OOGIE BOOGIE CENTRAL - Featuring Steve's Vent

I probably should have thought about answering this question ten years ago. The simple answer is this: Oogie Boogie Central is the title of my first novel, and the de facto title of the series of books that follows it. However, the problem with simple answers is that-usually-the simple answer is really no answer at all. So, let’s examine the complicated response. I’ve always been fascinated with Multiple Personality Disorder, or at least the fictionalized version of it. As a literary trope, its potential seemed limitless; as an exercise in imagination, the premise was intoxicating. Unfortunately, the act of creating a novel around the concept of MPD proved more of a challenge than my enthusiasm anticipated. The remnants of my early, aborted attempts at exploring this theme reside in the ethereal afterlife where broken hard drives and obsolete 5 ¼ inch floppy disks go to die. If memory serves, these efforts at universe building began with a traumatized toddler and ended with a ...

If it weren't for Molly (our 4 year-old Lab, St. Bernard, shelter-dog mix), I probably wouldn't spend any more time outside than it takes to get from the house to the car and back again. Except for the occasional smoke. During daytime hours, we hit the back porch together, and when Molly runs off into the yard to TCB, I usually light up and ruminate about life. Now, I'm a pacer from way back, so I stroll back and forth thinking while Molly runs in circles, making qualitative judgements about why one plot of grass is more deserving of pee than another. Sometimes, such hefty decisions give me the opportunity to hotbox two cigarettes. But lately, at night, my ruminations have given way to an inexplicable obsession with that fellow at the top of this post. He's never around when the sun's up, but as dusk begins, I notice him perched in the seemingly empty space between one our porch pillars and the adjacent shrubbery. He's always in the pose you see depicte...

I do not consider myself mechanically inclined, but I tinker. I'm not a handyman, but I can research and apply like nobody's business. In short, I know just enough to get myself in trouble. I was blessed with a father who can do -and has done- nearly anything. I know every son says that about their father, but usually, such pronouncements stop about the time a child reaches legal drinking age. I passed that exit a long time ago. My first car was a 1967 Chevy Impala SS (props to those who realize Milo Tucker and I have more in common than I'll usually admit) that cost a whopping $100. The low price tag brought with it a bevy of mechanical opportunities, but thanks to my Jack of all Trades paterfamilias , most of those repairs usually only set us back the price of parts. I learned a lot watching Dad lean over the fender and rummage around in the engine compartment. It was during these sessions that my father revealed The Words of Power (women reading this may be scratch...

If you're craving Vents you haven't read, you can always head over to Horror World and click on the Column link. There's a new one from me: Eulogy in Absentia . . . . Check out the Archives while you're at it. I think there's 3 years of Vents lurking in the cyber-stacks. You may get a laugh or two you weren't expecting, and that's always a good thing. But Then Again, You'll Have This . . .

It's been a while, hasn't it? There's so much to tell, but those tales will have to wait. So much to explain, but explanations aren't on the menu this evening. Endings and beginnings. Trials and tribulations. Tragedy and triumph . . . well, maybe not so much on the triumph front. But maybe that's getting ready to change. In the coming days, we'll talk about Kindles and Nooks. Borders and Barnes & Noble. But Then Again, You'll Have This . . . , and Business Up Front, Party in the Back . Oogie Boogie Central and Oogie Boogie Bounce. Oh yes, we'll talk about all of this and more. For now, we'll confine ourselves to two, brief topics. First, when our family switched from cable to satellite, we received 3 months of free Showtime, and the biggest benefit of this has been our discovery of Dexter. Through the wonder of Video-on-Demand, we've devoured the Fifth Season in just a few days and have already started shopping for the earlier ...

