Stephen Mark Rainey's Blog, page 39

R.I.P. Teruyoshi Nakano, 1935–2022

Photo by Brett Homenick

I was saddened to learn today of legendary special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano’s passing last week. At G-Fest 2004, where Nakano-san was a guest of honor, I had the pleasure of meeting him face to face and, along with Brett Homenick, conducting an in-depth interview with him. It’s hardly a well-kept secret that I am a longtime special effects/daikaiju freak, particularly from the Showa-era Toho films. Little by little, time’s passage continues to claim the few remaining members of the generation responsible for those movies. Nakano-san was one of those select few I have met personally, and in that brief time, he left me with a wonderful and memorable impression.

Teruyoshi (a.k.a. Shokei) Nakano started with Toho — barely aware of Godzilla, kith and kin — in 1959 (the year I was born) as an assistant special effects director. As assistant to special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya, Nakano’s first effect work was in Submarine I-57 Will Not Surrender; soon afterward, he worked on Gorath, his first Toho science fiction film. From there, he assisted Tsuburaya on virtually all of Toho’s science fiction/daikaiju movies, from King Kong vs. Godzilla to Space Amoeba (a.k.a. Yog - Monster From Space).

In 1971, Nakano graduated to full special effects director, first for The Battle of Okinawa and then Godzilla vs. Hedorah (a.k.a. Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster). He continued in this position for the rest of the Showa Godzilla films (which ended with Terror of Mechagodzilla in 1975). In 1984, he worked on his final Godzilla film, Return of Godzilla (a.k.a. Godzilla 1985).

It goes without saying that, having personally spent time with him only at G-Fest in 2004, I can hardly claim to have known Nakano-san in any depth. Whether he would have even remembered me from Adam, well, who can say? Still, he made quite the impression on me, since I had followed his career from the day I was old enough to know anything about cinematic special effects. Above and beyond all, his passing is a reminder of how profoundly time giveth and time taketh away.

I hope Nakano-san was aware of how his life and work influenced and excited so many of us who have passionately loved special effects movies over the course of our own lives. Rest in peace, sir.

You can read interviews with Teruyoshi Nakano at Brett Homenick’s Vantagepoint Interviews blog here:

• Teruyoshi Nakano Reflects on Some of His Non-Godzilla Films (06-26-2019) • Teruyoshi Nakano Reflects on His Godzilla Film Work (07-18-2019)

A Graveside Chat with Maurice Broaddus

Maurice Broaddus is a best-selling author, Afrofuturist, minister, teacher, and community organizer — among many other endeavors, both magnanimous and fiendish. His work has appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction, Cemetery Dance , Fiyah Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction , Apex Magazine , Black Static , Weird Tales , Fantasy & Science Fiction , and others. His books have been lauded by The New York Times and The Washington Post. And these accomplishments barely touch the tip of the iceberg. Maurice was kind enough to take some time to share his thoughts for this edition of A Graveside Chat. Buckle up and read on! _________________________________________________________________________


AGC: As an author, you have an impressive catalog of works under your belt (not to say you are overweight or anything). What drew you to become a writer — particularly about the most frightening side of humanity? Looking back, can you pinpoint any particular authors — or other individuals — who inspired you?

MB: I have been writing for as long as I can remember. In second grade — when our family arrived in the U.S. from England — my teacher didn’t know what to do with me. She had an overloaded class and I could be a handful since I was easily bored. So she put my desk in a corner, gave me a stack of paper, and just told me to “create.” I guess I’ve been doing that ever since.

My Sunday School teacher in fourth grade was probably my first nudge in the horror direction, as he was a closet horror and comic book fan (and in that church, you had to be in the closet if you were into “that demonic stuff”). Let’s face it, the story of Noah and the flood was my first exposure to a postapocalyptic story! The first story I remember writing was in fifth grade called “The Big Mac Attacker,” the tale of a burger being eaten… from the burger’s perspective.

