September, 2013

TAEM Goes to the 2013 Baltimore Comic-Con!

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

IMG_2186The Arts and Entertainment Magazine & THE EERIE DIGEST attended the Baltimore Comic-Con this past month. It was a great event and we have met many writers and illustrators of these great magazines there. We are very happy to report that we will be able to present interviews with them to our readers in upcoming articles.

We also were able to take plenty of pictures of those attending the event in costume and we will present them at the end of this article. Our trip started without a hitch and we had booked a room at the Towson Best Western Hotel just North of Baltimore (more about that later on in this article). (more…)

TAEM interview with author RC Hutchins

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

RC-HutchinsTAEM- It is always great to be able to find a new author to be able to show students of the Arts what it takes to achieve success in writing. We recently met author RC Hutchins who works in one of our favorite genres. She also has written a number of short stories that have appeared in our magazine.

Robin, please tell us when you first discovered writing as a talent.

RCH- When I was in sixth grade, we had a lot of writing assignments, mostly nonfiction and not very many were creative writing. At one point, we were assigned partners and were told to create a story together. After the assignment, I kept my partner around and we began the first draft of what would later become the inspiration for my first book. (more…)

TAEM News Flash! Gloria Kisel Hollis Produces New Film!

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

The Arts and Entertainment Magazine has learned that Gloria Kisel-Hollis (click to see interview) who we interviewed in our February 1st, 2011 issue has just produced a new short film. The title of the film is The Brentwood Connection .com .

Gloria, who we met during Damian Chappa’s film premier of Brando in Hollywood has been keeping quite busy. Asked about the theme behind her new film she told us that it is about Two divorcee socialites lose it all and then cleverly come up with a humorous social media business plan to hopefully get back to their accustomed lives of riches and romance. (more…)

‘Meloncholy of a King’ Part 1 by RC Hutchins

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

RC-HutchinsPerhaps it was the melancholy of the season or perhaps the harsh business of the day – whatever it was that came to disturb his usual demeanor this day caused the young ruler to be outside, riding upon his stead of ghostly white. The giant, elegant elk strode with purpose through the underbrush, picking his way with care. He received no instruction or direction from his rider and so followed a well-hidden game trail.

His rider, meanwhile, paid no attention to his surroundings. No, the King was far too caught up in his own world to notice the subtle quiet of the forest.

But the elk noticed. He stopped, standing statue still, his ears the only movement as they swiveled about, trying to listen for any sign of trouble. When no noise came the elk, he twisted his neck around and nipped warningly at his rider’s leg.

Jerked from his inner thoughts, the King glanced around. “Vaun, what is it?” the young King asked. (more…)

The Tweed Update by Roger Tweed

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

Roger TweedTaking the Lead Our portfolio is now outperforming the S&P 500!  Propelled almost entirely by Facebook’s (FB) continued powerful momentum, our portfolio gained 0.8% in the five weeks since August 2, while the S&P 500 lost 3.2%.  Strong showings by SPDR Gold (GLD) and SPDR China (GXC) also contributed.  Our only other non-cash positions to gain ground were American Capital Agency (AGNC) and Twenty First Century Fox (FOXA).  Since its January 10 inception our portfolio has gained 15.80% while the S&P 500 has gained 12.87%.

Our Facebook shares followed-up on their 56% gain last month to gain almost 16% since August 2.  The stock has gone virtually straight up since its stellar quarterly report on July 24, and is now the best performing position in the portfolio.  With the report showing solid earnings and revenue coming from mobile users, any news about Facebook is now seen in a positive light by traders.      (more…)

TAEM News Flash! Our Publisher is a Featured Guest Speaker at a Local Writer’s Club!

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

Joe O'Donnell   Our publisher, Joseph J. O’Donnell, was recently invited to speak at the monthly meeting of the Riverside Writer’s Club in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Originally scheduled as a radio interview, it ran into a snag when the gentleman with the radio equipment failed to show up.

The monthly meeting continued, however, and our publisher soldiered on. Mr. O’Donnell explained the workings of our publication and the purpose behind it as a learning tool for those studying the Arts, and for college students around the world. He also told of the many literary, Hollywood, and television personalities, as well as many others, who have appeared in our publications. He also gave pointers in how to get published. (more…)

TAEM News Flash! Actress Eileen Grubba in the News!

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

eileengrubba02 The Arts and Entertainment Magazine has just learned that actress Eileen Grubba (click here to see article), who we first interviewed in our November 2009 issue, is campaigning for a most worthy cause. On her agenda is the Global Genes Project to help young children around the world.

“Eileen is the first Hollywood personality that we had interviewed for our magazine’, publisher Joseph J. O’Donnell said. ” She is a working actress, writer and producer. She is also a Lifetime Member of The Actors Studio and has worked on The Five Year Engagement, Sons of Anarchy, The Closer, Cold Case, Hung, CSI Miami, The Mentalist, Masters of Sex, Nip/Tuck, Monk, E.R. and many other shows, films and theater prod uctions. She is also a spokesperson for LSI: Families with hereditary cancers and an advocate for the hiring of people with physical challenges in the entertainment industry”. (more…)

TAEM interviews Comic Book author Steven A. Roman

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

Steven A. RomanTAEM- With the recent visit to the Baltimore Comic-Con, The Arts and Entertainment Magazine & THE EERIE DIGEST has delved into a brand new genre of writing for our readers to learn about, and enjoy. In our foray there we ran into the well-known author, Steven A. Roman, who has written some of the most noted works in his field. Like our publisher he was born in the Bronx, in New York City.

