This week, Mr. Deadman will talk with a real-life zombie that has enough dexterity in his fingers to write a book, with one of the top-performers in the Meat Grinder, and a poet that’s not afraid to approach controversy.
Listen to the podcast
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Marc Whipple meets with Mr. Deadman to talk about Cockygate. Marc is an intellectual property attorney – that means he specialize in patents, trademarks, copyrights, and other kinds of “intellectual” property.
What’s Cockygate? A romance author trademarked the word cocky, and she’s using this trademark to force other authors to change titles, names, and is causing a lot of problems.
If you want on the show, call in the number is 7136365637
It’s not a toll free number, but I can call you if you request. Send me a contact request to Jessecdedman@gmail.com
Remember, this service isn’t free. It’s paid for in a combination of out of pocket and the generous support of the Deadman’s Tome patrons. Consider being a patron to get access to just about every issue of Deadman’s Tome and private shows.
As someone that grew up watching Star Wars, enjoying immersing myself into the lore, it saddens me to see that it has gone total nuclear meltdown.
I think for a lot of us, The Force Awakens instilled confidence in the franchise, especially after the awful prequels. Yes, the film played it safe by following the plot points and visuals of A New Hope, but overall it seemed that Disney could handle the franchise.
Then came Rogue One, an original film that benefited from great visuals and a climatic action sequence, but was weakened by paper thin characters and director changes. It was also a story that was already explained in the original Dark Forces, a PC FPS where it took only one person and a pilot to obtain the death star plans. Rogue One showed potential in exploring different stories within the universe, which could strengthen the lore, but it could also cheapen the experience if churned out too fast.
The came The Last Jedi, a film that visually looked great, though the casino scene reminded me too much of the prequels, but it flipped the script one everything. Force Awakens was about finding Luke, and then The Last Jedi kills him off. Not just that other fan favorite characters are taken out to pasture and shot. Generally speaking, fans were not happy, but I was still willing to muster some faith in the franchise.
Then came Solo, a the first Star Wars films to be a total failure, a film touched by different directors, plagued with re-shoots, and yet it lost $50 million. The fans were not happy and neither was Disney.
I could live with this. I would still watch the next film, and be interested if it wasn’t for the dumpster fire that came next.
So, actress Kelly Tran gets harassed by trolls and assholes for her role as Rose in The Last Jedi. Assholes and trolls thrive on the internet and there’s very little that can be done in most cases other than block, mute, and ignore. Trust me, if you ignore a troll it’ll tire out and go away, in most cases. This harassment led to Tran lashing out at the fanbase.
Because of Solo was such a disaster, fans were going after Kathleen Kennedy, at that time president of Lucasfilm, and she didn’t hold back. Kennedy did the one thing no creator should ever do, attack the fan base and blame them, blame the fans, for the failure. Every fan base is going to have assholes, but they make the minority. The internet makes it possible for the minority to be very vocal, and as a result the small assholes sound like giant assholes just spewing wet shit everywhere and on everything.
Since then Disney has sent conflicting messages about the future of Star Wars, informing some sources that all projects are on hold, and informing others that production is still underway. I think this is for Disney to get a better idea if fans want the franchise to continue. But here’s a reality check, Disney bought Star Wars for $4 billion dollars. Disney wants these movies to come out, and they want these movies to do well. Disney, like any business, will operate based on what sells, and will make changes to meet demand.
So far, this article hasn’t touched the social justice warrior progressive messages that have crept into Star Wars. Some stuff I don’t see a problem with, other things seem annoying and completely unnecessary.
Black stormtrooper? I’m fine with, don’t care one way or the other.
Strong female lead that’s a blend of Luke and Han, sure, but seems overpowered and cheap. Ripley is a good example of a strong female lead that isn’t overpowered.
No bad female leaders. The Last Jedi had a chance to upswing during the mutiny part, but for some reason that story line was nipped in the bud and comes across utterly pointless.
Lando sexually attracted to robots, why does that matter? Is there a love scene between Lando and a droid, because if there isn’t then why would I care?
Whether for copy and paste story telling, cluster fuck of directing and paper thin characters, or for SJW progressive messages, fans are not happy and it makes things worse when those that work on the films blame the fans for their loss.
Imagine if I blamed the readers for a failed Deadman’s Tome issue? That would be like flinging feces at a customer for not liking a product. Just a terrible idea.
Disney should know better, and I think they do, but it’s too late to stop it.
Trev Hill meets with Mr. Deadman to talk about A Final Supper, a story in the very competitive writing contest called The Meat Grinder, writing controversial subjects, and horror. This Wednesday at 9:30PM CST.
If you want on the show, call in the number is 7136365637
It’s not a toll free number, but I can call you if you request. Send me a contact request to Jessecdedman@gmail.com
Remember, this service isn’t free. It’s paid for in a combination of out of pocket and the generous support of the Deadman’s Tome patrons. Consider being a patron to get access to just about every issue of Deadman’s Tome and private shows.
