Sunday, December 3, 2023

Godzilla... Minus One

As a diehard daikaiju fanatic since early childhood, I take my Godzilla movies seriously, no matter how serious — or not — the movies themselves might be. The original 1954 Godzilla is not just my favorite monster film, it's my favorite film of all time. Many monster movie fans have opined that Godzilla Minus One, Toho's newest entry into the venerable franchise, rivals or even surpasses the power and quality of the original. I think not, but this film offers plenty of appeal not only to Godzilla fans but to a far wider, more diverse audience.

There may be spoilers ahead.

As with most of the Godzilla films made during and since the Millennium era (1999–2005), Godzilla Minus One reinvents the monster, disregarding its cinematic history, retaining only the time-proven tropes. Even a number of the earlier films with disparate timelines hearken back to the 1954 original, using it as the jumping-off point for all-new continuities. Like Toho's prior Godzilla outing — Shin Godzilla (2016) — this Godzilla has an all-new origin story.

In a nod to the Godzilla origin story depicted in 1992's Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, in which a "Godzillasaurus" appears to a regiment of Japanese soldiers on a remote Pacific Island called Lagos, Godzilla Minus One begins near the end of the war on Odo Island (the name of the island where Godzilla first appeared in the 1954 original) and also presents a "Godzillasaurus." Unlike in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, this Godzillasaurus is anything but gentle, and, rather than saving the lives of the encamped Japanese soldiers, it all but wipes them out in a ferocious fury.

In the 1954 film, Godzilla appears due to hydrogen bomb tests in the Pacific, well into Japan's post-war recovery and ascension as a formidable economic power. Godzilla Minus One's story begins at the end of the war, and the narrative advances only a couple of years beyond. Its setting is a post-war Japan in which "recovery" barely qualifies as a pipedream for most. It is the detonation of the first atomic bomb on Bikini Atoll in 1946 that transforms this Godzilla into a true daikaiju.

It is survivor Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki), a "failed" kamikaze pilot, whose story propels the human drama. After the war, having moved back to a fire-ravaged Tokyo and bearing the burden of survivor's guilt twice over, Shikishima feels that he may already be dead, and his shattered existence is some kind of dead man's dream. On one hand, there are those around him who consider him a disgrace, the personification of weakness; essentially the reason that Japan lost the war. On the other hand, Shikishima meets a young woman named Noriko (Minami Hamabe) whose determination to survive, to thrive, is so great that she unilaterally chooses to take in an orphaned little girl named Akiko and settle in with him as an informal family unit. This all but forces Shikishima to reevaluate his outlook, to consider that his life has a purpose. That he can dare to dream again.

One can hardly argue that this depth of characterization is typical of Godzilla films of any era. Certainly not of the contemporary Monsterverse Godzilla franchise, whose token nods to characterization barely reach the level of the old Saturday morning Godzilla Power Hour cartoon. As Shikishima's life stabilizes, he takes a job as a "mine cleaner" — a position that puts him on a ship with a team whose job is finding and destroying the 60,000-some active mines in the ocean around Japan, placed by both the Japanese and US military forces. His shipmates, overall an engaging and sometimes humorous bunch, bring both depth and liveliness to the character interactions. They serve as motivators for Shikishima, whose desire to live has finally taken solid root. While he, Noriko, and Akiko might not have become a true, traditional family unit, it's clear that they are bonded by a deepening love.

As one might infer, the mine cleaners' day job comes with a few unique hazards. Deadly hazards. But living so close to the edge brings these men both self-awareness and passion. Shikishima finds his niche among these men. Understandably, Noriko doesn't much like it. Especially when crewmember "Doc" Kenji Noda (Hidetaka Yoshioka), a former weapons specialist and now liaison with the Japanese government, informs the men they've been ordered to check out an American destroyer that has been attacked by... something... and left adrift.

From here, a long stretch of delicious, fairly graphic monster action ensues. This, of course, is what moviegoers have come to see. Like some kind of ultra-powerful Megalodon, Godzilla proves himself a daunting — and genuinely frightening — aquatic enemy, captured by brilliant cinematography. Of course, Godzilla is hardly relegated to water-based antics, and when he makes landfall, the onscreen spectacle is in many ways unrivaled by any daikaiju film made since the advent of CGI. Certainly better (with perhaps a handful of exceptions) than most of the graphics presented in the Monsterverse franchise, whose budget exceeds this film's by many, many, many times. (Godzilla vs. Kong's budget was reportedly between $155 and $200 million; Godzilla Minus One's was $15 million).

