Not So Serious Movie Review: Haxan (1922)

 

 

Where to start with Haxan? It's evil. It's creepy. It's old. It's crass. It's the elderly woman who lives in the old house on the corner who sends chills down your spine when she gives you that look. She is definitely a witch, right?

Haxan is a movie about witchcraft and evil. It is part documentary and part silent film. It is a bit slow, so I watched it in parts, but it is broken down into chapters, which makes for good stop points.

The movie outlines the rise of witchcraft and witch hunts from medieval times to the 20th Century. It gives light to the ridiculousness of the judicial system of the past, which encouraged snitching and false accusations. The point of Haxan is if you were an old, poor woman, maybe one down on your luck, you stood a high chance of being accused of witchcraft and tortured and killed. Along the way, you might want to accuse someone else of witchcraft, because if you are going to die for an untruth, why not bring an enemy down with you?

From a movie perspective, Haxan is fascinating. The costumes and effects are still chilling and spooky one hundred years later. Without the aid of digital effects, Satan still looks like the legit Prince of Darkness. For its day, it was a high budget production. Gotta make the Devil look evil when his butt is getting kissed by wicked nuns.

Most of all, Haxan is an experience. It is a must see for horror fans or anyone interested in the occult. I am surprised it is not more widely known. Maybe torture and hell isn't everyone's favorite subject. 

Grade: 5 Satan butts out of 5

Btw, you can watch it here for free:

 

A Self-Published Author's Guide to Tampa Bay Bookstores (Updated Oct 2024)

Owning an independent bookstore is a monumental challenge. From 2000 to 2005, my mother owned a new and used bookstore in Melbourne, Florida. Although it didn't last, Once and Again Bookstore provided me insight into the workings of bookstores and their battle for existence. Unfortunately, online bookstores and big box stores still have a stranglehold on the book buying market. But in the last 15 years or so, many independent bookstores have carved a niche in their local communities.  

Independent bookstores are not a charity. Selling books is about making money. Bookstores want to make money to stay open. Authors should want to make money on their novel. We have to make our relationship as symbiotic and synergistic as possible.

There are several bookstores in the Tampa Bay area. I have met most of the bookstore owners in the area and several beyond Tampa Bay in an attempt to get my books on their shelves so they can sell my books and we can all make money. Most of them carry my novel. Some bookstores do consignment, some order from Ingram Spark, and some buy directly from me. Some don't carry my books at all. And a few I have yet to meet.

Pro tip number 1: distribute your book via Ingram Spark. Don't self-publish on Amazon if you want to work with bookstores. They won't buy books from the company that is trying to put them out of business. If you want to be Amazon exclusive, be my guest. But you are on your own.

Pro tip number 2: if you are on Ingram Spark, give your book the greatest bookseller discount. I think the discount is 50% off for booksellers. Don't ask questions. Do it.

Pro tip number 3: the best way to meet bookstore owners is to walk in their store. Look around. If your book is a fit for their store, find a book that is not yours that you want. Buy it. Then talk to them about your book. Show that you are willing to support them before you ask them to support you. Also, if you know other authors whose books the bookstore carries, discuss those connections.

This list will be broken down into how the bookstores acquire my books. There is absolutely no preferential order. I have a great relationship with every bookstore I work with. I hope this list comes in handy for other self-published authors in the Tampa Bay area and beyond. This is just my experience. Yours might be different.

Order from Ingram Spark

Oxford Exchange Book Store (Tampa)

Point of contact: Laura Taylor, Bookstore & Programming Director

Best way to contact: visit and email - Laura(@)oxfordexchange.com

The Oxford Exchange is located in downtown Tampa. The bookstore only orders from Ingram Spark and does not do consignment. Hence, they are looking for books that are known or authors that will move product. I was part of the Oxford Exchange Book Fair for two years and did well. Then I approached their front counter and asked how they would carry my novel on their shelves. I emailed Laura Taylor and asked how my book can be on their shelves. Laura ordered two copies. During my next visit, I signed the books and made social media content letting my followers know the book was available at the Oxford Exchange Book Store.

Pro tip number 4: bookstores will almost always let you create content involving your book in their store. At a minimum, every time you visit a local bookstore that carries your book, take a picture of your book on the shelf and a picture of the store. Post both on Facebook or Instagram and be sure to tag the store. You can also do tiktok, youtube, snapchat, twitter, your personal website, or wherever else readers might find out about your book and the store. The more content, the better. This is an easy way to show the bookstore that you are doing your part to sell your book.

 

Tombolo Books (St Pete)

Point of Contact: Alsace - owner

Best way to contact: visit and email - authors(@)tombolobooks.com

Tombolo Books is one of the most high profile bookstores in the Tampa Bay area. If New York Times Bestselling authors are going to visit, they are going to go to Tombolo. While the folks at Tombolo are nice, they are busy. Getting your book approved for their shelves takes time. That said, once I was listed on Ingram Spark, I immediately filled out their local author form. I remember emailing a few times to see if they had reviewed at my book. It took a few months for them to order my novel, even after I was voted "runner-up, best book by a local author" in the local arts and entertainment newspaper and after I received a blurb from a well-known local author.

At the time, the local author form required Ingram Spark, reviews from other local authors, and an active social media presence. I see they now are doing consignment. Whatever the requirement, it is Tombolo, they are busy, and people buy plenty of books there.

Fun story: after I learned Tombolo had two copies of my novel on their shelf, I visited a brewery across the street and talked to people about my book. I mentioned I was going to visit the bookstore and they followed me and bought a copy of my book. I signed it for the buyer right there on the spot. That's how you prove to a bookstore that you can move product. 

