Soldier by Harlan Ellison
THE VAMPIRE CHRONICLES - The Vampire Chronicles is a novel series including Interview with the Vampire (1976), The Vampire Lestat (1985), and The Queen of the Damned (1988), in a saga which stretches across 14 books total. Lestat de Lioncourt, an 18th century French nobleman turned vampire, is the center of this universe. AMC revealed it had acquired rights to The Vampire Chronicles and Lives of the Mayfair Witches for developing film and television projects in 2020. When asked in an interview about her characters, Author Anne Rice said her vampires were a "metaphor for lost souls".
Interview with the Vampire (1976)
Louis de Pointe du Lac recounts his supernatural transformation to an interviewer, from human to vampire. A fate inflicted upon him long ago, by Lestat de Lioncourt. The duo becomes a trio, when they make a vampire daughter together. The little family catches the latest show at the Théâtre des Vampires. Things don't go as planned, leading to ruin for one of them.
The Vampire
Lestat (1985)
Searching for his own origins and Marius de Romanus, Lestat de Lioncourt awakens Akasha, an ancient Egyptian vampire queen. She’s immobile but alive, resting for centuries in her hidden sanctuary. Later Lestat resurfaces in the modern world as rock star, only to find he's the subject of a book written about him.
The Queen of
the Damned (1988)
Lestat has awakened Akasha - the first vampire and the vampire queen - with his rock music. After destroying her husband, the Queen kills vampires worldwide by using spontaneous combustion. She is herself destroyed by the vampire witch Mekare.
Related post: https://www.chadschimke.com/2021/09/anne-rice.html
The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice:
1. Interview with the Vampire (1976)
2. The Vampire Lestat (1985)
3. The Queen of the Damned (1988)
4. The Tale of the Body Thief (1992)
5. Memnoch the Devil (1995)
6. The Vampire Armand (1998)
7. Merrick (2000)
8. Blood and Gold (2001)
9. Blackwood Farm (2002)
10. Blood Canticle (2003)
11. Prince Lestat (2014)
12. Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis (2016)
13. Blood Communion: A Tale of Prince Lestat (2018)
THE WALKING DEAD’S FINAL SEASON - If early reviews are accurate, the 2-part season premiere of The Walking Dead will be an exciting opener to a highly anticipated final season. TWD airs on August 22 (or the 15th on AMC+) and Part 2 won’t come out until a week later, on August 29. AMC confirms the show production will cease, after 10 years and 11 seasons. The final season will feature 24 episodes total, stretched out over 2 years. In the opening teaser, Lauren Cohan's Maggie appears to be hanging on for dear life, just about to die. She loses her grip, and nothing further is shown of either her demise or survival. AMC continues to push a plethora of TWD spin offs, most notably an upcoming drama following the lives of Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride). The original show lost direction and floundered in the middle, and seems to be coming out of a slump - just as things wind down to a close. I hope those past missteps don’t crop up again and affect these new shows. I think a lot of big talent leaving TWD in the middle, and regretting their decisions - as some have pretty much said outright, led to the show taking a big hit in quality. Hands down, TWD was my favorite postapocalyptic zombie show, prior to the release of Netflix’s Black Summer Seasons 1 & 2. And make no mistake, there wouldn’t have been a Black Summer without TWD going first as a trailblazer. That was then, this is now - and I want AMC to get their mojo back. How ironic, in a decade of slaughters by the dozen, the icon: the show itself, will suffer its final death blow.
https://www.chadschimke.com/2021/08/the-walking-deads-final-season.html
https://www.chadschimke.com/2021/02/maggies-back.html
https://www.chadschimke.com/2020/03/michonnes-sword.html
https://www.chadschimke.com/2020/03/heavycom-michonnes-sword.html
https://www.chadschimke.com/2019/05/walking-dead-franchise.html
https://www.chadschimke.com/2019/02/michonnes-last-stand.html
https://www.chadschimke.com/2018/10/fragmentation-of-dead.html
https://www.chadschimke.com/2018/02/goodbye-carl.html
https://www.chadschimke.com/2017/05/the-walking-dead.html
https://www.chadschimke.com/2017/05/the-walking-dead_4.html
https://www.chadschimke.com/2017/05/the-walking-dead-vid-clip.html
https://www.chadschimke.com/2015/10/the-walking-dead-1-5-circa-2003.html
The Merchandiser by Chad Schimke – When a merchandiser becomes preoccupied with decorations, he gives in to his chilling obsession. Second best will have to do, but he makes the most of it. Fear meets perfection in this unnerving tale, set against a backdrop of stark film noir. Read ‘The Merchandiser’ today!
The Costumer by Chad Schimke – Life’s rough in NYC in 1989, especially when all you really need is someone to talk to. Don’t go it alone, pick up the phone - because time, time, time will tell… when it’s safe to go back home. Step inside the costumer’s closet backstage on opening night, for the worst New Year's Eve of your life. Snap to it because time is running out. Read ‘The Costumer’ today!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LYRJHJC
Hallowmas by Chad Schimke – Kids decorate a haunted house for a holiday get-together on the spookiest night of the year. They’re unaware that a creeping stranger is watching them through the window. On All Hallow’s Eve… a night when supernatural entities roam free. Read ‘Hallowmas’ today!
Behind the Walls by Chad Schimke – Distant communities try to come together after the Die Back. But every time, the story ends up the same way. Food ran out, brigands attacked, or people couldn’t stand living together again, after the apocalypse. Why not here? At Litogot Township. An ex-military man makes it his mission to find out. Read ‘Behind the Walls’ today!
Midwinter by Chad Schimke - When the first edge of the setting Father Sun touches the horizon, the High Priest lights fire to the wicker man. A Teryn stands on the shoulders of his ancestors during Winter Solstice on Salisbury Plain. Follow the tale of the lone pine, from the bluestone cliffs of South Wales, to the hamlet of Feldmid. Read ‘Midwinter’ today!
Vivified by Chad Schimke - When a young father doesn’t have access to his car, he decides to take a train ride. No biggie, he’s a successful business man used to making hard decisions. But a deadly incident will force him to reexamine what’s truly important. Living his best life, and then … dead. Find out what happens next in this weird paranormal short story. Read ‘Vivified’ today!
Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript by Writer's Digest Books
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn RandTEN-YEAR ANNIVERSARY BLOG POST - In 2011, I wrote my very first blog post, which felt like shouting into the wind. I started without even being sure my posts would be read. I had a blog, but what do I write about? One thing I knew – I’d write about what interested me, that would also (maybe) resonate with readers. I had no sponsorship, collected no monetization, and still don’t. Not being beholden to anyone gave me the latitude to only write about what held my interest. Ten years later, my blog receives over one million hits yearly. Wow that’s a lot! But a decade ago, as I sat down to write, I yearned to understand how postings were being perceived. I read every comment, learned how to check post metrics, and viewed the responses. I learned how different platforms vary, and the value of building a dedicated site with a mailing list. Audience feedback helped shape my tastes, which narrowed over time; toward horror, scifi and dark fantasy books and movies. I never envisioned so many eyes would be on my stuff, when I started this little blog. But what has blogging done for me, you might ask? I can’t go into every skill I learned along the way. Much of them were technical, and learning in this electronic era is never truly done. Lettering and layout in digital design led to taking up drawing and painting again. I'm also getting back into creating tiny DIY miniatures. Writing posts sharpened my voice in essays, while writing fiction developed my storytelling. That’s all good, but what will the next decade of posts be about? You’ll have to stick around to find out. The recent signed paperback contest was a huge success which I’ll be repeating. The only way to get the next invite is by signing up on my mailing list.