Without diving too deeply into spoiler territory, it's fair to say that the character and monster stories converge in meaningful ways, further developing the individuals as well as propelling the action. Unlike so many prior Godzilla films, particularly of the Heisei era and, later, Shin Godzilla, there is very little focus on the Japanese government's and military's responses to Godzilla's attacks. Ostensibly, the Imperial government and military have been stymied by the tumultuous US and Soviet presences in the Pacific and the restrictive terms imposed on Japan following its surrender. Instead, a ragtag band of initially unaffiliated individuals come together, loosely under the direction of Doc Noda and a former Imperial Navy Admiral, who rely on their ingenuity and limited resources to formulate a plan.

In the context of the film, the logistics of the ultimate plan might be debatable, but there's no denying the sheer energy of the action and the portrayal of courage on the parts of our protagonists.
Fuck with this monster? Is bad idea.
"Doc" Kenji Noda (Hidetaka Yoshioka) and Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) meet for their first run as minesweepers
Noriko (Minami Hamabe) suddenly realizes there's something out there...
A graphic recreation of Godzilla's attack on the Tokyo train from the 1954 original
Director Takashi Yamazaki (The Fighter Pilot, Always: Sunset on Third Street, Parasyte: Part 1) proves himself accomplished in every aspect of a character-driven monster story. Here, we have no long, lagging people scenes, where interest wanes as soon as mouths open (2019's Godzilla - King of the Monsters, anyone?); instead, these characters share with us passion, humor, believable conflict, and grief when appropriate. The combination of directing and acting brings to life the most engaging group of characters in a Godzilla movie for many, many years. I would probably have to go back to the Showa era (1954–1975) to find an ensemble of cast with such effective chemistry as here; certainly, no Godzilla movie apart from the 1954 original has conveyed a human story as compelling. Or that might make me (and my wife) feel a bit weepy (it did).

Yamazaki also directs most of the monster action with a masterful hand. It's safe to say that this was the first time ever in a Godzilla movie that I felt an honest-to-god chill when the full extent of the monster's power is initially revealed. The director showcases Godzilla's attack on Tokyo using everything from panoramic to character-level views, allowing us an intimate sensory experience of the violence and terror of such a brutal rampage. Most memorably — in a scene similar to one in the original 1954 film — a group of reporters is narrating from a high rooftop as Godzilla advances through the city. As the monster passes, the building collapses, and the camera view is on the reporters as their world comes down. It's a particularly harrowing moment, expertly executed.

While the CGI occasionally announces, "Hey, look at me, I'm CGI!," the better part of the effects work is impressive, presenting a lifelike monster and environment rather than a world rendered with an exaggerated palette, such as in the Monsterverse films. Not to denigrate the characteristic "oil-painted" look of the Monsterverse's effects work, but its busy, overly vibrant colors and compositions, as impressive as they might appear on the screen, also build a wall between that world and me as the viewer. I can't get immersed in that environment because it doesn't feel like a living environment. It's more a vivid cartoon. This is mostly not true in Godzilla Minus One, so it offers a far more immersive experience.

While there are the expected Akira Ifukube musical cues in the Godzilla Minus One, which are inserted to good effect, the original score by Naoki Sato offers a very different kind of background from either the classic Ifukube cuts or any other Godzilla movie score. Largely, it weaves, pulses, and throbs in the background, an ambient sound wave that builds atmosphere and tension. With ethereal, eerie tones, it heightens the sense of the unknown that Godzilla represents. The various character themes include everything from deep, rich orchestral tones to mellow melodies played on acoustic guitar. It's one of the most effective scores — maybe the most effective — that I've heard for any modern daikaiju movie. Interestingly, Godzilla's roar, which sounds familiar yet unusual, is a recording of the original Godzilla roar — created by composer Ifukube by rubbing a leather glove over contrabass strings and slowing down the recording — amplified via loudspeakers.

As a longtime Godzillaphile, I have adored the franchise since the first film, regardless of whether the movies are serious and grim or light and whimsical. At the end of the day, Godzilla Minus One portrays the monster as the impressive, terrible, essentially demonic thing my youthful brain imagined. And that I still want to imagine.

