Enter the Mihmiverse!

Some exciting news today. I have partnered with Saint Euphoria Pictures to write an official novel set within the world of the Mihmiverse--That Which Lurks in the Dark!

"What is the Mihmiverse," you ask?

A brief background. For twenty-five years, I've taken my camcorder and gone out all over town with my friends and growing family to film home monster movies. We've never released them to the public--not even by way of YouTube--and have no desire to ever do so. They are simply something that we make for ourselves and our circle of friends to gather and watch and share. But they do contain an ongoing mythology that has grown to encompass (so far) over forty "home movies". The mythology has expanded so much, in fact, that it has now crept into my novels.

In fact, my two novels HITMEN: Four Tales of Magick, Monsters, and Murder and HITMEN: Night World are "big budget" adaptations of a curated handful of those same home movies! And, if I have my way, there will be many more such adaptations to come. These movies mean a great deal to me and have become a special "Secondary World" that even my kids hope to continue one day with their children.

Keep that backstory in mind as I take you back to the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. The world had shut down (though we continued to make our movies, since we were stuck in our homes with little else to do), when lo, I hear that Blobfest was going to be held digitally that year, given the shutdowns. Blobfest, for the uninitiated, is a yearly event celebrating the famed 1950s B-movie The Blob, as well as serving as a general gathering of all lovers of classic B-movie monster cinema. Our family had long wanted to go to Blobfest, but we rarely travel (that far, anyway), and the price was always out of our range. But, during Covid, Blobfest was going to be digital! No, it wasn't the same. But it was about as close to "going to Blobfest" as I was likely to get.

We "attended" the digital film festival and, during the breaks between showings, they played a trailer for a recent movie shot in the style of the a classic 1950s drive-in shlockbuster. The movie was Danny Johnson Saves the World, and that was my first introduction into the Mihmiverse.

Filmmaker Christopher R. Mihm has, for the last fifteen years, been writing and directing 1950s style monster movies with his friends and family... Sound familiar? I immediately sensed in him a kindred spirit--a man who made movies for the love of it with the people he loved. Only, he actually released his movies to the public! 

After seeing that first trailer, I dove headfirst into watching ALL the "Mihmiverse" movies and became an incredible fan of Mr. Mihm's passion and imagination. His movies are fun, and also have a very intricate mythology shared between them--which I loved, of course.

Then, last year, Mr. Mihm put out the call that he was making a new movie entitled Annihilate All Humans and he was looking for fans to film themselves in the midst of a flying saucer attack to send to him to be used in the movie! I immediately reached out and gathered my cast and crew from my home movies and we shot a brief sequence, which ended up in the finished movie. From there, I connected with Christopher and shared with him my own "home movie" experiences. 

While listening to his monthly podcast recently, I learned that there was one movie that Mr. Mihm began, but was never able to finish once the pandemic started. A "lost" Mihmiverse movie. He expressed regret that it had never reached fruition, and I corresponded with him about taking that script and adapting it to a novel. Remember, I'd done the same for my movies and knew there was a certain thrill in taking a script designed for a small budget and blowing it up in a way someone of our means would never be able to produce on film. He graciously accepted my offer and I set out to write--and complete--this Lost Chapter in the ever-growing Mihmiverse saga.

The book is out today and I hope that you check it out. It was a real treat to write. If you love campy, good-hearted monster adventure, this is for you. And while you're checking out the book, I encourage you to explore all the offerings the Mihmiverse provides. There is much fun to be had for monster fans of all ages!

As for the book, here's the official synopsis for That Which Lurks in the Dark:

Love! Terror! Tentacles!

It's New Year's Eve and the Phantom Lake Lonely Hearts Club is holding its annual celebration. When the night's festivities are interrupted by a distant explosion and subsequent blackout, its members are forced to deal with their personal anxieties in the form of overwhelming darkness, otherworldly be-tentacled creatures, a pair of monster hunting scientists and, most frighteningly, their own awkward quests for love!

Order your copy today!

Everything You Need to Know About The "In-Between Trilogy"

During the years of 2011-2013, I released what would become the foundation of my magnum opus, The Coming Evil Trilogy.

The series that started it all...

