Nicholas Diak's Blog, page 39
December 28, 2017
The New Peplum - Picture, Physical Copy
The New Peplum is officially out! I received the contributor copies last night, and the finished product looks amazing! Here's a goofy picture of me holding the book:
What a way to end 2017!
The New Peplum can, of course, be found at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/New-Peplum-Essays-Television-Programs-ebook/dp/B0786QFGW3
And at McFarland's website: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-new-peplum/
What a way to end 2017!
The New Peplum can, of course, be found at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/New-Peplum-Essays-Television-Programs-ebook/dp/B0786QFGW3
And at McFarland's website: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-new-peplum/
October 31, 2017
September - October 2017 Projects/Writing Recap
Happy Halloween everyone! Hope this blog finds you all well.
Time for the bi-monthly wrap-up of my latest writing and project endeavors. So, here is what I've been up to these past two months.
Fanbase Press News
I had a substantial amount of articles published at Fanbase Press these past two months. They are as follows.
An article on Blade Runner 2049 and Trancers:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
An article on The Void and retro-modern horror:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
Article on the Game Boy Advance Game, The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
Coverage of the Fanbase Press Presents: Things that go Bump In Horror Comics at the Long Beach Comic Con:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/…/8148-lo...…
And also of the Howard Chaykin Spotlight at the same con:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/…/8153-lo...…
Write up for Harley Quinn Day on her retro-gaming appearances:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/…/8206-ha...…
And a review of Robert Payne Cabeen's debut, Cold Cuts:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/…/it…/819...
Heilge Tod Blog News
In September I quit my position of being a contributor to Heathen Harvest. My musings on neofolk and martial-industrial music will continue at my Heilige Tod blog.
Recently, I did a review of the new Allerseelen 7" single:
https://heiligetod.blogspot.com/2017/...
Upcoming will be an article on the band Hands of Ruin and their soundtrack of The Fall of the House of Usher and I will be resurrecting my abandoned Verney 1826 essays.
Misc. Web Writing
I contibuted a blog entry to the Horror Writers Association Halloween Haunts Blog. My article was on the genesis of the Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference and my own personal experiences presenting at cons: http://horror.org/horror-academics-mi...
Conferences and Presentations
This past weekend I was part of a panel on the Swords and Sorcery genre at the Stan Lee LA Comic Book Con. Photos of the panel (along with the convention proper) can be found at the Fanbase Press Facebook gallery: https://www.facebook.com/pg/FanbasePr...
The Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference is still open for CFPs for a few more weeks. If interested, please consider submitting an abstract. Details can be found here: http://stokercon2018.org/the-conventi...
Writing and Publishing News
Michele Brittany and I are currently signing a contract for a new edited anthology that we will be editing together. More details on that later.
The release of the Horror in Space anthology should be occurring very soon. I’m excited for my essay on meteorite-horror films and HP Lovecraft to see publication.
I’ve submitted my chapter on Stranger Things and synthwave music to my editor.
My Neo-Peplum book is still in my publisher’s hands, so updates on that one a little bit later
I submitted a review to the Journal of Graphic Novels and comics.
Upcoming Projects
Working on editing and rewriting my Re-Animator presentation to be a chapter in an book.
I’ve also begun researching material for my next book idea – a possible monograph. Will need to get further along in the research process to determine feasibility, but it if it turns out that it is possible, it will be my first solo endeavor.
I also was an extra in a movie!
That's it for now. See you all in December! (Unless you want to follow me on Facebook or my website at nickdiak.com where I am a but more up to date with my news)
Time for the bi-monthly wrap-up of my latest writing and project endeavors. So, here is what I've been up to these past two months.
Fanbase Press News
I had a substantial amount of articles published at Fanbase Press these past two months. They are as follows.
An article on Blade Runner 2049 and Trancers:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
An article on The Void and retro-modern horror:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
Article on the Game Boy Advance Game, The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
Coverage of the Fanbase Press Presents: Things that go Bump In Horror Comics at the Long Beach Comic Con:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/…/8148-lo...…
And also of the Howard Chaykin Spotlight at the same con:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/…/8153-lo...…
Write up for Harley Quinn Day on her retro-gaming appearances:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/…/8206-ha...…
And a review of Robert Payne Cabeen's debut, Cold Cuts:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/…/it…/819...
Heilge Tod Blog News
In September I quit my position of being a contributor to Heathen Harvest. My musings on neofolk and martial-industrial music will continue at my Heilige Tod blog.
Recently, I did a review of the new Allerseelen 7" single:
https://heiligetod.blogspot.com/2017/...