That is a big win.
"Doc" Kenji Noda (Hidetaka Yoshioka) contemplates the consequences of failure.
A stroll through the countryside
It's clobberin' time.
All that remains of the Wako Building clock tower after Godzilla's stroll
A display of incredible power

Saturday, December 2, 2023

Deathrealm: Spirits — Joe R. Lansdale, Errick Nunnally, Bridgett Nelson, Heather Daughrity, Jessica Amanda Salmonson

WISHING YOU HAPPY HORRORDAYS...

Joe R. Lansdale — "Ghosts in the Cells": A theoretical discussion between friends around a campfire becomes a battle for survival against the ultimate primal horror.

Errick Nunnally — "Driving James Cole": "How did we get on this road with someone like that in the car? And what the hell is that coming up behind us...?!"

  Bridgett Nelson — "Dying River": A mother's love is sometimes said to be the most powerful force in the universe. Is it? Is it really?

 Heather Daughrity — "A Shadow Slowly Shifting": Is that shadow on the floor? Or a shadow within a haunted mind? The distinction becomes crucial.

 Jessica Amanda Salmonson — "The Ivory Bed": She might have been Lilith’s most privileged daughter; Princess of the Esoteric Night; Goddess of ghosts in violent places...

And much, much more!

Friday, December 1, 2023

Deathrealm: Spirits — Elizabeth Massie, Ronald Kelly, Patricia Lee Macomber, Maurice Broaddus, Richard Thomas

WISHING YOU HAPPY HORRORDAYS...

Elizabeth Massie — "The Campsite": Geocaching is a kind of treasure hunt that frequently leads seekers into deep, remote woods to locate their quarry. Some treasures, once found, can never be forgotten...

Ronald Kelly — "Prayers from the Mouth of Hell": There's nothing frightening under this house. Nothing there at all...

  Patricia Lee Macomber — "Nothing Bad Can Ever Happen to You Here": This guardian will protect you for all the days of your life — however long that may be...

 Maurice Broaddus — "The Running People": How can life and love survive — and thrive — in this bleak, horrific world that we ourselves have wrought? One must run to discover the answer.

 Richard Thomas — "Ripples in a Pond": Some thoughts, words, and deeds can resonate into time and space far beyond the limits of a lifetime. But to what end?

And much, much more!

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Deathrealm: Spirits — Brian Keene, Linda D. Addison, Larry Blamire, Eric LaRocca, Timothy G. Huguenin

WISHING YOU HAPPY HORRORDAYS...

Brian Keene — "Bloody Roots": The redoubtable Levi Stoltzfus confronts what may be his most fearsome, powerful, and heart-rending adversary...

Linda D. Addison — "As Below, So Above": "The dream ends and begins again and again; each time a different animal consumes dreadful beliefs I cannot release..."

  Larry Blamire — "The Murder Wagon": The ancient, shadow-haunted Callamo Mountains have seen countless horrors, and now a new menace rises to sow dread, nourished by blood and fear.

Eric LaRocca — "Even If Our Wounds Never Close": How much blood can personal atonement ever require?

Timothy G. Huguenin — "To Fear and To Rage": What are these hellish, eyeless things overrunning a small West Virginia community... and how the hell can they be stopped?

And much, much more!

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Deathrealm: Spirits — Meghan Arcuri, Kasey Lansdale, David Niall Wilson, Tony Tremblay, Jeff Oliver

WISHING YOU HAPPY HORRORDAYS...

Meghan Arcuri — "Fort Lonely": Is it a safe place born of a mother's love, or the den of some unspeakable horror from somewhere else?

Kasey Lansdale — "The Disappeared": Two young girls discover a body in a nearby creek, and the resulting dark cloud that envelops them swells into a mind-shattering storm.

  David Niall Wilson — "I Was Going to Tell You Tonight": A pair of pest exterminators. A terrible secret. A mind-bending collision of physical and spiritual horror.

Tony Tremblay — "Roadblock": An inexplicable gray wall appears, stopping cars on a remote, little-used road. But what of those few who are unable to pass through this mysterious barrier?

 Jeff Oliver — "The Devil's Bounty Hunter": "You can try to run, but it will always find you. You can hide in the dark, but it will always come through..."

And much, much more!

Monday, November 27, 2023

Give the Gift of Terror!

You want to be scared, right? And you want to scare other folks, right? Well, here you go, perfect for the holidays! My collection, Fugue Devil: Resurgence, and anthology, Deathrealm: Spirits, both available in paperback and ebook.

