Bryan Higby's Blog
November 3, 2015
TWIN PEAKS RETURNS
TWIN PEAKS
Where to begin with this groundbreaking series by Mark Frost and David Lynch? There has been a lot written about this television series which aired in 1990 and changed network television forever. Much of what’s been written has been misinformation.
I won’t waste time talking about my twenty-five year obsession with the series, and I’m no scholar on the subject. I do feel that as an uber fan for over two decades I do believe I’m qualified to write my opinions and observations no matter how off base they are.
I guess I begin with something that’s a pet peeve of mine. Most articles in magazines or on blogs throw out phrases that make Twin Peaks seem like some kind of a nonsense surreal series that’s all glitz with no substance. My primary goal is to tackle this challenge in this brief blog.
Twin Peaks is a town that exists on a nexus of time and space centered in Ghost Wood Forrest. The twelve sycamore trees and the black substance, which appears to be a ectoplasmic key to another astral plane of existence aka The Lodges, White/Black, are the focal point for this town. These lodges are symbolized by the black and white zig zag floor and the red drapes. Within these astral planes lie the Dugpas. What are the Dugpas? Evil sorcerer demons represented by Bob (gray haired man in the denim jacket), Mike aka Man From Another Place (dwarf in the red suit), the waiter, the giant, the small child and his grandmother, the loggers, the totem (man in red suit with the long white nose). These various artistic and eclectic beings inhabit the two lodges. The key to understanding which lodge you enter is based on your approach to that lodge. If you enter the lodges with love in your heart you encounter the white lodge where you find Mike (Dwarf), the waiter, the giant etc…these are the good spirits. If you enter the lodges with fear you open the black lodge where you encounter BOB and many dopplegangers ie. Laura, Maddy, Leland, Windom Earle etc… In the physical world you should know that these Dugpas have possessed human beings. Mike the dwarf in habits Phillip Gerard the one armed man. The giant possesses the old waiter in the Great Northern Hotel. Bob inhabits Leland Palmer.
It’s important to understand motivation for some of these beings. Per scenes in the series and notes in the scripts it is clear that the Dugpas wish to harm mankind. At the very least Bob does. He uses owls as a conduit to travel while not in a physical human ie. “The owls are not what they seem.” Also it is mentioned by Windom Earle that these Dugpas are evil sorcerers. When you read Mike’s lines – “One chants out between two worlds, Fire Walk With Me,” you see the spelling for chants as a magician might chant magical spells.
There are two other interesting things regarding the Dugpas and the phrase, “Fire Walk With Me.” First the term Dugpas, if googled will lead you to many scholarly, and less than scholarly pages, about a sect of Tibetan monks. I think in the fourth century these monks split from traditional Buddhist teachings and started to practice occult black magic, orgies etc… They were represented by the red caps and garbs they wore. Many people feared them and even today natives of the mountains surrounding Tibet speak about the Dugpas and how they trap travelers.
The term “Fire Walk With Me,” refers to the human soul. This is exemplified in the last episode of Twin Peaks between Cooper, Windom Earle, and Bob. Earle says he’ll let Annie Blackburn live if Cooper relinquishes his soul. Bob later appears and tells Cooper that Earle can’t asked for Coopers soul. Bob then takes Earle’s soul represented by fire. I mention all of this because these beings and their actions are the true crux of the series.
Laura Palmer’s murder (SPOILER!!!!) was committed by BOB after having possessed Laura’s father Leland while Leland was just a child in the woods. This murder is the inciting incident that triggers the action of the series. Whether David Lynch and Mark Frost knew anything about where this series was going and all the intricacies doesn’t make. What does matter is the writing teams interpretation of these themes. To understand Twin Peaks and all its bizarre behavior you need to understand the lodges, their inhabitants and how they affect the town.
Unfortunately for the viewers Lynch and Frost did not delve deeper with the true heart of Twin Peaks in its initial run or in the film that followed. I recommend this series for anyone who wants to think and who believes in a unique take on other-worldly mystery.
Where to begin with this groundbreaking series by Mark Frost and David Lynch? There has been a lot written about this television series which aired in 1990 and changed network television forever. Much of what’s been written has been misinformation.
I won’t waste time talking about my twenty-five year obsession with the series, and I’m no scholar on the subject. I do feel that as an uber fan for over two decades I do believe I’m qualified to write my opinions and observations no matter how off base they are.
