tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27464642213642169422012-02-16T10:36:22.912-06:00<b>The uses of fear</b>C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.comBlogger1501100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-63040158792080083862009-08-03T19:51:00.010-05:002009-08-03T21:08:45.452-05:00

What those who equate "government-run health care" with "socialism" seem to forget is that socialism already exists in America, and has for a long time. The government already runs all kinds of important services that people need every day.So I thought it would be interesting to look at how these other "socialist," "government-run" services we depend on would operate under a pure, free-market

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-36223109094330513672009-07-06T10:30:00.005-05:002009-07-06T10:35:14.195-05:00

Author and editor Vince Liaguno turned me on to this video.What is it? The explanation on the video's YouTube page claims that it's an unknown life form found in the sewers of North Carolina.Among those less gullible, word is that it's part of a viral marketing campaign for a soon-to-be-released horror film.Me? I think it's the video from someone's colonoscopy.

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-12895438997382326002009-06-18T20:43:00.001-05:002009-06-18T20:48:13.373-05:00

If one of this blog's main functions is to serve as a source of promotion for my (fledgling? off-and-on?) writing career, I have really fallen down on the job.And for that, I blame my real job, which, as you might know, really believes in the idea of quantity over quality.So cast your minds back to a few months ago, when I should have (enthusiastically? with false modesty?) written about the two

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-21192243353454348712009-05-31T16:45:00.007-05:002009-06-01T20:38:39.257-05:00

A few days ago something purple appeared high up in the trees overhanging Birchwood Street.At first, it was easy enough to dismiss as a shopping bag that had been lifted by the breeze and been tangled in the branches. But today, on closer inspection, it revealed itself to be something more.It appears to be made out of corrugated plastic. I'm not sure if it's a purple box, or a some sort of

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-29268846669545697272009-05-31T16:19:00.004-05:002009-05-31T16:41:05.888-05:00

Back in March I made what was to be my last blog post for two and a half months. If someone had told me this at the time -- if they had gently taken me aside and whispered that things were going to change pretty radically for the foreseeable future -- I might have written something a bit more eloquent than bitching about how greedy AIG is and the screwed up state of America.Casual readers may

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-2361791320372551552009-03-15T10:16:00.008-05:002009-03-15T11:00:44.274-05:00

News today that corporate welfare queen American Insurance Group has just paid out tens of millions of dollars in bonuses to its executives.The self-destructive insurance conglomerate has received more than $170 billion dollars over several rounds of corporate bailouts since September of 2007. Last quarter, it posted an astonishing $61.7 billion loss -- the largest in corporate history.And yet,

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-73684240240547828042009-03-08T16:09:00.005-05:002009-03-08T16:29:02.543-05:00

Last week Hillary Clinton went to Geneva, Switzerland to make nice with the Russians after eight years of George W. Bush making double-plus un-nice.During her meeting with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, Secretary Clinton presented him with a "reset button" to symbolize a new beginning with the United States.Much was made of our translation of "reset." During dinner Clinton said, "We

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-15718487639428459652009-03-04T09:09:00.003-06:002009-03-04T09:29:35.365-06:00

Last night while we slept, an asteroid zoomed by within 48,000 thousand miles of earth.That's just twice the distance of some communications satellites, and about a fifth of the way to the moon.Its size is estimated to be about the same as the one that blasted Siberia in the Tunguska Event back in 1908.That's scary enough. But here's something more to keep you away tonight: that asteroid is just

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-44690117630785759642009-03-01T18:21:00.002-06:002009-03-01T19:55:32.883-06:00

The complete PTL Club tapes are going up for auction. The estimated value is $8 million.Whether you consider this horrifying depends on how you feel about Jim and Tammy-Faye Bakker, the spectacular fall of their evangelical empire, and heavy make-up.The show ran from 1974 to 1987, capturing over 15,000 hours of pathos and greed in the name of the Lord. The Bakkers sing and preach, raise money,

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-66093550060331462512009-02-18T15:50:00.002-06:002009-02-18T16:13:56.762-06:00

The image on the left is not a painting by Vincent Van Gogh. (Though it is inspired by one.) It's by a Seattle-based photographic artist named Chris Jordan, and it's made up of cigarette packages.200,000 cigarette packages, to be exact, which is the number of Americans who die of tobacco-related causes every six months.This image -- and many others -- make up Jordan's Running the Numbers: An

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-92139881731103854022009-02-16T18:52:00.001-06:002009-02-16T18:52:53.201-06:00

I haven't posted in a while. But it hasn't been for lack of material, since the news has been full of real-life horrors lately.In New York, a van dragged a (hopefully) dead body for 17 miles before the driver noticed anything was wrong.In Michigan, a 93-year-old man froze to death when the electric company shut off his power.In Ohio, a transexual woman has plead guilty to exercising her 73-

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-75572981331875802092009-01-28T04:45:00.004-06:002009-01-28T05:29:51.432-06:00

A "body disposal expert" for a Mexican drug cartel was recently arrested in Tijuana.Dubbed "El Pozolero" -- after a traditional Mexican stew of pork, hominy and chilies called pozole -- Santiago Meza Lopez has confessed to dissolving some 300 bodies in vats of caustic liquid.After receiving each body, Lopez would fill a drum with water and two sacks of caustic soda, then heat the mixture over a

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-6157019948962447872009-01-20T17:07:00.003-06:002009-01-20T17:10:03.349-06:00