Is Horror Bites Magazine #6 any good?
https://www.spreaker.com/user/8056632/horror-bites-magazine-6-any-good
Full disclosure, I was provided with a free copy through Tony Evans. But, if you question whether or not that makes me biased, then check this out. My first impression of the cover was that it was difficult to read with text blending into the artwork. Something that could easily be fixed with a few drop shadows added to the text. Easy. For that I’ll dock one star.
Do you consider me biased now?
When I read an anthology, I hope that at least half of the stories are strong enough to hold my attention and entertain. Since this is a horror magazine, I also hope that the stories that hold my attention can at least take me to a dark place, at least for a moment anyway. For me horror is a cleanse for the constant serving of sugar-coated plastic content, the family friendly crap, the good vibes and blinded optimism found on TV, in popular music, and such.
Horror Bites Magazine #6 meets this criteria, and the stories that come to mind are In The Closet by G. H. Finn, Come In by DJ Tyrer, Nowhere to Land by Rick McQuiston, and The Annual Soiree by Tony Evans.
In The Closet tells a story of a writer that tries to get away from distractions to better catch that muse, something most writers can relate to. However, what happens next not so much. Told with a strong presence of foreboding dread, the story leads us to the crux like how good cheese leads a rat to a trap. We know the protagonist shouldn’t explore the nagging curiosities, yet they pester and pester until the voice of reason just gives in.
Interesting fact, I had the chance to publish this story. I don’t recall the anthology that we were working on during that time. I want to say it was Real American Horror, and I felt then that the story wouldn’t fit in. With that said, I’m glad to see that it found a home.
Nowhere to Land messed with me mentally. A very strange and bizarre read that kept me captivated as a widow tries to find her husband in a backyard that is no longer just a backyard. The vivid imagery was so surreal, leaving me breathless and wondering what did I just read.
I’m familiar with some of McQuiston’s work. He was published in the Tome back in the day, and I still enjoy reading one of his subs when they come in. Perhaps, I ought to become more familiar, because from what I know so far this was the most surreal and existential piece of his yet.
Lastly, let me talk about The Annual Soiree. Tony gave me a free copy so I should be as objective as possible, right? The Annual Soiree tells the story of an employee that received an invite to a secretive annual soiree that people speculate leads to better promotions and jobs elsewhere.
As someone who has worked office jobs, the characters are very believable, even the eccentric boss towards the end. The way the gossip and rumor circled around this mysterious party seemed very plausible.
While the plot isn’t new, and the story had a few grammatical errors, the same could be said for some of the others. Regardless, Tony’s willingness to go all out in the end, to deliver the gritty details, made for a good, entertaining, and disturbing story.
Overall, Horror Bites Magazine #6 is a good horror anthology that is totally worth your time and money. I don’t say that lightly.
Many writers were influenced by the great generation, authors such as Gertrude Stein, Earnest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, while others were influenced by H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe. No matter the source, the influence can be seen in their prose and style. Much more, the themes, subjects, and even characters become borrowed and re-envisioned. One of the most obvious examples of this is with H. P. Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos. A lot of writers take bits and pieces from the lore, and work them into their own vision, making something new and unique with something borrowed.
I consider this a gift from those that have become immortal.
As a writer, how would you feel if your name and legacy was not only remembered, but people borrowed from it, and put bits and pieces of you into their own work? Do you find it to be stealing from your estate? Do you find it to be taking something of yours without permission, or is it a way to spread your reach and legacy even after death?
With this in mind, I think of Stephen King. God forbid King passes away, but being human it’s inevitable that he will. When he does, will his characters and mythos be available for other writers to use as their own, or will they be tied to the estate?
Could you imagine Jack Torrance living on in different iterations, created by authors from various sub-genres of horror? Could you imagine Randall Flagg living on well passed his creator’s death much like Cthulhu? What about Stephen King’s mythical turtle?
Stephen King definitely has the status and reputation to be remembered long after he passes away, and his books, themes, and characters will be with us long after that. I could imagine the family keeping the rights and guarding the books, of course, but you know good and well that people would want to write on with bits of his legacy. I’m curious how that King family would address that when that time comes.
BJ Blazkowicz, I mean BB Blazkowicz, meets with Mr. Deadman to chat about his story in the highly competitive writing contest called the Meat Grinder, video games, and horror. This Monday at 9:30PM CST Call-ins welcomed!
Call in and outbound calls. If you want on the show, call in the number is 7136365637
It’s not a toll free number, but I can call you if you request. Send me a contact request to Jessecdedman@gmail.com
Remember, this service isn’t free. It’s paid for in a combination of out of pocket and the generous support of the Deadman’s Tome patrons. Consider being a patron to get access to just about every issue of Deadman’s Tome and private shows.
BJ Blazkowicz, I mean BB Blazkowicz, meets with Mr. Deadman to chat about his story in the highly competitive writing contest called the Meat Grinder, video games, and horror. This Monday at 9:30PM CST Call-ins welcomed!
