The Dead Travel Fast

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 want 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.

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.”

Interview video

When I feel put on the spot--I ramble. And I'm not funny. But then I chill out and say the things they want me to say and am kind of interesting.

Case in point, this video from Verizon's Push Pause series taped last year before an event at Olsson's in Crystal City, Virginia. This was a day time event in an odd location, but it was fun to do. With Halloween just a few days away, I thought now would be a good time to post this.

How to get your own free vampire protection kit

Vampire Protection Kit, BLAH
Originally uploaded by revjim5000

Okay, here is how this will work. Several people have written asking about how they can get an official The Dead Travel Fast travel-sized vampire protection kit. There are two ways to make this happen:

1. Come to any of my events/readings this fall.
2. Through the mail.

While this is really meant for readers--if you haven't read my book, and really want one, that's fine too.

If you send a self-addressed stamped envelope with TWO postage stamps on it, I will send you an official The Dead Travel Fast travel-sized vampire protection kit--for free. Each contains a tiny cross, a tiny wooden stake, a vial of holy water (blessed by my friend Simon, a mail-order minister), garlic (in tablet form--good for fighting vampires and cholesterol), and a paper clip (nothing to do with vampires--always handy to have around).

Send your SASE (again, with TWO stamps on the return envelope) to:

Eric Nuzum
NPR
635 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, DC 20001

I have a pile of them here, so feel free to send in your SASE. Plus, my wife will be happy when our basement no longer smells like garlic tablets!

And if you are ever attacked by a vampire while traveling--you'll have me to thank for saving your life.

The Joey Renolds Show

Eric and The Amazing Kreskin
Originally uploaded by ericandkatherine

Last night I was in New York and appeared on The Joey Reynolds Show on WOR. Even though I've done the show before, it is an...unusual...set-up.

I show up at the studios of WOR in New York to tape the nationally syndicated late-night talk show, and the producer pulls me aside to share "the rules." She told me "Joey hasn't read your book or seen your book. He hasn't read the press release. Joey knows nothing about you. You should just go in there and talk. This isn't an interview show; it is a conversation show. Oh, and don't directly mention your book...he doesn't like it."

I sat there for 45 minutes before he even acknowledged me. It was a little weird. But eventually we got the conversation rolling.

However, the true highlight of the evening was my co-guest, the mentalist The Amazing Kreskin.

Kreskin had read my book and loved it--and while I think Joey had him on to talk about his visions of the future, he just talked and talked about how much he loved The Dead Travel Fast.

What a rad dude. What a fun time. If the only reward for writing books is getting meet guys like The Amazing Kreskin--then it is definitely worth it.

Paperback pub day!

First paperback copy is here!
Originally uploaded by ericandkatherine

Today is the day! The paperback of The Dead Travel Fast is available.

Hooray.

There are a few minor corrections and the cover layout has changed slightly. Otherwise, nothing much has been changed/added, outside of the price (which makes it more accessible and affordable).

Remember, the holidays are right around the corner.

Order it here.

You can read the St Martin's press release here.

King for a day

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

This weekend was two days or dreary travel sandwiched around an incredibly fun day. Katherine and I drove back to Ohio so that I could read at the "Akron Kings of Nonfiction" event with my friends David Giffels, Michael Weinreb, and Chuck Klosterman.

It was a big venue and we had several hundred people show up (despite the Akron Marathon--which ran right in front of the library--screwing up roads a traffic).

I read a few stories from The Dead Travel Fast and had the crowd groaning and laughing quite a bit. I learned one thing at this event--I don't think I like reading/performing in large rooms. I'd rather have a small group in a smaller room than a larger group in a large room. Since I usually only read to small groups, this really isn't a problem.

Of course, the four-dude reading was only the beginning of the adventure. Afterwards we all went to Spagetti Warehouse, easily Akron's worst restaurant--and also our favorite. Then we went to a hipster bar in Akron (yes, there are hipsters in Akron--well, at least enough to fill one bar on a Saturday) and had more fun.

Here are some photos on Flickr and Facebook. It's funny that the photos are 10% pasty white guys talking on a blank stage and 90% of pasty white guys in various locations drinking.

Come see me in Akron this Saturday

TDTF PB front
Originally uploaded by ericandkatherine

If you plan to be in Ohio this weekend (and frankly, who doesn't fantasize about a weekend in Ohio)...

I'm going to be part of a four-author reading extravaganza in Akron, Ohio on Saturday. A group of friends, all with Akron pasts, are coming together to read from our books. The other authors are Chuck Klosterman, David Giffels, and Michael Weinreb.

Nonsense begins at 2pm at the Akron-Summit Library. After we read, we'll be signing books and then drinking a lot of beer or something equally unproductive. The library is expecting a full house, so come early.

Here is some more info.

Here is a story from the Akron Beacon Journal about it and another from The Cleveland Free Times.

Hope to see you there!

Blessing the vampire protection kits

As I've mentioned, I got a really stupid promotional idea for next week's paperback release of The Dead Travel Fast. I wanted to hand out a travel-sized vampire protection kit to everyone who comes to a reading or signing this fall. With one big event this weekend, some PR stuff, and a bunch of smaller events, I figured I'd need 1,000.

That's all good until you look at all these supplies and realize that you have to assemble 1,000 travel-sized vampire protection kits. I had a lot of help from friends--all in all it took somewhere north of 12 hours to finish.

There was only one big logistical hurdle: holy water.

Water itself is no problem--but how could I make it "holy"?

I briefly (and I mean--really briefly) considered going to a few churches with my 1,000 plastic vials of water and asking the minister/priest to bless it...for use in a vampire protection kit. But then, while it may have been fodder for comedy gold, I realized that I'd probably upset quite a few people.

Then I realized that my friend Simon is a mail order minister through the Church of Universal Life. He received his Doctorate of Divinity degree by mailing away some amount of cash. Bang. He is a minister.

Simon consented to bless the water in the kits--so it is now semi-legitimate holy water.

Here is some video of the blessing--as well as us trying it out on a Vlad Dracula figurine.

Another interview video

In this one, I explain what I do when I'm not writing (or promoting) books about vampires and ghosts and what not.