Vampified

Dick Doesn't Measure up to the Winchester Boys

2012-05-06T23:22:00.000-05:00

Anyone who's an original fan of the show, like my brother (who got me into Supernatural recently) knows that the show was only originally supposed to be about 5 seasons. It makes sense when you compare the smooth, nail-biting arc Eric Kripke planned.

However, I loved that the most recent episode harkened back to some old school references, including mentioning Baby, Sam's previous foray in demon-chick banging, Castiel's interpersonal relationship with Dean and how his angelic BFF pulled him from hell. Essentially, the Winchesters got reminded of the things that haunt them and riddle them with a lot of guilt -- but we've been so inundated with Leviathans that we've almost forgotten.

I'm guessing the Big Mouths will be carried over into Season 8, which just got approved. Wikipedia mentions something that would be great for the show and its dealings with hell: "a monstrous animal into whose mouth the damned disappear at the Last Judgement." Maybe that's why Cas is bitching out?

Which take do you think Supernatural will go with when it comes to Dick Roman? The sea monster myth, or the demonology myth that Leviathan is a prince of hell, directly related to envy?

Maybe being so envious of humans will play right into the episode. . . Maybe Dick's big problem is that he doesn't measure up to the Winchester boys?

True Blood, Babies & Battleships

2012-05-03T22:59:00.000-05:00

You might have seen Alexander Skarsgård in the movie

previews for Battleship -- the alien/Naval movie with all

the Transformer-like (It's made by the Transformers

people) sound effects, or Inception-like sounds.

If you don't have enough of him between Battleship, True Blood (back June 10) and Melancholia, don't fret. According to IMDB, he has four movies in either pre or post-production.

Taylor Kistch, who plays Skarsgård's younger brother, is the protagonist in the movie, which spans from 2005 to 2012 (as if in an alternate reality).

In a seven degrees of ~~Kevin Bacon~~ True Blood twist, Kitsch's on-screen romantic interest is played Brooklyn Decker, who will also be in one of Joe Manganiello's upcoming films. Manganiello and Decker will star in What to Expect When You're Expecting.

But that isn't the only baby news! Real-life couple Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer are expecting a baby this fall! I just hope True Blood doesn't go the way of ALIAS. Once Garner and Affleck started with the babies, it was bye-bye Agent Bristow. What do you guys think? Will this kill True Blood, or will it be okay since it's only 12 episodes?

Truebies Should Seek Bon Temps in Movie, Not Novel

2012-05-02T22:59:00.001-05:00

I thought June in Tennessee would be hot, but I think it's just got hotter!

In fact, I think I need to turn down the air in my house right now. This summer, our fantasy men (yes, double entendre for some of them), will be hitting the stage in break away police uniforms.

I am excited about this summer's Magic Mike, a movie about male strippers, including True Blood's Joe Manganiello as a character named "Big Dick Ritchie". Other stars slated for the film are Matthew McConaughey (the strip club owner), Channing Tatum (Public Enemies, The Vow, Dear John), Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four), and Matt Bomer (White Collar). Take a look at the trailer (below) Can you say YOWZA?

I guess Truebies have to get their stripper fix somewhere. While book 12 in the Sookie Stackhouse series, Deadlocked, begins during a strip show on ladies night, Truebies aren't riled up by the depiction of these naked fairy men. Instead, they're pissed at Charlaine Harris.

Harris might want to give up on Sookie, or at least quit phoning it in.

Out of the 175 Nook reviews I read about our the new book in our beloved series, only 15 were 4 or 5 stars.

Most people used the word "disappointed" and complained that it took a year for her to produce at 260-page book where Sookie whined a lot and SPOILER ALERT hinted at something between Sam and Sookie (as she and Eric were fighting/not talking).

Also, they complained that the quality wasn't worth the outrageous $14.99 ebook price tag. The point of an e-reader was supposed to be cheaper books, right?

However, some die-hard fans dished it out, hoping Harris would redeem herself after the crap we all read in book 11.

Personally, I'm afraid to read it, after seeing reviews (see below). There were a lot of 5-star ratings that seemed suspect, too, as there was no text, just stars, as well as some wordless reviews that were posted before the book was released. Hmmm.

For Dark Shadows, See Netflix

2012-04-07T01:34:00.025-05:00

I'm looking forward to a few things in the supernatural/vampire genre in the spring and summer.

One, is The Raven, but even more so is the remake of Dark Shadows, which opens May 11. It used to be a show in the 60s, and there is some good news -- it's on Netflix Instant (here)!

It's on Hulu Plus as well, but Hulu only has 12 episodes, whereas Netflix has what appears to be 4 seasons.

Hulu also has some other "supernatural" shows, such as Kolchak: The Night Stalker -- a show someone mentioned as soon as I told them the synopsis of the CW show Supernatural.

That, too, unfortunately, only has 12 episodes. Other than CW shows, I'm not loving the Hulu subscription. 1. Why do I have to pay Netflix fees but see those damn commercials? 2. Why are there so many shows with only one season available? 3. Why do I have to wait 8 days for a CW show? That means if I miss Vampire Diaries, or Supernatural, I'd potentially see the episode the Thursday or Friday after that before I could see last week's? Stupid.

Kickstart Me Up

2012-04-06T23:34:00.000-05:00

Demon in Me (Book One)
A Fiction project in Nashville, TN by Melissa Tyndall

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

If you like Constantine, Buffy or Supernatural, you'd like Demon in Me. This funding covers the publishing of both print and ebook editions of the first book in the "Demon" series. $1,000 would cover the printing of around 200 first editions.

So far, at least 3 books are planned. Here's a synopsis of the first two:

Demon in Me (Book One): After brought back from the dead, strange things happen to Grace Gainer. She sees horrific creatures all around her and discovers she’s not just a normal, teenage girl. Her family has a secret – a big one – that involves a legion of demon slayers and a battle with an ancient, flesh-eating evil with scales, claws and a venomous bite.