Sad and scary and, for me, a story idea.Boy, 8, Lives with Dead Mother for 10 DaysROMULUS, Mich. (AP) - An 8-year-old boy lived for more than a week with the body of his dead mother before anyone discovered his situation, police said.The woman, 41, apparently died Jan. 9 in their apartment in the Detroit suburb of Romulus, and the boy survived in part by eating dried rice, butter and flour,

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-66706049285690150902009-01-19T20:42:00.006-06:002009-01-20T12:57:12.000-06:00

1988; written and directed by Steve de JarnattMy first experience with Miracle Mile came some time during the close of the 1980s. I remember watching it on a rented VHS and being blown away -- no pun intended.Back then it was little more than a surprisingly effective low-budget thriller about two star-crossed lovers who finally meet mere hours before the end of the world.Twenty years later it's

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-83424059524181111272009-01-17T09:28:00.006-06:002009-01-17T09:58:25.544-06:00

Time flies when you're in the shit. It's been almost two weeks since my last blog update, because I've been dealing with some horrors of my own.Work horror, for starters, which can really eat me up. I'm always amazed at how quickly, how completely, work situations can consume me, body, mind and soul. It's a wonder more writers don't set horror stories in offices. Perhaps it's just too close for

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-76227271035367746862009-01-04T20:06:00.004-06:002009-01-04T20:41:42.541-06:00

Until a few years ago I never had trouble sleeping. I could sleep anywhere, at any time, and for as long as I liked. It was something I took a certain pride in, like being able to play the piano or making a really good spaghetti sauce.And then, something changed.Until I experienced it for myself, I didn't understand insomnia. For me it's not so much the inability to sleep -- though Lord knows

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-52260789333612542622009-01-03T06:04:00.004-06:002009-01-03T06:15:18.190-06:00

Writer and reviewer Martel Sardina professes a weakness for Pepsi. I should send a case of it to her for this mention in her review of Horror Library: Volume 3."In 'The Living World,' C. Michael Cook explores the motivating force behind one woman’s eating disorder, and caused this reviewer to suffer a loss of appetite herself. The scariest thing about this story was the realization that the

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-41893489350031384992009-01-01T10:14:00.007-06:002009-01-01T12:10:53.586-06:00

My Grandma DeMoss was a superstitious person, and she passed that quality on to me.It's probably fair to say that superstitious people live in a state of constant, low-grade fear, and that all their lucky tokens and protective rituals are aimed solely at keeping that fear at bay.New Year's Eve and Day always find me at my most superstitious. The enormity of one year passing -- with all its

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-32337784609030374762008-12-21T12:18:00.011-06:002008-12-21T21:08:54.749-06:00

Ordinarily I respond to Facebook memes with the same kind of enthusiasm I reserve for chain emails.But something about this one caught my eye and imagination. Maybe because it's Christmas, and a list called "25 Things" seemed not only seasonally appropriate, but a way to learn more about myself and those who are close to me.The rules are simple: Write down 25 things about yourself. Send it to 25

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-1498802222397725042008-12-16T20:43:00.006-06:002008-12-16T20:59:31.216-06:00

Terrific news that my flash fiction piece, "The Powers That Be," has been accepted into the Dark Distortions II anthology from Scotopia Press.Flash fiction -- generally considered to be less than 1000 words -- can also be called a short short. In "The Powers That Be" men and women visit the site of a disaster and are transformed by what they find there.Naturally, I'm delighted to be included, and

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-68494616183860490942008-12-11T20:53:00.001-06:002008-12-11T20:53:29.178-06:00

There's little in this world that's better than free books, which is exactly what Cutting Block Press and Dark Recesses Press are giving away to celebrate the debut of the Horror Library, Volume 3 and Issue 10 of Dark Recesses Press magazine.Just a few of the names you'll find in these two volumes of dark goodness: Bentley Little, Clive Barker, Gary Braunbeck, Jack Ketchum, Jeff Strand, Michael

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-28031594862436057602008-12-07T15:15:00.006-06:002008-12-08T20:34:02.619-06:00

The only thing better than seeing a book with your story in it is seeing another book with your story in it.The Horror Library, Volume 3, arrived in my mailbox the other day, which means it's also arrived on store shelves and online. (While you're there, why not consider purchasing one or more additional products from Cutting Block Press?)Naturally, I turned to my story first, "The Living World."

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-61153181282351358602008-12-02T21:23:00.008-06:002008-12-02T22:05:17.956-06:00

As a writer you often dream about someone, some day, saying something wonderful about your work. Sometimes -- when the words aren't coming but the rejection slips are -- that dream is one of the few things that can keep you going.The reality, however, is much, much better.In a recent interview, Unspeakable Horror editor Vince Liaguno singled out my story, "The Boys of Bald Cave," for some praise

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-5542304044236670882008-12-01T21:23:00.006-06:002008-12-01T21:34:54.223-06:00

This just in from the Associated Press: Approximately 1 in 5 Americans age 19-25 have a personality disorder serious enough to interfere with their everyday lives.Add to them those with a drug and/or alcohol problem, and the number of young adults with a mental illness rises to almost 1 in 2.Which explains this photo, and a whole lot more.Now you kids get off my lawn.

