Seven Sounds Success & a Sojourn at Stately Wilson Manor

I'm so pleased that the group booksigning at Seven Sounds Brewing Company in Elizabeth City, NC, which I've been hollering about for quite a while, far exceeded my expectations. I sold quite a few books, as did friends David Niall Wilson and Patricia Lee Macomber (a.k.a. Trish). For me, some of these "non-traditional" book venues have really paid off.

Friday, September 6: Brugger and I hit the road early, drove most of the day, stopping only for lunch and a handful of geocaches. We arrived in Elizabeth City a tad early for setting up at Seven Sounds Brewing Company, so Ms. B. and I went walking and snagged the five stages of a very nice Adventure Lab Cache along the downtown waterfront. Once we completed that, we made our way back to the brewery, set up the book table, sank some pints (well, I did; Ms. B. opted for vino), and spewed all kinds of gross welcoming remarks to Dave and Trish when they arrived a short time later.

Trish Wilson (Patricia Lee Macomber) plotting
devious demises for unsuspecting victims

Author Elizabeth Broadbent had intended to participate in the event, but circumstances apparently conspired against her. Alas!

Come dinnertime, we picked up burgers from the Shipwrecked food truck, which was on hand for the event. I must tell you, their Hickory Gouda burger is an exquisite thing, and it was apparently their most popular of the evening. One of the owners told Brugger that it could been their only offering on the menu and still made a killing.

Near the end of the evening, friends Mike & Bridgette Brenmark, whom I'd met in person for the first time last month at NecronomiCon–Providence, came by, since they live in reasonable proximity. We shared a couple of drinks, and then Brugger and I headed over to Stately Wilson Manner just a few miles down the road. Spent a couple of joyous hours hooting, hollering, and drinking some of Dave's outstanding bourbon.

I've no idea what time it was, but at some point, we went to bed.

Saturday, September 7: We hung about for most of the morning, socializing with several of the 13 household house cats and drinking vats of coffee. Eventually, we headed out for brunch at nearby IHOP, which wasn't bad, although the service was painfully slow — apparently, not for the folks around us, but I wonder if our server recognized Dave; if so, I understand everything. We had talked about having Thai food for dinner, so I decided to offer my services and make Thai basil chicken, which is one of my staples. Brugger and I went shopping, picked up the goods, and I fixed the dinner. It were good.

Afterward, we watched Longlegs, which I found wonderfully weird, atmospheric as hell, and ultimately unsettling. It's one of Nicholas Cage's most intense, memorable performances ever.

Again, the evening ran pretty late. I zonked out for a bit on the couch, a condition that Dave termed "Markolepsy." I'll go with it.

Bridgette & Mike Brenmark with the scary folk

Brother Tomás

Sunday, September 8: Brugger and I didn't have a lot of time to hang around this morning, but Dave and I did manage to hash out some ideas for several upcoming projects we hope to pursue. No moss growing on old stones, and all that. Brugger and I hit the road about 10:30 a.m., stopped outside of Elizabeth City for some nibbles and coffee for breakfast, and then headed westward. A few geocaches, a so-so lunch at Cracker Barrel, which was not our first choice, but it was open, and we arrived home around 4:30 p.m. I'd missed out on my daily walk this morning, so, before I could collapse in a weary heap, I walked a couple of miles around nearby Lake Lanier.

Now I am ready to collapse in a weary heap. So, that's all for now, sayonara, and peace.

Ms. B. wrangling cats

Coupla scary old writers

This Friday: Author Signing at Seven Sounds Brewing Co., Elizabeth City, NC

THIS FRIDAY! September 6, 2024, 5:00 p.m. EDT, at Seven Sounds Brewing Company in Elizabeth City, NC — a four-author booksigning event, featuring Elizabeth Broadbent, Patricia Lee Macomber, David Niall Wilson, and an old dude. To promote our work, the brewery will offer a unique brew matched with each author's featured book (mine is Fugue Devil: Resurgence — though they may want to leave off the "Resurgence" part, brew-wise!). Seven Sounds features both indoor and outdoor seating, and there will be food trucks and other vendors on hand with wares of many varieties.

In addition to Fugue Devil: Resurgence, I'll also have copies of Deathrealm: Spirits, The Monarchs (which is set in Elizabeth City), The Gods of Moab, Blue Devil Island, and others. If you're within traveling distance, please come see us!