It was my senior year in high school and my A.P. English teacher encouraged me to read Edgar Allan Poe after reading some of my (admittedly, angst-ridden) dark short stories. He kept introducing me to new authors to challenge me (he assigned me Bram Stoker’s Dracula), really encouraged me to think about writing seriously. I was pretty much locked in from there.

I was a huge comic book collector, with Neil Gaiman’s Sandman being a favorite. In college, I tried giving up writing, but after a few years, I came back to it. I did an independent study course and was randomly paired with a professor who, as it turned out, did his dissertation on Stephen King and Clive Barker. That’s when I knew I was on the right path.

AGC: You’ve been called (quite lovingly, I can safely say) “The Sinister Minister,” given your role in your church and in the Christian community. I know you’ve talked about this many times, but can you speak a little about your views on horror and religion, and how they are inextricably fused?

MB: Basically, I believe we’re in a Story, written by an Author, who is wooing us to connect with Him. It’s a tale of flawed people, who were created (in God’s image), for great things (to join in with that Author in a mission to redeem the world), who sometimes encounter things that interfere with their journey: sometimes themselves, sometimes others, and sometimes An Other.

Faith is never easy, and I tend to have more questions than answers. I think that’s the most critical part of anyone’s spiritual journey — walking that line of tension between holding on during times of doubt and questioning. I think one of the best ways to explore that tension is in story. (The Bible does it too: the book of Job was probably the first book written, and it’s all about faith, doubt, and frustrated questions. And quite the horror story when you think about it.)

I guess you could say that in some ways, I’m working out my own spiritual journey in front of my readers. And sharing my nightmares.

AGC: You have been — and are — very active as a teacher and a community leader. Your writing clearly draws on your rich and plentiful experiences with these endeavors. Can you tell us something about any pivotal or memorable experiences that have evolved into your stories and books?

MB: This has been the case for me for nearly ALL of my work. I process my feelings and life in story. Probably the most personal example was my story “Bound By Sorrow” which was me processing the death of my sister and my father. But that’s simply my process, from my first published novels, the Knights of Breton Court trilogy, being loosely based on my time working for the homeless teen ministry Outreach Inc; to my current trilogy, Astra Black, based on my work in the community through the Kheprw Institute.

For a long time, I struggled with the notion that “I’m only a writer, what can I do?” But what it boils down to is empowering agency: start where you are with what you have. With my neighbors, with my students, whoever I meet, I try to see, learn, and love the person in front of me. Get to know the gifts and talents they bring to the community.

My community work informs my writing and my writing informs my community work. One of the things that I’m doing is mentoring young creatives to be the next generation of dreamers, storytellers, and vision casters. Because that’s the work of art informing community work and community work informing the art. The merger of art and social practices, artists and activists. In order to create radical change, we have to be able to envision it. So, we dream the possible future, cast a vision of what a better tomorrow could look like, and then start making steps, charting a course to get there. Being a resident Afrofuturist of a community organization represents a public statement of the attitude and mindset of the organization and community. It’s about creating desired future states in the present by constantly re-imagining the work and the way we move through the world.

Let’s look at my two most recent works. My latest middle-grade novel, Unfadeable, was inspired by my mentoring one of my former middle school students. My latest story in Uncanny Magazine, “Spirit Folks,” was co-written with another former student as a way to process some of the things she was going through.

AGC: What was the greatest piece of advice you ever got about writing?

