tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75371073267991847042024-03-12T21:45:43.012-05:00Fantastic FrontiersMatthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.comBlogger183125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-86085076274292568762013-10-31T18:37:00.002-05:002013-10-31T18:37:54.047-05:00Happy Hallowe'en<p>This is a fun time of year, when imaginations run wild and friends surprise and delight each other with costumes and spooky treats. My youngest nephew is going Trick or Treating as a banana. I love getting creative with costumes but have opted out this year (I'm getting over a nasty cold.)</p>
<p>But I do want to share a little teaser for something coming up soon.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.blackcoatpress.com/talesshadowmen10.htm">TALES OF THE SHADOWMEN, VOL 10: ESPRIT DE CORPS</a> is coming soon from Black Coats Press!</p>
<p>It's a bigger than usual volume featuring more talented authors than usual, and the return of legendary fantasy writer <a href="http://www.multiverse.org/">Michael Moorcock</a> to the Shadowmen anthology series!</p>
<p>My story <i>Quest of the Vourdalaki</i> is an especially Halloween-y theme. It features Cassave, from Jean Ray's surreal haunted house classic, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malpertuis">Malpertuis</a>, Cossacks, and vampires in a story inspired by one of my favorite pieces of music (which is also spookily appropriate for the day.</p>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gMmfaaiWMEs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>Have a safe and happy Hallowe'en!</p>Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-88240914304622551832013-10-29T00:22:00.001-05:002013-10-29T00:22:44.258-05:00Almost Ready for Print!<p>This is a big month, as my first two novels (both collaborations) to see print and I'm really excited! My collaboration with Win Scott Eckert is <b>A Girl and Her Cat</b> is now available for pre-order from Amazon (more in my next post.) </p>
<p>My other collaboration is <b>The Vampire Count of Monte Cristo</b> written with the amazing Alexandre Dumas. It's the tender story of Edmund Dantes, a young sailor in Napoleon era France with a promising career, a beloved father, and a beautiful fiancee. Of course, any time a story begins like that, you know there's got to be trouble. Edmond finds himself in a perfect storm as jealous enemies and a prosecutor with a guilty secret conspire to steal his love, his future, and his life. Locked in the dungeons of the dreaded Chateau D'if, Edmund encounters a mysterious man with occult skills and makes a dark pact with unholy powers to gain the power to become a creature of the night and seek his revenge.</p>
<p>Here's a first look at the cover:</p>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-38wPj-wC4T4/Um9ByO1EBuI/AAAAAAAAAdU/IjYaeYhToi0/s1600/mc+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-38wPj-wC4T4/Um9ByO1EBuI/AAAAAAAAAdU/IjYaeYhToi0/s320/mc+cover.jpg" /></a>
<p>It's high adventure meets dark magic, with romance and intrigue galore!</p>
<p>My co-writer, Alexandre Dumas, is excited too. Here's what he has to say.</p>
<p>Bon sang! Quel est le lien américaine fait avec mon histoire?</p>
Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-28730528423940278302013-10-01T20:27:00.000-05:002013-10-01T20:27:05.400-05:00Midian Unmade<p>This is an upcoming anthology set in the world of Clive Barker's novel CABAL. <a href="http://bobbiemetevier.blogspot.com/2013/10/midian-unmade-story-sent.html">Bobbie Metevier</a> and I collaborated on a story that we just sent in before the deadline.</p>
<p>The story is titled, "A Song to Sing in Babylon" and it was a lot of fun to write. The story has a lot of unusual inspirations, including a favorite old song by Don McLean.</p>
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/uTnspbSjKVc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-58041549568370954042013-07-15T15:37:00.000-05:002013-07-15T15:37:33.395-05:00Indians in the Movies<p>I saw the new version of <a href="http://disney.go.com/the-lone-ranger/">The Lone Ranger</a> over the weekend and it gave me a lot to think about... not in a good way. I have the sense that it started life as a shallow, but coherent, screenplay that was overloaded with so much junk in development that we're left with a fast-moving mess that relies on over the top special effects to hide its many shortcomings. It looks like it wants to be a fresh Little Big Man style retelling of the classic character's origin. It fails horribly.</p>
<p>Maybe I'll do a full review later. for right now I want to comment on the movie's use of Native Americans, and their portrayal in movies in general.</p>