If you'd like autographed paperback copies, please contact me at mark-at-stephenmarkrainey-dot-com.


Friday, November 24, 2023

Black Friday at Black Tooth Pond

I needed to perform maintenance on a geocache out on the Dick & Willie Trail near uptown, so I headed out fairly and hiked out to it. Once I'd replaced the old, damaged container, on a whim, I decided to drive over to my old high school and see if I could get back to Black Tooth Pond, where I'd misspent countless hours back in my checkered past (you can read about an early adventure or two here,)

I gave Black Tooth Pond its name because, when I first discovered it, several hundred yards down a little dirt road behind the high school, a large number of old tree trunks protruded from the water at the pond's farthest end. (In more recent years, my dear, late friend Pete Wells, an expert in local history, informed me its actual name is Lester Pond; the Lesters have been a prominent family in this area for many, many years.) In 11th grade, circa 1976, my biology class hoofed it down the old road to the pond and took samples to test for water quality. Later, I furthered my education here with a select number of female specimens of the species. Not long afterward, I returned to the area to conduct experiments with certain chemical substances, the results of which are in mostly hazy.

I knew from looking at Google Maps that, some time ago, most of the woods around the pond had been razed, which pisses me off royally. (Around these parts, wooded areas no longer stay wooded very long. I'm assuming the motherfuckers want the trees solely for the wood, since, inevitably, only hideous scrub grows back in place of the once-healthy forests.) Thankfully, the pond remains back there amid all those now-desolate acres, though with only a thin ring of living trees surrounding it. Almost all the old trunks that once jutted from the far end of the pond have finally succumbed to the elements. Only a couple of very small, stubby trunks still protrude from the water.

Still, I very much enjoyed walking back there and taking a few photos. My latest short story, titled "The House at Black Tooth Pond," which is based both on this location and an ancient, abandoned house my brother and I discovered out in the county a good thirty years ago, will be appearing next year in a new anthology, titled Shunned Houses, edited by S.T. Joshi and Katherine Kerestman. Of course, I will post updates on the book as it gets nearer to release time.

Black Friday indeed.
View of Black Tooth Pond from 2010. As you can see, in those days, far more unspoiled forest surrounded it. More of the old tree trunks in the water are visible here, although even then, they were far fewer and smaller than when I first laid eyes on the location in the mid-1970s.
Another current view
A very old bench overlooking the water
A view of the current terrain, which up until recently was lush, beautiful forestland.

Thursday, November 23, 2023

Happy Big Bird Day!

About sunrise this morning, I hopped (read hobbled groggily) out of bed, grabbed a quick cup of coffee at the nearby Valero Station, and hit the road for a geocaching breakfast event at friends Tom & Linda's place in Browns Summit, back in the direction of our old homeplace in Greensboro. A number of local cachers showed up, and — as will happen at such events — many geocaching discussions ensued. Tom & Linda provided eggs, sausages, biscuits, coffees, and juices, but I fortified myself only a little, since, back in Martinsville, a massive feast awaited us, courtesy of Ms. B., who stayed home rather than venture out to mingle with a bunch of mad cachers.

We had planned on old family friends, Gretchen & Dick, to join us for the Big Feast, but sadly, illness had struck their household, and they had to bow out. My daughter, Allison, at least, graced us with her presence, so we still ended up with a lovely, compact family gathering. We enjoyed a massive, MASSIVE feast featuring turkey, stuffing, smashed taters, green bean casserole, cranberry relish, maple bars, and vino. Since we had calculated on additional bodies at our table, we had more leftovers than the law otter allow, so, after we were done, I drove up to the hill to Gretchen & Dick's place and delivered a big ol' care package of fixins.

Allison wanted to watch Child's Play, which neither of us had seen in about a century, so we settled in for an afternoon horror flick. I'd like to say I enjoyed it, but... Well, the experience was as fun as could be. The movie, not really.

Ms. B. had suffered a morning migraine, so as the day drew toward sunset, she retired to her chambers for a power nap. I set out walking around the neighborhood, which I do most every day, and put in about two and a half miles à pied. I probably worked off at least a few bites of dead bird.

The fall and winter holidays have always been a special time in my family, and now that I am the last of them, I treasure days like this. No, things aren't the same as in those wonderful old days, not by a long shot, but I love these times no less, and in some ways, maybe more than ever.