The Fallen (Book Two): After the floods and a devastating battle with the Lamia demons, the slayers and their vampire counterparts seek refuge to heal, regroup and bury their fallen. But before the legion can launch a full counterattack, the slayers come face-to-face with an army of zombies – some of which have familiar faces.

BACK THIS PROJECT

$1 MINIMUM PLEDGE

PLEDGE $10 OR MORE

0 BACKERS

One printed copy of the book shipped to your home.

Estimated Delivery: Oct 2012

PLEDGE $15 OR MORE

1 BACKER

One signed, printed copy of the book shipped to your home.

Estimated Delivery: Oct 2012

BACKER REPORT

PLEDGE $25 OR MORE

1 BACKER

One signed, printed copy of the book shipped to your home and an acknowledgement in the text.

Estimated Delivery: Oct 2012

BACKER REPORT

True Blood Returns June 10

2012-04-05T23:58:00.020-05:00

The good times return on June 10, just about a week and a half after the 5/29 release of Season 4 on DVD and BluRay. Best Buy has it listed at $54 or so, but I'm betting that price will drop as Season 5 gears up (it always does).

Got a fangover? Watch these videos (below), but also check out the ones on the HBO site, HBO YouTube page & IMDB. Seems like someone's haunted by voices of the past in some of those videos -- supposedly the fans as we remember the past. A hint at what's to come? The vids are called "echoes of the past", but are set in thee different locations - Merlotte's, Sookie's house & Bill's house.

True-Blood.net has also posted some "spoilers", including the ones below and these:

Plot Points

Season 5 will pick up right where season 4 left off, with Sookie holding Tara in the kitchen.

Alan Ball, Kristin Bauer and Alexander Skarsgard have all stated in various interviews that we’ll see a flashback to when Eric turned Pam into a vampire.

Although season 5 is based on Dead as a Doornail, Alan Ball said that season 5 will combine elements from multiple books much more than in previous seasons (in other words, we could see events from books 6-?).

A major character introduced in Dead as a Doornail is Quinn. No word yet on whether he’ll appear on the show, but we do have some casting suggestions.

We will not see zombies in season 5, but the writing staff are researching “lesser known” supernatural creatures to appear.

Oh, and I love this fan vid:

Nashville Twilight Convention Ticket Contest & BOGO Offer

2012-03-09T15:59:00.001-06:00

This will be the last convention put on by Creation Entertainment, which should sound familiar, since the same company is also 86ing Nashville when it comes to returning Supernatural conventions -- though that actually makes sense, since I've read it's hard for the CW cast to get back to Vancouver from BNA (and anyone who's flown out of BNA only to go to Atlanta, Dallas or Chicago gets that). Not sure why other conventions seem to be dying out, unless people just aren't going.

But I have a surprise for you! Tickets on me!

I have 2 passes for Saturday, April 14 and 2 for Sunday, April 15.

In order to enter the contest, you must comment on this blog with a way to contact you (email), as well as an answer to this question:

What convention do you want to see in Nashville, whether it's brought back or brought for the first time?

The deadline to answer is 11:59 p.m. on April 12. The winner will be sent tickets via email. This is for the Nashville convention ONLY.

Remember, there are extra chances to win! While only one comment on this blog entry will count, you can also do any of the following for extra chances to win:

A. Follow Vampified through Blogger.

B. Follow me on Twitter and retweet my link to the contest.

C. Like me on Facebook.
D. Post a link to the contest on Facebook after liking me.

E. Comment on a regular blog entry of Vampified (unlimited). Bonus points for cleverness and helpfulness, not just meaningless comments to get another entry.

The tickets are from DealChicken. Here are the details!

The Deal Promotion Expires: April 15, 2012

•Opportunity for fans of "Twilight" movies to gather•Two tickets for the price of one•Includes actors and actresses from Twilight Saga

Celebrate the "Twilight" saga with other fans at the Twilight Convention, to be held April 13-15 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. Creation Entertainment is offering two tickets for $15, a $30 value. The convention will feature six guests, all actors and actresses from the movie including Chaske Spencer, Booboo Stewart, Alex Meraz, Christian Camargo, Julia Jones and Casey LaBow. Special events and contests include the Cullen Wedding Reception Party, which includes a DJ and a Twilight Cullen wedding-themed centerpiece contest. There is also a celebrity brunch and charity auction.

The Twilight Convention will take place at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, located 11 miles outside of downtown Nashville. Creation Entertainment states it will not 'oversell' the convention, meaning any ticket purchaser will get a chance to sit in the main auditorium where the major guests appear and events will happen. A celebrity karaoke contest and a costume contest are just some of the ways through which fans can gather and celebrate their love of the movie saga.

PROMOTION EXPIRES 04/15/2012.

50% Off Two Tickets to 'Twilight' Convention- Saturday April 14, 2012 Admission

Convention runs April 13-15, 2012. No Cash Value. Can not combine with other offers. One per person.

50% off Two Tickets to 'Twilight' Convention- Sunday April15, 2012 Admission

Convention runs April 13-15, 2012. No Cash Value. Cannot combine with other offer. One per person.

The Merchant, not DealChicken, is solely responsible for this Deal. This Deal is subject to the Terms of Service and HOW DEALCHICKEN WORKS.

Eggstra! Eggstra!For an additional charge, you can have a brunch breakfast with the stars on the last day of the convention. Each celebrity will come by to meet you!

Dear Cas, Who Art in Trenchcoat . . . Comes Back!

2012-03-08T13:56:00.002-06:00

According to IMDB, the next episodes will feature the familiar faces of Castiel, Meg and Garth. Upcoming titles are: Out with the Old, The Born-Again Identity, Party On, Garth, Of Grave Importance, The Girl with the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo and Reading is Fundamental. The last few episodes haven't been named. But just because IMBD doesn't have it, doesn't mean someone else can't post it!

