Tuesday, October 13, 2015

I've Got A Movie Contract!! MILK-BLOOD is Being Adapted to Film (and it's getting a sequel)

I have been sitting on this news for six months. I am incredibly thrilled to officially announce:

My novel, MILK-BLOOD, along with its companion shorty story, The Damage Done, have been optioned by Monkey Knuckle Films for a full length feature film.

No April Fooling this time.

The movie producer contacted me six months ago after reading On the Lips of Children. This novel was their first interest, but after reading MILK-BLOOD, both novels were part of the discussion. Over multiple emails and a phone discussion, we discussed the nature of my novels, and the re-emergence and popularity of horror movies. 

It was like emailing that potential prospect from an online dating site, things were clicking and my hopes were high.

It was a privelege when they  invited me to the set of Elder Island, a movie they were filming in Michigan. I met the potential director and screenplay writers for MILK-BLOOD, and talked to many different folks on the set, including a fairly lengthy discussion with Danny Hicks about the Evil Dead series. 

I left there as one leaves a first date; hoping I would get a call back and that it would lead to something more formal down the line.  

Soon after this, Michigan voted to end tax incentives for films being made in-state, and I feared this could kill the deal since MILK-BLOOD is set in Detroit. Fortunately, interest remained, and two weeks ago, we worked out a contract. MILK-BLOOD is not next on their que, so a timeline is impossible to set out, but one benefit of a smaller production company is a closer relationship with those who are making the film.

Monkey Knuckle Films is a newly created, independent, smaller budget production company, but the founders have worked with famous names in horror movies including Sid Haig from The Devils Reject's and much of the cast of The Evil Dead. Elder Island included both Timothy Quill and Danny Hicks from The Evil Dead, as well as Michael Robert Brandon, The Demon in the TV series Salem. Being on the set with them was just all around good vibes.
  
Huge thanks to Michael Bradford and Darrin James, and the rest of the crew. 

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE
I'm happy as hell to announce that the sequel to MILK-BLOOD will be released in early 2016. It's going to be a unique piece of work. I WANT JAWS TO DROP. Cover Reveals. Preorders. All of that is coming in 2016. You want one of 50 amazon vouchers for a free preorder? You can be the first to sign up, by writing me here.

Lastly, I've chatted with some incredible people in this land of independent publishing, and want to thank some of those who have agreed to help me make this announcement. 

Huge thanks to:Cassie Carnage from Bloody Whisper (she's from Michigan!), Rich from The Horror Bookshelf (his blurb is on the cover), David Spell from The Scary Reviews,  Charlene from Char's Horror Corner (David and Char have also agreed to beta-read the milk-blood sequel), Jim from Ginger Nuts of Horror. (Ginger Nuts is legendary.) Also thanks to author Latashia Figueroa, (Go read Ivy's Envy!), and author Julie Hutchings  (Harpy Author by night, and expected editor of the Milk-Blood sequel by day).  

Also want to thank to some who helped bring MILK-BLOOD to life including editor Richard Thomas and cover artist Kealan Patrick Burke, and John FD Taff for random acts of goodness. Last but not least: thanks to my family (wife and chiildren) for dealing with my writing obsession.

Lilly Says: "See you in the theaters."




8 comments:

LBTEPA said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!! That's such great news!!!

John FD Taff said...

Mark, that's effin' awesome! Congrats, man!

John FD Taff said...

Mark, that's effin' awesome! Congrats, man!

Weston Kincade said...

Awesome news! Congrats.

Weston Kincade said...

Awesome news! Congrats.

Anonymous said...

Very exciting - congratulations!

Unknown said...

That's fantastic, Mark, and well deserved!

Cathy Taughinbaugh said...

Congrats Mark! That is great news. Looking forward to watching the movie!

Met My Old Lover in the Grocery Store—A Dark Backstory to the Christmas Song, Same Old Lang Syne

   Met My Old Lover in the Grocery Store A dark backstory to the Christmas song,  Same Old Lang Syne , by Dan Fogelberg Acid burns in my sto...