Department of Justice

THE TALISMAN Demo

2008-07-17T09:25:00.006-04:00

For years, various filmmakers/producers have tried to film The Talisman, based on the novel by Stephen King and Peter Straub. So far the book has defied adaptation. Now a fan of the novel has produced his own demo scene from The Talisman. The odds are hugely against this guy getting a shot at actually making the film (or mini-series) but it's always good to see what one person with a true passion for a project can accomplish.

Far From Shore

2008-07-12T20:11:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we spent several hours on a very large boat on a medium-sized lake.

The weather was storybook perfect, the food was mouth watering, and the sheer notion that we were separated from the rest of the world lent the afternoon a magical quality, as though we had somehow passed through a portal to a past where life’s pace was slower and, most importantly, cell phones didn’t exist.

The best part of the day was the companionship of friends, one of whom we hadn’t had a chance to spend time with in years. I laughed so hard my stomach feels like I did 500 sit-ups. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like I did 500 sit-ups. But, as Peter David says, I digress.

It was nice to live in the moment, even for just a few hours. That’s something I need to do more often.

Along with sit-ups.

Men, Do You Feel Fresh As A Summer's Eve Down There?

2008-07-12T19:48:00.001-04:00

Then you may need this.

Tip the Blogger

2008-07-10T15:36:00.004-04:00

Entries here are sparse, even when I'm not on vacation.

Perhaps I'd be more motivated if I demanded payment for blogging, like Tony Isabella.

On the other hand, I'd hate to financially inconvenience the two readers of this space. Besides, Mom needs that Social Security money for groceries.

Happy Anniversary, Babeeee!

2008-07-02T18:12:00.008-04:00

Norma and I were married 26 years ago. And they said it wouldn't last.

No, really, several pinheads I hung out with at the time said, "Man, it'll never last."

It's been a low-key day. We went out for breakfast, did some shopping, then came home to hang out with the cats and watch a movie.

I'm on vacation, and so far I've slept and tried to catch up on the movies I've missed. At the moment Gone Baby Gone leads the pack (so much so that after renting it, I bought a copy), with Juno a close second and No Country For Old Men solidly in third place (and for those who are bound to ask, Walk Hard and 10,000 B.C. round out the top 5).

I also picked up Robert B. Parker's new western, Resolution. It's a quick, satisfying read. Think Spenser in the old west, with no shrinks.

I've also got the new Robert Crais and new James Lee Burke on order. When you can read new releases from three of your favorite writers, that's a good vacation.

Tomorrow, back to the writing.

Nobody Puts Baby In A Corner, Benny Lava!

2008-07-01T09:44:00.000-04:00

Pod of Horror #45: Laymon, Swierczynski, D'Auria

2008-06-30T07:32:00.004-04:00

Is the horror bubble about to collapse? Find out on PoH #45 from the man in the know, Lesiure’s Don D’Auria (hint: we won’t be changing our name to Pod of Horticulture). Also, Richard Laymon’s early novel, THE WOODS ARE DARK, has been restored by his daughter Kelly, and she tells us about it. We talk to crime writer Duane Swierczynski about SEVERANCE PACKAGE and Marvel Comics. Nanci has the news in The Call of Kalanta. The Tomb of Trivia is loaded with free books. And we introduce the new PoH book reviewer. Pod of Horror is hosted and produced by Mark Justice.

Download it at I-Tunes or direct to your desktop.

Get Pod of Horror merchandise.

Visit our MySpace page.

Be sure to drop by the Justice & Wilbanks message board.

Mark’s MySpace page.

The Ears Have It

2008-06-15T11:28:00.000-04:00

You want to know which post on this blog gets the most hits? My witty radio anecdotes? Writing updates? Photos of my beautiful hairless scalp?

Nope. It's this one.

It's An Honor To Just be Nominated. Really.

2008-06-09T14:17:00.004-04:00

Dead Earth: The Green Dawn has been nominated for a British Fantasy Society Award in the novella category. Here are all the novella nominees:

