DEATH BECOMES HER

Or, you learn a lot of things from BBC's Japanorama (courtesy again of my comrade in kawasakan Gani). Photographer Izima Kaoru asks the model one thing before he conceptualizes/takes the shot: "How would you like to die?"

IZIMA KAORU -- In a poetic yet disturbing and seductive way, Japanese photographer Izima Kaoru creates scenes of sophisticated violence and enchanting horror. More here.

Here are some of the stunning results.

So, how about it then?

EVIL, IT'S A GROWTH INDUSTRY

Just ask Dilbert . Click to enlarge, baybeh

WARLORD COUNTRY

Despite having lost count of the friends and journo comrades who have given their lives in the field (many of them in Mindanao) I am glad that, aside from my lack of surprise, I can still grieve for those who fall anew to the enemies of truth.

One day we who report will pick up arms and enact the revenge that signals our own brand of justice. One day the truth will strike and hurt you back, motherfuckers.

Politicians of the Bangsamoro heartland, GMA, et al, cover your faces in shame. People should not die like this. Get briefed at CNN.com.

FREAKSHOW CIRCA 1995

Found this old clip of White Zombie bringing down the house at 1995's MTV Video Music Awards night. Ah, Sean Yseult. Zombification, must be exquisite with you, mon amour.

THE ART OF OM NOM NOM

Because it's Sesame Street's 40th anniv (and because I get nostalgic about my Batibot days) I just had to post this for the delectation of all Cookie Monster lovers.

The awesomeness that is CK shows you why the band I play for is named after this puppet. Plus, that hot Brit chick is in total groupie behavior mode : D

Tama na muna ang horror shit: Happy Birthday muna to Sesame Street!

SMOKE IT IF YA GOT IT

I met Atty. Pao Chikiamco last night at an unusual resto/drinking dive that suddenly morphed right before our eyes into an Embassy-type DJ/dance club. Horrible house/jungle music played by an amateur jockey, egad. There's a reason your turntables have an EQ, dude.

Anyway, Pao also runs the genre fiction site Rocketkapre and he's got his first on-line antho up and running for your perusal. It's called Usok. Check it out here.

Gotta love that cover art.

REVIEW OF DAMAGED PEOPLE

The specfic geeks I had drinks with lats night pointed out that Charles Tan (dubbed as the international face of local speculative fiction) did a review of my book Damaged People last October.

Check out the whole thing here. : D

Here's a preview:

Book/Magazine Review: Damaged People: Tales of the Gothic-Punk by Karl R. De Mesa

Every Monday, I'll be doing bite-sized book/magazine reviews.

What got me interested in Karl R. De Mesa's fiction was the praise our editor-in-chief at work gave with regards to his upcoming novella collection, News of the Shaman. Damaged People: Tales of the Gothic-Punk is a a slim (under a hundred pages), four-year-old short story collection. My first impression is that the book is an example of an amateur author's mistake with regards to collections: instead of waiting until the writer has developed a series of strong short stories, this is instead a compilation of the author's recent work (at that time).

THIS IS THE NEW SHIT

New, customized site design thanks to Xyxo Loco of Absurd Republic. What do you think?

DEMONOLOGY 101 aka A CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Go to hell with us with the upcoming on-line anthology from Estranghero Press: Demons of the New Year. My partner in crime (and publisher head honcho) Joey Nacino has written an excellent call for submissions am re-posting verbatim below.

So scribble down your brush with Beelzebub, Azazel or Lilith or any of your own grotesque personal demons and hand it over. The infernal marches call you, friend.



CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS -- Demons of the New Year
“Demons of the New Year: Horror from the Philippines, edited by Joseph Nacino & Karl de Mesa” will be published electronically to make this collection of stories available to a wider international audience. Through this anthology we will be able to show the world that the Filipino writer can create worlds with the best of them.

This collection of stories will be an anthology about demons-- but don't let that stop you from coming up with a really good idea about what constitutes your 'Demons of the New Year.' Like I said in an earlier post, don't let a particular idea stop you from writing a good story.

Submission Guidelines:

1. As works of the imagination and speculative fiction, the theme is the title: 'Demons of the New Year'. Works of horror will be preferred.

2. Stories must cater to an adult sensibility. However, if you have a Young Adult story that is particularly well-written, send it in.

3. Stories must be written in English.

4. Stories must be authored by Filipinos or those of Philippine ancestry.

5. We will accept only original unpublished stories.

6. First time authors are welcome to submit. Good stories trump literary credentials anytime.

7. No multiple submissions. Each author may submit only one story for consideration.

8. Each story's word count must be no more than 7,500 words.

9. All submissions must be in Rich Text Format (.rtf – save the document as .rft on your word processor) and attached to an email to this address: estranghero@gmail.com. Submissions received in any other format will be deleted unread.

10. The subject of your email must read: DNY Submission: (title) (word count); where (title) is replaced by the title of your short story, without the parentheses, and (word count) is the word count of your story, without the parentheses. For example – DNY Submission: The Fields of Marikina 4500.

11. All submissions must be accompanied by a cover letter that includes your name, brief bio, contact information, previous publications (if any).

12. Deadline for submissions is January 15, 2010. After that date, final choices will be made and letters of acceptance or regret sent out via email.

13.This anthology will be made available online. Target publishing date is January 30, 2010.

14. Compensation is Php500 for every accepted story.

Kindly help spread the word. Feel free to cut and paste or link to this on your blogs or e-groups – and send your story in.

I'd like to reiterate that it's up to you define the story's 'demons' but I'd rather keep it vague so that you can have a free field. But make it scary, okay?

Thanks,
banzai cat
http://estranghero.blogspot.com/