February Update

Today is Mardi Gras! Get all that sin out before midnight and Lint.

Anyway, I started a new full time job, which severely restricts my ability to write and blog, so I’ve been lax. I haven’t had much going on the way of publication right now. I’ve had one story bought for this year but no date of publication yet.

I’m still working on the first draft of my next novel, which I hope to have completed by the beginning of May. I consider this optimism because my writing schedule is so restricted due to my work schedule. I’m down to writing on Saturday and Sundays, and maybe Friday nights.

That’s that, I suppose.

Darkly,

Vic Kerry

New Year, same dedication to the blog.

New year is here. 2012 is supposed to be the end of time, but I feel fine. I promise to keep up with this blog as well as I did in 2011!  Actually, I might do a better job. I will be starting a different profession in a week. This may lead to the ability to work on the blog more.

2011 was not such a bad year.

I had several short stories published, completed writing my first novel, received my MFA in creative writing, had my novel rejected at least 4 times, and gotten several positive reviews for stories.

I all but read the entire Shakespeare last years. I still have to finish Titus Andronicus and the Tempest.  So close, so close.

I hope to have another productive year this year. I’m probably 18,000 words from completing the first draft of my new novel. I have sold the rights to at least one story to be published in 2012, so here we go.

 

Darkly,

Vic Kerry

So I’m a horrible Blogger.

I don’t know why I can’t update this more often. I suppose it’s because I’m not that interesting, or I just don’t think about it. Anyway.

I recently finished up MacBeth. There’s nothing really to talk about here. I’m still working on Titus Andronicus and then Tempest.

I’ve had two recent rejections of my novel. One was rather mundane. The other said the horror was too light. I find this shocking. I’ve worried about the horror in this novel, but not because I thought it was too light.

I don’t say this for nothing.

Darkly,

Vic Kerry

Apologies

Let me apologize for my long absence. I have been dealing with a lot of stuff, and haven’t devoted the time I should to this blog. Just for some updates, I will have three short-shorts in Pill Hill Press’s Daily Frights 2012. One of the stories “Door Sniffer” gets a holiday date.

I also completed 50,000+ words to win in NANOWRIMO. It gave my stalled novel in progress a shot in the arm. Now if I can finish the thing. I plan on keeping things more up to date in the coming weeks.

Darkly,

Vic Kerry

Antony and Cleopatra

I’m back to Shakespeare. I only have a few weeks left in this year and a few plays left to read. The latest review is for Antony and Cleopatra. I have to say that I’ve read several Roman-themed plays so far. I lack only one: Titus Andronicus, and it’s up next. Of the Roman-themed plays, I like this the least. I never really cared too much about what was going on with the characters. All I could think about the whole time was Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra in that old movie. This to me was some more of Shakespeare’s melodrama.

I didn’t feel it for the doomed lovers. I just wanted them to go ahead and die.  The asps couldn’t have come soon enough. Maybe I took too long between plays and got out of the Shakespeare mood; maybe not.  All I know is that I’ve got this one under my belt.

 

What’s left?

Macbeth

Titus Andronicus

The Tempest

Maybe I’ll pick Macbeth  up this week since, we’re heading into Halloween. Witches, ghosts, and murder make good bedfellows right?

Darkly,

Vic Kerry

Schlocktober Update.

For some reason my original schlocktober entry took four days to post. Today I watched number 5. THE Final Destination.

First things first. I hate movie sequels that name themselves the original title and just add The to it. That is THE stupidest thing ever. Secondly, this series was a one-trick pony with the first movie years and years ago. It is the exact same thing every time. Some one has a vision of his gory, over-the-top-death, and saves people. Death comes for them.

After the first one, the whole point is how are they going to kill people now.

This one is true schlock. This one was horrible. I’ve avoided all these Final Destination movies after seeing the second installment. Horror movies work the first time. Sometimes a sequel does just as well, but oftentimes not. Slashers, like Final Destination (although arguably not slashers because the lack of a slasher type killer) have one trick. I don’t care how many times you show that trick over and over, it’s still just one trick.