Upcoming will be an article on the band Hands of Ruin and their soundtrack of The Fall of the House of Usher and I will be resurrecting my abandoned Verney 1826 essays.
Misc. Web Writing
I contibuted a blog entry to the Horror Writers Association Halloween Haunts Blog. My article was on the genesis of the Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference and my own personal experiences presenting at cons: http://horror.org/horror-academics-mi...
Conferences and Presentations
This past weekend I was part of a panel on the Swords and Sorcery genre at the Stan Lee LA Comic Book Con. Photos of the panel (along with the convention proper) can be found at the Fanbase Press Facebook gallery: https://www.facebook.com/pg/FanbasePr...
The Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference is still open for CFPs for a few more weeks. If interested, please consider submitting an abstract. Details can be found here: http://stokercon2018.org/the-conventi...
Writing and Publishing News
Michele Brittany and I are currently signing a contract for a new edited anthology that we will be editing together. More details on that later.
The release of the Horror in Space anthology should be occurring very soon. I’m excited for my essay on meteorite-horror films and HP Lovecraft to see publication.
I’ve submitted my chapter on Stranger Things and synthwave music to my editor.
My Neo-Peplum book is still in my publisher’s hands, so updates on that one a little bit later
I submitted a review to the Journal of Graphic Novels and comics.
Upcoming Projects
Working on editing and rewriting my Re-Animator presentation to be a chapter in an book.
I’ve also begun researching material for my next book idea – a possible monograph. Will need to get further along in the research process to determine feasibility, but it if it turns out that it is possible, it will be my first solo endeavor.
I also was an extra in a movie!
That's it for now. See you all in December! (Unless you want to follow me on Facebook or my website at nickdiak.com where I am a but more up to date with my news)
September 8, 2017
July – August 2017 Writing/Projects Recap
Happy Friday evening everyone! The autumn season is upon us, the summer has ended. I hope everyone had a great one?
July was spent recovering from my surgery, but also working behind the scenes on quite a few writing projects.
Writing News
Since turning in my manuscript for the Neo-Peplum book, that is more-or-less out of my hands now. However, the publisher did release the covert art, and I do think it is awesome: it has The Rock from Hercules right on the cover! So, check out the Goodreads page for it here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Write now I am drafting a proposal for a joint book with Michele, and gathering prelim info for a few other book proposals. However, I still have plenty of other projects on my plate now that I need to finish up before moving onto my next big project I spearhead.
Academic News
Michele and I are still accepting proposals for the Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference for StokerCon 2018. Information on that can be found here:
http://stokercon2018.org/the-conventi...
Fanbase Press News
I had quite a bit of activity with Fanbase Press these past two monsths.
First, I did a review of the Lovecraftian anthology, The Children of Gla’aki, which can be found here:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
Next, after the passing of George Romero, I did an In Memoriam for him here:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
And finally, I did an interview with steampunk author Beth Cato, which can be read here:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
HP Lovecast
In July we recorded an episode of the HP Lovecast podcast on the first three stories in the Heroes of Red Hook anthology. That can be listened to here:
https://archive.org/details/Episode22...
Heilige Tod News
I did a minor essay for my neofolk blog. The day after Tobe Hooper passed away, I did up a nice article about him and his contribution to martial-industrial music by way of Laibach sampling his film, Lifeforce. That can be read here:
http://heiligetod.blogspot.com/2017/0...
Current Projects
I just attended Long Beach Comic Con and my panel coverage has already been published at Fanbase Press. But since that was in September, I’ll have that up on that blog.
A review of an Allerseelen single was submitted to Heathen Harvest back in early August, waiting for it to publish.
Working on my essay for synthwave/Stranger things.
Working on redoing my Re-Animator presentation into book form.
Working on a book review for the Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics.
Working on an article for my neofolk blog on martial-industrial, cinema, and alternate soundtracks.
Plus, other things as they pop up.
Thanks for stopping by!
July was spent recovering from my surgery, but also working behind the scenes on quite a few writing projects.
Writing News
Since turning in my manuscript for the Neo-Peplum book, that is more-or-less out of my hands now. However, the publisher did release the covert art, and I do think it is awesome: it has The Rock from Hercules right on the cover! So, check out the Goodreads page for it here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Write now I am drafting a proposal for a joint book with Michele, and gathering prelim info for a few other book proposals. However, I still have plenty of other projects on my plate now that I need to finish up before moving onto my next big project I spearhead.
Academic News
Michele and I are still accepting proposals for the Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference for StokerCon 2018. Information on that can be found here:
http://stokercon2018.org/the-conventi...
Fanbase Press News
I had quite a bit of activity with Fanbase Press these past two monsths.