<p>The movie starts with a young boy visiting a museum of the wild west in San Francisco in the 1930s. He sees a display labeled "The Noble Savage in his Natural Habitat" in which the display "Savage" is actually a very old Tonto, who has apparently been hired to stand there and pretend to be a mannequin.</p>
<p>It's a bad way to start. For one thing, it's a framing device that is blatantly stolen from Little Big Man with some variations, for another, the intent is clearly to show the racism of a society that would put "noble savages" on display like this. Yet, that's pretty much what the movie does itself.</p>
<p>In the radio shows, Tonto was a <a href="http://www.potawatomi.org/culture">Potawatomai</a>, though what a member of that people--usually found in the woodlands of the Great Lakes region--was doing in Texas was never explained. In the movie, Tonto becomes a <a href="http://www.comanchenation.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&layout=category&task=category&id=87&Itemid=200">Comanche</a>, which makes a lot more sense; the Comanche really did live in the Lone Star state. Unfortunately, there's nothing about Tonto or the other Native people in the movie that seems very Comanche. In the big calvary vs. Indians battle, the Comanche are all on foot, despite the fact that the Comanche were a horse culture. Tonto claims that he is hunting evil spirits called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendigo">wendigos </a>and calls the Lone Ranger "Kemosabe" which he explains is Comanche for "wrong brother." In fact, Kemosabe is not Comanche for anything, it's an Ojibwe word and you can get <a href="http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/971/in-the-old-lone-ranger-series-what-did-kemosabe-mean">a little more on the linguistics here</a>. A wendigo <i>is</i> a Native American evil spirit but it comes from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algonquian_peoples">Algonquin peoples</a> of the northern Atlantic woodlands. Different language, different culture, different people.</p>
<p>Why does this irritate me? It's all Native American culture, right?</p>
<p>While that has often been the attitude in Hollywood, It does irritate me. There's as much difference between the culture of the Comanche and the Cree, or the Cheyenne, or the Seminole peoples as between the Greek, Irish and Russian cultures. It makes no more sense to have generic Indians than it does to have generic Europeans.</p>
<p>But generic stereotypes are all we get in The Lone Ranger. There are generic Christian missionaries, generic prostitutes with hearts of gold, generic cavalrymen, generic railroad tycoons, generic psychotic outlaws, generic naive tenderfoots (tenderfeet?) from back east and especially generic Indians. Even Tonto's distinctive costume comes from non-specific view of Native peoples. It was inspired by the painting, "I am Crow"<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bw4LgOT1fN0/UeRXLktITaI/AAAAAAAAAck/aq5e8cZrARE/s1600/I_Am_Crow_Kirby_Sattler.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bw4LgOT1fN0/UeRXLktITaI/AAAAAAAAAck/aq5e8cZrARE/s320/I_Am_Crow_Kirby_Sattler.jpg" /></a> which artist <a href="http://kirbysattler.sattlerartprint.com/artist.html">Kirby Sattler</a> freely admits is imaginary and not based on any specific Native culture.</p>
<p>When you go for some sort of generic Native American culture, the result is always going to be shallower than if you actually delve into a specific culture and all its richness. I think there was a noble intent in the movie to have a more positive portrayal of Native people and get rid of the negative stereotypes, and I commend them for that. But positive stereotypes are still stereotypes. Over the years, the portrayal of Native Americans has swung from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_savage">"nature's noblemen"</a> to bloodthirsty savages, to spiritual warriors, close to nature. All too seldom they have been portrayed as real people, with their own complex cultures and their own individual personalities.</p>
<p>It would really be nice to see the movies get to that point.</p>Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-24549566095623313422013-07-04T17:19:00.001-05:002013-07-04T17:19:43.489-05:00Dry SpellDo you ever get these?
I had am extremely productive winter and spring but am really slogging now to finish two short stories and get a start on the YA novel I've been meaning to do for a long time. The ideas are there and I've even got the free time but it's like wading through waist-deep mud.
