Dinner for Wolves...

YOUR HELP NEEDED TO SAVE NORWAY'S WOLVES!
(exerpted from the Asatru Folk Assembly Newsletter, authored by Steve McNallen)

As many of you know, the wild wolf population of Norway is teetering on the edge of extermination. Due to recent overhunting, it is entirely possible that there are no wolves in Norway capable of reproduction - a sad state of affairs for the animal arguably most identified with Odin! I've said it before and I'll say it again: When we kill off the wildness around us, we kill off the wildness within our souls. That's good news for the world managers, for economic man, for the advocates of docility and a life defined by obedience, but for the rest of us it is not an option! Hence, we must stand with the wolves. The AFA's representative in Norway is Kimberley Remen. She is trying to convince Norwegian conservation organizations that the AFA would be a viable partner in any endeavor to save Norway's wolves from eradication. But to do that, she needs to know how many AFA supporters would be willing to help. If you would be willing to sign a petition, send a letter, make a donation, or otherwise take action on behalf of Norway's desperately endangered wolves, please send a short, concise email to afa@lanset.com.

As an aside, might I add that wolves closer to home could also use a helping hand. Please visit the Wolf Park website if you would be interested in making a donation to this awesome wolf reserve.

BREAK!

Ok, I'm plowing through Keepers of the Dead and I'm pleased as hell with the direction it's heading in. It actually has much more romantic elements while maintaining a frenzied, chaotic pace... odd combination, but one I think the audience will like, especially following "Somerset". I am totally pumped for its release, and with advance order ready to be taken in less than a week...well, I guess excited is an understatement.

In the mean time, here's a top ten list for you to chew on:

HORROR FLICKS

1- Angel Heart. It's got Mickey Roarke in his best performance, Robert DeNero as the Devil, and sacrificial chickens. What a great film. "I know who I am!" One of my favorite films of all time.
2- The Exorcist. Terrific direction. Stellar acting. Max Von Sydow is a master thesbian. Shocking. Disturbing. Thought provoking. This movie pushes buttons.
3- The Wicker Man. Slow, plodding direction does nothing to detour this film from its revelational ending. You couldn't find success in today's market with a film like this due to its structure... not enough booms and bangs for the ADD crowd, but for me, it was a marvel of cinematography and story development.
4- The Wolfman. Lon Chaney Jr was great as the accursed Larry Talbot. As a kid, the gypsy mythology and angst-ridden dialog really captured my imagination.
5- Alien. Wow, talk about edge of your seat. I'm still haunted by the screams in the audience when that critter sprang out of ol' boy's belly.
6- The Exorcist III. George C. Scott was one of the finest actors to ever grace the silver screen and his performance in this really brought it home for me. This movie also has THE creepiest scene ever in a horror film, ie nun with a head lopper...
7- The Thing. I am a huge Kurt Russell fan and this movie was one of the best remakes on record.
8- The House of Dark Shadows. Dan Curtis is the man. This movie, based on the soap, was everything a gothic romance should be.
9- The Nightstalker.Another gem from Dan Curtis. Mad love for this and for Carl Kolchack.
10- Full Moon. Supercops empowered by a werewolf serum. OK, it's a tad hockey, but a lot of fun too. I loved the premise and thought the acting was pretty good for a B+ movie.

Cairnwood Manor Update

Just heard from Black Death Books and they assured me that they'd be sending me out proofs on Tuesday and that by Thursday advanced orders can be taken... alright, the balls rolling... is there a reason my stomach is all tied up in knots?

Friday Potpourri

A lot of writing to get to today, so here are some things for you to mull over until a more cohesive blog can be spun on Saturday.

Orson Scott Card on Star Wars: http://www.beliefnet.com/story/167/story_16700_1.html

A blow against our constitutional rights? Wiccan divorcees ordered not to practice their faith with their child: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050527/NEWS01/505270510

The best blog on the web: http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/

Best idea for a blog...ever: http://infocult.typepad.com/dracula/

You be the judge

Well, the above covers, illustrated by Bret and myself, were rejected by Black Death. Below is the cover they designed and a variation of it will grace the first edition cover, due soon.

Will the Iraqi's give the Devil his due?