First, I did a review of the Lovecraftian anthology, The Children of Gla’aki, which can be found here:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
Next, after the passing of George Romero, I did an In Memoriam for him here:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
And finally, I did an interview with steampunk author Beth Cato, which can be read here:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
HP Lovecast
In July we recorded an episode of the HP Lovecast podcast on the first three stories in the Heroes of Red Hook anthology. That can be listened to here:
https://archive.org/details/Episode22...
Heilige Tod News
I did a minor essay for my neofolk blog. The day after Tobe Hooper passed away, I did up a nice article about him and his contribution to martial-industrial music by way of Laibach sampling his film, Lifeforce. That can be read here:
http://heiligetod.blogspot.com/2017/0...
Current Projects
I just attended Long Beach Comic Con and my panel coverage has already been published at Fanbase Press. But since that was in September, I’ll have that up on that blog.
A review of an Allerseelen single was submitted to Heathen Harvest back in early August, waiting for it to publish.
Working on my essay for synthwave/Stranger things.
Working on redoing my Re-Animator presentation into book form.
Working on a book review for the Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics.
Working on an article for my neofolk blog on martial-industrial, cinema, and alternate soundtracks.
Plus, other things as they pop up.
Thanks for stopping by!
July 7, 2017
May - June 2017 Writing/Projects Recap
Good evening everyone! Time for a little recap of accomplishments and projects for these past two months.
June was also my birthday month, so happy Birthday to me! It was also a month I has a surgery in (boo!) but I’m doing perfect now.
Writing News
The biggest of all big news was the submission of my mansucrupt to my publisher on my neo-peplum book at the end of May. Over a year of hard work went into editing and compiling that anthology and it’s out the door and out of my hands. The book has a new title now: The New Peplum: Essays on Sword and Sandal Films and Television Programs Since the 1990s.
Next, my essay "Meteor Madness: Lovecraftian Horror and Consumerism in the Battle of Small Town USA” is set to be published in the book Horror in Space: Critical Essays on a Film Subgenre. You can see the Goodreads entry for it here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Academic News
Michele Brittany and I co-chaired the very first Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference (which we both co-created) at StokerCon in April on the Queen Mary. The conference was extremely successful as we had 14 scholarly presentations across different horror subject matters. The presentstions were well attended. We will be holding the conference again next year, and the CFP is online here: http://stokercon2018.org/the-conventi...
Fanbase Press News
My review of the trade paperback of Disney/Marvel’s Enchanted Tiki Room was published at Fanbase Press. As yall may know, I love tiki culture, so this was fun to dive into: http://fanbasepress.com/index.php/pre...
Next, I also reviewed the movie King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (in anticipation of my neo-peplum book) and that review can be read here: http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
Heathen Harvest
The biggest accomplishment for Heathen Harvest was the publication of my Vogel / Dance with the Dead / Carpenter Brut concert I covered way back in March. There was a delay on the publisher’s end getting it up, but it’s up and it’s fantastic:
https://heathenharvest.org/2017/06/18...
Current Projects
I’m working on a vinyl single review for Heathen Harvest and an interview with a steampunk author for Fanbase Press.
Personal projects, trying to work on my Stranger Things/Synthwave essay, but also get my Re-Animator presentation for the Ann Radcliffe Conference into proper essay format for publication.
I’m also working on a Cthulhu-tiki short story.
June was also my birthday month, so happy Birthday to me! It was also a month I has a surgery in (boo!) but I’m doing perfect now.
Writing News
The biggest of all big news was the submission of my mansucrupt to my publisher on my neo-peplum book at the end of May. Over a year of hard work went into editing and compiling that anthology and it’s out the door and out of my hands. The book has a new title now: The New Peplum: Essays on Sword and Sandal Films and Television Programs Since the 1990s.
Next, my essay "Meteor Madness: Lovecraftian Horror and Consumerism in the Battle of Small Town USA” is set to be published in the book Horror in Space: Critical Essays on a Film Subgenre. You can see the Goodreads entry for it here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Academic News
Michele Brittany and I co-chaired the very first Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference (which we both co-created) at StokerCon in April on the Queen Mary. The conference was extremely successful as we had 14 scholarly presentations across different horror subject matters. The presentstions were well attended. We will be holding the conference again next year, and the CFP is online here: http://stokercon2018.org/the-conventi...
Fanbase Press News
My review of the trade paperback of Disney/Marvel’s Enchanted Tiki Room was published at Fanbase Press. As yall may know, I love tiki culture, so this was fun to dive into: http://fanbasepress.com/index.php/pre...
