A Post of Thanks - 10 (Shallow) Reasons I'm Happy This Holiday Season

I recently shared in a post how I've been struggling with writing and how grateful I am to have amazing fans. Since it's Thanksgiving, I want to go one step further and list ten things I am currently grateful to have in my life on this holiday of thanks. These are things that go beyond friends, family, and fans, because I feel it goes without saying that I feel blessed and cannot imagine my life without them. Plus those are things of importance and the list I'm about to provide is shallow and petty, but makes me smile nonetheless. So here they are, in no particular order:

1. X-Files reboot. The original series is in my top three TV shows of all time and since the first movie was release, my fingers are always crossed that Chris Carter will give us more. I'm a little annoyed because they're hinting that Scully and Mulder are no longer a couple, but I refuse to accept that they would permanently separate a couple of such epic proportions.

2. New Foo Fighters album. Most of my fans know by now that I freaking ADORE Dave Grohl and crew so much that I recently got a tattoo with the band's logo. This past Monday they surprised fans with an EP containing five new songs they're giving away for free. If you're a fan of music, I suggest you check out their new EP because they're a group of really sweet guys who are also hilarious and know how to rock.

3. Beta reading awesome books. I've had the pleasure of getting to know Kate L. Mary after I fangirled her on Goodreads. Now that she's convinced I'm not a crazy stalker, we've become friends. And when you're an author who is friend with another author, you often get the opportunity to read advanced copies of their work. As Kate is the author of my favorite zombie series, it was better than Christmas when I found her latest masterpiece waiting in my inbox. I know I'm always going on about her Broken World series, but honestly, peeps. If you're into The Walking Dead, you HAVE TO read this series. While it only vaguely reminds me of TWD, the plots and characters are fresh, and there's even a bit of romance involved. The series is available on Kindle Unlimited, and book 5 comes out next Monday! While you're at it, check out her award winning book While We Were Human.

4. Awesome beta readers. I finally finished the first draft of Paranormal Guardians, the sequel to Paranormal Keepers, and sent it off to the hands of some very capable beta readers. In the meantime I'm working on another rewrite of book 3, though that likely won't be released until some time in March. I'm very passionate about this series and cannot wait to share it with my readers! If you haven't read the first book, it's available on Kindle Unlimited.

5. New Stephen King book. I've been a fan of the master of horror for 30-some years and I'm always crazy excited when he releases something new. I have a small bookshelf that seems to be in serious distress from holding all my hardcover editions of his work. At the rate he's going, I figure one day I'll have to devote the entire bookcase to his work. I'm especially pumped for The Bazaar of Bad Dreams because even though I adore the man, some of his books tend to get a bit too long winded and I always think his best work has been in short stories. Even though the book has been out for awhile now, I don't plan on reading it until I'm on a beach in January (which brings us to #6).

6. Vacations. Living in Minnesota is akin to living in the tundra. Our winters are miserably cold, often dipping below zero with a wind chill in the double digitis, and the roads are scary as hell 85.9% of the time. As someone who is considerably fair-weathered, the only way I can survive the long, harrowing months is to know at least for a few days during the season I'll get to put my toes in the sand somewhere warm and read a good book. There's no feeling like it. My favorite part about going somewhere warm is taking a catamaran out to play in the water. Even though we just recently had our first snowfall, I'm beyond ready to pack my bags and get the heck out of here.

7. Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. I'm planning to see the highly anticipated finale of the young adult series this weekend with my family. Although I enjoy the movies far more than the books (yeah, I said it), I'm ready for the story to be over. As much as I adore Jennifer, I'm ready for Katniss to go away and live her happily ever after.

8. Teens with a driver's license. I realize having a child on the road will be stressful, but my daughter will have her license in just over a month (she even already passed the test!) and I'm dreaming of all the times I won't have to drive her into town. But it makes me sad knowing she'll have more of a social life than ever.

9. Untraditional holidays. With our adult children spread out and a few of them holding down unusual work hours, it's not as easy to get together for the holidays. Accordingly, our new Thanksgiving tradition has evolved into swimming, doing a little shopping, and a movie afterwards. Honestly, I adore it. My childhood memories of going to my grandparents' and meeting with the cousins over the holidays is something I'll always cherish, but times have changed considerably and our little family is just as unique as our new tradition. (I guess that's a nice way of saying we're weird.)

10. Red Bull. I know it's bad for you, but it's my one big vice these days and it enables me to function instead of drinking coffee, something I cannot stand. There are days when I'm sure I wouldn't be able to write a single word without it. As may times as I've tried to quit the stuff, I've come to accept it's one thing I can't do without.

That's it, folks. Hope all my fans in the US have an amazing holiday and have plenty to be thankful for, both important and shallow.

On the Reboot of "Carrie"

**Mild spoilers ahead if you haven't watched the original**

Although the original Carrie from 1976 is filled with bad fashion, an outdated musical score, and a big heaping load of cheese, I've always able to see past all of that to appreciate the awesome paranormal story weaved by the master of horror. When I heard a remake was in the works, starring Julianne Moore, I was excited, yet skeptical. Knowing it would be directed by Kimberly Peirce, the same woman who directed Boys Don't Cry, I knew it would be pretty dark, and probably a bit original.

