Citywide Blackout

He’s back! Jon Merz returns to talk vampire books and the changing industry

It seems like he was just here, but nevertheless, we welcome back Jon Merz, this time to talk about his lengthy writing career. Standing above his many, many titles has to be the Lawson Vampire Series, now being developed into a television pilot. This series began with the first book, “The Fixer” in 2002. Now, 35 books later, it’s still going strong.

 

Jon and I dive into the story behind the story, how it all kicked off and why it was originally intended to be just one book. Things changed, however, and we look at the expansion of the series and the different adventures the main character has been on.

 

Speaking of which, meet Lawson: vampire by birth, Fixer by trade. His mission: preserve the secret existence of living vampires by any means necessary. Jon and I take a walk through the vampire world, Lawson’s role in it and how he’s changed over 20 years.

 

It's no secret that writing today is a very different industry. An author can’t expect to make it with just print or even e-books, and Jon shares some of his insight and what led him to pursue different avenues to make his writing career pay off.

Lackadaisy makes the jump from comic to animated pilot

I’ve been a longtime fan of the Lackadaisy webcomic, so when I heard it had been adapted into an animated pilot, my only question was “How do I see it!!” The pilot, around 23 minutes long, is a superb creation with stunning animation (Don Bluth’s movies came to mind), brilliant music and some of the best voice work I’ve heard in awhile. I’m sincerely hoping that more episodes get released.

 

Joining me for this episode is Comic Creator Tracy Butler, Director Fable Siegel, and 3-D Layout Artist Zachary Nall. We talk about how this pilot came to be and the adjustment to the story. Tracy and Fable share how they met and the collaboration process. Zachary goes into about the different challenges of animating a series set in the 1920s and we dive into the extensive research needed for everything from trash bags to firearms.

 

But this show wouldn’t be complete without the sounds. We also talk about the exceptional music done by Sepiatonic and the diverse and talented voice crew that brought this fantastic cast of characters to life. And of course, we look at what’s next for the series, both comic and animated.  

Haunted desk? Hell yes!

A haunted item is a familiar element in horror novels, but a haunted desk? That’s a new one to me and I am here for it! Continuing our series of interviews with authors on Cemetery Dance,  Philip Fracassi joins me to talk about his recent novel “Gothic.” Here’s a look at what lies in store:

 

On his 59th birthday, Tyson Parks—a famous but struggling horror writer—receives an antique desk from his partner Sarah in the hopes it will rekindle his creative juices. Perhaps inspire him to write another bestselling novel and prove his best years aren’t behind him.

A continent away, a mysterious woman makes inquiries with her sources around the world, seeking the whereabouts of a certain artifact her family has been hunting for centuries. With the help of a New York City private detective, she finally finds what she’s been looking for.

It’s in the home of Tyson Parks.

 

Philip and I look at the haunted desk and why he went this route, as well as its history and why others are looking for it. We talk about Tyson and how he’s changed, as well as where he falls on the hero/villain spectrum. We also take a look at his forthcoming novel, “Boys in the Valley,” out later this summer.

A chance meeting leads to an amazing musical duo with The A.M.s

In 2019 on Piano Day, Adrian happened to tune Mariko’s piano. He asked if she wanted to play together; she said maybe. Realizing she might be able to return to her long-lost passion, music, they connected and started rehearsing with the hopes of playing out.

 

And then the pandemic happened.

 

But that didn’t stop Adrian and Mariko. They kept playing and sending ideas and soon after had a catalog of 50+ songs, which led to their first album, “Ignite the Sky.” In this episode, we talk about the origin of the A.M.s and how the experience has allowed them to grow as artists. We examine the story of “Ignite the Sky,” which chronicles Mariko’s journey of finding her birth parents during COVID, while processing the events and struggles of 2021 in quarantine. We also see how the two—despite living several hundred miles apart, have been able to play out now and again.

 

Following this, enjoy the single, “Ignite the Sky.” I really enjoyed this entire album, and hope that you check it out.

Kimberly Kenna shares the ‘spark’ that inspired her new series

In this episode, author Kimberly Kenna and I discuss the very unique main character in “Artemis Sparke and the Sound Seekers Brigade,” the first installment in the new Brave Girls Collection. Artemis Sparke is always more at home in the natural world than with humans.

 

But when her favorite salt marsh is threatened and all evidence points to the historic hotel where her mother works, something has to be done. With her friends Warren and RT and help from deceased ecologists, Artemis works to untangle the clues and finds family secrets that could be the key to saving the marsh.

