Infernal Ink

The end is here...for Kindle.

2012-02-03T07:49:00.001-05:00

Kindle version of NO ONE MAKES IT OUT ALIVE can be picked up for $0.99; http://www.amazon.com/One-Makes-Out-Alive-ebook/dp/B0074PLVMU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1328273545&sr=8-2

The print edition will soon be on Amazon as well, but in the meantime copies of it can be picked up via the printer for $9.99; http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/no-one-makes-it-out-alive-an-end-of-the-world-anthology/18862589

A PDF version is also up for grabs, from them. It is slightly nicer then the Kindle version, in my opinion, and is $2.99; http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/no-one-makes-it-out-alive-an-end-of-the-world-anthology/18862585

Nook version coming in the next few days.

Infernal Ink Magazine's Paranormal Column

2012-02-02T20:12:00.001-05:00

Infernal Ink Magazine is still looking for true stories of the paranormal or magical. Submission need not be long nor published on the contributor's real name. Contributors should also not feel that they have to offer proof to us or the reader that their experience is true. All we ask is that YOU believe the story you are telling.

Submissions can be sent to; hydra@hydramstar.com

Full submission guidelines can be found here.

The end is here!

2012-02-01T08:15:00.003-05:00

The print edition of NO ONE MAKES IT OUT ALIVE: AN END OF THE WORLD ANTHOLOGY will soon be on Amazon, but in the meantime copies of it can be picked up via the printer for $9.99; http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/no-one-makes-it-out-alive-an-end-of-the-world-anthology/18862589

A PDF version is also up for grabs, from them, at $2.99; http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/no-one-makes-it-out-alive-an-end-of-the-world-anthology/18862585

Kindle and Nook listing and links will be coming in the next few days.

Website Banner

2012-01-26T19:37:00.003-05:00

I won't be using banners on the links page of my website (www.hydramstar.com), but for those who do and wish to link to my site I have created a banner.

I'm a .COM

2012-01-25T23:00:00.001-05:00

That's right! I've FINALLY done it. I've built my own personal website. I thought with the new magazine coming out and the anthology and everything it was time.

www.hydramstar.com

Submission Guidelines for Infernal Ink Magazine

2012-01-24T07:07:00.000-05:00

Fiction and poetry:

We accept all genres of fiction and poetry that fit with our basic theme; extremely dark fiction, pieces with humorous, sexual, or erotic elements. Basically, we will be looking for stories that make the reader cringe and turns them on at the same time, makes them laugh while a voice in the back of their head tells them they are going to Hell for finding such things funny, or just plain freaks them out and disquiets their minds. Evil, this is what we seek, in all its gory, fun, and carnal glory.

Stories and poetry which contain adult content, harsh language, and graphic violence will all be considered for publication, so long as they contain nothing that will get us, the publishers, arrested.

Absolutely, no artwork, photography, or illustrations of any sort.

Stories should be between 500 and 5,000 words. Poems should be at least five lines in length.

No fancy fonts or formatting. We prefer font size and type to be 12pt Times New Roman and submissions to be single spaced, but are not anal about it.

ALL submissions must come via email attachment in either a .rtf or .doc file. Absolutely no PDFs or submissions sent in the text of an email will be accepted.

Multiple submissions are welcome.

Previously published works are welcome. However, it is the obligation of the author to make sure their work is no longer covered under any sort of contract with another publisher that would prevent them from being able to submit it. All contributors are be required to sign a contract with us, via email, which will give us exclusive rights to the work for six months, from the date of publication. During those six months the work in question should not re-published, posted online, submitted, or otherwise made available to readers or the general public.

Contributors of fiction and poetry are asked to include with their submissions a short bio. This should be no more then 100 words.

All submissions should be sent via email to hydra@hydramstar.com

Non-fiction:

For the “Bumps in the Night” column we accept reader contributions in the form of true stories of the paranormal and magic. A person need not be a great writer in order to contribute to this section of the magazine, just have an profound personal story to tell regarding an unexplained or magical event.

In addition, if a reader has a pressing, heartbreaking, or particularly troubling real life problem or situation they need help coping with, our “The Opposite of Helpful” advice column is probably the last place they want to turn. However, for those who wish to make fun of their troubles, and receive some really bad suggestions as to what they should do about them, we are the right people to turn to. No problem or question is too big or too small for our esteemed staff to consider.

Contributors wishing to submit non-fiction articles on any other subjects should query the editor, via email, prior to submission; hydra@hydramstar.com

9sense Interview

2012-01-23T12:38:00.002-05:00

Hear my first ever radio interview in the final segment of the latest episode of the 9sense podcast.

Here.

Announcing the Birth of Infernal Ink Magazine

2012-01-22T19:33:00.002-05:00

I have for the last couple of years been a regular contributor to two different fiction magazines in a non-fiction capacity; Horrotica, where I have my “Belialian Woman” column and discuss sex and other twisted things, and Twisted Dreams, where I have my book review column “Hydra’s Hell”. I dearly love writing for both of these zines, but I have for a time now ached to do something more.

Towards the end of 2011, I took on the task of compiling, editing, and publishing an end of the world themed anthology, No One Makes It Out Alive: an end of the world anthology. This volume will in a matter of days be released upon the world and this for me will be a very proud moment, but again I ache to do more.

So, I talked things over with my co-collaborator for the “Belialian Woman” column, artist Dave Lipscomb, otherwise known as The DaveL, and him and I agreed that it is time that we have our own little home in the ‘indie’ magazine publishing world. With that in mind we will shortly be opening up submissions for the first issue of Infernal Ink Magazine.

Infernal Ink will be a different sort of magazine, in that it will focus on extremely dark fiction, and poetry, of all genres, but favor pieces with erotic, sexual, or humorous aspects. Basically, we will be looking for stories that make the reader cringe and turns them on at the same time, makes them laugh while a voice in the back of their head tells them they are going to Hell for finding such things funny, or just plain freaks them out and disquiets their minds. Evil, this is what we seek, in all its gory, fun, and carnal glory.

In addition to this, we will also be publishing non-fiction columns; “Andrea Rants”, wise and angry words from the mad woman of self-publishing, Andrea Dean van Scoyoc; Dave Lipscomb’s music column where he will discuss great music from new, old, and little known artists of note; “Bumps in the Night”, a contributor based column where we ask the reader to share with us their true stories of the paranormal or brushes with the magical; and finally, “The Opposite of Helpful”, a sardonic advice column where we, the publishers and regular contributors to the magazine, will shell out purposefully bad suggestions of how to handle whatever issues or situations seekers bring to us.

Publication of Infernal Ink will happen upon a bi-yearly schedule; happening twice a year, in April and then again in October. Issues will be made available for purchase in print and as downloads via Kindle, Nook, and in formats compatible with most other electric reading devices. It is our hope that by limiting publication to only twice a year we will be able to bring to the reader a magazine of greater quality then we would be able to were we on tighter deadline per issue, but this schedule is subject to change as time progresses.

I hope that all who are reading this announcement are as excited about this news as I am and that the majority of you will choose, in some way, to accompany us on this new journey. Full guidelines and requirements for the contributor based sections of the magazine will be forthcoming in the next few days, but in the meantime readers and would be contributors are welcome to contact me via private message or email (hydramstar@hotmail.com) for further information. We can also be reached on Facebook via our “fan” page under the name Infernal Ink Magazine. Other links and contact information will be made available at a later date.

Sincerely,

Hydra M. Star

Lips Touch Three Times Book Box

2012-01-06T14:36:00.006-05:00

Front

Full View

Spine

This box is a custom job I did for a friend's daughter. Book box cover is my recreated take on the cover of the actual book by the same title.

Cover and Contributors Unveiled: "No One Makes It Out Alive: an end of the world anthology"

2012-01-05T06:49:00.006-05:00

As of today, submissions are closed for "No One Makes It Out Alive: an end of the world anthology". I'd like to thank all the writers who submitted work and expressed interest in this project, but mostly I'd like, today, to unveil the cover for the anthology.

Cover art by Dave Lipscomb. Most of you will know him and his work from the column him and I work on together, the Belialian Woman, for Horrotica Magazine. This is but one of the first joint projects Dave and I have planned for release in 2012.

I naturally am the editor of the anthology. That means I'll be spending the next few weeks polishing the works of my contributors, compiling, and formatting the collection for release. I will, also, be contributing a short story of my own to the collection, "Grandmother’s Necklace".

Contributors will also include:

Garth von Buchholz, who's non-fiction piece regarding our cultural need for end of the world stories, "It's the End of the World as We Know it", will serve as the anthology's forward.

Andrea Dean van Scoyoc, who offers us two glimpses into how she sees the world ending with "The Harbinger", the thoughts of an agent of the apocalypse upon its even, and "Finally Famous", a world ending zombie story.

Joseph DeRepentigny, in his usually fashion, tells us a quirky tale of a man on mission for entertainment while the undead put an end to civilization in "Canned Corn".

Josephine Seven, with her erotic short "Theai Arkhaiai" resurrects some ancient gods just in time to end it all.

Ken Knight, gives us two stories about the world ending. One, "No Love on Doomsday", is a throw back of sorts to the good old days of the cold war and the other, "Manny Monroe and the Motel Girl", finds the world in the grips of a pandemic.

Magan Rodriguez, gives voice to the cries of the disabled and the forgotten as the world ends in her story "Critical Mass".

Tibbie X, touches on the subject of suicide and giving up on the world in her short, "Spite".

And last, but certainly far from least, W. Freedreamer Tinkanesh took hir first stab at writing about the end of the world with hir duly titled story "The End of the World", but also gives us a unique take on how the world of the dinosaurs ended in the short "The Truth About Dinosaurs, and Dragons".

2011: Year In Review

2011-12-30T12:33:00.001-05:00

In no particular order.

I wrote the first full year’s worth of the Belialian Woman column for Horrotica Magazine, in which I covered such topics as alien abduction, fetish mask wearing, mermaids, the history of Walpurgisnacht, and other scary and sexual things. Each installment of the column was, of course, accompanied by the skillful and often illicit illustrations of my artistic collaborator, Dave Lipscomb. You can expect to see more joint projects from us in 2012.

I became the unofficial-official book reviewer for Twisted Dreams Magazine. A total of nine book reviews I wrote appeared in this year’s issues of Twisted Dreams.

I was interviewed for the first time, in print, for the October issue of Twisted Dreams. That was fun.

I started an online shop selling my pyrographic (wood-burnt) creations and in a couple of months have sold twelve items, including two custom pieces.

I had my works appear in the Gothic Creative Association’s anthology, “Eclectica: The World of Shadows”.

I wrote an essay on my experiences with Body Dysmorphic Disorder and how Satanism has helped me to over come this condition, which was published along with similar essays from other Satanic women in the book “Lilith Awakened”.

I announced the open call for submission to the first anthology I myself with be editing, “No One Makes It Out Alive: an end of the world anthology”, which I have mostly filled at this time and expect to be published early next year.

Not a bad year, all told.

Lilith Awakened

2011-12-23T15:50:00.003-05:00

I announced sometime ago that I'd written an essay regarding Body Dysmorphic Disorder and how "The Satanic Witch" by Anton LaVey helped me to deal with this condition in my own life and find confidence in my appearance and sexuality. Today, the book containing that essay has been released.

Edited by Ann Oxyer and with a forward by Josephine Seven and contributors that include myself, Cbks, Danielle Sainte-Marie, and Gail Fritz; "Lilith Awakened" is a collection of essays from Satanic women who have individually dealt with a multitude of dark and traumatic situations. All profits from this book go to The National Violence Against Women Prevention Research Center.

Click on cover to purchase.

Call for Submissions: End of the World Anthology

2011-11-07T15:04:00.002-05:00

Theme

I’m looking for end of the world fiction and short non-fiction articles on the same subject.

Guidelines

Any story or article that incorporates the basic theme “end of the world”, regardless of genre, will be considered, with the exception of “Christian Literature”. Christian elements in a story or article are welcome, but if your goal in writing is to win souls for the “Lord” or you’ve written something in the same vein as the “Left Behind” series do not send it to me for consideration. I will not publish it, period.

Adult content, harsh language, graphic violence are all accepted. I won’t say “anything goes”, but anything that won’t get me arrested as the publisher I will at least be consider.