Venter’s Note: Do I really have to say it? If you’re reading Final Chapter without reading the preceding three parts, then you should scroll down. Or perhaps you’ve arrived here accidentally, after Googling “sound of neurons firing” or John Spencer. Either way, enjoy. Thrombosis Hostage Crisis, Day 3. I haven’t mentioned my hospital roommate, a man about my age with severe abdominal discomfort. He arrived a few hours after I did, after a much longer, much more uncomfortable stay in the ER. Diverticulitis , I heard a nurse mention, a condition I’m slightly familiar with because of my mother-in-law (she suffers from it; she doesn’t cause it). I knew there was little chance I’d keep the two-bed room to myself, and while a bunkie with gastrointestinal issues wasn’t ideal, it beat the other selections I could have received. However, his arrival did make me regret the nurses’ decision to drop me in the bed next to the bathroom. Fortunately, his liquid diet made that concern moot. ...

Venter’s Note: If you haven’t read Thrombosis Summer Part One or Thrombosis Summer, Part Deux, I’d recommend scrolling down a bit or clicking here to get caught up. My third visitor in the ER treatment room arrived pushing a sonogram machine, a piece of equipment I recognized from my wives’ pregnancies. At first, I was confused, but once the technician lathered enough KY on my affected leg to supply a porno flick, I understood her intention. After twenty minutes of “mmm-hmmm’s” and scrunchy faces, I understood exactly nothing more. The young woman repeatedly attacking my injured leg with the hard, plastic probe obviously knew what she was looking for, and -once she found it- what it was, but she wasn’t sharing. When I could unclench my jaw enough to speak, I asked if she had found anything interesting. “Mmm-hmm.” Scrunchy face. Eventually, the woman rolled her medieval torture device away and the attending physician rolled in. “Well, Mr. Lukac,” he said. “We believe you ha...

Venter’s Note: If you haven’t read Thrombosis Summer Part One , I’d recommend scrolling down a bit or clicking here to get caught up. The night after my doctor’s appointment, I went to bed more relaxed than I had been in a while. There was something comforting about all my tests coming back positive. For the first time in years, I went to sleep without the niggling fear that I might not wake up the next day. Good night. Sleep Tight. And pleasant dreams to me. The next morning, I woke up with a cramp in my right leg. Nothing too severe; I walked it off by the time I made it to the bathroom, where my fully functioning (according to medical science) kidneys performed as advertised. I limped back to the bedroom for another hour of shuteye, feeling my calf muscle loosen with every step. A typical Friday morning. Once I made it to the store, I reported my doctor’s findings to my co-workers, relishing their stunned looks as I recited my passing score...

So there's a new Vent at Horror World . So, get to clickin'. But Then Again, You'll Have This . . .

It started with a cramp. No, no, no. That’s not true. It actually started much earlier. It started with a kidnapping. Every year, my parents avail themselves of the Multiphasic Blood Screening sponsored by the local Rotary Club. What this entails is twelve hours of Friday night fasting, followed by an early Saturday morning wake-up call. Then, a pilgrimage to the Methodist Church basement, where a flock of phlebotomists wait to drain the masses, followed by coffee and doughnuts. This year, I was told I’d be participating as well. This wasn’t a request, although I thought I’d moved beyond the age where my parents could dictate my behavior. When I mentioned this belief, my father laughed (in the same manner he had when I was a teenager), and told me where to be and when. And dammit, I listened. After a fair amount of pouting over my apparent lack of self-determination, I realized the screening probably wasn’t a bad idea. I don’t take proper care of myself; the inner tube that pass...

About picking up Oogie Boogie Central and Oogie Boogie Bounce , then Delirium has a deal for you. Head to Horror Mall for a Buy One, Get One Free sale, and buy both! Well?

. . . so there's a new Vent on Horror World. Go here for a peek. But Then Again, You'll Have This . . .