Set in the small town of Greensboro, the Trilogy deals with an already beleaguered community that comes under siege by a demonic presence known only as "The Strange Man". To combat him, a group of heroes from various walks of life have to overcome their own personal demons to discover a faith strong enough to push back the Strange Man and his legion of devils. The Coming Evil was conceived back in 1999, and it was my way of combining 1980s Saturday matinee creature features with a story about faith, doubt, and ultimately, redemption.

But there is a heated speech that the Strange Man utters in Chapter 9 of Dark Hour, the third and final installment of that trilogy:

"Oh, you never mean to. You just pose your questions and make your debates and you think you have such a grasp of the world around you, but you have no idea. You can’t even begin to understand the places in between, the unknowable depths of eternity, the mind-shattering realizations that wait just beyond your rather limited peripheral understanding of space and time. What are you, huh? You people! You’re just dust! Dirt thrown together and given breath and yet you think you are owed explanations? You think you deserve to be in charge?" 

Since the final book in  The Coming Evil Trilogy was published in 2013, I have been writing the story of that space "in between" the worlds, and with the recent release of my new supernatural thriller Infernal City, a new thematic trilogy is finished.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

The unofficially labeled "In-Between Trilogy" derives its name from the fact that all books involved deal with that dark space "in between" the worlds of the multiverse, as first mentioned in Dark Hour. It is also labeled thus as it fits nicely "in between" The Coming Evil...and my NEXT Trilogy, which I am currently writing.

The installments of this thematic trilogy--that is, Rift Jump (Volumes 1 & 2), Infernal City, and HITMEN: Four Tales of Magick, Monsters, and Murder--represent my creative journey to writing The Coming Evil. Rift Jump (or a version thereof) was begun when I was in high school and was the first story that I claimed. Later, in 1996-1998, when I realized I wanted to be a horror screenwriter, Infernal City (or "Soul Decision", as it was known before some boy band came out and stole my blasted title--I mean, seriously, what were the odds of that?) was the first script I wrote--with hopes of producing it myself at the age of 19 or 20 (I was pretty naive). I hung my hat on that script for a long time before I realized I did not have the proper connections, the money, or the equipment to produce a professional film on my own. So I found another outlet for moviemaking--home movies. As has been stated elsewhere, I set out to create a no-budget horror epic, just for me and my friends. From that simple mission statement, HITMEN was born. The novel bearing the same name is, really, just an elaborated adaptation of those original home movies.

These were three important phases of my creative development, all leading me to 1999/2000, when I began writing the first draft of The Coming Evil. I am not a guy to let things go, so I knew that, once The Coming Evil was finished, I would return to those old ideas that I cut my teeth on, dust them off, give them a polish, and release them--but now as part of the mythology begun in The Coming Evil.

This "In-Between Trilogy" interconnects, asking questions in one episode, answering them in another. They intersect at multiple points, weaving an intricate story web, though they are standalone stories with their own unique casts of characters, as well as plots and resolutions. This trilogy-of-sorts can be read in any order--all leading to that strange storm that kicks off The Coming Evil. Having said that, here's my personally preferred order of reading, the one that I think offers the most bang for your buck in picking up the various threads, themes, characters, and locations. There are far too many Easter Eggs and connections for me to list here (and part of the fun is discovering it for yourself), but here's a handy guide to get you started.

ROMANCE AT THE EDGE OF FOREVER

Greensboro and its battle against the Strange Man is only a small conflict in a much larger war. In the Rift Jump duology (Volumes 1 & 2, respectively), we pull way back to reveal just how big a war that truly is. These stories take you to the very edge of the cosmos, where we learn that Greensboro belongs to a reality that is only one of many in an infinite multiverse of parallel realities. We are introduced to star-crossed lovers Michael and Sara, two teenage runaways who travel the multiverse together, trying to stay two steps ahead of some unfathomable evil that lurks in the dark spaces in between the worlds. This Evil is looking for something--namely the means of his escape, as the multiverse is his prison--and believes that Michael and Sara are the key.

Teen love and angst in the multiverse!