Any ideas?Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-63411903725060964142013-06-10T18:47:00.001-05:002013-06-10T18:47:33.199-05:00Star Trek: Into Darkness review (no spoilers)I saw this a few days ago and loved it. It's rare to find something that manages to be a nostalgic thrill and cutting edge entertainment at the same time. Into Darkness channels the spirit of the original Star Trek better than... well, better than just about anything since the original series. It also manages to combine the optimistic spirit of Gene Roddenberry with the darker and grittier tone that modern audiences demand.
There's not a whole lot I can say without spoilers but if you're a newbie to Star Trek but like intelligently written, fast-paced SF adventure, you should like this. If you've seen the first of the new Star Trek reboot by J.J. Abrams you'll appreciate it more, and if you've seen the original series and the first few movies you'll appreciate it a lot more. The casting is perfect, the villains (and there are plenty of surprises about who the villains and allies are) are excellent.
My only real reservation about Into Darkness is the same problem I had with Iron Man III, The Hobbit, and a lot of other blockbusters. The filmmakers are so in love with their digital FX that the characters and the story are overshadowed. Possibly worse, the long strings of impossible things that FX allow you to do makes the world, and the danger. seem much less real. In other words, the rollercoaster thrills can actually undermine the story.
I'm looking forward to the day when directors decide that they've been overdoing it with the FX and pull back. Until then, movies like Into Darkness, that have solid storytelling and good characters as well as dazzling effects will are always welcome.Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-10550917660863648972013-05-24T02:58:00.001-05:002013-05-24T03:04:19.909-05:00Also Just Out<a href="http://www.moonstonebooks.com/shop/default.aspx">Roaring Heart of the Crucible</a>, Moonstone Books' third anthology of stories featuring <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avenger_(character)">the Avenger</a>, is out. It's so new I haven't even had time to read my contributors' copy yet.
My story, "The Iron Phantom", was a lot of fun to write, and includes the appearance of some other characters who I think will make fans of classic pulp adventures happy. More on this soon.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CCojhFa4X_0/UZ8d7toi2iI/AAAAAAAAAbU/hJWGsfP1as4/s1600/Avenger+crucible.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CCojhFa4X_0/UZ8d7toi2iI/AAAAAAAAAbU/hJWGsfP1as4/s320/Avenger+crucible.jpg" /></a>Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-92093343762809637132013-05-24T02:31:00.000-05:002013-05-24T02:42:12.957-05:00Times of TroubleTwo more stories of mine are out.
My story "Rabid Season" is in the long-awaited <a href="@http://www.amazon.com/Times-Trouble-Travel-Anthology-ebook/dp/B00CKZRAH4/ref=sr_1_5_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369380273&sr=1-5&keywords=times+of+trouble">Times of Trouble</a> from <a href="http://www.permutedpress.com/">Permuted Press</a>. The collection is edited by Lane Adamson and includes some seriously impressive talent. Authors include: Peter Clines – Craig DiLouie – Brian P. Easton – Stan Timons – Jason S. Hornsby – Thom Brannon and Rob Pegler – Lane Adamson - Stephen Gaskell - David Gullen - Michael C. Lea - Jeff Drake - Rakie Kieg - Aaron Polson - Wayne Helge - Frank Farrar - Mark Harding - Joshua Reynolds - Timothy Martinez - Ruth Nestvold - Gregory L. Norris and Frank Summers.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1fcRy3SDtgk/UZ8ZprmEEVI/AAAAAAAAAbE/XysLUnNvjDA/s1600/times+of+trouble.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1fcRy3SDtgk/UZ8ZprmEEVI/AAAAAAAAAbE/XysLUnNvjDA/s320/times+of+trouble.jpg" /></a>Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-62054143898951822022012-08-16T22:35:00.001-05:002012-08-16T22:35:41.171-05:00<p>My story got a mention in the <a href="http://www.sfsite.com/08b/ln374.htm">SF Site revied of Low Noon</a>. It's a mixed review but he has some nice things to say.</p>
<p>Yay!</p>Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-87611695283833602152012-05-14T09:41:00.000-05:002012-05-14T09:41:00.944-05:00RIP Maurice SendakChildren's author <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/09/books/maurice-sendak-childrens-author-dies-at-83.html">Mauricw Sendak</a> died at 83 last Tuesday. My main memory of his books is encountering "Where the Wild Things Are" in first or second grade. It was both disturbing and fascinating to see Max meet the huge, terrifying monsters and become their king. My Mom said she could see why i liked the book because I was a wild thing myself (a lot of kids are at that age.)
