eric nuzum dot com

Net Curtain Lurkers

"you are a Vampire who never knew
what life was until it ran out
in a big gush over your lips."
Originally uploaded by Amadika

A belated but fun review of The Dead Travel Fast on the blog Net Curtain Lurkers.

The best part of the review is getting a chance to look around their blog, which calls itself "A Hilarious Look at the 30 Year Feud Between Paranormal Authors David Farrant and Sean Manchester Over The Highgate Vampire."

For those who've read TDFT, you'll recall a few pages discussing the wackiness surrounding Highgate Cemetery, the infamous vampire hunt that occurred there in 1970, and the odd characters involved. The site has a lot of details and plenty of links to related sites.

Most interesting, the first comment on the review is from David Farrant himself (who says he read and enjoyed TDFT--fancy that).

[Link]

RIP Dr Rasalan

Funeral Wreaths
Originally uploaded by Susannelein

Word came recently that my doctor back in Ohio passed away, Dr. Amador Raslan. He was a great doctor and fondly remembered as a great all-around guy.

Dr. Rasalan was probably completely unaware that he had been immortalized in another way.

One of the stories in my book The Dead Travel Fast, that seemed to be in every review/feature about the book--and people ask me about all the time--was my attempts to drink my own blood.

In the book, I detail that I went on a trip to the doctor's and casually asked the doctor to draw an extra vial of blood. He heard me out and declined. As soon as he left, I simply swiped some supplies from the cart next to me, went home, and did the exact same thing I'd just witnessed him doing an hour earlier.

Though his name was never mentioned, nor any details about him shared, the doctor in that story was Dr. Rasalan.

I will never forget the look on his face when I tried to explain to him why I wanted the blood. He was a pretty quiet yet straight to the point kinda guy. While I was talking, I could see his face show tiny expressions of surprise, disgust, then impatience.

He did ask me, "Like Billybob?" referring to Billybob Thorton and Angelina Jolie, who had vials of each other's blood around their necks while they were married (give him a break, this was in 2004).

Then he did the right thing. He made a judgment and made it clear to me.

Then I did a very wrong thing, but we don't need to go over that now.

Rest in peace, Dr. Raslan, and thanks for being such a great doctor.

Come see me in Charlottesville

so fast he can't be captured on film
Originally uploaded by ericandkatherine

So if you happen to be reading this blog...and you happen to be in Charlottesville, Virginia...and you happen to have no plans today...you should come see me read as part of the Virginia Festival of the Book. The festival extends across two dozen locations across the University of Virginia campus and downtown Charlottesville. I'm reading and making bad jokes at the Albemarle County Office Building location at 2 p.m.

The author appearing after me is some nobody named...John Grisham (I hear he's written a few legal thrillers that have done okay). I'm sure this John whatever-his-name feels much better about showing up, knowing that the copious crowds who will come to see me read will probably be polite and hang around to hear a bit of him.

Good News

At various points in the past few years, I've been interviewed by many of the greatest news outlets in the world. However, today is a first: being interviewed by a cartoon character. A blue cartoon character, at that. One named Roger.

Too good to be true? It isn't.

You can find a direct link to it here.

Forrest Ackerman: 1916 - 2008

Eric and Forrest Ackerman
Originally uploaded by ericandkatherine

I run into a lot of famous and/or noteworthy people (just the other day I rode in a elevator with Toni Morrison). Generally, I'm not terribly impressed with them--it just makes for good stories (like the time I peed next to Issac Hayes, or rather, the time Issac Hayes peed next to me).

While I was putting together The Dead Travel Fast, one of my favorite people that I met was Forrest Ackerman, inventor of the term "sci-fi," ardent enthusiast for horror and science fiction, and a man with hundreds of great stories. He was a blast to talk to and be around because he was just as interested in you and made everyone around him happy.

Forry died Thursday at the age of 92. Here is his obit in the Los Angeles Times.