On the surface, this sci-fi series seems a far cry from the "small town horror" of The Coming Evil. Readers will be whisked away to many bizarre and alternate worlds in a constant barrage of adventure, meeting costumed superheroes, robots, aliens, and demons. I've often compared it to a dark Doctor Who meets Lovecraft kind of tale, with enough cosmic horrors to keep the reader's head spinning. While "weird", the themes and struggles of its love-drunk protagonists as they make war against an outside Evil--and the darkness in their own hearts--will be instantly recognizable to fans of The Coming Evil.

Over the course of these two volumes, we learn that one world, in particular, holds great meaning for this Cosmic Evil. A very familiar world to us, where there is a City where it never stops raining, and lost souls can see their dreams come true...for a terrible price.

FOOL FOR THE CITY

This narrative thread leads us to my brand new novel, Infernal City. The massive scope of Rift Jump comes into sharper focus here. Now, knowing what we do about that Thing in between the worlds, we find our way back to the Earth of The Coming Evil Trilogy. Lurking beneath the City is a sleeping beast that hungers for souls. We are introduced to Quinn Holbrook, a down-on-his-luck ex-boxer who is employed by the City's representative--known simply as "Mac"--to retrieve those who would sell their souls to the City for wealth and pleasure, and then try to run out once the bill comes due. When Quinn is tasked with hunting one of these "Runners" who's hiding in the idyllic community of Watcher's Grove (a close neighbor to Greensboro), he begins to learn the truth of that Thing Beneath the City.

The new release!

In Infernal City, we, too, begin to get a clearer picture of the greater threat that is posed to our heroes back in The Coming Evil. Aesthetically, Infernal City is the closest of my novels to The Coming Evil. We're in familiar territory, in a small town plagued by a demonic force--with quite a few twists and turns along the way. This is a noir detective story, a thriller, and a romance told in Quinn's own words. And as Quinn starts to question his place in the shadowy underbelly of our story world, we are going to plunge headlong into that darkness for the third and final installment of our thematic trilogy.

SHADES OF GREY

Moral ambiguity abounds as a complicated tale of forgiveness is told in HITMEN: Four Tales of Magick. Monsters, and Murder. This book, itself, is a collection of four novellas that build upon one another, telling the bloody saga of Eli Ross, a hitman who has a crisis of faith that is precipitated by the appearance of a mysterious, hulking figure that has begun a campaign of slaughter against the criminal underworld's biggest players. Along the way, we meet world-weary Vinnie Caponi: Urban Mythologist, his young idealistic apprentice, Flynn, and the untamed criminal heiress Marcie, who has her fair share of secrets--as well as a tight hold on Eli's heart. These four unlikely heroes find themselves in the malevolent path of the Blue Skull--a supernatural killing machine--and must uncover the shocking truth behind his rampage and put an end to his reign of terror before they fall victim to his brutality. Adding to their problems is a villain who escaped the final chapters of Infernal City to come make trouble for our heroes...

A world of shadows...

HITMEN could be considered "darker" than what most people are accustomed to reading from me. Heroes are sometimes harder to discern, and the lines between good and evil blur. It explores the occult connections of my mythology, and the violence is cranked up a few notches. It's an unabashedly gory novel, and to some of my faithful readers' chagrin, it also contains a rarity in my fiction: coarse language and sex. Even at that, the language and sensuality used is safely within a PG-13 rating, but I realize that for some, that's too much. Nevertheless, this is a story of killers and thieves in conflict with their baser natures. HITMEN is about breaking through the darkness of the world you know, escaping the traps of your past to find a new fate. The road to redemption is never easy, and rarely pretty. These are damaged people in dark places, and the language and subject matter of the book reflects that, but is meant to ultimately serve a redemptive purpose.

HITMEN leads us the nearest to The Coming Evil, taking place just a couple months before the start of that original trilogy, and sections of the action even take place in Greensboro, itself. Readers will recognize some familiar places and faces, setting the stage for The Coming Evil.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Ultimately, the "In-Between Trilogy" reveals a larger world and conflict than seen in the original trilogy, and points to the cosmic importance of the events of Greensboro. It also raises many questions--questions that I am in the process of addressing in my next sequence of novels. There are many exciting mysteries left to reveal in Greensboro's distant past and even, in my mind, a future, final climatic battle to bring this mythology to a close. But while we wait, this new thematic trilogy offers many new adventures, heroes to cheer, monsters to fear, and an enticing look at the larger mythology of The Coming Evil Trilogy.