KSiteTV has posted that "Out with the Old" is similar to a Koren film called The Red Shoes I watched recently -- it's about cursed shoes. After a ballerina dances herself to death, the boys show up to kick some Supernatural ass.

But, as usually happens, Dean's the one who gets cursed when he accidentally touches the shoes. I'm just interested to see why the macho bro touched them to start with (if he wasn't trying to take them off some ballerina).

The same site and TVGuide have posted about the return of Misha as Castiel, but our dear, trenchcoat-wearing BFF of Dean isn't so angelic anymore. Rumor has it (on various spoiler and fan sites) that he's a healer -- just what Dean may need to save Sam . . . again. Supposedly, Sam cracks under the pressure of Death's psychological wall being down/seeing Lucifer 24/7 and goes all One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Dean is supposed to be contacting all the hunters (left) that he knows for help, And as the KSiteTV and Spoiler TV add, "One of the hunters gives him the name of a healer who turns out to have a very familiar face (guest star Misha Collins)".

KSiteTV also posted that "Party On, Garth" surrounds DJ Qualls character asking the boys for help "battling a Shojo, a Japanese creature sent to seek revenge on enemies. The worst part about fighting a Shojo? You can only see it when you’re drunk."

But what really might be fun is "Of Grave Importance", as Spoiler TV posted, "This episode will feature a character called Annie who was an old flame of both Sam and Dean". Sounds like a #SPN fan's dream come true!

Mead's Vampy App & Twitter Chat

2012-03-08T00:01:00.030-06:00

According to Richelle Mead's blog, she's having the Twitter chat/party "to celebrate the app's release . . . on Thursday, March 8, from 3:30pm-4:30pm Pacific/6:30pm-7:30pm Eastern".

The application she's referring to is this one about Vampire Academy . . . and it's free!

She goes on to blog in a previous entry that: "There are all sorts of ways to participate. The community space has a poll feature where you can cast your vote on all kinds of pressing questions (Team Dimitri or Team Adrian, perhaps?), get the latest news for VA and Bloodlines, and pull up a map that shows you where people are reading the books in the app around the globe! You’ll also find links to some awesome VA and Bloodlines communities on Facebook, Ning and Twitter, and a share function that allows you to send info about the app to your friends."

Have fun with the app, and I hope she gets to your questions!

Has Sookie Jumped the Shark?

2012-03-08T00:00:00.001-06:00

Charlaine Harris' 12th installment of the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries/True Blood inspiration, is set to release May 1.

However, I think a lot of people are ready to move on from Bon Temps. After Harris' huge advance to write three more in the series, it has seemed to fall off. Many fans seems disappointed about the phoned in 11th installment -- making some readers not care as much about Sookie anymore.

I think the series might've "jumped the shark", and as happens with many a TV series, there aren't many new places to go -- unless Sookie gets some sort of supernatural STD fo slutting it up so much (once she gave up her V-card).

What do you all think?

While no sales websites seem to have nailed down the subject of this one, Penguin posted a synopsis as follows:

It’s vampire politics as usual around the town of Bon Temps, but never before have they hit so close to Sookie’s heart… Growing up with telepathic abilities, Sookie Stackhouse realized early on there were things she’d rather not know. And now that she’s an adult, she also realizes that some things she knows about, she’d rather not see—like Eric Northman feeding off another woman. A younger one.

There’s a thing or two she’d like to say about that, but she has to keep quiet—Felipe de Castro, the Vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), is in town. It’s the worst possible time for a human body to show up in Eric’s front yard—especially the body of the woman whose blood he just drank.

Now, it’s up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl’s fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who’s set out to make Sookie’s world come crashing down.

You can read Chapter 2 here, and if you still want to buy the book, pre-order to save cash.

Amazon doesn't seem to have a Kindle edition listed, but there's a 46% discount if you pre-order the hardcover. It will make it $15.16 instead of $27.95. You can also get a signed edition on Amazon for $18.45, which saves about $10 if you pre-order. Barnes & Noble has the hardcover listed at $15.98 and the Nook edition at about a dollar less.

Meyer's "The Host" Casts Familiar Faces

2012-03-07T00:00:00.098-06:00

The movie adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's The Host is set to release in March 29, 2013, and the cast may include some familiar faces.

Though the movie has a Facebook page, and information is out on IMBD, there seems to be cynical feedback out there, as the FB page had to post a link to Meyer's website to prove there would be a movie.

While some fan pages and wikis guessed that Jensen Ackles, Dean of Supernatural, might make the cut, that was only wishful thinking. It seems that director Andrew Niccol (Gattaca, Lord of War) is aiming for a much younger cast. While Ackles is only in his 30s, the studio seems to be honing in on actors born after 1985 -- younger than I imagined the characters to be in the book. In addition, the FB page is asking who the fans would cast, but that seems to be futile.

There was some speculation that named Brock Kelly might be tapped to play Jared or Ian, and although he's the right age, mini-Dean won't be playing. However, you will recognize one Supernatural face -- Jake Abel's.

Abel (above, far left) played Adam Milligan, the secret half-brother of Sam and Dean in Swan Song (2010), Point of No Return (2010) and Jump theShark (2009). In Swan Song, he also played the archangel Michael (or if you ask Cas, he played "assbutt").

He'll portray Ian O'Shea in the film. The movie has also cast Red Riding Hood star Max Irons (My post about that movie is here).

He's set to portray Jared Howe in the film -- the lead love interest of Melanie Stryder. Stryder, a women who's been body-snatched by an alien (thought it's more like possession), will be played by Saoirse Ronan of Atonement & The Lovely Bones.

