by mike | May 20, 2014 | Books, Editing, Ghosts, Horror, Paranormal, Writing |
During my 200+ years as a writing coach, I’ve seen it all when it comes to manuscripts by wanna-be authors. Issues with plotting, characterization, dialogue, pacing, and all other elements of a novel come to mind—oftentimes in glaringly high definition and even IMAX....
by mike | May 14, 2014 | Books, Editing, Ghosts, Holocaust, Horror, Paranormal, Psychological Thrillers, Publishing, Thrillers, Uncategorized, Writing |
PRAISE FOR FIRE DANCE: “Sirota returns…with this atmospheric tale of horror in the American Southwest. Horror fans will enjoy this updated take on the western ghost town.” – Publishers Weekly, 12/6/10 As many of you know, I’m big on second chances. (Check out my first...
by mike | May 6, 2014 | Ghosts, Guilty Pleasures, Horror, Horror Movies, Movies, Paranormal, Uncategorized |
Be forewarned: the 2002 horror flick, Ghost Ship, has one of the most memorable—and gross—opening hooks in all of filmdom. We find ourselves aboard an Italian luxury ocean liner, the Antonia Graza, in 1962. As Francesca, a sexy singer, croons a tune, dozens of...
by mike | Apr 23, 2014 | Guilty Pleasures, Horror, Horror Movies, Humor, Movies, Science Fiction, Uncategorized |
When I saw that Michael Gross, who played whacko right-wing survivalist Burt Gummer in the first three Tremors films, also starred in Tremors 4: The Legend Begins, I assumed this was yet another sequel. But no, this one takes place in 1889, about a century before the...
by mike | Apr 16, 2014 | Guilty Pleasures, Horror, Horror Movies, Humor, Movies, Science Fiction, Uncategorized |
A while back I wrote about one of my favorite dumb movies, the 1990 goofy comedy-horror flick, Tremors (see my post, “Guilty Pleasures: Tremors”). I’ve watched it many times, and while I knew that there had been three sequels made, I had always avoided them—until...
by mike | Feb 6, 2014 | Death, Ghosts, Horror, Horror Movies, Life, Movies, Paranormal, Sword & Sorcery |
A STAR STOPS SHINING I’m sure everyone knows by now that Philip Seymour Hoffman passed away last weekend at the heartbreakingly young age of forty-six. Still, I had to acknowledge his passing, as he has long been one of my favorites. He gave life and emotion to every...