All books are available in print and on Kindle.

Summer Update: Ozark Sharks! Infernal City!

It's that time again. Summer is upon us and, with summer, comes a bevy of new sharksploitation movies for Syfy's annual Sharknado Week. Last year I was fortunate enough to contribute Zombie Shark, writing its screenplay. But this year, there's a new finned menace in the waters. I present to you...

OZARK SHARKS!

This was a fun one that I had the opportunity be involved with in the early stages of pre-production. I helped develop the project, writing its first draft and later serving as Associate Producer. Marcy Holland came in and did a super job making the script her own, but still very much honoring what I originally put in there, and I am forever grateful to her for that. She rocks. As with Zombie Shark, this one is directed by Misty Talley--the first woman director of one of these Syfy Channel Original Movies we're told! Pretty awesome. She does a killer job (no pun intended) and the cast is great, bringing together some of my favorites from my previous two scripted Syfy outings (Snakehead Swamp and Zombie Shark), as well as some talented fresh blood.

I hope you check it out when Ozark Sharks hits on the Syfy Channel, Thursday, July 28 at 8PM Central.

What else is going on? So glad you asked. I'm doing my final edits on my next novel, and hope to release it very, very soon. It's coming along and I'm anxious to see what you guys think of it. In the meantime, behold the cover!

Artwork Not Final

Expect a full reveal/synopsis in the weeks ahead, but Infernal City tells the story of a City that, quite literally, eats souls! This one has been in the works for awhile now and it's very much a return to the themes and "flavor" of my The Coming Evil Trilogy, that no fan will want to be without. I liken the new book as a first cousin to The Coming Evil, so keep checking back here as we get closer to its anticipated (at least by me) release.

In the meantime, Ozark Sharks!

Zombie Shark--July 20th!

It's official! My second SyFy Original Movie, "ZOMBIE SHARK", is bloodying up the waters this coming Monday, July 20th at 8 PM Central Time! Don't miss it!

Don't Go in the Water! Zombie Shark is coming!

At last the veil of secrecy is lifted.

As a follow-up to last summer's Snakehead Swamp (now available to own and rent on Redbox, I thank you :p), I'm thrilled to announce that my second Syfy Original Movie is headed your way this summer:

ZOMBIE SHARK!

Still not sure how much I can say at this point, except that among its stars are Cassie Steele, Jason London, and Ross Britz (who you'll remember as the mega-jerk Ian in Snakehead Swamp). This is another fine film from the folks at Active Entertainment and is directed by the super-cool Misty Talley.

Zombie Shark comes as part of Syfy's summer lineup to celebrate the release of the latest installment in the blockbuster Sharknado franchise. Not sure yet on the exact date and time that Zombie Shark will be on the prowl, but here's the official press release in regards to Sharknado Week:


SHARKNADO WEEK (PROGRAMMING EVENT)
 
Premieres Saturday, July 18 to Saturday, July 25

The second annual SHARKNADO WEEK will feature seven original movies, including:
 
· Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!
 
· Sharktopus Vs. Whale Wolf (Roger Corman’s third installment of the ‘Sharktopus’ franchise, starring Casper Van Dien)
 
· 3-Headed Shark Attack (starring Danny Trejo)
 
· Roboshark
 
· Mega Shark Vs. Kolossus (starring Illeana Douglas)
 
· Zombie Shark (starring Jason London)
 
· The world premiere of Lavalantula, starring Steve Guttenberg and fellow Police Academy alums Leslie Easterbrook and Michael Winslow, as they battle lava-breathing tarantulas threatening to destroy Los Angeles.

Be sure to set your DVRs! As always, stay tuned here for updates and the eventual trailer!

Coming in 2015!

Season's Greetings, yo! Where has the year gone?

Lookin' around the blog these days and things are lookin' pretty sparse, but fret not. Things are hopping over here. I've got a handful of short stories due out any minute now in some fantastic trades, and I've written (and, this month, gone to the set of) my second Syfy Original Movie, slated to air next summer. It has been a crazy time with deadlines, notes, and rewrites, but in the midst of it, I'm still plugging away on next year's big novel release: Rift Jump Volume 2: Sara's Song! Not ready to say too much about it yet, but, seeing as how it's Christmas and all, I'm putting on my Santa hat and bringing you this exclusive cover art for the new book, as done by comic book artist Thomas Mason! Behold!