MB: The following three pieces of wisdom:

Writers finish things. This was something told to me by one of my high school teachers. He said what separates people who want to write/talk about writing from writers is the fact that writers finish what they start. Where this really helps me is in the fight against “the Shiny”: I constantly battle ditching what I’m working on to run with the latest shiny idea that pops into my head. Every time I have to remind myself that “writers finish things.” If you’re going to call yourself a writer, you need to take those ideas you have, get them down on paper, then get to “the end”. And it helps battle the imposter syndrome: did you finish what you started? Yes, then you’re a writer. Your angst won't pay the bills. Sometimes we attach a lot of romance to the idea of being a writer. We have to be inspired. We have to wait on our muse. This “advice” was given to me by my wife during one of my “my muse has left me” sessions as I stared down a blank page. She reminded me that my “muse” was now named Deadlines. This was a follow-up to our “exposure won’t pay the bills” conversation. (Her other bit of clutch perspective was “you can go to as many conventions as your writing pays for” which helped me not only guard against the temptation to give away my stories early on but challenge me to only submit to professional markets). Do that $#!+! This was told to me by fellow author, Daniel Jose Older. I was feeling anxious about a project I was working on. It was a novel that was plunging headlong into territories of race, class, and politics. I called up Daniel and that was the advice he gave me. Writers have to be bold and take risks. It can be scary sometimes (which is why it’s good to have friends who can nudge you). In the end, taking those risks, accepting those challenges, only makes you a better writer.

AGC: I was privileged to attend Mo-Con some years ago, and it was one of my most memorable — and enjoyable — gatherings of creative souls. Tell us a little about how Mo–Con came to be. I know that, for a spell, circumstances resulted in No-Con(!), rather than Mo-Con, but do you have plans to resurrect/continue this traditional (and I know, for you, surely physically and probably emotionally fatiguing) gathering in the coming days and years?

MB: Whenever there is a writer’s convention, there are always room parties at night, where people unwind, lower their guards, and have great conversations over food and drinks. Mo*Con is like that room party for a whole weekend. What also makes it different is that it takes place in a church. So we have all these horror, science fiction, and fantasy writers from various spiritual backgrounds who come together and hang out all weekend in a church. We have a couple of panel discussions ranging from spiritual issues to social issues to writing issues all over meals.

Mo*Con has evolved over time. We took a hiatus after year ten. I thought I was retired from it. After the first year of not doing it, folks wanted to at least gather. So we started “No*Con,” which basically meant “I wasn’t planning anything but if folks wanted to come by my house, we could hang out.” When fifty people showed up, we decided at that rate, we might as well do Mo*Con. We brought it back with more of an eye of being a community support: the art in the space done by black artists, food catered by different black caterers, and even having our own in-house vintner (who DEFINITELY was not used to folks who bought wine by the bottle... the MANY bottles). The pandemic brought another hiatus and this year we did another No*Con. But it’s looking like we’ll be doing Mo*Con again starting next year. It’s very much a time rooted in getting to know one another and one of the highlights of my year.

AGC: Thank you, Maurice. This was a pleasure!

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Visit Maurice’s website at www.mauricebroaddus.com.

Fugue Devil: Resurgence — The Hardback Is in the House

At last, the hardcover edition of Fugue Devil: Resurgence is in the house!

Samaire Wynne, owner of Black Raven Books, came by last week to show it off. I’ve gotta tell you, this is one gorgeous book, with excellent graphic design inside and out. And, if I may say so, I think the stories within offer a few lovely chills and thrills.

The hardcover is $52, which includes shipping. You can order an autographed copy directly from the Black Raven site here: Fugue Devil: Resurgence at Black Raven Books (Scroll to the bottom of the page for the ordering link.) There are also ordering links for the paperback ($15.99) and ebook editions ($7.99).

And if you’ve been kind enough to read the book, please, please leave a review, particularly at Amazon.com. Every review does count, and, love the book or hate it, all are most appreciated.

More Geo-Artsing-and-Fartsing

Periodically, Ms. B. goes off on an arts-and-crafts retreat, usually with her regular group of artsy-craftsy friends from NC, at some location of their group leader’s choice. Hillsborough, Raleigh, and Myrtle Beach are among their preferred destinations. Sometimes, I go along too — or, at the nearer locations, head over for a day-long visit — so that, while she’s artsing and fartsing, I go geocaching. Then, later in the day, we get together to go wining and dining. For us, this is a most excellent system.

