"Guilty Pleasures" by Laurell K. Hamilton

 

Publisher: Jove Books

Copyright: 1993

ISBN: 9780515134490

This was a very different book that I normally read, and the reason I read it is because I happen to have 

picked up another book in the series without realizing it was a series, so I figured I'd better start at the beginning to attempt to figure out what the story was all about. Unfortunately this book did not accomplish this.

"Guilty Pleasures" is the first in a relatively large series of novels featuring Anita Blake who is a vampire hunter. While this might sound like a rather interesting profession  to have a character have, the story unfortunately it didn't live up to expectations. We are thrown into a world where for some unexplained reason vampires, along with various were-creatures, zombies and ghouls all exist albeit with a fair bit of tension. There are human groupies who idolize vampirism, and there is a church of the undead where people who wish to become vampires can you join. 

Unfortunately, we are given virtually no information with regard to backstory and world building as to how this happened. In addition, as this book is written in first person it will likely be rather difficult for the reader to comprehend what could possibly have brought about the societal changes to allow something like vampires etc. to exist alongside humans.

Now I concede that this may be the accepted standard for this genre, however in my opinion it is stretching the "willing suspension of disbelief" past the maximum. 

Outside of this, the characters are quite two dimensional and very difficult to like, or comprehend. In addition there are lots of characters, most of whom are just a name and a brief description.

Sorry, Anita Blake fans but I'm very much on the fence whether I will read anymore of this series.

"Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark" by Cassandra Peterson

Publisher: Hachette Books

Copyright: 2021

ISBN: 9780306874352

I don't read a lot of biographies or autobiographies (in fact it even says this in my blog notes). However, I am extremely glad that I chose to read this book. While I can't say It grew up with Elvira, I do remember seeing her on TV occasionally but this was primarily because I was not a horror movie buff. After reading this book though I definitely wished I had been introduced to these great movies years earlier.

An interesting coincidence is that the first movie that Elvira introduced was "The House on Haunted Hill" with Vincent Price, and this is one of my favourite horror movies of all time, even though I came to it many years later.

Without a doubt Ms. Peterson has had a very interesting and troubling life, but she has managed to persevere, succeed and win. This in and of itself should be an inspiration to all young women throughout the world. Her ongoing fight against what I consider to be the built-in misogynistic culture of Hollywood shows that it is a fight that can be won, although it will likely take time.

I would recommend that you read this book and take the messages Ms. Peterson shares to heart. These messages show that you can overcome pretty much anything in your life with sufficient perseverance, friendship and the courage to stand up for your ideals. I found her honesty and courage to out some of the people in Hollywood, and sports was commendable to say the least.

Finally in the event you have never watched the movie "Elvira: Mistress of the Dark" or "Elvira's Haunted Hills" I would seriously recommend you check them out as they are great movies.

"The Lady From the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick" by Mallory O'Meara

Publisher:Toronto : Hanover Square Press, [2019]

Copyright Date:©2019

ISBN:9781335937803Characteristics:                  307 pages :,illustrations

This book is without a doubt, the most fascinating biography I have ever read. I don't know how many times I have actually watched "The Creature from the Black Lagoon", but if I'd known that the gill-man had been designed by a talented artist such as Milicent Patrick, then I'm sure my enjoyment of this movie would've been a few orders of magnitude higher than it was (if that is mathematically possible).

The way that Mallory O'Meara uncovered the life of Milicent Patrick is to say the least amazing. The hard work and the dedication that she put into the research and writing of this book makes it all the better.

Having dabbled in the world of theatrical makeup for both my own interests, as well as fandom in general I know how difficult and time-consuming it is to actually design prosthetic make up. But then to not receive credit for your work is a shame to say the least, and just because this is the way it was back in the 1950s, and even up to the present day that does not make it right.

I had heard rumours about Bud Westmore and his predatory, and vengeful behaviour but had never really had any examples to show how bad he really was. The fact that he took credit for designing the gill-man, when it was obviously not true and that it was covered up by Universal Pictures is despicable, and the company should be ashamed of itself. It is crap like this that has fuelled the misogynistic behaviour that is rampant within the movie industry (and so many other businesses as well). It makes one wonder how many other hidden stories there are of women who have contributed but never received credit for the work they've done.

A wonderful tribute, if anyone is up to the challenge, would be to see a book showcasing all of Milicent Patrick's work, granted this would be a major undertaking, but I feel it would definitely be worth producing.