My take? Not sure I'm buying it. I've been wrong before (like thinking Tobey Maguire might not be a good Spiderman), but as IMDB reminds us, "Melanie is described as pretty, tall and athletic with long brown hair, hazel eyes and tan skin."

Ronan is small and blonde. Also, she's supposed to be 8 years younger than Jared (her 20, him 28). That's supposed to be a big portion of all this -- he's the hot, macho older guy.

I would've thought Kristin Kruek or Olivia Wilde for Melanie and someone with dark hair and light eyes for Ian -- like Ian Somerhalder or Jared Leto.

For Jared, I'd think they'd get a young guy in his 30s, but one that's super-fit (as one would be out in the wilderness surviving) and looks like an adult when scruffy like Ryan Gosling or Joe Manganiello or, as many people have put on the movie's FB wall, Jensen Ackles (though I'd imagine he's busy with the show).

And I'm not the only one -- check out this fanmade poster.

Who would you cast? Even if you don't want to weigh in, enter the contest to be in a trailer for the movie on Facebook.

Dean Quixote & Sam Panza: Supernatural's Metafiction & Self-Satire

2012-03-06T17:25:00.003-06:00

"I'm sitting in a laundromat reading about myself sitting in a laundromat reading about myself."

- Dean, from The Monster at the End of This Book

Though I mainly focus on the vampire genre and other projects created by vampire writers, I am a huge fan of the supernatural at large. However, I'm also a huge nerd.

I bet the following is true of any other professor, too: When I watch TV, I do it for pleasure, but I can't help myself. When I hear or see something familiar my brain goes, "Hey! You could totally apply that to your ___ lesson in class."

For example, I could write a whole book about how Supernatural teaches interpersonal communication concepts. Some running ideas/titles are: "It's a Man's World: Supernatural & Machismo", "Computers have Buttons: Supernatural's Goes Anti-Millennial" and "I'm an Angel, You Ass: Supernatural, Cursing & Class Warfare".

. . . But that's really for my other blog.

What, as a writer and a person with a bachelor's degree in English/Creative Writing, I love is the Quixotism, or meta episodes of Supernatural. The quote above says it all when it comes to metafiction, doesn't it?

Scholarly books like TV Goes to Hell: An Unofficial Road Map of Supernatural, call the series a "road movie", a western, and so many other things, but the show is Don Quixote in a lot of ways.

1. It's a journey on the road.

2. Their names begin with the same letters (Dean and Sam vs. Don and Sancho) and they take on similar roles in the narrative.

3. The boys are big on tilting at windmills, too -- "or fighting unwinnable or futile battles" with optimism. Just as was mentioned by Sam when he pointed out there was only one thing demons and angels agreed on -- that the Winchesters had destinies as vessels. However, usually one or the other brother thinks they can beat crappy odds.

4. The obvious metafiction, romantic irony/heroic literature, story within a story and self-satire as a tool of self-reference.

The most obvious example, of course, is "The French Mistake", which is covered by Supernatural Wiki and IMDB trivia. There's tons of meta references, such as:

Jensen Ackles being on Days of Our Lives, the boys being from Texas, that the show's filmed in Vancouver (like a lot of CW shows), Jared Padalecki's marriage to Genevieve Cortese Padalecki (Ruby), including a shot of her real wedding ring and one of their actual wedding photos (by Kirsten Shultz), show ratings, actual cast and crew member appearances, etc.

I especially love the teasing about the real-life relationships of the cast, poking fun at the names "Misha" and "Jensen", Misha tweeting, and Jensen Ackles using a deep voice (like his own) to pretend to act, as he says about Misha, "that's how he does it."

They also joke a lot about the guys not talking outside of the workplace, but that's just teasing, too. It's well-publicized that they were each other's groomsmen (pic below) in 2010, but I've read a few interviews where Padalecki claims he sees Ackles more than he sees his wife, dogs or parents.

I assume they also purposefully found a sigil that poked fun at the show itself. I noticed that the sigil painted on "the set" resembled a #4, which is probably a reference to breaking through the 4th wall, as well as to this Blazing Saddles scene of the same name.

But those aren't the only examples. The episode My Bloody Valentine has same name as the remake of the horror/slasher movie that Ackles starred in and was released in January 2009. The episode aired in February 2010 (IMDB).

My Bloody Valentine was mentioned again, but you may have missed it.

While Dean's recovering from his broken leg (The Girl Next Door), he falls asleep and the commercial on TV is for the movie, My Bloody Valentine. This is an obvious meta-reference, considering it was years after the movie's release. In fact, you can buy it on iTunes right now for $4.99. The version it was remade from is available here on Netflix instantly. The version with Ackles just went off instant, but can be rented on DVD here.

My favorite Supernatural wiki and IMBD has plenty of meta references when it comes to the episode, The Monster at the End of This Book, including Dean's reference to himself being "full frontal" in Route 666, the amalgamation of real cast and producers names to create names such as Carver Edlund and the Supernatural books having the same title font and books as episode titles. In fact, Wikipedia uses this episode of an example of a story-within-a-story.

Most of all, this is an example of metafiction or Quixotism or romantic irony, because Chuck thinks he's making up these stories as he goes, as romantic irony is defined as being a work where the narrator "creates an illusion of reality but then destroys the illusion by revealing that he is arbitrarily making up the story as he goes" (Manner, Wright University).

Other meta I love from the same #SPN wiki:

5.15 Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

Dean: Awesome. Another Horseman. Must be Thursday.
This is a reference to the airing day of Supernatural, Thursday. from 1.17 Hell House til the end of Season 5.

6.07 Family Matters

Dean: Since when do you give a crap about vampires?

Crowley: Since... What's today, Friday? Since, let's see... Mind your business.

A reference to the fact Supernatural started airing on Fridays from the beginning of Season 6.

