Archive for June, 2010
Unleashed Ep. 17 – Robert R. Best
Welcome back to another episode of UNLEASHED. We’re sponsored by the fine folks at Permuted Press…and when I say “we’re” I mean me. Lots of cool stuff on this episode, not the least of which is an interview with Robert R. Best, who is the author of the zombie novel, Lakewood Memorial, as well as [...]
Hull’s Landing – Ep. 03
Welcome back to another episode of my new podcast novella, Hull’s Landing. I’ve been really enjoying bringing this to you guys, and hope you’re digging it as well. Should you feel the need to leave me some feedback, email me at jjmelzer@gmail.com, or call the voicemail line at 206-888-1710. On with the show… The encounter [...]
Podcaturday: *SPOILER ALERT* You Will Laugh
We’re back for another episode of Podcaturday. I have to say that I think this is the best one yet, as we talk about everything from time travel to alien conspiracies to *SPOILER ALERT* Shutter Island. Suck that, James Cameron! There may or may not be the drone of a fan in the background. Why? [...]
Horror Realm 2010 is Coming!
Last year I attended my first ever convention. Horror Realm, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I sold some wears, participated in an author reading where I read from my forthcoming debut novel, Escape, and signed some autographs. Well, I am pleased to say that this year I’ll be doing almost all of it again. Horror Realm is [...]
Monster Monday: Jason Voorhees
Let’s say you’re in the woods camping with some friends. You’re having a good time, drinking and laughing it up. Maybe even smoking a bit of weed. Ah to be young again. Everything’s going great, then you and your girl decide to have some sex. Damn, you’re dead. That simple premise launched one of the [...]
Presenting Hull’s Landing: The Serialized E-Novella
You’ve been listening to the free, serialized podcast of my new novella, Hull’s Landing, and now you can bring the experience of serialized fiction to your e-reader for just $0.99 cents. Starting with ‘White Robes and Tennis Shoes,’ Hull’s Landing is going to be offered in serialized form on Smashwords and in the Amazon Kindle [...]
Pocaturday: We Really Don’t Like Charlaine Harris
BOOM! Another edition of Podcaturday is upon you, featuring talk about Acadia’s broken back, Jenny’s disdain of Charlaine Harris, and my love of Ouija boards. I think there’s some World Cup talk in the somewhere, too. It might have been cut out. My Ouija talk may have been cut out as well. I don’t know. [...]
Friday Flix: Witchboard
Ah 1986. Hands Across America, the Challenger disaster, the Iran Contra Affair, Madonna singing “Papa Don’t Preach,” and of course, Tawny Kitaen. Mmm…Tawny Kitaen. Who could ever forget her in movies like Bachelor Party and Instant Justice? Perhaps one of her best known roles though, was as Linda Brewster in the film Witchboard. You all [...]
Textbook Thursday: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
I have a confession to make. Are you ready? Here it goes…I am not a huge Neil Gaiman fan. There. I said it. As a teen, while all my friends were drooling over The Sandman, I had no interest. I tried reading a few issues but never got into it. As an adult, I read [...]
Wednesday Wildcard: The Ghost Hand
Okay, so things didn’t exactly work out as I planned this week. Last night on Twitter I mentioned that today’s post would feature an old family photo of a ghost hand. It does, but the quality isn’t as great as I was hoping. See, I had the pic all ready to go, pulled out of [...]
Tall Tale Tuesday: The Jersey Devil
You have to give major props to a myth that can penetrate the culture so much so that it has its own NHL team. What? You thought the New Jersey Devils were named after Satan? He should be so lucky. First showing up on the 1800′s, the Jersey Devil has been credited with killing livestock, [...]
Monster Monday: Michael Myers
If you’ve been following the daily content that has been popping up here for the past three weeks, you’ll recognize a change to Monday’s. They were formally known as ‘Maniac Monday,’ wherein we would look at a different serial killer each week. That is no more. Realize that all this stuff is still in the [...]
Hull’s Landing – Ep. 02
Welcome back to Sunday! Bloody! Sunday! and another episode of the new podcast novella, Hull’s Landing. Now, last week was the debut episode, but in all honesty, I had some problems with the feed. Some of you may have gotten the episode twice, or not at all. If you’re one of those people that never [...]