BookendsYbor (Tampa)

Point of Contact: Teresa - owner

Best way to contact: visit and email - read(@)bookendsybor.com

BookendsYbor is the newest bookstore in the Tampa Bay area. They are so new, their brick-and-mortar storefront isn't even open (as of June 2023). They do however have a bookmobile they are bringing to local pubs and breweries. They are also planning to be part of the Ybor Saturday Market.

I found BookendsYbor via Bookshop.org. I followed them on social media, dropped them an email, told them how much I am looking forward to their opening, and mentioned my book. They said they would look into ordering it from Ingram. Within two weeks, they had copies in hand. I then visited their next bookmobile event, chatted with a few customers, and their copies of Curveball at the Crossroads were sold. Hopefully this is the start of a great author-bookstore relationship.

Bookstore1 (Sarasota)

Point of contact: Byrn - Director of Programming

Best way to contact: email - bryn(@)sarasotabooks.com

Bookstore1 is located in downtown Sarasota. I have been part of the Bookstore1 Book Fair for the last two years. In preparation for their event, Bookstore1 orders five books per author every book fair via Ingram Spark. If authors don't sell all five, the store will carry the book on their shelves until they sell. Bryn and the team are great and very nice. They do a great job of promoting the book fair and the authors. Bookstore1 is an hour away for me, so it is a little difficult to visit regularly. However, they host author events and book club readings regularly.

The Gilded Page (Tarpon Springs)

Point of contact: Julia - owner

Best way to contact: visit and email - thegildedpagebookstore(@)gmail.com

The Gilded Page is a relatively new bookstore in Tarpon Springs. I visited The Gilded Page first, and while there, I discussed how they carried an author I am friends with. Then I mentioned my book and how it might be a fit on their fiction shelf. Julia agreed and ordered a copy of Curveball at the Crossroads.

The Gilded Page both orders local books on Ingram if possible or they do consignment. If doing consignment, they ask for up to five books from the author. If they order on Ingram, they order one at a time. I prefer the upfront revenue of Ingram so I opted for that. I re-visited The Gilded Page a few weeks later to sign the copy they received as well as to make some social media content of my book at their store.

Book & Bottle (St Pete)

Point of contact: unknown

Best way to contact: visit or website 

Book & Bottle is a bookstore/coffee shop/wine store in downtown St Petersburg. They have a small selection of books on one wall of their store. The few times I have visited, they were nice, and I enjoyed the drink and the ambiance. Due to their limited selection, they are preferential to new books.

However, in researching this blog post, I discovered their author request form. I filled it out and requested them to consider my book for both their inventory and their local author open house. Within a few weeks, they ordered a copy of my novel and it is on their shelves.

Portkey Books (Safety Harbor)

Point of contact: Crystel - owner

Best way to contact: Visit

Portkey Books is a small bookstore in Safety Harbor, Florida and the most recent store to carry my debut novel. As a small store, they are very selective in the books they carry. To echo my pro tip above, you have to be on Ingram and a return policy is recommended.

Portkey Books asks that local authors donate their first book to the store as an act of good faith. After that book sells, they will continue to order the book from Ingram as long as they sell. As my publisher cost is $6, that's worth it to me. Hopefully, after one copy sells, they order more copies and more copies after that and I make the $6 and more via Ingram.

Consignment

Books at Park Place (Gulfport)

Point of contact: Nancy - owner

Best way to contact: visit and phone (727) 388-9093

Books at Park Place is probably the most similar to what my mother's bookstore was. Coincidentally, Books at Park Place was the first bookstore my novel was in. Books at Park Place is consignment only for self-published authors. They have a form for self-published authors to sign that describes the business relationship.

Among the benefits of working with Books at Park Place is that Nancy and her team will promote local authors just as much as well-known authors. Books at Park Place designates an entire side wall to local authors and I have visited and seen my novel among others in the front window display. They also have a great relationship with many authors and Nancy and her team are willing to answer any questions authors may have about working with Ingram and the selling process. Unfortunately, they haven't done as many author events post-pandemic as they did in the past. Perhaps that will change soon.

Wilson's Book World (St Pete)

Point of contact: Michelle - owner

Best way to contact: visit

Wilson's Book World is a family owned and operated, used and antiquarian bookshop in St. Pete. They have a steady and loyal clientele and are very personable. They don't carry new books, but they do carry local authors on consignment. They accept three books per author and they put a copy of the book in the front of the aisle for a month before putting all the copies in their associated section. Lastly, their percentage return on consignment is the best in the area, although they don't provide the money for the books until all the books are sold.

Mojo Books and Records (Tampa)

Point of contact: Melanie - owner

Best way to contact: visit and email - mojotampa(@)comcast.net

Mojo Books and Records is a combination music and book store. They have been around for a long time and have a strong underground following. They mostly carry used books and cater to the University of South Florida market. They do consignment for local authors and will carry two books at a time.

I like Mojo Books and Records. They are nice folks and they are very responsive, but although their store is divided 50/50 between books and music, their focus isn't books. If they can do more for books, and especially local authors, they could become a powerful ally.

 

The Paperback Exchange (New Port Richey)

Point of contact: Joanie - owner

Best way to contact: visit or Instagram - @PaperbackExchangeBookstore

The Paperback Exchange is a classic used bookstore in New Port Richey, Florida. Like Wilson's and Books at Park Place, they mostly carry used books. They also carry a wide selection of new books by local authors. I was surprised how many local authors they carry and honestly, how few I recognized. They do consignment and give 50% on each sale. I left two books there but some authors have left more.