Trev Hill meets with Mr. Deadman to talk about A Final Supper, a story in the very competitive writing contest called The Meat Grinder, writing controversial subjects, and horror. This Wednesday at 9:30PM CST.
Marc Whipple meets with Mr. Deadman to talk about Cockygate. Marc is an intellectual property attorney – that means he specialize in patents, trademarks, copyrights, and other kinds of “intellectual” property. What’s Cockygate? A romance author trademarked the word cocky, and she’s using this trademark to force other authors to change titles, names, and is causing a lot of problems. This Friday at 9:30PM CST
Since Venus is closer to Earth than Mars, both in size and distance, NASA has stated that it would be a much more convenient candidate for manned exploration. However, there’s just a slight problem: the average temperature is 850 degrees F, and the atmosphere is 90 times denser than ours. In other words, the environment would kill us. Probes have been sent to the planet’s surface, but the Russian Venera 13 survived the longest at just 127 minutes in 1982. However, NASA has figured a way to solve this problem. In IEEE Spectrum, NASA outlined a study called High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC) to build a floating “city” of astronaut-manned zeppelins that would hover 30 miles above the planet.
NASA has put engineers and scientists at the Systems Analysis and Concepts Directorate at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, have been working on a preliminary feasibility study on how robots and humans could make a Venus mission a reality.
“The atmosphere of Venus is an exciting destination for both further scientific study and future human exploration,” said aerospace engineer Christopher A. Jones of the Space Mission Analysis Branch, according to CNN.
“One concept is a lighter-than-air vehicle that could carry either a host of instruments and probes, or a habitat and ascent vehicle for a crew of two astronauts to explore Venus for up to a month.”
This was back in 2015, and since then NASA has outlined HAVOC’s project summary on their official website.
Since then, people all across the globe have observed strange forms and glowing lights in the sky. While people are quick to dismiss the anomalies as strange cloud formations and nothing more, the images and live stream footage show otherwise. Much more, in a live stream feed NASA showed what appeared to be a floating city. A truth seeker claims to have spotted a mysterious object of several miles in length that is orbiting Earth in a NASA live stream from the International Space Station. The truth seeker claims that NASA cut the feed once the thing came into view.
In 2015, people in China claimed to have seen mysterious floating cities. thousands reported to have seen a ghostly alien city floating over Foshan in Guangdong province of China, and then another spotted floating over Jiangxi, China.
People shared a video on Facebook that shows a strange floating object hovering above Brazil.
Streetcap1, a YouTuber, showed footage of a massive object in earth’s orbit taken from a NASA camera on the ISS. Yet, here are in 2018 and people watching the NASA live stream could witness a floating object that appeared to have operational lights.
Did NASA mess up? Did they cut the feed abruptly because they do not want us to know? Why is the military getting more and more involved in space operations? Should we be worried that there seems to be something the government isn’t telling us?
On June 20th, the EU’s Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) voted in favor of the Copyright Directive. The directive includes two highly controversial provisions. These are Article 11, a “link tax,” which would force online platforms like Facebook and Google to buy licenses from media companies before linking to their stories; and Article 13, an “upload filter,” which would require that everything uploaded online in the EU is checked for copyright infringement. (Think of it like YouTube’s Content ID system but for the whole internet.)
In 2014, Spain attempted this and it resulted in the temporary closure of Google News Spain. According to a study in 2015, a link tax would ultimately cost publishers millions of dollars in lost revenue. Taxing companies to share and link to news articles would be a deterrent to sharing and linking to stories. Executives at Facebook and Google stated that they would not pay for a tax to share a link.
Article 13’s “upload filter” is perhaps the most insidious. It would place content-filtering obligations on platforms, which encourages them to block as much as possible, and it gives them little incentive to let innocent content through. FOSTA in the United States is a good example of how these incentives work. After the passage of the law, which was intended to combat sex trafficking on the internet, Craigslist dropped it’s casual hook-up’s classified ads, Back Pages dropped the escort pages, and whatever you do don’t ask me who I know this.
Many speculate that Copyright Directive is being pushed by European Parliament because they want more control by turning the internet into a tool for the automated surveillance and control of its users. I worry about this. When Google is forced to filter for certain words, prevent certain phrases from being searched, and screen for content then how is it different from the China’s firewall? Article 13 sounds like a fascists wet dream come to life. To have the power to survey everything in a way that dwarfs the Patriot Act would be a huge low to freedom, and would be the end of the internet.
Both Article 11 and Article 13 were approved by the JURI committee this morning but won’t become official legislation until passed by the entire European Parliament in a plenary vote. There’s no definite timetable for when such a vote might take place, but it would likely happen sometime between December of this year and the first half of 2019.
Chances are you probably know nothing about this. The mainstream media in the UK and US aren’t touching this subject, which is why Deadman’s Tome is picking up the slack.
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