Please, include a short 150 word or less author bio with all submissions. Do not include any links to web pages or URLs in your bio. They will be removed. You may include your email address to which readers can send you send you mail, if you wish. Otherwise, most readers have Google and know how to use it, if they wish to find you online.

Submissions, both fiction and non-fiction, should be between 500-5,000 words. There is some “wiggle room” with this, but please do try to stay within this limit.

No poetry, except for long epic poems that tell a story. Word count same as for stories and articles.

Absolutely, no graphics, artwork, photography, or illustrations. The inside of the anthology will be text only to make e-book publication easier and as uniform across formats as possible.

No fancy fonts or formatting. Both submissions and bio should be set in 12pt Times New Roman font, single spaced, and submitted as separate attachments in either a rtf. or doc. file.

Please, edit and proof-read your own work to the best of your abilities. Submissions do not have to be perfect, but submissions with multiple and obvious spelling or grammar errors will be rejected.

Previously published works are welcome. However, it is your obligation to make sure your work is no longer covered under any sort of contract with another publisher that would prevent you from being able to submit it. You will also be required to sign a contract with me, via email, which will give me exclusive rights to the work for one year, from the date of publication. During that year you should not publish, post online, submit, or otherwise make the work available to readers or the public except as part of this anthology.

Multiple submissions are welcome.

All submissions must be sent to hydramstar@hotmail.com

Further Details

I plan to make this anthology available through every bookseller’s website and storefront and in every format I have access to as a “indie publisher” and can comfortably work with. This includes but is not limited to; Lulu paperback, an Amazon listing for said paperback, Lulu PDF, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Nobles Nook, and possibly Smashwords. If you find these outlets unacceptable, for any reason, do not submit your work.

The purpose of this anthology is to get exposure, for myself and for those who’s work I publish. I will be making this anthology available for the lowest price possible, while still making it available in as many formats and online storefronts as possible. For this reason, I will not be able to offer any monetary payment for submissions. If you find this unacceptable, for any reason, do not submit your work.

As stated above, contributors will be required to sign a contract, via email, agreeing to give me exclusive rights to their work for one year, from publication date. However, the actual run on the anthology is at my discretion and may last for much longer then a year, but after the first year contributors are allowed to submit their work as a reprint elsewhere or do whatever else they might wish with their submission. If you find this agreement to be unacceptable, for any reason, do not submit your work.

Disclaimers

I will do my best to reply to submissions in a timely manner, but it should not be expected that this anthology will come together quickly or be released onto the market in a hurried manner. I intend to take my time with this anthology and plan for it to be released sometime in early 2012. If at any point it is realized that the anthology will not go ahead as planned, contributors will be contacted and released from their contracts.

The idea for this anthology was born out of my involvement in The Gothic Creative Association, an online group for writers, but this is my project and acceptance or rejection of anyone’s work is solely at my discretion. Membership in the GCA does not guarantee acceptance, nor is it required. I will be making a public call for submissions in various places outside the group. So, complaining to or questioning Andrea Dean van Scoyoc, the founder of the GCA, about the guidelines or any other aspects of this anthology will likely fall on deaf ears, but if at anytime, prior to publication, she asks for the association between this anthology and the GCA to be severed such a request from HER will be honored.

Thank you and I look forward to reading your submissions.

Submissions are open until January 5, 2012.

Hydra M. Star

hydramstar@hotmail.com

I'm Now on deviantART

2011-11-06T14:06:00.001-05:00

In addition to The Burning Star Blog I have also created a profile deviantART to showcase some of my work.

You may find it here.

This site also allows for the selling of prints. The prints in question being the product shots of my various creations. I'm not sure why or if anyone would want a print of these shots, but they're up for grabs.

New Bog

2011-11-05T17:11:00.002-04:00

I've created a blog exclusively to showcase and discuss my wood-burning.

Come follow me there as well?

The Burning Star Blog

Happy Halloween, From A Very Busy Witch!

2011-10-31T06:59:00.000-04:00

When we at Horrotica say we're going to have a Halloween issue, we don't lie. The new issue of Horrotica Magazine is live. This month's Belialian Woman (my column) is all about Baphomet and, as always, features the artwork of Dave Lipscomb and a glimpse of me from an angle few of you have seen before... don't say you weren't warned.

Horrotica Magazine

My first ever print interview is still available in this month's issue of Twisted Dreams Magazine.

Twisted Dreams Magazine

Also, today, several of my first Burning Star items on eBay are ending. If you're a fan of my wood-burning here is your chance to get some of these things cheap.

eBay Listings

It has been a full and fulfilling holiday season for me and I hope this blog finds well all of my friends and "fan". It's still seems kind of odd to me that I should have fans. I will be spending the day in ritual and working on my short story collection, both ritual and writing are a sort of therapy for me and I still have much to work through. So, expect to hear more from me in the year to come.

Happy Halloween!

The Burning Star Has Moved

2011-10-26T07:09:00.000-04:00

After struggling to "work" the Esty system, I have opted to move my wood-burnt items from my shop there to eBay. There won't be as much of an opportunity to network with other crafts people and artists, the shop won't be as personalized as it was on Esty, and the fees are higher, but eBay has proven to be a superior place to make sales and get my items noticed. So, with that in mind, I have once again begun to devote a little time each day to wood-burning.

This is an item I did the burning work on last night and will stain later this morning:

When it is complete it will be listed as a bid only item along side my other creations, here.

2011-09-21T16:01:00.004-04:00

Eclectica, the Halloween anthology of which I am apart, is live. The book contains one short flash fiction story from me and several poems. The link below (click on book cover) is for the physical (paperback) edition. There is a coupon code this month for 15% on anything purchased through Lulu (OKTOBERFEST305), for those who want a physical copy. If an e-version (PDF) is more to your liking I and the other authors are selling those directly, ourselves. The price I've set for the PFD is $1.98. Contact or Paypal me at hydramstar@hotmail.com if interested.

My First Interview

2011-09-20T11:19:00.000-04:00

The October issue of Twisted Dreams Magazine has been released early. This issue besides featuring my book reviews also feature my first ever print interview; very exciting and fun for me.

There is also a 15% coupon this month on all purchase through Lulu: OKTOBERFEST305

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/twisted-dreams-magazine---the-magazine-for-those-whose-blood-runs-a-darker-shade-of-red/16796749

Eclectica: The World Of Shadows

2011-09-01T09:12:00.003-04:00

Last night, I got my contributor copy of "Eclectica: The World Of Shadows" the Halloween anthology due out this October. This anthology is the product of The Gothic Creatives Association, a recently formed group for indie authors of which I am a part, and contains from me a piece of flash fiction and several of my poems.

This anthology is scheduled to be released October 1st, in print and PDF formats. It is likely that PDFs will be able to be purchased directly from me as this is an "indie" project and the publisher is allowing for this... More detail coming soon regarding purchase and publication.

August's Belialian Woman

2011-08-27T14:40:00.003-04:00

After some delay this month's issue of Horrotica Magazine and my column, the Belialian Woman, are live.

Please be advised that there are on going updating issue with Firefox. The new issue might not load right away in this browser; www.horrotica.com

Belial Key Chain and a Earthquake, Oh My!

2011-08-23T17:43:00.003-04:00

I feel my first earthquake and receive my Belial seal key chain from The Cloven Hoof on the same day, coincidence?

I think not!

I've Been Cursed!

2011-08-09T06:46:00.005-04:00

That's right folks, I have had a curse placed upon my head. Why? Because I said, NO, to someone who thought he had a right to my money and my time. This person has thought for the last couple of years it was okay to toy with my emotions, string me along, make promises that went without even an effort of being kept, not return my phone calls, go for MONTHS without speaking to me, but whenever he decided he needed me I was suppose to drop everything, forget and forgive everything, and do or give whatever was asked of me and I'm not proud to say it but for awhile I allowed him to do these things.

He caught me at a bad time in my life. I was desperate for any taste of happiness. I put myself in the position to be used and abused by someone like him. I accept the responsibility for walking into his "trap" and for putting up with it for as long as I did. I accept the responsibility for the situation that made me feel so low to begin with. I am doing what I can now to change and fix things... That's what real Satanists do.

I will no longer be anyone's doormat. I don't care how much they tell me they love me while they are wiping their feet on me. If that means people want to curse me, because I don't allow them to treat me however they like, then so be it.

Twisted Dreams Interview

2011-08-03T10:39:00.004-04:00

Yours truly was interviewed for Twisted Dreams Magazine's October issue. As part of their sneak peek for the issue that interview is now up on their blog.

http://twisteddreamsmagazine.blogspot.com/2011/08/as-promiseda-sneak-peek-at-octobers.html?zx=b91905c011581bbf

Print and digital version of the magazine will be available for purchase in early October.

Latest Belialian Woman

2011-06-09T20:47:00.001-04:00

The new issue of Horrotica Magazine is live and featuring, as always, my column the Belialian Woman. This month not only does the sexy Dave Lipscomb join me, by way of his art for the column, but an interview with him appears in the magazine as well. To know the DaveL is to love the DaveL... I think I've embarrassed him enough, now go read the magazine.

www.horrotica.com

June Issue of Twisted Derams Magazine

2011-05-26T22:26:00.004-04:00

The June issue of Twisted Dreams Magazine is available and 25% off with the coupon code CYBERMAY305.

This time around I reviewed “Shades of Green” by Ian Woodhead, “The Clearing” by Elaine C. Markowicz, and “Another Man’s Wife Plus 3 Other Tales” by David Bernstein.

Link to purchase, http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/twisted-dreams-magazine---the-magazine-for-those-whose-blood-runs-a-darker-shade-of-red/15695637

Marduk Box

2011-05-19T18:39:00.006-04:00

Another new item listed in my Etsy shop. This one might very well be my favorite of my creations to date.

Marduk Box

Listed here.

The Burning Star is Open for Business

2011-05-14T21:24:00.007-04:00

I have, finally, after many years of debating with myself opened an online shop selling my wood-burnt creations; The Burning Star

This weekend up for sale are:

The Green Fairy Absinthe Box

Dried Bat's Blood Box

More will be coming VERY soon.

Belialian Print

2011-04-23T16:50:00.006-04:00

No it's not an obsession... Well, maybe.

Continuing with my collecting of all things Belial this is a print of the Belialian seal re-designed and rendered by artist Aloysius von Sakai. More of Aloysius' work can be found and purchased through his online shop the Cloven Hoof Boutique (http://www.etsy.com/shop/theclovenhoof).

And fittingly enough the frame I purchased for it came with a picture of keys as the "included art".

Hail Belail!

Hail Aloysius!

Belialian Woman - Walpurgisnacht Edition

2011-04-12T16:33:00.002-04:00

The April issue of Horrotica Magazine is live and featuring the Walpurgisnacht edition of my Belialian Woman column. Which as always is accompanied by the artwork of Dave Lipscomb (The DaveL)... and I swear the main witch having dreadlocks and a nice round ass is a total coincidence. ;)

Horrotica Magazine

Another New Tattoo: Baring the DaveL's Mark

2011-02-26T18:59:00.005-05:00

UPDATE: Wow! It is nearly a year later and this post is still getting lots of views. Well, if you like this joint "project" of the DaveL and I, you should check out the announcement of our newest project. It's sure to be even more appealing; Announcing the Birth of Infernal Ink Magazine.

My good friend, and co-conspirator in my Belialian Woman column, the DaveL (Dave Lipscomb)recently design for me my dream Baphomet tattoo. This is what he created for me....

I am truly blessed to have such gifted friends as I do.

And here is the resulting tattoo, just inked today and still a little red and puffy...

Hail Baphomet!

Hail the DaveL!

New tattoos: I'm the Satanic Stigmata!

2011-02-20T17:17:00.003-05:00

Today this blog earns its name.

I didn't get everything done last night, tattoo wise, that I'd wanted to get done, but I've gotten most of the small stuff out of the way. Next weekend we finish up the small stuff and start on the first of the bigger projects; the Baphomet piece that is to go on my outer left thin.

For those who don't know, the symbol on my left wrist is for Belial and the right one is for Azazel... that combo shouldn't shock anyone who knows me.