By Sammy Ketz - SHAIKHAN, Iraq

At a mountainside temple in the heart of Iraqi Kurdistan, pilgrims from the minority Yezidi community come to worship the peacock angel, also known as Lucifer.
As Iraq moves toward a new post-Saddam Hussein political order, the Yezidis, long regarded by Muslims as "devil-worshippers", are seizing on this key moment in history to enshrine their community's rights in a new constitution.
"Discrimination against the Yezidis must end, and our political and religious rights must be recognized in the constitution," said the faith's hereditary leader Mil (Prince) Hazem Tahsin Said.
Wearing a yellow shirt and shiny brown tie, this supposed prince of darkness greets visitors to his expensive villa in the countryside north of Mosul with a wide smile. Two Kurdish militiamen stand guard at the door.
"As Kurds and as Yezidis, we were doubly victimised by Saddam Hussein," says the 40-year-old chief, who doubles as tribal and religious leader to his people.
Yezidis follow a pre-Islamic religion, which some believe was founded in the 12th century by Sheikh Uday bin Masafel al-Amawi, although many scholars trace its origins to the Zoroastrian religion of ancient Persia.
Sheikh Uday was born in Damascus but died in the town of Lalish, just 12 kilometres (eight miles) from Shaikhan, where his tomb has become the Yezidis' holiest shrine.
The community is still largely based in the foothills north of Iraq's main northern city of Mosul and in the Sinjar mountains on the border with Syria.
But followers of the 100,000-strong faith can be found throughout the Kurdish disapora, in neighbouring Syria and Turkey as well as the former Soviet republics of the Caucasus.
The Yezidis do not believe in heaven or hell, and do not regard Satan as evil. In fact, they worship him.
"Please excuse me, but I cannot say this word (devil) out loud because it is sacred. It's the chief of angels," said Mil Hazem.
"We believe in Allah (God) and in (the chief of angels)," he explained.
Unlike Muslims, Yezidis can eat pork. On the other hand, they are prohibited from eating lettuce or from wearing the color blue.
Fierce guardians of their traditions, Yezidis do not permit outsiders to convert to their religion.
The faith has six distinct levels of initiation -- princes, sheikhs, senators, seers, ascetics and the community of the faithful, which comprises about 70 percent of the Yezidi population.
Marriage across classes is forbidden.
Now, Yezidis count three members of the Iraqi parliament, all of them elected as part of the Kurdish alliance which came second in landmark elections in January, as well as two members of the Kurdish regional parliament in Arbil.
The community's lot had already improved since the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf war, when Kurdish rebels established an autonomous administration in three northern provinces, including the Yezidi centres of Lalish and Shaikhan.
But according to the head of security at the Lalish temple, Yezidis don't want to risk being oppressed again.
"Our religion is taught in schools and since 1991, we have retaken villages we were forced out of during Saddam Hussein's Arabisation campaign," said Derman Racho, 52.
"Now we want the constitution to guarantee that we can be Iraqis and Yezidis."
Racho guards the Lalish temple, where two sculpted peacocks representing the "chief of angels" stand watch over the entrance.
Worshippers remove their shoes and proceed inside, where seven pieces of vividly colored fabric are affixed to pillars, representing seven angels.
In the heart of the main chamber, men, women and children offer prayers while knotting and unknotting strips of material that cover the tomb of their founding father, Sheikh Uday.
In the courtyard, two men and two women dressed in white, who have taken an oath of celibacy, light 366 oil lamps.
"So that we don't forget the souls of our saints and prophets," explained their superior, Pil Charo, 32.
Most Yezidis speak Kurmanji, the most widely spoken dialect of Kurdish, but not all Sunni Muslim Kurds accept the Yezidis as part of their own ethnic group.
Asked about the Yezidis, several Sunni Kurds said they would not share a meal with a Yezidi because they considered the community "unclean".
"Our parents told us that we could go to eat at the house of a Christian or a Jew, but not with them," said one Kurd.

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

The circle is now complete.

Alright, I was there for Episode III at 12:04 am, Thursday morning. In spite of having to teach a Photoshop class at 8 am, I braved the theatre and braced myself for the completion of the saga that had influenced me more than any other piece of pop culture. It was to be the end of an era. Of course I had already been jaded by what I considered inferior installments ever since the Ewok-driven Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. My anticipation for each itteration however refused to be deminished. I will not discuss what I did not like about Lucas' latest effort, instead I will try to remain positive and state the one thing that I felt did work~ Ewan MacGregor was fantastic as the Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi. He has tremendous acting chops and the physicality he brought to the light sabre scenes was thrilling and magnificent.

I'm glad I saw the film. I look forward to seeing it again. But...it failed overall, just as each film since the Empire Strikes Back has failed. But that's alright. It was still one hell of a ride.

Picture Day

Connor Landon Freeman, age 19 months

Knocking the rust off

Jumped back into writing Cairnwood Manor: Keepers of the Dead (the sequel to Shadows over Somerset) after a two week layoff. I say layoff, but I wrote three short stories and was knee deep in creating the covers for SoS. Anyway, the muse is still strong and I'm 10,000 words in and still on the first chapter. Should be able to close that out today.