Next, I also reviewed the movie King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (in anticipation of my neo-peplum book) and that review can be read here: http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
Heathen Harvest
The biggest accomplishment for Heathen Harvest was the publication of my Vogel / Dance with the Dead / Carpenter Brut concert I covered way back in March. There was a delay on the publisher’s end getting it up, but it’s up and it’s fantastic:
https://heathenharvest.org/2017/06/18...
Current Projects
I’m working on a vinyl single review for Heathen Harvest and an interview with a steampunk author for Fanbase Press.
Personal projects, trying to work on my Stranger Things/Synthwave essay, but also get my Re-Animator presentation for the Ann Radcliffe Conference into proper essay format for publication.
I’m also working on a Cthulhu-tiki short story.
May 7, 2017
March-April 2017 Recap
March and April 2017 Recaps
The last two months have been particurlly busy for me in writing/getting things accomplished.
The biggest accomplishment, of course, was executing and then presenting at the inaugural Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference that was part of StokerCon this year. We had 14 presenteners (including myself and co-chair/co-founder Michele) across 5 panels on Friday, April 28th on the Queen Mary in Long Beach. The feedback we received was that it was extremely successful. We had a wonderful crowd, juggling 19 – 25 folks per panel. I did a presentation on the Re-Animator comics, which I would love to dive even more into and perhaps submit as a paper somewhere. We now need to plan to do the conference again for StokerCon next year, which will be in March in Providence Rhode Island.
For my Neo-Peplum book, I am in the final stretches. I am almost done editing/formatting the essays in the book, so the last two hurdles is to finish writing the introduction and the aknowledgements. I am hoping to have the book done early! There’s lots more essays on the horizon, plus my publisher already wants to work with me on another book. I’m feel optimistic about my writing.
Over the past two month, I had lots of articles published across both Heathen Harvest and Fanbase Press.
Heathen Harvest
I did a review of This Means War by the synthwave project Volkor X: https://heathenharvest.org/2017/03/30...
I also attended the Vogel/Dance with the Dead/Carpenter Brut concert in March and submitted a concert review. It should be published shortly.
Fanbase Press
Since Wondercon happened in early April, I had TONS of content published since I was there reporting.
The panel I was most happy to attend and report on was the history of Q*Bert by the co-creator and original developer of the game, Warren Stevens. It was a fantastic history. He autographed my videogame!
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
I also did a write up on the panel on how to make a nerdy living:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
And on a panel with pinup artist Olivia!
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
At the end of April, on the 26th, folks celebrate LV-426 or Aliens day. I did my contribution to celebrate the series by doing a retrospective on the video game Aliens: Thanatos Encounter:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
The to do list now, is to finish the neo-peplum book, which is due at the end of May. After that, I have a synthwave-Stranger Things essay to start on, as well as some book proposals and other essays in the brainstorming session.
It’s getting busy for me!
The last two months have been particurlly busy for me in writing/getting things accomplished.
The biggest accomplishment, of course, was executing and then presenting at the inaugural Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference that was part of StokerCon this year. We had 14 presenteners (including myself and co-chair/co-founder Michele) across 5 panels on Friday, April 28th on the Queen Mary in Long Beach. The feedback we received was that it was extremely successful. We had a wonderful crowd, juggling 19 – 25 folks per panel. I did a presentation on the Re-Animator comics, which I would love to dive even more into and perhaps submit as a paper somewhere. We now need to plan to do the conference again for StokerCon next year, which will be in March in Providence Rhode Island.
For my Neo-Peplum book, I am in the final stretches. I am almost done editing/formatting the essays in the book, so the last two hurdles is to finish writing the introduction and the aknowledgements. I am hoping to have the book done early! There’s lots more essays on the horizon, plus my publisher already wants to work with me on another book. I’m feel optimistic about my writing.
Over the past two month, I had lots of articles published across both Heathen Harvest and Fanbase Press.
Heathen Harvest
I did a review of This Means War by the synthwave project Volkor X: https://heathenharvest.org/2017/03/30...
I also attended the Vogel/Dance with the Dead/Carpenter Brut concert in March and submitted a concert review. It should be published shortly.
Fanbase Press
Since Wondercon happened in early April, I had TONS of content published since I was there reporting.
The panel I was most happy to attend and report on was the history of Q*Bert by the co-creator and original developer of the game, Warren Stevens. It was a fantastic history. He autographed my videogame!
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
I also did a write up on the panel on how to make a nerdy living:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
And on a panel with pinup artist Olivia!
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
At the end of April, on the 26th, folks celebrate LV-426 or Aliens day. I did my contribution to celebrate the series by doing a retrospective on the video game Aliens: Thanatos Encounter:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
The to do list now, is to finish the neo-peplum book, which is due at the end of May. After that, I have a synthwave-Stranger Things essay to start on, as well as some book proposals and other essays in the brainstorming session.
