<![CDATA[Patchwork - The Blog]]>Sun, 18 Apr 2010 22:40:43 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[This week....]]>Sun, 28 Feb 2010 10:27:27 -0800http://www.patchworkproject.com/1/post/2010/02/this-week.htmlPatchwork is proud to host a new story by returning author Gayle Arrowood. "Stalkee" is a tale of a boy's childhood torment from an unusual source, and definately a creepy read.

On a related note, for those of you on Facebook, check out the group "Men are SURVIVORS TOO. Resources for Male and Female Victims." This group posts a great deal of valuable information and resources in daily updates. They also stay on top of domestic abuse stories that you probably won't hear about in the common media.
]]><![CDATA[Important Info from Jan Brown of the DAHMW!]]>Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:41:19 -0800http://www.patchworkproject.com/1/post/2009/12/important-info-from-jan-brown-of-the-dahmw.htmlHere is a very important request from our friend Jan Brown, founder of the Domestic Abuse Hotline for Men and Women. Take a moment to check it out and sign up. It's easy to help!


Dear Supporters and Friends of DAHMW,

Please sign up with iGive.com (NO purchase necessary) and pass this on to everyone you know!
I received a note from iGive.com (below) on
Date: Wednesday, December 16, 2009, 10:13 AM

In a nutshell for every person that signs up to iGive.com and does just 
one web search on their site between now and noon Thursday, they will give Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women a dollar.  
To sign up use this link: http://www.igive.com/welcome/warm_reg_promo.cfm?c=18234
Please don't forget to do one web search on their site!  
You all know that DAHMW is an all volunteer run agency that works with less than $15,000.00 a year in donations so $5,000.00 can go a long way with us to help victims and bring awareness to the issues.   

Hi Jan Brown,

We know that many causes have had a hard year, so we'd like to try 
something new to help Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women that requires your  participation, but is free and definitely easy.

iGive.com is going to attempt to donate $5,000 in just 24 hours to Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women and other causes.
  
For each person who joins iGive using the special link below and does just one web search on our site between now and noon Thursday, we'll give Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women a dollar.  

5,000 new members, $5,000.  No purchase necessary.  

Of course, if they search more (or buy something) they'll earn even more 
money for Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women.
Right now, we're donating $.02 per search and a bonus $5 for that first 
purchase plus the usual percentage.

Here's where you come in.  The only way Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women will get new supporters and that free $1 (or more) 
is if you invite them.  Send your friends, family, and colleagues the 
following link in an e-mail, tweet it, chirp it, do a 
Facebook posting, put up posters, shout from mountain tops (you know the drill) and let them know you think Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women is pretty cool and deserves their support, especially since it's free!  You can even just forward 
this e-mail.

This is the link:
    http://www.igive.com/welcome/warm_reg_promo.cfm?c=18234
    
We're really proud of our search capability, powered by Yahoo!  We've made tons of improvements over the past four months, so we want lots of people to try it out and put it to the test.  If they keep on searching or 
shopping after testing us out, so much the better for Domestic Abuse 
Helpline for Men and Women and iGive.com.

The details:
     - Offer active between now and 11:59 a.m., December 17, 2009 (Chicago 
time).
     - New members only (never have been an iGive member previously).  All 
the normal rules of membership, searching, and
        purchasing apply, our site has the details.
     - Once we've given away $5,000, the offer ends.

That's it.  Don't forget to try our search yourself 
(http://isearch.igive.com).  You may need to login or register first 
(personally, as an iGive member).  We sent you this e-mail because you're in our records as the cause contact, not as a member personally.

From our families to yours, we hope you have a great holiday season.


Yours,

Robert N. Grosshandler
Founder
]]><![CDATA[Secret Lives of Women: Husband Beaters on WEtv]]>Sat, 28 Nov 2009 08:47:07 -0800http://www.patchworkproject.com/1/post/2009/11/secret-lives-of-women-husband-beaters-on-wetv.htmlHere is some new information on a domestic abuse special running on WEtv. Thanks to Debbie Beverly of the Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women for getting the word out!

In America, the term "Domestic Abuse" is typically associated with a victimized woman mercilessly beaten by an overbearing ogre of a husband. The fact is however, that more than a third of all DA cases feature males as victims, and even that number is considered low due to the relatively low reporting of these cases by men who are ashamed and afraid to do so. The stories in SLOW: Husband Beaters will provide an inside look at Domestic Abuse done to men from a variety of perspectives and shed light on a very dark and violent corner of America.

Upcoming Air Dates:
Tuesday, December 1 at 10pm | 9c 
Tuesday, December 22 at 3am | 2c 
Tuesday, December 29 at 3am | 2c ]]><![CDATA[Happy Halloween!]]>Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:29:38 -0800http://www.patchworkproject.com/1/post/2009/10/happy-halloween.htmlHalloween us upon us! To celebrate, today's uberblog includes information on international domestic abuse service resources, the Hot Peach Pages. Also, for those who like video games and/or horror, check out the interview with Marc Echave of Hur4c4n Projects as he discuses TerrorDrome!