Deadbeat: The Dogs of Waugh, Guy Adams, Humdrumming
Starship Summer, Eric Brown, PS Publishing
The Mermaids, Robert Edric, PS Publishing
The Lees of Laughter’s End, Steven Erickson, PS Publishing
The City Beyond Play, Philip Jose Farmer and Danny Adams, PS Publishing
The Helper and his Hero, Matthew Hughes, F&SF, Feb-March 2007
The Crystal Cosmos, Rhys Hughes, PS Publishing
Dead Earth: The Green Dawn, Mark Justice and David T Wilbanks, PS Publishing
The Lazarus Condition, Paul Kane, The Lazarus Condition, Tasmaniac Publications
Dalton Quayle Rides Out, Paul Kane, Dalton Quayle Rides Out, Pendragon Press
After The War (Double Novella), Tim Lebbon, Subterranean Press
The Master Miller’s Tale, Ian MacLeod, F&SF, May 2007
Under My Roof, Nick Mamatas, Soft Skull Press
Time Hunter 11: Child Of Time, George Mann and David J Howe, Telos Publishing
All Your Gods Are Dead, Gary McMahon, Humdrumming
Hereafter and After, Richard Parks, PS Publishing
The Palace, Barbara Roden, At Ease with the Dead, Ash-Tress Press
Strawberry Man, Eric Shapiro, Insidious Publications
Stars Seen Through Stone, Lucius Shepard, F&SF, July 2007 & Dagger Key & Other Stories
Dead Money, Lucius Shepard, Asimov’s, April 2007 & Dagger Key & Other Stories
Black Tide, Del Stone Jr, Telos Publishing
Rain, Conrad Williams, Gray Friar Press
The Scalding Rooms, Conrad Williams, PS Publishing
Twelve Collections and the Teashop, Zoran Zivkovic, PS Publishing

The awards will be handed out in September at Fantasycon in Nottingham.

Here's a link to all the nominees in every category.

UPDATE:
New Writings in the Fantastic, the anthology I didn't know I was in (see post below), has been nominated in the Anthology category.

The Forgotten Story

2008-06-08T08:26:00.003-04:00

In 2003 I wrote a quiet horror story called “Martin’s Walk” about an old man who loses his wife, then tries to hold on to part of her by continuing the long hikes they used to take in the woods behind their home.

It was rejected a few times for being too sentimental or for an ending that was hopeful. I couldn’t argue with either of those assessments. Despite my best efforts, a certain percentage of my horror output seems to offer up the possibility that there may be something in life worth celebrating or that the universe occasionally doesn’t loathe us.. That’s probably a big reason I haven’t been more successful.

Finally in late 2004/early 2005, the story sold to a magazine called Strange Pleasures. After a year or so it had not appeared in print, and I contacted the editor, who told me – well, honestly, I can’t remember what he told me. The publisher was having money problems or the magazine was switching publishers. But he assured me the story would appear.

I moved on, and ultimately forgot about “Martin’s Walk”.

Until a few days ago.

I received in the mail a book called New Writings in the Fantastic, edited by John Grant. I assumed this was a book someone wanted me to review for Pod of Horror. But, folded up inside, was a letter from the editor who had accepted “Martin’s Walk” for Strange Pleasures, the real guy behind the John Grant pseudonym (or, as an old friend on mine calls it, “pseudo-name”, which I kind of like).

The letter apologized for the delay in getting the book from The United Kingdom to Kentucky. Apparently it was published in 2007. Sure enough, “Martin’s Walk” was included in the book. How it went from a magazine to anthology I can’t really say. I’m also not very happy with the lack of communication regarding the story’s eventual publication. But I read “Martin’s Walk” again and I liked it.

It has its rough patches. I would loved to have had the opportunity to polish it up and cut about 700 words from it. Still, it came from the heart, and the characters still feel as alive to me as they did when I wrote it. It remains one of my wife’s favorites among my stories.

If I ever have another collection of my short fiction I’ll probably give the story a wash and wax before including it. For now, I’m fairly happy with it, even if I didn’t know it had been published.

Bill and Me, Part Two

2008-06-07T16:57:00.001-04:00

Seeing Hillary suspend her campaign today and eloquently endorse Obama reminded me that I never got around to telling you about talking to Bill Clinton.

Clinton’s people set up a telephone interview for the day of the Kentucky Primary, less than a week after I almost-but-not-really met the former president.

The staffer told me I had five minutes on the air with Bill, and she would call my cell to let me know when time was up. But as soon as Clinton began to speak the schedule went out the window.

Clinton was charming, funny, persuasive. Everything you would expect. And did I mention long-winded?

His answer to my first question took six minutes. Right after the second question, my cell phone rang. Time was up.

Before he paused long enough for me to cut in another six minutes passed.

When he took a breath, I said, “Mr. President, I know your time with us is over. I want to thank you for coming on the show.”

“Wait!” he said. “I haven’t told you why Hillary is the candidate for Kentucky.”

And he told me for four more minutes. My five minute interview went almost fifteen.

It was probably the biggest “get” of my career, and I would have been excited had it been Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush or the current occupant of the White House.