This weekend, her gang met in Raleigh, near Raleigh-Durham Airport, which is readily accessible, and especially great for me because that area is rich with geocaches. This time around, I went over just for the day and targeted the Black Creek Greenway, near Lake Crabtree, just southeast of the airport. It was hot and buggy out, but for the most part, the greenway ran through woods that offered plenty of shade. For me, one of the most appealing aspects of this particular hike — which, according to my health app, measured 6.66 miles (how apt) — was that most of the caches were a bit more creative than your typical micro hide in the woods (see photo above — a fun cache called “Skeletor”). And although it wasn’t on the greenway but at a nearby hotel, for the first time in way too long, I got to climb a tree after a cache. Not a big tree, but a fun tree nonetheless. I do so love a good tree-climbing cache.

After putting in the mileage, I returned to Kim’s hotel, cleaned up as best as this old fart can clean up, and then we headed out for dinner and drinks. When we’re in that area, it’s something of a tradition to dine at Trali Irish Pub, which is precisely where we ended up. I customarily go for their Scotch eggs and fish & chips. This time, I ordered Scotch eggs and fish & chips. Fookin’ excellent, as usual. For afters, we got on Google to see if we could find a wine bar nearby. The closest offering was a small place called dailypint, which turned out to be a very loud... no, I mean VERY loud... and altogether unremarkable dive bar that had a handful of wines on hand. They did have a reasonable selection of craft beers, so I opted for one of those. In the end, though, we didn’t care to stay very long. In our old age, Ms. B. and I like to be able to hear ourselves drink...er, think.

From there, Ms. B. went back to making art, and I returned to Casa di Rodan. Though the bar experience was “Feh,” the dinner and geocaching made the trip fun as can be (and good for a much-needed cardio workout).

G’wan. Git.

L) Finger-Lickin' Good; R) Fore! Going a little batty
L) It's good to be up in a tree again; R) A tree real hugger Fish & Chips at Trali Irish Pub — the "small" order
One of Ms. B.'s art journal pages, with images from our last trip to Europe

The Lunatics Have Taken Over the Asylum

This was (partially) my response to a thread Facebook, but I'm gonna drop it here because it seems the thing to do. This is not up for debate. This is just how it is from my end. Take it or leave it.

Facebook Poster (male) in question:>

"If they are raped, they can have the baby and give him or her for adoption."

Mark (who, at this age, has zero personal stock in the abortion issue — other than the critical issue of women's rights, and as a human being, that means I have stock in it):

It's so easy for a male — who can never step into a woman's shoes and know what carrying a baby means — to say, "Oh, you can just do this." As if it's like taking off your fucking shoes before you step into the house. Every pregnancy poses risk, physically, emotionally, and psychologically. What about fetal defects that will result in extreme risk to the mother — especially those such as anencephaly (about a 1 in 4,600 chance)? What about a woman who has physical conditions that might result in -her- death if the baby is carried to term? What about in-vitro fertilization, in which some fertilized eggs are most likely going to be eliminated? You're not even close to "pro-life" if the mother's life and health aren't tantamount. Yes, I know, the percentage of such severe risk is relatively low. But we're still talking about human lives. Because their numbers aren't overwhelming, do those women's lives not matter?

Now. There is a difference — generally unrecognized by the blind zealot — between being pro-choice and pro-abortion. I'm not arguing for "murdering babies." I'm absolutely opposed to abortion (after fetal viability) simply as a means of birth control; there are other, far better options — at least until the blind zealots take things to the next level; which they will because that is what blind zealots do. But I'll trust the decision of the poorest, most misguided woman any day and every day over the deaf, dumb, and blind enforcement of regulations over that woman's body. (And of course, it's a whole 'nuther issue, but turn the discussion around to weaponry, and suddenly regulations "NEVER FUCKING EVER work and it impacts ME ME ME!")

As far as I'm concerned, the rights of every human being already born far exceed the rights of a bunch of not-as-yet-sentient cells to exist. "Pro-life" is, for all practical purposes, a euphemism for "pro-birth, and fuck everything that comes afterward because it doesn't really affect "ME ME ME."

