Monthly Archives: February 2014

Feb 25 2014

‘Divergent’ Soundtrack and Score to be released in March

 

INTERSCOPE RECORDS TO RELEASE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK AND SCORE TO

SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT’S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED FEATURE FILM DIVERGENT ON MARCH 11

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CHERRYTREE / INTERSCOPE RECORDING ARTIST ELLIE GOULDING IS THE “MUSICAL VOICE” OF DIVERGENT WITH HER MUSIC FEATURED THROUGHOUT THE FILM AND BRAND NEW SONG, “BEATING HEART,” ON THE SOUNDTRACK

ALBUM ALSO FEATURES BRAND NEW MUSIC FROM ZEDD, SNOW PATROL, TAME IMPALA AND KENDRICK LAMAR, M83, A$AP ROCKYFEATURING GESAFFELSTEIN, PRETTY LIGHTS, SKRILLEX AND PIA MIA 

ITUNES PRE-ORDER BEGINS TODAY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25th

Interscope Records will partner with Summit Entertainment, a LIONSGATE company, to release the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to the action adventure film Divergent on March 11th, as well as the Original Score on March 18th. The soundtrack features a brand new song by multi-platinum British singer/songwriter Ellie Goulding entitled “Beating Heart” as well as songs from Goulding’s sophomore album, Halcyon. Goulding will also contribute vocals to the film’s score composed by Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum electronic artist Junkie XL and executive produced by Grammy and Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer (The Dark Knight, Inception). Pre-order on iTunes today: iTunes.com/DivergentSoundtrack.

“We started working with songs from Ellie Goulding’s album Halcyon and soon found that the texture of her music and the tone of her voice perfectly matched our film,” says Divergent director Neil Burger. “In many ways Ellie has become the inner voice of our heroine Tris.”

In addition to “Beating Heart,” the soundtrack album features music byZedd (the track “Find You,” featuring Matthew Koma and Miriam Bryant) and brand new songs from Snow Patrol, Tame Impala and Kendrick Lamar, M83, A$AP Rocky featuring Gesaffelstein, Pretty Lights, Skrillex and Pia Mia featuring Chance The Rapper.  Songs from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack are prominently featured in the film.

North American fans can pre-order both Standard and Deluxe editions ofDivergent: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack on iTunes today Tuesday, February 25th. Those who pre-order either the Standard or Deluxe Edition (which includes additional songs) will receive instant downloads of Goulding’s “Beating Heart” and Zedd’s “Find You.”(iTunes.com/DivergentSoundtrack)

Target is the exclusive retailer offering the deluxe version of the soundtrack on physical CD, with pre-orders now available on Target.com.Pre-order bundle options available at www.divergentsoundtrack.com  include the soundtrack on 12″ picture disc vinyl as well as a pre-order exclusive poster with the names of fans who order.

The film, which is based on the best-selling novel Divergent by Veronica Roth and hailed as the most highly anticipated movie of 2014 by social media research firm Fizziology, will be released in theaters and on IMAX® screens nationwide on March 21st. Divergent is the first installment in the Divergent Trilogy, which were the top three books onUSA Today’s best-seller list in 2013. The story is set in a world where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues. Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) is warned she is Divergent and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy by a faction leader (Kate Winslet) to destroy all Divergents, Tris must learn to trust in the mysterious Four (Theo James) and together they must find out what makes being Divergent so dangerous before it’s too late.

Divergent is directed by Neil Burger from a screenplay by Evan Daugherty and Vanessa Taylor. The film stars Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ashley Judd, Jai Cortney, Ray Stevenson, Zoё Kravitz, Miles Teller, Tony Goldwyn, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, Mekhi Phifer, and Kate Winslet.

The track-listing for Divergent: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is as follows:

“Find You” — Zedd featuring Matthew Koma and Miriam Bryant

“Beating Heart” — Ellie Goulding

“Fight For You” — Pia Mia featuring Chance The Rapper

“Hanging On” (I See MONSTAS Remix) — Ellie Goulding

“I Won’t Let You Go” — Snow Patrol

“Run Boy Run” — Woodkid

“Backwards” —Tame Impala and Kendrick Lamar

“I Need You” — M83

“In Distress” — A$AP Rocky featuring Gesaffelstein

“Lost And Found” (ODESZA Remix) — Pretty Lights

“Stranger” — Skrillex with KillaGraham from Milo & Otis and Sam Dew

“Dream Machines” — Big Deal

“Dead in the Water” — Ellie Goulding

Also included on Deluxe Edition:

“I Love You” — Woodkid

“Waiting Game” — Banks

“My Blood” — Ellie Goulding

For more about Divergent, visit:

http://divergentthemovie.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Divergent

http://www.pinterest.com/divergent/

http://instagram.com/divergent

https://twitter.com/divergent

Feb 20 2014

Waging Bets on Digital Thoroughbreds

How video game AI could work in tandem with horse race betting

Compared to other genres, horse racing video games just aren’t as popular as titles like Street Fighter or the Madden NFL series. It has its fair share of the market, to be sure; but in a billion-dollar industry like the video game business, selling a few hundred thousand copies just doesn’t cut it.

This isn’t to say that there aren’t any quality horse racing games. In fact, despite having only two prominent publishers – Tecmo and Koei; which later on merged to become Tecmo Koei, interestingly – most of the games released have been very entertaining.

A big part of this appeal comes by way of how closely these titles’ gameplay mechanics stick to the real thing. This, of course, includes the betting aspect of the sport, which has always been an integral part of the whole horse racing experience. Given the level of realism of current generation of video games, it’s to be expected that horse racing titles should only follow suit. As authentic as the breeding and racing portions of games like Champion Jockey feel, a lot of gamers derive their fun from casting their bets on their favored horses as well.

The advent of online betting just presents more interesting possibilities vis-à-vis video game integration. Betfair has comprehensive coverage of the online wagering aspects of the Cheltenham Festival annual races. A joint effort with the aforementioned Tecmo Koei to organize pre-race fantasy matches using the game company’s latest titles will no doubt generate a lot of additional hype before the real races begin. Using up-to-date stats algorithms to simulate the performance tendencies of the real-life horses and their jockeys, this digital recreation preview could allow betting aficionados to hone their intuition and give them further analytical insight for the actual races.

Something close to this has in fact already been done. In a move straight out of the last Rocky movie, online gaming company Horse Racing Simulation LLC released a video that had recently retired American racehorse Zenyatta go up against some of the very best thoroughbreds in history, including the likes of 1948 Triple Crown champ Citation and Great Depression-era icon of hope Seabiscuit.

Using the company’s proprietary advanced AI, the simulation sought to answer the question of which horse would come out on top with all of them at their peak. Expectedly, Zenyatta’s propensity to hold back and gather energy for a final speed burst ultimately led to him winning the match.

Race analysts can argue all they want with the result, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the way each digital horse race stayed true to how they actually did in real life. For all we know, a repeat match with a different set of variables such as weather conditions and whatnot might wield different a result.

And that in itself is the fun that horse race betting represents. It’s a game of numbers and probability factors; something which a fairly advanced computer AI is all too familiar with. Transitioning this level of AI sophistication into full-fledged pre-race virtual betting sessions seems like a no-brainer. Only time will tell, though, if something like this eventually does come to fruition.

Feb 19 2014

Movie Review: Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2006)

 

By Stacey Longo

Poultrygeist Night of the Chicken Dead

Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead is vulgar, politically incorrect, and completely unapologetic about it. The premise of this ridiculous romp is that a fried chicken franchise, American Chicken Bunker, has been built on top of a sacred Native American burial ground in Tromaville. The site is also chock full of toxic waste (this is, after all, the same town that birthed the Toxic Avenger). Our hero is Arbie (Jason Yachanin), who discovers his high school sweetheart, Wendy (portrayed by Kate Graham) has turned gay while away at college, and is now protesting the new chicken franchise in Tromaville. Arbie, in turn, gets a job at the restaurant to spite her. As Arbie sings (this movie is also a quasi-musical): “Revenge is a dish best served fried.”

Things quickly go south as patrons of the restaurant get sick and eventually turn into giant mutant chickens from eating the toxic poultry. There is one particular bathroom scene that is so disgusting, repulsive, and full of excrement, that teenage boys everywhere will be cheering.

The climax of the movie shows patrons being murdered in gratuitously gory ways including sliced to death by deli slicer, impaled by chicken nuggets, and a guy’s legs being ripped apart like a wishbone. Arbie, fellow employee Hummus, Wendy, and a random little girl are able to fight off the chickens with alcohol, but it is Hummus who sacrifices herself so the others can escape.