Distant Early Warning: Multi-Author Booksigning in Elizabeth City, NC

Coming up on Friday, September 6, 2024, 5:00 p.m. EDT, at Seven Sounds Brewing Company in Elizabeth City, NC — a four-author booksigning event, featuring Elizabeth Broadbent, Patricia Lee Macomber, David Niall Wilson, and an old dude. To promote each author, the brewery will offer a unique brew matched with one of each author's featured works (my featured book is Fugue Devil: Resurgence, but they may wanna leave off the "Resurgence" part, brew-wise). Seven Sounds features both indoor and outdoor seating, and there will be food trucks and other vendors on hand with wares of many varieties.

In addition to Fugue Devil: Resurgence, I'll also have copies of Deathrealm: Spirits, The Monarchs (which is set in Elizabeth City), The Gods of Moab, Blue Devil Island, and others. Stay tuned for more details as the time draws nearer.

Back at the Crossroad

Three long years it has been since I set foot in Stately Wilson Manor, in Hertford, NC — one of the longest, if not the longest, spells of Trish & David Niall Wilson deprivation on record. Since Dave and I became acquainted in the mid-to-late 1980s, getting together to conduct business, socialize, and terrorize the populace has been a time-honored tradition. Wilson Manor is the home base of Crossroad Press, which I’ve been thrilled to have as my publisher for the majority of my full-length works of fiction since the year 2010, there or about. 

Unfortunately, due to her work schedule, Brugger couldn’t accompany me on this trip, so the Wilson clan was forced to suffer me as me, not the “tempered-by-my-better-half” me. More’s the pity, for all of us; however, they survived, and I survived, and over the course of the weekend, I think we ended up committing only minor felonies (with no convictions).

I left Greensboro fairly early on Friday, November 4. Another crucial aspect of this long-running tradition is to hunt geocaches on the roughly 250-mile drive from Greensboro to Hertford (as well as on the return trip, naturally). My favorite location was somewhere east of Raleigh, on a dead-end road that went a good mile or so into what appeared to be deserted woods. Where it turned off from the main road, though, I discovered, hidden among the nearby trees, a handful of gravestones that dated back to the early 20th Century. It seemed an odd place to find graves, but at least no one was shambling about, moaning, and/or bitching. At the far end of the road, I discovered a jack-o’-lantern, complete with a candle inside (unlit in the daylight). Given the isolation of the area, I have no idea for whose benefit the jack-o’-lantern existed, but it sure made for a cool — and reasonably creepy — setting for a geocache.

I had to take an extensive detour near Rocky Mount, which I later learned was because a tractor-trailer truck carrying explosives overturned on US 64, forcing a long section of road to be closed on Friday. (I don’t think anything or anyone blew up, and they got the road reopened before I headed back on Sunday.)

Lunch at a place called Ribeyes Steakhouse (an excellent burger, fries, and drink, all for $9), a few more caches, and I arrived in Hertford a few minutes before 5:00 p.m. To my surprise, no one was home. But a ghostly voice bade me enter by way of a secret code, so I soon enough settled myself in at Stately Wilson Manor in the company of at least half a dozen cats, all of whom seemed excited as hell to see me.*

*Mostly, they ran and hid, except for Brother Tomas, who railed at me for having failed to visit him sooner. After a while, the lot of them came around and made me feel welcome, especially once I offered them treats.

It wasn’t long before the more frightening inhabitants of the house arrived, with their son Bill in tow. There was much rejoicing, pouring of spirits, catching up, plotting, scheming, burying evidence, etc. Eventually, we made our way to dinner at Volcano, a decent Japanese restaurant we’ve enjoyed on several past trips. The sushi dinner was awesome. Once back at the house, more spirits flowed, and certain of us (not me, of course) built up formidable hangovers.

I don’t know what time we all wandered off to bed. It wasn’t early. Or maybe it was very early, I dunno.

A tiny graveyard at the entrance to a dead-end road through the woods

Cotton fields back home...

Giorgio Wilson upon catching a glimpse of the bar at Stately Wilson Manor

On Saturday, we spent the morning recuperating (well, those who needed to recuperate did so), talking creative business (with possible new plans set in motion), and recuperating (oh, wait...). Dave, Bill, and I killed lunch at a little joint called Currituck BBQ Company, where the food was great and the sound of banjos playing out back wasn’t too loud. I found a cache.