Sendak loved the "wild rumpus" side of children and thought that books that portrayed them as meek and innocent were dishonest. He once received a clever illustrated letter from a young fan and sent the child a personal response complete with his own original illustration. He got a reply from the boy's mother some time later saying that her son liked the drawing so much he had eaten it.
For Sendak, there could be no higher praise.Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-43467852221329309612012-03-02T18:29:00.003-06:002012-03-02T18:52:01.510-06:00Sherlock Holmes<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5JmsHPVx09k/T1FqWq1Y60I/AAAAAAAAAaE/SxEPWyaTy6E/s1600/sherlock%2Bholmes.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 308px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5JmsHPVx09k/T1FqWq1Y60I/AAAAAAAAAaE/SxEPWyaTy6E/s400/sherlock%2Bholmes.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715466339797756738" /></a><br />I got my copies of <strong>Sherlock Holmes, the Crossover Casebook </strong>today. This was the last book edited by Howard Hopkins before his untimely death and promises to be one of Moonstone's best volumes ever. <br /><br />My story, "The Adventure of the Ethical Assassin" pits Holmes and Watson against characters from Jack London's <strong>The Assassinations Bureau, Ltd.</strong>. <br /><br />I'll hold off on recommending the other stories until I read them. Having seen the stories by Joe Gentile, Win Scott, Eckert, and Richard Dean Starr though, I can guarantee this volume is something special.<br /><br />You can oder copies through <a href="http://moonstonebooks.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=944">Moonstone's website</a> or at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-The-Crossovers-Casebook/dp/1933076992/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330735863&sr=1-1">Amazon.com</a>.Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-85712350023210464802012-01-20T22:01:00.002-06:002012-01-20T22:37:34.082-06:00RIP Howard HopkinsI was out of town when I heard this news: Howard Hopkins, a writer and editor who I knew through his work with Moonstone. I was stunned to hear that he suffered a heart attack at the age of 50.<br /><br />Howard was a talented writer and one of the best editors I've ever had. He was friendly and helpful but also uncompromising in what he asked for from writers. That is an amazing combination of qualities in an editor and helps writers to be their best.<br /><br />Howard was a good guy and I wish I'd known him better. He leaves behind his wife, Dominique. Unfortunately, he also left behind some staggering medical bills.<br /><br />At the request of Howard's wife, Dominique, Chuck Juzek has passed the following info along to the pulp fan community. Due to a mistake by their insurance agent 6 months ago that Dominique only became aware of after Howard's death, Howard's life insurance had lapsed at the time of his death. As a result, in addition to everything else that his passing means to her, she's now scrambling in order to find the funds to pay for his funeral expenses. If you have the ability, she's accepting donations to help pay for those expenses; at her request, below is her address for anyone that wishes to contribute.<br /><br />Dominique Hopkins<br />2 McKee Drive<br />Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-52591328421506081672012-01-03T13:55:00.002-06:002012-01-03T14:31:00.737-06:00New Year's StoriesI decided to try to find good homes for all my rejected stories (and a couple of new ones) for the new year.<br /><br />"Trail of the Brujo" is going to an upcoming anthology to be put out by <a href="http://www.sciencefictiontrails.com">Science Fiction Trails</a><br /><br />"Draugr" has been sent to <a href="http://www.darkdiscoveries.com/">Dark Discoveries</a><br /><br />"Adrift 'Neath Strange Skies" has gone to <a href="http://www.lore-online.com/">Lore</a><br /><br />"Closing Time at Galaxy Video" was sent to <a href="http://apex-magazine.com/submission-guidelines/">Apex</a><br /><br />"Gilgamesh" went to <a href="http://www.andromedaspaceways.com/">Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine</a><br /><br />a new story, "Hunter's Blind" went to <a href="http://www.3lobedmag.com/">3 Lobed Burning Eye</a><br /><br />Finally, my mash-up novel <u>The Vampire Count of Monte Cristo</u> has gone to <a href="http://www.permutedpress.com/">Permuted Press</a>Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-21642547932998182712011-12-21T20:52:00.002-06:002011-12-21T20:56:13.984-06:00Christmas Mood MusicThis cover by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is way too much fun!