Here is an excerpt from The Dead Travel Fast about visiting Forry's house:

IN FRONT OF me was a black box and in that black box was a ring.
“Can I pick it up?” I ask.
“Sure.”
I lifted it to my face for a closer inspection.
There are two pieces of jewelry associated with Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of Count Dracula in the iconic 1931 film Dracula. A silver medallion and a large signet ring. In the movie, Lugosi is often seen walking with his bent arms extended slightly in front of him, as if the ring was leading the way. The medallion is currently buried six feet under with Lugosi. The ring is nested in the box in my hands.
“How did you ever get this?” I asked.
“Well, he gave me a few things himself, but the ring was given to another friend,” replied Forrest Ackerman. “Then the friend thought it would be better kept with me.”
People have entrusted a lot of precious things to Forrest (who most people just call Forry)—incredible rare and valuable pieces of movie memorabilia—given for him to display in the “Acker Mini-mansion,” a.k.a. his house, in Los Angeles’s Los Feliz neighborhood. The bungalow is tiny, probably no more than 1,200 square feet, and every room is packed with items from his collections. Lugosi’s ring is above the mantel. Life masks of Bela, Lon Chaney, Tor Johnson, Vincent Price, and Boris Karloff hang above the doorway into the dining room. The false teeth and top hat worn by Lon Chaney in the now lost film London After Midnight* sit near the kitchen door. An alien hand used in the original War of the Worlds is sitting on top of a cabinet. Prop pieces from Metropolis sit in his front study. I notice two masks on top of the refrigerator that look like the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
“What’s the story with these?” I ask.
“Well, the one on the left is from the original and the one on the right is from the first sequel,” Forry replied.
“These are the original masks?”
“Yup.”
“Sitting here on top of your refrigerator?”
Forry giggles. “Yes.”

CNN

Me on TV...

The link has been acting funny. So if you don't see it embedded below, click here instead.

USA Today

Halloween 2008
Originally uploaded by Kent Newsome

Because the movie Twilight is coming out this weekend, some interviews I did around Halloween are just surfacing now.

If you have nothing better to do, watch for me on CNN's American Morning Friday a.m.

The excerpt below from USA Today is about the long and short of my contribution. But hey, they got in the book name, which makes me happy.

"Very rarely are vampire stories about vampires," says Eric Nuzum, author of The Dead Travel Fast, which examines society's enduring fascination with blood suckers. "They are often about desire, love, forbidden pleasures, forbidden fears that people are too scared or embarrassed to admit. Put it in the guise of a vampire, and you can talk about it. They are the perfect metaphor for anything that challenges you or makes you lose control. You create a creature with absolute control."

Link to the whole thing.

Fini, for real this time

Attendees at my writing workshop in Portland
Originally uploaded by ericandkatherine

I was in Portland this past weekend to read stories and teach a workshop at Wordstock, a massive literary festival in Portland. It marked the last entry on my travel and promotional schedule. Amen.

It was a brutal trip. I got up at 3am ET, got to the airport, and flew across the country to Portland. After a quick stop at my hotel, I had one hour to spare before my writing workshop was supposed to start.

While the real draw at Wordstock is the top-shelf list of authors they pull in (plus a few tag alongs like me), I really had no idea what to expect from the workshops. People pay $30 to $50 each, depending on the number of workshops they are taking. When I was invited to do one, I was told I could pretty much whatever I wanted, so I pitched a proposal called "Don't Be Boring"--focused on how to tell good non-fiction stories.

I was prepared to walk in and have two people there--or no people there. Thus turning this brutal cross country trip into a complete farce. When I arrived, I asked if anyone had signed up. My escort said she had no way of knowing. Then we asked the workshop lady, who said my workshop was almost sold out. I figured she'd gotten me confused with someone else.

But then I walked into the workshop--and there were 40 people there. The first thing I said was, "Who the fuck are you people and why would you ever pay to see me?"

