Severance: Stories, by Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Olen Butler, is a book of 62 stories based on two facts: theory has it that consciousness lasts for one and a half minutes after decapitation, and people can utter 160 words per minute when agitated.
Each story consists of 240 words of stream-of-conciousness - the amount of words that could be uttered in one and a half minutes in a state of agitation.
These are the post-mortem thoughts of fictional, historical, mythical, animal and modern day figures who lost their head, but are given a voice for 240 words.
Characters include John the Baptist, Medusa, a chicken, Jayne Mansfield, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Tyler Alkins, the civilian truck driver beheaded in Iraq. The latter stories in the book are more disturbing as Butler moves through history into our present day.
Some of the last thoughts are remembrances of special times, others are a retreat to childhood. This book, while morbid, is quite thought provoking and will stay with you for a long time.
March 15 1943 – David Cronenberg (director of numerous horror films) born 2002 – Resident Evil released theatrically in the United States
March 16 1925 – The Monster released theatrically 1995 – Alone in the Dark 3 released on PC and Mac
March 17 1943 – I Walked with a Zombie released theatrically 1994 – Castlevania: Bloodlines released on the Sega Genesis in North America 2000 – Final Destination released theatrically
March 18 1950 – Brad Dourif (actor who portrays Chucky in the Child's Play films) born 1994 – Castlevania: Bloodlines released on the Sega Mega Drive in Japan 2005 – The Ring Two released theatrically 2005 – Resident Evil 4 released for the Nintendo GameCube in Europe
March 19 2004 – Dawn of the Dead (2004) released theatrically
March 20 1964 – Two Thousand Maniacs! released theatrically 1994 – Castlevania: Bloodlines released on the Sega Genesis in Europe 1997 – Castlevania: Symphony of the Night released on the PlayStation and Sega Saturn in Japan
March 21 2001 – Castlevania: Circle of the Moon released on the Game Boy Advance in Japan 2006 – Stay Alive released theatrically
The movie was directed by Fred F. Sears, and stars Hugh Marlowe and Joan Taylor.
The groundbreaking flying saucer effects were courtesy of the legendary Ray Harryhausen.
Project Skyhook, a U.S. effort to launch a dozen satellites, is visited by a flying saucer. A misunderstanding leads to the aliens being fired on, and they retaliate by destroying the project site, killing everyone except Dr. Russell Marvin and his wife Carol. The sequence of events quickly spirals out of control and leads to a full scale invasion of Earth. Can Dr. and Mrs. Marvin find a way to stop these creatures, or is it the end of the human race?
March 8 1972 – Tales from the Crypt released theatrically 2005 – Rings released on DVD
March 9
March 10 1997 – Buffy the Vampire Slayer begins its run 2006 – The Hills Have Eyes (2006) released theatrically
March 11 1931 – F.W. Murnau (director of Nosferatu) dies (b. 1888) 1997 – Castlevania Legends released on the Game Boy in North America 1999 – Castlevania 64 released on the Nintendo 64 in Japan
March 12 1999 – The Rage: Carrie 2 released theatrically
March 13 1942 – The Ghost of Frankenstein released theatrically 1981 – The Howling released theatrically 1987 – Evil Dead II released theatrically 1996 – Lucio Fulci (director of several horror films) dies (b. 1927)
March 14 2003 – Willard (2003) released theatrically
The movie was directed by Don Seigel; the cast includes Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, Larry Gates, King Donovan, and Carolyn Jones. It was based on the novel by Jack Finney.
A small-town doctor learns that the population of his community is being replaced by emotionless alien duplicates.
This movie was remade in 1978 by Philip Kaufman, with Donald Sutherland in the lead role.
Zeitghost Media has just provided an exclusive book trailer (released today) as a prelude to the forthcoming March 10 release of the novel Hunted, book #5 of the House of Night series, written by P.C. and Kristin Cast.
The New York Times best selling mother-daughter writing team of P.C. and Kristin Cast again prove why they have become a major force in teen fiction. With over 3 million copies of their books in print, a well-publicized film option, an updated interactive website, daily-growing fanbase, and now a first national book tour, the Cast duo will command your attention with every page turn.
What if the hottest guy in the world was hiding a nameless evil, and all he wanted was you? At the start of this heart-pounding new installment of the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secrets any longer. But an unexpected danger has emerged. Neferet guards her powerful new consort, Kalona, and no one at the House of Night seems to understand the threat he poses. Kalona looks gorgeous, and he has the House of Night under his spell. A past life holds the key to breaking his rapidly spreading influence, but what if this past life shows Zoey secrets she doesn’t want to hear and truths she can’t face?
Special bonus: The book features a full-color poster of Zoey inside the cover!
EXCERPT
Chapter One
The dream began with the sound of wings. In retrospect I realize I should have known that was a bad sign, what with the Raven Mockers being set loose and all, but in my dream it was just background noise, kinda like a fan whirring or the TV turned on to the QVC.
In my dream I was standing in the middle of a beautiful meadow. It was night, but there was an enormous full moon hovering just above the trees that framed the meadow. It cast a silver blue light strong enough to throw shadows and made everything look like it was underwater, an impression that was strengthened by the gentle breeze blowing the soft grasses against my bare legs in sweeps and whirls like waves lapping sweetly against a shore. That same wind was lifting my thick dark hair from my naked shoulders and it felt like silk floating against my skin.
Bare legs? Naked shoulders?
I looked down and let out a little yip of surprise. I was wearing a seriously short buckskin minidress. The top of it was cut in a wide V, front and back, so that it hung off my shoulders, leaving lots of skin visible. The dress itself was amazing. It was white and decorated with fringe, feathers, and shells and seemed to glow in the moonlight. All over it was beaded with intricate designs that were impossibly beautiful.
My imagination is so darn cool!
The dress tickled a memory, but I ignored it. I didn’t want to think too hard— I was dreaming! Instead of pondering déjà vu moments I danced gracefully through the meadow, wondering if Zac Efron or even Johnny Depp was going to suddenly appear and flirt outrageously with me.
I peeked around as I twirled and swayed with the wind and thought I saw the shadows flicker and move oddly within the massive trees. I stopped and was trying to squint so I could get a closer look at what was going on in the darkness. Knowing me and my weird dreams, I’d created bottles of brown pop hanging from the limbs like bizarre fruit, just waiting for me to pick them.
Video trailer for Hunted (House of Night Series #5):
Here are the other books in the House of Night Series:
Marked (House of Night Series #1) After she is Marked, 16-year-old Zoey Redbird enters the House of Night and learns that she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is mis-using her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny— with a little help from her new vampyre friends.
Betrayed (House of Night Series #2) Zoey has managed to settle in at the House of Night and come to terms with the vast powers the Goddess Nyx has given her. Just as she finally feels she belongs, the unthinkable happens: human teenagers are being killed, and all evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey’s old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves.
Chosen (House of Night Series #3) Dark forces are at work at the House of Night and Zoey Redbird's adventures at the school take a mysterious turn. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey finds herself in the very unexpected and rare situation of having three boyfriends. Mix a little bloodlust into the equation and the situation has the potential to spell social disaster. Just when it seems things couldn't get any tougher, vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. It looks like the People of Faith are tired of living side-by-side with vampyres. But, as Zoey and her friends so often find out, how things appear rarely affects the truth...
Untamed (House of Night Series #4) Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird – she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, of the two Zoey has left, one is undead and one is unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wld and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened.
