I resisted for as long as I could, but I have to admit it to the world today that I am a huge Lady Gaga fan. And her widely publicized obsession with vampires only further cements my admiration for her high level of creativity and talent. This morning she posted the below photo on her Twitter account @ladygaga of a new gold vampire grille given to her for her birthday by gravediggaz…whoever that is? A gold vampire grille? That is one accessory I’ve never seen, but my hat is off to you Lady Gaga for somehow seamlessly blending the world of goth with hip-hop/pop. Also, if you haven’t seen her video for the uber catchy vampire song “Teeth” click here to check it out. Hot really doesn’t even begin to describe it.

HBO has finally released the first promotional ad for the upcoming third season of their acclaimed vampire series, True Blood. This isn’t a teaser trailer like the one featured earlier this fall depicting a warehouse starting up production once again on the Tru Blood beverage, but an cross-section of all of the forthcoming summer shows debuting on HBO this year. The video poses the question to HBO audiences of “Everyone’s waiting, everyone’s looking, everyone’s watching. Are you?” Um, YES we are! And, frankly, we can’t wait to see more of these promotional videos, including the “minisodes” which were promised a few weeks ago. *taps nails on desk and stares at HBO website* I know I’m not the only die-hard fan sitting on the edge of their seat in expectation of the new season’s arrival. Enjoy your first glimpse, Trubies!

Last week the rumblings of outrage rippled through the vampire community about the unsettling news of the disgusting Johnathon Sharkey running for president in 2012 under the title of “Vampire for President”. Not only did this reflect poorly on the vampire community as a whole, which already receives a rather snarky and suspicious leer from middle-America, but also reflects poorly on the American political system, which is already quite the laughing stock of the world. In an effort to gauge what actions should be taken to rebut Sharkey’s presence, the Vampire News Network posted a poll. The results are now available below:





The breakdown of what each category means is as follows:
• Option A: Ignore Jonathon Sharkey; Statements Or Attention Given Would Be Counterproductive
• Option B: Issue A Widespread Vampire Community Statement Disavowing Association Or Approval Of His Actions
• Option C: Issue Individual Or Specific Group Statement(s) Disavowing Association Or Approval Of His Actions
• Option D: Host Discussions For The Vampire Community About Jonathon Sharkey & His Actions
• Option E: Engage In Direct Dialogue With Jonathon Sharkey To Express Concerns
• Option F: I Support Jonathon Sharkey & His Actions
• Option G: I Don’t Know Enough About Jonathon Sharkey To Form An Opinion


It is obvious from the results that a world-wide stance against this person should be taken by the vampire community to make sure the mainstream media recognizes that we do not endorse or promote the actions of this man. He is a disgrace and a threat to society’s young women. To read my post from last week about just what all he has done to earn this outcry, click here. And for additional information on the poll conducted by the VNN click here.

I noticed an ad at the bottom of the Texas Frightmare Weekend email newsletter today about a fabulous new limo service called Limo Hearse. This is one service I really wish they offered in Austin, Texas, but unfortunately it’s only out of Dallas/Fort Worth at the moment, though I’m sure for a fee they would drive the 2 and half hours south. Specializing in graduations, proms, over the hill parties, Haunted House transportation Limo Hearse provides a 4-star limo experience with a devious gothic twist. Each hearse is tricked out with a plush interior, mood lighting, DVD player, and a killer (No pun intended) sound system. Pricing and a video tour is available at limohearse.com. Additional photos of the exterior and interior of the limo hearse can be found on their Facebook page (click here).

Last year I read an interesting article in Psychology Today about people who watch so much reality TV that they actually begin to believe that they themselves are staring in their very own reality TV show. As amusing as this sounds, apparently there are quite a few people effected by this modern condition. Well, it seems that the same strange warped sense of reality has trickled down into the realm of the vampire genre. Last week I read about a very unstable Seattle man who dressed in makeup and claiming to be a vampire, strapped bombs to himself and threatened to blow himself up. Luckily, the man was apprehended and is now back on his medication. According to the judge that tried him, he is “doing much better”. Today I visited the Vampire News page, as I do each morning, only to read an article on the Gothamist site about a man who, after attempting to rob a cabbie, bit him repeatedly on the neck. I personally, find this trend quite interesting, and, I will admit, a bit (no pun intended) amusing. Could this be a new psychological phenomena brought on by the mass saturation of media with the vampire genre? I will be curious if we will be seeing more of these attacks in the coming months. Just food for thought… What do you think? Leave a comment below.