The Paperback Exchange reminds me a lot of my Mother's old store. Rows and rows of used books. They advertise carrying over 150,000 books. That's a lot. As a local author, there is a lot of competition in the store. Creating a desire for your book is essential or else it will get lost in the stacks and no one will buy it. If your book is there, create videos, take pictures, and post about the store on social media. They are great folks and they are doing a great service by carrying your book, but you have to create the demand.

This Bookstore Kills Fascists (Mobile)

Point of contact: Tiffany - owner

Best way to contact: visit or Facebook - @ThisBookStoreKillsFascists

This Bookstore Kills Fascists is a niche pop-up/mobile bookstore run by Tiffany Razzano. Tiffany sets up at street markets and festivals all around Tampa Bay from Sarasota to St Pete to Tampa and anywhere else that will have her. Her selection is very focused on bring attention to marginalized or minority voices. She is an outspoken advocate for freedom of speech and a proponent of provocative media.

This Bookstore Kills Fascists sells both new and used books that fit her niche. Tiffany does consignment for local authors giving 50% on sales. She carries my book The Man Makes You Work among her wares.

Purchase

Tiger Dust (Tampa)

Point of contact: Jason and Laura - owners

Best way to contact: visit or Instagram DM @tigerdustheights

Tiger Dust is not a traditional bookstore. They are an oddities and novelty store in the Seminole Heights area of Tampa. They feature a wall of occult, sci-fi, fantasy, and hard-to-find books. During my first visit there I realized that my book about someone who makes a deal with the Devil would fit their selection of books. They offered to buy three books from me at a 33% discount. I make a few dollars above my distributor cost and they make a $5 profit per book. Tiger Dust is also part of local merchant block party on the last Thursday of every month where authors and other creatives they carry (jewelry, art, etc) are encouraged to mingle and engage with the store patrons. I have sold and signed a few books at the Thursday block party. If your novel fits their store, Tiger Dust is recommended.

Stores that do not yet carry my books

Back in the Day Books (Dunedin)

Point of contact: Boe Rushing - owner

Best way to contact: email (maybe): backinthedaybooks(@)yahoo.com

I visited Back in the Day books recently and talked to one of their employees. I had also contacted them via Facebook Messenger over a year ago. Both times they mentioned they don't carry local authors and they don't do consignment. Following my visit, I emailed the owner explaining that they are on a very short list of regional bookstores that don't carry my book and that I hope they would change their mind. Especially in the case of a local author who is selling copies in other stores. I also mentioned my book is baseball fiction and they are located 1/2 mile from a baseball stadium. Unfortunately, I have not yet received a response.

Black English Bookstore (Tampa)

Point of contact: Gwen Henderson - owner

Best way to contact: Unknown

Black English is the newest bookstore to open in the Tampa Bay area. Owned and operated by Tampa City Councilwoman Gwen Henderson, they opened to much fanfare in early December 2023. They are predominantly focused on African-American authors and books on the African-American experience. They are a small store and are very welcoming but I have not yet discussed my novel with them. If your book is a fit, I encourage you to reach out to them.  

The Book Rescuers (Pinellas Park)

Point of contact: Unknown

Best way to contact: visit or email / phone: thebookrescuers(@)gmail.com / (727) 222-0495

The Book Rescuers is a giant used book warehouse in Pinellas Park. They price most of their books between $1-$3. While their business model is interesting and I applaud their efforts on banned books, my novel is not used, so I haven't worked with them.

Haslem's Bookstore (St Pete)

Point of contact: Unknown

Best way to contact: Unknown

I am listing Haslem's out of respect for one of the area's oldest local bookstores. Unfortunately, they closed during the pandemic and have not been open since. If I had to guess, my book will never be in the store and the property will turn into condos within three years.

Barnes & Noble (various locations)

Point of contact: Unknown

Best way to contact: email - crm3429(@)bn.com

Barnes & Noble is obviously not an independent bookstore. They are however the biggest box bookstore chain in Tampa Bay. That said, they don't carry self-published authors. As a chain, they don't do consignment. They also don't order print-on-demand, which includes Ingram Spark. I recently visited the new location on Westshore Blvd and asked if they would ever do a local author event and I was given a business card with the above email address. As of July 2023, I have not yet emailed.

Again, I hope this helps other self-published authors in Tampa Bay area and beyond. Self-publishing is a hustle and is a lot of work. You are not only an author, but a marketer, an event planner, and a salesperson. But the more places you place your book, the more chances it has to be bought. It is a numbers game, but by working with local bookstores, you increase your chances of success.

Good luck!

(Image from https://www.artstation.com/artwork/JlQV3m)

Meeting Gabino Iglesias at Tombolo Books

 

One of the most important things about being a writer or an author is being a fan of other's writing. No writer lives in a vacuum. We are surrounded by other writers. Some we look up to, some we help up, some we look to as peers. As writers, we are part of a huge community. 

Gabino Iglesias is an author I look up to. He has put out some amazing books and is a fixture of great writing wisdom and encouragement on Twitter. Every Friday, Gabino encourages his followers to retweet about his book and in turn retweets about theirs. That's huge to someone just starting out or someone with far less followers than Gabino. To date, he has retweeted about my novel Curveball at the Crossroads maybe ten times. Although I will RT about his book whenever I can, I save his RT power for times when I have something happening, like an upcoming book signing or a TV appearance.

