Have You Ever Felt Pure Happiness - HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EDITION 2014!!!

Accompanied by "A Life That's Good" - Nashville Cast

Hey All!

It's been a while since I've written last. There has been a lot going on so I apologize. I was scolded recently by a friend for not writing a blog in so long so here it goes Heather!!! For you girl! :)

SO...have you ever felt so happy that tears literally have just sprung out of your eyeballs?? Well people...that is how I have been feeling these last few months and it feels absolutely glorious!!!! I HAVE felt bliss before but not this consistently :) For many years life has been a crazy roller coaster for me, as I've said many times in previous blog posts. Lots of ups and downs and living in limboland, feeling completely lost and rather empty.  There have been so many years of feeling overwhelmed and purposeless, and not really feeling I was contributing much to society. For this past year and especially the last few months, I have felt these feelings disappearing little by little, and have felt that life is finally on track. After listening to this awesome song called "A Life That's Good" I truly started to feel utmost gratitude about life in general. My heart has launched open and this sense of freedom and love has been pouring into my body with such intensity. I often wondered if I would ever feel this joy and contentment in my life, so needless to say, these feelings have made me cry like a little baby numerous times. I made it a mission this past year to really figure out what made me happy, what I could do to help others, and what steps I needed to take to open my heart up to a real relationship again (or maintain healthy relationships with friends and family). How in the hell was this all going to happen?? And how was this to happen in a balanced state that benefitted everyone? I prayed and I wrote, and I talked endlessly, and I meditated, and I over thought, and I prayed some more. I began to analyze the present state of my life and analyzed who I had become. I listened to people's advice, and pick and chose what would work for me at that time. Living life in the moment seemed to help my anxiety and make me feel more content. Slowly releasing the pattern of trying to please everyone all the time certainly made me start to feel happy and more free. Learning to accept my quirks, faults, ADD moments, and myself in general definitely helped me move into the right direction as well. And music made me feel like I had a purpose in life. I became more committed to Whiskey Epiphany (the band I am currently apart of), joined a volunteer organization called Ladybird Sanctuary, an organization that helps animals in need, and this past summer met a boy (who I am currently still in a relationship with), who helped me realize what it feels like to be truly appreciated, respected, and VISIBLE!! The combination of all these things made my heart soar. I have been able to consistently perform and live out my dream of performing and singing. I am venturing into a volunteer opportunity that enables me to combine my love of animals with my desire to be of service to the community. And lastly, I was able to open my eyes up to what a healthy relationship is supposed to feel like. Though there is still a lot to learn and improve upon, I am finally making strides to a more fulfilling life.

LIFE REALLY IS GOOD!!

INTENTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR:

1) Meditate more and slow down! Take time for myself.
2) Become more committed and involved with the Ladybird Sanctuary, and volunteer opportunities in general.

3) Work hard to promote and line up more performances for Whiskey Epiphany.
4) Improve my singing abilities to help become more confident on stage!
5) Work on my constant struggle of caring too much about what people think!
6) Be kind to my body - eat healthy, exercise regularly and get more sleep!!!
7) Distance myself from things that don't serve me well any longer - toxic people, jobs, life patterns.
8) Travel more.
9) Learn to breathe and think before I react.
10) Learn to become a better leader/manager.
11) Get out into nature more :)
12) Continue to strive to live a life full of love and joy - stress free!

Here is to health, love, and happiness in 2014! I wish everyone the best and hope you all have an amazing year ahead!

Love,
Lovely Lianne xoxo

Have You Ever - Two Years Later!! A THANK YOU NOTE TO ALL! OVER 12,000 VIEWS!

Accompanied by "Gratitude" by Earth, Wind & Fire - "I wanna say Thank Youuu....yeeeah"

Hey All!!!!

SOooooOO...exciting news my friends!!! My little itty bitty blog has reached over 12,000 views which can only mean one thing - I NEED TO WRITE A THANK YOU NOTE TO YOU ALL (and all the random google searchers) cause that's what I do!!!!

Since I started writing this blog, life has definitely had its twists and turns. The whole purpose of me writing as I've mentioned numerous times, was to help people realize that we all go through trials and tribulations in life and to show everyone that we do not have to be ashamed of expressing those experiences. Everyone has their shit to deal with and there is no need to deal with this shit alone. It has been a truly gratifying and humbling experience receiving messages from people who felt they could relate to what I was saying, and have them share their own stories of struggle and joy with me.

