Well, there is a positive side to the current Coronavirus crisis. Stuck at home, Don has kept busy working — including writing more stories for Vampiress Carmilla magazine, re-writing a movie treatment for a producer friend in Japan, and gathering images for the cover art of a new (still secret) pulp-style novel he’s written to be published by M3 Publishers (McNae, Marlin & Mackenzie).
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Editor/publisher Rich Sala has been keeping it a secret (for various technical and legal reasons), but now it can be revealed … that Don has written the origin story for the lovely-lethal narrator of the new Vampiress Carmilla magazine, and also a stockpile (or”stakepile”) of stories for about a year’s worth of issues. The premiere issue is scheduled for November. Don is also the magazine’s associate editor.
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Because of the Coronavirus situation, this event — where Don will be a guest — has been postponed until May 3rd.
From David Matthews: “I saw The Invisible Man at the Alamo Drafthouse (Brooklyn) last night and the pre-show program included this black and white short from 1962 called The Invisible Teenager that was pretty good. And then I got tell my friend how I’d met the director before. Hope you’re well.” Here’s the (spoiler alert!) ending of Don’s old amateur movie… (So. does that quality for a theatrical release?) All of Don’s amateur movies can be seen on the DVD set I Was a Teenage Movie Maker.
And on a similar note, this message subsequently came in from Jeff Mariotte: ” Don, I’m at the Alamo Draft House in Chandler, AZ, and they showed a clip from The Day I Vanished in the pre-show for !”
Don has been invited to be a guest speaker this Fall for the Young Authors Camp program at Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He be staying in was once occupied by actor Charles Laughton. Don spoke at Cranbrook back in the mid-1980s, on a tour promoting Disney’s dinosaur movie Baby, Secret of the Lost Legend. He is looking forward to the return trip.
News from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, where Don is a volunteer fossil preparator in the Dino Lab: “I am writing to inform you that you will be receiving a Continuous Service Award pin at this year’s Volunteer Recognition Night! Congratulations! You have earned your 20-year pin!” Unfortunately, because of the Coronavirus crisis, the April 1st date originally set for this event has been canceled, to be rescheduled when things start getting closer to back to normal.
Don is set to direct at least two movies for producer Gregory Hatanaka’s Cinema Epoch this year. The first is As I Kiss You, a character drama, and the second is a thriller. Hatanaka’s company will also distribute the films. But the projects have been delayed because of the Coronavirus crisis.
“Marquis Who’s Who” just informed Don that he is a recipient of the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award.
Due to the very sad death of his good friend, the multi-talented Nicola (Nick) Cuti, Don will be assuming his chores and title as Associate Editor for The Creeps magazine. Don first heard of Nick in the first issue of Vampirella, in which they both had stories.
COMING! M3 Publishers (McNae, Marlin & Mackenzie), which published Don’s Tales of Frankenstein Collectors Photo-Boook is re-issuing two of his old non-fiction books, True Vampires of History and True Werewolves of History. This will be a double book (or what M3 calls a “flip book”) — turn Vampires over and you have Werewolves. Don worked up these dummy images, but the books will most likely feature artwork rather than movie stills on their covers, as they are not about films. M3 and Don have plans for several more books this year, including an original novel.
Lots of cool collectors products relating to Don’s movies and music are now available (see below):
For those of you who have asked if you can purchase an autographed photo of Don, the answer is Yes. Available and signed personally to you is this 8″ x 10″ glossy color photograph showing Don surrounded by some of the comic-book characters whose adventures he’s written, including three he created (Dr. Spektor, Dagar and Tragg). Cost is $10 plus $1 postage and handling, send to 2805 N. Keystone St., Burbank, CA 91504-1604.
Every week or so, Don is a 2-hour guest on this CBS radio show. Check the station’s website to find out when: https://www.wlip.com/
OUT NOW and available from Amazon and other sources, re-released after being long out of print…
Don, in his capacity as West Coast Representative of Las Vegas Talent Agency (https://lvtalent.com/) , which books talent of various kinds for nationwide gigs, has been creating rosters for the agency’s“ Scream Queens” and (https://lvtalent.com/talent/scream-queens/) and “TV Horror Hosts” (https://lvtalent.com/talent/tv-horror-hosts/) sections. So, if you are looking for any scream queens or horror hosts to appear at your convention or other special event, check out those links.
Rigs Mordo and the other nice people at BLACK LAGOON magazine just published a comprehensive 38-page interview/article about Don . The magazine is from France-Belgium, but it’s in French. This is the “poster” back cover…
Don continues to sell various items on Ebay, including signed copies of his paperback book TRUE VAMPIRES OF HISTORY (rare 1st edition, 1971, like new), the magazine-format copies of his New Adventures of Frankenstein series of stories (brand new condition), plus the collectors’ TALES OF FRANKENSTEIN 2019 CALENDAR.
Don created seven 2019 collectors calendars available with photos from his Pecosborn Productions movies TALES OF FRANKENSTEIN and DANCES WITH WEREWOLVES. For ordering information (now that we’re into 2019, prices have been reduced), see the “store” at www.pecosborn.com
Don often collaborates with good friend Steve Kaplan, who owns Las Vegas Talent Agency (Las Vegas Trade Show Models“) . The agency books all kinds of talent for trade shows, conventions, movies and TV shows, commercials, print ads, event staffing, etc… Although based in Las Vegas, it also gets bookings for in other parts of the USA. Frequently Steve calls Don for referrals. Don is only too happy to help. Don is officially the agency’s West Coast Representative.