New Belialian Woman/New Horrotica

2011-02-10T15:46:00.000-05:00

The new issue of Horrotica Magazine is live. It contains the latest installment of my Belialian Woman column, with contributing artwork from the twisted Dave Lipscomb. This issue all features content from artist Brian Smuin, writer Andrea Dean Van Scoyoc, the poet Cannibal Rose, and much more.

Click here to read the magazine.

Twisted Dreams: New Home for My Book Reviews

2011-02-02T22:33:00.003-05:00

Some of you might have noticed there haven't been any book reviews posted here in quite awhile. Well, I haven't stopped writing them and I haven't stopped reading. I have instead found a new home for my reviews.

Twisted Dreams Magazine, ran and owned by the wonderful Andrea Dean van Scoyoc, is my book reviews new home; http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/twisted-dreams-magazine---the-magazine-for-those-whose-blood-runs-a-darker-shade-of-red/14679654

In this latest issue, I review Anthony Anderson's first novel, "The Vile, Sinister, and Most Utterly Diabolical Account of Latrina Emerson" and L.L. Soares & Laura Cooney's short story collection, "In Sickness: Stories from a Very Dark Place".

I hope all who have enjoyed my reviews in the past will visit the link above and pick up a copy of Twisted Dreams, it contains many other wonderful things besides just my reviews, and I'm very excited to be reaching a new audience of readers.

Preditors & Editors Reader's Awards

2011-01-10T21:12:00.002-05:00

Horrotica Magazine, the home of my Belialian Woman column, and Horrotica's editor Terry D. Scheerer have both been nominated for separate Preditors & Editors Reader's awards... I'm just so very proud of Terry and everyone else associated with the zine. I can't stop smiling.

Voting is open to the public; click here, make your pick, and follow the emailed instructions to make your vote count.

XLVI

2011-01-01T01:43:00.000-05:00

Happy XLVI to all my Satanic friends and allies! And a Happy 2011 to my non-Satanic friends and allies! I value and thank you all for making 2010 a very interesting and productive year and look forward to the this new year with great expectations.

Knotted Up, Again

2010-12-24T20:55:00.007-05:00

After months of debating with myself about undertaking the whole project of dreading all over again, last weekend I gave into my desires, got the comb and the wax, and went to town on my head.

I'm much happier this time with the results. My hair was a lot shorter this time. Last time it was long enough for me to sit on prior to being knotted. I got all the dreads roughly the same size this time; no really thick ones this time around.

Anyone interested in the history of deadlocks or the method I used can travel down memory lane and read the older blog I wrote back a few years ago when I put in my first set of dreads; here.

Before

Okay, so the above picture is a few months old, but is shows my hair in its natural state... in other words, not straightened.

Right After

They look a little "poppy" and I look a little tired... about five hours it took me to do my whole head, from start to finish.

After A Week

They are laying down and being good now.

And With Reading Glasses

Satan's librarian I've been told I look like... Well, Hail Satan! Hail My Dreads!

The Illusion of Caring

2010-12-16T08:19:00.004-05:00

A thread on my Facebook page from last night, which I've since deleted, has got me thinking about something this morning. All the details and context of what was said aren't important, but a comment was made by someone that in part stated something to the effect of his being a "supporter" of mine. I'm unsure if he meant this in general or just as it pertained to the topic being addressed in the thread, but that too doesn't matter here. He felt that I should feel he was a supporter of mine, because he was on my friends list and had posted a handful of friendly words on a status update of mine. I didn't and I still don't. Here's why...

I know people who have blogs and/or websites devoted to everything from cooking to child abuse. I myself have this blog and a character blog I do and so I know a bit about how these things work. These bloggers are, if the site they are using is any good, given stats on the amount of page views they've had during any given period of time and in many cases the number of other users who subscribe to their page. These stats are useful at times in determining which posts and kinds of posts are gaining the most interest. For example, the most popular post I've made on this blog, to date, had been the blog about the history of dreadlocks. My "review" of the book Twilight was also very popular.

To make this more so that perhaps those who don't blog, but are active in other ways on the internet, can relate; websites like Facebook (where the idea for this blog post was born) let users add "friends" and post notes, status updates, and comments back and forth. Again, users are given stats on how many friends they have and the number of "likes" or comments any given post they make receives. These numbers too can at times be somewhat insightful. You can figure out pretty quickly what sorts of posts or shared links get the most replies and from which "friends" and also which "friends" share similar interests. I've had status updates and links I've posted get comments that number in the triple digits. This is a VERY long thread on such a site, but not entirely uncommon. Other things I have posted have been re-posted by several "friends" and no doubt driven more traffic to my page and/or other websites I'm a part of. This too is not uncommon. I have also posted things that have gotten little or not replies or "likes". This is not uncommon either.

But what does all of this mean...?

Well, I can tell you what it doesn't mean. It doesn't mean that those reading, commenting on, or otherwise viewing/listening to things I post give a pig's fart about me or even my writing.

Of course it doesn't mean that these people don't care either. Some of them no doubt do. I have been very lucky to find a few really good people via the web who I count as friends (without quotation marks). So, I know that there are good and "caring" people out there who still understand what it means to network, but the truth is most people on the Internet like to hear/read themselves talk. They like to give their opinions about things or comment on events or happenings. I'm doing it right now and it is perfectly okay that people are this way. Just know the difference between when you or someone else is just bullshitting around on the web and when there is real care, concern, or interest behind what's being typed.

Thanks for all the support.

What I’m Reading “The Primitive Witch’s Handbook: The Essential Guide for the Primitive/Country Witch in a Modern World” by Andrea Dean Van Scoyoc

2010-12-15T19:47:00.003-05:00

I want to start this review by saying, while I don’t go for all the “magical products” which fill the shelves of magical shops and my way of life is very “simple” at times, I don’t own a cell-phone nor do I have cable television, I consider myself a “modern/city witch”. I’d rather stay inside, fix myself a nice cup of coffee, and read a good book then go “gathering”, and really me looking like I do, with dyed black hair and three nose rings, wondering around the local park carrying a basket and a hatchet sounds like a good way to make the local news and get myself a police record, not make my life simpler or relax. I’m also very vain. If anyone tried to take away my store bought, and in some cases not so cheap, make-up I’d probably commit a heinous act upon their person. In short, I don’t have any desire whatsoever to live off the land, though I could if I had to, and unless it is by circumstances completely outside of my control I will never again live in the country... ever.

So, maybe this books isn’t for me...

With that said, I found many of the recipes and suggestions contained in this book to be interesting and helpful money saving ideas. The only major draw back is that a good number of the recipes for re-batching soup, making shampoo, etc. call for the use of or suggests a certain bar of soup that is the authoress’s favorite and a product she admits is hard to find and can be expensive. This makes using any of these recipes as any thing other then an occasional replace for store bought shampoo, liquid soap, etc. a little impractical, but still they are useful as an idea of what to do with left over soap. It also seems to me that while most of this book’s remedies are money savers the better ones aren’t time savers. You better have a lot of time to devote to your beauty regiment if you plan to use these tips and trick on a regular bases, but if you’re looking for ideas for an occasional treat for yourself this book is full of them. The exception to this are some of the relaxing bath ideas. These are simple enough to be used practically every day.

Finally, I would suggest if you have color treated hair, as I do, or naturally dark or very light hair that you do your own research into how some of the ingredients suggested for use in the shampoo and hair care section will effect your hair’s color. I cannot stress this enough. Tea and coffee are known to stain and anything with citrus in it has the potential to bleach out or lighten hair.

If you’re reading this wondering what any of that has to do with magic or being a witch and are wanting to read detailed instructions for spells or what all the magical properties are for every herb ever known to man this isn’t the book for you. It isn’t even until around page eighty that anything about ritual magic is even mentioned and even then much of the “details” are left up to you to work out for yourself, as it should be.

And with that said, I do wish there had been a little more detail in some sections of this book. In some places I felt like we were just being given the Cliff Notes on how or rather what certain herbs could be used for. I know the point is for us, the readers, to test things out for ourselves, but stating simply that thus and so has many medical uses just doesn’t tell me enough. I also wish there had been a little more information on how to find some of the items mentioned for those who might take the time to go out “gathering”, perhaps even some pictures or drawing of what certain plants mentioned look like. But all that aside it is a very interesting book and did cause me to stop and think about the way in which I do some things. I don’t think this book will have a huge impact on my life, I don’t think that was the point, but I’m glad I took the time to read it.

Our Backwards Facing House

2010-12-10T09:57:00.005-05:00

I searched and searched through my old family photo albums for an outside shot of the house I grew up in, but could not find one that did it justice. My parents when building this, their first, and only, new house together chose a modest three bedroom layout with large rooms and a fireplace in the living room. It was an unimaginative but lovely design of a house. My parents chose a rather light brick for the exterior and for the inside a deep brown carpet and some of the ugliest wallpaper I believe I have ever seen. It, unlike the carpet, was different for each room of the house. The two bathrooms, the master bath and the one that would be "my bathroom", were fitted with tubs and toilets in lite blue for guest bath and yellow for their room.

I remember move in day very well. I was seven or eight and didn't right way notice what the other adults in the family and our small neighborhood were noticing about our house. I was just happy to have such a large bedroom and brand new bedroom suit.

My parent's, for reasons still unknown to me, had when contracting the building of the house asked the builder to "flip" the floor plan. They wanted the back to the front and the front to be the back. This meant the large window in the living room, the large window in the dinning room, the fancy chimney, the long set of stairs leading up to what should have been the front door, and everything else that gave the outside of the house character faced out over the backyard and the farmland/forest that was behind that. The "front" of the house displayed two plain windows that belonged one each to my room and the guest room, the small kitchen window that was designed especially to allow someone standing at the sink a quick glance outside, and what should have been the back porch. All together an ugly sight.

My mother, who unlike me loves Christmas, discovered the "problem" the first December after we'd moved in, when there was no window by which to set the heavily decorated tree that could be seen from any angle but from one gained by standing in the middle of our backyard. My father later became annoyed when every time we had people over for cookouts they would, upon entering the backyard, remark at out lovely our house was. No one, but the closest of friends and ass kissers ever said this about the "front" of the house. He soon stopped having cookouts. I however, who spent a lot of time in the backyard with my dogs, loved it. Had my parents built the house the "right way" I would have had to look at the boring side of the house while I played. So, I was ultimately the only one who was happy with the "flipped" design.

I will also mention that they had a horrible time selling the house when finally my mother and I moved out, years after their divorce. I'm not sure if was due to location, we lived in the middle of nowhere, or the ass backwards floor plan. Looking back on this house, however, I see it as sort of representative of my family, my up bringing, and myself in a way.

My parents, like me, had their own way of doing things and didn't seem to care too much about being "normal". Well, that was at least the case for the both of them until my father started moving up in his career and "found Jesus". Now, he worries about what everyone thinks of him and wants everything and everyone in his life to be normal and "respectable". Both I and the backwards facing house are a source of shame for him; something he help to create that doesn't quite fit in. My mother on the other hand still doesn't care what anyone thinks of her, which is about the only thing I can respect about her, and also still likes to put up big Christmas displays all the neighbors can see.

For me, the backwards facing house is just another fond memory of how my childhood truly was odd... and like the house I too look pretty good from behind.

First Belialian Woman

2010-12-08T17:48:00.002-05:00

I did not announce it here on my blog prior, but I was asked sometime ago to write a column for Horrotica Magazine, the Belialian Woman.

The first installment of the Belialian Woman, containing quotes from the lovely Marilyn Mansfield and the art of the DaveL himself, Dave Lipscomb, is now live in the Horrotica website (www.horrotica.com).

Please note: If you have problems getting the new issue to load in your browser, the cover image displayed beside the list of content featured should be that of a woman with a snake, try refreshing the page.

Lilith's Grandparents

2010-12-06T10:51:00.002-05:00

I was reminded today while reading over someone else's blog, it doesn't matter who's, that Lilith, my daughter, in effect has no grandparents. Or at least she doesn't have any she has ever met. Her father's father died before she was born and his mother has been missing in action since he was around seven or eight years old. My step-father use to come around a lot when she was a baby, but he too died a few years go. My father and I have never had a very good relationship and he's never come around her at all, though he has been invited to. I doubt he shall ever met her as I have given up on encouraging him to visit and refuse to beg him to be a part of either of our lives. My mother could be a blog entry in and of herself and is a person who were we not related I would never in a million years even think about considering allow Lilith to spend time with. Before my aunt passed, when Lilith was two, she brought my mother up for a short supervised visit, but Lilith doesn't remember that.