Which brings me back to this afternoon, and Hillary’s speech. While watching it I was struck with a feeling – and I think I can be objective enough to say that this feeling was non-partisan and non-political, for that matter.

Here was a woman who had garnered roughly half the votes and delegates in her party, and she was endorsing a black man who stands a very good chance of being elected to the highest office in the land.

That feeling I had was pride in our people and our country.

Yeah, it will pass and I will soon be back to my good ol’ cynical self.

But for now it’s nice.

Spirituality

2008-06-07T16:07:00.004-04:00

Ran across a quote today that I liked:

"Religion is for those who are afraid of going to hell. Spirituality is for those who have already been there."

Sounds about right.

Secret Agent X Returns

2008-06-07T04:25:00.004-04:00

Pulpmaster General Ron Fortier’s Airship 27 Productions has reprinted the first volume of Secret Agent X, which includes a long story from me. Folks, this is pure pulp fun at it’s finest. Good guys, bad guys and non-stop action. Here’s the official press release. There’s a link for ordering at the end.

Airship 27 Productions and Cornerstone Book Publishers are happy to announce the reprinting of SECRET AGENT X – Volume One. The greatest pulp spy of them all, the Man of a Thousand Faces, is featured in this thrilling collection by four modern day masters of action adventure writing. “We’re very excited about having the book available again,” said Airship 27 Prod. Editor, Ron Fortier, who was responsible for creating this series of all “new” pulp stories featuring classic heroes from the 1930s.

This new, re-edited edition contains three of the original tales; The Skeleton Men of Calcuatta by Kevin Noel Olson, Cult of the Walking Dead by Mark Justice and The Cold Touch of Death by Brian Meredith.

This new edition also features a brand new Agent X thriller, The Icarus Terror by Andrew Salmon. “Our plan for these reprint editions was to enhance them with new features,” Fortier explained. Artist Rob Davis’ cover has also been beautifully modified with digital colors by Shane Evans.

A popular pulp hero, Secret Agent X, remains one of the most remembered features from the golden age of the pulps. A reprint edition of Volume Two is in the works and later this year Airship 27 Prod. will begin production on an all new Volume Three.

SECRET AGENT X: VOLUME ONE

Edited by Ron Fortier

“Secret Agent “X” and the Skeleton-Men of Calcutta” by Kevin Noel Olson

“Secret Agent “X” and The Cult of the Walking Dead” by Mark Justice

“Secret Agent “X” and The Cold Touch of Death” by Brian Meredith

“Secret Agent “X” and The Icarus Terror” by Andrew Salmon

Cover and original artwork by Rob Davis

Cover computer colors by Shane Evans

Production and design by Anthony Schiavino, update by Rob Davis

ISBN: 1-934935-16-6

Produced by Airship 27

Published by Cornerstone Book Publishers

Release date: 6/05/2008

Retail Price: $24.95

Available the Airship 27 On-Line store.

Rachael Ray, Talk Dirty To Me

2008-06-03T18:11:00.001-04:00

Hand me the Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Top 10 Funniest Moments in Fox News History

2008-06-03T18:06:00.001-04:00

Nothing fair and balanced here.

Bill and Me, Part One

2008-05-28T09:02:00.007-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I got a call from a friend of mine who has deep ties to the Kentucky Democratic party.

“Do you want to meet Bill Clinton?” she said.

“When?”

“Now. At Hillary’s campaign headquarters.”

Two days earlier Chelsea Clinton came to town to open a campaign HQ for her mother in a, ah, less than ritzy part of town.

As part of my job I have to be reasonably well informed about events in and around this area, so I expressed surprise that Bill would be able – or even want – to slip into town unheralded.

“It’s very low-key,” my friend said.

“So where did you hear about it?”

She named her source, a well-known political wife in Kentucky who also happens to be a former Miss America.

Since Hillary’s HQ was about six minutes away I told her I’d be there. After all, it was a chance, albeit slim, to meet a former president.

(Digression: my point in telling you this story is not to influence your vote, but to simply entertain. I would be happy for the chance to meet any president, past or present. And so would you. So shut up.

Having said that, before you vote in November look around at the state of the nation. If you’re happy with the way things are going, you know who to vote for.

By the way, if you honestly think things are going well you probably need a check-up from the neck up...in my opinion, of course.)

My coworker Jim was in the office, so I asked him if he wanted to go meet Bill Clinton. He did, and we headed for the big event.

As we pulled onto the parking lot of the Hillary Headquarters – strategically located next to a Dollar General store for your shopping convenience – Jim noted the lack of any security or police presence.