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-26682716374295485812008-11-26T13:05:00.002-06:002008-11-26T13:18:07.383-06:00

Downtown Chicago has more homeless in it than usual this afternoon.It must be due to the upcoming holiday. People are either feeling happy about the time off, or guilty because they'll be celebrating Thanksgiving with friends and family and food and warmth, or both.As a result, they're probably more likely to part with some spare change or a buck or two.At least I was.

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-68776786711699263152008-11-26T09:44:00.004-06:002008-11-27T14:46:57.732-06:00

It's the day before Thanksgiving, and if the office I find myself in this morning were any more abandoned, I'd be tempted to take off my clothes and run around it screaming. That is, if I were any more abandoned.My point here is that I'd like to make a post, but don't have much time. So I've decided to post a list of the books I've read so far in 2008. I'm ripping off the idea from my pal John

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-17967016840917884512008-11-22T16:01:00.011-06:002008-11-22T18:26:00.876-06:00

Because I am an Iowan (one is never a former Iowan, regardless of their best efforts) I swell with pride every time Iowa is in the news. Even when someone does something silly, and especially when something good or interesting is going on.Thankfully, this time I'm reporting on the latter. And maybe just a wee bit of the former, which makes it that much more enjoyable.Somewhere in Iowa a small

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-78360155038424996102008-11-18T21:45:00.004-06:002008-11-20T10:24:38.642-06:00

Two copies of Unspeakable Horror were waiting for me in the mail when I got home this evening.If you've never seen your name -- or better yet, a story you've written -- in print before, it's hard to explain the excitement you feel when the real, live thing finally ends up in your hands.More experienced and successful authors probably greet this moment with just a slight tingle of satisfaction.

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-63110211986146949512008-11-17T20:53:00.007-06:002008-11-18T21:56:57.598-06:00

The video below is 35 years old but looks like it could have been made tomorrow.Music videos -- not just recorded concert performances, but something actually produced and performed -- were a rarity in 1973. But the ground-breaking concept was absolutely in keeping with David Bowie's "Life on Mars" from the album Hunky Dory.To hipsters who were lucky enough to see it (where would music videos

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-86557865785140403942008-11-15T09:24:00.006-06:002008-11-15T16:28:35.444-06:00

Ever since last Tuesday's historic election, news reporters and commentators have been enthusiastically -- one might even say eagerly -- comparing Barack Obama to Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy.And every time they do, I cringe. Because what they all seem to forget is that both of those presidencies ended tragically.I know that "those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." But I also

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-38855099740423737572008-11-12T19:47:00.011-06:002008-11-12T20:10:12.362-06:00

Yesterday my new MP3 player finally arrived.Tempering my joy at having a new electronic toy to hold and pet and play with and love, was the message I found tucked inside the package, printed in tiny letters:California Proposition 65 StatementWARNING: Handling this product may expose you to chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-56986103148874576162008-11-11T09:45:00.004-06:002008-11-12T20:13:29.668-06:00

To struggling homeowners who are in danger of foreclosure and hoping for some assistance from either their lender or the government, I have some advice.Fuck you.Yes, I know the government is bailing out AIG and the investment banks and the mortgage lenders who caused this whole mess to begin with. I’m also aware that now the automakers – who cranked out gas-guzzlers by the millions while their

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-76714906528343330672008-11-10T21:24:00.000-06:002008-11-10T21:25:40.650-06:00

The film below, entitled Powers of Ten, was created by Modern design masters Charles and Ray Eames for IBM in 1977.Watch it, and you'll get a sense of just how massive and miniscule our universe and lives are.

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-87039651607704937912008-11-04T10:26:00.004-06:002008-11-04T10:38:16.617-06:00

On the eve of what will probably be the biggest and most important moment of his life, Barack Obama loses the woman who arguably had the biggest and most important influence on him.The tragedy and irony of Barack Obama's grandmother dying just one day before he will likely be elected President of the United States is inescapable. Things like this make it easy to imagine that there's something

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-25896667541991921272008-10-25T12:37:00.005-05:002008-10-25T12:56:45.706-05:00

If the TV's on at our house, chances are it's tuned to MSNBC. The drone of liberal voices and images creates a soothing background that calms me down and makes me feel less alone in the world.But lately, this commercial has been appearing a lot. If I'm not able to skip it, I have to change channels or leave the room. It never fails to make me cringe.I don't know why this poor woman has to re-use

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-66237779247946911662008-10-16T09:59:00.006-05:002008-10-16T15:20:02.071-05:00

News from California today about a mother and son team who cremated their mother/grandmother this past December in a homemade barbecue pit.Afterward, they continued to cash her retirement checks, eventually collecting approximately $25,000. Both were arrested and are in custody.Additional reports say the daughter, 50-year-old Kathleen Allmond of Tehama County, California, constructed a necklace

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-83164867342957561422008-10-14T10:44:00.003-05:002008-10-14T11:12:33.779-05:00

A few days ago the editors of The Horror Library Vol. 3 wrote to let me know that the book is at the printers and scheduled for release in time for Halloween.Am I excited? You have no idea. I'll be appearing with much better-known authors such as Gary Braunbeck, Michael Arnzen, Kealan Patrick Burke, Kurt Dinan and a bunch of others I'd be too shy to introduce myself to at a convention.But I

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-83116394837759402172008-10-10T16:05:00.006-05:002008-10-10T17:54:05.427-05:00

It's been a rough week for investors, people who work for a living, retirees, Republicans and anyone who either has money or needs it.But after considering recent events, I realized that even though things are bad, they could could be worse.Zombies could be roaming our streets and shopping malls, for example.And this one could be president.