While silly and spoofy, this movie is entertaining, too. Highlights include a cameo by Ron Jeremy, and nods to films like Jaws, The Exorcist, and Alien. Although campy, this is also a commentary on corporate greed: how chain franchises and large corporations are putting mom-n-pop stores out of business, contributing to child obesity in the country, and basically dumbing down America. Yes, this could be a serious introspection on the heartlessness and cold greed of corporate America, if not for all of the topless girls and “choking chicken” references.

Feb 18 2014

Author Catherine Bell Discusses ‘The Children of Manson’ and More

 

By Jason Harris

 

Catherine Bell

Catherine Bell

JH: Your adventure in writing started in 2001. How did that come about?

CB: I had just started secondary school at age 11, and had always enjoyed reading in my spare time. In English classes, my passion for writing began to flourish, partially because of support from teachers, as well as at home, so it became something I enjoyed and felt confident in pursuing.

JH: The Cathy Stories came about from your time in school. Can you tell my readers how that came about, what’s it about and how long this work is?

CB: This book still makes me smile now, mostly because I get very nostalgic when talking about it. It was a fun piece to write, probably only 50 or so pages long, and was all about “Cathy” the main character, and her friends, who battled evil demons while having to crack puzzles and codes. It was all based in at school, too, so the mentors in the book were all based on teachers. It was a comedy, and it was my first attempt at writing for a particular audience.

JH: How did the opening of your first book, Whistler’s Travels, come about being published by Manchester Metropolitan University and why only the opening?

CB: This was a piece I submitted as part of a writing competition, and so I got it published that way. At that point I had only written the opening, so it was a good opportunity to test the water, and see if it was something worth following up [on].

JH: What inspired you to write your first book and what was the idea behind it?

CB: My first serious completed work was Eden from the Ashes. With it being my first piece, looking back I feel it is quite disjointed, so I will definitely be undertaking a  huge re-edit before it comes into the public domain. It was a really interesting project for me, as it allowed me to experiment and really understand the freedom of writing. I finished that book when I was around 18, so it will be good for me to have a look back, and try and develop some of the ideas behind it.

I was inspired to write it as I had suffered hugely from bullying, and as, at the time, I was a very shy, reserved person, I had no real outlet to express how I was feeling. This is where writing became a huge emotional support for me, and continues to help me alleviate stress as well as being a very enjoyable pastime.

JH: The title for Whistler’s Travels was changed to Eden from the Ashes? What is it about and what was the reason behind the name change?

CB: The book itself is a fantasy fiction, focused on a socially isolated character, who decides to leave the village he has lived in all his life, and break away into the unknown. The story is about him developing as a person, learning more about his interests and limits, and understanding how his interests and habits had been formed by his environment, not be his personal choice.

The title Whistlers Travels was never a serious title for me. It came about because I needed a name to reference my work, and that was a simple one. It kind of stuck, however, but once it was finished, I wasnt happy with that as a final title. It didn’t fit well with the storyline as it had developed, and didn’t really give an insight as to the meaningfulness of the book to me. Eden from the Ashes is much more fitting.The-Children-of-Manson-book-Cover1

JH: Your second work Nomed was also re-named. It changed to Apocalypse 2012, then to Man Down, then to The Children of Manson. What’s this work about and is there a story behind all the different title changes?

CB: The Children of Manson is a horror [story], which ties together terror, gore, and psychosis, with a subtle political undertone. It was a way of expressing some of my views about some real life issues as an undertone, while the predominant storyline was horror. It centres around Dee, a student who seeks comfort from her isolation at University from her flatmate Lily, and their friendship quickly blossoms into something more.

Unbeknownst to Dee, a sinister figure is watching her closely. He grows exceedingly paranoid as he tracks her movements over time, as he fears she knows about his own dark secrets. Underneath the home in which he is cared for, a maze of passageways are home to a cult following, vigilant in their tasks under Lloyd’s watchful eye.

Their aim? To prevent pregnancy, destroy fertility, and if necessary, will go to the very extreme to achieve their goals.

The reason for the many name changes was that the book underwent a huge re-edit, where the plot line massively changed. For this reason the first title was no longer relevant. I re-named it Man Down to continue the story, but again, wasn’t entirely happy with this new title either.  It was when I decided on the cult following as a major part of the storyline that I became set on The Children of Manson. There are also other subtleties in the storyline , for example the “Family” reference, that helped me decide that this was a most fitting title.