Cover Art for "Rift Jump Volume 2: Sara's Song"--art by Thomas Mason

I've been working on this bad boy for a couple years now and it's shaping up to be an insane ride through the multiverse. More monsters, heroes, aliens, and worlds-shattering events than you can shake a stick at! I'm nearing the finish line and even though I've had the major outline of this story in my head for fifteen years, it continues to surprise me. Lots of twists and turns. A lot of fun.

"But what's Rift Jump?" you might ask.

Rift Jump is my 2012 sci-fi/action novel, released by Splashdown Darkwater. It tells the story of lone inter-dimensional traveler Michael Morrison as he seeks to eradicate the servants of the enigmatic "Rage" that exists in the void In-Between the worlds of the multiverse. Michael's battle is two-fold as he's also been called by the Rage to lead Its army of monsters. Burdened by his dark destiny and his own sinister impulses, Michael eventually shares the weight of his quest with Sara Theresea, a fearful girl who reminds Michael of his long lost innocence--but is also a painful reminder of Michael's darkest secret. The two fall recklessly in love and set off across the multiverse, battling monsters and aliens, while also trying to overcome their own insecurities and personal demons.

Really, you should just go buy and read it, right? After all, it's available in print and Kindle!

Rift Jump Volume 2: Sara's Song is the direct follow-up, and will also conclude the series, but I'm making sure we go out with a bang. Volume 1 was, in many respects, a prologue to the Rift Jump story that I've always wanted to tell, and Volume 2 hits the ground running.

Not only does Sara's Song serve as a time-bending finale to the Rift Jump sequence, longtime readers will also start to see threads from my other stories--including The Coming Evil Trilogy and this year's big release HITMEN: Four Tales of Magick, Monsters, and Murder--coming together. In case you haven't noticed, I've got a mega-myth developing across all of my  novels (so far) and most of my shorter tales and, yes, we're all building towards something. Sara's Song is the key to unlocking a lot of those larger story elements and will lay the groundwork for the next original novel that I'm already knee-deep in as we speak.

Now that you're all excited, it's the perfect opportunity to get caught up! Books make great Christmas presents! :p

Sales pitch, aside, Merry Christmas, ever'body and, in case I don't see you before then, Happy New Year! 2015 is already shaping up to be a big year.


"Snakehead Swamp" DVD Available Now--And An Announcement!

Happy October, ever'body! No secret that this is my favorite time of year. The air turns crisp, the leaves change beautiful shades of red, orange, and yellow--and Halloween is finally upon us: The one night a year where everyone sees the world the way I see it all year long :p

Already this is shaping up to be an eventful October for me. The wife and kids and I made our yearly sojourn to nearby Pumpkin Hollow where we perused the pumpkin patch (no Great Pumpkin sighting as of yet, but I remain hopeful), went on a hay ride, charted the corn maze, and sampled the fine pumpkin pie cuisine with an apple cider smoothie chaser. I've got a stack of monster movies to work my way through this season, watching in a darkened living room by light of an electric jack-o'lantern. And, of course, we're all preparing for The Big Night around the Mitchell home, stocking up on candy treats to hand out to our neighbors.

On top of such seasonal goodness, today marks the street release for my first Syfy Channel Original movie--Snakehead Swamp! The killer fish flick is now for sale at Amazon (and stores, you know) and also available to rent through Redbox. You've gotta see it to believe it! To read up on the movie, read my earlier blog post.

In related news--I'm writing my second Syfy feature as we speak! It's still too early in the process to go into specifics, but I've just turned in my first draft and I'm having great fun working on it so far. The road to making a movie is a long and winding one, though, and everything is subject to change, so I can't say much with confidence right now except to say that, no, it's not a sequel to Snakehead Swamp, but a whole new concoction of B-movie terror. I hope you'll all check it out once it finally airs (sometime next year, is the current plan). More on that as soon as the red tape is lifted. But for now--top secret!


