-
Welcome to the Web
Threads that Bind is a coalition of authors and artists specializing in things macabre. Monsters? We know monsters. Demons? We got ’em. Criminals of the nastiest sort? Do you have to ask? Here you’ll find the minds who bring you the stories and artwork that have you checking under the bed at night. The Regulars…
-
Here Comes the Sun — But it Won’t Help
Who doesn’t know that the best way to kill a vampire is to drive a stake through it’s heart, or to give it a good dose of Mr. Sunshine and watch the creature of the night burn up? We all know that, don’t we? Easy-Peasy. Just look at Buffy. So imagine my surprise when I…
-
High Noon
Good morning, friends and followers, and welcome to June. I sincerely hope it finds you well. June 1st, and if I tilt my head just right, I can still catch the lingering scent of last year’s Christmas tree… Now, that’s horror! This month I’m going to continue my series on my writing techniques that I…
-
WORLD SPLATTER DAY
I am writing this on Monday afternoon, World Goth Day, in case you didn’t know. It’s an appreciation of the subculture and its music that began in the UK in 2009, and since the previous Saturday, yours truly has used it to continue shaking off the vestiges of social anxiety disorder by going out to…
-
The Dark Side of the Wild West
On Saturday, May 20, I’ll be at the Ironwood Library in Chandler, Arizona discussing the Weird and Wild West on panels with such authors as Jeff Mariotte and Hal Astell. On one of the panels, we’ll be discussing all the flavors of westerns from Spaghetti Westerns to Steampunk-flavored Westerns to Space Westerns. One thing most…
-
Fear and the Occult Detective
Fear is one of our oldest emotions — if not the oldest. And fear of the unknown is one of our greatest fears. I don’t know what I don’t know, and that lack of knowing scares us. It is primal, that fear of the unknown. Playing on our Fears Fear, and playing on our fears,…
-
The Hero’s Cage
Those among you who are writers are well aware of the processes involved in character creation. Of course, you need a name and an appearance to build your character around. That’s what your audience will consciously relate to throughout the story. But every character must have quirks, traits, mannerisms, accents, all of which will serve…
-
What Inspires Me
When asked what inspires me, I think of the 1985-92 television series Ray Bradbury Theater. During the intro segment, Ray Bradbury walked into an old cage elevator and came out in an office full of memorabilia and toys. He referred to it as his “magician’s toyshop.” All he had to do was look around and…
-
The Best-Laid Plans…
Good morning, all, and welcome back to the Web. Forgive me, dear readers, but I have lost my way. For a good many years now, I have written stories and novels of fantasy and the occult. I’ve written a fantasy novel that has received praise for not being overrun with elves, dwarves, and goblins (check…
-
Valdis Damien van Dyne
Pierce Mostyn not only has Cthulhu to think about, he also has Valdis Damien van Dyne. In case you don’t know, Pierce Mostyn is the hero in my Pierce Mostyn Paranormal Investigations series. He is the G-Man assigned to fight the Ultimate Evil. Ultimate evil from our point of view, that is. But along the…