Just saw Sam Raimi's new movie Drag Me to Hell--not bad. In fact pretty damn good, with a number of classic Raimi frights and gross-outs. Not in the same league as Evil Dead, but at least a return to the same general territory. The only real letdown is the climactic seance scene, which has a great buildup but no real payoff. But overall it's a very fun movie, with terrific performances all around.

Oh, I just had a bit of good news: It looks like a story of mine will be included in the zombie anthology The Living Dead 2, edited by John Joseph Adams. I feel honored, because the first book had such a big impact and so many great writers.

Speaking of writers, I'll be attending the NY ThrillerFest in July, and taking part in a panel discussion on the topic of writing. So if anyone wants to ask me anything, that's where I'll be. Then later in July I'll be in San Diego for Comic-Con, where I'll be taking part in another panel discussion with a group of horror novelists. You may think this all I do: fly around the country taking part in panel discussions. But no--I do many other wonderful things, such as saving avocado pits in case I ever want to grow my own avocado tree. Then I eventually throw them out. But it's a beautiful thought.

This is unbelievable. I keep getting spam emails that are using my own web address as their URL, and it's really starting to piss me off. How is this even possible? Other people are probably getting these bogus emails and opening them up, thinking they're coming from me, and getting a bunch of porn or god knows what. I only wish I could get my hands on the douchebags who send this stuff.

Just saw George Romero's Day of the Dead for the first time in a few years. Not Romero's best (or worst) movie, but it has some great performances. A few years ago I was lucky enough to go to a horror convention that hosted almost everybody from this film, including George Romero himself. Fun bunch, and they obviously still love talking to fans about that movie. I was able to give George a signed copy of my book in appreciation for all the zombie pleasure he's given me over the years, and also gave one to Lori Cardille (star of Day of the Dead) in exchange for her book I'm Gonna Tell. I have to say she's still pretty hot.

I remember the first time I saw Day of the Dead. It didn't come to Providence, so my girlfriend and I made a special trip to New York City just to see it. This was a big deal because neither of us made much money--I was a garage cashier, and she worked at a daycare center--but I was a huge fan of Romero's two previous zombie films, especially Dawn of the Dead, and I had to see this one. Day was playing at a big theater on Times Square, with incredible sound and freezing air-conditioning. The movie had just opened a week or two earlier, but the matinee we attended was almost empty. I felt bad for George, but at least we had great seats. Then: Wham!--that wonderful opening scene with the helicopter landing in a zombie-infested city. Thank God, George had done it again.

It was a very good weekend.