<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rMjAf8Nwohs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-43052580236241045932011-12-12T10:05:00.002-06:002011-12-12T15:28:18.300-06:00Daily Science Fiction :: Schrödinger's Outlaw by Matthew W BaughHere it is!<br /><br />Daily Science Fiction has archived Schrödinger's Outlaw and made it available to anyone who would like to read it through the lonk below.<br /><br /><a href="http://dailysciencefiction.com/science-fiction/science-fiction/matthew-w-baugh/schrodingers-outlaw#.TuYmLDU2veI.blogger">Daily Science Fiction :: Schrödinger's Outlaw by Matthew W Baugh</a><br /><br />This was a fun story to write and DSF was a great webzine to work with. Check out my story and linger to see what else they have to offer. Their stories tend to be very short but of the highest quality. They will make you chuckle, get a little misty, or make you think.<br /><br />Enjoy!Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-56829703025965839442011-12-10T14:22:00.001-06:002011-12-10T14:29:37.200-06:00Santa vs. Jack BauerJack Bauer meets the one man even he can't break.<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/trl7qH0yFhg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-29776006390137247622011-12-06T09:52:00.003-06:002011-12-06T10:03:41.855-06:00Black December at Permuted Press<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DnOGJx1InVw/Tt48yxKiYVI/AAAAAAAAAZo/JHbbLCrd1FU/s1600/Black_December_Sale.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DnOGJx1InVw/Tt48yxKiYVI/AAAAAAAAAZo/JHbbLCrd1FU/s400/Black_December_Sale.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683046622676803922" /></a><br />One of my favorite small presses, Permuted Press, is offering great deals all of December for KINDLE, NOOK, and all ofhter E-reader titles.<br /><br /><br /><br />You can pick up 15 great Permuted Press titles for under $30 total!<br />Click <a href="http://www.permutedpress.com/">here</a> to see their catalog.Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-53684374602490332732011-12-03T01:53:00.004-06:002011-12-03T02:36:19.341-06:00Two For Sale!I just learned that two new anthologies with stories of mine are available for sale.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_moUePjTp7Q/TtnZAXu6wGI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/6L3vmtfLdsY/s1600/talesshadowmen801.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_moUePjTp7Q/TtnZAXu6wGI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/6L3vmtfLdsY/s400/talesshadowmen801.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681811005298622562" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.blackcoatpress.com/talesshadowmen08.htm">TALES OF THE SHADOWMEN: AGENTS PROVOCATEURS</a> is available for sale. it can also be ordered at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Shadowmen-8-Agents-Provocateurs/dp/1612270506/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322899345&sr=1-8">Amazon</a>.<br /><br />My story, <em><strong>Don Camillo and the Secret Weapon</strong></em> is a light-hearted adventure set in Cold War Italy. Rival spies chasing a doomsday weapon find that rules in the Po Valley are different from what they expected.<br /><br />I've recently become a fan of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Camillo">Don Camillo</a> stories of Giovanni Gaureschi, which tell the comic adventures of a country priest and his struggles against the Communist mayor of his little town. My tale can't hold a candle to Guareschi's magical stories but I hope it is a fitting homage.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oaQdMBUX3W8/TtnbGcxrj-I/AAAAAAAAAYc/3QP0in6zBEk/s1600/the-trigger-reflex.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oaQdMBUX3W8/TtnbGcxrj-I/AAAAAAAAAYc/3QP0in6zBEk/s400/the-trigger-reflex.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681813308754857954" /></a><br />In other news, <a href="http://www.pillhillpress.com/">THE TRIGGER REFLEX</a> is available at the Pill Hill Press website.<br /><br />This is the second volume in Pill Hill's Monster Hunter Hunter set of anthologies and features my montster hunting gunslinger, Mysterious Dave Mather in a story called <em><strong>Damned Pretty Woman</strong></em>. Dave is sent to kill the pretty new schoolmarm of a little western town because of her occult connections. When he meets her he finds that things are not what they seem...they are far more dangerous.