Dr. Dave and editorial assistant

Afterward, we headed back for more scheming, plotting, and businessing, all the while avoiding the need for any later recuperating. Come dinnertime, we hit Plaza Azteca in Elizabeth City, where, honest to Yog, I tore into some of the best Mexican food I’ve had since I don’t know when: birria tacos, which are corn tortillas soaked in birria broth and stuffed with beef, Chihuahua cheese sauce, and cilantro, topped with cabbage and cheese, served with broth and hot tomatillo sauce. For accompaniment, I had one margarita, which was big and tasty, but not very strong. Probably for the best, under the circumstances.

For the evening’s entertainment, we watched Nope, director Jordan Peele’s latest film, which we all loved. The Wilsons had already seen it, but this was my first time, and I would have to call it the best fright film I’ve seen all year — and better than most from many years prior. I’m looking forward to Ms. B. taking a look at it. I expect it’s going to be a keeper for us. After Nope, we watched Peter Jackson’s 1996 horror comedy, The Frighteners, which I saw when it first came out; don’t think I’ve seen it since. My impression then was none too positive, but this time around, I found it slightly more amusing. It’s not particularly funny, but it does have its moments. Michael J. Fox has always been a favorite of mine, and he’s fine in this movie.

Again, it was a very late night — all the more so because of the time change. At least some of us were still awake when it came time to roll back the clocks at 2:00 a.m....

Birria tacos at Plaza Azteca in Elizabeth City

Brother Tomas watching Nope

This morning — Sunday — I accompanied Dave to his office, where he kindly gifted me a copy of his latest fiction collection, The Devil’s in the Flaws & Other Dark Truths, which I’ll be reading and reviewing at the earliest possibility. Then it was time for this old man to hit the road to return to Greensboro. Today, there were no detours. I stopped for a few caches and got home around 3:00 p.m., to find a pile of business to handle. At this point, most of it is handled. Or at least in the early stages of handling. Whatever, it’s handled.

And so endeth another stay at Stately Wilson Manor, and I sure as hell hope the next gathering with Clan Wilson isn’t as far in the future as the previous one was in the past.

Yeah, I think that pretty much worked.

Bear!

A Weekend at the Crossroad

Author/Crossroad Press Founder & CEO David Niall Wilson
riles the crowd at the Page After Page Author Fest

Come lunchtime on Friday, I bolted out of Greensboro and set out for the most haunted and horrific Wilson House (a.k.a. Dave and Trish's residence) in Herford, NC. For this was the weekend of the Page After Page Author Fest in Elizabeth City, NC (see my blog entry from Wednesday, February 8), and we were all set to appear.

Actually, I first had to swing up to Martinsville, VA, to take care of business at my mom's. Then I hit the road for the most haunted and horrific Wilson House. I did stop for a number of geocaches along the way, and somewhere about Emporia, VA, I discovered what is surely one of the few Shoney's restaurants still in business. Back in the dawn of man, I worked as a fry cook at Shoney's in Martinsville. Their food was never exactly gourmet fare, but for old time's sake, I stopped for dinner, and I've gotta say, it was not bad at all. The HOP (half o' pound) hamburger steak was quite satisfying, as a matter of fact.

I really didn't know there were any of these left. The restaurants, I mean, not strange old white men.

Don't see one of these every day...

My route took me out US 58 to just this side of Suffolk, VA, where I got on some back roads that skirted the Dismal Swamp into NC. Now, mind you, these were some of the same back roads upon which I found myself a mighty bit confused back around 2006. Those unexpected detours directly inspired my novel, The Monarchs, which is set in that area. This time, with the aid of a (mostly) functional phone GPS, getting through that area proved a breeze. I did lose service for a spell out there, but by then, I was most of the way toward familiar territory.

As I was driving past Elizabeth City, only a few minutes shy of Hertford, I did see what at first struck me as an unusual phenomenon. Along the western horizon, as far as the eye could see, what appeared to be a thousand red lights were flashing in unison. I wasn't entirely sure what I might be seeing, but I suspected it might be a wind farm. And that is exactly what it turned out to be. I'd never seen one before at night, and I found the view spectacular.

Once I'd settled in at the most haunted and horrific place, my hosts and I stayed up till the wee hours sipping whiskey and trading most excellent tales of comedy and tragedy.

