I found these old cars in an auto shop in Pipersville, Pennsylvania.

Ringing Rock Park

Pennsauken, NJ

View from Old River Road.

View from the Pennsauken River Line Station.

Tainted Tea Summer 2010 Issue

Featuring stories stories by Allen D. Reed, Theresa Nienaber, Donna Burgess and D.A. Hernandez; poetry by Adelaide Windsome; artwork by Simon Walsgrove, Lawrence Boos a.k.a. Undead Ed, Adelaide Windsome and J. Toogood; and features by Jim Kennedy and Tim Yockey.

Download it here. Also, don't forget to to grab the first issue, Fall 2009, for free.

Free Magazine!!!

It's been almost one year, and the magazine is still going strong. We will publish the fourth issue later this month, and to celebrate our anniversary, the first issue is now FREE.

Download Fall 2009 on Tainted Tea's Web site. Our first issue features stories by M.C. Brody, Rick McQuiston, Jess Fowler, and me, narrative poetry by David Petteys, and features by Jim Kennedy and Tim Yockey, plus great photos by J. Toogood.

Did I mention it's free?

An Update on Patrick Wensink

Dark humor writer, Patrick Wensink (I reviewed his first book Sex Dungeon For Sale! awhile ago) recently had a short film made from the title story of his first book.

Check it out on YouTube.

Donate to Tainted Tea

Help my magazine, Tainted Tea, by donating on IndieGoGo. Click the image above. Funds raised will go toward paying the writers and artists who contribute, producing a print magazine, and other funding including cash prizes for an upcoming design contest.

Donate two dollars or more to get free issues and your name published in the magazine.

New Portfolio Look

I did a redesign for my portfolio Web site, complete with more colors besides black and white and a PayPal "Donate" button (hey, I can dream, right?)

Movie Review: Toy Story 3

It's fantastic. Go see it.

Neil Gaiman! Joe Hill!!! And Five New Writers I Love!!!

On June 15, Shane R. Toogood and I attended a panel discussion on popular fiction with Neil Gaiman, Lawrence Block, Walter Mosley, Kat Howard, Joe Hill, Kurt Andersen, and Jeffrey Ford at Columbia University.

How was it?

THE BEST NIGHT EVER!!! I sat on Ivy League benches, walked on Ivy League grass, and fell in love with Ivy League libraries.

And also listened to masters of the craft discuss writing. (Pictured below.)

(Photo by Shane)

Read more about it on Tainted Tea's blog. Here's a sample: To paraphrase Gaiman, fiction is about making the reader turn the page, asking the question "And then what happened?" Everything is about disappearing into a world of fiction.

Short Story: A Few Thoughts on Catholicism

Suddenly, it dawns on you. What if another dictator comes to power, this time with a vendetta against the Catholics? And what if his power reaches across the sea to you?

Because there is no written record of how you stopped caring about all religion. But there is a paper trail a mile long about your Catholic upbringing. You graduated from a Catholic grade school, graduated from a Catholic high school. You come from a family of devout Catholics, the kind that donates money to the Catholic church and volunteers at Catholic events.

And your parents. Religious apathy is one sore subject between you and them. They would never tell that army you are no longer one of them. In their eyes, this would be the perfect way to get you back in the church. And surely, they will think, our child will no longer burn in hell because our child has died a martyr with us.

Even if they did defend you, no one would believe them anyway.

You sure hope that doesn't happen.

And then, you go on with your day.

We Made Five Dollars YEAH!

Help Tainted Tea reach $500 by September!

Spring 2010 Available NOW!

Download Tainted Tea's issue at Lulu.com And don't forget to check out the Web site, too.

I also posted Tainted Tea on IndieGoGo, a fundraising Web site. Help this aspiring writer/editor by donating. You'll get free copies!

Struggling with the Writer's Block. So here's this image I created with text and two rectangles.

In Bloom

With a Rebel Yell, She Cries, "MOORE, MOORE, MOORE"

I met my favorite writer, Christopher Moore!

He said he knew he wanted to be writer since he was 16 but didn't finish a book until 32. That gives me hope. And he called me an alpha nerd due to my amazing kitty hoodie. It's okay though, I think my hoodie is wicked cool (Thanks Jess Fowler!).

See MOORE about this (okay, no Moore puns. Seriously, this time) on Tainted Tea's blog.

Parking Lot Seagulls

Did you ever wonder why seagulls migrate to parking lots? What drives them from the seashore with lots of water, sand, and mollusks to the Springfield Mall parking lot?

I'll never know. Anyway, here's this photo I took while I was waiting for a bus a few weeks ago.

New Video! Make a Tea Cup Out of String

Man, one video and a bunch of flowing water photos today. I am kicking some blogging ass! Wow, I feel accomplished.

Water, Water Everywhere

"Homunculus" by Sam Stephens

I know, this is the second time in a row that I've posted a video from Channel Frederator.

