Now that I’ve embarked upon the exciting stage of changing writing genres and entered the realms of Horror, Chick Lit and Young Adult the need arose to search for cover art. So as I was browsing the array of artists in the Deviant Art channels, I happened to come across an artist of astounding talent during one of my recon missions via Google.

Her name is Cris De Lara and her skill with a pencil is amazing. And she’s Canadian! Yay! Honestly, she makes me want to take up my own pencil and sketch pad and rekindle another outlet of my own creative arsenal.

I love Cris De Lara’s drawings so much, I thought I’d share with you 5 of my favorite pin up girls that she’s drawn. She would be the perfect artist to do an illustration for a short story I did that has a romantic edge with a genie in a bottle twist.

What do you think of this awesome artist’s work? Do you like it as much as I do?

ΩPhoto Credits

Hi TSD Readers! I wanted to give you a quick update on what’s in store for you in the coming months. As you know The Pooka is coming out later this year and I’m hoping my second Persimmon book will have a publication date near Christmas time though that may not happen until the new year. I’ll be taking part in NaNoWriMo 2011 and during those 30 days I plan to complete my foray into Young Adult territory and that project will have a publication date of late spring next year. Coincidentally I will be needing beta readers for my YA project in March 2012 and I will be updating you on that topic in the coming months.

However, the point of this post is to fill you in on my current project which is a short story for the 2011 Scriborium Anthology tentatively titled A Very Scary Christmas which is coming out this Christmas of course. My short story will be included with about 9 other stories from the other Scriborium members and I am so excited about it that I have to share the news with you. The theme of the collection of short stories is a Christmas story with a paranormal or horror twist. The name of my story is “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”.

Here’s the synopsis:

Elspeth Stone hasn’t been home since she left for college after high school at the age of seventeen. Her decision to leave wasn’t supported by her family and she went without their blessing.  The only person she kept in contact with after the falling out with her family is her younger sister Erin. Now, 13 years later, Erin is pleading with Elspeth to come home for Christmas. Despite her resistance to the idea, Elspeth relents only because she hasn’t met her 5 year old niece yet and if she doesn’t come home this Christmas she may never get the chance since the child is ill and may be dying. The thought of going back to her childhood home fills Elspeth with the old fear and dread. Memories of the terror she experienced there, the horrors that went bump in the night and the evil thing that lurked in the shadows waiting for her surfaced from the dark recesses of her mind. As her sense of foreboding mounts, she doesn’t  know if she’s going home to reconnect with her estranged family or to confront the demons of her past.

And that’s how it goes. I might even be persuaded to give you a sneak peek and share a short excerpt here in the weeks to come. It’s going to be an exciting couple months, that’s for sure, and I hope you’ll come along for the ride!

ΩPhoto Credit 1, Photo Credit 2

Check out this beautiful song by Neko Case. “I Wish I Was the Moon” also happened to be the title  episode 6 of True Blood. This is the episode where I fell for Bill again. It was this episode where I felt Bill truly redeemed himself and proved to me that no matter what he’s done, he really does truly love Sookie. That Sookie, she just has all kinds of supes falling inlove with her. And now that the season is over, do you think that Sookie made the right decision? Who would you have chosen? What would you have done if you were in her little faerie shoes?

I do believe that this song has become one of my new favorites. I feel a karaoke night coming on… Anywhoo, for you hard core Eric/Sookie lovers here’s a YouTube version here’s a link that’ll take you to their version of this song that was created by and avid Truebie. Gotta love it.

“I Wish I Was the Moon” Lyrics

Chimney falls and lovers blaze
Thought that I was young
Now I’ve freezing hands and bloodless veins
As numb as I’ve become

I’m so tired
I wish I was the moon tonight

Last night I dreamt I had forgotten my name
‘Cause I had sold my soul but awoke just the same
I’m so lonely
I wish I was the moon tonight

God blessed me, I’m a free man
With no place free to go
I’m paralyzed and collared-tight
No pills for what I fear

This is crazy
I wish I was the moon tonight

Chimney falls and lovers blaze
Thought that I was young
Now I’ve freezing hands & bloodless veins
As numb as I’ve become

I’m so tired,
I wish I was the moon tonight

How will you know if you found me at last
‘Cause I’ll be the one, be the one, be the one
With my heart in my lap
I’m so tired, I’m so tired
And I wish I was the moon tonight

I’m so tired, I’m so tired,
And I wish I was the moon
I’m so tired, I’m so tired,
And I wish I was the moon tonight

ΩPhoto Credit 1, Photo Credit 2, Photo Credit 3, Photo Credit 4

Our favorite Imp took home TV gold last night during the 2011 Emmys for his role as Tyrion Lannister on HBO’s Game of Thrones. The award was in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category and is Peter Dinklage’s first Emmy Award.