I feel like life is starting to change for the better and feel more stable. Life truly is grand. I'm beginning to emerge into a stronger person, with more direction and focus. I'm beginning to shed the unwanted aspects of who I used to be little by little and have begun to live as the person I've always wanted to be. I'm beginning to feel more comfortable in my own skin, but still have some more growing to do in that front. It is still hard for me to reveal some aspects of myself to others as I still worry about what people think about me. I need to infuse a little "I DON'T GIVE A SHIT WHAT YOU THINK" attitude into my life ASAP!!!

I am still learning to find balance in life and to prioritize how I live my life in general. I need to leave room for silence and reflection, and connect with nature and my body again. I need to distance myself from the draining people in my life and focus on the people in my life that lift me up and accept who I am.  I need to leave room for things I enjoy doing rather than fill my time up with things other people want to do. I need to live my truth and be honest about who I am which is a hard thing to do sometimes. We all have said things, and lived in ways we aren't proud of, but it is swallowing our pride, recognizing what we've done, and forgiving ourselves for those moments that will help us move forward and start healing.

I am still learning to live in the moment and be grateful each day for wherever I am and whatever happens to me whether good or bad. It really is our perspective of these tough situations that is the important thing. Instead of letting life get us down when obstacles come our way, we need to see them as learning lessons and be thankful for having these obstacles enter our life. Hardship and struggle allow us to see the beauty and joy in life when the clouds part and things become more clear again.

Although discipline is clearly not my forte (as I don't write as often as I should), I'm hoping to change that and really write more seriously this upcoming year. Fingers crossed!!!

Enjoy the rest of your summers and thank you again to everyone who has commented, been inspired, felt connected to, criticized, and or cared about what I had to say!

Love,
Lovely Lianne XO

Have You Ever Been to Paddle Royale? Big Brothers and Sisters Toronto 2012 Inaugural Event!

Accompanied by the Men's Final Gold Medal Game at the 2012 Olympics! Just to learn some tips ;)
Hey All!!!

This was an article I wrote for the Big Brothers and Sisters of Toronto inaugural event last year called Paddle Royale. It didn't end up getting published in the magazine for one reason or another so I thought I would put it on my blog as the second annual Paddle Royale is coming up August 22, 2013!! Team registrations are filling up so if you're interested in attending this super fun event, get on it! See link below :)

http://www.bbbstyoungleaders.ca/

On September 13^th, 2012, the Big Brothers and Sisters of Toronto (BBBST) Young Leader’s (YL) kicked off their inaugural event, Paddle Royale, at SPiN Toronto in the heart of downtown Toronto. The council, which formed this past year, is comprised of 17 dedicated young professionals between the ages of 20 and 35 who want to make a difference in the city.  Their goals are to raise awareness of the organization with hopes to “recruit new volunteers, fundraise, and spread the word of Big Brothers and Sisters of Toronto”, says co-chair of the YL’s and Big Brother himself, Michael Boynton. Currently there are 250 kids on the waiting list, still needing to be matched with a big brother or sister. 

Whilst taking a year to organize, Paddle Royale, “a glow- in-the-dark (themed) ping-pong party” (combining a glow-in-the-dark party with a round-robin ping-pong tournament) came to fruition after many proposals were presented between the three different committees within the council - Events, Finance and Operations, and Communications and Media. The game of ping-pong has been making a comeback within the social scene these past few years and SPiN Toronto has become a popular spot for the young professionals to gather for a night on the town. Those factors combined created a perfect event idea to generate opportunities for networking, bring about awareness regarding the BBBST, and more importantly create the opportunity to bring teams of people together to pledge for donations.

Auction Table 

One major challenge the YL’s faced while organizing Paddle Royale was getting corporate sponsors to come on board and support the event. However, with much persistence and many cold calls later, an impressive $10,000 in sponsorships was gathered; an amazing feat for an inaugural event. Many of the sponsors are what the YL’s call “match sponsors”, a title earned by a donation of $1,500 that essentially covers the cost of pairing a Big Brother/Sister with a Little Brother/Sister. Sponsors also had the option of being a “table sponsor” which allowed the sponsors to put their own ads on the tables, have their own ping-pong table for the night, and have three teams automatically entered into the tournament.