To boot, Gabino is also a metalhead with similar taste in loud music.

On Tuesday, September 24th, I had the pleasure of meeting Gabino at his book signing at Tombolo Books in St Pete. He was awesome, answering a lot of great questions and doing a brief reading from his latest book, House of Bone and Rain.

After the event, Gabino signed books for the attendees. As he signed mine, I asked if he wanted a copy of Curveball at the Crossroads. He said yes. When I brought him the book and signed it for him, he complimented the cover and said he recognized it from his retweets. That was an awesome feeling. 

You always hope people in real life are as cool as they are online. Gabino Iglesias is the real deal. I'm looking forward to reading House of Bone and Rain and hope to cross paths with him again. Maybe next time, I'll be the one with the new book.

A Week For Dad

 

Earlier this year, I wrote about my Dad’s life and his passing. It was the first time I wrote about my Dad in the past tense. Although he has been gone for nine months, it still seems like he went away yesterday. Or maybe last week. Reality has set in, but the hole is still there. I still miss my Dad.

Whereas I have good memories of my Dad teaching me things as a child and doing things with my Dad like Cub Scouts and making electronic doo-dads and gizmos, my best memories are of us as adults going places together. We went to concerts, ballgames, sports bars, car shows, and other assorted events.

My Dad was a car aficionado, especially of the early Datsun Zs. He owned a 1971 240Z for over 20 years and the car was pretty much a member of the family. Before a bad accident forced him to part ways with the car, his dying wish was for his car to be crushed into a cube, a hole drilled eight inches into the cube, his ashes poured into the hole, and the hole sealed so he would forever be a part of his car. Then the surviving members of the family were to put the crushed car in the living room, purchase a glass table top, and create a memorial coffee table. 

I was looking forward to the day I would tell my future kids to get their shoes off their grandfather.

Alas, his beloved 240Z was totaled and claimed by insurance. He purchased a replacement car for a few years, but like replacement Dukes of Hazzard, it wasn’t the same. His passion for the replacement car wasn’t what it was for his 1971 240Z. As his health diminished, he sold the replacement. He was more depressed about his health and not having a car than he was about parting ways with his replacement Z.

When he had his original 240Z and his health was good, he would often go to the annual Z Car Convention, the national gathering of Z enthusiasts. He went to at least four of them – San Antonio, Savannah, Daytona, and Nashville. Sometimes he would drive his car and sometimes he would tow it. Sometimes he would bring my Mom and sometimes he would go with his friend.

This year, as fate would have it, the Z Car Convention was in Tampa for the first time ever. It is hard for me to articulate the coincidence. It seemed like more than fate, almost like a sign. The convention could have been anywhere in the United States – from Washington to Miami, San Diego to Maine, and anywhere in between. Instead, the event that meant so much to my Dad was scheduled to happen in my backyard. Of course I was going.

Z Car Conventions are week-long events. Attended by Z Car Clubs and fans nationwide, there are opening ceremonies, exhibitions of the latest racing engines, seminars, and guest appearances by celebrities of the Z community. Two car shows are among the highlights of the week - the first, a judged car show on Wednesday, and the second, a public car show on Saturday.

When I told my Mom about the upcoming Z Car Convention, we agreed that while my Dad would have attended all week, we only needed to go to the final public car show. That would be enough, both physically and emotionally. My Mom booked a hotel room for the final Z car weekend and we were ready.

I don’t remember what inspired me to look up the 2024 Z Car Convention. I think perhaps I was looking up Z communities in an attempt to help my Mom sell some of the car parts my Dad never got around to moving out of the garage. But I do remember tearing up a bit thinking that my Dad would have been in Tampa all week. I was missing out on hanging out with my Dad at something that meant a lot to him. I wouldn't have been at every event with him, but I am sure we would have met up a few times during the week for beer and wings and a few Z Car events. It is those missed opportunities that I miss the most.

Although my Mom and I agreed to attend only the public car show on Saturday, I decided to visit the hotel headquarters of the Z Convention on Thursday. I wanted to buy t-shirts and other swag early just in case they ran out the day of the public event. I also wanted to take in the event at my own pace, without anyone else. I didn’t know how emotional seeing all the cars on Saturday would be, so I figured getting some tears out of the way on Thursday might be a good idea.

Pulling in to the parking lot of the Embassy Suites by the University of South Florida in Tampa I immediately saw various types of Z cars. There were modern racers, show cars, and the classic models similar to my Dad’s. I was in the right place.

The impact of being among the community that meant so much to my Dad hit almost immediately. Inside the hotel lobby was a car that looked very similar to my Dad’s in make, model, and color. It had a different design on the side, but was ninety percent the same. I walked into the hotel, saw that car, and had to turn around and walk out to collect myself. I took a deep breath outside the hotel door and walked in again. Seeing that car so soon was a bit of a punch.

Once in the hotel, I found the Z Car people. They had a merch store with various swag and t-shirts. They also had two large banners and were collecting signatures of everyone who registered for the convention. After explaining my reason for being there, they let me sign the banners for my Dad. I put “RIP George Lortz ’71 240Z” on each banner. He was at the Z Convention in spirit and now in name.

I spoke with several volunteers at the hotel in both the merch room and the registration room. Everyone was very nice. They let me place my Dad’s memorial card besides different maps and images and take several pictures. They asked questions about my Dad and his car and they made me feel very welcome. Going by myself that first day was definitely helpful as I process grief better when I am around other people.