JH: You published The Sick & Sombre Tales of Sinister Town-Part 1 this past October. This was another work of yours to sustain a name change. Why the name change and why break it up into different parts? And how many parts will there be?

CB: The name change was to allow myself some flexibility as to the content. My focus for Part 1 was to give some background as to the characters and the general environment of Sinister Town. Initially there were 7 short stories, but I felt some were better placed in Part 2, so I needed to change the title to reflect that.

At the moment, I plan there to be 3 parts. Part 2 is well on its way to completion, and I’m already building some ideas for Part 3. Whether there will be further parts after that … we will just have to wait and see.

JH: What are the different styles and what’s the impetus behind this series?

CB: I’m planning for the three parts to have three different focuses, i.e. the first one was about building up the actual characters who live in Sinister Town, so the next part will  [focus] instead on an invader to the town, and the defense mechanisms the town uses to keep intruders out.

JH: Do you have a specific writing style?

CB: I think my writing style is quite distinguished, in that it is probably recognizable, but in saying that, I try to experiment with different styles depending on what I’m writing, and the type of atmosphere I’m trying to create.

JH: What genres do you write in?

CB: I write predominantly horror, though I am thinking of expanding in to fantasy/comedy, as I have bits and bobs still in the planning stages.

JH: Who is your favorite author/authors and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

CB: My favorite author is Stephen King; my favorite work by him was a joint piece with Peter Straub, called Black House. It is to this day the best book I have ever read in terms of fear. I remember vividly being too scared to turn the page, and even flipping forward a couple of pages first to steel myself into going back to read it.

That is what inspired me to write horror myself. I want to instill that feeling in others; I feel that the images the imagination conjures are so much more powerful than those fed to us by films.

JH: What books have most influenced your life the most?

CB: R.L. Stine deserves a lot of the credit for introducing me to the horror genre as a child (though I enjoyed all sorts of non-horror titles as well), as I would devour his books every evening after school.

Through my teenage years I did read some of  R. L. Stine’s more mature works, but quickly became enthralled by Stephen King, and have never looked back. In fact, I have two of his books by my bedside as I type this!

JH: What are your current projects?

CB: I am currently working on a new horror [story], called The Black Sheep. I am looking to create a piece that explores the deep emotional effects of bullying, and the characters in this book play out a physical expression of those effects.

JH: Where can readers find your work and find out more about you?

Please have a look at my website to find out more. You can also find me on Twitter: @TheCathyStories. On Facebook. I am also on Google Plus or on Amazon.

Feb 17 2014

Pictures from Queen City Kamikaze 2014

by Jason Harris

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The Books and Boos banner at Queen City Kamikaze.

Dale T. Phillips, Stacey Longo, T.T. Zuma, and Mark Wholley behind the Books and Boos tables.

From left to right: Dale T. Phillips, Stacey Longo, T.T. Zuma, and Mark Wholley behind the Books and Boos tables.

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Auhtors

Authors Gordon Bean and Stacey Longo on the Horror in the Movies panel.

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Authors Dale T. Phillips, Stacey Longo, and Vlad Vaslyn on the Where Authors Get Their Ideas panel.

Authors Dale T. Phillips, Stacey Longo, and Vlad Vaslyn on the Where Authors Get Their Ideas panel.

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Authors Gordon Bean and Dale T. Phillips talk to a visitor of the Books and Boos table.

Authors Gordon Bean and Dale T. Phillips talking with a visitor to the Books and Boos table.

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Author Stacey Longo with the Joker.

Author Stacey Longo with the Joker.

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The Anthocon table at Queen City Kamikaze.

The Anthocon table at Queen City Kamikaze.

Feb 14 2014

Earth Hour and Spider-man Join Forces to Save the Planet

ASM2_INTL_EH_A4Hz_SM_PrflIn a first of its kind partnership, Spider-Man will be the first Super Hero ambassador for Earth Hour, the global movement organized by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), with a message to inspire individuals to use their power to become Super Heroes for the planet.

Andy Ridley, CEO and Co-Founder of Earth Hour, and Jeff Blake, Chairman, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Sony Pictures Entertainment, made the announcement in conjunction with the launch of Earth Hour Blue – a radical new digital crowdfunding and crowdsourcing platform for the planet, launched to engage people around the world and participants in the famous lights out event, which this year will be held on Saturday March 29, at 8:30 p.m.