It’s getting busy for me!
February 25, 2017
February 2017 Status updates
February is almost at a close. It’s been a hectic month, and I got so much more to edit and write and accomplish. Do want to give a run down on what I’ve done since my last blog post here at Goodreads:
I went to the Long Beach Comic Expo last weekend, and I covered three panels for Fanbase Press. That coverage can be found here:
Writer Seeking Artist: http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
The Podcast Advocates: http://fanbasepress.com/index.php/pre...
Writers and Artists of IDW: http://fanbasepress.com/index.php/pre...
Also for Fanbase Press, I did a review of the TPB of Hex11. That can be found here: http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
AAAANNNDD I went to the SoCal Retro Gaming Expo and covered that event too. That can be found here: http://fanbasepress.com/index.php/pre...
Currently, the major things I am working on are:
Neo-peplum book - still editing! 75% done with intro still and working on editing other essays. Manuscript is due to the publisher in May. I'm on track, but man... editing and being super thorough is quite the task!
Ann Radcliffe Academic Con - Michele and I are co-chairing our first academic conference in April! We still got some setup work to do. We've accepted all the presentations, but it's now logistical and communication work.
Re-Animator Essay - I still need to research and pen my presentation/essay on HP Lovecraft's Re-Animator (and comics!) for the Ann Radcliffe Con
Academic Book review for Heathen Harvest
Synthwave album review for Heathen Harvest
Lovecraftian book review for Fanbase Press
Ghost in the Shell essay for Fanbase Press
Academic book review for The Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics
Synthwave essay for an upcoming academic anthology - this will be my next major academic undertaken after the neo-peplum book
On top of this, I am still looking around for a new career opportunities and working on my weight (I've kind of hit a wall there). Time is thee enemy - lots of juggle, but I can do it.
Tomorrow I am off to the Pasadena Comic Con and next week off to hike at Amboy Crater. It’s been a long time since I’ve been submerged in nature, so I am looking forward to this.
I went to the Long Beach Comic Expo last weekend, and I covered three panels for Fanbase Press. That coverage can be found here:
Writer Seeking Artist: http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
The Podcast Advocates: http://fanbasepress.com/index.php/pre...
Writers and Artists of IDW: http://fanbasepress.com/index.php/pre...
Also for Fanbase Press, I did a review of the TPB of Hex11. That can be found here: http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
AAAANNNDD I went to the SoCal Retro Gaming Expo and covered that event too. That can be found here: http://fanbasepress.com/index.php/pre...
Currently, the major things I am working on are:
Neo-peplum book - still editing! 75% done with intro still and working on editing other essays. Manuscript is due to the publisher in May. I'm on track, but man... editing and being super thorough is quite the task!
Ann Radcliffe Academic Con - Michele and I are co-chairing our first academic conference in April! We still got some setup work to do. We've accepted all the presentations, but it's now logistical and communication work.
Re-Animator Essay - I still need to research and pen my presentation/essay on HP Lovecraft's Re-Animator (and comics!) for the Ann Radcliffe Con
Academic Book review for Heathen Harvest
Synthwave album review for Heathen Harvest
Lovecraftian book review for Fanbase Press
Ghost in the Shell essay for Fanbase Press
Academic book review for The Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics
Synthwave essay for an upcoming academic anthology - this will be my next major academic undertaken after the neo-peplum book
On top of this, I am still looking around for a new career opportunities and working on my weight (I've kind of hit a wall there). Time is thee enemy - lots of juggle, but I can do it.
Tomorrow I am off to the Pasadena Comic Con and next week off to hike at Amboy Crater. It’s been a long time since I’ve been submerged in nature, so I am looking forward to this.
January 30, 2017
First Month of 2017
It's the end of the first month of 2017, and it has been pretty good for me! Lots of progress on things and small items published. Let me toss a few accomplishments out for yall.
At Heathen Harvest I had two articles published. the first one was a review of Cadabra Record's newest spoken word vinyl, "Pickman's Model" by HP Lopvecraft. That can be found here:
https://heathenharvest.org/2017/01/18...
Secondly, I got to attend the GosT and Perturbator show in LA earlier this month. Hands down one of the best concert's I've ever seen. My document of the event can be found here:
https://heathenharvest.org/2017/01/22...
I also go to contribute my top three albums of 2016 to the website as well. My choices are buried here:
https://heathenharvest.org/2017/01/10...
For Fanbase Press, I penned an in memoriam about Sir John Hurt, which can be read here:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
For another in memoriam, I contributed one about Steve Reeves here:
http://herculesinvictus.net/stevereev...