I walked out of the hotel with a smile on my face and looked forward to Saturday’s car show. Then I saw a car in the parking lot that looked ninety-nine percent like my Dad’s car. It was a pristine pearl white early ‘70s 240Z. Parked among the other Z Cars, it was sitting where my Dad probably would have parked.

 

 

I had to take a moment and catch my breath. I sat down in the parking lot next to the car for a few minutes and cried a bit. When I composed myself, I thought it might have looked a little weird for any passersby to see a grown man sitting next to a stranger’s car and tearing up in a parking lot, but I didn’t care. In a city of shoe lickers, addicts, and other assorted homeless, I probably had the best reason to be sitting in a parking lot getting emotional.

Saturday morning, I picked up my Mom at her hotel and we went to the Z Car Convention public car show. I was impressed. There were hundreds of Z cars of various makes and models and a crowd of several hundred curious and interested Z fans. There were also various vendors with official shirts and other swag. Unable to refuse a good deal, my Mother stocked up on stuff, some of which she needed, some of which reminded her of my Dad. 

Walking the rows of cars, I saw many of the people I met on Thursday. Again, everyone was really nice and expressed their condolences and their appreciation that we came to honor my Dad. They listened as we told them about his car, his travels to previous conventions, and the awards he won. These were my Dad’s people. As an added bonus, we also made connections that might help us sell the rest of my Dad’s car parts.

Oddly missing from the large expanse of show-quality Zs at the public car show was the pearl white early 70s 204Z I saw in the parking lot the previous Thursday. My mother and I walked the aisles of cars several times thinking I might have missed it, but it wasn’t there. I am not sure who goes to a car convention and doesn’t bring their car to the final big event, but that car was not there.

Like the coincidence of the convention being in my city the year after my Dad’s passing, perhaps the pearl white early 70s 240Z was only in the parking lot for me to see and appreciate. Perhaps it wasn’t supposed to be at the car show for everyone. Perhaps it was a sign that my Dad was there and at the same time not there. I can’t explain it. I just have to accept that I saw that car when I did.

After lunch with my Mom at a local German restaurant that we agreed my Dad would have liked, I dropped my Mom at her hotel and went to the Buddy Guy concert in Clearwater. Buddy Guy is a legend in Blues and a performer my Dad and I had seen in concert several times. Although I have seen Buddy Guy more than a dozen times total, half of those were with my Dad. Seeing Blues legends in concert was one of our things.

Prior to dropping her off, my Mother and I debated whether or not my Dad would have joined me at the concert. She said he probably would have stayed at the Z Car Convention for the closing ceremonies and social hours. I like to think he would have joined me. Or I can think of the events as separate and think of good times with my Dad at each. While his spirit might have remained at the Z Convention, his spirit and memory also came with me to the concert. Both things can be true.

Continuing the tribute to my Dad, I ordered a Jim Beam and coke prior to the concert. Jim Beam was his drink of choice. In yet another weird coincidence, there was one and half pours left in the bottle. The bartender was kind enough to give me that little extra for free so she could finish the bottle. In bourbon lexicon, there is a term called “Angel’s share”, a small amount of the batch that evaporates during the distilling process. I like to think that little bit poured into my glass to kill the bottle was “Dad’s share”.

Overall, it was a great show and one I am sure my Dad would have enjoyed. Time hasn’t stopped Buddy Guy, who at 88 years old, is still at the top of his guitar-playing game. But alas, this might be Buddy’s last time on tour as he is semi-retiring and only scheduling dates at his home bar in Chicago. It was a great run.

 

 

On the way back from the Buddy Guy concert, I pondered going to see my bartending buddy SportsChump at his Irish pub, but my body said no. I was too damn tired. SportChump aka Chris and I have become better friends over the last few months. Not only was he the first person to write a review of my novel, he also wrote about his own Dad’s passing shortly before my Dad passed. We joined that unfortunate club nearly the same time. I knew I could visit his bar and tell him all about my day for my Dad and he would appreciate my story. Chris, consider this shout-out my apology for not visiting. I’ll swing by soon.

Although I didn’t go to a pub or a bar, I did stop by a local liquor store to pick up a nice drink to close the night. I settled on Jim Beam Black, a little less harsh and little smoother than his standard Jim Beam. My Dad would have approved.

While I was perusing the aisles, the store clerk told me they had a discount on top level bourbon. I declined and told him why I turned down the offer. He not only understood, he sympathized. He told me about the last concert he went to with his Dad, Pink Floyd in 1980. Shortly thereafter, he became a member of the club no one wants to join. As I checked out, he told me he applied the discount to the bottle I bought. A really nice gesture and a much needed conversation.

As the night ended and I sipped on a glass of Jim Beam, I reflected on the week. I was happy I could honor my Dad and celebrate his love for his Z during the 2024 Z Car Convention in Tampa. Although it was sad at times, I know he was there in spirit the entire week and especially at the car show and concert. He would have enjoyed his day.

I miss you, Dad.

A Farewell to Pops

A few months ago, I wrote a post entitled “One Last Drive to Minneola” about my trips to see World Xtreme Wrestling, the longtime pro wrestling organization owned and operated by Afa Anoa’i.

Although there has been mention that Afa Jr might one day bring back wXw, the show in April was the end of an era. It marked the last show put on by Afa, his wife Lynn, and their daughter Vale. As I wrote in my post, wXw was ending because Afa’s health was not good. He had been through several scares and there was a need to circle the wagons and focus on recovery and family.

Unfortunately, Afa left us on August 16th, 2024, nearly four months after closing wXw and only six weeks after his brother Sika Anoa’i passed away.