I don't know why I'm writing all this down now. I guess, I don't really have a purpose except to express how it does all make me feel rather sad for Lilith. My own grandparents, for good or ill, were a huge influence on me growing up. I wonder if not having grandparents will be an influence on her.

Writers' Groups and Why I Don't Bother

2010-11-30T20:28:00.004-05:00

Today, I deleted my Myspace page (technically it is still there until someone on their support team fulfills my request that it be deleted, but I deleted my entire friends list and set the now blank profile to private) and it got me to thinking about something.

When I first signed up for Myspace, back in 2005, I joined every writers group on that site that would have me and few that it later turned out wouldn't. I even came to head up the largest horror writers' group on the site and owned a less then popular one geared towards Satanic writers, but as of today I am not active in any writers' group or forum. I have sought out membership in no club or writers' critique trading circle. I am still quite open to meeting and chatting with other writers when and wherever I meet them, but I have no interest in such groups.

Why? Well, I can tell you for sure it's not because I think I know it all. It certainly isn't because I feel my writing is above reproach. It isn't. I know my stuff is good, but I am also know I still have much to learn. I have just see very little continued opportunity to learn anything of value from writers' groups. Most of the posts and conversations are little more then a rehashing of the same ideas that have been posted and discussed a hundred or more times before... and then there are the personalities and the arguments.

You ever want to start an all out war on a writers' forum, mention self-publishing. Do this and you will have people lining up to tell you what a bad idea it is and how it will ruin your career. While telling you this some of them will recount to you how they themselves self-published their first book and how they are now with a traditional publishing company; they are the exception that proves the rule. Press the issue further and they'll tell you their publisher picked up their book after reading it in its self-published version, but don't dare tell them that they then have self-publishing to thank for them getting where they are now. Say this and they will brand you a know-nothing or tar, feather you, and run you off the board... which leads me to the personality problem.

It seems to me the majority of people who spend the most time posting on writers' forums fall into one of three groups. Group one are the folks who have never met a story or poem they didn't like. They will sometimes give helpful tips concerning grammar or spelling errors, but mostly they post in praise of any group of words strung together that someone happens to post. Group two hates everything that has ever been printed or posted. They don't normally offer anything that even hints at being constructive in there critiques and more often then not are as rude as it is humanly possible to be without breaking any terms of use agreements said forums might have. Then there is group three. Group three is the reason writers' groups are so popular and why there are so damn many of them. Group three is a bit of both group one and two rolled into one. On every major writers forum I have ever been on or visited there as been a "click", a group of people who always praise one another and spit venom at anyone who dares to have an opinion outside of that of the click. Usually these clicks gather around whomever happens to be top dog in said group and echo repeatedly anything he or she might have said on the subject of writing or publishing. If this description of things is starting to remind you of your high school days you are starting to get it and have probably figured out the answer as to why I'm no longer interested in writers' groups.

Also, the way I see it is this. Writers group are populated by writers. If I want to reach readers, which should be my ultimate goal, then I need to go to sites populated by readers, my target audience, or the general public and that is exactly what I plan to do and have been doing for sometime now. So, no more writers' groups for me. No, sir.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-25T22:36:00.007-05:00

I prepared a very non-traditional meal of roasted beef with gravy, steamed veggies, and brown rice and had an early lunch with Lilith; just me and Lilith and it was really nice.

Then I took a nap with my two cats in the late afternoon. This is a rare treat seeing as how Venus never naps with me.

I woke-up sometime ago and am now doing some reading for school.

I suppose I should uphold some sort of tradition and say what it is that I am thankful for: I am thankful to Lilith, of course. She brought home another honor roll report card just before the holiday and I am thankful she is doing so well in school. I am thankful that I am also doing very well in school. I am thankful for my two hateful cats, who normally won't let me sleep, but who I love to death. I am thankful for my amazingly talented and supportive friends. Andrea, Dave, and Natalie you guys have kept me sane in this craziest of crazy and stupidity filled world. Terry and Anthony you have challenged, inspired, and given me a chance to do things with writing/editing that will no doubt make me a better writer. Nicole, girl at times you are completely bat shit crazy, but there is something comforting about having a friend who's ready to go up against one of the Crown Princes of Hell to defend my honor (she'll understand what I mean)... And Samerial, what can I say about you, you are without a doubt one of the reasons I need Andrea, Dave, and Natalie around to help keep me sane, but you also have inspired me to do and be better and force me to stay "real" and I love you for it.

Well, that's my list of things I'm thankful for. If I forgot anything or anyone I'm sorry. I'll get you next time.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Prince Belial and Me

2010-11-13T22:37:00.003-05:00

This is me with the painting by G. Edwin Taylor, "Belial, Lord Of The Earth (Halloween Painting #28)" I purchased this past Halloween.

Ardyh, The Purple Succubus.

2010-10-30T21:15:00.003-04:00

Happy Halloween!

What I'm Reading: "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer

2010-10-12T22:20:00.005-04:00

When I write these little reviews of mine I try as best I can to be fair, honest, and above all balanced. I know the time, energy, and mental strain that goes into writing, even bad writing, and I don't like to "bash" anyone's work without highlighting areas where they did well. Stephenie Meyer's Twilight is going to be the book that causes me to breaks that rule.

First, let's get a few things out of the way that are often brought up when this book or the movie that came of it is mentioned.

The "vegetarian vampire" mantle so many others have made so much of is a joke among the Cullen family. It's not meant to be serious.

Bella is seventeen, not a small child, in fact in some states this is of the legal age of consent. So, there will be no talk of Edward being a child molester in this review.

"Vampire's don't sparkle!" If this is your biggest problem with this book you obviously haven't read it. Also, Meyer's is far from the first writer to depart from traditional vampire folklore. My only grip really is with the lack of explanation for why Meyer's vampires sparkle.

And so ends my "defense" of this book... Now, let's get on to the meat of the matter.

This book is written entirely in the first person, from the point of view of Bella. This is an "interesting" choice to say the least. Every writer, editor, and publisher worth their salt knows how hard pulling off first person is, even for truly great writers. The idea that Ms. Meyer's thought she was up to such a task, after having read this book, is laughable. There is no depth to any of the supporting characters, including Edward, and Bella's character is only slightly better developed. This is a big problem, because this book tries to be an action novel on top of a romance and when things went bad and it looked like some folks might die I couldn't have cared less.

I also found the fact that Bella's brain disorder went completely unaddressed a little off putting, because some sort of brain or memory disorder is the only logical way I could find to explain how she could have spent every Summer from birth to the age of thirteen in Forks and yet not readily remember one living soul or landmark in the the whole town. All she seemed to remember was her dad and his house, which she remembered in great detail along with much of the back story of her parents' marriage. It's only when she happens upon little Jacob Black on the beach (I'll come back to why I'm calling him little in a bit) that she finally remembers someone, his two sisters. Everything and everyone else are a blur.

Then there is the Cullen family. There's something creepy about a group of 100 year old vampires pretending to be high school students, but when said 100 year old vampires pose as a family, cousins to be exact, and then proceed to openly "date" one another the creepiness crosses over to icky. But it's okay, because they tell everyone they are adopted and so it's not like they are screwing a blood relation just someone they were raised with as a brother/sister... Did Woody Allen aid Meyer in creating the back story for her characters?

I'm not even going to get into the back and forth between Bella and Edward in regards to her thinking he hates her, because frankly it's boring and only serves to underline Bella's low self-esteem, and boy does this girl ever have low self-esteem. All I will say about the lead up to Bella and Edward finally coming together is that Edward could not possibly send this girl more mixed signals then he does. In one conversation with Bella, he starts out by telling her they shouldn't be near one another and then ends the conversation by ask her to go on a road trip with him. Of course, all this is done to convey how he is tortured by his duel desires to harm/protect Bella, but this point is made, beaten into the ground, dug up, and beaten some more. This seems unfortunately to be Meyer's style. If you don't get the message the first time she states why one of her characters is acting the way they are she'll be sure to tell you another fifty times or so just to be sure you don't miss what she's getting at.

Which brings me to Edward's godlike good looks. Bella referred to Edward as a god so many times throughout this book I started to wonder if she wasn't going to build an altar to him and begin sacrificing virgins. She was certainly ready to sacrifice her own virginity to him. She made this clear when in the passive aggressive manner that was the hallmark of her character she asked him, while they lay in bed together, if vampires could have sex and if he thought the two of them ever would. Now, I'm not a prude. Nor do I delude myself into think the teenage girls reading this book are all, or even mostly, virgins. However, after having heard over and over again that the great thing about this book is it's a teenage love story without sex (when was the last time a book for the young adult market contained sex, I ask you?) I was not expecting the ONLY stated reason for why they didn't do the dirty to be that Edward is afraid he'll be overcome with pleasure and he'll mistakenly kill her with his vampire powers.

There is a lot more I could say about this piece of crap book, a LOT more, but I'll end this review with the sad discovery at the end of the book. Poor little Jacob Black develops some sort of growth condition, which like Bella's memory problems goes unaddressed. We only know about it because when Bella sees him at the prom she remarks on how much he has grown since the last time she saw him. She saw him the night she left Forks to go on the run from the hunter, at most a couple of weeks before.

Avoid this book, and if you know someone who says it's good or that they like it slap them, slap them HARD.

New Pendant

2010-08-30T16:27:00.009-04:00

A little while ago I approached artist Jason Leach to make a custom pendant for me baring the Goetia seal for Belial. These are images of that pendant and the jewelry box he made for it.

Yes, the white background on this last one is my chest.

Hail Satan!

Hail Belial!

Hail Jason Leach!

What I’m Reading: “Michael” by Andrea Dean Van Scoyoc

2010-07-25T23:46:00.001-04:00

Three words can sum up why this book is great and so different; angry zombie erotica.

Well, I guess I should qualify that by saying angry zombie erotica of the homosexual variety. Either way, even as a bisexual woman, I rather enjoyed this book's sex scenes.

Most of the story centers around a character named Michael, hence the book's title. Michael is a zombie. Or at least he's walking around in a dead body. He's actually a disembodied spirit of some sort that hijacks the body of a recently dead young man in order that he might pursue a life with his one true love, Taylor... Oh yeah, and he survives by eating human flesh.

Taylor is a completely heterosexual college student who likes to visit the graveyard where Michael's spirit has been hanging aournd in limbo for the last untold centuries. Taylor is a helpful, nice sort of fellow who immediately offers assistance and friendship to Micheal, who he believes is human of course. But all the same Michael's romancing of him gets off to a very rocky, and violent, start. The finish isn't too peaceful either, but I won't give that part away.

My only real complaint about this book is in the development of the character of Danny; a cop investigating the town's rash of missing persons and cannibalistic murders. The reader is meant to dislike Danny for his small mindedness and cruelty yet empathizes with due to the unfair way in which he's fellow officers treat him, or at least that was the impression I got. In the end I found myself having rather mixed feelings about him, but that is not my complaint. Danny behaves in a way and makes statements a real cop would never make, even if he or she were corrupt, racist, and homophobic.

Beyond that this is one of the best pieces of fiction I've read since... Well, since I read "Playing Devil's Advocate" by Andrea Dean van Scoyoc.

Infernal Letters is Live

2010-05-26T07:26:00.002-04:00

The new blog is up and running and can be found at, http://infernalletters.blogspot.com/

Want you please come take a poke around?

~Hydra

Infernal Letters

2010-05-24T01:59:00.003-04:00

Thank you all for voting in my poll to name my new blog and for sending me so many kind emails with name suggestions. I have heard your suggestions and overwhelming you agree Infernal Letters it should be and so it shall.

You can expect to see it go live later this week.

Watch this blog for details.

~Hydra

New Blog Needs a Title

2010-05-19T03:36:00.004-04:00

I'm putting together a character blog as a tie in for my book series, The Chronicles of the Infernal Empire. I don't want to give too much away about it just yet, but it will be a blog in which characters from the books post their thoughts and opinions on various subjects; mainly the Four Crown Princes of Hell. But I need a title for the blog.

I have three titles in mind. Please, see the poll at the top of the blog page to vote for your favorite. Or email me a different suggestion if you have one. It would help me out a lot.

