Grady Hendrix Knows “How to Sell a Haunted House!”

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I was never interested in attending a book signing until I learned Grady Hendrix was coming to Chicago. It was five years ago that his book, “Paperbacks from Hell,” rekindled my love of ’80s pulp and has had me scouring the shelves of local thrift stores and used bookstores ever since. I’ve also enjoyed his own works of horror fiction which include “My Best Friend’s Exorcism,” “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires,” and “The Final Girls Support Group.” Hendrix’s books are often more humourous than frightening but his knowledge of horror tropes is undeniable and makes for a fun read nonetheless.  I had heard that his promotional book tours were every bit as colorful as he was and quickly reserved a space on the Exile in Bookville website. 

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Sharing my Svengoolie Story on YouTube’s “Mr. C. Dives In!”

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Last October, I covered Svengoolie’s appearance at the Volo Auto Museum having no idea it’d lead to me taking a walk down memory lane via YouTube. One of the folks I photographed during that event, Chris Connolly, had been posing next to a Mego-style Svengoolie bat cave and reached out for permission to use the photos on his YouTube Channel, Mr. C. Dives In with his best buddy, Fanboy G. Our exchange led to his invitation to be interviewed on his show concerning my journey as a Son of Svengoolie & Svengoolie fan along with my experiences getting close to him and his crew over the course of my thirteen years as a blogger. This was to be in celebration of Rich Koz’s birthday which is the date I’m posting – March 12th. Although I’ve been doing a lot less content creation these days, it was nice having the opportunity to relive these amazing experiences. The following four videos were taped on two separate occasions. I’m no entertainer, but I do hope you enjoy them while supporting Mr. Connolly’s channel. Happy Birthday, Svengoolie!

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Svengoolie’s Volo Auto Museum Appearance Drives Him into Overtime!

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It’s a known fact that when MeTV’s national horror host, Svengoolie, makes an appearance near the Wisconsin border. It’s going to generate a record number of fans. Especially when you factor in temps in the ‘70s, that it’s his last appearance of the Halloween season and his first at Volo since 2019. This is why even a prolific Sven-stalker like me generally avoids this event; especially, since I’d just visited the museum with my friend, Jason, last August. However, when Svengoolie’s producer, Jim Roche, asked if I’d give them a hand, I couldn’t turn him down. I guess I was relieved they still wanted me around after sharing my displeasure with “Svengoolie Uncrypted” in a recent post. But now that the appearance is over, I’m wondering if this wasn’t retribution. 

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The Frightful Return of “Nightmare on Chicago Street!|

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Who’d of thought zombies terrorizing an Illinois city’s streets would inspire warm, cuddly feelings of life getting back to normal? That’s what happened last Saturday when I visited  “Nightmare on Chicago Street’ – the quintessential Halloween event that many feared would never happen again. Fortunately, a Global Pandemic proved no match for the Undead as I entered the Safe Zone of Elgin, Illinois smiling from ear to ear.  

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Flashback Weekend 2022 and ‘Svengoolie Uncrypted’ Chaos!

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On that Saturday morning at Flashback Weekend, I was enjoying breakfast with my friends when Svengoolie’s producer, Jim Roche, called to say they were en route. This was a whirlwind weekend for the horror host as he’d be appearing at two major Chicago conventions – C2E2 (Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo) and Flashback Weekend – while filming segments for his October MeTV special – Svengoolie Uncrypted. If you watched it when it first aired back on October 1st (encore presentation this Sunday, October 30th), then you know that Flashback Weekend played a pivotal role during its ongoing skit. 

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Chicago’s Flashback Weekend 2022: Day One

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We arrived at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare just in time for Flashback Weekend’s Registration. My friend, Jason, flew in from Rhode Island the day before, and our friends, Don and Bunny, were already indulging in the perks of their VIP pass with early admittance to the dealer’s room. As soon as we saw them, Bunny gave me the full lay of the land so I could strategize. As a general rule of thumb, you want to meet the celebrity guests on your list first and foremost. This year my autograph goals were minimal – Quinn Lord and John Michael Graham. The latter was for the purpose of adding yet another signature to my Halloween (1978) poster which I discussed last year. Bunny informed me the closest guest, however, was Quinn Lord a.k.a. Trick r Treat Sam, making him my defacto first stop. 

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