I was able to catch the new Carrie on its premiere night. The very first scene was among the most disturbing. We watch as Carrie's mom gives birth all alone, not understanding that in fact she was pregnant and is delivering a child. While this was not in the first Carrie movie, it certainly added a whole new element of horror into the mix. It also gave us a better idea of what a psychopath Margaret White truly is. The mother continues to be the most troubling element of the remake, between her overzealous religious beliefs, abuse of her daughter, and self-abuse.

After the pig's blood was spilled toward the end is where I found myself losing some interest. The way this Carrie walked around with her arms up like a marionette for the last 20 minutes really irritated me, and I wasn't a fan of her "supernatural" telekinetic abilities that allowed her to lift a car in the air, and split a tar road like some kind of earth quake. I did, however, like the final showdown between Carrie and her mother.

The acting was just as spot on as I had hoped. Oscar award winner Julianna Moore did an outstanding job as the mentally disturbed mother, Chloë Grace Moretz was able to pull off being the socially outcast yet hopeful Carrie, Portia Doubleday nailed the part of the hateful bitch Chris, Gabriella Wilde (I'd love to see more of her) was perfect as the beautiful and sympathetic Sue, and Ansel Elgort (of upcoming The Fault in Our Stars fame) pulled at my heart strings as sweet Tommy. Truthfully, I preferred this cast over the original (sorry, Sissy).

Overall, I was drawn into the story even though I already knew it inside and out. The addition of the locker room scene being uploaded to YouTube was the only glaring difference, other than the focus on the mom harming herself. Although I'm not yet convinced I like the remake any more than the original, I had hoped that the updated version would at least appeal to the newer generation so they would appreciate the disturbed mind of Stephen King. But as we were leaving the theatre, a girl ahead of me in her early twenties told her boyfriend, "I liked the original better." Quite honestly, I don't know that a remake was necessary, but at least it made for an entertaining Friday night. And now my daughter knows (1) what can happen when you bully people, (2) at least her mother isn't a raving lunatic, and (3) don't have sex, because that birthing scene was discomforting at best.

Book Review: Horns

At first Ig thought the horns were a hallucination, the product of a mind damaged by rage and grief. He had spent the last year in a lonely, private purgatory, following the death of his beloved, Merrin Williams, who was raped and murdered under inexplicable circumstances. A mental breakdown would have been the most natural thing in the world. But there was nothing natural about the horns, which were all too real.

Once the righteous Ig had enjoyed the life of the blessed: born into privilege, the second son of a renowned musician and younger brother of a rising late-night TV star, he had security, wealth, and a place in his community. Ig had it all, and more—he had Merrin and a love founded on shared daydreams, mutual daring, and unlikely midsummer magic.

But Merrin's death damned all that. The only suspect in the crime, Ig was never charged or tried. And he was never cleared. In the court of public opinion in Gideon, New Hampshire, Ig is and always will be guilty because his rich and connected parents pulled strings to make the investigation go away. Nothing Ig can do, nothing he can say, matters. Everyone, it seems, including God, has abandoned him. Everyone, that is, but the devil inside. . . .

Now Ig is possessed of a terrible new power to go with his terrible new look—a macabre talent he intends to use to find the monster who killed Merrin and destroyed his life. Being good and praying for the best got him nowhere. It's time for a little revenge. . . . It's time the devil had his due. . .

**Before I start my review of this book, I just want to make it clear that this is not a young adult book, and is intended for mature adults. Joe Hill is Stephen King's son, and this book reads much like a SK book with a ton of vulgarity, and sexual situations. While I try to keep my books mostly YA, I know I have may fans who are of legal age and enjoy paranormal reads outside of the genre. Granted I was reading Stephen King by 10, but still...**

I really wanted to like this book, especially knowing it was recently made into a movie starring Daniel Radcliffe. The beginning started out strong with a great premise, and I could've sworn I was reading a book written by the author's father. But before long, I discovered Joe Hill's story telling skills aren't as masterful as it failed to keep my interest. The concept of waking with a pair of horns was pushed to the side as the protagonist went into hiding, and reflected on events of the past. Mid-way through I considered shelving it since I really didn't care what happened to any of the characters.

Still, I continued to plow through, knowing the story must have some redeeming qualities if it was opted for the big screen. I kept hoping to be surprised by some genius twist that never came. The ending didn't do much for me, and was actually rather predictable. The story jumps around from present to past so many times, it made my head spin. Maybe if we had first heard Ig's whole story before he woke with horns, it would've been more engaging. But the book was divided into more of a horror story in the beginning, morphing into a murder mystery toward the end.

Sadly, I feel this one only earned three zombies. I still may give Joe Hill another chance, because I hear good things.

Joseph Hillstrom King (born 1972) is an American writer of fiction, writing under the pen name of Joe Hill. Hill is the the second child of authors Stephen King and Tabitha King. His younger brother Owen King is also a writer. He has three children. Hill chose to use an abbreviated form of his given name (a reference to executed labor leader Joe Hill, for whom he was named) in 1997, out of a desire to succeed based solely on his own merits instead of as the son of Stephen King. After achieving a degree of independent success, Hill publicly confirmed his identity in 2007 after an article the previous year in Variety broke his cover (although online speculation about Hill's family background had been appearing since 2005).