Whatever your family celebrates, may it be happy, meaningful, and lasting for you.
Casa di Rodan
The view from the hill
At Lake Lanier, just down the street
The view toward home

Sunday, November 19, 2023

There Is Fire Where You're Going


Last night, friends Joe & Suzy hosted a chili cook-off with a bunch of folks, complete with awards for numerous recipe superlatives. Ten variations, with a wide range of ingredients, flavors, and spices. It may come as no surprise to most who know my tastes that I took the award for the deadliest heat (see the trophy at left).

I had cooked up a sizable batch of chili a few weeks ago and froze the leftover, which was almost a full pot in itself. The heat for this batch proved damned near inedible for some, and while I enjoyed its very rich, full flavor as much as any I've ever made, the fire was almost too much for me to handle. That, my friends, is some pretty special fire.

I rarely use a set recipe for my dishes — I tend to start throwing stuff together and see where it leads. Almost without exception, this method has led me to some fantastic dinners, the obvious problem being that reproducing it reliably is usually out of the question. Regardless, here's a recipe that I'd say comes about as close as possible to this most deliciously painful concoction.

Damned Rodan's Nuclear Fusion Chili
What You Need (serves four):
• 1 lb of ground Angus beef
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 16 oz. can mixed chili beans
• 10 oz. can diced tomatoes with habanero peppers (I use Ro-Tel brand)
• 2/3 cup Clamato juice 
• 7 oz. can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (I use La Costeña)
• 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1.5 oz. packet of chili seasoning powder (I use McCormick)
• tbsp chili powder
• tbsp cumin
• 2 habanero peppers, chopped fine
• juice and zest of 1 lime

For topping:
• green onions, chopped
• cilantro, chopped
• grated pepper jack cheese

What You Do:
1)  Brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain the excess grease.
2)  Move ground beef to large soup pot. Add onion, chili beans (drained or undrained, depending on personal preference), Clamato juice, tomato paste, chili seasoning powder, chili powder, and cumin. Cook on medium for 15 minutes, stirring regularly.
3)  Add diced tomatoes, chipotle peppers/adobo sauce, chopped habaneros, lime juice & zest. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
4)  Serve with your choice of toppings.
5)  Break out the fire extinguisher.

Thursday, November 9, 2023

Holy Turkey Buzzards, Catman!

I went outside to write on the porch to avoid the editorial efforts of certain young cats. You can't really see much in the photos, but the trees in the backyard are filling up with turkey buzzards. And they keep swooping down disturbingly close to me. I wonder if the buzzards know something I don't...

L: The writer seeking to escape R: the editor in question.

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Monday, November 6, 2023

Ghost Train & Other Geocaches

I set out to do maintenance on a couple of the geocaches I own out on the Dick & Willie Passage, not far out of Uptown Martinsville this morning. I did maintenance, all right, but — rather unexpectedly — I also placed three new caches. I hadn’t really planned on doing so, but it was as nice a morning as we’ve had lately, and I’ve had it in my head recently that I really should hide a few new ones in town.

So... I bloody well did.
 
Due to the character of the terrain around the trail, two of the three are physically challenging (in fact, I called one of them “The Bad Place,” hinting at where you might end up should you lose your footing). Since the Dick & Willie is a rail trail, several of my caches out there are train-themed, and my favorite of the new ones is called “The Ghost Train.” A similar hazard awaits you here as well, for should you lose your footing, look forward to becoming a ghost doomed to wander the old rail trail from now till eternity...

The cache listings have been submitted to geocaching.com, so I hope they’ll be published quite soon, while the weather is still conducive to trail hiking. I got in several miles of walking, so with all the up and down of placing the caches as well, the old dude managed to get a bit sore. I reckon it’s nothing a little splash of the Old Infuriator won’t help with.

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Tricks, Treats, Ghosties, Ghoulies, and Disembodied Heads


Ahh, there's nothing like some spooky Halloween (or in this case, pre-Halloween) geocaching. On Monday, I hauled myself up the thirty or so miles of scenic backroads to Rocky Mount, VA, primarily to hunt an Adventure Lab cache that takes you on a fun little ghost tour of downtown. Before hitting the town proper, though, I detoured over to some nearby woods to hunt a handful of caches I had yet to find. The first of these made my day — primarily because I did not expect what I found. Needless to say, the photo is a spoiler, so for the sake of the geocachers who follow this blog, I'll not reveal the cache name or its location. Suffice it to say that this one pretty well made my day.