Pops was a lot of things to a lot of people. To those who didn’t know him, he was a wrestling legend, a titan of the ring in his era and the patriarch of generations of champions. To those who knew him, he was a father, a husband, a High Chief, a brother, a friend, a trainer, and a mentor. He was father figure to many, and a “Dad” to many more. He welcomed many into his family and encouraged people to seize their full potential. He gave chances and believed in those he cared about.

I like to always mention that I have only been in a wrestling ring twice in my life. Once was at a training center with my brother Bryan Maddox and the other was helping put together a ring for a theater performance. It is not my place. But Pops still referred to me as one of his kids. He had a lot of kids, and each one was special to him. To be called one of his kids was an honor and not something I took lightly.

For me, Pops was a father figure, a great-uncle figure, and a role model. As a man, you want a lasting impact. You want to treat people with kindness, but have the wisdom and authority to make things happen when they need to happen. Through his kindness, Pops had an unspoken gravity to him. You didn’t want to let him down.

I didn’t have a relationship with Pops when I started attending wXw. For years, I called him “Sir” and said hello only when spoken to. Through the years, however, Pops started to know who I was and I went from “Maddox’s brother” to “Afro” to “Mike”. Eventually, I would talk to him after every show. He would ask how the show was, and I would always answer that I had a great time. That’s the honest truth. Whether the show was a banger with a full crowd or not, whether my brother was wrestling or not, I always enjoyed going to wXw.

Pops also always asked me how I was doing and where my brother was if he wasn’t on the show. Always. Not only did he want Bryan to wrestle in the show, but he genuinely wanted Bryan there. Bryan was one of his kids and he wanted his kids to do what makes them happy. He knew wrestling made Bryan happy. It also helped that Bryan was one of the biggest wrestlers on the wXw roster and a multi-time champion, but that was secondary.

On the rare chance I saw Pops before a show, he often suggested that I would be involved in a run-in or some in-ring action. I am pretty sure he was joking, but if he told me to do something, I would do it. I don’t know how well I would do, and it never progressed more than a suggestion, but he said it enough to get me nervous.

While I was never a wrestler, Pops taught me a valuable lesson about wrestling. During one month in 2010, I had the pleasure of doing a video project with veteran wrestling manager Bill Alfonso. Among the places Fonzie wanted to visit was wXw. That was the first and only time I went in the wXw locker room before a show. While we were getting footage of Fonzie mentoring aspiring wrestlers, Pops pulled me aside and reminded me to make sure I protected his business. That’s a forgotten mantra in today’s social media age, where the behind-the-scenes of wrestling is almost as popular as the in-ring action. But in Pop’s day and era, it was wrestling law. Of course, if someone of Pop’s stature in the business tells you something, you do it. Hence, I protected the business in Fonzie’s video and continue to do so. 

Outside of the wXw shows, Pops made his presence felt in my life. As a longtime government contractor, I’ve often gone overseas for months at a time. During a trip to Qatar in 2018, I included Pops on my monthly email updates to friends and family. Not all my friends and family would respond. As a matter of fact, only a few did. But Pops always replied. Every month for nine months he would send me a short email telling me to stay safe, take care of myself, and that he and everyone missed me. He didn’t have to do that. Of course, when I returned, he told my brother that he knew more about what I was doing overseas than my brother did. That might have been true.

Pops loved having people at his house. I was lucky enough to visit a few times following wXw shows. Pops sat in his chair as a king (or a chief) would on a throne as people mingled and socialized. Before the night was through, he always asked newcomers what wXw meant to them. There are few wrestling organizations that can honestly say they are a family, but wXw could. That was the most common answer. When asked, I remember telling Pops that although I would follow my brother anywhere and cheer and boo him as needed, wXw transcended that. It became more than a wrestling show, it was seeing, supporting, and hanging out with people I cared about.

My brother and I were able to visit Pops one last time a month before he passed and a few days before he went to Pensacola for his final days. It was a sad day, but while we knew it would be the last time we saw him, it was good visit, full of laughs and smiles and stories.

Although he is gone, Pop’s legacy lives on. Just the other day, I spoke with a wrestling friend for three hours on the phone. We talked about Pops a lot. I look forward to seeing other wrestling friends at shows throughout Florida. I might even again chat with one of Pop’s superstar nephews or great nephews. No matter who I meet or see again, I am sure we will reminisce over the common bond that Pops touched our lives.

On the same day I spoke with my friend for a few hours, I texted Pop’s daughter Vale. I sent her some words of comfort during this difficult time. As I mentioned when my own father passed away, the “passing of a parent club” is a club no one wants to join, but as we get older time inevitably makes many of us members. When that happens, it helps to remember that many of our friends might already be in this unfortunate club. As friends, it is our job to be there for new members and give them hope. To let them know their loved one will always be with them in spirit and their friends will always remain by their side here on Earth.

RIP Pops. Your legacy will last forever. #AnoaiStrong

 

Review of Inside Out 2: A Missing Emotion, Kobe Bryant, Stuart Smalley, and Michael Jordan

Inside Out 2 has been in the theater for close to three months and I finally saw it a few days ago. I was the only person in the theater. I don’t know if that is weird or not, but I don’t mind. I picked the best seat and I had the theater all to myself. That’s what you get when you go to a three-month-old movie at noon on a Friday. Maybe I should treat myself to a solo movie more often.