Repeat Offenders Part 2: Vampire TV Stars and Supernatural

2012-03-01T12:53:00.000-06:00

So, after I posted the first blog about vampire-related show starts making cameos on Supernatural, I also came across episodes with more repeat offenders!

There's a pretty hot scene in Slice Girls, Season 7, Episode 13, that fan sites are calling exciting because Dean finally puts down the bottle and starts, literally, charming the pants off the ladies again.

Well, it's hot until you find out that she's just using the older Winchester as the worst kind of sperm bank.

While Vampire Diaries, Sara Canning is Elena's aunt that becomes a vampire, Supernatural makes her into some sort of demonic Amazon lady that's part of a society of really pissed off Wonder Women. Spoiler Alert: In Supernatural, she jumps Dean, gets pregnant and spawns a child overnight -- not unlike Bella, or Cordelia from Buffy/Angel. Like Bella though,her baby isn't quite human and grows at a crazy rate.

You can still watch for free on The CW, especially since the new episodes won't air for about two weeks.

After this, I bet Dean won't be able to give Sam any more shit about: 1. Sleeping with monster chicks and
2. Not pulling the trigger (or knife handle out of) Amy

Speaking of Cordelia Chase, how about the James Marsters and Charisma Carpenter as gods/lovers?

It seems that The CW, formerly The WB, is all about repeat "offenses", but I don't think they're trying to hide it. First, there's a lot of CW overlap when it comes to shows Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki have been on. Also, Supernatural characters have also been on other CW shows, like Sebastian Roche who played Mikael on Vampire Diaries and Balthazar on Supernatural.

However, I saw it most when Sam and Dean both said "wonky" recently and Dean said"The Big Bad" -- an obvious homage, especially since some of that came around the time of the episode starring "Spike" and "Cordelia".

Hit me up with any 7 Degrees of J & J you guys have seen involving the Winchester Bros.

Repeat Offenders: Vampire TV Stars and Supernatural

2012-02-27T16:11:00.001-06:00

I've just been hammering through episodes of Supernatural on Netflix, and I love it!

I'm not sure how I missed out on it before. Not only is it entertaining, and more horror-genre-related than its Buffy/Angel predecessors. Every new episode brings about 100 things I could potentially write articles, papers and books about when it comes to the content I teach in Communication . . .

But that's a whole other story I may slowly blog about as I read TV Goes to Hell: An Unofficial Road Map of Supernatural.

The rest of the time is obsessing over folklore, cursing when they mention a demon I was going to use in my book and yo-yoing between the Team Dean or Team Sam debate.

Dean, because he's the quintessential, hot, baby boy, and Sam because he's that big, cute puppy-dog-eyed nice guy you marry, but he's also able to go Dark Side and manhandle a girl. I think even my husband gets why a girl would watch it, though he makes fun of The Winchester Boys by either: 1. Talking in a deep, Jensen Ackles-y voice, or making comments about "the big, dumb-looking one".

I mean, look at these two.Yowza! God bless Texas (where they're both from)! However, as I was watching, I was intrigued by these usual suspects from other vampire-related shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel, The Vampire Diaries and True Blood.

Candice Accola might be a vampire on The Vampire Diaries, also on The CW, but in After School Special, she was a high school fling for Dean.

While Hoyt might be a sweetie who wants a vampire chick in True Blood, he played Nick, a bitchy little Siren (as in Greek) in Sex and Violence. Played by Jim Parrack, this episode had the Winchesters fighting over another man. Gay and Sam/Dean fans everywhere probably rejoiced.

Mercedes McNab gets saddled with not-so-smart vampire girl again in Fresh Blood. It doesn't seem she wanted to be vampy either time.

Amber Benson might've been a witch in the Buffyverse, but she's a vamp named Lenore in Mommy Dearest (2011) and Bloodlust. Like her character on Buffy, she's good and tried to not drink humans.

It must be a pretty "incestuous" genre/world, as there's a lot of overlap between people on Supernatural and other shows and themes, too, like CW's Dawson's Creek, Days of Our Lives and other shows and movies about horror, possession and the children of Satan. What similar things have you found?

Then, of course, there's always the Twilight-spoof in Live Free or Twi-hard, where Dean makes a pretty sexy, stalker vampire in Lisa's bedroom. Most chicks would take this hard, Blue Steel look and that deep voice over a Cullen any day. Who the hell needs Edward? He can't even grow facial hair.

THE FICTION FERVOR PART 3: Cinder

2012-02-13T04:35:00.000-06:00

Title: Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles Series #1)

Author: by Marissa Meyer

Website: http://marissameyer.livejournal.com/

Where you can read a long excerpt: http://us.macmillan.com/BookCustomPage_New.aspx?isbn=9781466805880

Why it's cool: It's Cinderella meets Cyborg (like a Terminator). And that's something different these days! (I'm reading it now.)

My favorite Nook “free preview” quote: “THE SCREW THROUGH CINDER’S ANKLE HAD RUSTED, THE engraved cross marks worn to a mangled circle. Her knuckles ached from forcing the screwdriver into the joint as she struggled to loosen the screw one gritting twist after another. By the time it was extracted far enough for her to wrench free.”

Synopsis (from Barnes & Noble): "Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future."

Dear Diary: I'll Take Both Brothers

2012-02-11T00:00:00.001-06:00

I have a confession to make. When I read LJ Smith's Vampire Diares books, I was bored to death.

I felt like it had way too much dull filler, sort of like all those months Bella spent whining over Edward being gone. I'd skim while my mind went, "Blah blah blah blah".

After watching it on Netflix, I finally found the one time I don't feel as if the book is better than the show or film.

And once I finished the two Netflix seasons, I've been parked on the couch every Thursday to see when Damon would finally bust a move.

The Vampire Diaries is much more than its paper counterpart -- and moves much quicker. For those who haven't watched recently, things between Elena and the brothers are heating up and turning into a real love triangle.