After snagging a couple of more hides, I headed into town to hunt the ghostly Adventure Lab cache. It had five stages, each of which took me to a supposedly haunted location. None of these were particularly spooky, but I enjoyed visiting them for their historic significance. The most interesting to me was finding the original law office of Confederate General Jubal Early, under whom my great-great-great-grandfather and his brothers served during the Civil War. I hope that if any of these ghosts are roaming out and about, they haven't remained "unrepentant rebels," as Early himself was reputed to be following the war.

After the geocaching, I found a so-so lunch at a little Japanese place in Rocky Mount and then rode over to Ferrum College for a brief visit to my old alma mater. After that, home.

For the evening's entertainment, Ms. B. and I watched Hocus Pocus, which is one of her Halloween standards. Back when, I never thought I'd particularly enjoy this one, but it turns out that I very much do. Go figure.
Jubal Early's original law office in Rocky Mount, VA
The reputedly haunted "Farm at the Furnace"
Come Halloween morning, I was up early to fire up the crockpot for a big-ass pork butt. I had it cooking all day, seasoned it up nicely, and, come dinnertime, Ms. B. and I found ourselves with a damned good pulled pork feast. Our plan was to sit out on the front porch with the yard decorations blazing in hopes we might get a few trick-or-treaters. Since I hadn't spent Halloween in this house for many, many years, I had no idea what the turnout might be like.

It was considerably more impressive than I'd expected. We'd counted on a handful, at best, but we ended up with something like thirty. The weather cooperated nicely; it rained during the morning but cleared up by mid-afternoon. After the first couple of groups, I had to hie myself back to the grocery store to pick up more goodies. Happily, they'd already reduced the price on most of the chocolate treats, so I got a whole bunch of the good stuff (Reese's Take Fives). We still ended up with a wee bit left. But I found it very gratifying to see quite a few kids in costume — and all very polite. I understand the turnout was good just about everywhere in town. That makes me feel rather less curmudgeonly than usual.

To end the evening, we watched Disney's The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, which Ms. B. wanted to see. I think I saw this as a kid, but I can't be 100% certain. Anyway, it was fairly fun, with great animation. Then we put on Carpenter's Halloween just for shits & giggles, but by the time we got well into the film, the day's rigors and the evening's drink served to mellow me out a bit before the end of the film (as in snoring mellow, according to Brugger). Anyhoo, at least I know how the movie ends.

T'was a damn nice Halloween. I'll take it.
Appetizers on the porch prior to having trick-or-treaters (Mmm.)
Happy Horrorween!

Sunday, October 29, 2023

Another Haunted Gathering

Halloween gatherings are generally my very favorite kind of gathering, and pretty much every year, we either attend or host one with some of our very best friends. Last year, in Greensboro, we had a pretty damned big one; this year, for a variety of reasons, we opted to go much smaller. Still, it was a dozen freaky folks here at Ground Zero, and it was a hollering good time. Lots of great food, a variety of boos, and a fun brain game or two.

Our friends Bob & Yvonne brought along their 15-year-old grandson, Eli, and he fit right in with this particular gangsome. He decided to leave earlier than our other guests, and since his place is in walking distance, he set out on foot. Now, Eli was wearing an inflatable alien-carrying-a-human costume, which was by no means conducive to graceful mobility. When he left, the road was dark, and he went booking along at pretty high speed. Then... a couple of cars came by and caught him in their headlights. Clearly, the drivers were shocked, for they slowed way down and gave him very wide berth. For us, this provided the biggest laugh of the entire year. You sort of had to be there, but I trust you get the picture.

Sadly, we didn't get that many photos of the attendees in costume. Once things got going, the cameras were pretty much forgotten. Alas! Anyhoo, some of us did snap a few shots from time to time. We ended the evening with a showing of The Mist, which went very late indeed.

We've got another gathering — a Halloween geocaching event — to look forward to, and of course we'll have movies aplenty to keep us busy until the big day.

Friday, October 27, 2023

Deathrealm: Spirits in the Wild!

A few of the authors of Deathrealm: Spirits displaying the incriminating evidence of the horrors they have wrought!
Left to right, top to bottom: Jeff Oliver ("The Devil's Bounty Hunter"), Kasey Lansdale ("The Disappeared"), Bridgett Nelson ("Dying River"), Elizabeth Massie("The Campsite), Heather Daughrity ("A Shadow Slowly Shifting"), Meghan Arcuri, ("Fort Lonely")