The Next Fix

I described it from my perspective in my Balticon 42 recap. Now here’s executive producer/creator Earl Newton’s live update announcing the deal for Stranger Things to be carried on Illusion TV. PLUS—for those who couldn’t be there—a bonus trailer for “Latchkeepers”, the episode penned by your humble narrator that premiered at Balticon.



This is a tremendously huge fucking deal, kids. But because Earl and I both essentially lie for a living, I can understand why it might not fully sink in ‘til you’ve absorbed it from an alternative, impartial media source. Which is why I give you i09’s (yes, that i09) coverage of same: Zombie Clones and Holy Aliens Build a Bridge from Web to TV

My maddest, dopest, stupidest props go out to Earl and crew. I hope to continue working with Stranger Things to create rabidly cool shit like “Latchkeepers” (and not just because they might actually be able to, you know, PAY me now).

I’ll be rolling into Baltimore, MD to attend Balticon 42 this Friday, where I will continue to refine the art of doing JUST enough at a con to get in for free. If you’re going to be checking it out or even if you’ll just be in the area and would like to catch up with me, here’s when and where I can be nailed down . . .

- “Up From Podcasting: Success Stories in New Media” Saturday, 11:00 p.m., Chesapeake Suite -- David Moldawer, JC Hutchins, Jim Kelly, Matt Wallace

- “Live! Stranger Things presents The Singularity” Sunday, 12:00 p.m., Main Tent

- “Adapting Literary Works For Audio” Sunday, 5:00 p.m., Chesapeake Suite -- Mur Lafferty, PG Holyfield, JC Hutchins, Jim Kelly, Matt Wallace, Chris Lester

- “Adapting Literary Works For Video” Sunday, 7:00 p.m., Belmont -- Rich Sigfrit, Matt Wallace, Earl Newton

The rest of the time I’ll be in the bar. Donations in the form of drinks and chicken fingers are always appreciated and will earn you at least five minutes of conversation. No politics or religion. Unless you’re a Zoroastrian and/or a member of the Guns and Dope Party. You guys amuse the fuck out of me.

I also can’t possibly stress enough just hot imperative it is you attend The Singularity on Sunday if you are at all able. This is THE event, kids. The Singularity will include the WORLD PREMIERE SCREENING of Stranger Things episode #4, “Latchkeepers”, written by Matt Wallace (me), directed by Earl Newton, and starring Quentin Kerr (HBO’s John Adams) and Rob Covington III (Port City P.D.). There will also be a live Audiometrix as David Kanter talks with Matt Wallace (also me). An equally live update from executive producer/creator Earl Newton, including a HUGE announcement about the future of the show that you won’t want to miss.

Finally, there will be swag. Free swag. Prize swag. Earl and the crew will be holding a raffle drawing during The Singularity. Purchase a ticket when you walk through the doors and you will be eligible to win several kick ass prizes. I’m contributing a SIGNED HARDCOVER EDITION of The Next Fix as well as a fucking awesome Murky Depths package that will include ALL FOUR ISSUES of the magazine to date AND the increasingly rare 16-page promotional issue we put out last year. That’s over a hundred bucks worth of exotic cross-oceanic eye and mind fuck. Dig it.

I'll see you there.

I’ve already made it known that later this month I will be rolling into Baltimore to join the mammoth podcaster and sci-fi author contingent for Balticon 42. And one of the main reasons is Stranger Things will be staging an epic event there called The Singularity. And I do mean epic. They’ve got the main ballroom booked, they’ll be filling it with several hundred rowdy friends and fans. There will be a premiere screening from the new episode of Stranger Things (their biggest, most elaborate production ever), “Latchkeepers,” penned by your humble narrator. I’ll be dragged up on stage for a little something special after that. There’s going to be swag giveaways. And there will be a HUGE announcement that warrants such an ominous name for the occasion.

This thing is going to scream, kids. Seriously.

Below is the event t-shirt that executive producer/creator Earl Newton and crew have come up with for The Singularity. It’s a wicked piece of armor. I hope you’ll be joining us the weekend of the 23rd, and I hope you’ll don it proudly.



It runs $15.00 and is currently available in medium, large, and extra-large. Pre-order yours now and you can pick it up the first day of the con. Because come Baltimore, you wanna be stylin’ and profilin’. Woo!

Seriously. Click the button, buy the shirt . . .

MediumLargeX-Large

There are a whole mess of folks celebrating their birthdays this week. Which is nothing new. Except I actually like some of them. Which is.

Audio Addict and Truth Seeker Dani Cutler is a year older, wiser, and all around sexier. The woman conducts a mean interview, performs a meaner narration, and her name is just cool. I always want to call her Agent Dani Cutler. As in, "Agent Cutler, proceed with Plan Alpha. All rioters must be eliminated." Or, "Agent Cutler, do you copy? Take command. Seize Richards and proceed as ordered!" *

He's Earl Newton. He's the executive producer, and creator, of Stranger Things. Dunuhnuhnuhnuhnuhnuhnuhnuhnuhnuh . . . bowwwwwww-wooooo . . . **

Earl is my artistic brother from another mother. In fact, back when I was rocking a ponytail we probably could've passed for brothers. Soon we'll both be sliding up into Balticon 42 as guests where Earl and his ST crew will stage a HUGE event called The Singularity. Because afterwards nothing will be the same. I'll be involved, as will the new episode of Stranger Things I wrote. There will prizes, several big announcements, and Polynesian fire dancers.***

This week we're also celebrating/decrying the extraction of Mad Mark Rainey, alias Stephen Mark Rainey, alias Grizzly Adams' sexier brother. Rainey is, of course, a veteran horror author who I respect deeply, and not just because I'm trying to gain access to the Nazi gold that is no doubt hidden in his beard. The newest offering in his decades long career that has spanned many truly original and amazing novels is the forthcoming Other Gods (I will begrudgingly admit this is a pimp title), a collection of short stories that is guaranteed to be almost as good as mine. Reserve your copy today. Rainey is nefarious. He works hard at it.

Fellow playa, founder of Mo*Con (which I WILL make it to one of these days), horror's Sinister Minister. He's Maurice Broaddus and he dresses much better than you do. I dig Mr. Broaddus because he's got even more projects going on than me, which ain't easy, and because he walks a fine line between spirituality and genre fiction. Which also aint easy. And he does it with extreme style.

Finally, the one, the only, the formerly mutton-chopped Douglas F. Warrick. D-War is the choice of a new generation. He is one of the most talented under twenty-five's in all the land, and an author that moves and entertains me more than a stripper schooled in classical dance. I consider him a brother, a contemporary, and the only candidate to be my lieutenant at Thunder Road.

Go Grease Lightning.

Happy birthday, my friends. The world is a far finer place because you are all in it. **** And my gift to you? Well, I just pimped you and your shit, didn't I?






* Reference to the 1987 Schwarzenegger sci-fi/actioner The Running Man

** Even lamer reference to Earl's video update intros and the amazing strains of the Stranger Things theme by Zoe Keating

*** Polynesian fire dancers not scheduled to appear.

**** Except for Rainey.