The Hot Peach Pages

Now, if you’ve been following along, you’ll know that I planned to include links to both Canadian and U.K. domestic abuse survivor services. During my search for agencies in other countries, I came across something better than I could have dreamed. And it’s a brilliant idea: timely, important, and profound.

 
It’s a site called the Hot Peach Pages. It’s an odd name with it’s own history, but you’ll have to go to the site to find out the story, I’m not going to tell you…not because I’m lazy, but because I want you to go there and see what this site is all about.


The Hot Peach Pages is a worldwide directory of abuse help organizations in a variety of languages. The site also includes information on Internet security for those using the Web to seek help. In addition, you can find out how to get involved with this amazing organization and learn more about its history.

 
The Hot Peach Pages will be included in Patchwork’s list of organizations with which you can Get Involved or Get Help. So, get over there, check it out, and spread the word!

Are You Ready for TerrorDrome?

If you’re a fan of horror movies (come on, you know you are) and enjoy video games, check this out! There’s a game out there, quietly gaining momentum and fans by word of mouth, Youtube videos, and other sites. It’s doubtful you’ll ever see it in stores, but it may just be the coolest thing to happen to fighting games…EVER!

TerrorDrome is a fighting game in the traditions of Mortal Kombat, Tekken, and a slew of others. But TerrorDrome dares to answer the questions: Who would win in a fight between Ash and Freddy? How about Michael Meyers vs. Jason? Hell, how about Chucky vs. Leatherface? 

Sound too good to be true? Read this interview with Marc Echave of Hur4c4n Projects, the mastermind behind the TerrorDrome! Then, check out the TDRM site at http://www.terrordrome-thegame.com/ to check out the goods and download a demo for free!

You've created a really worthwhile game with TerrorDrome. How did the idea come about?
I've always been a big fan of horror movies since I was a child and played video games with the very first console back in the early 80's. When the opportunity of creating a fighting game came up, I immediately thought of gathering several horror movie icons of the 80's that I used to enjoy watching. It's like a tribute game to these great movies, and a present to all fans worldwide since such a game didn't exist before.

In a market flooded with big-company games that frequently miss the mark, you guys have managed to create something unique while staying independent. Did you propose the idea to any big developers or had you decided to keep it independent from the beginning?
The project is a fan game. I started it mainly for my own personal purpose and enjoyment. Since I don't have any license to any of the characters, I never intended to make a profitable game out of it. It was always meant to be released for free. I've never tried to propose it to any big companies; my opinion about it is that it would never be a profitable game because of the high costs of the several licenses. Also, many young people nowadays aren't familiar with these characters and it seems that the Japanese are ruling this market with their own designs. In the end TRDM targets a lower range of people that you might think, I think mainly males in their 30’s that grew up with these movies just like me.

What have you found to be the strengths and weaknesses of developing it on a small scale?
Being the leader of a project with a very reduced team allows you to handle things the exact way you want it to be. If you know where you want to go and know exactly what you want, then it's an awesome creative opportunity. On the other hand, being a hobby, your personal life interferes a lot with it and you can't spend as much time as you would like. That can be frustrating. Also, I can't expect any financial payback from it since I can't sell it. It sometimes leads you to ask yourself why you're doing this. The only reward is knowing that other people are enjoying your work as well, and the satisfaction you get from doing something you truly like.

It's pretty obvious what movies influenced the characters of the game. The horror movies of the 80's-90's certainly had very strong iconic characters. Do you think there are any "new" 21st-century horror icons that might make an appearance?
The Roster of TRDM is currently set to 13 characters + 1 Hidden character. This said, it will be hard for a new character to make an appearance but if I had the opportunity, it would be hard to tell which one to pick. No character has managed to deliver such appealing presences on the screen than the past icons did. The proof is that they keep doing remake and sequels of Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, etc. They are simply matchless.
I thought of the Creeper (Jeepers Creepers) once, but IMO the films really suck. The whole concept doesn't make any sense; it's like a patchwork of different horror features gathered in one movie in order to create something cool but it failed. I'd rather add more Sci-fi/horror icons from the 80’s/90's.

How has the game been received by the horror and video-game community?
Pretty nicely I'd say; most of the gamers are very enthusiastic fans frequently asking me about news and updates. Horror fans are very happy to see their favorite horror character being able to kick some other horror icon's ass in a dedicated game, not just some modded game.
People also seems to appreciate the professionalism put in the game and sometimes forget that there's just few people behind it just doing a fan game. That's when I get requests for developing TRDM for consoles or people insist on features proper to big companies. But I can say that the interest of the people clearly helps to keep this project going on.