I have some very exciting personal publishing news to share with you all today! Recently I signed a contract with Dark Regions Press for a new novella entitled REGRET about a man finding out what it truly means to be a demon after Hell assigns his recently deceased soul the title of “Demon of Regret”. It is dark and twisted in the richly poetic voice I strive to cultivate and my readers have come to expect. I am truly thrilled, not only with my new partnership with Dark Regions Press, but all with the way the story itself is evolving. I believe it is one of the best pieces of literature I’ve written, thus far, and hope you will find it as enjoyable as you will find it disturbing. In addition to the story itself, I will also be creating 4 original full-page illustrations for the interior of the book which will be detailed black and white, pen and ink drawings. For those of you unfamiliar with DRP, they are an award-winning indie press that has been publishing since 1985. They specialize in Horror, Fantasy, and Science Fiction. However they will admit that their favorite niche is Horror. They have published such renowned writers as Bentley Little, Kevin J. Anderson, Michael Arnzen, Elizabeth Massie, Jeffrey Thomas and many others. Dark Regions Press has had many Bram Stoker Award nominations and four award winning short story and poetry collections. For more information visit www.darkregionspress.com. Also, be sure to sign up for their newsletter! This way you will receive the latest release and pre-order information, not only about my new novella REGRET, but also all of their other award-winning authors and their upcoming 2010 titles!


In addition to the fabulous news above, I also have an update about the release of the third ETERNAL VIGILANCE novel, BOUND IN BLOOD! As of yesterday, the multi-talented co-author of DRACULA: THE UN-DEAD, Ian Holt, has generously agreed to contribute a forward to the novel! I am honored deeply by Ian Holt’s gracious offer and can’t wait to see what he crafts about the modern day vampire genre! To read more about Holt and DRACULA: THE UN-DEAD click here. We are still aiming to have the third installment of ETERNAL VIGILANCE released by the end of September. The official book release will take place in New Orleans at the UNDEAD CON & Memnoch: The Resurrection vampire masquerade ball hosted by The Vampire Lestat Fan Club. I made my reservations at the Hotel Monteleone today and will be sure, of course, pass along any and all updates about the New Orleans events as they come my ways, which will all take place over the course of four days and nights during the Halloween weekend!


Thank you to Dark Regions Press & Ian Holt!

I received the below notice from the fabulous Lord J of the Vampire Lestat Fan Club this morning regarding hotel reservations for the upcoming 2010 Memnoch: The Resurrection vampire masquerade ball in New Orleans. Please pass this info along to those who might be interested.


* * *


We are less than two weeks away from the March 31st deadline to reserve rooms at Hotel Monteleone for the Ball and get the ridiculously low early bird discount rate of $119.00 per night for up to two people! (25 bucks extra for each additional head up to four per room) You must reserve your room with a credit card guarantee by calling Hotel Monteleone DIRECTLY and request your rooms using the code UNDEAD CON. We have a large block of rooms and we HAVE to get them rented out…we must get them filled! Please take a moment and reserve yours ASAP. They won’t charge you anything until 72 hours prior to check-in (industry standard) and if you should change your mind you can always call them and cancel. No fuss no muss.


On April 1st the rate goes up by THIRTY bucks a night! Don’t be an April Fool, get in on it now.


To reserve please call Hotel Monteleone during daytime business hours and request to speak to Miss Lopez or another reservations manager and give them the above information. They’ll take it from there. Phone: (504) 523-3341.


http://hotelmonteleone.com/


Thank you in advance for staying where all the other fabulous vampire freaks are staying. We’ll be one big happy undead family!!!


