Tree of Bones, which recounts how Cathal and his brave companions confronted Obsydia in a great battle a thousand years ago.
Her fate is not set, however, as with most beings of immortal evil, they cannot die as we do. We can only subdue (if we are lucky). But even the most powerful sorcerous bonds are tested with time and Obsydia, the Bloodstone Queen, is difficult to imprison forever.
Enjoy the tales!
Luv,
Verna McKinnon
I have posted the first of several short stories set in the world of "A Familiar's Tale" in my featured story section of my website. "The Bloodstone Queen" is the first story and recounts the birth of the dark immortal
Queen Obsydia. These stories are set a thousand years before Gate of Souls, A Familiar's Tale book One, but are very integral because it reveals important events of this world's past and also many important characters that are central to my current book series. Every world has a past and this one is a stage of darkness where light was challenged. You will meet a young Cathal and Belwyn, Neelam the Wizard and his familiar Surya, who are important characters in books 2 through 4 of my Familiar's Tale series. You also will get to know first hand Obsydia, who will be a major force of wickedness in books 2-4 of my book series. My second book is coming out soon, I just wish I could reveal more.
I first wrote these short stories as a way to build the past of my fantasy world where our heroes Runa and Mellypip (and their family and friends) are thrust into a world of intrigue and magic battles, and it helped me as a writer to fully develop the current timeline of my characters and plots even more. Many of these Obsydia short stories were published several years ago in a web zine under the series "Tales of Obsydian Nights," and I was proud of those stories. Some of the tales are violent and dark, much darker than my books, but provide juicy knowledge into my world and its history.
The eras of my world are broken into time lines using jewels as a reference for each era. The Diamond Age, where the Eternals created the universe and walked the world when it was newly made, The Emerald Age, where life evolved and developed and the first peoples and animals were born, The Sapphire Age, where all the races achieved greatness, both mortals and mages, and life was bright and full of magic and light. The fourth age is "The Bloodstone Age, when a dark star struck the world, hurled by a jealous Ahridum, Eternal of Darkness and Chaos. This plunged the world into a period of despair, death, destruction, and war. Whole kingdoms were destroyed and evil took deep root. This climaxed with the birth of Obsydia, who became the Bloodstone Queen and ruled the world.
Light was dimmed, but heroes fought for the Light in this terrible era of shadow and blood. There are tales where the heroes lose and some where they win, but it all leads to the exciting prologue that you will read in Tree of Bones, which recounts how Cathal and his brave companions confronted Obsydia in a great battle a thousand years ago.
Her fate is not set, however, as with most beings of immortal evil, they cannot die as we do. We can only subdue (if we are lucky). But even the most powerful sorcerous bonds are tested with time and Obsydia, the Bloodstone Queen, is difficult to imprison forever.
Enjoy the tales!
Luv,
Verna McKinnon
Friday, June 17, 2011
Alert Fantasy & Sci-Fi Girls!!!! RISE TO BATTLE
I'm very annoyed. As time goes on, the more the media (books, but especially TV & Film) focuses all the their science fiction and fantasy efforts on the adolescent boy, or the adult male with adolescent perspectives. The films are bigger with poofy special effects, but the stories are almost non-existent. It is like bad junk food that lacks nutrition-no thought required. It is all done to attract the male species into theaters. But what about us girls, huh? Those of us, and I know there are many of us girls, that love science fiction and fantasy. The powers in suits think that they need only make certain romantic comedies for us, (though those are even degrading into toilet humor-laced duds with one dimensional scripts) but I shout my defiance.
I love science fiction and fantasy-big or small, silly or serious, but I demand some quality. I am also one of the few women writers out there that loves Robert E. Howard and relish the sword & sorcery escapades of Conan (Jason Momoa-do not let me down!) I just think that the folks in the TV and Film business need to broaden their perspective. I think it is prejudicial to think women are not interested in science fiction and fantasy, as much as I think it is lame for these producers to believe that producing lame offal on a fancy patter of dazzling special effects will satiate the creative appetite.
So I want all of you ladies out there, be you teenagers or grandmas, to voice your demands for more quality science fiction and fantasy out there. Rise up and be heard! Write the studios. Pitch your indignity to the TV stations and cable shows. Write the producers of shows past and beg them to return! Do not let them roll you into a boring statistic!
That is my rant for the week. I want something to feed on, and Game of Thrones is almost done. I will hunger again soon. The days of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Stargate Atlantis are in the past, but with me in the spirit of DVD, I will need something fresh to feast upon soon. It is sadly obvious that people are degrading into a murky swill of realty television drones. I think we should resist that, else our cognitive functions will shrivel into acorn nuts.
Have fun my wonderful readers. Watch something of quality and remember what once was. I'm calling my editor (hi Joe :)) this weekend to check on my book cover for Tree of Bones and other literary things. Bye for now. More later.