What can fans expect in the future for TerrorDrome?
Two major features are on their way and almost ready. One will be the possibility to play online with a lobby system (allowing you to host a game online and invite other players to fight you). The other is the long awaited finishers, where you can perform one ultimate but lethal move against your opponent. It will be like a CG sequence instead of traditional in-game animations like Mortal Kombat use to use. I've just got the first test video for the finishers yesterday and it looked awesome, it will definitely make this game even more unique! Both will be available in the next release (V2.6)

Marc, I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by Patchwork and chat with us. Please keep us updated on TerrorDrome!
Sure I will. Thank you in return for your interest and I'm happy to contribute to your effort for helping people. Keep up the good work!

 

 
]]><![CDATA[New Patchwork Friends!]]>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:32:41 -0800http://www.patchworkproject.com/1/post/2009/10/new-patchwork-friends.htmlToday, I'm proud to announce a new group of unexpected Friends and welcome them to the Patchwork Project. Recently, I was contacted by Michelle Davis and Girl Scout Troop 7025 of Kenosha, Wisconsin. These ladies have taken up the cause of domestic abuse awareness with a Halloween-themed art exhibit! 


The exhibit will be featured at the Lemon Street art gallery in Kenosha, as well as in their local news. Ms. Davis will be sending images of the artworks in the near future so we can all check them out!


In the meantime, here's the press release and info. If you're in the Kenosha area, be sure to check out the Kenosha Today Show at 6p.m. tonight and Sunday for more information on the project!



Girl Scout Troop 7025 and Lemon Street Art Gallery

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct 12, 2009

Girl Scout Troop 7025 will host a Halloween Art Display at Lemon Street Gallery in Kenosha in support of the Patchwork Project, increasing awareness about Domestic Violence. Kenosha, WI, Saturday November 7th  – The Girl Scouts of Troop 7025 will be displaying a Halloween themed arts collection consisting of drawings, sculptures, photography, and more fitting the theme of ‘Fighting Horror with Horror’ to raise awareness about the issue of Domestic Violence in support of the Patchwork Project http://www.patchworkproject.com/. The Patchwork Project is an effort to increase the awareness of domestic abuse through the horror genre. October is Domestic Abuse Awareness Month!

Lemon Street Gallery, located at 4601 Sheridan Rdin Kenosha, has been kind enough to host this opportunity to our girls and the community.

Lemon Street Gallery & Artspace, Inc. is a creatively driven non-profit organization whose mission is to provide the Greater Kenosha community with quality visual arts education, support cultural events and offer a juried forum for regional artists to exhibit and sell their work. We celebrate diversity!  You are welcome no matter who you are, where you or your ancestors were born, what you believe in, or who you love.

More information can be found online at http://www.lemonstreetgallery.org/

Contact Information:

Michelle Davis

262-883-4175

mdavis222000@yahoo.com



 

 

 

 

]]><![CDATA[Wicked Kitty Productions]]>Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:06:34 -0800http://www.patchworkproject.com/1/post/2009/10/wicked-kitty-productions.htmlDavid Byron is a good friend of The Patchwork Project. He's gone all out to promote the site and spread the word, as well as contributing his own work. So, it's with great pleasure that I'm passing this info along: Dave has teemed up with horror artist Nick Rose to create a new production company focused on the horror genre. Here's more info direct from Nick:


WKP PRODUCTIONS SPECIALIZES IN FILM DOCUMENTARIES, GRAPHIC ART, AND NON-FICTION MEMOIR BOOKS. WE HOPE TO EXPAND OUR MENU TO INCLUDE SHORT FICTION ANTHOLOGIES, BEGINNING WITH DARC KARNIVALE IN DECEMBER 2009.


OUR FIRST FEATURE FILM, SCREAM KINGS: BONDED BY BLOOD, A DOCUMENTARY FILM FEATURING HG LEWIS, PHILIP NUTMAN, ALAN ROWE KELLY, AND RAMSEY CAMPBELL, AMONG OTHERS, IS SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE IN 2010.

WKP CEOs DAVID BYRON AND NICK ROSE HAVE A VAST BACKGROUND OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE HORROR GENRE IN IT'S MANY FORMS, AND HOPE THAT WKP WILL GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO BROADEN THE HORIZONS FOR HORROR GENRE FANS ALL OVER THE WORLD.


 You can go here http://wickedkittyproductions.webs.com/ to see all
the things we have in the works and sign-up for free to be a member
and be eligible for give a ways and such.  Please join with us and
keep up with all the wonderful things that we will be sending your
way.