This year, Earth Hour and the hero of the highly anticipated motion picture The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – along with the film’s stars, Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx and director Marc Webb – are throwing their support behind Earth Hour Blue, which aims to harness the power of the crowd to raise funds for on-the-ground environmental projects from across the world.

“I’m proud Spider-Man is the first Super Hero ambassador for Earth Hour because he shows we can all be Super Heroes when we realize the power we all have,” says Andrew Garfield, who plays Spider-Man in the upcoming film. “Earth Hour is a movement that has created massive impact around the world, so imagine what we can do this year with Spider-Man by our side.”

The crowdfunding section of the new platform will allow participants to help deliver energy-efficient stoves to families in Madagascar, help communities in the Philippines build fiberglass boats to withstand climate impacts like Typhoon Haiyan and raise funds to expand and conserve the iconic Table Mountain National Park in South Africa, with many more projects to come.

“Earth Hour gives you the power to inspire anyone, even if you’re just one person, and Earth Hour is much more than an hour. There are great projects from the crowd, for the planet, happening all over the world,” said Emma Stone.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 director Marc Webb is the first celebrity ambassador to announce the Earth Hour Blue project he is backing, which aims to provide better equipment for WWF Rangers protecting Indonesia’s endangered wildlife such as the Sumatran Tiger, Elephant, Rhino and Orangutan and their forest habitat.

“Earth Hour is a movement full of Super Heroes – people harnessing the power of the crowd to inspire change for the good of the planet, imagine the possibilities when we come together and do more,” said Marc Webb.

Earth Hour has grown to involve hundreds of millions of people from all walks of life across 7000 cities and towns and 154 countries and territories. Jamie Foxx who plays the villain Electro in the film said, “Earth Hour isn’t just about lights off; it’s about people across the world coming together throughout the year to join forces to improve the planet. Never underestimate your power, never underestimate what you can do.”

Individuals can also use Earth Hour’s crowdsourcing platform for Earth Hour Blue, which will call for people to add their voice to some of the biggest environmental campaigns across the world; including an Instagram campaign for people to share their love of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, as part of WWF-Australia’s “Lights Out For The Reef” theme for Earth Hour 2014.

Global participants in the movement will also be able to sign the Shark Saver’s “I’m FINished With FINS” pledge, which engages celebrities and public figures throughout Asia to help end shark finning in marine waters for the consumption of shark-fin soup.

“The idea of Earth Hour has grown beyond anything we could have dreamed. This year with the help of Spider-Man by our side, we are taking the movement to the next stage. We hope that Spider-Man will empower individuals to be Super Heroes for the planet, and use their voice or their dollar to support projects or campaigns around the world. It’s about harnessing the power of the crowd. That’s what Earth Hour Blue is all about,” said Ridley.

Sony Pictures Entertainment will join by contributing to a WWF-China and Earth Hour Blue project that provides efficient cookstoves to prevent deforestation in the habitat of the Giant Panda. Through its efforts, the studio will receive Gold Standard carbon offsets that render the entire physical production of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as well as its publicity tour, carbon-neutral.

Expanding on many sustainability efforts over the years, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 became the most eco-friendly tentpole production in the history of Columbia Pictures. These environmental efforts, on set and off, were supported at every level – from producers, studio executives, and cast and crew and began as soon as the film went into pre-production.

“Spider-Man’s always been a very relatable Super Hero. Peter Parker is a hero to all people, and an inspiration, so it seems very fitting that he should join forces with Earth Hour to empower every single individual to help save the planet,” Blake added. “I’m also very proud of the fact that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is entirely carbon-neutral. We made a commitment to be as eco-conscious as possible during production itself, when we took a special effort to think green and avoid waste; now, completing that process with Earth Hour Blue is a wonderful testament to what we can achieve when we all work together.”

Feb 13 2014

Queen City Kamikaze Happens this Sunday in New Hampshire (updated)

 

By Jason Harris

 

It’s February and the third annual Queen City Kamikaze is upon us once again. It’s one bright spot during this cold and snowy month.  The one difference this year is that this anime, video game, comic book, cosplay, sci-fi, and fantasy convention takes place on a Sunday. For the past two years, it happened on Saturday.