Thanks!
Hydra

Cannibal Hydra Part IV: Cannibalized Dave Now Too!

2010-05-06T19:08:00.004-04:00

Shirt inspired by Dave Lipscomb and myself and made by Cannibal Rose.

Cannibal Hydra Part III: Another Design, Another Photo

2010-04-14T22:57:00.002-04:00

Inspired by, me.
Created by, Canibal Rose Creations

Napping While Black

2010-04-09T13:12:00.004-04:00

I fear that my cat, Venus, is going to die in some sort of horrible fashion. Not because I abuse or neglect her. The problem is she's black and so is a lot of my clothing. How is this going to lead to her death, you ask? Because she likes to nap in and among my clothes. Clean, dirty, it doesn't matter. And it does not help her plight any that my room is often kept lowly lit. This habit is going to kill her.

Just this month alone she has been lifted out of the laundry basket by one foot, along with a hand full of dirty clothes I was about to sort, been dumped onto the floor when I grabbed by coat off the end of the bed, where I had just laid it down, and closed up inside a drawer full of clothes no less then twice. The cat is going to die... or at least become seriously injured.

Cannibal Hydra Part II: The Photo

2010-03-08T22:50:00.002-05:00

I'm betting when Cannibal Rose and I talked about me taking a photo of myself in the shirt I inspired she thought I'd be wearing something besides just the shirt... Oh well, that'll teach her to be a little more specific in the future when discussing such matters.

The shirt says, "Going to Hell as fast as my cloven hooves will carry me." The cup says, "I'm the fun sort of lush." Both designs can be purchased from her shop printed on a variety of items; www.cafepress.com/cannibalrose

Interesting side note: When I was taking the picture the song playing on the radio was Highway to Hell and when I was uploading it to put it online the song playing as Spirit in the Sky. Too funny!

Cannibal Hydra

2010-03-02T23:14:00.001-05:00

I was informed this afternoon by my friend Cannibal Rose that she's released a new design inspired by yours truly.

Look under the Edgy category for a design called "Going Down" and under the Funny Bone category for one titled "Lush".

www.cafepress.com/cannibalrose/1781795

What I’m Reading: “Magical Workings” by Andrea Dean Van Scoyoc

2010-02-22T06:41:00.001-05:00

The complete tile of this book is “Magical Workings - A Beginner’s Guide To The Use Of Real Witchcraft” and so upon reading it I was not all that surprised that I did not learn much of anything new. That is not however in any way a disparaging comment about the content of the book, not at all. Some of those new to the world of real life, non-Hollywood witchcraft may very well find this book to be an eye opener. It might also save them from throwing a lot of money away on overpriced magical tools and enchanted items or wasting a lot of time joining and trying to move up in groups which more closely resemble pyramid schemes then paths to enlightenment.

With that said, I don’t agree with everything put forth in this book. Imagine that, if you will. All witches don’t agree on all things. Shocking, I know. It’s not a big thing though, in this case, and to give an example, the authoress states the color of candles used for magical purposes is not important. Based on the idea that color can and does effect mood and a big part of magic is creating the proper mood for the working, I don’t completely agree with this assessment. But even in this I think she and I could agree that a love spell does not have to be done over a pink candle or more to the point that pink is not everyone’s love color. Like with everything else in magic, candle choice is very personal. And that is the point of this book; make your own choices and find what works for you.

This is why I can say I agree with about 90% of what’s written in this book. Usually when I finish a magical tome the split is reverse and I find I’m only in agreement with 10% of what was stated. So, saying I agree with 90% of this one is saying a lot.

Almost Done

2010-02-22T06:34:00.002-05:00

This morning, after an all night writing session, I finished the re-writes on the book, The Reluctant Prince: Book I of the Chronicles of the Infernal Empire.

I still have edit it a bit, clean up the point of view, check grammar, flesh it out a little in some areas, and make sure the changes I've made all sync up, but basically the book is done. The storyline is what it will be. All the major events and plot twist are in place.

I'm so happy.

In Twisted Dreams Magazine

2010-02-01T09:46:00.005-05:00

Link to purchase.

In this month's Twisted Dreams Magazine I have two pieces appearing. A short story, SHE KNEW, and the featured poem titled, WE COME BACK. Perfect for this month of February, both story and poem are as close to traditional love prose and verse as I'm ever likely to write.

So, if you love dark and twisted fiction this is the magazine for you. Or if you're looking for a Valentine's Day gift for your dark and twisted lover it'll make a great gift.

University of Phoenix

2010-01-27T07:05:00.002-05:00

For those who don't already know and might care, I'm now taking online courses through the University of Phoenix and working towards a degree in web design.

I'd toyed with the idea and thought off and on quite a bit about going back to school over the last couple of years, but never really got inspired to do it. I can't say what changed and caused me to finally take the steps needed to make it a reality. I think in part I was inspired by my best friend Natalie and Samerial, he's been doing a lot of that in the year or so that I've known him, but mostly it was just something in my snapped or flipped on. I realized it's now or possibly never.

So far, I'm only in my first week of the nearly two year program, but I'm enjoying the online environment and doing well at keeping on top of things. In fact I'm well ahead... and no, this does not mean I've given up on writing. Quite the opposite. I've bumped up my productive in that area and should have no problems balancing the two pursuits.

Thank you all, who have already offered it, for all your support and please continue to wish me luck.

Hydra M. Star

A Happy Winter Solstice To All!

2009-12-21T10:29:00.003-05:00

...And remember the tilt in the Earth's axis is the real reason for the season.

What I’m Reading: “A Dozen Dark Dimensions” by T. H. Davis

2009-12-17T12:56:00.001-05:00

Mr. Davis is an up can coming Irish author who’s work I discovered through Twisted Dreams Magazine and his blogging on Myspace; just another fine example of the magic of exposure and networking on the world wide web. When he announced he would be self-publishing a collection of his horror stories and offering the book as a free PDF download I jumped at the chance to read more of his work.

As the title implies “A Dozen Dark Dimensions” is comprised of twelve horror shorts.

I’m unsure how these stories are ordered. I suspect without knowing that they’re presented in chronological order, with the first stories being earlier works then the later. I say this because the depth, development, and style of Mr. Davis’ writing seems to my mind to mature and become more sure as the book progresses. This shows promise for his future, if he keeps doing what he’s doing.

For the most part these stories are all traditional monster/ghost stories. The only notable exception being the last of the collection, “Bateeviel Treasa”, a story Mr. Davis states in his author notes was written for a girl. He doesn’t say rather she was impressed by this overture or not, but the story is fairly heavy on lovely words. It doesn’t entirely fit with the rest of the collection, but I can’t say it’s totally out of place either. It was however an odd note to end the book on, I thought.

Of the other stories “Shrewsingran” and “An Evil” are for me the two standouts. “Shrewsingran” is somewhat oddly written in that it breaks away from the straightforward storytelling format the rest of the collection takes. It’s told in a serious of action packed flashback memories, which might with other stories be a turn off but really works in this case. “An Evil” I mention because of the use of descriptive language. It gets off to a bit of a slow start, but Mr. Davis in this one really manages to create a scene of fear and horror.

Usually I don’t include purchase or contact information in these blogs, because until now all the books I’ve mentioned have been at the very least available through Amazon if not through other online and offline booksellers. In this case however, Mr. Davis is self-publishing and distributing his book through his Myspace page. I know, I know, it’s the worst possible way to self-publish, but he’s not attempting to charge anything. He just needs an email address. Contact him if you are interested, http://www.myspace.com/undercroftstories or directly by email at mail.thdavis@yahoo.ie

Porcupine Meatballs

2009-12-13T10:29:00.001-05:00

I don’t know the exact origin of this particular recipe. It’s a dish my aunt use to make for me as a child.

What you need:

2 pounds lean hamburger (or your favorite hamburger substitute)
1 large egg
¼ cup of cornstarch
1 cup more or less of white or brown rice
1 large jar of favorite tomato sauce (homemade will of course work)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
Olive oil or cook spray

In a large bowl combine the hamburger, egg, cornstarch, rice, and seasonings. Mix well. Roll mixture into small tight balls. Balls will expand when cooked. Oil and heat frying pan over medium-high heat. Place balls in hot frying pan, about 1-1 ½ inches apart and brown on all sides. Depending on size of balls and pan this step will need to be done in a few or several different batches. While browning the balls, in a large pot with a lid, bring tomato sauce to low simmer. Pop balls into hot sauce when brown and cover with lid. Allow to cook for 10-15 minutes or until the balls begin to cook apart. Goes great with garlic bread.

Funny/Odd Things I Found Online #10: Semen Cookbook

2009-12-11T06:28:00.003-05:00

You heard me right folks. Sucking down and swallowing your lover's seed has never been raised to such a sophisticated level.

http://www.lulu.com/content/4956212

And for those of you on my Facebook page you've already heard the spotted dick joke, but it bares repeating. If this book does not have a recipe for spotted dick, it really should... Hope you're enjoying your breakfast.

My Favorite Christmas Song

2009-12-10T11:23:00.001-05:00

Oh yes, my dearies, even a Satanist like me has a favorite Christmas song.

It's the Korn cover of "Kidnap The Sandy Claws"

Hearing it during this time of year just warms my heart so much I can hardly express the joy of it.

Lyrics (so everyone can sing along):

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Kidnap the Sandy Claws, lock him up real tight
Throw away the key and then
Turn off all the lights

First, we're going to set some bait
Inside a nasty trap and wait
When he comes a-sniffing we will
Snap the trap and close the gate

Wait! I've got a better plan
To catch this big red lobster man
Let's pop him in a boiling pot
And when he's done we'll butter him up

Kidnap the Sandy Claws
Throw him in a box
Bury him for ninety years
Then see if he talks

Cuz Mr. Oogie Boogie man
Can take the whole thing over then
He'll be so pleased I do declare
That he will cook him rare

I say that we take a cannon
Aim it at his door and then
Knock three times and when he anwers
Sandy Claws will be no more

You're so stupid, think now
If we blow him up into smithereens
We may lose some pieces
And the Jack will beat us black and green

Kidnap the Sandy Claws
Tie him in a bag
Throw him in the ocean
Then see if he is sad

Because Mr. Oogie Boogie is the meanest guy around
If I were on his Boogie list, I'd get out of town

He'll be so pleased by our success
That he'll reward us too, I bet

Perhaps he'll make his special brew
Of snake and spider stew
Yummm!

We're his little henchmen
And we take our job with pride
We do our best to please him
And stay on his good side

I wish my cohorts weren't so dumb
I'm not the dumb one
You're no fun
Shut up!

I've got something, listen now
This one is real good, you'll see
We'll send a present to his door
Upon there'll be a note to read
Now, in the box we'll wait and hide

Until his curiousity
Entices him to look inside
And then we'll have him
One, two, three

Kidnap the Sandy Claws, beat him with a stick
Lock him for ninety years, see what makes him tick

Kidnap the Sandy Claws, chop him into bits
Mr. Oogie Boogie is sure to get his kicks
Kidnap the Sandy Claws, see what we will see
Lock him in a cage and then throw away the key

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

What I’m Reading: “Fallen From Shadow Found In Grace” by Andrea Dean van Scoyoc

2009-11-19T01:30:00.002-05:00

I’m going to start this review by stating straight away this book is not the sort of thing I normally enjoy reading. I typically try my best to avoid the whole Vampire Romance genre, but the authoress was offering some of her books at a special price through her Myspace page and since I really dig her work I figured I’d give this one a chance. I was not entirely disappointed with my choice to do so.

Fallen From Shadow Found In Grace is the story of Lady Farayne Gleneden. She’s a socialite with a big heart and little to no idea of how the real world really works. She does, to her credit, set out to change this and take charge of her life, but her plan to educate herself and escape her life of bored luxury and false friends is foolhearted at best and dangerous at worst. And it is right when the danger starts to rear it’s ugly head that Garrison shows up to save her from all her troubles. Well, maybe not all her troubles. The happy couple do quickly find themselves in more danger then Faranyne can imagine or fathom.

There are more then a couple Vampire Romance cliches peppering this book’s storyline. I won’t go over all of them or beat the book up over them, but I would like to just once read a Vampire Romance that doesn’t involve vamps who live off animal blood.