Here at Goodreads, I am trying to do a review for each book I read. I've read two books for my 2017 goal so far, and each one has a review.
Flashing Swords #5:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Seer's Choice:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
As for my neo-peplum book, I am making great progress. I am editing the first pass of the final essay and am still at 75% done with my intro. I did get a copy of the afterword turned into me. Very excited!
At Heathen Harvest I had two articles published. the first one was a review of Cadabra Record's newest spoken word vinyl, "Pickman's Model" by HP Lopvecraft. That can be found here:
https://heathenharvest.org/2017/01/18...
Secondly, I got to attend the GosT and Perturbator show in LA earlier this month. Hands down one of the best concert's I've ever seen. My document of the event can be found here:
https://heathenharvest.org/2017/01/22...
I also go to contribute my top three albums of 2016 to the website as well. My choices are buried here:
https://heathenharvest.org/2017/01/10...
For Fanbase Press, I penned an in memoriam about Sir John Hurt, which can be read here:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
For another in memoriam, I contributed one about Steve Reeves here:
http://herculesinvictus.net/stevereev...
Here at Goodreads, I am trying to do a review for each book I read. I've read two books for my 2017 goal so far, and each one has a review.
Flashing Swords #5:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Seer's Choice:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
As for my neo-peplum book, I am making great progress. I am editing the first pass of the final essay and am still at 75% done with my intro. I did get a copy of the afterword turned into me. Very excited!
December 31, 2016
2016 Accomplishments, Goals for 2017
It’s the end of the year and I’d like to take a moment to reflect, document and aggregate my accomplishments this past year. I’m still early in my career of trying to be an academic writer, so while I may not be as prolific as some of my other peers, I do feel like I am growing.
In 2016 I didn’t have any academic work published, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t complete any projects. I finished my essay “Meteor Madness: Lovecraftian Horror and Consumerism in the Battle for Small Town USA” which will be published in an anthology on Space Horror films edited by Michele Brittany in 2017. I also completed another essay called “Between the Seasons: Reconsidering Disney’s Silly Symphony The Goddess of Spring” which I am not 100% sure of its publishing fate, but should see the light in 2017 in some avenue.
The big, big thing for me though was starting my first book, Ad Victoriam! Essays on Neo-Peplum Cinema and Television. This was a huge leap for me to try and do, and now I am knee deep in editing essays for it. The manuscript is due to the publisher in the Spring 2017, and I am excited yet nervous to see the process through.
So while I didn’t have anything scholarly published in the traditional means, the work I did do in 2016 will see fruition next year.
However! I did have my first fiction, short story published! I don’t really consider myself a fiction author, but the opportunity came up, I tried and got accepted! So I have a Lovecraftian Dreamlands story called “Nix’s Night About Town” published in the anthology Kill Those Damn Cats: Cats of Ulthar Lovecraftian Anthology. I think that is wicked awesome.
In other avenues, I continue to create content for Heathen Harvest Periodical - my own particular brand of reviews that I try to embed with as much citations and cultural knowledge as possible. This year I have had 10 articles published there. You can find my content there by clicking this link: https://heathenharvest.org/tag/Nich...
My friends over at Fanbase Press allow me to contribute a guest article here and there at times, which I am thankful for since it gives me an avenue to talk more pop-culturey things. I’ve had 6 articles published there this year, so check those out too: http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.p...
Our H.P. Lovecast Podcast is still going strong! This year we cranked out 9 episodes. Those can be found here: http://www.hplovecast.com/
I also got to be involved in three music videos for projects by my friends! This was a crazy honour. I got to be an extra in Shaena Stabler’s video Just for Tonight , in Madi 2 the Max’s video Beauty and Stan Lee , and in the ATROPINE video Exterminism directed by the amazing Christian Ryder. I am really humbled to have been a part of these projects from some really awesome folks. (I've linked these videos in the video area of Goodreads).
And finally, on a personal note, I did wind up losing 32 pounds these last few months. I am on a quest to lose lots of weight, and I would say I am half way there.
What does 2017 hold for me? Well...
I do have the aforementioned essays and book that will be published. I am also working on an essay on the TV show Stranger Things and Synthwave music.
I will be co-chairing the first ever Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference at Stokercon 2017.
I hope to get back into the habit of doing book reviews to be published in journals. I also hope at the conclusion of my neo-peplum book that I can dive right into starting another book. And perhaps I’ll even give fiction writing another stab.
So I am pretty optimistic I’ll accomplish a few more things next year, in my continuing journey to become a scholar of sorts.