In the meantime, go and check out Snakehead Swamp, or pick up a copy of my latest monster novel release HITMEN: Four Tales of Magick, Monsters, and Murder! Both are fun treats, especially for this time of year.

But, most importantly, enjoy the Halloween season. As the wind blows cold and the days grow short, this is a perfect time to hold your loved ones close by a warm fire, share fanciful stories of mystery and suspense, and drink a nice mug of warm cider together.

Don't waste it :)

"Snakehead Swamp"--Coming to DVD!

Get ready for some killer fish action!

My first Syfy creature feature Snakehead Swamp is swimming your way to DVD and Digital HD (and probably Redbox, etc) on October 7th!

From the press release here:

Killer Fish Return to Terrorize The Big Easy

 

SNAKEHEAD SWAMP

Starring Ayla Kell and Dave Davis 

with Terri Garber and Antonio Fargas

 

Terror Comes Up for Air Again on DVD & Digital HD Oct. 7

 

CULVER CITY, Calif. (Aug. 4, 2014) – They’re back! Terror returns when genetically modified snakehead fish ferociously wreak havoc after being unleashed in the desolate swamps of Louisiana in the action-packed suspense thriller SNAKEHEAD SWAMP. The film will be available on DVD and Digital HD Oct. 7 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The follow-up to Syfy’s camp classic Snakehead Terror stars Ayla Kell (TV’s “Make It or Break It”) and Dave Davis (TV’s “True Detective”), with Terri Garber (TV’s “As the World Turns,” “Dynasty”) and Antonio Fargas (TV’s “Everybody Hates Chris,” “Starsky & Hutch”).
 
Synopsis:
A horrifying hybrid of genetic science and nature has taken over the Louisiana bayou, leaving terror in its wake! In the heat of the summer, what began as a day of boating and bikinis changes drastically when a school of genetically enhanced snakehead fish finds its way into Black Briar Swamp. As their thirst for blood grows, the creatures evolve by the minute, even learning to walk on land! No one is safe in this hair-raising thriller.

SNAKEHEAD SWAMP is directed by Don E. Fauntleroy from a screenplay by Greg Mitchell. Ken Badish and Daniel Lewis served as both producers and executive producers with Eric M. Davies as line producer. SNAKEHEAD SWAMP originally aired June 28, 2014 on SyFy Network. The film has a run time of approximately 86 minutes and is not rated.

Available Now--"HITMEN: Four Tales of Magick, Monsters, and Murder"!

It's been a whirlwind couple months. Not only is my first-ever SyFy Channel creature feature "Snakehead Swamp" set to debut on June 28 at 9/8c (you can watch the trailer right sh'yere), but today brings the exciting announcement that my latest horror novel HITMEN: Four Tales of Magick, Monsters, and Murder is ready for your money!

As I talked about in this previous post, Hitmen began as a series of homemade movies I shot with my friends over the course of about a decade. They were a lot of fun and great memories. Despite the...hrm...cheap nature of those backyard masterpieces, I always felt there was a real story and real characters at the heart of it. So I've dusted off the old scripts, reworked them with an unlimited budget in mind, and set out to create something that, I hope, you'll find really special.

The book is available in print and also for Kindle and other ebook formats. Check out an excerpt right here. Read on below about the book and, as always, stay tuned to this blog as, in the coming weeks, I'll be posting my completely unofficial soundtrack listing for the book, as well as short tie-in fiction--for free, yo!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Willowbrook: A town rotted by corruption and vice. For years, the feared Boss Marcon controlled the rackets and legitimate commerce, alike. But the stakes are raised when a mysterious figure--a giant of a man with a gruesome blue skull for a face--starts leaving mangled bodies all over town. The creature is silent and unstoppable, a hulking monstrosity surviving gunshot wounds and able to tear a man limb from limb. This monster is targeting Marcon's criminal empire, obliterating hardened hitmen with ease. Is it a rival assassin...or something worse?

Part crime drama, part brutal monster action, HITMEN is a collection of four-interconnected novellas, spotlighting those in the monster's path: Eli, the guilt-ridden killer who's had a spiritual awakening; Flynn, a young boy seeking to understand the mysteries of the supernatural; Marcie, the young heiress to Boss Marcon's empire; and Vinnie Caponi, an urban mythologist who has hunted the Blue Skull for years. Each character has a role to play in the mystery, their paths finally intersecting, leading them to their fate--facing the towering killer, once and for all.

