Ed Gorman's Blog, page 270

I'll show you mine if you'll...

I have to say upfront that I see nothing wrong with people videotaping their sexual activities. It's obviously their private choice and nobody can dispute that. I say this because my words have nothing to do with morality.

But so far this week there have been three different stories about media figures getting in various kinds of difficulties because of them taping themselves with lovers.

The practice would seem to be much more widespread than we've heard about out here in Iowa. Now when I go to

The Michelle Bachmann comic book (seriously)

[image error]

Josh Marshall just posted this on Talking Points memo. Here's a link to some samples pages.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docu...

A Touch of Death

Ed here: I've been reading Charles Williams novels three past few days. Thought I re-post this. I'll have a new one tomorrow or the next day.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2008
A TOUCH OF DEATH
I spent a good share of last night reading Hard Case Crime's snappy edition of A Touch of Death by Charles Williams and I'll say what I've said before about this book. It likely has more plot turns than just about any suspense novel I can ever recall reading.

One of Charles Williams' amoral failed men narrate. He wa

Centipede Press

[image error]


Ramsey Campbell's The Influence

Campbell is one of those rare writers who is probably too hip for the room, by which I mean that horror readers looking for the usual schlock will be disapointed because nobody is disemboweled on the first page. Nor does a hunky vampire put the ole plank to a swooning maiden.

Campbell is first and always a serious novelist. That he sometimes uses supernatural elements to enhance his impressions of this vale of tears we all share does not limit him to the familia

Solomon Kane

[image error]

Long, serious, excellent piece on Robert E. Howard and Solomon Kane in the Los Angeles Times this morning. Are you listening James Reasoner?


Solomon Kane © 2009Solomon Kane Inc. (“SKI”). SOLOMON KANE, and related logos, characters, names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks or registered trademarks of SKI. All rights reserved.
THE SIREN'S CALL

Man in black: Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane
Before Conan, there was Kane, a Puritan swordsman on a restless search for justice.
By Nick Owchar

Thank God for Ray Bradbury

[image error]


One afternoon years ago Carol and I were sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and talking when the phone rang. I got up and answered it and said, "Oh, yes, hi, Ray." And Carol started grinning and pointing and saying sotto voce "Is it Ray Bradbury?" When I nodded yes she became demonically possessed, up out of her chair and walking around in little circles. (I mean writers called all the time for Mystery Scene and I'd never seen her act this way.) I'd been working on an anthology that Ra

Cages

Thanks to the flood of 96 I don't have a copy of my collection Cages. I needed to see if one of the local libraries had one so I could copy story of it. I'd either forgotten or never saw the PW review of it. It was on line with info about the availability of the book. Actually the reviewer does a good job of pointing out my influences here. The sense of shock however predicted what was to come. (BTW I consider the PW notice a pretty good review; it was considered and even-handed.) I thought a

Cop pulls gun on Ronald McDonald-for Bill Crider

A Denver police officer has been suspended after allegedly brandishing his gun at a McDonald's restaurant in Aurora after his order took too long to fill.

Aurora police confirmed the CBS4 investigation saying the incident occurred May 21 at the McDonald's at 18181 East Hampden Avenue.

A spokesperson for the Aurora Police Department said they plan to present the case -- now classified as a felony menacing incident -- to the Arapahoe County District Attorney's Office Thursday for possible filing of

Directions and directors in Television

[image error]


I've mentioned The American Vein: Directors and Directions in Television Christopher Wicking and Tise Vahimagi many times before. This is an important book for people who are interested in the history of American television. It is laid out much the same way Andrew Sarris laid out his book about film directors. The first chapter deals with those directors the authors think are most talented. By the last chapter you're pretty much in hackdom.

But what stories and quotes along the way. Wicking an

Forgotten Books: Live Girls

Live Girls isn't exactly forgotten but given the enormous popularity of erotic vampire fiction today it is terribly overlooked. It's my fourth favorite vampire novel in fact, right behind Dracula, I Am Legend and Salem's Lot. And it is as original and startling as any of the first three.

This is a two-track story for a portion of the book. Walter Benedek finds his sister and brother-in-law ripped apart in their apartment. Hard to believe a human could have done this. He begins to look into the b