Steven, what first inspired you to take up your line of work, and what educational background did you pursue to do so?

SAR- Originally, it was reading comic books as a child that made me want to become a writer. To be honest, my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree hasn’t really gotten my any work, either as a writer or editor. (I was a fiction editor for ten years at a publishing house called ibooks, inc.. I was hired because at the time I was self-publishing comics and they thought that meant I knew all stages of book production. It was a learning experience for us both…) The writing has always come fairly naturally, though. Self-publishing through StarWarp Concepts came about when I couldn’t find anyone to publish my work. (more…)

‘The Portal’ by Guest Author Alex Knight

Saturday, September 14th, 2013
Guest Author Alex Knight

Guest Author Alex Knight

The ground was uneven and making my way along the last 100 feet took longer than I expected. It was twilight, if luck held out I would make it to the entrance unseen. I paused, gathering the strength I needed to continue this arduous journey. If I hoped to see my beloved Alistair again, I had to make it through the portal by the light of the blue moon. It was tonight, or… never.

* * *

“I hate it here.”

“Honey, give the place a chance. We just got here.”

“I’ll never like it here and I’ll never make any friends. I want to go home.”

“This is our home now.”

Mother wisely didn’t address the issue of friends. She knew I would either find one, or not. (more…)

‘Absolution’ by Guest Author Talley Burnside

Saturday, September 14th, 2013

Talley-BurnsideThe guns fell silent.

Re’kah flattened herself against a charred cinder-block wall.  She hissed at Kohn, slinking along the ruins of a house across the way, but he wouldn’t make eye contact. He must be thinking the same thing. Where was their covering fire?  He motioned for her to come to him, and she ducked across the blood-splashed alley. She held her breath, visualizing a bubble of protection.

Kohn grabbed her hand and pulled her with him through a gaping hole that used to be a doorway.

“No snipers,” he said.  Re’kah closed her eyes, trying to adjust to the dim ambient light. The room reeked of blood and shit, charred flesh and diesel fuel — the smells she’d come to associate with death.

“Is it possible this sector’s secure?” she asked. They were the only two survivors of a threat eradication team, and they were still nearly an hour away from their home base.

Before he could answer there was a small movement in the corner.  They spun into position, back to back, with Kohn defending the entrance.

“It’s a baby,” Re’kah said. She lowered her gun and moved toward it. “I don’t think it’s injured.”

“Wait,” said Kohn. “Probably booby- trapped.”  (more…)

Travel Time with Roger Tweed- Kalamazoo and the Corvair Convention

Saturday, September 14th, 2013

Roger TweedIn mid-July, my friend Jon and I traveled to Kalamazoo, MI to attend the CORSA (Corvair Society of America) National Convention and sell copies of “Lifemobile”, his novel about how a 1965 Corvair Corsa brought a father and son together, to reconnect with some acquaintances from past Corvair events, and to see some sights in West Michigan and Pennsylvania.  Jon describes his book in this You Tube video recorded on July 20:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffLI8jtKZ80

July 17 was Jon’s birthday, and I drove from Arlington, VA to his Charlottesville, VA apartment so we could get an early start the next morning.  I left my house a bit after 3 pm so I could use Interstate 66 before rush hour restrictions set in.  No big traffic problems on I 66 or US 29 all the way down, and I was in Charlottesville before 5 pm.  Since I wasn’t scheduled to arrive at Jon’s apartment until 7 pm, I stopped at the Walmart on US 29 to cool off, check prices, and walk around the store.  Just before 6 pm I called Jon and told him I’d be right over.  Street parking is tight around his building during the day, and there were no available spaces when I first drove past.  But a space opened up during my first trip around the block, and after I pulled in Jon came out to meet me.  His building was completed in 2010, and is in the north part of downtown, 2 blocks from the downtown mall.  (more…)

‘Masque’ by Guest Author RC Hutchins

Saturday, September 14th, 2013

RC-HutchinsFlashing colored lights, bursting sounds, flagrant odors; all flickering before her eyes, her mind reeling. The sounds hammer on her ears, the lights and colors burn her eyes, and the odors fill her nostrils. She can barely breathe, she cannot think, she can do nothing but turn in the circles as those around her dance, laugh, and make merry. Her eyes feel like they are being stabbed with a hot poker as the lights and colors fade from her sight. Her head feels a weight upon her shoulders, pulling her down into the dark. Her mind tumbles from the awareness of the world. As she falls, her mind registers a blue and black spot hitting the floor before she does.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he sees a masked woman teetering before those around her notice. He runs, aiming to catch her before she hits the ground, leaving behind another woman. Startled, she stares after him, and slowly follows. She watches as her date slips and slides on the wet stones in the square, until he finally reaches the masked woman, her blue-feathered mask falling from her face. The falling woman does not seem to register that she herself is falling, or that anyone has caught her. But under her, the man keeps her from the ground, dirtying his own costume. (more…)