A Vampire's Guide to New Orleans

If you have ever walked the dark, rainy streets of the French Quarter at night, you have seen the voodoo shops selling their gris-gris and John-the-Conqueror Root.  You've seen the old woman in the French Market whose pointing finger foretells your death  And if you know the right person to ask and you ask in the right way, you'll be shown to the vampire clubs.

I've been in those clubs and seen people who believe with their heart, body, and soul that they are real, live vampires.  And some of the people in those clubs are scared to death of a select group of vampires who have only appeared there a few times, and always in the darkest of night.

By day, of course, the vampire clubs are closed and locked or turned back into regular tourist bars . . .

--Crazy Horse's Ghost

Toronto Public Libraries: Help Stop the Bleeding!

More austerity is planned for Toronto's public library system in the 2014 City budget, unless we all act together to change it. Did you know that adequate funding of our public libraries would cost just two cents a day for each Torontonian?

However, the proposed 2014 budget shortchanges the TPL by refusing to fund their plan to make our public library more accessible, by expanding the number of hours branches are open. And, if the City’s budget proposal is approved as is, the TPL will be left vulnerable to the grinding effects of inflation that slowly eats away at its ability to serve all of us.

Alternative Movie Posters by Matthew Chojnacki

As author Matthew Chojnacki notes in his introduction, "film posters aren't quite what they used to be." Traditionally, they were the primary source of advanced promotion for movies, and these one-sheets often became highly desirable as collector items.

The Stanley Hotel Writers Retreat

There are just three days remaining to contribute to the Indiegogo campaign for a 5-day writers retreat from October 23-27, 2014 (note: they've already reached their funding goal, however, their stretch goals include additional perks). R.J. Cavender is hosting this event at the historic and haunted birthplace of Stephen King's The Shining, The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado.

Monster Cereal Smackdown: Frute Brute

This is the second post in a series that celebrates the return of the vintage packaging for the "Monster Cereals" from General Mills. Unfortunately, for us Canadians, the retro packaging is only available in the United States. But it's the first time that all five cereals are available at once, so it might be worth a trip over the border to pick up your own set (although you may only find them on ebay by now).

Nonfiction Writing Resources

The following post covers basic questions about nonfiction writing in Canada, which was originally part of my notes for a panel discussion that I was a part of at Fan Expo 2013. Feel free to leave any questions or comments about this document.