Dance, science, surfing, art, the curious and the bizzarre.
Music
I listen to just about everything except for Cajun Zydeco. Tango, Folklorico (Chacarerra), Flamenco, Salsa, Country, Punk, Rock, Heavy Metal, All Butt Rock Varieties, Goth/Industrial, Jazz, Blues, and what ever you might classify Tom Waits under.
Movies
The Lost Skeleton of Cadavera. 21 Grams. Jude. Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte. It's A Wonderful Life.
Television
Carnivale. Six Feet Under. Deadwood. John from Cincinnati. Dancing With The Stars. So You Think You Can Dance... Paula Dean's Home Cooking. Jacque Pepin. General Hospital. Star Trek.
Books
George R. R. Martin's SONG OF ICE AND FIRE series. It's literary crack. And every issue of GRANTA Magazine, which is also literary crack, but a different sort. MAKE Magazine (Crack for Nerds & Engineers).
Rain Graves says PINC - the Paranormal Investigators of Northern California - will be the official team ghost hunting the Haunted Mansion Writer's Retreat. http://lnk.mPosted at 4:26 AM Nov 21 from Mobile view more
"Bukowski meets Lovecraft in this collection of more than 100 short poems from Stoker-winner Graves (Blood of a Black Bird). She explores a diversity of themes, including love, the search for self and the ubiquity of death in all its forms, from a scorned woman contemplating murder to a flying dinosaur devouring all in its path. Graves' cynical wit and macabre imagination are showcased in "Ladies of the Night," where female barflies are likened to melancholy vampires; the brilliantly allegorical "Unwanted Yellow Flowers," where lawn mowers have "metallic teeth" and dandelions "lay in wait/for the kiss of death"; and "Slick Eddie Dog One-Fifty-One," where a killer describes his victims as matchbooks full of dormant fire. Though there's no real narrative thread of progression to the hodgepodge of dark imagery, horror aficionados will enjoy the wry, nihilistic verse." -- Publishers Weekly, January 19, 2009
"Rain Graves writes really nasty poetry. She is a mistress of creating images that stick, the kind that you cannot get out of your mind -- not even using steel wool and a small, extremely sharp knife." --Neil Gaiman, New York Times Bestselling Author, AMERICAN GODS, CORALINE
"Rain Graves' work is a delight to read. It easily runs the distance from softly dark to pleasingly perverse. I highly recommend The Gossamer Eye-and everything else she does." —Charlee Jacob, Author of Haunter, This Symbiotic Fascination
"Lush and bloody, Gothic in every sense, the poetry of Rain Graves has a murderously seductive voice." —Poppy Z. Brite, Author of LOST SOULS, DRAWING BLOOD, EXQUISITE CORPSE, LIQOUR
"Rain Graves writes with power, darkness and grace. A strong, new voice in the field of horror fiction and poetry." --Richard Laymon, Author of ISLAND, ALL HALLOW'S EVE, BITE, TO WAKE THE DEAD, ENDLESS NIGHT and more…
"Rain Graves’ poetry is, by turns, surreal and very real, grand and romantic as the tango and nasty—even down right gross—as bugs crawling through your bed at night, burrowing through your sleeping bones. She can be funny and spooky and angry and tender and sometimes truly haunting, essaying life’s tragedies and joys and triumphs with equal vigor—here, a mouse finding sanctity and food supply in the flesh of wax church candles, there, an asp circling round and round a basket waiting to bite a Queen. She’s erotic and she’s wicked, and her story MARILYN is a sexual/political mind-bender. Did I mention she’s wicked? ‘Dream filler in my butter churner…’ Yes, indeed." --Jack Ketchum, Author of RED, THE LOST, SHE WAKES, PEACEABLE KINGDOM, The THE GIRL NEXT DOOR and more…
"The beauty of Rain Graves’ poetry is a guilty pleasure; both passionate and horrific in the same breath." –Barry Hoffman, Author (Leisure books) and Publisher, Gauntlet Press.
"I’ve seen Rain Graves’ short fiction before, but I never knew she was such an accomplished poet. The title poem alone is magnificent. Graves writes about death, matriarchs, and love." --Patrick Swenson, Publisher, Talebones, Summer 2003
"The Gossamer Eye is a unique venture invigorated by three talented writers who have plenty to say and their own individual way of saying it. It’s an odd duck of a book, which is part and parcel of its charm. Lovers of dark verse should hope for its commercial success-and should support it by buying a copy. Publisher Stephen Pagel of Meisha Merlin deserves credit for taking a risk on so unusual a book. I can only pray he will be rewarded for his courage by vigorous sales. The folks who buy a copy will have already received their reward." —Garrett Peck, Dark Fluidity
"[The Gossamer Eye] is a collection of mostly poetry, about equally divided among the three authors, with a few short stories sprinkled in. Most of the poems have a fantastic connection, primarily horror. I know many people have difficulty reading poetry, but that shouldn't be the case with these, which in virtually every case contain a discernible narrative. So try this for a collection of creepy, disturbing images wrapped in clever prose." -The [formerly Sci-fi] Chronicle
ABOUT ME:
I grew up below the Mason Dixon line, in two states with two different opinions on who should have won the war. You know, the war. In Virginia, it was safest to say the South. In Maryland, it depended upon who's house you were in and how close you were to Washington. My family still lives in that general direction, except my father, whose tarnished our fine old Virginia heritage by moving to Texas.
In 1995 I moved to California to become a rockstar. Instead, I became a writer. By 1997 I had sold my first story, and the rest is history. I remain, at best, a fringe and cult poet guilded with politically snarky sci-fi/horror fiction - emphasis on the horror. My best works have not yet come out, and as you are reading this, it's also likely I have still not been paid for them.
I am a supporter of the Horror Writer's Association, Persephone Writers Organization, WGA, and World Horror Organization - despite opposing views in all areas at any given time.
I am also a great supporter of local poetry community events, and have read as a feature at many of them. On the flip side, I also teach and perform Argentine Tango - wich is very different from the ballroom stuff and not to be closely compared. Argentine Tango is a full contact sport.
Who I'd like to meet: Other writers, editors, publishers, fans, and friends of the sci-fi/horror/fantasy genre. Angus Griswold look-a-likes. A man or woman that does not lie. Intelligent folks of various sciences; applied, practical, or imagined. More surf buddies. You can never have too many surf buddies.
Thank you for adding me as a friend. As you can see I am a fiction writer promoting my work on myspace. I have two published books and several more on the way. I frequently post short stories on my blog as a way of staying in touch with readers and for new readers to gauge my work. If you get the chance please check it out, and thanks again for the friendship. Best, Mark
Per my previous message about the Skullvines Twisted Tales Title Contest: I think I typed in the link to the Skullvines page wrong. D'oh! So you probably just need to go to the main Skullvines page at Skullvines (dot) com. Thanks!
Hello, Rain! Mark here. I wanted to let you and your readers know about the SKULLVINES TWISTED TALES TITLE CONTEST -- here's a chance to win a free copy of my next book, TWISTED TALES FOR SICK PUPPIES -- visit http://skullvines. com/?p=343 to find out more. Thanks!