Finished the firepit at Stately Freeman Manor last night and planted three new trees then settled down for some American Idol. My lovely and talented wife Kim has to work tonight, so it'll just be me and the kids and Lost, followed by the 12:04 showing of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith...more on that tomorrow.

Ghost Hunting in Brown County

Cassie Moore being menaced by a spectral entity? You be the judge.

Did the Vikings drive natives from the isles?

by STEPHEN STEWART
May 17 2005

VIKING settlers may have "ethnically cleansed" Scotland's islands, waging a genocidal campaign against native Pictish tribes as they arrived, according to evidence uncovered by archaeologists.

Excavations on Orkney could finally settle a centuries-old historical debate over whether the Norsemen integrated with indigenous locals or slaughtered them at the dawn of the last millennium. Work at Langskaill farm, in Westray, shows signs of a Pictish culture vanish abruptly with the arrival of the Scandinavians, underlining the theory that the Northern Isles were taken violently. The dig uncovered remains dating from the early Iron Age through to the fourteenth century, with the pre-Norse evidence disappearing suddenly as the settlers arrived in larger numbers. A Viking-Norse longhouse was unearthed, which was built directly over an earlier earth house and part of a Pictish house, probably indicating a takeover of the site and adjoining lands. Olwyn Owen, a senior inspector of ancient monuments with Historic Scotland, which was one of the excavation's sponsors, said: "This site shows a very clear change of material culture but it doesn't show what actually happened to the Picts. That is very difficult to prove."

In recent years, the image of the Vikings has been transformed from bloodthirsty pagan savages to that of sophisticated merchants with exceptional navigational and engineering skills. The finds on Orkney, however, are expected to reopen the entire debate. Brian Smith, an archivist at Shetland Islands Council, said the new evidence was a further hint of some sort of displacement of the native population. He said: "(Langskaill) lends a local dimension to the idea that there was strife. " All that the archaeologists (in favour of the integration theory) have to argue is the fact that some Pictish detritus has been found in Norse archaeological levels, and that there is a stone in Bressay in Shetland that some think contains Norse and Celtic words. "In the first case, co-existence is of course not the only explanation. In the second, doubt has been expressed by the experts about the alleged linguistic material on the Bressay stone, and there is no way of getting a precise date for it."

Ms Owen said archaeology may be unable to provide a complete picture of the process of Viking settlement. She said: "There is a danger that the argument becomes too simplistic with one group arguing the Vikings slaughtered in order to take the island over and the other maintaining they started living peacefully. It may not be that simple."

The finds inside the earth house related to the two main periods of use. The Iron Age remains comprised mainly of soil deposits, but there were also a number of pieces of whale bone and stone tools.The later Viking-Norse period deposits included midden, made up of shells, fishbones, fragments of soapstone vessels and human coprolites or fossilised excrement.

11 more years and counting

Fifty is the perfect age to write a novel, a study of the best-selling authors of the past 50 years has shown.
The average age of writers who topped the hardback fiction section of the New York Times Bestseller List from 1955-2004 was 50.5 years.
"We wanted to discover the optimum age to write a best-seller," said Bob Young of Lulu, a website for writers and independent publishers.
"Unlike scientists or musicians, say, writers tend to mature with age."
Romantic novelist Judith Krantz and writer Joe Klein, who published political comedy Primary Colors anonymously, are among the novelists who topped the best-seller list in their 50th year.
Of the 350 authors who saw their novels reach the number one spot over the past 50 years, Francoise Sagan was the youngest with Bonjour Tristesse, published at the age of 19 in 1955.
By comparison, Agatha Christie was the oldest author to top the list, with her novel Sleeping Murder, published shortly after her death at the age of 85.
The authors who most frequently topped the list were horror writer Stephen King who has topped the list 27 times, and Danielle Steel who has amassed 26 number ones.
Nonetheless, authors like JK Rowling and Da Vinci Code writer Dan Brown, who both achieved global fame in their thirties, appear to be bucking the trend.

Story from BBCNEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/4540705.stm
Published: 2005/05/12 13:59:05 GMT© BBC MMV

May the Force be with you...always.

I'm really dating myself here but I remember when the first "Star Wars" movie came out. It was the first movie I ever became obsessed about. I saw it a dozen times in the theater -- The Gods only know how many times I've seen it on video. Before the movie came out there was considerable buzz -- I remember seeing the trailer on the tv months before the actual release, and then the heavy promotion in those Scholastic weekly readers we used to get in elementary school...and I knew I had to see it the first night. The dogfighting scenes around the Death Star and the laser sword duels, and that guy in black armor... it was unlike anything in SF I'd ever seen and yet had longed for since before I could remember.