I almost forgot. Of course, I never do. It’s not the kind of thing you ever forget. You put it away. You wall it off. You get on with the business of living, occasionally allowing yourself to wonder about the road not taken. Or, the road closed. Stephen King did it in Pet Semetary, and for me, it’s the most poignant section of prose I’ve ever encountered. Gage graduates high school. Gage wins a gold medal. Gage finds that special girl. But most of all, Gage lives. It’s a waking dream to combat the horror of reality, but all it does is accentuate it. And while King’s laying down his beat, I’m at a table in the back of the bar, snapping my fingers in time with his rhythm. Yeah man, I can dig it. Would I trade you for your younger brother? For your sister? It’s a futile, hypothetical mental exercise, but don’t kid yourself, it’s the price of playing coulda, woulda, shoulda. Change one thing, and you change them all. That’s the bargain science fiction writers rarely consider w...

Before we start, allow me a brief, Science Fiction fan digression. Many authors create coherent universes in the course of their novels. Stephen King has tied nearly every piece of his fiction into the Dark Tower Mythos, even if it was done as an afterthought through some very creative, retroactive continuity tinkering. Brian Keene has done this as well; his Magnum Opus will be the often-mentioned Labyrinth. Careful readers of both authors (and if you’ve tried one without sampling the other, then shame on you) will recognize characters from previous works in cameo roles, as well as places and events from prior offerings. While these subtle connections reward faithful fans, they’re done in a way that doesn’t send a casual reader into fits of confusion. And, it’s a cool concept. I’ve tried to do a similar thing with the Oogie Boogie novels. Lieutenant Ducalion aficionados have noticed an ongoing Whodunit case during the Intermission section of Bounce. This was an intentional inclus...

Where? Where are the Secrets & Lies? They're here , at Horror World, as is the the Vent from April. Finally, a professional venue for Venting. But Then Again, You'll Have This . . .

For absolutely no reason, yesterday I checked ou r in-store ordering system to see the Not-Yet-Available status on Central & Bounce . February 2 is a long way from Delirium's February 26th on-sale date for both books- but I figured "What the hell?" Boy, was I happy I did. The new edition of Oogie Boogie Central and the new Oogie Boogie Bounce are both live, which means they're available from your favorite bookselling venue. I wholeheartedly recommend utilizing Delirium's Horror Mall, but if you happen to live within shouting distance, you can always pick up copies at my joint. I'll even sign them for you. It's like an early Christmas, except without all the stress. But Then Again, You'll Have This . . .

True to his word, Shane Staley of Delirium Books sent out a slew of Advance Readers Copies of both Oogie Boogie Central and Oogie Boogie Bounce , and two reviews have already been posted. First, Don D'Ammassa at Critical Mass weighed in. You can check it out here. Then, last night Google Alert pointed me to FearZone.com and Norman L. Rubenstein's review, available here. I know that good reviews shouldn't be cause for celebration. Opinions are subjective, and I'm sure the negative ones will be coming in soon. I'm just happy that Mssrs. D'Ammassa and Rubenstein took the time to read both books and share their thoughts. But Then Again, You'll Have This . . .

I am happy to report that after five years of waiting (I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve been waiting for five years) OOGIE BOOGIE BOUNCE, the sequel to OOGIE BOOGIE CENTRAL, will be released at the end of February 2008 by Delirium Books . This $16.95 trade paperback features an phenomenal, original cover by Alan M. Clark : Pretty nifty, huh? But what if you haven’t read OOGIE BOOGIE CENTRAL? What if you don’t have the Medium Rare paperback with the dancing hot dog, or the infamous Cereal Box Hardcover? Delirium’s got that covered as well. And what if you already own the original? What could possess you to purchase a new edition of a book you already own? Perhaps, this bit of magic that occurs when you place both books side by side. This painting is titled Dangers of Life and Self, and it’s gorgeous. Pre-order information coming soon. But Then Again, You'll Have This . . . In about four months.

Bouncing your way soon: An old favorite and a new installment. Details coming soon. But Then Again, You'll Have This . . . In February 2008.

Addio, psico asini d'addio! Tune in next week for the Grand Finale. Thought I forgot, didn't you? But Then Again, You'll Have This . . .