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-17118659713278670132008-10-09T10:20:00.005-05:002008-10-09T10:30:52.631-05:00

This is Neel Kashkari, the 35-year-old former Goldman Sachs vice president who's been tapped by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to head up distribution of the $700 billion from the Wall Street bailout program.All criticisms aside about Washington cronyism (Paulson once worked at Goldman Sachs as well) or foxes guarding the hen house...Is it just me, or does dude have some crazy eyes?

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-25477380103046072432008-10-06T10:03:00.007-05:002008-10-06T11:46:54.527-05:00

Stocks dropped all last week while Congress debated passage of the Wall Street bailout... oh, I'm sorry, economic rescue plan.But now that $700 billion has been cleared for take-off, stocks continue to drop. As of this writing, the Dow was below 10,000 for the first time in four years.Why?According to a story this morning from the Associated Press, "The markets have come to the sobering

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-9851403269311205312008-10-03T13:14:00.005-05:002008-10-03T14:15:41.343-05:00

As part of a novel I'm writing, I'm researching care-giving and end-of-life issues. BeyondIndigo.com has turned out to be an excellent resource for this.The site supports individuals either caring for someone with terminal illness or recovering from their death. Understandably, one often becomes the other.Reading the message boards, where husbands and wives and children pour out their fears and

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-25850371861445496892008-10-02T18:48:00.006-05:002008-10-02T19:48:36.818-05:00

1991; written and directed by E. Elias MerhigeBegotten isn't frightening because it contains violence and gore, even though there's plenty of both. Begotten is frightening because every image and sound within it is so alien. It almost seems impossible that the film was created by a human being on planet Earth, and yet, you know it was. And it's terrifying.The synopsis does about as much justice

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-78545511010485510762008-09-29T21:48:00.000-05:002008-09-29T21:49:02.368-05:00

The video teaser for Unspeakable Horror is out, and you can get your free copy right here.Watch for my name. I'm "and 17 others." In all seriousness, I'm grateful to be part of what people at Context were calling an anticipated and prestigious anthology.

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-64235165051428822032008-09-29T18:26:00.009-05:002008-09-29T21:39:39.150-05:00

Thanks to a hot tip from fellow writer Kurt Dinan (more on him later), I went to Context this past weekend in Columbus, Ohio.From the little I saw, Columbus is a lovely town that's difficult to get to from Chicago, but whose liquor stores are easily located. This proved helpful to my roommate John Hornor Jacobs. His southern hospitality was in full force, and I often found myself marveling at all

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-45343934665979659072008-09-24T18:43:00.004-05:002008-09-24T19:10:44.379-05:00

I first saw Todd Hido's work several years ago, and always remember it whenever I see a suburban house at night.What is it about these ordinary-looking photographs that pulls me in and sends a chill down my spine at the same time? During the late '90s and early 2000s, Hido made a name for himself with a series of photos from the edges of suburbia entitled "House Hunting." More recently he's

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-42850952788854885932008-09-22T15:01:00.004-05:002008-09-22T15:22:11.297-05:00

Although saying, "I told you so," can be enjoyable, it's usually not very helpful. Because when you're up to your ass in alligators, reminding everyone that you warned them about the swamp just makes a bad situation worse.And yet. Considering the current news and my lack of recent posts, there doesn't seem much reason not to give this essay from March 14 of this year another look.----------------

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-22792467557253519302008-09-17T07:39:00.007-05:002008-09-17T14:47:57.469-05:00

The news about Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae -- and now AIG -- has inspired me. I think now is the time the United States government provided me with a bailout plan.A bit less than a year ago I left a great job to focus on writing fiction full-time. Some may have argued with the wisdom of this decision, describing it as risky or even speculative. However, times were good, I was feeling optimistic,

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-90699079694170477662008-09-04T13:34:00.005-05:002008-09-09T14:39:13.580-05:00

No one enjoys cheap name-calling and mud-slinging more than me. And the Republicans' new attack dog appears to be an experienced pro at the game. So naturally, I enjoyed Sarah Palin's speech last night.However, while the far-right is still bloated from ingesting all that red meat, I think it's important to state a few facts about the woman being haled this morning as the "future of the Republican

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-81509596768165804352008-08-28T09:00:00.006-05:002008-08-28T11:08:01.971-05:00

This post about some of the most unique bridges in the world got me thinking. For years Chicago politicians have discussed extending Lake Shore Drive up to Evanston -- the first suburb north of the city. Whenever the subject comes up, it always involves filling in the existing lake front and completely changing the shoreline along the Rogers Park neighborhood.Not only is this a bad idea, but I

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-81528410220671421782008-08-26T11:12:00.004-05:002008-08-28T08:58:24.464-05:00

Never try to stop smoking, lose weight and write a short story on deadline at the same time. Because none of them will get accomplished.That's not entirely true. I've cut my smoking by 75% (thank God Nicorette gum is available without a prescription). I've written half a story (which won't be finished in time to submit to the anthology I had in mind). And I did lose three pounds.So the past 2-4

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-36628250094949405732008-08-13T12:11:00.007-05:002008-08-13T18:54:15.045-05:00

Albert Einstein famously said, "God does not play dice with the universe." His point (made in response to the randomness of quantum physics) was that the universe must behave according to laws that are observable, absolute and, ultimately, predictable.While God (and Oprah, more on her later) may have the luxury of operating within this kind of well-ordered universe, the vast majority of us must