I appreciate all my friends and peers who have been supportive to me! With sincereity, I appreciate yall and wish you all success in the new years.
In 2016 I didn’t have any academic work published, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t complete any projects. I finished my essay “Meteor Madness: Lovecraftian Horror and Consumerism in the Battle for Small Town USA” which will be published in an anthology on Space Horror films edited by Michele Brittany in 2017. I also completed another essay called “Between the Seasons: Reconsidering Disney’s Silly Symphony The Goddess of Spring” which I am not 100% sure of its publishing fate, but should see the light in 2017 in some avenue.
The big, big thing for me though was starting my first book, Ad Victoriam! Essays on Neo-Peplum Cinema and Television. This was a huge leap for me to try and do, and now I am knee deep in editing essays for it. The manuscript is due to the publisher in the Spring 2017, and I am excited yet nervous to see the process through.
So while I didn’t have anything scholarly published in the traditional means, the work I did do in 2016 will see fruition next year.
However! I did have my first fiction, short story published! I don’t really consider myself a fiction author, but the opportunity came up, I tried and got accepted! So I have a Lovecraftian Dreamlands story called “Nix’s Night About Town” published in the anthology Kill Those Damn Cats: Cats of Ulthar Lovecraftian Anthology. I think that is wicked awesome.
In other avenues, I continue to create content for Heathen Harvest Periodical - my own particular brand of reviews that I try to embed with as much citations and cultural knowledge as possible. This year I have had 10 articles published there. You can find my content there by clicking this link: https://heathenharvest.org/tag/Nich...
My friends over at Fanbase Press allow me to contribute a guest article here and there at times, which I am thankful for since it gives me an avenue to talk more pop-culturey things. I’ve had 6 articles published there this year, so check those out too: http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.p...
Our H.P. Lovecast Podcast is still going strong! This year we cranked out 9 episodes. Those can be found here: http://www.hplovecast.com/
I also got to be involved in three music videos for projects by my friends! This was a crazy honour. I got to be an extra in Shaena Stabler’s video Just for Tonight , in Madi 2 the Max’s video Beauty and Stan Lee , and in the ATROPINE video Exterminism directed by the amazing Christian Ryder. I am really humbled to have been a part of these projects from some really awesome folks. (I've linked these videos in the video area of Goodreads).
And finally, on a personal note, I did wind up losing 32 pounds these last few months. I am on a quest to lose lots of weight, and I would say I am half way there.
What does 2017 hold for me? Well...
I do have the aforementioned essays and book that will be published. I am also working on an essay on the TV show Stranger Things and Synthwave music.
I will be co-chairing the first ever Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference at Stokercon 2017.
I hope to get back into the habit of doing book reviews to be published in journals. I also hope at the conclusion of my neo-peplum book that I can dive right into starting another book. And perhaps I’ll even give fiction writing another stab.
So I am pretty optimistic I’ll accomplish a few more things next year, in my continuing journey to become a scholar of sorts.
I appreciate all my friends and peers who have been supportive to me! With sincereity, I appreciate yall and wish you all success in the new years.
November 24, 2016
Music video super star!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Well, there's one hour left of the holiday, but still.
I hope this blog entry finds you all well? There's been some cool things going on this month for me.
First, a personal accomplishment - I've lost 23 pounds! I still got a lot more to lose, but this has been quite motivating.
Secondly, I got to be involved in not one, but TWO music videos! Holy smokes!
The first was done by my friend Madi of Madi2TheMax. She was shooting a music video at this year's LA Comic Book Convention (formerly Comikaze) and I got to have a small part! What an honour! That can be watched here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WkyS...
For the second one, my friend Christian of the band Porta Vittoria (one of my all time favourite bands) is an accomplished director and has made numerous high quality music videos for bands in the underground scene. He recently did one for the band Atropine and I got a small little part in it too!
Here is the link for that one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDCBM...
We recently finished doing a new episode of the HP Lovecast Podcast (after a few months of technical issues and bad timing), and this time we talked about "Pickman's Model." That can be heard here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2wcq...
In regards to my writing, only a few weeks left before essays are returned back to me for my neo-peplum book! I am so excited to dive in and edit them! I still need to complete my introduction though.
I just turned in a really short essay about Greek representation in the old Disney Silly Symphony cartoons. It is for an anthology about Greek gods and days of the week. I'll be curious to see the end result of the project.
Have a great black friday everyone!
Well, there's one hour left of the holiday, but still.
I hope this blog entry finds you all well? There's been some cool things going on this month for me.
First, a personal accomplishment - I've lost 23 pounds! I still got a lot more to lose, but this has been quite motivating.