Keepin’ the faith,
Lord ~J

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news today that Sigourney Weaver will be jumping on the vampire bandwagon along with of the rest of the undead fans. It has been confirmed that Weaver will be joining the cast of Amy Heckerling’s horror comedy VAMPS along with actresses Alicia Silverstone and Krysten Ritter.


The legendary actress will be playing “Ciccerus”, the queen vampire responsible for turning Silverstone and Ritter into bloodsucking fiends. If you haven’t heard the news about this new project yet, according to Dread Central the film is a “modern-day tale of two young female vampires living the good life in New York until love enters the picture and each has to make a choice that will jeopardize her immortality”.


Sounds a bit like DRACULA meets THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA? Nothing will surprise me these days, I have to say. Amy Heckerling is the writer & director responsible for the writer-director behind such cult comedies as “Clueless” and “Look Who’s Talking” which definitely gives the film VAMPS promise of a giggle or two. Let’s keep our fingers crossed! I certainly can’t imagine the uber-talented Weaver, who is still floating on the massive success of James Cameron’s AVATAR, would lend her skills to anything less than worthy of her signature.

Oh, will the dirge of remakes ever cease in Hollywood? Why must present day directors feel the need to drive a stake through the hearts of my childhood favorite movies? Why must they mark the territory of another director with their own scent, which we all know will not be as dominant or as long-lasting as the original. Please, do us all a favor and put all of that tremendous creative talent to the use of coming up with something ORIGINAL for a change. But, alas, I know that that will never happen and the hordes of cash-frantic wannabes will continue to mine the past accomplishments of others until there is nothing remaining. My latest project to lament the remake of is FRIGHT NIGHT.


I remember first seeing FRIGHT NIGHT when I was only ten years old. I was enamored with the film instantly and proceeded to watch it repeatedly until my parents were sick of me reciting the lines verbatem. Today I read on Fear of the Dark that this film, yet another of my cherished childhood vampire memories, is to undergo the horrific “remake” process. According to FOTD that director Craig Gillespie has signed on, along with producer Mike De Luca, to recreate Tom Holland’s classic cult movie for modern audiences. The one saving grace at this point, at least in my mind, is that writer Marti Noxon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Mad Men) is reportedly the remake’s script writer. Craig Gillespie’s most notable work as a director, to date, is the film Lars and the Real Girl. He is also a producer on the TV series The United States of Tara. What this says about the fate of the remake is hard to predict at this point. I’m sure Gillespie knows he’s under the gun, though, since the scrutinizing eye of the original fan-base will be watching closely to make sure their beloved FRIGHT NIGHT isn’t butchered.

An ET exclusive first look at the new vampire film Priest starring Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet and Stephen Moyer.

Stephen King, Rafael Albuquerque and Scott Synder will release a new vampire comic book series this week entitled “American Vampire”. According to the official press release on King’s website, the series, published by Vertigo, “will introduce readers to a new breed of vampire-a more muscular and vicious species of vampire with distinctly American characteristics. The series’ first story arc, to be told over the course of five issues, will feature two different stories, one written by Snyder, the other by King.” The overall concept is intriguing, exploring the glamorous facade of the American Jazz Age through the eyes of an ambitious woman who has her sites set on Hollywood stardom. Through speakeasies and dance-halls she searches for her chance to “make it big” only to stumble upon a vampire’s dark secret. Skinner Sweet, the “first American vampire”, according to Stephen King’s tale, is a bank robber and cowboy whose roots hark from the 1880’s. Equipped with startling rattlesnake-like fangs, Skinner gets his power from an unusual source, for a vampire that is: the sun. Following the conclusion of the first story arc, Snyder and Albuquerque trace Skinner’s bloodline through various decades of American history.


Timothy Callahan, a staff writer for the Comic Book Resources website, posted a review of the first issue of “American Vampire” yesterday. His one complaint was “the slightly unwieldy and admittedly minor time-switch captions”, but overall gave “American Vampire” #1 a standing ovation. Especially when it comes to the artwork by Rafael Albuquerque whose previous resume includes the titles “Blue Beetle” and “Superman/Batman”. From “excellent” to “wonderfully nasty” it appears Callahan just can’t get enough of “American Vampire” leading me to definitely add this series to my subscription at Dragon’s Lair Comics here in Austin, TX. To read Callahan’s full review click here.