 

Kimberly and I talk about the inspiration for his character and how it ties into her own life. We look at Artemis and what makes her the way she is and why it was important for the story. We talk about the environment and its role in the book as well as her decision to use part of the proceeds to support Save the Sound. Kimberly also goes into future installments of the Brave Girls Collection.

Hollis Morrisette’s varied (and extremely busy) life in LA

To say that Hollis Morrisette has a lot on his plate is putting it very mildly. Between acting, modeling, writing and music, it’s hard to imagine how he makes time for it all. But make time he does, and in this interview, we talk about the many, many aspects of his creative life.

 

When he was just 5 years old, Hollis knew he wanted to live in Los Angeles someday and he speaks on those early day and how his life changed. He talks about his choice to take on so much and how he’s adapted to the challenges they’ve presented. We also talk about the necessity of a team and the different people Hollis works with.

 

Following this, enjoy “I Can’t Hate You,” one of the recent singles that Hollis has put out.

Preston Fassel gives us a book with no heroes in “Beasts of 42nd Street”

Who doesn’t love a good movie? No matter the genre, it’s a chance to escape from this world into a whole new one. And the rarer the better, right? Well, maybe not in this case.

 

In Preston Fassel’s new book, “Beasts of 42nd Street,” we’re taken on a trip to New York’s 42nd Street, a place where, no joke, getting stabbed and robbed isn’t all that unusual. In this kingdom of the damned we meet Andy Lew, an unrepentant junkie, voyeur and degenerate, only tolerated by the more dangerous men around him because he keeps the projectors at the Colossus theater running.

 

There’s something unique about Andy, though. He owns a movie—the only one of its kind. No one knows who made it and only he knows where it came from. The woman it stars is beautiful beyond imagination—and the images it depicts are worse than the darkest depths of Hell.

 

I loved the premise for this book and so Preston and I go on a trip to 42nd Street to meet Andy and learn what makes him such a scumbag. We talk about the movie and the grindhouse style of cinema that inspired it, something that Preston knows a lot about. We also see how 42nd Street has changed and what Preston learned when he went back a few years ago.

Generations share a diverse musical background with a common goal

Generations may be a relatively new band, buts its members have a wide array of past experience. In this episode, the guys join me for a look at where they all came from and how the band came to be.

 

We look at how the past projects they’ve been involved with influenced the sound of their debut single, “Dreambound,” and what we can expect in their upcoming album release. Plus, they talk about the music scene in their area and one very interesting sound guy.

 

After this, kick back and enjoy “Dreambound,” which has a great intensity and a very cool sound.

Jon Merz talks production studios and acting in “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”

My next guest is someone I’ve known for a long time, so it surprised me to realize he’d never been on the show before. Well, that just gives us a lot to cover, doesn’t it?

 

Actor/writer/model Jon Merz and I talk about opening the doors to Ten 21 Studios in Providence, Rhode Island. It’s a full-service company that does demo reel scenes, book trailers, script work and a lot more. We talk about the decision to launch his own company and some of the folks they’ve been working with. We touch briefly on his latest project, an adaptation to his successful vampire book series, and will do a deeper dive in a future episode.

 

Jon’s acted for many years and perhaps his biggest milestone to date was his role in the Whitney Houston biopic, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” We talk about being around some of the biggest names working today and how he prepared for his role. This May, he’ll be taking the stage in “Hunting Whitey” on May 16 at The Wilbur and shares the challenges of stage vs. screen and his techniques for this kind of performance.  

A bit of the city and the country in this novel double-header

Interested in a gripping murder mystery with all kinds of cool twists? How about a story of a family home with a web of secrets? Either way, this episode has you covered!

 

Up first is Priscilla Paton to talk about her new book, “When the House Burns,” third in the Twin Cities Mystery series. A murder case with a commentary on the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on housing, this book brings us back to Detectives Erik Jansson and Deb Metzger as they search for the killer of an adulterous real estate agent. Priscilla and I look at where the series is now and why she decided to set amidst the backdrop of current events. We also talk about the detectives, their relationship and how its evolved throughout the series.

 

Following this is Julia Brewer Daily for her new book, “The Fifth Daughter of Thorn Ranch.” The story focuses on Emma Rosales, heiress of the largest ranch in Texas—The Thorn. Running the ranch is something Emma could handle with her eyes closed…if The Thorn were any ordinary property. Julia and I look at the real-life inspiration among the ranches of Texas, how her upbringing leant itself to the writing process and the secret of The Thorn.