I guess I begin with something that’s a pet peeve of mine. Most articles in magazines or on blogs throw out phrases that make Twin Peaks seem like some kind of a nonsense surreal series that’s all glitz with no substance. My primary goal is to tackle this challenge in this brief blog.
Twin Peaks is a town that exists on a nexus of time and space centered in Ghost Wood Forrest. The twelve sycamore trees and the black substance, which appears to be a ectoplasmic key to another astral plane of existence aka The Lodges, White/Black, are the focal point for this town. These lodges are symbolized by the black and white zig zag floor and the red drapes. Within these astral planes lie the Dugpas. What are the Dugpas? Evil sorcerer demons represented by Bob (gray haired man in the denim jacket), Mike aka Man From Another Place (dwarf in the red suit), the waiter, the giant, the small child and his grandmother, the loggers, the totem (man in red suit with the long white nose). These various artistic and eclectic beings inhabit the two lodges. The key to understanding which lodge you enter is based on your approach to that lodge. If you enter the lodges with love in your heart you encounter the white lodge where you find Mike (Dwarf), the waiter, the giant etc…these are the good spirits. If you enter the lodges with fear you open the black lodge where you encounter BOB and many dopplegangers ie. Laura, Maddy, Leland, Windom Earle etc… In the physical world you should know that these Dugpas have possessed human beings. Mike the dwarf in habits Phillip Gerard the one armed man. The giant possesses the old waiter in the Great Northern Hotel. Bob inhabits Leland Palmer.
It’s important to understand motivation for some of these beings. Per scenes in the series and notes in the scripts it is clear that the Dugpas wish to harm mankind. At the very least Bob does. He uses owls as a conduit to travel while not in a physical human ie. “The owls are not what they seem.” Also it is mentioned by Windom Earle that these Dugpas are evil sorcerers. When you read Mike’s lines – “One chants out between two worlds, Fire Walk With Me,” you see the spelling for chants as a magician might chant magical spells.
There are two other interesting things regarding the Dugpas and the phrase, “Fire Walk With Me.” First the term Dugpas, if googled will lead you to many scholarly, and less than scholarly pages, about a sect of Tibetan monks. I think in the fourth century these monks split from traditional Buddhist teachings and started to practice occult black magic, orgies etc… They were represented by the red caps and garbs they wore. Many people feared them and even today natives of the mountains surrounding Tibet speak about the Dugpas and how they trap travelers.
The term “Fire Walk With Me,” refers to the human soul. This is exemplified in the last episode of Twin Peaks between Cooper, Windom Earle, and Bob. Earle says he’ll let Annie Blackburn live if Cooper relinquishes his soul. Bob later appears and tells Cooper that Earle can’t asked for Coopers soul. Bob then takes Earle’s soul represented by fire. I mention all of this because these beings and their actions are the true crux of the series.
Laura Palmer’s murder (SPOILER!!!!) was committed by BOB after having possessed Laura’s father Leland while Leland was just a child in the woods. This murder is the inciting incident that triggers the action of the series. Whether David Lynch and Mark Frost knew anything about where this series was going and all the intricacies doesn’t make. What does matter is the writing teams interpretation of these themes. To understand Twin Peaks and all its bizarre behavior you need to understand the lodges, their inhabitants and how they affect the town.
Unfortunately for the viewers Lynch and Frost did not delve deeper with the true heart of Twin Peaks in its initial run or in the film that followed. I recommend this series for anyone who wants to think and who believes in a unique take on other-worldly mystery.
August 26, 2015
SPLATTERPUNK LIVES!
That's right guys and dolls Splatterpunk is back in a big way. Some might say its never actually left us. It lurks in the deep pockets of Horror, or Dark Fantasy. Well here's a truth. Splatterpunk is raw and wild being published by a new small indy press - D&L Books. Their first published novel is Gore Novel 1: Dirty Cop.
Gore Novel 1 is filled with everything from a psychotic dominatrix to a rot gut dirty cop to a self loathing werewolf. A love triangle made in Hell.
I've checked out D&L Books and they currently only have one title. The writers, Earle Laredo and R. Daniels, are ex-cons apparently who met in some a Texas prison in the mid 1980's. Not much else is known about them. What I do know is this book is a breath of fresh air. All of those would be Horror novelists who pussy foot around carnage should take a note from these guys. Laredo and Daniels know what gets people hard. Check out their first novel - Gore Novel 1: Dirty Cop. I dare you.
Gore Novel 1 is filled with everything from a psychotic dominatrix to a rot gut dirty cop to a self loathing werewolf. A love triangle made in Hell.