Update

1. Blacula

2. In Search of the Real Wolfman

3. The 13th Guest

4. House of Wax (1952)

5. THE Final Destination

 

Please if you read this blog. Skip THE Final Destination and any sequels made from the franchise from this point on. It’s the same thing over and over and over and over and over.

 

Darkly,

Vic Kerry

Welcome to Schlocktober.

It’s October, the holy month of all horror writers and fans alike. A tradition I started a few years ago was watching a whole lot of horror films during the month that ends with Halloween. Last year, I tried the feat of 31 movies in 31 days, and failed miserably. This year I’m just shooting for 31 movies. So far I’ve gotten to one. I also that this year, I’m going to view sclock. Forget the good classics. I’m going for the campy, outrageous and plain dumb.

So, I started off with the 1972 classic, Blacula. His bite is out of sight.  Yes indeed. This is blaxpolation at its finest. All the Afros you can throw a stake at, and the greenest Honky vampires you will ever see. To follow up a documentary about the Beast of Geveudan in France. The acting is schlocky. After that an oldy goldy from the 1930s with a white Sambo character called the 13th Guest. I have no idea what it was about I had a hard time following it. I caught the great Vincent Price in House of Wax on AMC. Wonderful Camp.

This Schlocktober

1. Blacula.

2. In Search of the Real Wolfman

3. The 13th Guest

4. House of Wax (1952)

Darkly,

Vic Kerry

Help Wanted: On the Job horror anthology.

I’ve been excited about my story “New Orleans’ Best Beignets” coming out in Help Wanted: On the Job Horror. It’s finally out and I am very very pleased. This book has a great line up of writers that I feel a little bit awed at being in a book with.  Heres the amazon link http://www.amazon.com/HELP-WANTED-Tales–Job-Terror/dp/0615536352/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316549224&sr=1-7.

 

Darkly,

Vic Kerry

Let’s see what a reader from Amazon.com has to say.

I recently had a story come out in Pill Hill Press’ It was a Dark and Stormy Night… anthology. It was book of horror story/movie parodies. I was very proud to have “Pabst Blue Ribbon Moon” appear in this book. The story even got me recognized by the editor Shane McKenzie at WHC 2011 in Austin, TX. Well, he recognized by real name, but when I told him that I was Vic Kerry, he was like, “I loved that story.”

So, being the attention hog that I am, I google my name every now and then. Sometimes I check on anthologies featuring my work on Amazon.com. Today I found a review by a reader.  He had this to say about yours truly (or darkly if you will and even if you won’t) and “Pabst Blue Ribbon Moon.”

 

Vic Kerry’s `Pabst Blue Ribbon Moon’ is redneck humor at its best. Werewolves
aren’t the only thing to fear during a Full Moon.

I’m glad of this review because it was exactly what I was going for.

 

Darkly,

Vic Kerry

Back for an extended period of time.

I’m back to keeping up with this thing again. I’ve been on and off because of many things, but I’m going to try my hardest to keep up to date. I’m not finished with Shakespeare yet, but I will be very soon.

Other things going on.  It’s been a productive summer outside of teaching many classes. I’ve had several stories published and some waiting to be. The most exciting is “New Orleans’ Best Begients” coming out in the Help Wanted anthology. There are a lot of big names in horror in this anthology. I’m excited to be in such company. I’ll post a link to the publisher when it is in print, so that you can rush out and buy it.

I’m back to writing now. I’ve put my novel in progress off for a bit as I work on a novella that has my total attention currently. I have another novella I’m working on as well and a short story I want to get out. Everything is getting its time. Right now the current novella needs to be finished the quickest.

As far as reading, I’m working on Burn, Witch Burn, a classic of horror that most haven’t heard of. I’ll give it a post when I’m done.

I need to get back to actual writing. I’ve only don 117 words of my 1,000 word commitment for today, and it’s 10 pm.

Until next time.

Darkly,

Vic Kerry