Grapevine, Texas––rated as one of "America's Best Places to Live" by CNNMoney.com 2007––is also home to one of the best places in Texas to get chili!  At the famous TOLBERT'S Restaurant and Chili Parlor.

Mom & Dad and I had a super time on Saturday afternoon, chowing down on chips, salsa, guacamole and chili (the parents shared a burger). I truly do looooooove Tolbert's Original Texas Red, which comes topped with a large Serrano pepper (search the pics). But if that isn't enough to set me on fire––upon request––they supply a small cup of liquid magic that can be poured into the chili that will turn the already steaming bowl into an instant 5-Alarm special!  You know you're in Texas when you're at TOLBERT'S!

NOW AVAILABLE!

PAUL D. MARKS atmospheric story GHOSTS OF BUNKER HILL in ELLERY QUEEN MYSTERY MAGAZINE's December 2016 year-end issue, celebrating the mag's 75th-anniversary year!

Grab a copy here and check out Paul's tale on KINDLE:

https://www.amazon.com/Ellery-Queens-Mystery-Magazine/dp/B000N8V3FA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1336416456&sr=1-1

For other DIGITAL COPIES:

https://www.themysteryplace.com/eqmm/digital/

Official Site of EQMM:

https://www.themysteryplace.com/eqmm/

Also, be sure to checkout PAUL D. MARKS'
novels & other works here:
https://www.amazon.com/Paul-D.-Marks/e/B005G8TNQ8/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1481383354&sr=1-2-ent

Thanks to Vitina Molgaard (my good friend and partner in cheese enchilada crimes) sharing the Facebook Memory post about my blog from a year ago today, I revisited FISHING FOR AVOCADOS and was thinking how strange––once again––that at that moment in time I had no idea that in less than a year, I would be back in Texas to stay after living in L.A. for two decades.

2015 was very hard on me emotionally (as were the previous several years)––things just weren't going well for my writing and film work, and neither were many other things. And I was going to be alone on Christmas––or at least spending a somewhat somber day at the movies, seeing the opening day of THE REVENANT at the Arclight in Hollywood, after seeing STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS earlier in the day.

Well, I'm safe and sound and back home in Dallas now, and it's a wonderful, very cold morning outside as I sit at my computer, typing this post in the great comfort of my warm jammies and robe. Life does get better sometimes, even if all the details might not be worked out.

Happy Holidays everyone. And enjoy several posts of music and thoughts from me a year ago, when I didn't think life would be so nice (and so different) in only 12 short months. And all thanks to my wonderful mom and dad. They have always been the greatest Mr. & Mrs. Claus for me.

 

"Hmmmmmmm...what to do on Christmas 2015...that's a big question this year. I don't mean for this to be a sad post. But I will be alone this Christmas, so I must decide in advance on a plan of action to keep myself out of my grim, dark house…"
***See post: http://blackcabproductions.blogspot.com/2015/12/what-to-do-onchristmas-hmmmmmmm.html

 

"One of my favorite DANNY ELFMAN music queues from EDWARD SCISSORHANDS that says Christmas to me is ICE DANCE. Enjoy!"
***See post: http://blackcabproductions.blogspot.com/2015/12/one-of-my-favorite-danny-elfman-music.html

"A very lovely and emotional re-imagining of SALLY'S SONG from THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS by AMY LEE."
***See post: http://blackcabproductions.blogspot.com/2015/12/a-very-lovely-and-emotional-reimagining.html

 

Enjoy CHRISTMAS IN HELL:
http://blackcabproductions.blogspot.com/2015/12/enjoy-some-christmas-time-in-hell.html

 

Enjoy LONELY JEW ON CHRISTMAS here:
http://blackcabproductions.blogspot.com/2015/12/this-goes-out-to-all-my-jewish-friends.html

 

THE REVENANT post:
http://blackcabproductions.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-revenant-in-theatersdecember-25-th.html

 

Enjoy some music from Z FOR ZACHARIAH, composed by HEATHER McINTOSH:
http://blackcabproductions.blogspot.com/2015/12/enjoy-some-music-from-z-for-zachariah.html

NOW in PAPERBACK!

A CATCH IN TIME––Only $9.99!––by Christopher Alan Broadstone!