I've checked out D&L Books and they currently only have one title. The writers, Earle Laredo and R. Daniels, are ex-cons apparently who met in some a Texas prison in the mid 1980's. Not much else is known about them. What I do know is this book is a breath of fresh air. All of those would be Horror novelists who pussy foot around carnage should take a note from these guys. Laredo and Daniels know what gets people hard. Check out their first novel - Gore Novel 1: Dirty Cop. I dare you.
July 19, 2015
What's New
It's been a while since I last posted anything. Sorry for that but I've been writing my butt off. Let me get you up to speed on what you might have missed. The DenMark Chronicles, which was started with Pizza Man, has expanded. Now there are a total of six published novels in the series: Pizza Man, Taco Bandits, Chuck A Chik, DenMark, Coffin Kids, and Hatchet Sisters. Coffin Kids and Hatchet Sisters are prequels to the other books. DenMark is the last of the Chronicles so far. Rick Snyder and I are working on Lo Mein Mania, which follows two years after the events of Taco Bandits. That novel will be published later this summer.
If you want to read the books chronologically here's how it plays out:
1) Coffin Kids
2) Hatchet Sisters
3) Pizza Man (takes place five years after Hatchet Sisters)
4) Taco Bandits
5) Chuck A Chik
6) Lo Mein Mania
7) DenMark
There are other Logos books that take place in or around DenMark:
1) The Diary of a Logos
2) A Logos At Large
3) Genetic Tree
4) DenMark Lane
5) Copenhagen
6) The Logos Omnibus Volume One
Most of these books are available as either eBook or paperback originals. We have plenty more on the way.
If you want to read the books chronologically here's how it plays out:
1) Coffin Kids
2) Hatchet Sisters
3) Pizza Man (takes place five years after Hatchet Sisters)
4) Taco Bandits
5) Chuck A Chik
6) Lo Mein Mania
7) DenMark
There are other Logos books that take place in or around DenMark:
1) The Diary of a Logos
2) A Logos At Large
3) Genetic Tree
4) DenMark Lane
5) Copenhagen
6) The Logos Omnibus Volume One
Most of these books are available as either eBook or paperback originals. We have plenty more on the way.
August 8, 2014
PIZZA MAN OR THE PIZZA THAT CRAWLED MY A-HOLE
It’s official, Pizza Man or the pizza that crawled out of my a-hole is published in eBook and paperback formats via Amazon.com. Pizza Man is the first of a series of Fast Food comic horror novella by myself and Rick Snyder. These books were inspired by films like Big Trouble in Little China, John Dies at the End, and Evil Dead. Other influences were splatter punk novels and Grindhouse films.
The first novel, Pizza Man is about a demon (Lilith) who wants to enslave mankind through frozen pizza. The grungy city of DenMark in upstate New York is ground zero for the infestation. Lilith uses ancient demon receipts to concoct a pizza sauce that will devour some of mankind while enslaving others. When some local comic book creators get a whiff of this they team up with Hollywood actor former CIA agent Nicolas Cage. That’s correct you heard right. Actor former CIA agent Nick Cage.
This book is listed under the umbrella title – The DenMark Chronicles. The sequence Taco Bandits about a winged demon who infects taco sauce will be out before the end of the year. Stay tuned for more updates on this series as well as my novels Cop Killer and Cannibal Cocktail to be released soon with JA Konrath!
The first novel, Pizza Man is about a demon (Lilith) who wants to enslave mankind through frozen pizza. The grungy city of DenMark in upstate New York is ground zero for the infestation. Lilith uses ancient demon receipts to concoct a pizza sauce that will devour some of mankind while enslaving others. When some local comic book creators get a whiff of this they team up with Hollywood actor former CIA agent Nicolas Cage. That’s correct you heard right. Actor former CIA agent Nick Cage.
This book is listed under the umbrella title – The DenMark Chronicles. The sequence Taco Bandits about a winged demon who infects taco sauce will be out before the end of the year. Stay tuned for more updates on this series as well as my novels Cop Killer and Cannibal Cocktail to be released soon with JA Konrath!