The first night it landed in theaters near my hometown I was dropped off by my mother about two hours before showtime. I being 10 at the time, this was my first solo trip to a movie and there was already a long line. I'm sure momma was nervous about dropping off her baby boy, but this only heightened my anticipation. I was about the 1ooth person in line, I'm sure, ad the wait was excrusiating. I was astounded to learn that I was the second to last person allowed in for the showing. There were dozens of people in line behind me that were sent away. I rushed in to find a seat, catching one in the front row but at the far right. And I had to sit next to some smelly old grandma-like lady. Every single seat was filled...there were even people standing and sitting in the aisles. I'd never experienced anything like this.

From the opening sequence I was hooked. The Star Destroyer firing laser bolts at Princess Leia's fleeing Rebel Blockade Runner ship -- wow! The shear magnitutude of what was transpiring on the screen was awe inspiring. I became totally immersed in the movie and its mythology. The Jedi Knights. The Force. The Empire and the Rebellion. When the movie ended, people actually stood and clapped, just as they had cheered and oohed and ahhed throughout the feature. I had never seen this before and haven't since. Star Wars touched a nerve in the collective psyche of the entire world. At least, for sure, it touched a nerve in me. It was a religious experience and has colored my world view ever since.

I bought the novelization, the comics, the toys... I was all things Star Wars, and though I don't buy the merchandise anymore, I still thrill at the thought of the majesty of it all. Empire, for me, was even better than the original, building on the myth and constructing a dark image of the universe that as a thirteen year old I was already starting to embrace. Return of the Jedi left me cold however (damn Ewoks!), though there were some fine moments (Slave Girl Leia anyone?)... in my mind, you see, I turn the Ewoks into originally proposed Wookies and all becomes right with the world once more (OK, not really... by the Gods but ROTJ pissed me off).

Menace and Clones have come nowhere near the magic of the first two films and now I stand at the threshold of midnight madness and the Revenge of the Sith. My inner fanboy is all aflutter despite the disappointments of the previous three films. Can ROTS unsuck the suckiness of the previous prequels? I don't know... I honestly don't know... but I can hope and I can dream... and no matter how hard he tries, George Lucas can never take away what he gave me as a ten year old boy.

Star Wars is Dead! Long Live Star Wars!

The Cairnwood.Net Superstore!!!

Ok, it may be premature but I set up a cafepress store to help promote the first book in the Cairnwood Manor series. They have some really cool stuff, so please check it out. All prices are at the bare minimum allowed by the site. I'm not making a dime off of any of the items. And guess what... I don't care. If you're a fan of the book enough to want to buy merchandise related to the series then I've already been paid in Aces!

My Boy...

Connor Landon Freeman was born on Leif Eriksson Day 2003. At slightly more than 18 months, he's three feet tall, with dark blonde curly hair and big blue eyes...and a cherub's face, part devil / part angel to be sure. He's talking, dancing, and smacking his belly like a champ. He is my pride and joy, without a doubt.

So why am I bringing this up here?

Last night we had a wave of heavy thunderstorms roll through our tiny little corner of the world. And Connor loved it, just like his Dad. We played outside while nature raged, dancing in rain puddles and oohing and aahing over the lightning and thunder show like it was our own personal fourth of July. I explained to him how the sound of thunder was the sound of Thor striking Giants with his hammer... the little guy then, on the next cacophonous roar from the clouds, threw his hands into the air and yelled "Thor!" Well, it sounded more like 'dor' but I caught the meaning... I laughed and said, "that's my boy"...

Yep, that's my boy.

We had a great time, which ended with us going inside, toweling off and changing into night clothes. He ate a banana, then settled for a bottle and went to sleep in my arms while we watched the Pacers beat the Pistons... a perfect night spent with a perfect boy. Isn't love grand?

Norwegian wolves in dire straits

NORWEGIAN WOLF SITUATION

Here's Kimberley's latest update on the crisis with the highly endangered Norwegian wolves:

"The latest I've found about the wolf situation is not good. The hunt has had the result we expected. The latest report from the Scandinavian wolf Project, Scandulv, claims that only the `Julussa' pack now has a breeding couple fit to breed this Spring. Scandulv's research suggests that there are no free-roaming wolf pairs that are capable of breeding either."