Inside Out 2 builds on the plot of Inside Out 1. In the first movie, there are characters inside a young girl’s head representing Joy, Anger, Fear, Sad, and Disgust. In the second movie, these characters are joined by Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui (boredom). Inside Out always reminded me of the short-lived 1990s Fox live-action sitcom Herman’s Head, which starred several actors who voiced Simpson’s characters. If you don't remember Herman's Head, don't worry. It was mostly forgettable.

I liked Inside Out 2. I liked Inside Out 1 probably a little better because of its originality, but I like them both for their creativeness and how they convey the mental parts of the mind as objects. There is a lot of thought and care put into the Inside Out movies. The Pixar people obviously consulted mental health professionals to build a world inside the mind. They are both brilliant in their execution.

Spoiler Alert: Stop reading here if you don’t want the movie ruined. I have a critique about the movie that might ruin it if you haven’t seen it.

But I have a few questions about Inside Out 2. My first is perhaps based on my age and how things were when I was a teenager in the early 1990s. Is anxiety that big of a deal for the average 13-year-old or is Riley suffering more than usual? I don’t think I learned or understood the meaning of the word “anxiety” until I was in my 30s. I heard someone mention “depression” once in college in the early 2000s. I knew that meant being sad, but had no idea the extent or the effect on the brain.

Maybe it was the times, or maybe I was ignorant of mental health.

My second question about Inside Out 2 is “Where is Confidence”? I agree with Ryan M. Niemiec Psy.D. in his review on Psychology Today. Ryan writes that there is an imbalance in the movies with several detracting emotions and only one positive emotion, Joy. He writes, “Humans have a large array of positive emotions. Where are excitement, love, gratitude, interest, desire, (healthy) pride, awe, elevation, hope, amusement, and/or calmness/peace?”

In the movie, Riley suffers from almost crippling anxiety. She almost has a nervous breakdown during a hockey game. Anxiety is controlling her mind and has created a whirling tornado of chaos. But instead of Joy taking the controls, why not Confidence? Is Confidence an emotion? If Boredom is an emotion, I would think Confidence would be as well.

There is a key scene in the movie in which Anxiety uses Riley’s imagination to create scenarios of failure which lead to more anxiety and panic. Joy finds a desk in Riley’s imagination and begins sketching positive scenarios. Wouldn’t that lead to Confidence – the idea that good things will happen based on experience? If Riley knew how to score hockey goals, playing at a more difficult level becomes a battle between Anxiety (Failure) and Confidence (Success).

Maybe Riley doesn’t have Confidence. Is Confidence a rare trait among 13-year-olds? Is it seen less than Anxiety? I am not in mental health, so I don’t know.

We don’t see Riley’s parents building up her self-confidence. Maybe that’s a blind spot in their parenting, or maybe Pixar didn’t think it was important. We see her succeeding, we see her having great support from her family and friends, and we see her having more opportunities for additional success. But somehow, these factors don’t gel into Confidence.

Is that normal?

While we see Riley having fun playing hockey, experiencing Joy in sports is typically a byproduct of success. No one is happy when they lose. When a pro athlete says they are “having fun”, it is usually because things are going well. Failure leads to more work, which is usually serious, and not fun – although the best athletes discuss finding Joy in The Process. But that might be too heavy for a teenager.

Of course, there could be Joy in playing, win or lose. Especially when playing for recreational purposes. But that’s not Riley’s situation. She is a serious hockey player.

Instead of idolizing a player on the high school team, Riley could have idolized basketball legend Kobe Bryant, who said,

“I encourage my players to focus on visualization just as much as athleticism. Visualization combines concentration, imagination and belief. Concentration is the ability to think about a single thing or task without internal or external interruption; imagination is the creative ability to see yourself in a wide range of situations and envision how you’d navigate them; belief is unshakable confidence in your own abilities. These qualities are crucial to success in sports.”

Bryant’s Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson used the concept of envisioning success to motivate Bryant and fellow legend Michael Jordan. When you envision yourself succeeding, it becomes what you do. You think about your past victories. Confidence becomes contagious. Success builds on itself. Confidence could have led Riley’s imagination instead of Anxiety, drawing situations where she succeeds.

The voice in Riley’s head shouldn’t have said “I am a good person”, although that is important. The voice should have said, “I am good enough.”. That’s Confidence.

Following the climax of the movie, Confidence could have also taken control of the mind. Confidence plans for the future. I am not a mental health expert, but there are a lot of articles on Confidence versus Anxiety. They seem to say that while a little bit of Anxiety is ok, Confidence prevents it from overwhelming the mind.

The tools for Riley’s success were there. The emotion that needed to control her mind wasn’t.

Maybe Riley could have heeded the words of the great mental health coach Stuart Smalley, played by Al Franken.

“I’m good enough. I’m smart enough. And doggone it, people like me.”

Here is a classic Saturday Night Live skit with Smalley and the aforementioned Michael Jordan.

 

Not so Serious Movie Review: Shinobi 4 - A Way Out

 

The final chapter of the epic Shinobi saga. When we left our heroes, Kagerou and Aoi, they were running through the woods of Japan otherwise known as the Kingdom of Aiga. They were Shinobi on the run. Aoi was poisoned, and Kagerou was forced to work with a two-faced shinobi who might be their friend, or he might be working for the local tribal strongman. In Shinobi 3, we were also introduced to power hungry warlords because Aiga is in the middle of a civil war, in case you didn't hear the same introduction that plays in the opening of each movie.

