Dan Brown Under Fire...

It appears that Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln, authors of the 1982 bestseller The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, are considering suing Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code, for breach of copyright of ideas and research. Supposedly the trio is “marshalling its forces” and that any action would take place in Britain. Ann Evans of Jonathan Clowes, their agent, was this week travelling and unavailable for comment, while a spokesman for Random House, which publishes Holy Blood in Arrow, would say only that they did not believe there are any proper grounds for complaint.

When Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln published their book in 1982, it was to equal measures of acclaim and controversy – for it posited that Jesus survived the Crucifixion and hot-footed it to France with Mary Magdalene, a prostitute, and there started a family. Not surprisingly, the book was banned in many Catholic countries, but attracted a legion of followers. Originally published by Tom Maschler at Cape and paperbacked by Corgi, it has never been out of print, and now sells around 20,000 copies a year in the UK, a figure boosted by the success of The Da Vinci Code.

In Brown’s hands, the Holy Grail is the hidden body of Mary Magdalene – and one of those searching for it is a crippled millionaire historian named Leigh Teabing. His Christian name is the surname of one of Holy Blood’s authors, while the strange surname is an anagram of another, Baigent. A cursory search of the web reveals scores of sites relating to both books, and to the issues they raise. A mini-industry has grown up around them, and the trickle of tourists who once checked out Holy Blood sites has turned into a flood with The Da Vinci Code.

Lewis Purdue, author of Da Vinci Legacy, is another writer reportedly preparing to sue. Charges of plagiarism and breach of copyright are notoriously hard to prove, but if Baigent and his co-authors – who have themselves now fallen out – do pursue a case through the courts, the action is likely to jeopardise Columbia’s planned film of The Da Vinci Code. Were they to succeed in the UK, the case would surely be pursued in the US, and perhaps elsewhere. Settlements would be costly, though perhaps Bertlesmann, which publishes both titles in both the UK and the US, would attempt to broker a peace.

The Autumnal Equinox is upon us...

Equal day and equal night, with a half moon to set the tone, as we move into the constellation of Libra...So many symbols converging in synchronicity it's almost ironic. In honour of this holy day let's take a look at the origins of its sanctity:

The tale of Mabon ap Modron, the Welsh God, (the "great son of the great mother"), also known as the Son of Light, is celebrated. The Equinox is also the birth of Mabon, from his mother Modron, the Guardian of the Outerworld, the Healer, the Protector, the Earth. Mabon was taken after he is a mere three nights old. Through the wisdom of the living animals -- the Stag, Blackbird, Owl, Eagle and Salmon -- Mabon is freed from his mysterious captivity. All the while Mabon had rested within his mother's womb; a place of nurturing and challenge. With strength and lessons gained within the magickal Outerworld (Modron's womb), Mabon is soon reborn as his mother's Champion, the Son of Light, wielding the strength and wisdom acquired during his captivity.
Also, the Equinox is the day of the year when the god of light, Lugh, is defeated by the god of darkness, Lugh's twin and alter-ego, Tanist. The night conquers day. The tales state that the Equinox is the only day which Lugh is vulnerable and the possibility of his defeat exists. Lugh stands on the balance (Autumn Equinox-Libra) with one foot on the goat (Winter Solstice-Capricorn) and the other on the cauldron (Summer Solstice-Cancer). He is betrayed by Blodeuwedd, the Virgin (Virgo) and transformed into an Eagle (Scorpio).
Two events occur rapidly with Lugh's defeat. Tanist, having beaten Lugh, now takes over Lugh's place both as King of our world and lover to the Goddess Tailltiu. Although Tanist now sits on Lugh's throne, his official induction does not take place for another six weeks at Samhain, the beginning of Winter, when he becomes the Dark King, the Winter Lord, the Lord of Misrule. He mates with Tailltiu, who conceives, and will give birth nine months later (at the Summer Solstice) to her son, another incarnation of Tanist himself, the Dark Child.
Lugh's sacrifice represents not only the sun's dying power, but also the cycle of rebirth, his energy remaining within the corn we have since harvested. A incarnate (of Lugh) corn spirit was thought to specifically reside within the last stalk (or stock), which was traditionally dressed in fine clothes and decorations, or woven into a wicker man-shaped form. This symbolic decoration was then harvested and carried from the field to be burned with rejoicing for the spirits release and Lugh's upcoming rebirth.

World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions

Way to go Annie! Annie Duke, the Dark Horse at the Tournament of Champions table, pulled off a stunning victory over Phil Hellmuth in the first annual event. Facing an impressive field featuring nine of the top players in the world Annie Duke went "all in" on several occasions just to stay alive. It was a well played tournament all around. Hats off to Annie. She proved that the "men's club" mentality of poker is a thing of the past. Somewhere Camille Paglia is smiling.