"The other pack, Gråfjell, not initially targeted for the hunt (but which the alpha female was `mistakenly' killed during the hunt), still exists but it is believed there are no other females able to produce pups. At least the pack hasn't dispersed as I had feared. Petter Wabakken (the researcher I have been trying to get a hold of, but not gotten a response from as yet) said in Aftenposten that he expects the Julussa pack to breed this year, `but we can never be certain. We may have a year with nobreeding."

I will be consulting with Kimberley in the next few days to see what action we can take that might affect things.

~Steve McNallen, AFA Bearclaw Newsletter

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Monday Potpourri

Sunday was an eventful day:

Rising early, I learned that my short story, Unfettered, will be published in the June issue of Wicked Karnival magazine. It's a story I'm quite fond of given the limitations presented by the submission guidelines. I think it will be enjoyed by all, but Cairnwood fans should take note that it does take place within its world and should be considered canon.

After dutifully taking care of correspondence I treked to Wal-Mart and purchased an autumn sunset maple as a gift for Connor to give my Wife and a lilac bush for Connor and I to give my Mother. This was followed by a delicious lunch with my nuclear family...

In the early afternoon I attended the viewing for Laura Gentry and offered condolences to her loved ones. A lot of sad faces, but the funeral home did a wonderful job in presenting the Gentry matriarch and in catering to her family's needs. They should be commended.

Late afternoon found me planting Kim's Mother's Day gift and time well spent playing in the yard with the whole brood. Of particular fun was my time spent with the waterhose!!! Sorry Cassie :)

The evening was spent watching Charmed and Desperate Housewives, then tucking Connor and Kim into bed...then it was off to the Lion's Den where we went over the pages Bret has been coloring for Sangrael...

I should have some Cairnwood Manor news in the next couple of days...Stay tuned.

In Memorium

Tears seem to me an inappropriate response to a loved one's death.

When a life has been lived to its fullest, and so much love has been spread by their life, then is not the most correct response to the perfect punctuation mark of death a knowing smile?

Death is not the end, but another fork in the road in the journey of the divine spirit within us all.

Godspeed Laura Gentry.

You will be missed.

~Bob Freeman 5/6/5

The Summerland calls her home...

R.I.P. Laura Gentry (1911-2005)

She will be missed by all who knew her.

Good Intentions

Received word today from Laurell's husband Jon, thanking me for my efforts to contact them concerning her grandmother's illness and to disregard the ugliness that rose up on her fan board over the issue.

Consider it done.

A lot of mud has been flung at the LKH MB and some of it struck me. Oh well, life goes on. I received far more support than I received vitriol and for that I'm flattered. I have always been a stand up guy and its nice that my honesty and integrity has been seen as that by many who post on the same message boards that I do. I've learned a lot about how to deal with fans and the online community based on my hanging out at the LKH MB, and I hope to put those lessons to good use as people begin to read my own work. You owe the people who purchase your books a bit of your time and respect. Making yourself available to them, even in a limited fashion goes a long way.

Laurell is a talented writer and I would highly recommend the first nine books in the Anita Blake series...

Do some of her fans have legitimate gripes concerning the later books in the series? Yes. They are not for everyone. And if you find they're not for you, move along. Find something else. It's really that simple. If you don't like the direction the books are headed in, no one is forcing you to read them. Vote with your wallet. The important thing to remember is that Anita is Laurell's baby...it's her sandbox and she can play in it anyway she likes.

Do the books need better editing? Certainly, but I've noticed the same problems in a lot of literature in the last decade and it is steadily getting worse. I think there are a number of contributing factors, not the least of which is corporate pressure and insane deadlines. You have to keep the beast fed...

All that being said, this fiasco has been a harsh lesson in communication and online edicate... I've learned a lot over the course of the past six days.

Sometimes you just can't win...

Well, in my attempt to perform a good deed on behalf of my good friend Doug, it seems I have stirred up the proverbial hornet's nest on the Laurell K. Hamilton Message Board.

For the record, on Friday Doug informed me that his grandmother was ill and did not have long to live. I asked him how Laurell was taking it and he told me that he had tried emailing her but she hadn't responded and Laurell had never given him her number. I offered to try and get word to her through her message board and emailed Jon, Darla, and Bette and posted on the Ask Laurell thread that the mods should have Laurell call home because her granny was ill. End of story? Not quite.

Laurell posted this on her blog site. Oh what a tangled web...

Anyway, all I was shooting for was to get word to someone that I admired as a kid on behalf of one of the best friends a guy could ask for. I sure hope all this comes out in the wash. I certainly meant no ill toward Laurell and was just trying to help out.

A real shame it had to blow up the way it did.

A real shame.