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-67989010533520281052008-08-06T10:14:00.003-05:002008-08-06T12:35:40.233-05:00

2001; directed by Calum Grant and Joshua Atesh Litle; written by Calum GrantWhat everyone enjoys about end-of-the-world tales isn't watching the world wind down, but seeing how a small band of survivors rebuild it, and imagining what it would be like to be among them.This is the fantasy that Ever Since the World Ended appeals to, explores, satisfies, and then improves upon. Presented as an

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-24028124659057923672008-08-01T08:56:00.005-05:002008-08-01T10:25:10.113-05:00

Much has already been said about Fran Friel's debut collection, Mama's Boy and Other Dark Tales, most of it revolving around the question of how such a nice woman could write such disturbing fiction.While I have some issues of my own with that question (nice people write disturbing things all the time -- in fact, most of the horror writers I know are incredibly nice and, yes, even normal, people)

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-6013489792567261442008-07-27T11:59:00.009-05:002008-07-31T11:56:23.238-05:00

Obituaries for the death of old media aren't hard to find. But this Sunday's New York Times seemed positively lousy with them.On its front page (and for an entire inside spread) the paper examined the rise of online reading among teenagers and their subsequent rejection of books and novels. Elsewhere, a columnist looked at those shows that can pass for hits in today's declining television

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-61057537775097454982008-07-26T09:37:00.005-05:002008-08-03T14:13:43.165-05:00

For the past two days I've been drowning my sorrows in Season 1 of Mad Men, an experience that not only brought on a lot of heavy drinking and smoking, but made me cheat on my wife as well.Season 2 begins Sunday night, and seeing as how it's received such enormous critical acclaim, I thought it best to jump on the bandwagon now, since I obviously missed it last summer when it first rolled down my

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-73327949454995450302008-07-25T11:24:00.000-05:002008-07-25T13:29:05.589-05:00

GUD magazine (it stands for Greatest Uncommon Denominator and is pronounced "good") is true to its name, a literary magazine with an eye for excellent design and a taste for dark fiction.Their third issue will be released soon, and to promote the event they're holding a contest. Get the details here. The prize? A full set of their first three issues to have and to hold and read and enjoy.GUD

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-58921094043796873172008-07-20T11:33:00.009-05:002008-07-20T18:18:39.127-05:00

2008; directed by Christopher Nolan; screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher NolanIf nothing else, The Dark Knight is loud. Throughout its hectic 2-1/2 hours bombs explode, engines roar, glass shatters, cars crash, mobs scream and characters shout at and beyond the top of their lungs. In this respect it's the perfect summer movie for both teenage boys and the hard-of-hearing.Like all summer

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-30553622379361217522008-07-17T18:35:00.002-05:002008-07-17T18:38:38.052-05:00

If, like me, you recoil at the sight of any life form smaller than a kitten, but enjoy watching them infest other people's homes from the safety of your own, Verminators is your show.The series follows the day-to-day pest-killing adventures of a exterminating company located in Los Angeles. In the last episode I saw, the company's field crew tackled an all-out roach infestation in a lower-middle

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-51754237713895381382008-07-10T11:18:00.008-05:002008-07-10T11:43:55.470-05:00

Yesterday Vince Liaguno, editor of the upcoming anthology I'll be appearing in entitled Unspeakable Horror, introduced me to Wordle.net.Wordle is a clever Java program written by an IBM programmer named Jonathan Feinberg. It takes any text or URL (with a feed) that you enter, analyzes the prevalence of the words, and then transforms them into a lovely and fascinating word cloud. The one shown

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-11264793509259536572008-07-10T09:51:00.004-05:002008-07-10T10:17:06.848-05:00

You wouldn't think that sending a complaint to an organization would automatically put your on their spam list. Especially when their contact form says nothing about automatically adding you to their spam list, or gives you an opportunity to opt out of said spam list.But that's exactly what the American Film Institute has done. Since my last post on this topic, the AFI has sent me two unsolicited

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-54178636342978824282008-07-06T16:48:00.003-05:002008-07-06T16:53:22.033-05:00

We spent the Fourth of July weekend in Door County with some friends.This trip is becoming a bit of a tradition with us -- for two years now we've spent the holiday with these same friends, in a fantastic condo we were lucky enough to find last year. We spent our time cooking, yard saling, driving up and down the peninsula in search of quaint charm (plenty was found) and, yes, enjoying a cocktail

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-76012754869189537002008-07-03T11:37:00.006-05:002008-07-03T12:34:25.524-05:00

Giving Rush Limbaugh $400 million dollars to do anything other than shut the hell up is bad enough. But the fact that this hypocritical, cigar-chomping, Vicodin-popping, fear-mongering, far-right gasbag mouthpiece will remain on the airwaves until 2016 completely horrifies me.

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-90911302057880760782008-07-02T09:31:00.002-05:002008-07-03T12:35:47.209-05:00

Long-time readers know I often lament the fact that horror ain't got no class. So it was especially good news to learn that David Cronenburg's 1986 sci-fi/horror classic, The Fly, is soon to be an opera.Opera? As my high-school friends back in Iowa might say, "That's class out the ass."Directed by David Cronenburg, with a score by Howard Shore (Cronenburg's long-time colleague and composer of the

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-37704044175927624322008-07-01T09:28:00.004-05:002008-07-03T12:31:57.118-05:00

I arose at 4:30 on Friday morning in order to drive to Nashville, where HyperiCon is held. I finally went to sleep around 2:30 the next morning. Lather, rinse, repeat, and you'll get a good idea of what my three-day experience in Tennessee was like.The details? Plenty of those. Some I even remember.For example, seeing my pal John Hornor Jacobs. (That's John with Fran Friel. More on her below.)