Well, it might, if you were forced to raise the child that otherwise would not exist.

Readers’ Favorite: Five Stars for Fugue Devil: Resurgence

Reviewed By K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite

“Fugue Devil: Resurgence is a collection of works of horror fiction, aimed at mature readers, penned by author Stephen Mark Rainey. The collection contains twelve horror stories, including the classic “Fugue Devil” and its sequel, “The Devil’s Eye.” Each is an evocative tale of dread exploring original ideas that will inspire terror in the reader as they follow protagonists falling under spells, fighting off madness in the face of the impossible, venturing into the darkness to investigate things best left alone, and hearing sinister voices where there ought to be nothing but white noise....”

Read the full Readers’ Favorite review here.

PLUS: You can win a free Kindle edition of Fugue Devil: Resurgence at Readers’ Favorite by entering here: readersfavorite.com/book-giveaway/fugue-devil

A Graveside Chat with Brian M. Sammons

Author/editor Brian M. Sammons is one of the busiest gentlemen in the business, with dozens of anthologies he has edited/co-edited, short fiction aplenty, and a possible movie deal in the works. He may be best known for his work in the world of Lovecrafian/weird fiction, and he frequently collaborates with author/editor Glynn Owen Barrass (whose Graveside Chat interview may be found here). Brian took a little time out to participate in this edition of A Graveside Chat.

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GC: You are very active in the writing and editing business — particularly in the world of Lovecraftian horror. What draws you to this particular sub-genre, if we should call it that? Do you tend to write tales that fit into specific Lovecraftian lore — i.e., the myriad conventions of the Cthulhu Mythos — or are you more inclined to draw on the concepts that inspired those conventions and veer off into your own territory? Or some of both, perhaps?

BMS: I guess a bit of both. I am not above rooting around in the big sandbox left to us by H.P. Lovecraft or even playing with some of his well-used toys. But then I am also keen on doing my own thing within the broader sub-genre of Cosmic Horror. I am a fan of many different types of horror, from classic ghostly tales to splattery stories of psychos, but whatever the flavor, I love the unexplainable and the inescapable, and Lovecraft’s brand of horror does that far better than most. I think that is why when I first read him at a tender age I instantly fell in love with his weird world.

GC: Who are your favorite contemporary authors? Do you find that they inspire and/or influence your writing (or editing)? Are there any particular authors you haven’t yet published that you would like to?

BMS: By contemporary, I guess you mean living, so that's how I’ll take it. Of course, there’s both Stephen King and Clive Barker. Ramsey Campbell is in my opinion the best living author of Cthulhu Mythos stories, not to mention his own brand of terror. There’s also the wonderful Joe Lansdale. All of them (along with long-gone greats like Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Robert Bloch, and Richard Matheson) have had a huge influence on my own writing. I have had some dealing with Campbell and Lansdale and both were a joy to work with and would love to do so again. As for some newer names, I am a huge fan of Adam Nevill and would love to do something with him, and Paul Tremblay, whom I’ve worked with just a little and would love to do so again. As for others, well if you check out my anthologies you will see a few names that appear again and again. That’s because I love their stories and they are absolutely a joy to work with. There are far too many to name them all, but some highlights would include Jeffrey Thomas, William Meikle, Mercedes Murdock Yardley, Pete Rawlik, Christine Morgan, Tim Waggoner, John Langan, Lois Gresh, and man, there really are too many to mention.

GC: You’ve collaborated on numerous projects, perhaps most notably with author/editor Glynn Owen Barrass. Do you prefer collaborating with others, as opposed to working solo, particularly on editing projects? Does collaborating pose any unique creative challenges — or specific benefits? Is there anyone you’d particularly care to collaborate with that you haven’t already?