On a higher note, what is a Romance of any sort without a few steamy sex scenes? And yes, this book certainly has them. Let me sum it up this way; bloody cunnilingus; bloody fellatio. Though a word of warning to those who like it, or at least like to read about it, rough, Garrison is a tender lover to a fault and sets the pace for most of their erotic adventures. There isn’t much bite in this vamp. All that is left up to Farayne, who fills the role nicely enough.

Without giving too much away, this is ultimately a story about coming to terms with the fact that life is often times not fair. It’s not a happily ever after fair tale of a romance, though the ending is highly romanticized.

Funny/Odd Things I Found Online #9: Go Green

2009-10-13T00:01:00.004-04:00

Here's an article on going green I found interesting.

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/work-connect/gross-green.html?campaign=daylife-article

Please note, if you find yourself in agreement with or willing to try more then two of these tips you are officially a dirty, damn hippie.

Myspace, Twitter, FaceBook, and Gaia Online! Oh My!

2009-10-12T17:17:00.009-04:00

I've been active on Myspace for quite a while.

www.myspace.com/hydramstar

I recently synced my Twitter page to my Myspace page.

www.twitter.com/hydramstar

Owing to the fact that a cute little gaming site I belong to, Gaia Online, now offers bonus points (site gold) to anyone who syncs their account up with their FaceBook page I have brought mine back from the dead. All of you who have no taste and prefer FaceBook's dullness to Myspace's style and their restrictiveness to Blogger's freedom may now add me there as well.

Under the name Heidi M. Starr, because... Well, FaceBook thinks if you type in a name that sounds European then it must be legit.

And here is the gaming site, Gaia Online. Lots of underage users. Don't go there looking for intelligent conversation, because you won't find it.

Gaia Online Profile

Funny/Odd Things I Found Online #8: Galaxy Song

2009-10-09T22:58:00.001-04:00

I've been feeling a little under the weather this week, but this song made me smile.

http://dingo.care-mail.com/cards/flash/5409/galaxy.swf

Columbus Day Sale

2009-10-09T17:50:00.003-04:00

If you haven't ordered your copy of Twisted Dreams Magazine's Halloween issue, featuring a short story from none other then me, this weekend the printing service they use for their distribution is having a sale.

Columbus Day Sale - this weekend only, save 14.92% off any purchase (coupon: PINTA) or 20% off orders of $350 or more (coupon: SANTAMARIA)

HERE, again is the link to purchase.

In Twisted Dreams Magazine

2009-10-01T09:35:00.005-04:00

A short story of mine, A FALL INTO THE DEEP, will be appearing in the October issue of Twisted Dreams Magazine: The magazine for those whose blood runs a darker shade of red.

In this special Halloween edition of Twisted Dreams Magazine you'll be treated to some far out fabulous short stories, chilling true life Occult accounts, reviews, interviews and much more... So sit back with your favorite cup of witches brew and journey with us...forever

ISSN Number: 1558-3341

Download: $3.15

Paperback: $7.55 Plus S&H

Purchase by clicking, HERE!

Funny/Odd Things I Found Online #7: Thar She Blows!

2009-09-30T16:36:00.002-04:00

Okay this might be more like disgusting things I've found online, but if you got a strong stomach you might find it funny too.

http://www.truckspills.com/whale_spill.html

Funny/Odd Things I Found Online #6: Cat 911

2009-09-28T18:57:00.002-04:00

You know, for the life of me I can't figure out why in the world this woman's cat would be afraid of her.

Crazy Cat 911 Call sound bite 911 Calls sound bites

What I’m Reading: “Red Dragon” by Thomas Harris

2009-09-27T21:23:00.002-04:00

I got a free with purchase dog-eared paperback copy of Thomas Harris’ “Red Dragon” awhile back down at the local used bookstore. I’d read “Silence of the Lambs”, which is the sequel to “Red Dragon”, years ago. I think I was around twelve or thirteen at the time. As best I can remember I liked it a lot. I was a bit of a morbid one even then.

So, I decided to round out my light summer reading list with “Red Dragon”, figuring the book that first brought the character Hannibal Lecter, or Hannibal the Cannibal, one of my all time favorite movie characters, to life just couldn’t be bad… Boy, was I wrong.

Lecter is the only good thing about this book. He’s just not in it nearly enough. He’s almost a throw away character, only mildly important to the plot. The fact that Harris revisited him and built the rest of the series around him is sheer genius and perhaps a sign of insight on his part into the weakness of Red Dragon’s other characters.

On the side of “good” is Will Graham, the retired investigator who’s brought in to hunt the Fairy, has a history with Lecter. He brought him down and nearly died at his hand, but he’s also an empath, of sorts, which apparently makes him very, very special. He is married to Molly, who’s first husband was a baseball player and who’s son oddly enough is named Willy. There is much said about Molly, her late husband, and former in-laws. None of it is important to the story.

Then there is the Tooth Fairy/Red Dragon character. He is a cliché built upon a cliché, a deformed child who’s abandoned by his mother and mentally abused by his grandmother who grows up to be a necrophilia and a serial killer. His target, families that remember him of his mother, step-father, and step-siblings. Oh, and did I mention his new girlfriend is blind? So, she can’t see how ugly he is. But can her love and acceptance of him keep him from continuing to kill? No, really. That’s the plot line of the book.

My advice, and I can’t believe I’m about to say this, see the movies and skip the book. Sure, the films are filled with some of the same clichés, but they’re more entertaining… and shorter.

The Cat Piano

2009-09-18T09:33:00.001-04:00

I stumbled on this animated short online and really liked it.

Enjoy!

The Cat Piano from PRA on Vimeo.

Kayne West is a Racist

2009-09-14T08:58:00.003-04:00

There I said it. Either that or he’s an inconsiderate disrespectful man-child who throws a tantrum when things don’t go his way. He’s no better then any neo-Nazi piece of crap you could drag in off the street and deserves no less scorn.

I don’t normally comment on things such as this, but the media and a lot of bloggers who are talking about his most recent outburst (Does anyone remember the “Bush doesn’t care about black people” tantrum he throw during the Katerina telethon?) but no one I’ve seen is talking about the fact that he’d have never gotten up on that stage and interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech were she not a country music singer and a white woman. The simple truth is, had she been a R&B singer or even a pop music star she’d have been someone he might want to work with in the future and wouldn’t want to offend her or her fan base, but because she’s just a little white country girl he felt he could walk all over her. If I’m wrong on this I’d be shocked beyond all words and would probably fall over dead.

Here’s a link to the video of his outburst, if you haven’t seen it;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yOOPHe3QHU&feature=player_embedded

What I’m Reading: “Strange Brew” by Andrea Dean van Scoyo & Julie Thielen

2009-09-13T13:41:00.001-04:00

A Collection of Poetry, Prose, and Strange Thoughts…

This book comes with a warning on it’s first page that it’s filled with the thoughts and opinions which might not be agreeable to all readers. It’s true enough that it’s filled with opinions in the form of clever musings and poetry of an above average quality. Well, above average. It is also a fact that nothing ever written has been agreeable to all readers. However, in my opinion, to suggest this book is controversial would be a grand overstatement. Sure, some of the things written might be a little troubling or mildly disagreeable to the norm and some of it will make you think, but I just can’t see anyone slamming this book shut in anger. It just doesn’t quite go as far as it could.

Perhaps I feel this way because most of the “political” stuff I found quite agreeable to my personal views. I take next to no issue with anything stated in this area and thought the musings were well formed and entertaining. This is a book to quote.

The only downside, to me, was there was a lot stated about how life and society aren’t fair. The undeserving often get the prize while the hard workers get the shaft. This is certainly the case much too often, but holding the mindset that this is a constant of our society is not in a person’s best interest. I don’t believe and can’t imagine either of the authoresses are the sort to wallow in self-piety, far from it, but I can see those who do taking some of these passages as a reinforcement of the beliefs that keep them held down.

Many of the more personal and poetic passages left me wondering if anti-depressants shouldn’t be in order, but that’s what you get sometimes with “dark” poetry. But the verses were very well formed and beautiful. Ms. Thielen is one of the best poets I’ve read of late and this book is worth the read for the poems alone.

What I’m Reading: “100 Wicked Little Witch Stories”

2009-09-10T09:51:00.002-04:00

“100 Wicked Little Witch Stories” is an anthology put together by Barnes & Noble Books I picked up a number of years ago at a local used books store. I’m unsure as to rather or not it’s still in print or if it was a short run put out by them for Halloween.

Like most large scale collections the content is rather hit or miss. As should be expected, there are more then a couple stories which fall back on clichés and generalized religious based fear of witchcraft, magic, and the supernatural. While others are clearly written as a sort of Wiccan propaganda. Both those elements, I suppose, have their place in the wider scope of fictional witchery, but don’t appeal to me as a reader or a witch, but to remain positive, because this collections does contain some very good stories, I’ll highlight only the tales I found particularly thought provoking and entertaining.

“The Only Way to Fly” by Nancy Holder, a witch who has given her love and youth to a mortal man who’s only request of her was to give up her magic finds herself a widow in route to a retirement home for witches. She’s accepted that she’s lost most her magical powers to lack of practice, but starts to wish she had them back.

“Alan’s Mother” by Steve Rasnic Tem, after Alan’s mother divorced his father he spends only summers with her in her cottage in the woods. He witnesses many wonders and magical moments with her, but with age comes disbelief and disconnect.

“The Career Witch” by Thomas M. Sipos, Alex misses is late wife and witch, Cassandra, and is desperately trying to bridge the divide between life and death. After a year, his sister-in-law Meg, also a witch, finally agrees to help him make contact with Cassandra. What they discover isn’t a shock to Meg but sends Alex down a very dark and bloody path of discovery.

“Retrocurses” by Terry Campbell, Amanda sees dead people and talking birds. More preciously dead witches and an owl that says it’s the devil, but will anyone believe her and listen to her warning against reburying the witches on church ground?

“The Devil’s Men” by Brian Stableford, when a school teacher finds himself accused of witchery he believes the mistake will be resolved, but quickly he learns that reason and fairness have no place in a witch trial… This is probably one of the best stories about the burning times I’ve ever read. Truly gritty and with none of the romanticism.

“I Feel My Body Grow” by Del Stone, Jr., is another witch trial story only this time the main character is a man who accuses the woman he rapes of witchcraft, but the tables turn when all to late he realizes his mistake and his accuracy.

“The Conversion of St. Monocarp” by Brian McNaughton, King Heinrich’s homely daughter seeks to transmigrate her soul and the soul of her deformed lover into the more attractive and well-formed bodies of the palace minister and her step-mother. It’s a complicated plot that rest heavily on her lover’s loyalty and brains. He is seriously lacking in the latter.

“Buyer Beware” by Tim Waggoner, Isobel is a witch with a broken broom and a tendency towards compulsive purchases. So, she loads herself down with charms and heads down the local used car dealership. But salesmen have magic of there own.

“Shedding Light on the Black Forrest” by Brent Monahan, this is a re-imagined telling of the story of Hansel and Gretel. I love a good re-tellings of a old fairy tales and this one is especially good Take everything you think you know about Gretel and Hansel and turn it on its head.

“Suffer a Witch” by Mike Baker, Xeno is one pissed off and vengeful demon and what he’s pissed off about is Lucinda’s efforts to convince the world all witches are like her, good. He has to run some damage control and pays her a Halloween visit.

“The Politically Incorrect Witch” by Benjamin Adams, some fairies play a nasty trick on Goodie Jefferson and cause her to intended single nights sleep in the woods to last much, much longer then it should. When she wakes she finds herself in a new, modern world and is quickly confronted by a new age witch. Well, this old age witch has a few thoughts on the new direction the craft has taken.

“Grue Love” by David Annandale, a witch matchmaker helps an old friend and a young witch find love. And she doesn’t let a little thing like a few hundred years age difference and them being from two different worlds stop her… This story also has some humorous elements of the new age and the old ways clashing, with equally disastrous results for those trying to be fluffy bunny witches.

“Fiddlesticks” by T. Diane Slatton, Fiddlesticks the one time jester to the king finds himself competing with the young prince for the love a fair maid. Filled with murderous rage he calls upon the old witch he once betrayed to better his own position in the palace for help, but little does he suspect that aiding her in fulfilling her goal might just make his own situation worse.