For those who haven't ever watched, know this show doesn't have just vampires -- but werewolves, werewolf-vampire hybrids and witches. (That may make or break the appeal for you, as some of the vampire fans I've spoken to lately said they crave just a vampire story with no extraneous creatures).

And after a long week at work, and it snowing on the way home, I squealed in delight at the three star (above) on the EW cover ( 3 of 3) -- and I don't think I need to explain why.

Or maybe I do.

My new theory about bestselling novels and CW-type shows boils down to one simple element. More so than vampires or magic, it's about millennials' and teenagers' fantasies about men.

Instead of pining away for one prince charming that will come sweep you off your feet, we know dream of two men, equally hot, vying for you.

One is the kind of man you marry. Sweet, devoted, good-natured, loyal to a fault. He makes your heart swell slowly and almost overflow with a deep, steady love. He has high walls to climb, but if he falls, it's deep.

The other is dark and dangerous. A look or touch makes your cheeks burn. Your heart clogs your throat, then is pitched into your stomach or slams against your ribs. You know he's kissed a lot of girls before, and you have to work to stand out.

Sure, Jacob and Edward . . . but it's even hotter when the men are brothers -- like Stefan and Damon or Sam and Dean Winchester (CW's Supernatural).

And as stated by Kevin Williamson and the cast of Vampire Diaries, love triangles like these only drive the fans wild. According to the article, the kiss between Damon and his brother's (former) girl (and supposedly Iam Somerhalder's real-life, but unconfirmed girl) was the #1 worldwide Twitter trend within 10 minutes of the Jan. 5th kiss. EW also revealed some other interesting tidbits:

Now that Stefan and Damon have switched roles as bad guy, all Face-Off style, some Team Damon ladies are jumping ship and loving the new Big Bad.
The show's writers have been written and tweeted death threats because fans didn't like the plot turns.
Dr. Meredith Fell, played by Torrey DeVitto, is Paul Wesley's (Stefan) real-life wife.
"Shippers" is slang. They are fans who hope/root for two fictional characters to get together (novels, movies, TV, etc.). Sometimes they also want this turn into the real thing.

What are you shipping for? And how do you feel about the "pining for two" trend?

The Fiction Fervor Part 2: The Girl in the Steel Corset

2012-02-10T12:25:00.000-06:00

Title: The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles Series)

Author: by Kady Cross

Website: http://www.kadycross.com/

Synopsis: (from Barnes & Noble) In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one except the "thing" inside her. When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch.

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help—and finally be a part of something, finally fit in. But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on—even if it seems no one believes her.

Warning: A prequel is out called “The Strange Case of Finley Jane” about this main character. You may want to read that first.

Why it seems cool: She’s a badass and she’s got something evil or powerful inside her. So far, it’s like what would happen if you made Buffy into the maid/Cinderella.

My favorite Nook “free preview” quote: “The warm rush of familiar power brought a slight smile to her battered lips. She gave up all attempts to keep it reined in. It was the only way she’d survive this night with her virtue and bones intact. It was as though she was watching herself from a perch on the ceiling—all she could do was observe as her other self took over.”

Reviews: Try Goodreads. There are some bad reviews, but I think the people who disliked it don’t get steampunk and wanted a glittery boy to love her forever and ever and have everything work out O.K.

Buy: Nook, Kindle or online in print.

The Fiction Fervor Part I: Delirium

2012-02-07T13:29:00.001-06:00

Title: Delirium

Author: Lauren Oliver

Website: http://www.laurenoliverbooks.com/delirium.php

Synopsis: (from www.laurenoliverbooks.com) Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen.

Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy. But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Why it seems cool: It’s Brave New World, Gattaca & Children of Men rolled into one.

My favorite Nook “free preview” quote: The character imagines her future husband’s “hands are cool and dry, and my heart is beating steadily in my chest—and in my dream I know it will always beat out that same rhythm, not skip or jump or swirl or go faster, just womp, womp, womp, until I’m dead. Safe, and free from pain.”

Reviews: Try Goodreads

Buy: The Special Edition, Regular Edition, Nook, Kindle

Breaking Dawn Seizes Audiences, So Seize the Styles

2011-12-12T00:29:00.002-06:00

I can't tell you how many people have asked me, "Did you hear that Breaking Dawn's giving people seizures?"

While this truly isn't funny, you have to admit there's a stand-up comedy routine in there somewhere about how the movie "seized" audiences.

I think it's the best in the Saga by far, just in cinematography alone, but I'm not sure how the 2nd part of BD is going to go or what content it will have.

A lot of the good stuff was in the first half, including little bits of subtle humor, the wedding, the honeymoon, the "death" of Bella during the birth of her baby, and Jacob's imprinting (which was done very well, considering it could've been very pedohilia-like).

My 5 favorite things about Breaking Dawn:

5. The wedding version of Iron & Wine's "Flightless Bird (American Mouth).

4. That it ended well and was pushing PG13 as much as possible without being obvious about it.

3. Bella's vampire look/make-up. The eye make-up was killer (no pun intended).

2. That the first scene was Jacob taking his shirt off. It was pandering, but I loved it.

1. Bella's life flashing before her eyes / Saga montage and inside her body as it dies and awakens.

Speaking of arising from the dead (because you know Summit was potentially f---ing things up by switching directors every 10 seconds), I think that there might be a reawakening of Twilight-themed gifts, parties, fashion, etc.

In fact, though it was sold out for awhile, Target has Bella's purple comforter set back in (and on sale in time for Christmas), and Hostess with the Mostess, who I've blogged about before, has Breaking Dawn quotes (above) made up to go along with the other Twilight printables, parties and wedding ideas (above) from past postings and the other three movies.

People who bought original items, like Bella's birthday dress, etc. are being scheming jerks and doubling the price before they re-sell it. My advice? Get a knock-off.

