exlibrislarsen

I’m a fan of traditional storytelling. Let the author create the structure of the story, and let the reader fill in the details—the stuff between the words—with their own imagination. But CBS has added a new wrinkle to this formula.

In it’s upcoming reboot of THE TWILIGHT ZONE, BioShock creator Ken Levine is turning the classic sci-fi series interactive, according to a report filed earlier today by Joan E. Solsman at The Wrap.

The digital video company behind the technology, Interlude, has previously created interactive videos that play more like games, and the intent is to bring that same kind of interactivity to the tv series created by Rod Serling in 1959.

The original 1959 series title screen.

The new series will have a Choose-Your-Own Adventure-type feel, so the nostalgia factor for me is doubled. I was reading those children’s classics by Edward Packard, R.A. Montgomery, and a host of others about the same time I discovered THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

Levine, who has no previous connection to THE TWILIGHT ZONE, will write and direct the pilot episode, but that’s okay, given that the last of the original TWILIGHT ZONE writers, Earl Hamner, passed away March 24, 2016 at the age of 92.

So maybe it’s time to revisit this classic series with new writers and a new spin on the established formula. One thing’s for sure—it’ll help me kill time until the Leonardo DiCaprio movie reboot gets made by Warner Bros. And they’ve been talking about that since at least 2008.

Christian A. Larsen is the author of the novels LOSING TOUCH and THE BLACKENING OF FLESH, now available from Post Mortem Press.

I’ll be personalizing copies of my science-fiction and dark fantasy books today at Concinnity 16 in Milwaukee, so if you don’t have the anthologies QUALIA NOUS or THE GHOST IS THE MACHINE, or my novels LOSING TOUCH or THE BLACKENING OF FLESH, then buddy, I’ve got you covered. But it’s not all about the dealer’s room … there’s all kinds of fun afoot today at the Milwaukee School of Engineering:

Panel and events schedule

Sci-fi/anime viewing schedule

Game schedule

It all starts at 10:00 a.m. and it’s just $15 at the door for a full day of games, panel discussions, cosplay, genre screenings, and of course, the dealer’s room will be full of great swag all under one roof.

Steampunk? Yep. Doctor Who? You betcha. Harry Potter and all manner of monsters? Absolutely. If you’re anywhere near Milwaukee today, come to The Milwaukee School of Engineering at 1025 North Broadway, and we’ll get our geek on together!

Christian A. Larsen is the author of the novels LOSING TOUCH and THE BLACKENING OF FLESH, now available from Post Mortem Press.

Steampunk + ghosts = this book.

Concinnity 16 is coming to Milwaukee this Saturday, and if you’re into science-fiction, steampunk, or gaming, you’ll want to make time to visit the vendor’s room. Authors on hand will include Dawn Napier (BLACK BELLS), A.A. Rodriguez (EDEN AND THE EASTERN GLOW) and M.K. Wiseman (THE BOOKMINDER) … and of course, I’ll be signing, among other books, the sci-fi/horror anthology QUALIA NOUS, the steampunk-inspired ghost anthology THE GHOST IS THE MACHINE, and my new ghosts and gangsters novel, THE BLACKENING OF FLESH.

But Concinnity 16 isn’t just for readers (although they’re my personal favorite, in case you’re wondering). Other really cool vendors include:

• Angry Fox LLC
• Blue Dragon Designs
• The Brothers Uber
• Chaos Fox Costuming
• Custom Processing Unlimited
• Feral Works by Melissa Ebbe
• Lady Purl Designs
• Kelly Main Illustration
• Piccadilly Pockets
• Starshine Plush
• Steenhagen Studios

And that’s not even all of them–not even half. For just $15, you also have access to panel discussions, genre screenings, a living dungeon, paint-and-take miniatures, and games of all kinds: video, board, role-playing … you name it.

The theme for Concinnity 16 is “magic”, so you Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings fans are more than welcome to come fly your freak flag along with all the anime, Doctor Who, and steampunk enthusiasts. They’ll all be there at the Milwaukee School of Engineering this Saturday. Where will you be?

Christian A. Larsen is the author of the novels LOSING TOUCH and THE BLACKENING OF FLESH, now available from Post Mortem Press.