Nightmares & DayScreams

Haunting Virginia

September 19 2022 -It is about this time of year every year so far that I have been spending alot of time in Virginia. I spent one weekend in Norfolk checking out the expanded  Tidewater Horror convention  and then just this pat weekend I was back at Hampton Roads for  the 2022 Haunted Screams Expo. True to form I brought costumes and did a little shopping amongst my merchant friends. I was unable to be part of the Monster On Makeup Wars challenge this year as my  makeup artist was away on assignment, but I did manage to bring home second place in the Adult Costume Contest. < Many thanks to Charles A Townsend for the amazing images he captured while at Haunted Screams.>This gives me just a few weeks to get together all the pieces I am making for Culling Innovations Halloween Mini Photo Shoot in Salisbury MD on October15th. But First...I have the distinct honor of having been asked to help with makeups for Farragut Forward a local ongoing Star Trek tribute  You Tube Film short being done locally. So Time to clean up my kit and polish up on my beauty skills. 

"Oh Look Another Glorious Morning. It Makes Me sick."- Winifred Sanderson Hocus Pocus
#HauntedSreamsExpo2022 #halloweencostume Angel of Death 2nd Place winner Adult Costume Contest winner

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

August 2022- So fall is finally here. That means I am kicked into high gear once again. Maryland Renaissance festival last weekend. This week I am on the road again to Norfolk VA for TideWater Horrorcon with a quick side trip to  check out this years Howl-O-Scream at BuschGardens Williamsburg. Still working on costumes for next weeks Haunted Screams in Hampton VA as well.  So busy but things keep squeezing into my jam packed schedule with a new special event I just got asked to help out on in Fredrick MD in October...Shh...mums the word for now..must not Jinx it. I have been getting some amazing conversations with a few local independent film makers and discussing their projects.  All this leading up to  my first trip to  FaerieCon in Baltimore in October and as quick trip to World Oddities..all before Halloween. Then there is the HUGE project I have been working on for my return to Ocean City Comicon once again in December. Never fear dear friends things are very active here @ Nightmares & Dayscreams. Can't forget to mention my true new collaborations with David Insley of Culling Innovations coming up in just a few weeks.  Time to get Spooky!! Many thanks to the one and only Father Evil for this stunning photo from our reunion at  Scares That Cares Charity Weekend 2022. 
 **I was So Thrilled to see that FatherEvil recieved a special recognition Award at the New Jersey Horror Film Festival  on September 17th and I truly wish I could have been there to celebrate his special moment with him. Well done my friend. You deserve it.** -xoxo

#FatherEvil #Scaresthatcarescharityweekend2022 Father Evil dance with his favorite Succubus Temptation at the final Scares That Cares Charity Event

September was HOT

I went from one convention to another. I had a weekend with Tidewater Horrorcon in Norfolk VA and then turned around to attend and volunteer at Haunted Screams Expo in Hampton VA. I did not garner any awards at  Tidewater Horrorcon  but I did manage to bring home second place at Haunted Screams Expo which was not a bad follow up to the first place in the Costume Contest last year. I did not have a makeup artist with me this year nor a model so I dat out the  Monsteron Makeup Challenge Saturday which allowed me to  rest up after frantically helping build the haunted house all Friday night and super early Saturday.  
I love seeing all my friends and  meeting some of the celebrities as well as working closely with the  organizer of Haunted Screams Expo and  my besties from Halloween Daily News were there as well and it always makes me happy to see them again. Many thanks to  Wendy of Just A Little Hocus Pocus for continually  asking me to redo her makeup each year. She is a great model and we work out some great plans. I can not wait to go back.

Been a very busy fall so far

I have been on the go since early fall and even when the conventions are done for now. I had projects to work on. I hit the Maryland Renaissance Festival and then World Oddities convention in Baltimore. I had the pleasure of  being invited to join the crew of Farragut Forward as they started filming and join this dedicated team. That was followed quickly by a Halloween  Mini-Photo Shoot  for Culling's Innovations where I had fun creating an Elfin Archer and an Ogre ala D&D or World of Warcraft. I built armor and other props as well as  set up and did a full makeup application on location the morning of the shoot.  But no rest for the wicked with Halloween coming up quickly. I have a consult to help out on Little Women the Musical with The Community Players of Salisbury right after Halloween and I am off to  Lancaster PA before joining the Unseelie Court at the triumphant return of Faeriecon to Baltimore MD October 28-30. I can hardly wait to dress and go down for the Bad Fairies Ball.
But enough for now. I must get back to work because I was invited back as Mrs. Claus for  another Christmas Mini-photo shoot November 5th and then it is onto preparations for the Ocean City Comicon for my 2nd year as a presenter. See you there December10th.Happy Halloween!! 
Many thanks to  my friends at Exalted Boudoir in Norfolk VA for the amazing images captured. We are already planning a return once the very busy season slows and there is time for more captivating images. You need to see the stunning Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy session she shot. I wish I could take credit for them but they are too striking for me to not share them.