May 19, 2014
Pizza Man: or, the pizza that crawled out of my A-Hole
Okay so my good buddy Rick Snyder and myself are pushing toward the third and final act of our mutual horror comic novel - Pizza Man: or, the pizza that crawled out of my A-Hole. That's a working title. This is a fun comic novel with horror eliminates. How would you feel if someone delivered an unmarked delicious smelling pizza at your doorstep for free? Most people would love it especially for those single parents that don't have time to cook dinner for their kids. These humans are the targets for the evil Demon-ness who creates demonic fast food pizza in her underground lair. This marinara and cheese smothered dough is straight from Hell. Only a small band of rebels can save the human race against the enslavement of this other worldly kitchen of pizza makers. Sound cheesy? You have no idea! Keep an eye open for this short novel coming to amazon.com 2014!
May 14, 2014
Patience...just a little patience yeah yeah
I've been writing on this blog for some time now and self publishing for a little less than a year. I enjoy self publishing and working with other best selling authors but my experience has forced me to be patient. Since I'll be 40 this Saturday I never thought that I would have the patience to wait as long as I have for my career to take hold. Now things seem to be picking up. 2014 is already a much better year than 2013. I finished my last Kindle Worlds Wayward Pines story titled Torch Song. As happens more than I like a tech snafu has held up the third and final New Dawn trilogy, but trust me readers if you liked my first two Wayward Pines stories - The American Dream, and An American Nightmare than you'll LOVE Torch Song. This story is longer and wilder than the others and worth the $1.99. I keep telling myself patience Bryan, patience but waiting to share this final Wayward Pines story is killing me. For anyone who had read my OzValt Grant Collection Torch Song unites
Grant, Z, and the Mannerbund Group with Blake Crouch's Ethan, Theresa, and Ben Burke, as well as Arnold Pope. Super Cool. Check it out at amazon.com soon!
Grant, Z, and the Mannerbund Group with Blake Crouch's Ethan, Theresa, and Ben Burke, as well as Arnold Pope. Super Cool. Check it out at amazon.com soon!
March 23, 2014
WOW publishing - Life Patterns
Here we are. I've been working on self publishing since late summer of last year. What have I achieved? So far I've self-pubbed 25 works, some eBooks and some paperback editions. I took the advice of Indy great Joe Konrath author of the fantastic Jack Daniels thriller series on his Newbies Blog. I also have been fortunate enough to have had two of my novel submissions to Joe accepted. What does this mean? Joe made an offer on his blog last Aug. to any author who had a character that hasn't found a readership write him a short story with your character and his character, or characters of his Jack Daniels bestselling series, and if he likes it he will publish it for you. Joe takes 100% of the publishing cost (ex. cover art, copy editing, interior eBook layout costs...) My two novels, Cop Killer and Cannibal Cocktail, will be published soon.
Despite this limited success I have found almost no financial success yet. My goal by years end is to become a full time author. To that go I have contacted groups like Book Gorilla, who are an email blast service to thousands of readers. My Dark Fantasy novel, Zoey's World will be displayed via Book Gorilla for the week of April 7th thru 11th. This took some doing. Before getting Zoey's World accepted I had submitted a few other novellas, but was rejected.
Book publishing is not an overnight event. You have to remember that you must write every day. Read relevant blogs. What is relevant for me may not be to you. That is also key to understanding yourself and the patterns in your life. We all have patterns that surface throughout our lives. I'm not speaking in terms of religion, but simply that there comes a point where you begin to notice the curious linkages, happenstance etc... You MUST follow those links otherwise you are doomed to failure. I started recognizing these links in my late teens when my best friend Rick Snyder and I started writing screenplays together. Besides hooking up with bestselling author JA Konrath I also met Marvel/DC comic book artist Jim Webb who created beautiful cover art for Zoey's World, as well as the artwork for my children's picture book - The Suburban Monsters.
Those life patterns led me to where I am today, in a happy life with my wife and three children. I told my wife that the first ten years of our life together was about starting our family the next ten is about launching my writing career. The other thing to remember about life patterns is that the more success you have following them the more you can help others in return. And lets me honest isn't that why we're here?
Despite this limited success I have found almost no financial success yet. My goal by years end is to become a full time author. To that go I have contacted groups like Book Gorilla, who are an email blast service to thousands of readers. My Dark Fantasy novel, Zoey's World will be displayed via Book Gorilla for the week of April 7th thru 11th. This took some doing. Before getting Zoey's World accepted I had submitted a few other novellas, but was rejected.