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-10458249706891849442008-06-26T17:33:00.013-05:002008-06-26T20:53:11.131-05:00

This is Diane.She's my neighbor and her mother just had a heart attack and she's in the hospital in Des Plaines and Diane needs to get out there right away because she's her only daughter but her car is out of gas and she doesn't get paid until Friday. She's a real good person and she doesn't want to be a bother to her neighbors but she needs twenty dollars for gas. She works full-time at

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-47261584376023229402008-06-25T06:58:00.007-05:002008-06-25T18:39:04.742-05:00

In less than 48 hours this peaceful-looking hotel somewhere in Nashville, Tennessee will be transformed into a pit of Hell. Or something like that.HyperiCon, "Nashville's Speculative Fiction Convention," is June 27-29. I'll be there, along with John Hornor Jacobs, Fran Friel, John Paul Allen and, I hope, a sizable contingent of science fiction, fantasy and horror fans, Trekkers and Southern Goths

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-4204017340806022262008-06-24T18:45:00.010-05:002008-06-24T19:23:54.378-05:00

Though I wasn't expecting a response from last week's little rant, I was pleased to find one waiting in my email box just the same.It would be nice to report that my complaint about AFI snubbing the horror genre in its list of "America's Ten Greatest Films in Ten Classic Genres" went straight to the top. Instead, it seems that someone deep down in the web site department cared enough to send me a

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-82901206873086331612008-06-23T11:03:00.003-05:002008-06-23T11:13:40.511-05:00

I saw this video today and had to pass it on. It's probably pretty old (like, from the nineties) and given the way things on the Internet have a tendency to get around, you may have seen it before. Either way, take a look and prepare to be horrified.One thing I love about this video is how it keeps getting worse and worse and worse. The awful details just keep piling up -- like the circumstances

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-38157573825119280542008-06-18T12:18:00.007-05:002008-06-18T14:48:59.440-05:00

As if further proof were needed of just how poorly the genre is viewed, the American Film Institute chose not include horror in its line-up of America's 10 greatest films in 10 classic genres.What's even more surprising is some of the genres AFI did include. Western. Sports. And three separate crime genres: Courtroom Drama, Gangster and Mystery. (Seems like a couple of these could have been

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-90944012511584499242008-06-18T08:55:00.004-05:002008-06-18T11:06:20.892-05:00

It seems appropriate to follow up my last post with some information on the sea lamprey, one of nature's most horrifying parasites.That's a lamprey on the left, smiling big for the camera.A little background: The lamprey is native to the Atlantic coasts of North America, Europe and the Mediterranean, but has since migrated into all five of the Great Lakes, where it's responsible for destroying

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-21479484496743507922008-06-16T18:33:00.006-05:002008-06-17T11:42:02.539-05:00

The economy is in recession. The value of your home is in the shitter, along with your IRA and 401(k). Your job looks shaky and unemployment is up, again. Gas is over $4.00 a gallon. And because of that, the price of everything is also heading skyward.Good news seems hard to come by these days, so I'm sure you'll be as happy as I was to learn that a new AP IMPACT survey found compensation

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-47546391569153216442008-06-11T09:38:00.011-05:002008-06-11T19:48:22.263-05:00

Just received word that the +Horror Library+ Volume 3 from Cutting Block Press has accepted my story "The Living World."In it, an anorexia patient shares a secret with her young counselor, which causes her to see the world in a new and frightening way.Of nearly 500 stories submitted, "The Living World" is one of only 30 selected. I'll be appearing with notables like Gary Braunbeck, Bentley Little

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-1334978811168020722008-06-10T15:46:00.006-05:002008-06-10T16:21:04.594-05:00

Imagine my surprise when I found this inside the Pennysaver insert of my Sunday paper, tucked alongside coupons for peanut butter and fabric softener.It celebrates the arrival of a new product from the Johnson & Johnson K-Y family: "couples lubricants" with gender-specific formulations. When combined, the two apparently create some kind of mind-blowing reaction.The ad makes this point with no

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-76228145213521291522008-06-05T18:22:00.001-05:002008-06-05T18:22:28.280-05:00

While my good friends Mr. and Mrs. Beavers are off conquering the European continent, Mrs. Beavers has graciously given me a prominent shout-out on her blog, I Am Mrs. Beavers.So if you've just arrived from her place, anticipating some high-quality, Beavers-approved blogging, allow me to say, "Welcome!" I'll do my best to keep you entertained and behave like a gentleman, for I do not take Mrs.