Demons of Vice

Have you met my Infernal Family of Demons of Vice.  They seem to appear at Horror conventions.
Last year Temptation or Tempy as we like to call her showed up and wowed onlookers on the Atlantic City NJ Boardwalk as she strolled into the  Showboat Hotel . Seems she wanted to chat with her dear friend...Father Evil and got a hearty blessing as well as being loudly decried as a Sinner across the NJ Horrorcon and filmfest last fall. She had a blast and we took some truly amazing photos that day.
Most Recently Wrath made his debut and  decided that there was not quite enough violence for his liking. He was pleased by the 10 car police escort that rode into the parking lot as we drove up. Funny the things that make him smile. A lovely lady and talented horror writer Tammy Vreeland was gracious enough to loan me her set of wonderful red wings to go with my angry demon look. Father Evil and Mr T both seemed happy to take a moment to pose for photos. Though most of the lovely ladies were busy flirting with my cohort in crimes Negan..aka Mr Tony Jones. Together we showed the con how stylish red and black looked. DeadlyGrounds Coffee was there with their newest brew  Father Evil's Hells Fury. It was the perfect pick me up after a day of walking the con floor and before the Scaryoke took over the bar that evening. 

So what have I been up to lately?

Well in a time when Covid is still a threat to events and life in general I am still getting out and about. I am still working on building strong connections. I just finished attending the first annual Scares That Cares AuthorCon. Imagine an entire convention devoted to  Horror and Science Fiction writers and fans. I was able to attend a few very informative seminars and panels while talking with  up and coming talent along with some very established names who have even gone on to have their work turned into motion pictures. I learned how Horror had a boom and has since faded out so that most writers today self publish. But it was all for charity and  I got to reconnect with some of my friends in Williamsburg VA.  The week after that I was back in Atlantic City NJ attending my second NJ Horrorcon and film fest. There I learned just how short a film short can be and how good some of the documentaries made out there are. Some truly impressive talent out there people. I attended the Cosplay Contest and saw some truly epic costumes. I met up with some of my friends and chatted with a few new ones connecting for next year or another event down the road.
But should you ever think that my lack of public appearances means that I am not hard at work. I have to say even I am impressed by my growing  IMDb Pro profile. I have a few small films out that I helped with and a few more still in production. no you wont see me in 99% of them but my name is on them and I helped make that project and many more happen. So I am always looking for the next undiscovered up and coming. What? You don't believe me? Here is my page at this very moment. < I have another project I am slated to be part of that is just on hold until the Executive Producers greenlight us to start filming hopefully September of 2022 our director assures me. We just don't want to get shut down midfilm due to covid-19 closures.>

Have we met?

Recently I was shocked to learn I am a bit more active than I previously suspected. In creating an online IMDbPro page for myself I discovered that I actually had film credit and a fairly lengthy career with experience involving film, theater and even dance. True I am very seldom on the stage and in the spotlight myself ,but I have made friends and have worked extensively behind the scenes.  I have wrangled props, been a dresser to the leading lady and man, I have done hair and makeup as well as moved set as a stage hand. I have helped out in a myriad of minor roles always focused on making each scene run smoothly so that the chosen stars can focus on learning their marks and  lines. 
I have moved scenery and  swept up broken glass between sets all while learning the very flow of the show from the back side where I may not have to learn lines but my dance and marks are as complicated as those on stage. I have been forced to be out front for shows when the speakers fail to work because of rainy weather and the actors had to shout their lines. I have frantically ran to cover set and scenery when sudden downpours came up and canceled outdoor shows. Knowing even as we got the call the show was done for the audience, it was far from over for me and the cast as we then had to break down and load up in the muddy quagmire afterwards. Oh yes I have been there more than anyone will ever know. 
I have done my bit as an actor and cast manager as well when being part of the long closed Ocean City Screams ,Ocean City Maryland live scare haunt. I went in to do makeup and then became a minor actor. I got promoted to a key spot in the attraction and every haunt actor will tell you - that is improv acting at it's finest. You have a spot that is your personal stage and you are given freedom to spin your own story. You can creating a role and stick to it or change everything from group to group as the whim strikes you. Many was the time I had to judge my audience and quickly decide how to best play my role. It was great fun and hard work. When I was not acting I might be found managing the actors that night and keeping things going and spirits up when the nights were slow. Other nights I was the Barker and shouted the rules to the new groups before they went in. Tricky business assessing the group of folks before you, keeping their attention and setting the mood all while you listen for the sounds to say that the stage behind you was set and ready for the next victims. Again long hours and hard work but a valuable set of skills.
Point being in all this? I have done far more than most people will ever know and now I am ready to start into my 2022 Convention season. Bouncing from Comic to Science Fiction/Fantasy to Horror means I see some of the same crowd but each one has it's own vibes. Keep watching or your might miss me. I blend in with the crowd and stand out in them too. 
**Next up is Mini Photo Sessions for Culling innovations at Pemberton Park MD as their special guest with my own spin on Alice in Wonderland 's iconic Mad Hatter. March 26 2022.**