They laughed. We started. They laughed a lot. Many took notes (which is a sign that they are hearing things they find interesting--or that they are so bored they'd rather draw bunnies than actively listen). One even blogged about it later.

It was fun. Even considering the trip, I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Playing catch up

Joanna showing off our party favors
Originally uploaded by klea.scharberg

When you are promoting a vampire book, the week of Halloween is like the Oscars and Super Bowl all in one and spread over seven days. I did 27 interviews and 3 events in the week leading up to October 31st. A lot of stuff happened, here is a partial list of highlights from the week. A lot more will come out in the next two weeks (when the Twilight movie opens).

Media stuff

• Appearance on NPR's All Things Considered
• Article on NPR.org that I authored about the changes in perceptions of Dracula
• Washingtonian Q&A
• St Petersburg Times (and syndicated nationally)
• Albuquerque Alibi review (syndicated as well)

Some morning shows

• The Mix Morning Show (Baltimore)
• Vermont Mornings
• Rod Ryan (Houston)
• WCPN(Cleveland)/ Ideastream "Around Noon"
• WBAL/ Dave Durian and the Morning Team (Baltimore)
• KOOL Morning Show (Phoenix)
• WPR (Madison, WI)/ ”Veronica Rueckert” (mp3 download)
• KOA (Denver)/ “Mike Rosen Show”
• WCCO (Minneapolis. MN)
• WIXE (Monroe, NC) / "Breakfast Club Morning Show...With Archie, Shane and Emory"
• WIFC (WI)
• KMXV (Kansas City, MO)/ Rocket and Teresa Show
• WGMT
• WTAM (Cleveland)/ “Wills and Snyder in the Morning” (Bill Wills)
• KEX (Portland, OR)/ The Morning Update
• WGN "Nick Digilio Show" (Chicago)

Stuff about my reading in DC on October 30th

• We Love DC
• DCist
• Another DCist mention
• Washingtonian After Hours

Flickr photos taken by a reader at the Barnes and Noble event in Georgetown. And another.

Assorted blog mentions:

• Cocktail Party Physics
• Biblioaddict
• Exfanding Your Horizons
• Eclectic Chapbook
• January Magazine
• The Deb-Log
• BPD in OKC
• Bookgasm

Oh, and a "thank you" to all who came out to see me in Georgetown--it is always such a pleasant surprise to walk in and see a big group of people there. My only regret was yelling "motherfucker" in the direction of the children's section (oh settle down, it was evening--thus, no kids in the children's section)--oh, and "accidentally" setting off the alarm on my megaphone.

And also for those who came to the Buckeye Book Fair in Ohio. I always enjoy going there because I get a chance to talk with people. I got to spend the day sitting next to my buddy David Giffels (promoting his amazing book All the Way Home) and Mark Dawidziak, author of The Bedside, Bathtub & Armchair Companion to Dracula. Just to be idiots, David and I had a pointless competition on how many books we were signing. While I had a strong lead in the morning, by the end of the day, David signed seven more books to me.

I'm a Washingtonian favorite

Washington Monument
Originally uploaded by DistortedReflections

So much is going on this week it is impossible to keep up. This week I'm doing 24 interviews and 3 events--all in six days. I'll try to post some links when I have a chance (especially the New York Times, CNN, and USA Today pieces).

Here's one worth sharing--an interview I did with Washingtonian's "Capital Comment" blog.

From the slightly hyperbolic introduction:

Eric Nuzum doesn’t find himself in unsettling situations—like spending a night locked in a hotel suite with a ghost or trying to meet up with a self-declared vampire at a deserted park in the middle of the night—by chance. It’s his choice. He actively engages in questionable behavior, full throttle, never stopping to second-guess himself—and his stories (if not always he himself) are all the better for it.

Here's a link to the whole interview (including some almost-distasteful comments about missing your hands and feet)