Best Regards,
Nick Rose
http://nickroseart.blogspot.com/
http://wickedkittystudio.com
http://nvhmag1.webs.com


And be sure to check out our first out-take from our debut film,
SCREAM KINGS: BONDED BY BLOOD.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=63669042


On a related note, Patchwork congratulates another of our Friends, Travis James whose story "The Suffering" will be featured in the anthology "Bonded in Blood 2" from SNM Horror magazine. Additionally, Travis's story "Bloodline" will be published in Wiked Kitty's very own "Darc Karnivale" anthology! Good job, Travis!

--Doug]]><![CDATA[Domestic Abuse/Violence Awareness Month]]>Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:04:49 -0800http://www.patchworkproject.com/1/post/2009/10/domestic-abuseviolence-awareness-month.htmlOctober is Domestic Abuse and Violence Awareness Month, and it's a good time to stop and think about the victims and survivors. Chances are that you know someone who has been, or continues to be, a victim of domestic abuse.

If you are interested in promoting awareness of domestic violence check out The Domestic Violence Awareness Project at http://dvam.vawnet.org/index.php. They have a great collection of resources for information and education, as well as community projects. While you're at it, check out the Get Involved page here at Patchwork. The organizations listed have new updates and information pertaining to Domestic Abuse Awareness Month.
Be sure to check the Blog during the month of October for updates from our Patchwork Friends, news on new stories, artwork, and organizations! Also, Patchwork updates can now be followed on Facebook and Twitter!

--Doug
]]><![CDATA[A Sad Truth....]]>Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:15:03 -0800http://www.patchworkproject.com/1/post/2009/02/a-sad-truth.htmlThe Patchwork Project website had more hits yesterday than it has in the last month. I want to think that it's just coincidence and has nothing to do with yesterday being Valentine's Day. I want to think that people were just looking for some good stories to read. I'm afraid that I can't convince myself of that, though. I think there's a dark kind of paradox that occurs when the line between love and hate is crossed.

When I stop and think of all the people that I know who have been abused, I'm amazed and horrified. I'm sure you know quite a few as well. Now think about the people you know that have kept it secret.

This is a monster that isn't going away any time soon. A.J. Brown suggested to me that maybe it's always been with us. I fear he's right. To make it even worse, it's a monster that replicates by example and leaves its mark through generations of families. Those who break the chain and take their lives in a different direction, away from the darkness, are truly amazing people. They are the real heroes battling the creatures in the dark.

But, that's the s here, isn't it? And we've got some great new stories by A.J. Brown, L.V. Gaudet, and Mavra. Be sure to check these folks out!

'Till next time
--Doug

]]><![CDATA[Back From the Dead Tired]]>Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:12:50 -0800http://www.patchworkproject.com/1/post/2009/01/back-from-the-dead-tired.html It’s been a while since my last blog. Due to a bout of bad health, I didn’t have the brainpower to get it together and write anything down. But I’m feeling better now, and have some interesting news as to where Patchwork is headed this year.

The initial response to Patchwork was overwhelming, to say the least. What amazed me most was the international interest. This year, Patchwork will expand to include “Get Help” and “Get Involved” pages for two new countries, Canada and the U.K. If you happen to be a reader from either of these countries and you’d like to help out, feel free to send information on any domestic abuse help organizations that you think are reputable.

I’ve had several queries from writers about nonfiction pieces on domestic abuse. By all means, send them in. Especially if they are informative or real-life stories. It’s important to put a human face on what Patchwork is all about, and that’s helping people out of bad situations.

Speaking of helping out, if you want more horror for a good cause, check out David Byron’s book store at New Voices in Fiction. He’s developed a good collection of innovative anthologies, novellas, and interview books in the horror genre. Check the listing, a portion of the proceeds from some of the books goes to various charities.

‘Till next time.

--Doug.

]]><![CDATA[A Chance to Breathe...]]>Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:58:16 -0800http://www.patchworkproject.com/1/post/2008/11/first-post.htmlWow! It's been almost a month since the Patchwork Project went online. I think I'm almost caught up. No, that's not true. I still have to find more artists.

And, I have a lot of people to thank. When I started this project, I wasn't sure it would fly. As the support and submissions started to come in, though, I watched something amazing happen. This Patchwork Project, and that's really what it was, came to life like a sewn-together reanimate and rose from its slab. It's all because of you.

It's because of the readers, the contributors, the friends, the editors who help promote Patchwork on their sites, the people who run the agencies, and everyone who said to zap this thing to life. You.

So, let me take a moment to to say "Thank You!" None of it would have been possible without you. 

If you're new to the site, I invite you to check out the stories, the art, the Friends page, and Get Involved. It's simple. If you're in an abusive relationship, check out the Get Help page and do just that: get help.

If you want to know more about Patchwork, how it got started, or who I am, read this interview by AJ Brown at The Horror Library Blog-o-rama. And, if you're in the mood, drop us a line through the Contact Us page.


'Till next time.
--Doug.
 

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