The diminutive actor certainly didn’t expect to win, and he was up against some talented competition, but Dinklage is certainly deserving of the golden statuette. His performance as the despised, cunning and witty third Lannister child and son of Tywin Lannister is brilliant and memorable and definitely one of my unexpected favorites on the show. Despite Dinklage’s size (he is only 4’5″) his character is larger than life and infused with tons of charm, confidence and joie de vive.

“I think everybody levitated when Peter Dinklage won supporting actor,” Martin told The Hollywood Reporter. “We were hoping for that but you never know how these things are going to come out. Tyrion has always been my favorite character in the series – though I love them all. Peter has embodied it so marvelously. It was an incredible win for Peter and the show.”

Game of Thrones is based on the bestselling fantasy series A Song of Fire and Ice written by George R.R. Martin. The series was adapted and developed for HBO by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. The popluar fantasy already had a remarkable fan base so it’s debut on April 17th, 2011 was highly anticipated and embraced by critics and fans alike. The first season finale was spellbinding and surpassed expectations bringing a spotlight to a strong cast and actors whose names were not well known before the series. Thankfully Game of Thrones has been picked up for a second season (2 days after it premiered BTW!) so we’ll get to see a lot more of Tyrion and the fantasy world he lives in.

Check out Peter Dinklage’s funny and sweet acceptance speech below!

ΩPhoto Credit 1, Photo Credit 2, Photo Credit 3

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The original Straw Dogs film was directed by Sam Peckinpah in 1971 and had distinctly controversial subject matter. The concepts of rape, murder and violence was not mainstream material to portray in graphic detail on film. If we judge the film by today’s standards, considering what we see on primetime cable, will this remake directed by Rod Lurie raise as many eyebrows and cause as much furor as it did in the ’70′s? Will it be any more or less controversial now in the year 2011? Are we more or less culturally sensitive now as opposed to 1971? Unless our views on morality and these disturbing issues have changed radically since 1971, I’m certain this remake will at the least garner intrinsically shocked reactions and leave open to question as to how much is too much to depict in film.

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Yet the buzz surrounding this film isn’t only because of the sinister subject matter or its dauntless director Rod Lurie. It’s due mainly to the casting of a Swedish actor whose star is on a meteoric rise. Alexander Skarsgard has gained the attention of fame due to his quasi villainous role as roguish Viking vampire Eric Northman on True Blood. Unlike his loveable, antihero vampire persona on the HBO hit which just concluded its 4th season, Skarsgard’s role as Charlie Venner in Straw Dogs is one that is unlikeable in the extreme. There is no mistaking the fact that Skarsgard is a true villain in the remake of the Peckinpah psychological thriller.

Though both the remake and the original film are based on the novel The Seige of Trencher’s Farm written by Gordon Williams, this new version of the film is different from the original.

The Straw Dogs story centers around L.A. screenwriter David Sumner and his wife Amy. They relocate to her hometown in the deep South and they come into contact with Amy’s ex, Charlie Venner and his crew. Tensions begin to rise between the locals and the Sumners, and the building conflict escalates into violence which threatens their lives.

Skarsgard’s character commits a heinous act that makes him a true villain of the meanest sort and it’s a role that we haven’t seen Skarsgard portray as of yet.

Charlie Venner is truly a detestable character and Skarsgard has promised that he tried to bring a three dimensional quality to David Sumner’s nemesis. Characters like Charlie Venner are risks and challenging to take on. An actor must be confident in his ability in order to go over to the dark side and explore the boundaries of their commitment to the craft of acting. And that was the appeal of the project for Skarsgard. It was a chance for him to better understand his own darker impulses.

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In an interview earlier this year in the L.A. Times, Skarsgard is asked about his role in the film:

“Look around,” he said, “people are always, big shiny white teeth, big smiles, everything’s fantastic. How sincere is that? Are people really genuinely that happy all the time or is there something in there that they’re trying to fight? I know I am. I think it’s really good to acknowledge that there is that inner battle. Of course that’s interesting exploring. It’s scary and it’s dangerous, but it opens up your soul.”

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No matter how much one enjoys Skarsgard in True Blood, his role in Straw Dogs is one that will elicit intense reactions of dislike from audiences, especially from the actor’s female fan base. It is a role that will push Skarsgard to the limit, though I have no doubt that his magnetic screen presence will make his portrayal of the Charlie Venner character unforgettable, no matter how detestable that character is.

Straw Dogs opens today.

FYI ~ the definition of straw dog is something that is made only to be destroyed.