New Stuff and Happenings

The Chronicles of Riddick
I watched the movie the Chronicles of Riddick for the tenth time. I love this movie. It's the sequel to the ultra-cool Pitch Black. Vin Diesel plays the escaped convict, Riddick, with the skill to kill. I'm such a huge fan that I rented and watched The Chronicles of Riddick :Dark Fury witch is an Anime' short that bridges the gap between the two movies. This is a cool series but I don't know if it'll continue. Kudos to whoever designed the sets and costumes of the Necromongers. I've never seen anything like it.

Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way
My favorite Christmas present this year is the book Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way by the one and only Bruce Campbell. I've watched all his stuff from Evil Dead, Maniac Cop, Terminal Invasion to Bubba Ho Tep. His last book If Chins Could Kill has to be one of the funniest books I've ever read. I'm looking forward to delving into the new book. It's getting great reviews and I'm not surprised. Bruce is a talented artist.

Writing Life
I keep plugging along on the writing. This can only be for the love. There's nothing I'd like better than spoon my wife under the covers on a cold winter morning yet I'm compelled to drag my flabby body down the stairs to the keyboard. Strange, but I don't feel my day is complete unless I write my tithe of words. I guess other writers can understand this compulsion. Who knows or cares if I'm creating anything worthy. Actually, I can't, and never will, write anything that will win any sort of prize. I'm white trash in my taste of foods, books, and writing. No Fotu, Budda spewing tomes of atonement here. Just a blast to the balls whilst eating hot dogs and mac and cheese out of a crushed box. A little wrestling on the tube whilst I pick belly button lint out with the handle of my fork. Sauce stains on my t-shirt. Hole in sock. Big toe sticking out.

Maddox

The Alphabet of Manliness
I just read the new book by Maddox called The Alphabet of Manliness. I have to say I roared all the way through it. I read a few of the passages to my wife and she bolted from the room saying, "That's not funny." only to return to ask, "What is that book?" and "Where did you buy that book?" also "Where did you get the money to buy that book?" I tell you, this tome has some really nasty stuff in it and I showed my immaturity by laughing all the way through it. It's got chapter titles like, "G is for Gas", "R is for Road Rage" and my personal favorite, "N is for Chuck Norris." This genre is what's being called Fraternity Satire or "Fratire." Would I recommend this book to a friend? yes. Would I ever want my daughters dating Maddox? Hell no!

Little Man
Why did I laugh at this? It's so stupid, yet so funny. This comic gem by the Wayans brothers tells the story of a pint-sized criminal posing as a baby. It reminded me of the Bugs Bunny baby Finster cartoons. I left my low IQ at the door on this one. Really, really low brow humor.

Youth Writer's Workshop
I'm a member of the Utica Writer's Club and we're conducting a workshop for kids this January, 20th at 1pm at the New Hartford, NY, Barnes and Noble. The group will be reading examples and working with the kids to create their own poetry followed by a public reading. Reading and writing is a skill most important in the development of a child. I'll be reading a selection from The Hobbit. Should be a lot of fun and I expect a large crowd since kids get a little cabin fever in the Mohawk Valley during the winter.

Graphic Novel?
Very soon I will have the finished cover design for my graphic novel project. I'll be placing this on my website www.denniswebster.com for some pre-published buzz. The preliminary work by Craig Rippon and Bill Anderson are as Hippies say, "Far Out!" Stay Tuned.

This is Your Mission. . .

Mission Impossible 3
I just watched the movie Mission Impossible 3 starring Tom Cruise and it's my favorite of the series. I can't understand how this wasn't a bigger hit. Could jumping on Oprah's couch really make that much of an impact? I've been a Tom Cruise fan since I was in high school and watched All the Right Moves. This 3rd installment involved getting the "Rabbit's Foot." What is it? Who knows and who cares? It's the old Alfred Hitchcock term "McGuffin." It doesn't matter except Ethan Hunt has to retrieve it to save his wife and perhaps, the world. Philip Seymour Hoffman totally kicks ass as the villain. Anyone will tell you that the bad guy is most important in any movie from James Bond to Star Wars. You have to have the bad, bad dude and Mr. Hoffman delivers.

My Noir Romance
I'm still in the midst of my Hard Case Crime book and plugging along on my own Noir manuscript. Is it any good? Who knows. Doesn't matter as long as I'm having fun writing it. The setting is Utica, NY 1959. This was a peak in the history of the city. Population, the baby boomer explosion and massive amounts of high-paying factory jobs. It's an interesting time for me to write about because detectives had to be street and book smart. No forensics back in the 50's other than a snub-nose .38 to the noggin. People drank, smoked, and ate salted meats.