There will be over 25 vendors at this convention including Dandelion Studios, Books & Boos, and Harrison’s Comics.

Mark Wholley, one of the Four Horsemen who founded Anthocon, Northern New England’s only multi-genre literature and arts convention, will be at QCK for his second time to promote Anthocon. He will also be selling copies of Anthology, an anthology that debuted at Anthocon. He wants to make some vendor contacts and meet some artists, Wholley said.

“I like the show because of it diverse audience it draws in, It’s local to me and I like to support other shows when I can. I enjoyed last year so I decided to attend again this year,” Wholley said.

At the Books & Boos‘ tables, there will be six authors: Stacey Longo, Dale T. Phillips, Vlad Vaslyn, Tony Tremblay, David Price, and Gordon Bean. They are all members of the New England Horror Writers organization. These authors will be selling and signing their books. This will be Longo’s third time and Tremblay’s and Price’s second time attending the convention.

“I love this convention and meeting a younger generation of readers,” Longo said.

Along with selling new and used books, Books & Boos will be presenting two panels: Horror in the Movies (1 p.m. to 2 p.m.) and Where Authors Get Their Ideas (4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.).

Horror In The Movies: authors Gordon Bean (Dawn of Broken Glass), David Price (Dead in the USA), Stacey Longo (Secret Things), and moderator Jason Harris will discuss the best and worst, darkest and most disturbing, scariest and silliest examples of horror on the big screen on the Horror in the Movies panel. From the golden age of Nosferatu to the modern-day Conjuring, this panel will cover it all. Questions from the audience are encouraged throughout the discussion.

Where Do Writers Get Their Ideas? Authors Dale Phillips (Shadow of the Wendigo), Vlad Vaslyn (Brachman’s Underworld), David Price (Dead in the USA), and moderator Stacey Longo (Secret Things) will answer the number one question writers hear from their readers: How do you come up with this stuff? From disturbing first dates to summer camp adventures gone awry, audiences will learn how the most innocent of memories and experiences can be turned into scary stories and best sellers. Questions from the audience will be encouraged throughout the discussion.

There is a third panel: How to Create, Publish, and Promote Your Own Comic, which will happen during the convention, but isn’t sponsored by Books and Boos.

The Queen City Kamikaze takes place at 1 Crusader Way in Manchester, New Hampshire from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16. There is a $10 admission price.

Editor’s Note:
Author David Price won’t be able to attend the convention. A family issue came up.

Feb 11 2014

New Hampshire Director in Search of Donations for Vampire Film

 

By Jason Harris

 

Writer and director Tim Morgan (author of The Trip), who lives in New Hampshire, has started a Kickstarter campaign to get his short film, My DreamGirl Was A Vampire, made. If he meets his goal, every backer who donates a $1 or more will receive a MP4 file of the movie.

Morgan’s impetus for My DreamGirl was a Vampire first developed in 1995 when he was working on a vampire movie that he wanted to direct as a feature, but didn’t have access to actors or the equipment.

“I wound up putting it down because the short was beyond what I could do with what I had access to at the time,” Morgan said.

In 1996, Morgan wrote a feature with a vampire named Stefanie as a “directed study in college,” he said.

“I had fun with it and it was the best I could do at the time, but it was a bad rip-off of The X-Files. There was something about Stefanie’s character that would stick with me, though, and I tried a couple times over the years to reboot her, but it never seemed to work.”

This past fall, Morgan wrote a new vampire short after meeting a couple of new actors who he had never worked with before.

“The early draft was darker and edgier but it just didn’t feel right. So I put that aside, thought about bringing Stefanie back, and wrote the script that became My DreamGirl Was A Vampire.”

The vampire, Stefanie, will be portrayed by New Hampshire actor Kimberley Miller. Miller considers Stefanie to be a “complex character.” It’s the real emotional challenge of the character that intrigued her, she said.

“She is a vampire, but with some very human characteristics. She wants a way out and is very vulnerable/desperate. She doesn’t want to be a vampire. A majority of vampire stories are about the turning and the power and blood lust,” Miller said.

Morgan said that he’s trying to put an original spin on the genre, but knows he has to adhere to certain things that the “rabid fans of the genre” would want.

“I love this story because it’s a simple/sweet story about a girl (who happens to be a vampire) who wants a second shot at life and the quirky cute guy who can help her. It is more about making Stefanie real and sympathetic to the audiences than focusing on the vampire piece,” Miller said.