<br /><br />Happy reading!Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-72077077803019711952011-11-22T14:37:00.001-06:002011-11-22T14:38:50.070-06:00Happy Thanksgiving!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D1Y3RuLJZOo/TswIR1T6UBI/AAAAAAAAAYE/6Cb-bXF917U/s1600/thanksgiving%2Bcartoon.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 276px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D1Y3RuLJZOo/TswIR1T6UBI/AAAAAAAAAYE/6Cb-bXF917U/s400/thanksgiving%2Bcartoon.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677922332668743698" /></a>Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-18867484972405960472011-11-21T12:58:00.000-06:002011-11-21T13:18:56.766-06:00Schrödinger's OutlawMy humorous flash story is being sent to subscribers of <a href="http://dailysciencefiction.com/">Daily Science Fiction</a> on Monday, December 5. And will appear on their website a week later!<br /><br />I'm very excited!Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-29358727822488549992011-11-14T01:44:00.000-06:002011-11-14T10:04:38.812-06:00The Lone Ranger Rides Again<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_S1NsUOCH1g/TsDIGOTnN7I/AAAAAAAAAX4/fkNuQRfgOVI/s1600/LoneRangerChronicles.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_S1NsUOCH1g/TsDIGOTnN7I/AAAAAAAAAX4/fkNuQRfgOVI/s400/LoneRangerChronicles.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674755539731953586" /></a><br />COMING FROM MOONSTONE MARCH 2012 <br /><br />The LONE RANGER Chronicles<br />Authors: James Reasoner, Johnny D. Boggs, Denny O’Neil<br />Edited: Matthew Baugh, Tim Lasiuta<br />Cover: David Palumbo<br />6" x 9", 288pgs, $18.95<br />978-1-936814-23-7<br /><br />THE FIRST EVER COLLECTION of NEW Lone Ranger prose stories!<br />The masked ex-Texas Ranger and his Native American companion Tonto fight injustice in the Wild West!<br /><br />Stories include meetings with The Cisco Kid, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, as well as the origin of Tonto and the origin of Silver!<br /><br />Authors include Spur Award winner Johnny D Boggs, Spur Award winner Troy D. Smith, James Reasoner, Alex Award winner Mel Odom, Anthony Award winner Bill Crider, Matthew Baugh, Tim Lasiuta, Joe Gentile, Paul Kupperberg, Denny O’Neil, Kent Conwell, David McDonald, Thom Brannon, Troy D. Smith, Chick Dixon, and Richard Dean Starr.<br /><br />Edited: Matthew Baugh, Tim LasiutaMatthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-80782034664198266742011-10-31T11:29:00.000-05:002011-10-31T11:32:50.526-05:00One More Song for Halloween<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Yw0aoVpFCDw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-65798831853176908622011-10-24T00:10:00.000-05:002011-10-24T01:13:51.160-05:00French Adventures<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZV_lJR1TyPk/TqUCFXKlCJI/AAAAAAAAAW8/S1Mjw5Tko78/s1600/dimsuperheros01-01.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 248px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZV_lJR1TyPk/TqUCFXKlCJI/AAAAAAAAAW8/S1Mjw5Tko78/s400/dimsuperheros01-01.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666937997256624274" /></a><br />I sent a story to Jean-Marc Lofficier at <a href="http://www.riviereblanche.com/">Riviere Blanche Press</a> which is the French imprint of the same company that puts out the <b>Tales of the Shadowmen</b>. It's a collection of prose stories featuring characters form a French comic book line called <a href="http://www.hexagoncomics.com/">Hexagon Comics</a>. <br /><br />The book, <a href="http://www.riviereblanche.com/dimsuperheros01.htm">Dimension Super-Heroes</a> features my story, in which Hexagon hero, Jed Puma teams with Doc Holliday to face vampires in the Old West. The story was originally titled <i>High Noon of the Living Dead</i>, which is a title I've wanted to use for some time. That apparantly didn't translate well so Jean-Mark changed to <i></i> which translated to <i>A Fist Full of Crucifix</i> which is probably better title. It still plays with the title of a classic western movie, and fits with the text as Jed Puma (a cowboy who uses judo instead of a gun) finds a new use for a buddhist holy symbol called a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajra">konga or vajra</a>.Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-53112442520226810662011-10-17T12:11:00.000-05:002011-10-17T13:02:30.349-05:00Halloween Mood MusicI love spooky classical music, and I love music that tells a story. As Halloween approaches, I thought I'd share some of my favorite mood music.