publication – Page 19 – Phil Slattery, Writer, Publisher

Shades of Countess Bathory

I confess. I don’t know how to begin tonight’s article. It is just so weird that it boggles the mind.

If you are a fan of horror, you may know of Elizabeth, Countess Bathory, the infamous “Blood Countess” and the subject of many books and at least 2-3 movies. I happen to have a modicum of knowledge about the Countess, because some time back I researched her for a short story for which I am now trying to find a publisher. The Countess is alleged to have killed perhaps as many as 600 young women in what is now the Czech Republic from about 1604-1610 just to bathe in their blood in order to preserve her beauty. If you are not familiar with her, just Google “Elizabeth Bathory”. There are a lot of good articles on her and the one in Wikipedia is a good synopsis of her life.

Fast forward to 2012.

I am sitting at my desk, surfing the net while talking to my mom on the phone, and I come across an article on Yahoo News about Kim Kardashian having a blood facial!

Let me be the first to note that the major difference between the Countess’s and Kim’s blood treatments is that Kim uses her own blood (let me repeat that for the benefit of any unscrupulous lawyers looking for a case: the Yahoo article states that Kim Kardashian uses her own blood) and not the blood of innocents like the Countess is alleged to have done.

What more can I say? I could probably write an extensive article just on whether bathing in blood has any actual value as a beauty treatment or whether the charges of bathing in blood put forth by her accusers and detractors have any merit or if it was just a form of black magic practiced by the Countess, but, as fascinating a subject as it is, I unfortunately don’t have the time to pursue it. Please feel free to conduct your own research though. I found out some fascinating things during my own and put as many as I could into the aforementioned story. If and when it is published, I will announce it in this blog.

By the way, one thing I found out about the Countess is that while many people believe the worst about her, there are many who believe that she was innocent. Their opinion tends to be that the vicious stories about her were simply inventions of her enemies to justify their seizing of her land or they were written by gullible historians believing local legends a hundred or more years after her death. Usually I find the truth of any issue is somewhere between the two extremes of viewpoints.

If you would like an alternate view on the Countess, I would like to recommend a movie entitled “Bathory”, which stars Anna Friel and Karel Roden. I believe it is a Czech production. It gives a good, plausible alternative to the legends about the Countess, and in my humble opinion, is probably much closer to the truth than the usual blood-soaked splatterfests you may find.

Update on Publication of “Murder by Plastic”

Last night I received an e-mail from the editors at Every Day Fiction. Among other items, they mentioned that “Murder by Plastic” would be published on March 24th. Please look for it on their website about that time. Don’t forget, however, that sometimes the unexpected happens and publication may have to be delayed.

“Murder by Plastic” To Be Published

Today, I received an e-mail from the folks at Every Day Fiction saying that they will publish my story “Murder by Plastic” either next month or the following month. Please watch the table of contents on their site for when it appears. I will post an update on my blog as soon as they notify me that it is up.

“Murder by Plastic” is flash fiction (about 998 words) that I can most accurately describe as on the border between crime thriller and horror. Please watch for it and visit Every Day Fiction often.

“Dream Warrior” to be Published

My short story “Dream Warrior” is currently slated to be published by the online magazine Sorcerous Signals in their February, 2013 issue as well as their February, 2013 issue of Mystic Signals (a print edition combining Sorcerous Signals and The Lorelei Signal).

For my friends and relatives not familiar with the publishing industry: please be advised that the story is only scheduled to be published in February and that I do not have an exact date yet. The last edition was published on November 12, therefore it will probably be published about mid-February. In my experience, stories appear on schedule about 90% of the time. Occasionally, something happens and the story has to be delayed, but (again, in my experience) the story always appears.

I would like to thank the editor of Sorcerous Signals, Carol Hightshoe, for accepting my work. I overlooked her letter of acceptance in my e-mail in October and was not aware of “Dream Warrior’s” acceptance until she diligently and professionally followed up and inquired about the story some time later.

The story is about a teenage boy in Corpus Christi, TX, who seeks revenge on the hoodlums responsible for the rape and death of his girlfriend. After his first attempt fails and they threaten his life, he runs to Mexico to live with his great-grandfather, who teaches him the ways of the ancient Aztec sorcerers so that he can have his revenge.

I got the idea for the story while researching south Texas history for another (as yet unfinished) story and came across a website on Aztec sorcery. Its author, whose name unfortunately escapes me at the moment, graciously responded to my inquiries and provided me with a wealth of fascinating information. If I can find his name and website in my e-mails, I will publish them later.

I hope everyone enjoys “Dream Warrior”. Please help me thank Carol and her staff by visiting the site often and encouraging everyone you know to do the same. Check your local media outlets for Mystic Signals.