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-45673143621859100522008-06-05T12:49:00.009-05:002008-06-05T18:02:48.296-05:00

2008; written and directed by Chris Siverston; based on The Lost by Jack KetchumThe only reason I'm writing a review about this film is because it took away two hours of my life that I'll never get back, and I feel like I should at least get a blog post for enduring it.Also, warning others about it may be considered some type of community service.Here's the plot: small-town sociopathic teen kills

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-92019134246272955062008-06-02T20:21:00.004-05:002008-06-02T20:34:16.824-05:00

Offices can be scary.James Lileks, whose site I read daily despite his often conservative leanings, once speculated that beneath every office desk is an invisible hole in the floor, down which your life slowly drains.Mr. Lileks works from home. I sometimes refer to him as "the fucker who got my life."In the nineties I wrote a story about an office where management put a drug in the coffee to make

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-40107263278166213542008-05-28T09:32:00.005-05:002008-05-29T19:04:11.434-05:00

You may be thinking, "Wait a minute. This is a blog about horror. What's with the late-seventies prog-rock album cover?"And if you'd never taken a closer look at The Alan Parson Project's 1979 release, Eve, you'd be justified in thinking that.But if you have, you already know why I posted this. Because it starts out looking perfectly normal and ends up being perfectly horrifying.Go ahead and

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-62889382900083626812008-05-24T09:50:00.011-05:002008-05-24T11:03:16.071-05:00

As recently as January I was in love with both the leading Democratic presidential candidates, even going so far as to say I would favor a ticket with either of them in the lead spot as long as the other was there to play back-up.But love and presidential politics are fickle things. It's true the Democratic race has been close, but what's also true is that Barack Obama has emerged as the winner

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-71171522075782863132008-05-20T18:32:00.004-05:002008-05-20T19:23:46.274-05:00

Meat is delicious when prepared correctly. In my book, that means without bones, because bones are visceral reminders that the tasty dish I'm enjoying is really nothing more than a dead animal in my mouth.I realize most of the world doesn't share my feelings.So it may have grossed me out more than others when I saw a man on the bus this evening enjoying a chicken bone.It wasn't a big leg bone,

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-63863074225878734332008-05-19T12:29:00.003-05:002008-05-19T12:41:04.452-05:00

Today I can announce that my short story "The Boys of Bald Cave" will be appearing in the Dark Scribe Press anthology Unspeakable Horror. (That's the cover art there on the left.)In it, two twelve-year-old boys awaken a malevolent presence inside the cave near their homes. When one later vanishes, the other covers up the true circumstances behind his disappearance and must live with his own guilt

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-12621806525832219532008-05-17T11:10:00.005-05:002008-05-17T13:36:12.409-05:00

I've never read a Dean Koontz book. I've always been a Stephen King reader, supposing, incorrectly, that you could only be one or the other.But when someone recommended Odd Thomas to me after hearing my novel idea, I knew I had to check it out.Odd Thomas is the first of what is currently four Odd novels and a comic book slated for publication in June of 2008. After striking gold with one

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-89336693509207448642008-05-15T20:38:00.010-05:002008-05-15T21:56:18.031-05:00

...even though this little guy's name is C. Michael Cook. I found him while I was vainly Googling myself. Apparently this picture was taken right after his first communion, and I can't say he looks very happy to have just received the body and blood of Christ.The blog I found him on is a little bit creepy, even though it's all about Catholicism. When I first saw it I thought I'd stumbled onto

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-36105843664760778902008-05-13T19:07:00.004-05:002008-05-13T19:34:01.709-05:00

According to her web site, TalktotheDead.org, Nicole Zapruder has been speaking to the dead since she was four years old -- or approximately 30 years, judging from her photo.Born with a natural gift for communicating with the other side, over the years she has experimented with several techniques to refine her abilities. Now, using something called the Grey Walter-Berger Construct, she's

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-39758046188304866882008-05-09T18:54:00.004-05:002008-05-09T19:05:02.559-05:00

It only took several years and a couple weeks' worth of perplexing work to finally get my own web site up and running. Thank the folks at the anthology for finally giving me the motivation to take care of business.Stop by www.cmichaelcook.com for a close and personal look. But stick around here, because this is where all the heavy-duty action will take place.Next step: Getting this blog to look

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-63455944203060352322008-05-08T12:51:00.006-05:002008-05-08T21:09:37.897-05:00

I smoke. This is something I'm not proud of, and I think about the consequences of it all the time.A few days ago, as I was having a cigarette outside the building in which I currently work, a man walked by me and coughed.This was no ordinary cough. Or even one of those self-righteous "I hate smoking" types of coughs that a certain type of busybody enjoys handing out as they pass a group of

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-26150231141678039592008-05-07T12:33:00.007-05:002008-05-07T20:14:11.583-05:00

Last October I left a career in advertising to concentrate on writing fiction -- a move that could justifiably be compared to quitting your day job in order to play the lottery full time.My reasons were many and varied, but generally fell along the lines of really wanting to do it, being able to do it (at least for a while) and feeling that if I didn't do it I'd end up regretting it.So from

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-22933346329835079472008-05-05T13:26:00.006-05:002008-05-05T13:45:24.967-05:00

A cheery article in today's news reports that a task force of influential physicians and academics have developed a series of guidelines to help medical personnel deliver health care in the event of a widespread emergency.Recognizing that the nation's health care system will quickly become overburdened with millions of people in the case of a natural disaster or pandemic, they set out to create a

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-71686863672171293052008-05-04T15:21:00.009-05:002008-05-05T13:21:00.665-05:00

2006; written and directed by Richard KellyIt's hard not to open up a review of Richard Kelly's second film without mentioning his first, Donnie Darko. Released a few months after 9/11, Darko's strange mix of time travel, teen tragedy and a giant rabbit named Frank was just not the movie America wanted to see at that point in history. Even given the presence of an unknown Jake Gyllenhaal in what