"10/10! A CATCH IN TIME grew so vividly and beautifully absurd…I could not take my eyes off the book for long…C. A. Broadstone has easily convinced me that his writing style is indeed brilliant." –– Oliver Lippert, The Huffington Post

"A CATCH IN TIME speeds forward into that fever dream state that plays like a hallucination out of Dante’s Inferno..." –– Paul D. Marks, Author of "White Heat"

“A horrific tale with sensational literary motifs of the Nazi horror, A CATCH IN TIME is a novella you must read.” –– Christopher Zisi, Zisi Emporium For B-Movies

PAPERBACK & KINDLE on Amazon US:

https://www.amazon.com/Catch-Time-Christopher-Alan-Broadstone-ebook/dp/B01LONF3R6/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Amazon UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Catch-Time-Christopher-Alan-Broadstone-ebook/dp/B01LONF3R6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1476055231&sr=1-1&keywords=a+catch+in+time

In The  CREATE SPACE Store:

https://www.createspace.com/6732805

 

Please visit C.A. Broadstone's Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/Christopher-Alan-Broadstone/e/B00MZBU2S2/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

WOOHOO! NEW KATE BUSH!!!!

BEFORE THE DAWN (LIVE) is out now! (A must have for me.)

About the AND DREAM OF SHEEP video:
Kate Bush risked her life to bring fans her first new music video in almost five years.
During production on the visual for AND DREAM OF SHEEP the new single (a cover of her own 1985 track) from her live album BEFORE THE DAWN, the 58-year-old English singer-songwriter contracted a mild case of hypothermia across the first day of filming at Pinewood Studios, just west of London.

In the new clip, Bush looks to camera as she reclines in a dark pool of water, her arms outstretched as an orange life jacket keeps her afloat. She mouths the song’s lyrics throughout the video, her body remaining virtually motionless until the conclusion, when she takes a breath and sinks below the surface.

“This was to create a sense of realism, as the character in the song is lost at sea. However it became more realistic than Kate had imagined,” a statement on the video — which was projected onto a large oval screen which hung above audiences during her live Before the Dawn stage series — reads. “Everyone agreed [Kate’s struggle] had added to the authenticity of the performance.”

Watch the AND DREAM OF SHEEP music video here: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_256xd9N27o

 

TIS' THE SEASON...For VAMPIRE MOVIES!

CINEMA OF VAMPIRES!

NOW AVAILABLE! Only $4.99!

38 Movie Reviews  B-Horror Fans Will Love!

Written by CHRISTOPHER ZISI of ZISI EMPORIUM FOR B-MOVIES––Whether you like your bloodsucker suave like Christopher Lee, or seductive like Natassia Malthe, they're all in this book.  No Oscar Winners or Top-10 Box Office, shiny vampires here!  All are under the radar gems!

Available on AMAZON:

http://tinyurl.com/j5qt4so

Please visit ZISI EMPORIUM FOR B-MOVIES here:

http://zisiemporium.blogspot.com

About CHRISTOPHER ZISI...

Christopher J. Zisi is a recently retired FBI agent (25 years) turned horror writer. In his FBI career, Mr. Zisi worked drug and organized crime investigations and also taught interviewing and interrogation to foreign police agencies. CINEMA OF VAMPIRES is his second book, as last year he published a collection of horror poetry in ESCAPING FROM THE INSTITUTE.

 

ESCAPING FROM THE INSTITUTE

Available On Amazon...

Kindle:

http://tinyurl.com/z5d4gb4

 Paperback:

http://tinyurl.com/j578ow8

EARLY MUSIC From NEW ORLEANS

Invigorates The Holiday Season:

MUSICA DA CAMERA!

In my downtime––between helping little old ladies across busy intersections and generally stirring up offense and trouble with shameless self-promotions and sordid video work––I sometimes enjoy bringing awareness to the world, regarding worthy folk such as a new soul I met thanks to actor Tony Simmons––a very interesting and talented gentleman by the name of  JOSEPH B. DARENSBOURG.

Joe, as Tony calls him, is a rare book expert and musician (voice & percussion) with MUSICA DA CAMERA, a group that performs early & medieval music.  Originally founded in 1966 by architect, university professor, magician and musician, MILTON SCHEUERMANN, JR., MUSICA DA CAMERA (now in their 51st season) performs regularly and is one with the radio show CONTINUUM, hosted by founder MILTON SCHEUERMANN.

Please check out these talented and fascinating people

and their music at the following links.

Enjoy some music with Musica da Camera on YouTune:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL2oQ7ezT04&list=PLxzdUfVKGES1ZujNoN2D_rJCXOpxrGp2y&index=3

Musica da Camera's Continuum (Radio Program):
http://wwno.org/programs/musica-da-cameras-continuum

MdC & Continuum Founder: Milton Scheuermann

Musica da Camera Official Website:
http://www.nomdc.org/index.html