Example: rather than paying $20 - $40 for the cheapest version of Bella's engagement ring by the company (see below) that does the expensive one, or waiting for the sold out (and $28) Hot Topic version, (see below) go shop online at places like Forever 21. They have rhinestone rings for under $5 (and recently just had an extra 30% sale). It's close enough. And in 10 years, will it matter if you got te real deal or a $4 knock-off?

Here are some F21 examples:

Stretchy Filigree Rhinestones Ring, $2.66

Rhinestone Knuckle Ring, $4.06

Estate Diamond Ring, $4.06

P.S. This is the $40 version (there are $2k and $3k ones, too), and the Hot Topic one. If you're looking for something fancier, there are a lot of "Bella-inspired" rings in the $70 range at Amazon and Overstock. Happy hunting, Twihards, if there are many of you left out there!

'Tis the Season for Vamps

2011-11-25T17:36:00.004-06:00

It seems that winter 'tis the season for our favorite vampires to emerge. These might be in a returning series, revamped roles -- or roles we're not used to seeing them in at all.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 released last week (though, in my opinion, Summit f---ed up by screwing around and changing directors every movie).

However, there's much, much more to satiate your hunger for vamps and former vampire show/movie stars between now and January.

In EW this week, I saw that Kirsten Dunst (Interview with the Vampire) was given props for being in a great movie that was released on iTunes and Amazon this week -- the same time it was hitting theaters. The premise surounds Dunst's wedding day, which also happens to be the day the earth will collide with a rogue planet. The person who didn't get props was Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood), who plays Dunst's groom.

Also, on the TV front, American Dad! featured an episode called Virtual In-Stanity, and it's suggested that Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyson Hannigan are competing for Steve's V-card. EW published a still that suggested the former Buffy stars were playing their old characters . . . Well, their characters before Hannigan became a lesbian.

The two things I'm most excited about, however, are Vampire Diaries and the new Underworld. As much as I love vampires, and books, I hated reading the Vampire Diaries. It was juvenile and torturous and boring. But the sexual tension / will-they-or-won't-they? between real-life couple Nina Dobrev (Elena) and Ian Somerhalder (Damon) is getting pretty damn hot. If this continues to be a 22-episode season, the other 13 episodes should start on Thursday, January 5, 2012 on the CW at 8pm EST. (What's with the split seasons on these shows?)

Number one on my list is to see the new Underworld film, Underworld: Awakening. The premise seems to be that Selene was held captive by humans for 12 years -- humans also hunting vampires, lycans and hybrids (which suggests more were made after Michael). Sadly, there's no Scott Speedman, but according to an interview with Collider.com, "While Scott Speedman isn’t back for this film, his character plays a role in Awakening, and the idea is that Speedman would return for Underworld 5."

Here's the official preview:

Celestial Mechanics, A Sonnet By Melissa Tyndall

2011-10-07T08:32:00.000-05:00

Note: This was a poem that began after my husband and I watched two movies.

One about the apocalypse (sort of) and one manga movie about zombies. Both

just happened to quote TS Eliot's The Hollow Men. From there, I took on a prompt

to reverse the meaning of an already established poem. That exercise produced this.

Celestial Mechanics

Don’t write us as a comet,

its coma laden with dust

and ice. Don’t write a sonnet

about its white tail-end thrust

against the skyline. We’re not

a stellar comma, or rest,

but a full stop. Not the dot,

dot, dot of heartbeat in chest,

ellipses on Orion’s

belt, or an orbiting rock’s

return. We’re static ions,

colon on our bedside clock,

nebular burnout – so don’t.

I won’t write it if you won’t.

Shining, Happy Vampires

2011-10-04T13:59:00.001-05:00

Recently I wrote about Stephen King's book on writing and that I was in the midst of reading Salem's Lot.

I only have about 100 pages to go in the lot, but I am really enjoying the more traditional vampire story (versus the "OMG, I-love-him-so-much" story).

It's really based more on the Dracula myth that other stories. However, for those who aren't big into 481-pagers like Salem's Lot (that's even on my Nook), there are graphic novels that focus on the mean, ugly vampires.

One that King assisted with is American Vampire.

The vamps in this one have long, claw-like fingers/fingernails and almost unhinged jaws with elongated fangs -- more like a snake than the vampires we're used to these days (and more like the previews for Fright Night than an Edward or Bill Compton).

Stephen King has also announced that he's almost finished writing a sequel to The Shining, called Dr. Sleep. According to EW.com, King "read an excerpt at George Mason University last weekend. It appears the sequel follows a grownup Danny Torrance, a hospice worker who helps patients die painlessly. He comes into contact with a clan of roving, psychic vampires called The Tribe".

If you want to see the excerpt, look no further!

The Definition Poem / Ode to a Common Thing

2011-10-03T13:30:00.000-05:00

As some of you know, I've been going to Nashville Poetry Workshop (that Zach began) for a few months now. This week, we're doing a definition/ode to a common thing assignment. Feel free to do one as well!

This article was suggested to me as a good precursor to this assignment:

The definition poem, when looked up online, has a pretty elementary format that's pretty lame in some cases (like this one: http://www.k12handhelds.com/data/samples/poetry/poetry_book.html), but I think one of the best ones I've seen (a former prof of mine's work) is called A Definition of Terms (below).

Also, what came up in a discussion with a poet friend about Pablo Neruda's poems (specifically the Odes to Common Things and Odes to Opposites) is that he's really got an attitude about these poems -- which are more like anti-definition poems. He might "say" in the title that these things are plain and ordinary (Common Things), but in his ode to the cat, the cat is majestic.