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-87019970737187568152008-04-29T18:59:00.004-05:002008-04-30T17:03:28.466-05:00

Sometimes the universe just opens up on you for a 24-hour period.This morning on my way to work, the bus I was riding was hit by a car.The accident was completely the other driver's fault -- a case of the other driver refusing to slow down when coming out of the merge lane. As a result, the bus neatly severed one of the car's outside mirrors, and everything came to a halt.The other driver -- an

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-2029204495167380842008-04-28T20:01:00.007-05:002008-04-28T21:11:26.266-05:00

Today has been surprisingly cold and rainy. But because it's spring and I ended up carrying my jacket every evening last week, I decided to forgo another layer this morning.A co-worker who saw me today commented on it. "Yeah, it's chilly," I replied, "but all I have to do is wait for the bus. I'll be fine."Thus does many a lesson learned begin, with foolish words and the expectation that just

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-45166356695193756992008-04-26T09:40:00.010-05:002008-04-26T11:06:42.800-05:00

Joseph and Celice are zoologists, scientists and academics. They harbor few illusions about the meaning of life or death, seeing both as just two points so far apart on a continuum that they could conceivably be touching somewhere on the other side.Married for 30 years, they've traveled back to the bay where they met and first made love, when a stranger finds them on the beach and brutally

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-70464268074301995402008-04-25T18:38:00.010-05:002008-04-25T21:27:33.863-05:00

2001; directed by Larry Clark; written by David McKenna and Roger Pullis; based on the book Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge by Jim SchutzeWhen eight teens in suburban Florida kidnapped and beat a classmate on video just so they could post it on YouTube, America was outraged and riveted.I was too, but less than most, because I'd already seen Larry Clark's Bully.Clark is also responsible

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-37052856858380223152008-04-24T09:23:00.004-05:002008-04-24T09:47:40.474-05:00

Last week Tyler Monfredi, one of the writers I met at the World Horror Conference, posted excerpts from an email discussion we had about the writing process on his blog.It's an honor to be part of it, especially since other writers in the series include John Hornor Jacobs, Tracy Carbone and Hank Schwaeble. John, Tracy and Hank all have interesting, revealing and valuable things to say. I mostly

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-82284430482770992672008-04-23T18:28:00.010-05:002008-04-23T21:15:18.032-05:00

Because a story of mine was accepted into an anthology...And because the editors requested an author photo...And because I really have no decent pictures of myself...I had the pleasure of getting my mug shot this past Sunday.I can count the number of good photos I've taken on one hand. This is because, as the saying goes, "the camera never lies." However, the camera can sometimes be convinced not

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-13687560500069753232008-04-21T20:49:00.007-05:002008-04-21T21:25:01.958-05:00

Yesterday I read this article in The New Yorker, about the secret life of elevators and the story of Nicholas White, who was trapped in one for 41 hours.Today I read that the security camera video of his ordeal -- originally hosted on The New Yorker's web site -- has become something of an internet sensation. If you haven't seen it, here it is. And if you have, why not take another look? It's odd

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-74939925831688911422008-04-19T10:57:00.012-05:002008-04-20T10:41:36.526-05:00

Friday at approximately 4:36 AM the Midwest was rocked by a rare but significant earthquake.Measuring 5.2, with its epicenter about 38 miles north-northwest of Evansville, Indiana, news reports claimed it could be felt as far as 900 miles away.As a lifelong Midwesterner, I've felt only one earthquake my entire life. It was some time in the late '80s. I was at home, sitting in my living room, when

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-12068910790534185912008-04-18T20:33:00.013-05:002008-04-18T22:04:13.376-05:00

I don't particularly care for the hard-boiled genre of crime novels, and it probably goes without saying that I'm no fan of vampires either. Yet I loved Charlie Huston's Already Dead, which is a smart and gritty combo of both. Who knew?Uber-agent Donna Bagdasarian, that's who. She recommended Charlie Huston to me over drinks at Love is Murder. (Donna, if you're reading, kisses!) I'd never heard

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-64970126972416272812008-04-14T20:03:00.011-05:002008-04-14T20:36:26.319-05:00

I've been saving this photo for a day when I didn't have anything else to say.Today is that day.I suggest you click on it in order to enjoy its amazing creepiness full-size. Nothing less will do. Go ahead. I'll wait.There's something about a gas mask -- particularly this model and vintage -- that is just so completely dehumanizing. Without the gas masks, all you have is a large group of

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-66140153057946216472008-04-12T16:39:00.005-05:002008-04-13T13:43:10.326-05:00

2007; directed by David Slade; written by Steve Niles, Stuart Beattie and Brian Nelson; based on the comic book 30 Days of Night by Steve Niles and Ben TemplesmithFriends and long-time readers of this blog know I think vampires are so tired they can barely drag themselves out of their coffins of an evening. That's why I skipped 30 Days of Night when it came to theaters last October.But on Friday,

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746464221364216942.post-83553437321179549932008-04-10T10:18:00.005-05:002008-04-10T17:05:15.617-05:00

2008; directed by Carter Smith; written by Scott B. Smith, based on the novel The Ruins by Scott SmithI've been looking forward to The Ruins ever since hearing late last year that it was being adapted for the screen. The novel was one of the best "horror" books I read in 2006 -- or any year -- and I was hoping the film would, somehow, be as intelligent and relentless as its source material.The

C. Michael Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718481110656205579noreply@blogger.com1