There were maybe a dozen people standing in front of the building, including my friend and three really, really old guys.

As soon as we got out of the car we were approached by a young man in a suit who acted like he had just power-chugged a dozen Red Bulls.

He shook my hand and said, “If the media talks to you, stick to the talking points.”

Wow, I thought, the media might be talking to me. Excited beyond words, I decided not to tell him that Jim and I were the media.

“Okay, I said.

“Do you have the talking points?” he said.

“Nope.”

He sighed. “Hang on.”

He ducked into headquarters, returning in a minute with a couple of Hillary For President posters and some stapled papers. He passed the campaign materials to us, then disappeared in a blur, like The Flash.

So we stood there for a few minutes, Hillary posters at our sides, while we waited for Bill. Eventually I glanced at the talking points and discovered that today’s event was the kickoff to a statewide salute to veterans.

About that time Speedy returned.

“We’re gonna take a picture,” he said, “so I need you and the other veterans to come over here and wave your Hillary signs.”

Other veterans?

Jim and I looked at each other, then at the three really, really old men who were looking back at us.

I have nothing but the highest respect for our nation's veterans. I didn't want to impersonate one.

“Excuse me,” I said. “Is Bill coming?”

“Bill?” Speedy scrunched up his face in a way that made it clear that I was interfering with his carefully prepared plans. “Bill’s not going to be here. Where did you hear that?”

“Oh, it was just a rumor.” I turned to Jim. “Bill’s not coming.”

Jim pondered this nugget of information for maybe 1/50th of a second. “I’m ready to go. You ready?”

“I’m ready.”

We beat feet to the car. As I climbed in, Speedy shot me a nasty glance. Understandable, since two-fifths of his complement of veterans just walked away.

As we pulled out of the lot, I waved my Hillary sign in solidarity.

That poster is now hanging in my mother’s window.

Next time: How I finally talked to Bill.

Bone Songs Downsized

2008-05-26T13:29:00.002-04:00

Because of the tough economy, Delirium Books is dramatically downsizing their publishing schedule. One of the casualties of the cuts is the trade paperback edition of my collection Bone Songs. Delirium will still publish the limited edition hardcover of the book, which has been pushed back to April 2009.

I’m free to shop the trade paperback to other publishers, but I imagine it will be a tough sell because 1) I’m not a big name and 2) collections generally, I’m told, don’t sell as well as novels.

However, if I do find a publisher for the Bone Songs paperback it will be a different book than the hardcover.

I plan to use the two stories that made up the sold-out Deadneck Hootenanny to bookend the collection. I’ll also add a few other pieces that weren’t written when Bone Songs sold to Delirium.

I’ll let you know when and if anything develops. Now back to the novel in progress.

Pod of Horror #44: Piccirilli, Braunbeck...and Clinton???

2008-05-24T16:29:00.005-04:00

Pod of Horror #44 brings you two titans of terror! Tom Piccirilli takes us down the dark, mean streets of Noir as he discusses THE COLD SPOT and crime fiction. Gary A. Bruanbeck talks about COFFIN COUNTY and the future of Cedar Hill. Nanci puts on her best PJs for The Call of Kalanta, and the pile of prizes grows larger in The Tomb of Trivia (plus a special guest appearance by Bill Clinton. No, really). Pod of Horror is hosted and produced by Mark Justice.

Download it at I-Tunes or direct to your desktop .

Get Pod of Horror merchandise .

Visit our MySpace page.

Be sure to drop by the Justice & Wilbanks message board.

and Mark's MySpace page.

PoH Stuff

2008-05-22T07:16:00.001-04:00

There's a new Pod of Horror coming this weekend with a solid lineup. Meanwhile, here's a nice plug for the show. Thanks to the mysterious Mr. Allard.

Bonus points for anyone who knows where the name "Kent Allard' originated.

There's No Reason To Post This

2008-05-13T17:13:00.002-04:00

But I'm doing it anyway.

That's right, it's the opening credits for BJ and the Bear.

Flash Fiction

2008-05-06T13:06:00.002-04:00

You Can't Always Get What You Want
By Mark Justice

Pinwheels of light in his eyes. Snakes crawling through his head.

So it had been when he was killed, so it remained as he stumbled, shucked and hopped across America, a rotting, flaking marionette whose strings were controlled by vengeance and an indifferent universe.

Indifferent, though not without a wicked sense of humor. Resurrection, with an eternal chaser of the meth he had swallowed in the car before the show and the gun.

The gun...did that come before the jangling electric caress hit his nerves?

Didn’t matter. For nearly twenty years only one thing did.

