The October 20 issue of the Charleston Gazette featured an article about David Selby and his new book, A Better Place. The article is accessible online for 14 days following the publication date by clicking here. Registration is required, but it's free.

Quote from: Patti on October 01, 2005, 10:59:59 PM

I'm not really sure what this convention is.

The FAQ might help.  You can find it by following the 1st link in the main topic.

Anyone interested in a more in-depth look at Chiller might want to check out the documentary (for lack of a better word) UnConventional, released in 2004. Chiller plugs it on their web site, and it's available from Netflix. It shows the weekend's events through the eyes of convention guests, staff, and attendees. Like Trekkies, it does tend to focus on the more extreme fan behavior, but it's still interesting.

The DVD also has a promo for the Horror Channel, billed as "Coming in 2004." The opening menu footage from the early DS DVDs has been swiped for the background graphics.

The Girl in Blue (aka U-Turn), the 1974 movie starring David Selby as a man who becomes obsessed with searching for a woman he only saw for a few moments years ago, will be released on DVD this month.

It appears that the street date for the DVD is actually November 8 according to information from the distributor. The product page on Amazon has been revised to reflect this. Barnes & Noble lists the same date, though they're using the film's other title, U-Turn.

Trask and Minerva were married for many years.

Initially, I found it rather odd that the writers chose to give Trask's wife a name taken from Roman mythology rather than a Biblical name or a name associated with a virtue (like Charity) or a saint (like Gregory).

But it does fit the bit with the cards since the Queen of Spades is associated with Minerva.

Had Trask and Evan opted for the same approach with Judith, then the card of choice should've been the Queen of Hearts, which is associated with Judith from the apocryphal Book of Judith.

For Rachel, it should've been the Queen of Diamonds, which is associated with the Old Testament Rachel.

As far as I know, none of the other 1897 character names is associated with a specific card.

For those in the Los Angeles area, KABC will broadcast Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive, starring David Selby and Patty Duke on Monday, October 17, at 12:35 AM (local time).

Selby and Duke play husband and wife, and it's rather amusing to see all the tricks they use to get both of their faces in a shot since he's over a foot taller than she is. 

If you're interested in getting a copy of this movie on DVD, don't fool with Amazon. They only offer them through third-party sellers. Movies Unlimited is much more reliable for this title.

I have screen grabs from the film on my Selby site. Click here. These are from a broadcast copy. I've not gotten around to making new ones from the DVD.

From the official David Selby web site:

On Tuesday, October 25, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, David Selby will be at the Barnes and Noble store in his hometown of Morgantown, West Virginia. He will be reading from his latest book, A Better Place. Barnes and Noble will have copies of three of David's books available for purchase: A Better Place, In and Out of the Shadows, and My Mother's Autumn. Following the reading, he will sign copies of any of these books purchased at this store. No other memorabilia will be signed.

Additional information about his books and about this event may be found on his official web site, www.davidselby.com.

The Victory Theatre Center in Burbank is advertising slightly revised dates for Stranded on Pluto, which is slated to star David Selby, though his official site has not confirmed his appearance.

I'm afraid I have some bad news. It appears that David Selby will not be doing this play after all. 

From DavidSelby.com:

A Better Place is a loving tribute to West Virginia. The book is part memoir and part social commentary by native West Virginian David Selby, who has had a long, distinguished acting career. He is probably best known for his roles as Quentin Collins on the TV series Dark Shadows and Richard Channing on Falcon Crest.

In A Better Place, Selby re-visits the West Virginia of his youth and examines the lasting effects of an Appalachian upbringing. He voices concerns about current problems facing West Virginia, concerns he feels compelled to face in the wake of 9-11.

Some chapters are touchingly devoted to family members, such as "The Carpenter," his hard-working father's story, and "A West Virginia Doctor," about his father-in-law who founded a hospital in Mullens. He writes with reverence about his mother who grew up in a coal camp, but upon leaving it, never looked back.

Selby discusses the state's absentee landlords, pollution, and chronic appearance at the bottom of most national indicators of health and well-being. He compares out-of-work Latinos in L.A. to unemployed coal miners in West Virginia. Selby examines the pride and prejudice of mountaineers. He quotes his favorite authors as he tries to make sense of a chaotic world but looks toward a hopeful future for West Virginia.

A heartfelt and genuine look at West Virginia and its people.

Signed copies of A Better Place, a 228-page paperback, may be pre-ordered online from The West Virginia Book Company for $12.95 plus $5.00 shipping for a single copy and $.50 shipping for additional copies. Pre-orders will ship on October 24, 2005.