Love,
Verna McKinnon
I love science fiction and fantasy-big or small, silly or serious, but I demand some quality. I am also one of the few women writers out there that loves Robert E. Howard and relish the sword & sorcery escapades of Conan (Jason Momoa-do not let me down!) I just think that the folks in the TV and Film business need to broaden their perspective. I think it is prejudicial to think women are not interested in science fiction and fantasy, as much as I think it is lame for these producers to believe that producing lame offal on a fancy patter of dazzling special effects will satiate the creative appetite.
So I want all of you ladies out there, be you teenagers or grandmas, to voice your demands for more quality science fiction and fantasy out there. Rise up and be heard! Write the studios. Pitch your indignity to the TV stations and cable shows. Write the producers of shows past and beg them to return! Do not let them roll you into a boring statistic!
That is my rant for the week. I want something to feed on, and Game of Thrones is almost done. I will hunger again soon. The days of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Stargate Atlantis are in the past, but with me in the spirit of DVD, I will need something fresh to feast upon soon. It is sadly obvious that people are degrading into a murky swill of realty television drones. I think we should resist that, else our cognitive functions will shrivel into acorn nuts.
Have fun my wonderful readers. Watch something of quality and remember what once was. I'm calling my editor (hi Joe :)) this weekend to check on my book cover for Tree of Bones and other literary things. Bye for now. More later.
Love,
Verna McKinnon
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Crazy Fiction Time
Hello out there!
My time has been crazy of late, so I have neglected my time blogging for my readers and friends. Am so sorry. But I have been writing and waiting to see the new cover work for my new book Tree of Bones. Am so excited that Rob E. Brown is doing it.
On the personal side, I have been watching Game of Thrones on HBO. The casting is superb and the writing excellent. I hope George RR Martin is happy with it too. The production values are amazing, but more importantly, there is a real adult fantasy on television worth watching. Each episode leaves you hanging and breathless for the next episode. It is not for children under a certain age, but that is fine. A lot of great fantasy is for the adult mind, not kids. I think people have forgotten that in the age of Harry Potter. I am not knocking that, as my books fit the for all ages readership. But there is a wealth of fabulous fantasy and science fiction out there that can only be given justice on film if it is in a quality series format-and a premium cable channel is best. I pray that this series opens the gates for other great fantasy/science fiction works to be done. Also, I cannot wait for the next George R R Marin book in this series. He is one of the great masters. I bow to you sir.
I also dream that someday someone will put my Familiar's Tale series to film. I know some writers poo poo their works being turned into movies or television and often they are very right in their fears. But I also believe in hope and so far Game of Thrones is providing a solid base for that hope. Plus, I envision my entire story in a rich production movie form with a great cast (which I often change or update ), in widescreen format with a stunning Hanz Zimmer or Joel Goldsmith soundtrack. Yes, I am fantasizing, but imagination is my job after all. A girl must dream.
I will be posting a new short story soon on my website, which is long overdue. Until then, have fun and read some good books and eat some drobba.
Verna McKinnon
My time has been crazy of late, so I have neglected my time blogging for my readers and friends. Am so sorry. But I have been writing and waiting to see the new cover work for my new book Tree of Bones. Am so excited that Rob E. Brown is doing it.
On the personal side, I have been watching Game of Thrones on HBO. The casting is superb and the writing excellent. I hope George RR Martin is happy with it too. The production values are amazing, but more importantly, there is a real adult fantasy on television worth watching. Each episode leaves you hanging and breathless for the next episode. It is not for children under a certain age, but that is fine. A lot of great fantasy is for the adult mind, not kids. I think people have forgotten that in the age of Harry Potter. I am not knocking that, as my books fit the for all ages readership. But there is a wealth of fabulous fantasy and science fiction out there that can only be given justice on film if it is in a quality series format-and a premium cable channel is best. I pray that this series opens the gates for other great fantasy/science fiction works to be done. Also, I cannot wait for the next George R R Marin book in this series. He is one of the great masters. I bow to you sir.
I also dream that someday someone will put my Familiar's Tale series to film. I know some writers poo poo their works being turned into movies or television and often they are very right in their fears. But I also believe in hope and so far Game of Thrones is providing a solid base for that hope. Plus, I envision my entire story in a rich production movie form with a great cast (which I often change or update ), in widescreen format with a stunning Hanz Zimmer or Joel Goldsmith soundtrack. Yes, I am fantasizing, but imagination is my job after all. A girl must dream.
I will be posting a new short story soon on my website, which is long overdue. Until then, have fun and read some good books and eat some drobba.
Verna McKinnon
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YouTube Interview, The Dreaded Blurb, A Goblin Rant, & More!
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