BMS: Yeah, I adore Glynn and we have done a bunch of books and stories together. I've also done a bit with David Conyers, as well as one-offs with a handful of others. I love collaborating in both writing and editing, as it’s fun to bounce ideas back and forth with someone and, like they say, many hands make for light work. But I’ve also done many things on my own, so I guess I’m easy and just go with the flow when the opportunity presents itself. As for any challenges, well I’ve got to have a good relationship with whomever I collaborate with, and we soon discover a shorthand between us to make things easier. I mean, Glynn and I have been doing this for so long that each of us can just focus on our own part of things and trust completely that the other guy will hold up his end. It sometimes feels like that twin ability to finish each other’s sentences.

GC: Can you talk about any upcoming publications — either that you’ve edited or written? How about any special projects you’d like to set in motion in the future?

BMS: As far as upcoming projects, Glynn and I just finished up an anthology for PS Publishing called Mystery, Murder, Madness, Mythos. It’s a collection of detective/mystery fiction of all stripes that meets the horror of the Cthulhu Mythos. From Dark Regions Press there is Tales From Arkham Sanitarium that I did by myself. That one focuses on how madness and insanity are integral parts of Cosmic Horror. And no, I don't just mean that the protagonist goes cuckoo at the end and writes a rambling note before offing themselves. Lastly, there is a HUGE project that David Conyers and I are working the logistics out now. I can't say more than that right now, only that it will be awesome if we do it right. Other than that, I’ve always got other titles in the works, and taking up space in my head until I can get them out. As for special projects that I’d like to see set in motion, there is a film production company that optioned the rights to my story, “One Way Conversation” about eight years ago. They keep renewing the option and saying that they want to do it, I just really wish they would get it done already.

GC: Thank you, Brian, and best wishes on all your upcoming projects.

BMS: Thank you so much for having me here.

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Visit Brian M. Sammon’s Amazon.com
book page here.

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Coming Soon: Graveside Chats with Maurice Broaddus and many more!

Venomous Words by Jeff Oliver and Gordon Reilly

Amazing Photography, Pulse-Pounding Poetry

First and foremost, the macro photography by Gordon Reilly in Venomous Words is remarkably beautiful and oftentimes disturbing, especially given the venomous nature of so many of these subjects. The accompanying descriptions and lyrical depictions, by Jeff Oliver, of how you're going to suffer and die from some of these lovelies might make you start checking the floors, windows, and corners of your dwelling place — perhaps even under your covers before you get into bed. The close-up images of these critters convey the intricacy of nature you can rarely see with the naked eye. Venomous Words is an all-around killer.

Check out Venomous Words at Amazon.com here.

Lovecraft eZine Podcast with Malcolm Devlin & Stephen Mark Rainey

Mike Davis , the proprietor of Lovecraft eZine , was kind enough to feature author Malcolm Devlin and me on the eZine’s regular Sunday night podcast. Malcolm spoke at length about his new book, And Then I Woke Up (Tor, 2022) and I had a few words (or more than a few, I reckon) about Fugue Devil: Resurgence (Black Raven Books, 2022).
If you dare, you can watch the whole business here: Lovecraft eZine Podcast featuring Malcolm Devlin & Stephen Mark Rainey .

Penny Dreadful's “Terror at Collinwood: The Leviathans“ with Rick Lai & Stephen Mark Rainey

The exquisite Penny Dreadful talks to author Rick Lai and me about Dark Shadows on her “Terror at Collinwood” podcast. This episode: “The Leviathans”!
“The deeply fascinating but oft-maligned Leviathans arc is the focus of this episode. Acclaimed authors Stephen Mark Rainey and Rick Lai visit the podcast to discuss and analyze this Dark Shadows storyline, while also looking at its inspirations. Other topics include Mark’s official work on the Dark Shadows Big Finish audio plays and the Dark Shadows novel Dreams of the Dark , and Rick’s intriguing essay on the Leviathans as well as some of his fictional tales that incorporate nods to Dark Shadows .”
Check it out here: Penny Dreadful’s “Terror at Collinwood: The Leviathans”