To be honest, Shinobi 4 is the best of the series. Things actually happen in this movie. Some things make sense. Some don't. Of course, there is running through the woods. There are also plenty of random ninjas and sword swinging. And in a case of lack of imagination, they bring back the crazed Kagerou-hating madman from Shinobi 2. His reappearance is an extreme stretch in what is an entire saga of reality stretching.

But whereas Shinobi 2 and Shinobi 3 were filler following the Shinobi 1 introduction of story, Shinobi 4 brings the story to an emotional ending. After watching over six hours of Kagerou and Aoi running through the woods, I grew attached to them. I wanted them to find a way out and escape the drama, trials, and tribulations of shinobi life.

I will say, Shinobi 4 hit me in the feels. It had the same B-level dialog, effects, and plot, but I felt for the characters. I wouldn't recommend any of these movies to anyone unless you are a martial arts movie fan or a glutton for bad movies (I happen to be both.). But out of all the Shinobi flick, Shinobi 4 found the way to my heart.

Grade: 3 sad shinobis out of 5

Not so Serious Movie Review: Shinobi 3 - Hidden Techniques

 

Yet again we find ourselves in the woods of maybe feudal Japan in the land of Iga, home of the Shinobi. Yet again, we find Kagerou and Aoi running through the woods. Yet again, there are bad guys trying to kill them. Yet again, there is awkward narration and low budget aesthetic.

In Shinobi 3 we see more of Kagerou's friend and his attempts to help Kagerou and Aoi run through the woods. But is he friend or foe? This chapter of the saga introduces higher level bosses into the story. We knew Rokoku, the chieftain of Kagerou and Aoi's former village, the guy who set Kagerou up for murdering his mentor, but now we met the bigger bad, a robed guy with a big stick. He wants to take over the entire region of Iga. Did I mention it was a time of civil war? The narrator says that before each movie.

Whereas Shinobi 2 had a crazy Kagerou-hating guy who fought Kagerou in the final battle, this movie features two Shinobi hunters, Steel Fist and Cape Man. That's not their names, but they are kinda irrelevant outside of their fighting scenes so that's what I am calling them. Steel Fist is the more vocal of the two, but he is angry at the world. He and Cape Man are employed to hunt Kagerou and Aoi. Cape Man has the magical power to disappear and reappear. He also fights with his cape and poisonous feathers, which was kinda unique. Kudos to the fight between Kagerou and Cape Man, although the conclusion was awkward.

Speaking of poison, the movie ends with Aoi poisoned and captured. Kagerou leaves her in the woods, sitting under a tree while he runs to a nearby village for a plant that can cure the poison. Of course he knows exactly where he left her and exactly how far the village is. But why would you leave your friend under a tree for 24 hours while she is suffering from poison and every bad guy in the movie is out to get both of you?

Of course she gets captured. Although I don't know how she got found. What if she died from the poison under the tree? Or was attacked by a bear?

Which leads me to my biggest question. I've watched three of the four Shinobi movies at this point and my biggest question is how do the characters always know where the other characters are? We see Kagerou and Aoi running through the woods attempting to flee their village. They run for days. Yet the bad guys and allies know exactly where they are and find them with no problem. Even spying ninjas have no problem keeping their eyes and ears on the two runaways. Kagerou and Aoi are like kids who run away in their fenced backyard. No matter how much they run in the backyard, they are still in the backyard. It's like Kagerou and Aoi have a GPS in their pants and everyone is tracking them. Or they are the world's worst runaways.

What will happen in Shinobi 4? Will there be more running through the woods? Will Kagerou and Aoi live happily every after? Will Kagerou free her and will they ever find their freedom?

I care too much for this low budget saga. But alas, it is still not recommended.

2 Running Shinobis out of 5

Check out LoveHKFilms.com review on Shinobi 3: Runaways here. They didn't like either, but I don't they were as invested in the saga.

Writing for the SportsChump

 

My friend Chris has a blog called The Sports Chump. It's an old school blog where Chris writes his thoughts on sports. Independent, no filter, whatever he wants to write, whenever he wants to write it.

I love it.

Of course, when Chris asked if I wanted to contribute to a debate on his blog, I said of course. Chris is a big Orlando Magic fan and wanted to know my thoughts on whether or not the Magic should retire the jersey number of legendary sometimes-star Dwight Howard. Although I was a Howard fan at first, I soured on Howard in the middle of his career. So you can probably guess which side of the debate I took.

It has been a long time since I wrote about basketball, so this was a treat.

Chris's blog is highly recommended. Check out our debate.

Debating the Second Superman: SportsChump and Michael Lortz discuss a Dwight Howard return to the Magic and the possible retirement of his number - SportsChump.com

Not so Serious Movie Review: Shinobi 2 - Runaways (2005)

 

A few weeks ago, I watched Shinobi: Law of Shinobi (2004). Shinobi 2: Runaways picks up where Shinobi left off. Our heroes, Kagerou and Aoi are on the run. Literally, they run through the woods for half the movie. Along the way, they encounter other shinobi who are instructed to kill them. There is a Shinobi 3 and 4, so it is not a spoiler to say the other shinobi don't succeed. Not even the crazy prisoner guy who yells "Kagerou" often.

The low quality of these movies make them confusing. I think they are supposed to take place in the 16th century but they talk like it was last week. Yet the dialogue is not as bad as the narrative breaks in the movie that fill in unnecessary backstory about the villages and tribes. And I am still not sure what to think of Aoi. She continues to be a confusing mix of damsel in distress and badass swordswoman. Overall, this movie doesn't advance the story at all. It's just more running. I can't wait to watch Shinobi 3.

Grade: 1 running shinobi of 5.