Apr 4Member-onlyhi5rophantThere’s an alternate universe where this trio of invisible monsters devoured an alternate version of me in the middle of the Arizona Mills Mall food court on a busy Sunday. The monsters — Lloiger or Shoggoth or whatever you want to call them — were really efficient eaters, draining the…Fiction5 min readFiction5 min read
Feb 2, 2021Member-onlyThe Number of the Beast is 17It’s five o’clock somewhere…I’m standing in the middle of an empty parking lot that stretches out as far in any direction I can see. I rub my eyes and shake my head to clear it. There are no roads here, only evenly spaced concrete islands, red curbs lined with yellow…Fiction11 min readFiction11 min read
Mar 5, 2020Member-onlyYou Have Two ImaginationsThis is what you don’t know about yourself that’s keeping all of those great stories trapped inside your head. You have two imaginations, and you’re getting them confused every time you sit down to write. If this sounds strange, think of having two imaginations in the same way you have…Writing6 min readWriting6 min read
Feb 21, 2020Member-onlyIt Translates Roughly to “Strangle-Face”The witch-light touched down somewhere towards the edge of what used to be Doc Barrett’s field, where the kudzu had overtaken a 1940 Ford Tractor so completely that it’s chassis was merely the suggestion of a hump buried under a sea of ravenous, and otherwise useless vegetation. Of course it…Fiction4 min readFiction4 min read
Sep 20, 2019Member-onlyThe Mad Genius of William Castle, Part 3It’s 1975 in Southern California, and William Castle is working on his last film; a gritty Sci-Fi horror number called Bug. …Film8 min readFilm8 min read
Sep 11, 2019Member-onlyA Cardinal and a Congressman Walk into a Bar3 Days after Contact: “Jesus! I mean no offense, Monsignor. But why this dump, of all places?” Morris Schumacher grimaced at the head of the glossy teak bar. There, a massive statue of Christopher Columbus loomed, imperious and cruel; beef slab arms crossed over barrel chest. …Fiction15 min readFiction15 min read
Sep 6, 2019Member-onlyThe Mad Genius of William Castle, Part 2Like a lot of people, I believe the kid you start out as in life as doesn’t ever really go away. He or she might have a greater or lesser degree of influence on the decisions that you make later on, anywhere from trusted consultant to helpless spectator. I also…Movies7 min readMovies7 min read
Sep 3, 2019Member-onlyWhat I Read (August 2019)(Main building of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna Library, image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons) How in the hell is it September already? Let me start over. As I am writing this, it’s Monday, September 2nd. It’s Labor Day. …1 min read1 min read
Aug 30, 2019Member-onlyHopelessness is the New Heroin Chic (A Short Story)I’m going to burn to death. Being psychic doesn’t immunize you from life kicking you in the shorts every once in a while. Some people think it’s amusing to ask you why you didn’t see it coming. It’s never funny, though. Not the first time you hear it, not ever. The same people like to say…Fiction14 min readFiction14 min read
Aug 26, 2019Member-onlyThe Mad Genius of William Castle, Part One(Preface: Season 3 of the Literary License Podcast is getting ready to start. I’m guest-hosting some episodes this go-around, and we’re going to cover a whole bunch of crazy European horror flicks. Also, Halloween is almost here. Well, it’s at least as close as Christmas gets before people start talking…Movies10 min readMovies10 min read