Podcaturday: Birds Chirp and People Call
Welcome back to another episode of Podcaturday! This week, you’re going to hear lots of stuff, not the least of which are birds chirping in the background. That’s because I felt like recording outside. Deal with it. Jenny and I are going on a Great Canadian Adventure later today, so you’ll hear about that. Plus, [...]
Friday Flix: The Changeling
What can I say about George C. Scott? The man was a brilliant actor, and his performance in this 1980 flick was one of the creepiest you’ll ever see. This movie haunted me for years, not because I was frightened of it, but because I could never seem to get my damn hands on it. [...]
The Brown/Dunwoody Zombie Flash Fiction Contest
Hey gang, listen up. My boy Corey Graham is holding a zombie flash fiction contest in conjunction with two of the best authors of the genre right now, Eric S. Brown and David Dunwoody. They’ve both been UNLEASHED (Eric’s been on 3 times) before, so you should know who I’m talking about. Here’s what you [...]
Textbook Thursday: Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin
Before I begin this week’s Textbook Thursday, I just want to thank everyone for spreading the word about last week’s post on Swan Song by Robert McCammon. It got such a huge response that it is now one of the most popular posts I’ve ever written for the website, and it even got the attention [...]
Wednesday Wildcard: The Stephen King and I
Since none of you have taken me up on my offer to share this space with your weird, paranormal tales, I’m going to gush for a bit, okay? I had never heard of the book that is shaping up to be the “summer blockbuster” until yesterday. Hell, up until yesterday I had never heard of [...]
Tall Tale Tuesday: Aquia Episcopal Church – Stafford, VA
Today we’re going all the way to Stafford, Virginia, with a tale that comes to us from one of my co-workers, Sara Welsh. Here’s the email she sent me: Hey James! I grew up (mainly) in Aquia Harbor, part of Stafford,VA. Right outside of Aquia Harbor is Aquia Episcopal Church, a rather lovely old brick [...]
Maniac Monday: Wayne Boden
Last week we took a trip to Canada to visit Clifford Olson. I liked it so much there that I decided to stay. This week, then, we’ll be looking at another Canadian serial killer who had the distinct pleasure(?) of being called, “The Vampire Rapist.” Wayne Boden was raised near where I used to call [...]
Hull’s Landing – Ep.01
Nestled deep in the heart of Pennsylvania is the small borough of Hull’s Landing. While it may seem like just an ordinary place, The Landing holds a secret so dark, that there are those who will do anything to protect it. For decades, young girls have been disappearing like clockwork. While some have their suspicions, [...]
Podcaturday: You Wanted the Best, but You Got Us Instead
Welcome back to another edition of Podcaturday, suckers! This week The Beans, Acadia, and I talk about cooking, 80′s movies, and Judd Nelson. There’s some echo in this one, due to the fact that we recorded it at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I bet Acadia that I could drink a case of lager [...]
Friday Flix: Frailty (w/Another Zoe Email)
Ah yes, Friday. A day of the week that actually means something to me now that I am no longer shackled to the weekends of retail. How glorious. It’s also a day to talk about the movies that have had a great impact on my life. From horror and suspense, to action and (dare I [...]
Textbook Thursday: Swan Song by Robert McCammon
When it comes to books about the apocalypse, Stephen King’s The Stand ranks up there pretty high among fans of the genre. Not for me, though. Don’t get me wrong, I love The Stand, but if you were to ask me what my favorite end of the world novel is, there’s no doubt in my [...]
Wednesday Wildcard: I Don’t Need to Believe Because I Already Do
I opened this space up last week to anyone who wanted to submit to me their tales of brushes with the strange and unusual, but since no one took me up on that offer, I’ll just talk about myself for a couple of minutes. I love anything to do with the strange and unusual. I [...]
Tall Tale Tuesday: Allison’s Grave
Seeing as how I’m going to be permanently relocating from Toronto, Canada to Pennsylvania in a couple of months, I thought that this week I’d take a look at one of the legends of the area which I’ll be moving to. Word has it that the Mosquito Valley Cemetery, between Duboisville and South Williamsport, is [...]