The other character in My DreamGirl Was A Vampire is museum employee Grant portrayed by another New Hampshire actor, Billy Pomerleau, who is looking forward to bringing this role to life.

“[Grant] has a personality that, in my opinion makes him very likable. He’s a bit of an ‘everyman’ and I’ve always rooted for the reluctant hero types. Not to mention the opportunity to work opposite the devilishly beautiful Kimberley Miller. I mean, who could say no to that,” Pomerleau said.

There are 18 days left in Morgan’s campaign to raise $2,500. So far, the campaign has raised $97.

“If you’re looking for a fresh voice in the vampire genre, with a new approach, this is for you,” Morgan said.

Morgan hopes the campaign is successful so he can film, My DreamGirl Was A Vampire, and bring it to film festivals. The biggest festival is Shriekfest, which he was at in 2003 with one of his scripts, Morgan said.

Along with every donator receiving a MP4 file, there are other giveaways including PDF files of the script, DVDs of the finished film, links to a person’s website, t-shirts, mentions on the short film’s official page, and producer credits.

You can find and donate to his campaign on Kickstarter here.

Feb 5 2014

Author Travels State for ‘The Signs of Connecticut’

By Jason Harris

Tom Fatone

Author Thomas Fatone took over 15 years to complete his book, The Signs of Connecticut. It took him 13 years to drive around the state taking the pictures of all the blue town history signs and another two years to write the book, he said.

1. What was the impetus behind the book?

My impetus behind the book was my interest in history within the state I live. I also did not have much money to travel to far places when I was younger, so I decided to make Connecticut my own little playground, traveling to all corners of  our great state. The CT Post did a story about me when I was 50 signs in. They said “give us a call when you write your book.”

2. What year did you start the project? How old were you at the time?

My project began with my 1st picture of the Trumbull Sign in 1997. I was approx. 29 years old at this time, still had hair and was wet behind the ears. It had taken me a lifetime to finally stop and take a picture of this 1st sign. From there on in, I was hooked!

Photo courtesy of the Connecticut Post.

Photo courtesy of the Connecticut Post.

3. Did your job as a traffic coordinator for the Department of Transportation inspire this project? And did having the job help you in your project at all?

Working as a traffic coordinator helped me a great deal when it came to this book. My job has me dealing with maps often. So by working with the maps, it helped me a great deal in getting familiar with the roads before they were traveled.

4. What were some of the most memorable towns in Connecticut that you visited?

This is a question I receive often. There is not one favorite town, but I like to go with my top 5. They would be, in no order: Washington, Ridgefield, Milford, Woodstock and Branford. This list could continue, but these are the most memorable.

5. Since you will be speaking at Books & Boos in Colchester in March, did you learn anything about Colchester when you took a picture of the Colchester sign? 

The thing that’s stands out about Colchester is that it seems all the state roads in the state come together here at the town green. I also, learned about legendary Harry’s, as it was right down the road. Of course, I stopped for a hot dog and shake.

6. Where is the Colchester sign located?

The Colchester sign is located on its town green, like most of the 169 signs. But not all.

7. Did you learn anything about the different Connecticut towns during your travels that you didn’t know about them? 

There are so many things I learned about CT while traveling the state and taking the pictures of the signs. This is why I wrote this book, as I wanted to share my experience. Some that stand out are that the highest point of the state is in Salisbury, visiting the Book Barn in Niantic, and that Mystic is not officially one of the 169 towns. How about getting books for buying a meal at the Travelers Restaurant in Enfield?

8. Since you have been to all 169 towns of Connecticut, have you thought about writing a book about what each town offers and what people can find there?

In my book, I not only have taken the pictures of the blue town history signs, but I have also documented my experience as well. It’s two stories in one. You have the history of the town itself based on what is written on the sign. Then you have my experience, based on a place I ate, a person I met, a picture I took and anything off the beaten path.

9. Do you have any current projects?

At this time, I have no current projects in mind, though I would love to do another book. Maybe boroughs of Connecticut, more signs of Connecticut or anything Connecticut. I love this state!

You can order The Signs of Connecticut here. You can also check out the book’s Facebook page here.

Thomas Fatone will be at Books & Boos with his book, The Signs of Connecticut, on Saturday, March 8, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. He will talk about his experience working on the book and answer any questions about this endeavor.