Book publishing is not an overnight event. You have to remember that you must write every day. Read relevant blogs. What is relevant for me may not be to you. That is also key to understanding yourself and the patterns in your life. We all have patterns that surface throughout our lives. I'm not speaking in terms of religion, but simply that there comes a point where you begin to notice the curious linkages, happenstance etc... You MUST follow those links otherwise you are doomed to failure. I started recognizing these links in my late teens when my best friend Rick Snyder and I started writing screenplays together. Besides hooking up with bestselling author JA Konrath I also met Marvel/DC comic book artist Jim Webb who created beautiful cover art for Zoey's World, as well as the artwork for my children's picture book - The Suburban Monsters.
Those life patterns led me to where I am today, in a happy life with my wife and three children. I told my wife that the first ten years of our life together was about starting our family the next ten is about launching my writing career. The other thing to remember about life patterns is that the more success you have following them the more you can help others in return. And lets me honest isn't that why we're here?
September 1, 2013
Wayward Pines - The American Dream
I just published my first Kindle Worlds novella. It is a 69 page novella titled The American Dream. This novella is based off the wonderful novel, Pines, by Blake Crouch. Blake created a fantastic origins story with his novel Pines. I am anxiously awaiting the sequel that is coming out later this month, Wayward. Fox is producing a limited run series for Fox, Wayward Pines, based off Blake's novel. This series will star Matt Dillon as Secret Service agent Ethan Burke.
I stumbled across this little gem of a novel a few months ago after reading an article about how Fox was working on development for a new Twin Peaks style mystery series. I bought the novel Pines, read it and was particularly interested in the Afterward, where Blake talks about how Twin Peaks inspired the Pines novel.
I have spent twenty years as a fan of the Twin Peaks series and am now a fan of Blake Crouch and his Wayward Pines town. So I put fingers to key board and wrote my own Wayward Pines story, The American Dream. Kindle accepted this novella last night and now it is available to anyone who might have read the original novel, Pines and who are salivating for the sequel Wayward. I think that you'll find my novella a nice take on Blake's original invention. The novella is available thru amazon.com at $1.99.
I stumbled across this little gem of a novel a few months ago after reading an article about how Fox was working on development for a new Twin Peaks style mystery series. I bought the novel Pines, read it and was particularly interested in the Afterward, where Blake talks about how Twin Peaks inspired the Pines novel.
I have spent twenty years as a fan of the Twin Peaks series and am now a fan of Blake Crouch and his Wayward Pines town. So I put fingers to key board and wrote my own Wayward Pines story, The American Dream. Kindle accepted this novella last night and now it is available to anyone who might have read the original novel, Pines and who are salivating for the sequel Wayward. I think that you'll find my novella a nice take on Blake's original invention. The novella is available thru amazon.com at $1.99.
August 8, 2013
STUMBLING
Okay so I have read articles and blogs about the great success of self published authors. I'm on my feet cheering for the Howey's and the Konraths of the self publishing world. I love their inspirational stories. Alas I am stumbling. Having written and devloped many manuscripts in the dark Fantasy genre, with just a smidge of Horror, I am still search for a readership. My books are there on-line at Amazon.com in Ebook and paperback form, I even have a short story, Mud Street available for free at Smashword.com. Check it out if you have a few minutes. That is if you like crime fiction with just a smidge of Horror.
August 3, 2013
MUD STREET
Hello folks. Welcome to the world of OzValt Grant. Who is Oz Grant? Glad you asked. Oz was a former US military sniper in Afghanistan. After leaving the military, decorated, he became a homicide detective specializing in extreme sex crimes. He also helped profile the baby serial killer Martin Tibbs. After killing Tibbs he was fired from the force. Now this once decorated military mans, former homicide detective is thrown scraps from the local PD, thanks in large part from his former partner Jim Conrad. Jim calls Oz in when no one else an solve the crime.
Mud Street is a brutal little story about a case of hyped up rabies that leads to many deaths along a stretch of road in DenMark. DenMark is a small city in the USA, home to our hero.
The story is available for free at smashword.com. I am currently writing the follow up story, SNUFFED, to be followed closely by the gruesome tale, MUTILATED CORPSE. This trilogy of tales all take place around DenMark with our hero OzValt Grant as the focal point. Give it read and shoot me a line at bonsai74@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.
Mud Street is a brutal little story about a case of hyped up rabies that leads to many deaths along a stretch of road in DenMark. DenMark is a small city in the USA, home to our hero.
The story is available for free at smashword.com. I am currently writing the follow up story, SNUFFED, to be followed closely by the gruesome tale, MUTILATED CORPSE. This trilogy of tales all take place around DenMark with our hero OzValt Grant as the focal point. Give it read and shoot me a line at bonsai74@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.