When the good, clear thoughts hit, he remembered a leather vest and eyes deader than his own, while words pounded into his skull: asiamesecatsquirmingdogthesweetestpet

He had tried to kill the dancing devil, the slithering beast, that much he knew, then came the sharp thing over and over and the bludgeoning and he was done. They dumped him in the ground, where he stayed until that beat slammed into his brain again, and he woke up still cranked, digging out of the grave and dancing across the desert, the words scorching his torpid thoughts:

asiamesecatsquirmingdogthesweetestpet

Searching for the leather vest and dead eyes.

Legends sprang up around him. He felt the whispers and knew the names they called him: The Dust Man, Easu, Lonely Boy. They felt him in their dreams as he passed. The dark light of his craving casted shadows on their souls. Some had seen the leather vest, and those memories guided him from one side of the country and back again. He walked between thoughts, his feet never touching earth, until it ended back where it had began.

The leather vest was gone, the dead eyes replaced by first recognition, then fear. Words sputtered forth in a cacophony of desperation. They might have said I’m sorry or don’t hurt me or under my thumb. It didn’t matter. Nothing did.

Soon enough it was done. As his murderer floated away, he fell to his knees, waiting for the rhythmic babel to finally end, to free him. To end him. But as the moonlight spiraled comet trails of colors, the words

asiamesecatsquirmingdogthesweetestpet

grew louder, and he could not scream.

A tall thing detached itself from the surrounding darkness. A hidden observer.

It was Him. The Beast.

A hand was extended, and a crimson tongue caressed ruby lips.

“Please to meet you,” the Beast said to him. “Hope you guess my name.”

And he knew, The Dust Man knew, he wasn’t finished yet.

© 2008 Mark Justice

Happy Cinco de Mayo

2008-05-05T02:06:00.001-04:00

Iron Avenger

2008-05-04T17:33:00.002-04:00

Like the rest of America, I saw Iron Man this weekend, and I came away with increased respect for Marvel.

In case you didn’t know, Marvel has taken over the production/financing of their own films. They partner with a distributer (Paramount, in this case) but Marvel is calling all the shots. And to my total and complete surprise, they have a success on every level. Directing, acting, script, effects...it all works. Robert Downey, Junior as Tony Stark was one of those didn’t-see-it-coming bit of casting, yet, in retrospect, he was the perfect choice.

In a cool bit of inspired film crafting, they even included the now-obligatory after-the-credits scene that, in Iron Man’s case, was a nod and a wink to comic book fans everywhere.

It makes me hopeful for The Incredible Hulk in a few weeks.

***

News on The Avenger Chronicles: since my last posting about it, I have now completed a second story, this one a collaboration. And I was just told by Moonstone that both stories will be in the trade paperback and limited edition hardcover. Yay me.

The Bighead

2008-04-30T14:31:00.002-04:00

A project I spent a fair amount of time on has finally been released. It’s the audio version of Edward Lee’s hillbilly horror novel, The Bighead. Delirium Books commissioned me to narrate it, and to say I’ve had a blast would be the understatement of the century.

If you’re a horror fan, then you know Lee’s work. If you have never read Lee, then let me offer this caveat: The Bighead, like a lot of Lee’s work, is graphic. No, let’s make that Graphic. There are tons of gore and sex and cussin’ and violence and weird sex and scatological bodily function oddness. Hey, you remember what those good ol’ boys did to Ned Beatty in the film version of Deliverance? There are things in The Bighead that are at least a thousand time worse than that. Off the top of my head, there are three or four scenes that will make you either laugh like a donkey or puke. Or do both at the same time (and that ain’t easy; believe me, I know). Just something to keep in mind.

If you decide to order it, I think the recording turned out pretty well, and so do some other people whose opinion I respect. I had a great time bringing to life Lee’s hilarious dialogue, especially the scenes with Dicky and Balls. If you’d like to snag it, here’s a link.

Pod of Horror #43: Knight, Lamberson, Bell

2008-04-26T16:34:00.004-04:00

Like a stinky corpse that won’t stay down, Pod of Horror has crawled from the grave once again. Where did we go? Download the show to discover the horrible truth behind our heinous hiatus! PoH #43 also features interviews with Brian Knight, Greg Lamberson and David Jack Bell, along with the latest news from Nanci in The Call of Kalanta and free stuff in The Tomb of Trivia. Pod of Horror is hosted and produced by Mark Justice.

Download it at I-Tunes or direct to your desktop.

Get Pod of Horror merchandise.

Visit our MySpace page.

And be sure to drop by the Justice & Wilbanks message board.

and Mark’s MySpace page.