Necon Panel on July 22

On Saturday, July 22, at 9:00 AM, I'll be participating in a panel at Necon in Portsmouth, RI.

With two exceptions, I’ve been attending Necon since 2000. It’s a different type of convention; only one track mostly horror, but well-worth attending. They cap attendance at 200 (with the addition of some walk-ins), which makes it nice and cozy. You begin to feel like you're part of the family. I've heard that they have some slots open, so if you're interested, register ASAP. The full registration fee includes meals, and parking is free. For details on the types of registrations available, see the Necon registration page.

The panel I'm on this year is Fresh Fangs: Making Traditional Tropes Breathe Again with Janet Joyce Holden, David Demchuk, James Chambers (M), Gary Frank, and Tom Deady.


9:00 a.m.        Fresh Fangs: Making Traditional Tropes Breathe Again

Morven Westfield, Janet Joyce Holden, David Demchuk, James Chambers (M), Gary Frank, Tom Deady

The classics never die, but they sure can get played out if overused by less-than-skillful artists. What’s the secret to keeping a trope fresh? How does one not reinvent the wheel, yet also not lean too heavily on the traditions that precede their work?

More Vampire Goodness

Recently I brought my podcast back from the dead with interviews from this year's Necon. Consistent with the theme of the series, I conducted short interviews with established writers at Necon, asking about their vampire fiction. Many of them had written vampire fiction that I hadn't heard about because I was busy with work, night school, or life at the time of publication. The series began with Jeff Strand, followed by Heather Graham, and just a few days ago, I added Necon frequenter F. Paul Wilson. You can listen to the podcasts directly at www.vampireswitchesandgeeks.com or download them from iTunes. Next up should be Hal Bodner, of WeHo vampire fame.

Interview with Writer Jeff Strand

I've restarted my podcast Vampires, Witches, and Geeks with an enticing series of interviews recorded live at a small gathering of horror writers in Bristol, Rhode Island. Officially named the Northeastern Writers' Conference, most people know it as Necon, and those who know it intimately sometimes call it Camp Necon.

My first interviewee is Necon Guest of Honor Jeff Strand. Jeff Strand is a really nice guy – and funny as hell. You’d notice the funny bit, even if you never had the pleasure of meeting him in person. Just look at the titles of his books: Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary), Single White Psychopath Seeks Same, Lost Homicidal Maniac (Answers to "Shirley"), and Casket for Sale (Only Used Once). What I wanted to interview him about, though, was the novel Draculas, a collaboration with authors F. Paul Wilson (who I also interview in this series), Jack Kilborn (J. A. Konrath), and Blake Crouch.

So, here's the first in the series, my Interview with Writer Jeff Strand. As always, I try to keep the podcasts short and sweet. Hope this brief introduction is enough to entice you to sample Jeff's works.