“Predator’s Moon” by Mel Obom, a biker who is really a Native American god and a young attractive witch that is really a hideous old crone meet up and finish an ages old feud in a strip club parking lot… Need I say more?

“Poppet” by Kathryn Ptacek, a witch who loves her garden and her privacy is being encroached upon by a teenage neighbor and his trumpet. There is help for her among her herbs, but will the boy survive to play another day?

“The Robbery” by Cynthia Ward, another lady, a doctor this time, is having problems with a neighborhood kid invading her privacy. But she recalls some lessons her fishermen father and grandfather taught her about tying knots to make evil doers pay.

Finally, “Patience Serves” by David C. Smith, Areil was raped and her life was ruined long ago by five young men in positions of influence and power. Through blade and spell she exacts her revenge. When, finally comes to visit the last, and ringleader of the five he lays dying. Will death cheat her of her revenge or does she have a backup plan?

Funny/Odd Things I Found Online #5: Exotic Pets Kill

2009-08-28T11:11:00.003-04:00

This one isn't funny... No, really. I'm not responsible for any nightmares that result from reading the story at the other end of this link.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/213294/Man_Killed_by_Pet_Spider_Eaten_by_Creepy_Crawlies

Douglas Adams: Parrots the Universe and Everything

2009-08-13T01:43:00.002-04:00

A truly wonderful lecture given by the truly wonderful author Douglas Adams...

Funny/Odd Things I Found Online #4 : The Holy Virgin Condom

2009-08-11T21:59:00.006-04:00

People have seen her on toast and in tree bark and now...

I have no idea where this image originally came from, but I would love to know the story.

Pagan Imagination: Latest Poetry Publication

2009-07-23T11:00:00.002-04:00

I have two poems this month appearing in Pagan Imagination Magazine; "Daughters of Lilith" and "Talking Spirit Board".

Here's the link again to that site's poetry page, http://paganimagination.com/Pagan-Poetry.html

And, please, be sure to look around at some of the other wonderful writing and art on the site.

Funny/Odd Things I Found Online #3 : Druken Yoga

2009-07-19T20:33:00.004-04:00

Everyone who knows me knows I hate to exercise. So, I'm excited to find an exercise program that encourages drinking.

Drunk Russian Yoga, http://acidcow.com/pics/3100-russian_drunk_yoga_10_pics.html

What I’m Reading: “Left to the Night Alone” by Andrea Dean van Scoyoc

2009-07-03T11:58:00.002-04:00

Soon to be released under the title, “Vampire Alone”

The storyline of “Left to the Night Alone” centers around Ivana Morriander. Ivana is undead. Note I did not call her a vampire, despite the new title her story is soon to be re-released under. I don’t personally see Ivana’s character as a vampire and after a brief online conversation with authoress I know she didn’t necessarily write her that way either, but apparently many other readers of the book did. The truth is expect for an aversion to sunlight there is absolutely nothing vampiric about Ivana and I’m frankly a little baffled by the insistence of other readers that she is. Personally, if I were forced to place a label upon Ivana’s existence it would be intellectual zombie… but I digress.

Mostly the book chronicles two parts of Ivana’s life, or afterlife as the case maybe. The major focus, or larger part, deals with a time right around the Great Depression when she was friends with a New York bar owner, Dante. Dante’s bar and the young bartender he employed, Luther, become very dear to Ivana. So dear in fact that she is found in the opening scene of the book sitting in the modern day incarnation of the bar and thinking back on her old friends. The second part of the book is about her tumultuous relationship to an eccentric artist named Ruben. In-between the back and forth between her past and present with Ruben and Dante some events and happenings of her longer, older history are reviled, but mostly the book is about these two era’s in her life and how they relate to and contradict from each other.

The characters of Dante and Luther are typical of what one would expect of people living during the time period. They are both at their core honest and good men who are focused to deal with the unpleasant nature life can take on from time to time. I have no trouble at all understand why Ivana would feel loss and longing for their friendship after their passing and why they would be difficult to replace.

Ruben on the other hand is a bit of an odd duck. He’s awkward and unsure of himself, but at the same time comes off arrogant and formal. The conversations between him and Ivana are full of phrases and lines that seem very non-organic to any sort of conversation taking place in the modern day. It feels as though he and to a lesser degree Ivana, when she is around him, are trying just a little too hard to be, for lack of a better word, Goth. Beyond that it’s difficult for me to put into words how much I loathed Ruben.

The tie in of the Dante’s and Ruben’s stories is important to the ending of the book. So, I will not give it away. But there is some math with the timelines of their stories that just doesn’t quite add up. For Dante’s mother and Ruben’s multiple great-grandfather to have known the same people and done all the things they claimed and for both stories to tie into Ivana’s past it would have required, in my figuring, for Dante’s mother to have been a couple hundred years old when she had him. But that aside it was an enjoyable and imaginative story. I truly had a hard time putting it down once I started reading it.

Overall, I’d say I would suggest this one to anyone who likes undead characters who are full of moral fiber and emotional complexity. On the other hand, I’d advise anyone who likes blood and gore covered zombies or vamps to perhaps give this one a pass, because while there are some gruesome scenes that’s not what this book is about. That’s not what Ivana is about.

Funny/Odd Things I Found Online #2 : Bedroom Golf

2009-06-25T21:11:00.003-04:00

I don't play golf, but bedroom golf is one of my favorite games.

Here are the rules, http://bl.net/forwards/bedgolf.html

Pagan Imagination: Latest Poetry Publication

2009-06-22T03:47:00.003-04:00

My poem "Winged Daughter of Lucifer" and a few others have been picked up by the new e-zine Pagan Imagination. "Winged Daughter of Lucifer" appears in their first edition.

To read, click here and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Funny/Odd Things I Found Online #1 : Anger Managament

2009-06-20T20:59:00.009-04:00

I've been in a really good mood lately. So, instead of my usually rants I'm going to try doing a series of blogs sharing funny or odd things I've found on the web.

Fond this gem today.
http://danmax.net/jokes/anger_management.htm

Now, that is my kind of therapy.

Spring Cleaning - Not Remaining Stagnant

2009-06-04T20:20:00.002-04:00

I've been engaging in a bit of spring cleaning this week, getting rid of a lot of stuff that was really just that; stuff. Once I get some packaging supplies this weekend I'm going to be putting some used book listings up on Amazon and maybe donating a few of the paperbacks to Goodwill, along with some old clothing and shoes I no longer wear. I threw a lot of useless junk out today, for garbage pickup tomorrow, and plan on going through my junk closet over the weekend and seeing what's what in there. Whatever I don't think can be better re-homed on Ebay or Goodwill will be tossed, this includes wigs, hats, purses and anything else I haven't used or worn in the last year.

I also have been downloading and signing up for podcasts of different things I've been missing out on or that might help me live and feel a little bit better. I found some great instructional yoga videos from the site yogatoday.com on iTunes. Many of them are a little advanced for me right now, but there are some great sets up there for beginners. I also subscribed to Satanism Today's podcast and a couple of others belonging to local radio programs I enjoy but never can listen to when they are on the air.

When later this month television goes all digital I'll not be buying a converter box for either of my sets. I've threatened off and on over the years to go completely television free, but I've always owned at least one working set, but now with the internet placing news and movies at our finger tips I no longer see the need and that's my motto of late; if I don't need it and it doesn't enrich my life then it has to go.

What I’m Reading: “Sisters of the Night: The Soul of an Angel” by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

2009-05-28T11:08:00.000-04:00

This, the second book in Yarbro’s “Sisters of the Night” series, wasn’t nearly as good as the first, “The Angry Angel”. Some of the same elements that made the first book so great where there, but somehow they fell flat or weren’t developed enough. Dracula himself, for example, seemed to swing back and forth from kind, caring, and generous to only mildly commanding and unapologetic, even after he was well within control of the situation and the seduction was complete.

The other big problem I had was the redundant nature of book’s beginning. It was not redundant in the sense that the story of Fenice Zucchar, the second woman to become on of the “weird sister”, closely mirrored that of Kelene from the first book. The two characters were in fact mirror opposites of each other. Where Kelene had been devoutly religious Fenice found religion boring. Where Kelene had been poor Fenice was rich. Where Kelene had been willing to sacrifice her own happiness and life for those of her family Fenice was a free spirit who to the detriment of her family flew in the face of tradition and societal norms. No, the redundancy instead came from the multiple conversations, seemingly with every member of her immediate family, and minor events that were presented to show Fenice’s unhappiness with her family’s pressure for her to marry and her longing for adventure. The first hundred pages of the book, which were mostly exclusively dedicated to this, could have easily been cut to twenty or thirty with nothing of importance or substance lost.

Once, finally, out on her adventure the story of Fenice did redeem itself, somewhat. I had some minor issue with how Dracula’s character dealt with Fenice, his servants, and their joint travels. Where before he had not cared if Kelene was upset by violent displays of power and dominance he was much milder with his servants in Fenice’s presence and indeed with her. None of this really took away from the story, but it did nothing to enrich it either.

Ultimately of course Fenice became a vampire and returned to Dracula’s castle to live out her undead days, no surprise there. Also no surprise there were some power struggles back and forth between her and Kelene and also between them both and Dracula, but nothing unexpected or which leads to a shocking outcome.

The thing that is the most regrettable about the book’s ending is it clearly leaves the door open for a third book on the final third member of the weird sister trio in which Fenice and Kelene might have a more active role in choosing and seducing the young woman. However, as best I can tell there is no third book and this, the second, is out of print. That does not bode well that this third book will ever be seen.

Turning Me Away From Christianity: Part VI

2009-05-25T09:50:00.004-04:00

I hadn't done one of these in awhile, but today-a day meant to celebrate our nation's fallen heroes-my daughter had to go to school. Why you ask? And why is it a Christian problem? Here's why.

This winter we got a lot of snow and all the teacher work days were eaten up for make up and when it came down to giving up one of the "spring vacation" days otherwise known as Easter vacation-which is what was marked on the calendar as the days set aside just in case this happened-or using Memorial Day as the makeup the good Christians on the local school board of course decided having a full week off to celebrate the supposed death and reanimation of their god's bastard son was more important then honoring the real life and last deaths of the men and women who fought and died for them to have the freedom to believe in and worship the sky being of their choice.

And I know, I know hardly anyone celebrates or observes either of these holidays in the manner they are meant to be, but this is a matter of principle and honor.

Maybe I, as a non-Christian, just have a better understanding of how lucky we are in this country to have freedom of religion. Maybe if these Christians were to live in a community where they weren't free to express their faith or openly celebrate their religious holidays, or have their government and school board make sure they always get these special days off, they'd understand a little better how important it is to honor those people who gave up their lives to give them that freedom, because without them they might not have a week or even a day in which they could celebrate Easter or anything else.

So Happy Memorial Day... and shame on the un-American Christians sitting on the CMS school board.

Have a Slice of Birthday Cake?

2009-05-22T12:44:00.005-04:00

I just finished putting the final touches on Lilith's birthday cakes... Yes, I made two. Both done to her orders.

This is the first, for the party tomorrow. It's white cake with rainbow candy sprinkles inside and strawberry and yellow icing. She also asked for it to be decorated with a math equation equaling her age; 4+4=8.

And the second is a smaller one for the family dinner tonight.

Happy Birthday Lilith!

What I’m Reading: “Son of a Witch” by Gregory Maguire

2009-05-21T13:24:00.003-04:00

Despite it’s quirky title this sequel to Gregory Maguire’s “Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” is anything but light and whimsical. Much like the first book it’s a dark, maybe even darker, view into the world of Oz we all thought we knew.

Honestly I found both the start and the finish of this book to be a bit rough. Breaking away from the straightforward storytelling he did in Wicked Mr. Maguire weaves together the story of Liir, the son of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, through a series of flashbacks, dreams, and the memories of the people who come into the company of the now severely injured and unconscious Liir. This goes on for most of the first half of the book and takes us from the moment of the witch’s death to the previously unknown cause of Liir’s comatose state. There are along the way some slight, but annoying, discrepancies between the ending of “Wicked” and the start of “Son of a Witch”. For one Liir is no longer fat, but trim and fit enough to become a solider. This might not be a big deal to most readers, but too me contradictions between sequels and originals is a mortal sin all writers of series fiction should try to avoid at all cost.

