Ronn Sutton & Janet Hetherington on the Outlaw Trail to Fan Expo 2014

I'm happy to report that Ronn Sutton and I are slated to appear again at Fan Expo Canada 2014 in artists' alley.

The show is taking place from August 28 to 31, 2014 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. We'll have comics and original art, and will be doing commissions. We hope to see friendly faces there!

This year, Ronn and I are on the trail as "outlaw creators." We both have projects with an outlaw theme. Ronn is illustrating a new graphic novel called Lucifers Sword MC for Motor Books, about the fictional life of an outlaw motorcycle club. The graphic novel has all the drama and excitement you'd expect from a story written by Hells Angel member Phil Cross. The graphic novel is due out in January 2015.

My outlaw connection is the release on DVD of The Last Outlaw, a western movie that I co-wrote (as The Hunt for Johnny Ringo) on September 9, 2014. The Last Outlaw stars Michael Paré and was directed and produced in the Ottawa area by filmmaker Brett Kelly. I've scripted another western feature for Brett and I'm working on a horror feature for him as well.

Earlier this year, my short horror promo video took first place in the Cellar Door Film Festival's promo video competition. It can be seen on the Cellar Door Film Festival's website, YouTube and on BlackFlagTV.

In other news, I appeared on CBC's All in a Day radio program on August 6 (thanks Alan!) to talk about teaching kids the creative process of writing comics at Carleton University's Creative Writing Camps this summer. I'm teaching two sessions.. with the help of the Caped Cod, my creation Bat-Fish.

Ronn plans to talk about Lucifers Sword on All in a Day sometime in the future. But you can you talk to him about it at Fan Expo. Be sure to drop by.

Canada Post offers Haunted Canada stamps on Friday the 13th

Hey, hey horror fans!

Canada Post is releasing new Haunted Canada stamps for domestic mail on Friday the 13th this June.

From Canada Post's online description: Swap ghost stories with your friends across Canada! Include these spine-tingling stamps on all your domestic mail. A unique foil treatment gives each stamp special ghostly effects.

The first in a multi-year series, this collection of 5 Haunted Canada stamps tells some popular ghostly tales:

• Alberta’s Ghost Bride: The ghost of a 1920s bride who died in the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is said to inhabit the hotel to this day.
• Saskatchewan’s St. Louis Ghost Train: Believers say a ghostly glowing light is a CNR conductor who lost his head to a passing train in the 1920s.
• Ontario’s Fort George: Phantom footsteps and ghosts make this one of the most haunted places in Canada.
• Quebec’s Château Frontenac: The hotel’s namesake is said to wander hotel halls in his 17th century garb.
• PEI’s Northumberland Strait: A burning ship is often spotted between NB and PEI. As would-be rescuers approach, the ship disappears into the mist.

Could a Bonesetter stamp be far behind?

Issue date: June 13, 2014
Stamp designer: Lionel Gadoury, Context Creative
Stamp value: Permanent, always worth the going rate
Number of stamps included: 10
Product # 413910111 - $8.50

Call for Ottawa 2014 Film Festival entries

Call for entries – OIAF, Digi60, OIFF, OWFF, and CDFF

Five local film festivals are currently (or soon will be) accepting submissions for festivals taking place in 2014. And in case you didn't hear, I won first place in the Cellar Door Film Festival promo video challenge.

Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF)
Festival dates: September 17-21, 2014
Submissions deadline: May 16 (entry forms) and May 30 (preview DVDs)

Digi60 Filmmakers Festival (Spring Edition)
Temporary registration page here
Festival date: June 22, 2014
Submissions deadline: June 14 (the “catch” will be released on May 15)

Ottawa International Film Festival (OIFF)
Festival dates: October 15-19, 2014
Submissions deadline: June 30 (earlybird deadline ends May 10)

One World Film Festival (OWFF)
Festival dates: September 25-26 and October 2-3, 2014
Submissions deadline: June 30

Cellar Door Film Festival (CDFF)
Festival dates: TBD (Fall 2014)
Submissions deadline: August 15 (earlybird deadline ends July 15)