<br /><br />1) "Infernal Dance" by Stravinski from The Firebird.<br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fo1PUTJ0OXI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />I've never seen the ballet, but would love to someday.<br /><br />2) "Danse Macbre" Saint-Saens - The "Danse Macabre" or Dance of death was a motif in art that was really popular in Europe during periods of the Black Plague. The idea was that, when Death calls you to dance, you have to go; young or old, rich or poor, we are all equal in death.<br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9CHqhsMP80E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />These illustrations were dome for a PBS special in the 1980s. The music is haunting and wonderful.<br /><br />3) "Mars, Bringer of War" by Holzt - Not spooky so much as ominous; I've often wondered if this was a partial inspiration for Darth Vader's theme (Imperial March),<br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/L0bcRCCg01I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />4) In the Hall of the Mountain King - Edvard Greig. For sheer musical fun you can't beat being trapped underground with a bunch of trolls, and if the troll king's daughter wants to marry you . . . run!<br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dRpzxKsSEZg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />I love the way this music becomes wilder and crazier by the moment as Per Gynt runs from the trolls. <br /><br />5) Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorsgy (I'm probably spelling that wrong). This is the version from Walt Disney's Fantasia. The devil figure is technically Chernibog, a pre-Christian Russian god of darkness, rather than Satan, as he's introduced in the movie. Still, the image means pretty much the same thing either way. I love the drama in this from the rising of the giant devil to the way it recoils from the sound of the church bells.<br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nYSbxRiUgOo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <br />By the way, the actor that Disney got to model the actions of the giant devil was Bela Lugosi.Matthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7537107326799184704.post-65166264876327862011-10-08T18:13:00.000-05:002011-10-09T20:02:34.384-05:007 Supernatural Sleuths You May Not KnowI like scary movies, but generally don't like the traditional horror movie where you the heroes are faced with seemingly overwhelming supernatural forces, and then they all die. I much prefer movies where the characters have at least a fighting chance. That's a theme I like in shows like <b>The X-Files</b> (the first few seasons, anyway), <b>Buffy, the Vampire Slayer</b>, and it's companion series <b>Angel</b>. In fact, I like the premise so much that I still watch <b>Supernatural</b> even though I think it <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/JumpingTheShark">jumped the shark</a> after the end of season 5.<br /><br />Anyway, here are a few of my favorite heroes who have done their bit on film or TV to save us all from the forces of evil.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U5TiUkk0m-4/TpIw0bZf79I/AAAAAAAAAWQ/-bWHk8yL4RY/s1600/kolchak.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 158px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U5TiUkk0m-4/TpIw0bZf79I/AAAAAAAAAWQ/-bWHk8yL4RY/s200/kolchak.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661641358824173522" /></a><br />1) Carl Kolchack - In his out of date, perpetually rumpled suit, Kolchak is an everyman hero. It was refreshing to have a hero who wasn't Mr. Suave-Master-of-the-Mystic-Arts. Kolchak cared about people, but his main goal was getting a pulitzer by proving that one, just one, of his many adventures was real. Failing that he did his best to keep from getting fired from his third-rate newspaper.<br /><br />2) The Duc de Richlieu - The hero of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjs-1D1TZBc">The Devil Rides Out</a> (1968), Richelieu has the distinction of being one of the few good guys that legendary horror actor christopher Lee ever played. Lee said it was one of his favorite roles and wished that he had been able to plat the Duc in other movies. It could have happened too; "The Devil Rides Out" was an adaptation of one of a long series of supernatural thriller novels by author Dennis Wheatley featuring Richelieu and his companions. It's a shame that it didn't happen because this was a wonderfully atmospheric movie with Lee perfectly cast as Richelieu. He is a heroic man with enough occult know-how to help the heroes when they fall afoul of a diabolic cult led by the evil Mocata (based on real life occultist Alistair Crowley).