Other then that “Son of a Witch” was a fairly enjoyable dark little tale of a disadvantaged boy coming to age during turbulent times in a magical world. Though Liir receives a bit of help here and there from those who knew, loved, or just respected the witch there is none of the sort of charity or warm fuzzy reunions by proxy that one finds in many such works. There was no Harry Potter/Dumbledore moment where Liir gets taken under Glinda’s, or anyone else’s, wing and taught magic or given a home. He is instead stuck with figuring out and finding his path for himself. This I find much to the credit of Mr. Maguire and will keep me reading his work even if it is in other ways flawed.

The ending I will not give away, except to say Liir does not really accomplish much. This I have mixed feelings about. I think perhaps it was a heavy handed effort to leave an opening to revisit Liir and the line of Elphaba in a future book, though it is my understanding that third novel in the series covers the life and times of the Cowardly Lion.

What I’m Reading: “Deteriorate” by Julie L. Thielen

2009-04-26T19:17:00.001-04:00

“Deteriorate” is slightly different from the sort of books and novels I’ve blogged about here in the past. For one it’s not a novel or an anthology of fiction. It’s instead a collection of original poetry by Julie L. Thielen and accompanying illustrations by Kimberlee Traub.

I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with the world of poetry. On the one hand I see it as the truest, most pure, and beautiful way for a writer to express their thoughts, ideas, and feelings. You can really learn a lot about a person and their world by reading the poetry they write. However, on the other hand far too much of it is seemingly overly sentimental and the message is lost in the poet’s attempt to come off as deep or make their relationships appear more profound and meaningful then they actually are. “Deteriorate” doesn’t fall into that trap.

Betrayal is the main theme of this collection, with a healthy side order of rage. This is a great collection for anyone who’s been done wrong in the arena of love, which I think is most of us, and still holds onto some resentment. Sort of in the same way singing along with breakup song can be therapeutic these poems too are.

True to the title, a handful of the verses venture off into the territory of desperation, depression, and self-deprecation. I can’t say I found these passages to totally be to my liking, but like the anger and venom of the rest they felt honest. Nothing about them came off as a clichéd attempt at being “dark” which so much of this genre of poetry does.

Overall I’d say this is a book I could really relate to… and I do mean REALLY.

Footnote: to my knowledge this book is currently only available through lulu.com in both a page and ink version and an ebook version.

"It's Been Slow Today"

2009-04-26T01:09:00.003-04:00

I do the majority of my book shopping online. Amazon has great deals on both new and used books and I don't have to conform my shopping to business hours or drive across town. However, there is a local used brick and mortar bookstore, which is run by a father and daughter, that I rather enjoy shopping at. I suppose the place is much like many other stores of the sort with the possible exception that it's a lot bigger then most. It smells like old paper and dust and there is always a cat or two wandering around looking for someone to give them a pet or stretched out fast asleep atop one of the many bookshelves.

Today, or this evening rather, I happened by chance to be in the area of said bookstore and having not been there in awhile decided to drop in. In the past their store hours have run until nine or ten in the evening, but when I arrived I saw on the door the hours had changed to an eight o'clock closing time. It was twenty minutes til. That still gave me plenty of time to give the horror and young adult/children's sections a quick scan. Not the way I prefer to do my book shopping, but no big worries. But then...

A lady seated at one of the outside tables belonging to the coffee shop next door calls out to me, "she's already closing up. I just tried to go in myself and she run me out."

About this time the daughter/owner comes to the door, apologizes, and informs that indeed she is closing up early because, "it's been slow today."

I frown but before I can say anything two other customers brush past me and her on their way through the still open doorway. She stops them too. Saying again, "I'm closing up early. It's been slow today."

Now, I'm not one to argue with a business owner about the best way to run there business and merely noted the time that they open tomorrow before taking my leave, but as I walked away I couldn't help but chuckle to myself and think that in our current economy I bet there are a lot more small business owners who'd kill for "slow days" which end with them having the option of turning away not one, not two, not even three, but four customers and their money.

What I’m Reading: “Sisters of the Night: The Angry Angel” by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

2009-04-21T08:50:00.001-04:00

Finally!

It has been for me a long time between truly good vampire novels. Most of the stuff put out today features self-loathing, guilt ridden vamps who are more suited for writing sappy, love poetry then sucking down blood and mind control. But I’m glad to say that’s not the case here. This is vampirism at its absolute best, or worse depending on how you look upon it, with no apologies and nothing held back.

This book is in a manner “fan fiction”, though honestly at this point the characters of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” have so taken on a life of their own that they almost warrant a genre of their own.

The first half of the book chronicles the plight of a young Greek girl growing up in the 1500s named Kelene who is gifted with visions brought to her by the Militant Angels. The story opens with her family fleeing their homeland to seek safety from the invading Turks abroad and a dire warning from her great-aunt that not all with her visions may be as it seems. But through her second sight young Kelene is able to guide her family and protect them from many dangers, gaining their praise in good times and their scorn during the bad.

In this way and in other ways in which the people around her react to Kelene’s gift the characters of this novel show themselves to be true to life. So, that when Kelene, herself, starts to have doubts about the true nature, divine or demonic, of her visions no one wants to hear her or at best they blame her for any evil involved.

The second half of the book is all about Dracula. It details Kelene’s road, both literally and figuratively, to becoming his consort and one of the three “weird sisters” briefly referenced in Stoker’s novel. But this is no vampire love story. Kelene and Dracula’s relationship is wholly something different, devoid of love but not lust.

The biggest downside to this book is you sort of know where it’s going. There aren’t too many big surprises in the main storyline, but there is just enough subplot thrown in, involving the supporting characters mostly, that it manages to not become too painfully predictable.

I’ll also give a warning and reminder to anyone with strong morals in regards to underage sex that statutory rape and the sexualization of teenage girls wasn’t as much a concern during the time period in which this book is set as it is today. In fact, it wasn’t a concern at all. Kelene, during the more heated parts of the book, is only fourteen years of age, which was woman enough by 16th century standards.

What I’m Reading: “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire

2009-04-07T14:51:00.001-04:00

Like most twentieth century children I grew up in the presence of The Wizard of Oz. I first saw the movie version, on VHS, when I was around six or seven. I read the books, or at least the first couple, sometime later and, as with most other book/movie adaptation, found the written form far superior, but I was never exactly a huge fan of either. Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, always bugged me. What right did she have to give way the Witch of the East’s shoes? And why exactly did she send Dorothy all the way to the Emerald City when sending her home was as simple as telling her to click her heels? Odd behavior for a “good” witch. Odd behavior all the way around really, but I digress.

Gregory Maguire seems to specialize in “re-imagined” fairy tales, which is sort of a reading kick I’ve been on since reading Louise Hawes’ “Black Pearls: a Faerie Strand” last year. Of his collective works “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” was the first I came upon, most likely because it was recently turned into a Broadway musical. It naturally, as the title suggest, chronicles the life of, Elphaba, otherwise known as the Wicked Witch of the West.

“Wicked” starts with the Witch’s birth and follows her all the way to death. It addresses, among other things, why the Witch was green, how being green shaped her life’s path, and how she managed to live as long as she did without every coming in contact with liquid water. But more importantly it forces into the forefront the question, was she really wicked? And what is the true nature of evil? It also touches on matters of religion vs. science, social equality and race, animal rights, and terrorism. This is not a book for children or adult that don’t like to think too deeply.

I reiterate at the risk of becoming redundant, this is not a book for children, unless gang rape, threesomes, and female castration are subjects a parent wishes to expose and address.

The other thing I will say about this book, in closing, and one of the things I wins it my favor is it doesn’t explain too much. There are still mysteries left undiscovered; ultimate fates left unknown. This in my mind makes the Witch such a more realistic figure.

I love it when a plan comes together

2009-03-29T23:19:00.004-04:00

For those of you unfamiliar with the 1980s sitcom "The A Team" this is blog's title was the character Hannbal's catch phrase and something he use to always say when his best laid plans blew up in his face but somehow everything still worked out despite itself, "I love it when a plan comes together."

This weekend, and in fact the last few weeks in total, have been pure shit. Among the highlights the new phone/internet service isn't in yet, suppose to go in on the 1st. In the meantime, my current provider was notified by the new company that they'll be taking over the line which has seen a growth in the sort of issues that drove me to make the switch. There is no point in even complaining, never was and seems even less so now that I'm leaving. So, if you're among the few reading this who have my number and have tried to call me in the last week or so and have gotten either a busy signal, no answer, or a lovely recording telling you my number is no longer in service this is most likely why. All I can tell you is, if it's a matter of grave importance, just keep trying and you might get lucky or sit tight and I'll get the new number out to those who need it as soon as everything is a go with the new company.

The stone in my favorite nose stud fell out sometime yesterday and I went in search of a replacement. That might sound like no big deal except for some reason unknown to me topaz colored nose studs are damn near impossible to find and are usually priced five to six times as much as any other color. I ended up with one that isn't exactly to my liking, but since I didn't want to pay $30 plus shipping for one that is more like the one I had I'll have to make do. But at least I got a really good deal on it and with any luck this one will last.

And finally, for those who follow the ups and downs of my personal life (family, love, career, etc) I've allowed myself for sometime now to become complacent, comfortable, and dare I say tolerant in a situation(s) I'm not happy with. It's time for some sort of change and I've been doing my best to work towards one, without causing too much suffering for the ones I do care for, but I'm sort of at a loss at the moment as to which way to proceed. I think part of the problem is I care and worry too much. I tear myself a part inside trying to make sure everyone I love is okay and happy and safe, but instead all I end up doing is disappointing everyone, including myself. Well, I'm finally fed up with it. Today was the deal breaker, which might seem odd because as compared to every other day for the last year or so it wasn't all that different, which is exactly the problem. I shouldn't have to work, no fight, this hard just to be loved and understood. I might have forgotten it for a minute, but I'm worth more then that and I'm doing no one any good accepting anything less.

What I’m Reading: “Mister B. Gone” by Clive Barker

2009-03-19T16:51:00.002-04:00

I’ll open this review with a confession. I am a Clive Barker fanatic. I’ve at this point read nearly all his published works and by and large have loved them all. Even his movies, often adaptations of his written work, are favorites of mine. I’ve seen “Candyman” and read “Imajica” so many times over I feel confident that I could, if compelled for some reason to do so, act out scenes from either word for word. His stories aren’t for me mere sources of entertainment they are a treasured part of my life.

And then there is “Mister B. Gone”.

I can sum up my feelings about this book, which was hailed by some as Barker’s return to his horror roots, with one word; disappointment. This book has no depth or spirit, which is quite the shortcoming in a book that is suppose to be demon possessed.

This storyline, if you want to call it that, follows the Earthly life of a demon named Jakabok Botch but who prefers to be called Mr. B.. Jakabok is both the narrator and prisoner of the book and fancies himself quite the writer. He couldn’t be further off base. Written with out chapters the book reads like the journal of an individual only casually interested in documenting their life and with only a vague memory of important events.

Nearly every other page or “entry” ends with Jakabok speaking directly to the reader, pleading with them to burn the book and end his imprisonment and presumably his life. This was kooky and fun at first, but quickly became annoying, repetitive, and in this reader’s opinion a very cheap way to fill up pages and stretch out the book’s length. By the time the pleas became threats and was clearly meant to carry a creep out factor the whole affair was just boring. The only readers I could see this tactic even remotely working on are the highly religious and/or superstitious, because simply no one else is going to be frightened by a paper demon saying he’s standing behind them with a knife posed to torture and kill them.

There are a handful of scenes throughout the book that are gruesome and violent enough to remind the reader they are reading a Clive Barker story. I also appreciate the fact that Mr. Barker saw fit to address the popular misconception that the Bible was the first book to be published via the printing press, it was in fact a grammar text book that was first reproduced in this manner, but these scenes far from redeem this particular book and as much as it pains me to say it the only thing in my opinion that would redeem it would be to follow the wishes of its main character and burn it.

I Met A Psychic (a poem)

2009-03-04T06:57:00.002-05:00

by Hydra M. Star

I met
a psychic
the other night

She said,
"there is a man
in your life
tall
dark
handsome
and who thinks
you are beautiful
and loves you immensely."

I told her,
"you must be confused
the only man
in my life
is short
pale
plain
and loathes
the very sight
of me"