At the waterfront. A gull on every post.

Come Saturday morning, we headed out to Elizabeth City and the author fest. Page After Page is a small but well-stocked bookstore in a scenic area of town along the waterfront. About 20 authors attended the event, including children's authors, young-adult fiction authors, adult-fiction authors, poets, and creative writers of every ilk. To my surprise, rather than have the writers set up in strategic locations, we were sequestered at the back of the store so each of us could give a presentation about our showcased works. It was an unusual approach, and while I enjoyed listening to these recountings of personal inspiration, I felt we had been essentially separated from whatever customers did show up. And a few did. Clearly, there was less selling than personal and professional fellowship happening here. If I'd had any great expectation of making a killing, I might have been put out, but knowing that Elizabeth City is not necessarily the Mecca for that kind of thing, I had come more for the joy of hanging out with other writers, specifically Dave and Trish (not to mention more than a modicum of geocaching). It is well that these were my expectations.

Trish Wilson tells you what's going down in the business

Author Reginald Buchanan recounts an exciting passage from his novel.

Books from Crossroad Press

All in all, it turned out to be an enjoyable and informative day. At the fest's end, the Wilsons and I transported ourselves to Volcano Japanese Restaurant, where I had dined once before ("These Are a Few of My Favorite Things," June 24, 2012). It was good then, and it was good now. I ripped up three superdynawhopping sushi rolls—a spicy shrimp & scallop roll, a spicy volcano roll, and a spicy tuna & seaweed concoction called "A Christmas Tree." For dessert, I partook of some geocaches and a chai latte from Starbuck's. We had to pick up the Wilsons' daughter Katie at the nearby college campus following a field trip, but the kids were a bit late getting back. So we three adults sat in the Vladmobile for some time, shooting shit and shitting you not.

Back at Chez Wilson, for the evening's entertainment, we watched The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, one of my all-time favorite comedies, made by champion of science Larry Blamire; followed by Polar, a violent thriller starring Mads Mikkelsen. In general, I quite enjoyed the latter, though it feels rather odd to say so, considering the gratuitous sax and violins, not to mention an over-the-top body count. It did have great atmosphere and a driving musical score. We also availed ourselves to some exceedingly pricey whiskey, which I enjoyed, but Dave and I agreed that we both enjoy a lot of whiskeys that cost a quarter of its price at least as much or more. Still, many thanks to Dave for sharing a healthy splash of it with me. There's no one I'd rather share expensive whiskey with.

A big honking bottle of Eagle Rare. Not the most expensive stuff, but among the best.

Brother Tomás

This morning, we had to make a quick stop in Elizabeth City to pick up some copies of my novel, West Virginia: Lair of the Mothman, from Dave's office. That done, we said our goodbyes and I hit the road—and began a long day of driving and geocaching. I claimed about 30 this weekend, more than half of which I snagged on the trip home today. It was a long but not-at-all uncomfortable drive back, as I stopped every few minutes to do a bit of hunting. The majority of the hides I found this weekend were park & grabs, but I still managed to turn up a good number of ingenious, appealing caches, such as "Where Eagles Soar" (GC7N4K2), and "Harbor Log" (GC6CQ24), a short distance down the street. It's always fun to have a few challenging hides in the mix. It's not always just about the numbers....

All in all, this proved a most enjoyable weekend with a couple of the best friends I have, both in the wild and woolly writing business and the wild and woolly business of life in general. Back home now, a bit weary and a little peeved that tomorrow is another day at the office. What I could use right now is a good couple of full days working on Michigan: The Dragon of Lake Superior, which is going swimmingly but deserves a good spell of uninterrupted writing time.

Till then.

Old Rodan on the prowl along the waterfront

Page After Page Author Fest

This Saturday, February 9, I'll be at the Page After Page Bookstore's Author Fest in Elizabeth City, NC, from 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., along with Crossroad Press Publisher/Author David Niall Wilson and author Patricia Macomber. I will have paperback copies of Blue Devil Island, The Monarchs (which is set in that area), and my newest, West Virginia: Lair of the Mothman on hand, and you can bet I'll be happy to devalue any and all of them with my John Hancock.

If you're anywhere in the area, please come on by. It won't hurt a bit—well, not much, anyway. For more info, visit...