Four Years Ago Today...

Today marks the fourth anniversary of my marriage to the lovely and talented Miss Kimberly Moore. She is a wonder and I cherish her and thank the gods that helped to bring us together. We come from two very different worlds and yet we come together to form a perfect union. She is the perfect companion and I would be less without her. She is the mother of my lord and master and therefore my queen : )

Thank you Kim for being my wife.

The picture: The Warrior's Chapel within the walls of Edinburgh Castle in beloved Scotland. From our our visit there in March of 2001...

Movie Review: Exorcist IV The Beginning

This was a fantastic movie for one hour and twenty-seven minutes...unfortunately the movie played for twenty minutes longer. Stellan Skarsgard was wonderfully cast as Father Merrin and I was very impressed by his performance. This is an actor with chops. Too bad he was let down by the script and direction for the magnum opus.
Look, we all know the story of Father Merrin in Africa and his Exorcism of an eight year old boy...what we got here was the equivelent of Mel Gibson deciding to have Mary Magdalene crucified at the end of the Passion instead of Jesus.
Another example of the folly of Hollywood. A total disregard for the source material...This film was beautifully shot, with excellent acting performances, but crippled with poor CGI (those hyena were horrendous) and an unjustified and subpar final act...
Too bad for you Stellan...I look forward to seeing you as Hrothgar in Beowulf and Grendel where hopefully your considerable talents will not be wasted.

On a scale of 1-10 this film rates a 6, though with a better ending could have scored an 11.
Bastards.

Book Review: Astral Dynamics by Robert Bruce

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Bruce is a pioneer in the metaphysical field of Astral Projection and this book, while being a bit thick in regard to scientific theoretics, comes closest to making OBEs an applicable skill to the initiated. This is not a book for beginners. It is heady, wordy, and is a labyrinth of occult and metaphysical gymnastics. Using a blend of science and hermetics, Robert Bruce has developed a system that tears down the new age mumbo jumbo and shoots from the hip. If you have been a student of Astral Projection then run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore and order a copy of this groundbreaking work.
I would direct beginners to the writings of Dennings and Phillips (A Practical Guide to Astral Projection from Llewellen)...once you've got them down Bruce will be waiting.

Thoughts on the Deconstruction...

It is getting more and more difficult to make it as a writer, financially speaking. Contracts for new artists are minimalist at best. I think the entire print industry is taking a beating, to be honest. It may be that we are seeing the death knell of print as we have known it since Gutenberg reared his shaggy head and printed those damnable King James versions of the Holy Writ.

I'm not sure what to think of this new technology. E-Books just don't work for me. They seem so impersonal. I want something I can hold in my hand. Something I can put on the shelf. I must admit to being quite fond of books on a shelf. Sometimes I'll sit and just read the spines of the books in my den. I have a healthy collection, I might add, covering a wide range of genres and subjects...I write beacause I read I guess. I've learned from the masters and the not so masterful. Books are a passionate love affair that I have seen kindled since my earliest childhood memories allow. They are wonderful, from the smell to the texture of the page...

I hope that the printed word is not supplanted by the electronic age. It would be a bloody shame to see something so lovely be discarded in the name of progress...

My two cents, I guess.

Cheers.

While I'm at it...

Here's a look at the cover to Cairnwood Manor, illustrated by my brother Bret (see image below)

Shameless Self-Promotion

My novel, Cairnwood Manor, will be published by Black Death Books sometime in the late Spring of 2005. This is very exciting for me. Cairnwood was the first novel I ever finished and I feel it is a great starting place for my writing career outside of the comic industry. If you enjoy Dark Fantasy literature be sure to order Cairnwood Manor...

Also, Loose Cannons, the comic book series I write for Lion's Den Studios is currently on its third issue. If you have an interest in comics I encourage you to give this book a look. It is high octane action driven with a soap opera backdrop and heroes that you can wrap your head around. Not to mention it's fun.

A Poem...

Like a ghost is the fog in the twilight of evening,
Swirling around you like her dancing in dreams.
Like the stars in her eyes, lying still in haunted garden,
The dew clinging to you like a friend freshly fallen.

Like a whipping dance, our minuet,
Two figures become one...
Turning, burning, yearning, learning...
I have come undone...

Welcome...

I have decided to at last enter into the frightful realm of blog-dom. With luck, we might all learn something about ourselves through this experience. As a writer of both comics and horror genre novels I am somewhat accustomed to putting my words out there for others to be entertained by. This however is an all together different experience. So cheers, good readers and godspeed...this blog awaits.