<br /><br />I actually like the movie better than the book in this case. Wheatley's politics comes out of the old British upper-class clubland set, and are often racist, sexist and generally offensive.<br /><br />3) John Thunstone - Manly Wade Wellman's heroic champion against the forces of darkness only appeared on film once. Alex Cord played Thunstone in an adaptation of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLEZHkdP6io">Rouse Him Not</a> for an episode of the anthology series <b>Monsters</b>. It's a shame that they didn't do more of these, "Rouse Him Not" was one of the best episodes of monsters but one of the weakest of the print stories. Alex Cord did a good job as the suave and good-hearted adventurer whose silver-bladed sword cane handily dealt with the show's monster.<br /><br />Alas, this version of Thunstone never got to strut his stuff against Wellman's other monsters, like the sinister Shonokins, or the evil sorcerer Rowley Thorne (inspired by real life occultist, Alistair Crowley).<br /><br />It's interesting to note that two of the villains I've mentioned here, and one that I mentioned in my last post, are all inspired by Crowley. <br /><br />4) David Sorrell - The hero of <a href="http://youtu.be/wggM-TCECdg">Fear No evil</a> (1969) was a sauve west coast psychologist who was a little out of his depth dealing with the supernatural. Despite this, his intelligence and cool head served him well in two TV movies, though it wasn't enough to get him a series. That's a shame, because <b>Fear No Evil,</b> was a well written and genuinely scary story involving ghosts and a demonic mirror. The following year, Sorrell was back in another failed pilot, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIdQ_DqF1xc">Ritual of Evil</a> involving an evil cult and an immortal sorceress. <b>Ritual of Evil</b> was also marked by superior writing and a creepy atmosphere.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nk4VHcdQw7U/TpI8odOTAEI/AAAAAAAAAWg/5A0fAwHS9rw/s1600/baffled"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nk4VHcdQw7U/TpI8odOTAEI/AAAAAAAAAWg/5A0fAwHS9rw/s320/baffled" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661654347295162434" /></a><br />5) Tom Kovacks and Michelle Brant - In <b>Baffled!</b> (1973) Tom (Leonard Nimoy) is an Indy car racer who gains ESP following a crash. Michelle (Susan Hampshire) is the student of the paranormal who wants to teach him how to use his powers for good. The plot was slight and the dialogue silly, but Nimoy and Hampshire had great chemestry. It's a shame this wasn't made into a series that would have offered them some better adventures.<br /><br />6) William Sebastian and "Ham" Hamilton - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErG57UOCQTs">Spectre</a> (1977) was yet another failed TV pilot, this time from Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry featuring occult investigators in the vein of Sherlock Holmes. Sebastian (Robert Culp) is a Holmsian investigator with a brilliant mind but lacking in social skills. His Watson is Dr. Amos "Ham" Hamilton, a physician who struggles with troubles involving alcohol and women. <br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kd6S1nCu4WM/TpJCKq2pPWI/AAAAAAAAAWo/3OQEdtlsRtY/s1600/norliss_tapes09.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kd6S1nCu4WM/TpJCKq2pPWI/AAAAAAAAAWo/3OQEdtlsRtY/s320/norliss_tapes09.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661660432627744098" /></a><br />7) David Norliss - The last of my investigators was writer David Norliss (Roy Thinnes), kind of an upscale version of Kolchak. Norliss was the hero of <b>The Norliss Tapes</b>, yet another unsold TV pilot. The premise for the show was to be that Norliss had spent a year investigating occult matters only to disappear, leaving behind a box of audio tapes. Each week his publisher would listen to another tape, revealing a new adventure and, hopefully, providing another clue to what happened ot Norliss.<br /><br />Looking over this list, I guess the lesson to learn is: if you create a pilot for a TV show, don't do something I'd like. It's the kiss of death. <br />:-)<br />Happy HalloweenMatthew Baughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138985206277627972noreply@blogger.com0