Page After Page Author Fest

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

An opulent spread at Volcano Hibachi & Sushi Restaurant in Elizabeth City, NC

Note that these pics are in no particular order. I'd hate to hurt anyone's feelings, particularly the sushi's. Anyhoo, this past weekend has been one of those that is really special to me because so many of my favorite people/places/things/experiences have all been rolled up into one.

David Niall Wilson — writer, editor, publisher, proprietor of Crossroad Press — has probably been my best friend in the wacky world of writing and publishing since the late 1980s. I published his short story, "From My Reflection, Darkly" — in Deathrealm #13, I believe — and after that, his work became something of a staple in the magazine. We met face-to-face for the first time at Necon (I suspect it was back in 1988), and from that time on, we started getting together regularly, whether it be at cons or at our respective residences. Over the years, we've shared a lot of experiences, creative energy, writing (we collaborated on a tale or two; see Joined at the Muse for a horrific example), and some significant life changes (i.e., divorce, re-marriages, re-relationships, etc.). It's been over three years since we've seen each other, and that's the longest time between visits since we first became acquainted. Those big life changes get in the way, don't you know....

After work on Friday, Brugger and I set out for Elizabeth City, only to encounter some of the biggest, most violent storms shy of a hurricane that I've seen in quite some time. Consequently, driving was not fun, and geocaching was minimal. It seemed a bad omen, though I don't think either of us allowed the inclement weather to significantly dampen our spirits. Happily, we made it safe and sound to Stately Wilson Manor — but a different Stately Wilson Manor than I was accustomed to, for the last time I ventured in this direction, the Wilson folk lived in a historical, haunted mansion in the little town of Hertford. Not anymore. In this new place, it appeared, the only ghosts we'd find would be the ones the Wilsons brought with them (which, granted, could be plenty...).

Brugger had never met Clan Wilson before, so I suspect there was some nervousness involved (see photo of said clan below and tell me you wouldn't be fucking freaked). Immediately upon our arrival, though, drinks and conversation began to flow, and I don't think anyone felt under immediate bodily threat. Yap went on till the wee hours, until crashing and burning up and interrupted our revelry. Saturday morning, in its own inimitable way, greeted us with superb Keurig coffee and some delicious crap from McDonalds. There was caching (yay!). Then... Mystery Men! I had seen this 1999 superhero bonanza exactly one time — at Stately Wilson Manor — many years before, but it seemed only proper that we introduce Brugger to the fun. For us, this movie was number one. (Everything else is number two, or lower.)

Major highlight: sushi and sashimi combination dinner from Volcano Hibachi and Sushi Restaurant in Elizabeth City. Oh, but gracious, the presentation was purty (see above) and every bit as delicious. The sake martini was most appealing: vodka, gin, and sake with a slice of cucumber. A little too cloying to have more than one but enjoyable the first time. I noticed some negative comments about the price and quality of the sushi in various restaurant reviews, but I had absolutely no issue with the dead fish — I mean, it really is dead, if only just — and the price was no better or worse than any comparable local place. I rate it as decent indeed. After dinner... more movies, in this case, some old black-and-white thrillers, including Crimes at the Dark House (awesomely bad fun from 1940) The Long Hair of Death (mostly dullness but featuring a hot Barbara Steele from 1964), and The Incredible Petrified World, from 1957, starring John Carradine, which finally sent most of us snoring. The best thing I can say about the latter film is that I discovered what I suspect is the origin of the stock military march music used in the American version of War of the Gargantuas.

I always feel a bit sad on the last day of a fabulous visit, and this morning was no different. We all headed out for a final meal together at The Circle Restaurant, which was tasty, if not exactly zippy in the service department. Dave found himself confronting this giant hot dog that could have stomped Coney Island to smithereens. Finally, Brugger and I set out for home, this time sans rain but with high temperatures and high humidity, making for some particularly sweaty geocaching. However, we stopped at Dairy Queen in Rocky Mount for sundaes and blizzards, and once again, all was right with the world.

Now, I'm all creatively recharged and have a new novel bursting to get out. Dave and I tend to be good for each other that way. Well, I get the novel; he gets charged. I'd say that's okay by me. Hah!

Clan Wilson: Zane, Zack, Stephanie, Katie, Bluto, and Trish

Brugger (supporting a tree stump that was falling down on the job)

Damned Rodan's backside at "Guarding a KISS" (GC39QJV)