But just watch it. It's more stop motion. This time, it's with monsters, cannibalism, and it's just fucking awesome. It'll make your life like 100 times better.

The Machine by Rob Shaw

A stop motion macabre fairy tale about a robot who enjoys his power. It's awesome. And if you enjoy fairy tales, robots, animation, or just life itself, then you should watch this video.



Thank you, Channel Frederator!

I must remember to tell Shane R. Toogood.

And if you know a kid who might find this scary, then you should show it to him because March is Scare a Kid month, at least, according to R. L. Stine's Twitter.

Also a friendly word to you horror writers and artists, Tainted Tea is hosting a flash fiction and bookmark contest that ends April 1. Details here.

The Writing Advice on the Internet

Maybe I'm just being too cocky, but lately, every single article, book, video, etc. on "How to be a writer" is just saying the same thing over and over again.

Like this video by The Princess Diaries author, Meg Cabot. If you're like me, and you're not ashamed to admit that A. you read The Princess Diaries and B. you actually enjoyed reading The Princess Diaries, I highly recommend you to NOT watch this video. You may end up hating Meg Cabot. I only posted it here for emphasis, and now, after watching this, I despise Meg Cabot.



This video has nothing new to offer, and it tells everything in a rather condescending and completely unfunny way. As someone who hasn't published much fiction (at least, her own anyway), I know I don't have much say on this matter, but is this really all there is?

Can any writer out there tell us something new?

And even though I read The Princess Diaries back when I was in high school and haven't given it a single thought since then, I'm still really disappointed. Man, Meg Cabot. Why must you come across as such a phony, such a goddamned phony in this video?

It Snowed!

A lot.

Tainted Tea Winter 2010

Greetings Readers of My Blog! Tainted Tea Winter 2010 is available for download.



This issue is very art-heavy, very colorful, PLUS it features an exclusive look at the return of EC Comics, who created Tales from the Crypt and many other great comics.

And also, I feel like I finally have a "real" blog now because I just deleted my first spam comments: three to be exact. To put things in perspective, Tainted Tea was up for three months before we started getting spam, and I've had this blog since like 1875. Spam! It comes in a can! YEAH!

New Tainted Tea Issue

After a week of laying out Tainted Tea and being trapped under mounds of ice and snow, I desperately wanted to use some color. Maybe I went overboard, I wouldn't say I did. But here's a promo poster that is completely different from what I usually do with Tainted Tea.



Yes, I am fully aware that the ezine is not about the neon and the 80s, but that's all minor details. However, all the text is correct.

Coming soon: Pictures of the mounds of ice and snow that is blanketing the East Coast.

Things Every Young Journalist Should Know

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

And the link because my blog template isn't large enough for it.

Writer Advice Contest

For those writers who don't write in the horror genre, here's something for you.

WriterAdvice seeks flash fiction, memoir, and creative non-fiction that mesmerizes the reader in 750 words or less. DEADLINE: April 15, 2010. Entry fee: $10 per submission. First prize: $150. Former prizewinners are the judges. Complete guidelines, mailing address, and prizes at www.writeradvice.com.

Tainted Tea Flash Fiction and Bookmark Contest!

More Tainted Tea news; this time it's a contest. So, get to it.

Flash Fiction

Complete a story in 1,000 words or less. There is no specific subject, but all stories must either be dark, macabre, or something in the horror genre. Judging will be based on character development, plot, originality, and overall storytelling.

Prizes

The WINNER will receive Underland by Mick Farren, a novel involving vampires, Nazis, and Antarctica. The winner will also be published in the Spring 2010 issue of Tainted Tea and will receive a free PDF.

The RUNNER-UP will be published on Tainted Tea's blog.

Bookmark

Create bookmark. It doesn't matter how, just as long as the bookmark fits with Tainted Tea's theme. Judging will be based on subject matter, composition, and overall design. Tainted Tea cannot receive mail, so we can only accept bookmarks mailed as JPGs.

Prizes

The WINNER will receive the tea cup and saucer featured on the cover of Tainted Tea Spring 2010 issue. The winner will also be published in the Spring 2010 issue and will receive a free PDF.

The RUNNER -UP will be published on Tainted Tea's blog.

Deadline

The deadline is April 1, 2010.

Writing Insights

Not from me, but from new writer, K.R. Moorhead. (Click the image. Wow, that sounds like spam. Believe me, it's just an interview.)

And if you haven't picked it up yet, read her book, The First Law of Motion. It's like a modern The Catcher in the Rye told by a young hipster woman. And if you're from Philly, you may recognize most of the settings.

Tainted Tea's Redesigned Blog

It's just the banner, but I like it. If I do say so myself.



See it here.

Regardless, of what The Guardian says, I think the tagline for Clash of the Titans remake is brilliant.



And for those of you who don't feel like reading the article or watching the video, the tagline is, drum roll, please, "Titans will clash."

Sometimes, these things just write themselves.