Secondly, I got to be involved in not one, but TWO music videos! Holy smokes!
The first was done by my friend Madi of Madi2TheMax. She was shooting a music video at this year's LA Comic Book Convention (formerly Comikaze) and I got to have a small part! What an honour! That can be watched here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WkyS...
For the second one, my friend Christian of the band Porta Vittoria (one of my all time favourite bands) is an accomplished director and has made numerous high quality music videos for bands in the underground scene. He recently did one for the band Atropine and I got a small little part in it too!
Here is the link for that one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDCBM...
We recently finished doing a new episode of the HP Lovecast Podcast (after a few months of technical issues and bad timing), and this time we talked about "Pickman's Model." That can be heard here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2wcq...
In regards to my writing, only a few weeks left before essays are returned back to me for my neo-peplum book! I am so excited to dive in and edit them! I still need to complete my introduction though.
I just turned in a really short essay about Greek representation in the old Disney Silly Symphony cartoons. It is for an anthology about Greek gods and days of the week. I'll be curious to see the end result of the project.
Have a great black friday everyone!
November 2, 2016
Lovecraft Book review, music, Stranger Things and other Things
Wow, only a few days since my last blog here on Goodreads and I had an explosion of activity!
First things first, I had 4 articles published in the past week! Yikes! I am never that prolific, but hey – things are going on!
I read the book Daughters of Arkham since I love diving into Lovecraft-things, and I penned a review of it that was just published at Fanbase Press. That can be read here:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
While at the Stan Lee Los Angeles Comic Con this past weekend, I attended a panel about Shannon Purser, the actress who plays Barb in Stranger Things. I documented the panel as best as I could, and that was also published at Fanbase Press:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
On the music front, I had two reviews published at Heathen Harvest. The first one was for Napoleonic Blues, the newest album by the legendary neofolk project Ostara. That can be read here:
https://heathenharvest.org/2016/10/28...
The next one was on “The Beginning”, the newest album for the synthpop/EBM band Syntec. This was their first album in 21 years! The link to that one is here:
https://heathenharvest.org/2016/10/29...
On the writing front, I’m still juggling a few projects.
For my neopeplum book I am still working on the introduction. Mid-December is when the essays are due back to me, so I definitely want to get my intro done ASAP.
Still in very early stages of my Stranger Things and synthwave essay.
Also in planning stages on a short essay on the old Silly Symphonies cartoons of the 1930s.
I also may be working on a short story too – a combination of Italo Calvino’s Cosmicomics and some Lovecraft.
I am trying to also finish a book review on Music at the Extreme which I keep working on and off.
Dang! Lot’s to do, but anxious to see it all realized!
ALSO! Remember, I am co-chairing the Ann Radcliffe Academic Con at next year’s StokerCon. If you’re an academic and have a paper or presentation on anything horror related, please submit an abstract to me! More info can be found here:
http://stokercon2017.horror.org/ann-r...
Until next time folks!
First things first, I had 4 articles published in the past week! Yikes! I am never that prolific, but hey – things are going on!
I read the book Daughters of Arkham since I love diving into Lovecraft-things, and I penned a review of it that was just published at Fanbase Press. That can be read here:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
While at the Stan Lee Los Angeles Comic Con this past weekend, I attended a panel about Shannon Purser, the actress who plays Barb in Stranger Things. I documented the panel as best as I could, and that was also published at Fanbase Press:
http://www.fanbasepress.com/index.php...
On the music front, I had two reviews published at Heathen Harvest. The first one was for Napoleonic Blues, the newest album by the legendary neofolk project Ostara. That can be read here:
https://heathenharvest.org/2016/10/28...
The next one was on “The Beginning”, the newest album for the synthpop/EBM band Syntec. This was their first album in 21 years! The link to that one is here:
https://heathenharvest.org/2016/10/29...
On the writing front, I’m still juggling a few projects.
For my neopeplum book I am still working on the introduction. Mid-December is when the essays are due back to me, so I definitely want to get my intro done ASAP.
Still in very early stages of my Stranger Things and synthwave essay.
Also in planning stages on a short essay on the old Silly Symphonies cartoons of the 1930s.
I also may be working on a short story too – a combination of Italo Calvino’s Cosmicomics and some Lovecraft.
I am trying to also finish a book review on Music at the Extreme which I keep working on and off.
Dang! Lot’s to do, but anxious to see it all realized!
ALSO! Remember, I am co-chairing the Ann Radcliffe Academic Con at next year’s StokerCon. If you’re an academic and have a paper or presentation on anything horror related, please submit an abstract to me! More info can be found here:
http://stokercon2017.horror.org/ann-r...
Until next time folks!