I've brought the Ode to Sadness to the group before, which is a great example. As my colleague who suggested this assignment stated, Neruda's "writing against his subject matter, which is the point. But calling it an "ode" does something to our lens. We see how necessary sadness is to him, even as he seems to be reviling against it. So, pick some large emotion or state of being and write an ode to it in which you get nasty mean, but not to the point of temper-tantrum. Stick to catalogs of images, etc." In Sadness, he's basically cursing sadness out.

Just food for thought. Here are the poems that I will bring to group on Sunday:
_________________________________________________

A Definition of Terms
By Blas Falconer
1. Cruise, as in, I didn’t plan to cruise anyone, a verb, slang, to seek a trick, usually at night; no connection to Tom Cruise, beloved actor and movie star. 2. Trick: a noun, slang, a.k.a. "good-love,"
"one-night stand"; a verb, to have sex

with someone of the same or opposite sex,
the number of which often accrues
with increased loneliness and lack of love.
That’s what we became, two potential tricks
that morning at the airport, costars
in some fantasy, the story of two

strangers, their flights delayed, waiting to
board their planes. You watched me. You: a sexy
Spaniard dressed in black, save the All-star
tennis shoes (nice touch). Bored, I watched planes cruise
the runway, drew the same geometric
shape in my book: circle, circle....but I love

the fear that comes with desire, and I love
to be desired, so though I thought, No, it’s too
early, not a chance, I’m too tired to trick,
and, Where the hell would we have sex
anyway, before long I was the one cruising
you, the idea of us, a fleck of light, a star

growing brighter. I walked past you, star-
ing at you with a smile, as if to say, I’d love
to get it on, passengers and flight crews
too busy fighting or sleeping or gabbing to
see what we were up to, see us talking sex
without talking. You followed me. We tricked

them all. An hour later, I’m alone. My plane tricks
the pull of gravity, taking me home, star-
ward, as the ground grows and grows. The sex
was great: a bathroom stall, a soft love-
grip, buckles, buttons, goodbye kiss, all too
fast to forget, tender to confuse. 1. To Cruise,

to seek comfort in a body. 2. Trick: the cruised,
the lonely, the starved; sex between strangers
who give and take this temporary love.

_________________________________________________

Ode to Sadness
By Pablo Neruda

Sadness, scarab
with seven crippled feet,
spiderweb egg,
scramble-brained rat,
bitch's skeleton:
No entry here.
Don't come in.
Go away.
Go back
south with your umbrella,
go back
north with your serpent's teeth.
A poet lives here.
No sadness may
cross this threshold.
Through these windows
comes the breath of the world,
fresh red roses,
flags embroidered with
the victories of the people.
No.
No entry.
Flap
your bat's wings,
I will trample the feathers
that fall from your mantle,
I will sweep the bits and pieces
of your carcass to
the four corners of the wind,
I will wring your neck,
I will stitch your eyelids shut,
I will sew your shroud,
sadness, and bury your rodent bones
beneath the springtime of an apple tree.

Hail to the King

2011-10-01T19:44:00.000-05:00

I was never really a Stephen King fan until recently.

After reading his book/memoir on writing, I assume that's mostly because the only two books I read of his (when I was younger) were the very ones he indicated he was too blitzed out of his mind to even remember writing them.

That, and I can admit I used to be a bit of an English snob. King wasn't literature.

However, parts of that book on writing really resonated with me.

Parts where he was too burned out from teaching to write or how he struggled with being a writer -- aka looked at this life and knew there was supposed to be more.

That's how I feel all the time.

Right now, I am about 100 pages from finishing Salem's Lot, which is nearly a 500-pager.

I love that it's an old-school vampire story, but also that the third-person, limited POV really allows him to write about a lot that he couldn't have written about from a first-person POV.

I am really considering going with a similar format to Salem's Lot and The Things They Carried with the set-up of Demon in Me, the book I'm working on. Both books seem to read like a book of short stories with a third-person limited narrator/POV.

I'll post some teasers as the book is written and polished!

The Trouble with Poetry

2011-09-29T13:42:00.001-05:00

Recently, I went to see Billy Collins at Vanderbilt. I paid for two Saturday sessions that I really felt I got a lot out of and inspired me to write some new poems.

Until then, here are a few gems we talked about:

The Trouble with Poetry by Billy Collins
8 Count by Charles Bukowski

Vampified

Dick Doesn't Measure up to the Winchester Boys

True Blood, Babies & Battleships

Truebies Should Seek Bon Temps in Movie, Not Novel

For Dark Shadows, See Netflix

Kickstart Me Up

Demon in Me (Book One)A Fiction project in Nashville, TN by Melissa Tyndall

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

PLEDGE $10 OR MORE

PLEDGE $15 OR MORE

PLEDGE $25 OR MORE

True Blood Returns June 10

Plot Points

Nashville Twilight Convention Ticket Contest & BOGO Offer

Dear Cas, Who Art in Trenchcoat . . . Comes Back!

Mead's Vampy App & Twitter Chat

Has Sookie Jumped the Shark?

Meyer's "The Host" Casts Familiar Faces

Dean Quixote & Sam Panza: Supernatural's Metafiction & Self-Satire

5.15 Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

6.07 Family Matters

Repeat Offenders Part 2: Vampire TV Stars and Supernatural

Repeat Offenders: Vampire TV Stars and Supernatural

THE FICTION FERVOR PART 3: Cinder

Dear Diary: I'll Take Both Brothers

The Fiction Fervor Part 2: The Girl in the Steel Corset

Warning: A prequel is out called “The Strange Case of Finley Jane” about this main character. You may want to read that first.

The Fiction Fervor Part I: Delirium

Breaking Dawn Seizes Audiences, So Seize the Styles

'Tis the Season for Vamps

Celestial Mechanics, A Sonnet By Melissa Tyndall

Shining, Happy Vampires

The Definition Poem / Ode to a Common Thing

Hail to the King

The Trouble with Poetry

Demon in Me (Book One)
A Fiction project in Nashville, TN by Melissa Tyndall