“American Vampire” debuts in comic book shops on Wednesday, March 17. For more information click here. I will be posting my own review of the comic book series as soon as I can score a copy so be sure to check back soon!

While we knew the third season True Blood was to debut this June, until today we did not have an exact date. Today HBO announced that the first episode of the new year will premiere on June 13th! So, all of you die-hard Trubies, including myself, can finally begin planning their True Blood parties. I’ll be stocking up on Tru Blood soda and TrueBlood wine! It’s going to be a fabulous summer for vampires!

Usually I’m the one being quoted in articles and interviews as proclaiming adamantly that “VAMPIRES DO NOT SPARKLE!”. However, today another blogger decided to voice the identical opinion after witnessing an absolutely hysterical Twi-hard reaction to the new Twilight trailer release posted on YouTube. I’d say it’s definitely worth a read, but if you decide to watch the video posted be forewarned to turn the volume down or you might have your eardrums shattered by the maniacal screeching of the Twi-hard fan. Here is an excerpt from the Caliban’s Revenge blog:

While Rice’s over-blown (and overly verbose) novels turned the subconsciously sexual vampire into the overtly sexual vampire, it would be another 30 years before Mormon author Stephanie Meyer would ruin the genre forever. Twisting the genre into a Mormon parable about sexual abstinence, Meyer’s books (and the subsequent films) in the Twilight series turned vampires into fey creatures who feed off the blood of animals so as not to kill humans, while falling in love with hopelessly romantic teenagers who find the prospect of of superhuman powers and eternal life to be the most romantic thing, ever. And while traditional vampires cannot stand the light of the Sun, often decaying rapidly or even bursting into flame when exposed, Meyer’s vampires merely “sparkle.” Please.

Well put Caliban! Well put. To read the rest of the blog post click here. And, if you’d like to read a series where vampires are not “vegetarians” or terminal high school students might I recommend my series Eternal Vigilance? Just thought I’d squeeze in a shameless self-promo. Can you blame me?

Yesterday, while standing in line to get into one of the many SXSW Film Festival networking parties, I was informed that I HAD to check out the new Tron: Legacy trailer. If you’re a regular reader of this blog you know by now my utter disdain for remakes and sequels in general. However, from what I heard from this very enthusiastic fan, the Tron sequel is expected to be absolutely amazing. I don’t know if I’m looking forward to the sequel with quite that much anticipation, but I definitely plan on seeing the film once it hits theaters…

**UPDATE: The Vampire News Network has posted a poll to gauge what the overall reaction of the vampire community should be towards Sharkey’s actions. To contribute your opinion go to http://www.veritasvosliberabit.com/sharkeypoll.html.


I have to take a moment to step up on my soap-box today after reading a series of articles that, frankly, made my skin crawl. A few weeks ago the sword-wielding gentleman “vampire” who ran for governor in Minnesota in 2006 and the Senate in 2008 finally stepped down only to reappear in Florida where he has now has decided he will enter the presidential race in 2012. According to the the Tampa Bay 10connects.com website, Jonathon “The Impaler” Sharkey claims to be a descendant of Dracula himself, but by all accounts appears to be nothing more than a creepy middle-aged man with a preference for young girls. The 45-year-old has been accused on multiple charges of harassing 16-year-old girls and currently is engaged to a 19-year-old. The Tampa Bay publication also reports that Sharkey was arrested for intimidating a judge in Tennessee a few years ago. Please, media outlets, DO NOT ENCOURAGE this man by “interviewing” him seriously. He is obviously using what little spotlight he is getting from his attempts to enter the political arena only to bed underage women. It’s disgusting! And the fact that he’s calling himself a “vampire” is absolutely outlandish. A leech perhaps, but not a vampire. This is one ridiculously sleazy publicity stunt that reflects horrifically on the vampire community and the vampire genre. He is a disgrace and should be ignored. I am extremely protective of the genre in which I write and such sleazy publicity tactics anger me deeply, as it should not only other members of our community, but the public at large. That’s all I have to say on the matter at this time…