Trailer Debut for "Snakehead Swamp"!

Look what just popped up over at Dread Central? It's the trailer debut for my Syfy Original Movie, Snakehead Swamp, directed by Don FauntLeRoy, produced by the fine folks at Active Entertainment, and starring Ayla Kell, Antonio Fargas, and Terri Garber!

Dig on the trailer and be sure to watch the flick on Saturday, June 28 at 9/8c!

Major Announcement: "Snakehead Swamp" Headed To Your TV!

Hey, folks. Been quiet on the blogging front, but don't think that means I've been relaxing. I've got some major projects on the horizon, including that "mystery novel" that I hope to be telling you all about very soon.

In the meantime, super huge news: I wrote a creature feature for the Syfy Channel!! Finally!

To be more accurate, I wrote it over a year ago, but am just now able to finally talk about it :) It is called Snakehead Swamp and, according to Syfy's schedule, it will premiere Saturday June 28th at 9 PM Eastern, following a day-long marathon of Syfy Original movies such as Chupacabra vs. The Alamo and Flying Monkeys (which is a super-fun flick, I'll say). 

So what's Snakehead Swamp about? Well, I'm hesitant to say too much, but I will say that it takes place deep in the Louisiana bayou and concerns ancient curses--and man-eating fish, yo!

The movie is produced by Active Entertainment (the company that brought you Swamp Shark) and is directed by none other than Don FauntLeRoy, which was a real thrill for me. Don is the cinematographer on both Jeepers Creepers films, which are among my favorites of the new generation of monster movies. Not only that, but Antonio Fargas--who played Huggy Bear in the original Starsky and Hutch--came on board to play my Cajun hoodoo man! Of course, Mr. Fargas is only one of our players and rounds out a cast of great new talent and some seasoned veterans. I got to see a cut of this movie and was really proud of the performances coming from our fresh-faced cast of “fish fighters”. As with anything I write, I put a lot of heart into these characters and it was a thrill for me to watch an advance copy of the movie and see these actors really capture my characters so perfectly.

It’s no secret that I love B-movie creature features, as even my first novel The Strange Man was very much a homage to monster movies, in the vein of the ‘80s movies of my youth. For years I’ve longed to add my own entry into the canon of that particular genre of cinema, and I am so grateful to the guys at Active and Syfy for giving me a shot. They’ve been nothing but nice and supportive of me and I’m proud of the product we made, though we were faced with the usual budgetary and time constraints. I think the movie is a lot of fun, meant to be watched with a group of friends around a steaming pizza pie and the drink of your choice (a root brewsky for me :p).

I’m well aware that Syfy’s Original Movie fare, such as Sharknado, gets a bad rap from more serious-minded fans, and I’m sure they might feel that my excitement and pride in our little killer fish movie is misplaced. Look, we’re not trying to make The English Patient, here. Obviously there is a need for serious films that explore—maybe even improve—the human condition, but I believe that there has always been a place for B-movies as well. I think back to classics such as The Monolith Monsters or The Deadly Mantis, and I can’t help but smile. When I’ve had a hard day at work and the bills are piling up and the air conditioner in my car is broken, there’s nothing more refreshing to me than sitting down with a good old-fashioned monster movie. Are they cliché? Sure. Are they low budget with laughable effects? Sometimes. But can they be entertaining? Can they improve my “human condition” when I’m having a craptacular day?

Absolutely.

With all the pain and suffering in the world, sometimes you just need a movie about killer fish to offer a harmless escape and give you a good chuckle :p

I hope you all will check out Snakehead Swamp when it debuts on the Syfy Channel June 28th, and remember: “This summer, the fish are biting…YOU!” While you wait for the premiere, you can head on over to the IMDB page and check out the rest of the cast and crew. And, as always, stay tuned to this blog for an announcement concerning my upcoming monster novel! [UPDATE: The book is here! Check out HITMEN: Four Tales of Magick, Monsters, and Murder]

Update #2--Snakehead Swamp is coming to DVD Oct. 7! See the press release here!