The ladies talk strategy

As the sounds of music from music sponsor Kiss 92.5 and DJ Rouge filled the air, some of the expected 400 guests excitedly started to filter into the large venue. Ping-pong tables sprawled out between two large main rooms, dotted with vases of bright orange ping-pong balls, racquets, and colourful balloons. The registration team handed out glow-in-the-dark bracelets upon entry, which quickly became a favourite accessory amongst the guest’s attire that night.  Sixty-four teams registered to play in the round-robin tournament (which is maximum capacity able to register), bedecked in creative costumes with hopes of winning the “best-dressed” title.  Participants also received a Paddle Royale t-shirt donated by Me to We Style, which is a nice souvenir to take home. For those thirsty competitors, beer sponsor Steam Whistle Brewery provided a complimentary beverage, while liquor sponsor Three Olives Vodka provided some tasty cocktails for guests who just wanted to observe the action. SPiN conjured up an amazing menu for some much needed fuel, which included such treats as brown sugar bacon lollipops, Ontario lamb shoulder sloppy Joes, vegan tacos and the traditional favourite, grilled cheese. Nestled to the left of the action was a large room filled with raffle prizes (all generously donated) adding up to a remarkable $15,000 in value. The most coveted prize of the night was a trip for two to Waikiki donated kindly by Trump Hotels and WestJet, valued at $7,700 dollars. Additional raffle prizes included such things as a Blue Jays Box night which included free food and a box for 12 people, Xbox 360s, an autographed Doug Gilmour jersey and hotel stays at the Mariott, Delta, and Sheraton. A ping-pong table was donated by SPiN for the winners of the tournament which was valued at $3,000. After the final ball was hit, lights were dimmed, the black lights came on, and the glow-in-the-dark party really started. Guests grooved to the sounds of well-known DJs, DJ McKnight and DJ Emperor (from Earmilk.com) and there was free table play for any guests wanting to let out their excess energy.

To market this wonderful event, social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter were “most effective in spreading the word”, states Boynton.  A website was created, which allowed participants to register for the event and find out additional information about Paddle Royale. Local television station CP24 mentioned the event on their program, while the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) filmed the pop-up ping-pong party that was held outside in front of SPiN weeks before the event to generate hype. Posters were put up in condo buildings and coffee shops as well.

In all, teams alone raised over $30,000 and with sponsorship's of $10,000 and money raised throughout the night, contributions amassed to over $50,000. Being a first year event, Paddle Royale can only get bigger and better from here.  If you’d like to learn more about Big Brothers and Sisters of Toronto please visit their webpage at http://www.bbbst.com. For more information about Paddle Royale please go to http://www.bbbstyoungleaders.ca/.

SPONSORS/SUPPLIERS:

SPiN Toronto: http://toronto.spingalactic.com/
Three Olives: http://www.threeolives.com
Steam Whistle Brewery: http://www.steamwhistle.ca/
Kiss 92.5: http://www.kiss925.com
Me to We Style: http://www.metowestyle.com/
Earmilk: http://www.earmilk.com/
Trump Hotels: http://www.trumphotelcollection.com/
WestJet: http://www.westjet.com
CP24: http://www.cp24.com/
CBC: http://www.cbc.ca/

Have You Ever Experienced Loss In Your Life?

 Accompanied by "I Miss You" by Avril Lavigne.

 Hello all,

As many of you know, it has been a very tough week for me. I thought I would write a blog about my experience as part of my healing process. Each day is getting better, but my heart is still broken.

Just another day at work

Don't be fooled by the bows

On June 5th, 2013, I had to make the very difficult decision of putting my little girl Maddie (Moo) down to rest after 12 wonderful years. My heart has been aching with pain and sadness ever since. The silence is deafening as I sit here in my apartment. Coming home is something I dread more than enjoy at this moment. It feels almost suffocating being in this space. Everything reminds me of her and all I want to do is hold her and see her again. It is a surreal feeling knowing I will never physically get to see my sweet girl again in this lifetime. The sense of loss has been overwhelming and rather difficult to process. I know in theory Maddie is with me in spirit and I am never alone and that time will heal this pain, however with that said I have never felt so alone before in my life. She has been my constant companion ever since I moved out on my own and I didn't realize until this past week how much her presence helped me feel safe and fulfilled. It seems rather crazy that the death of an animal can produce this much heartache, but she was more than just an animal to me. She was like my child. We were two peas in a pod. We were almost like an old married couple at times! Although Maddie was kind of super crazy and her attitude made her infamous around any neighbourhood we moved to, it's that attitude that made me love her even more. Everyone remembered who my crazy little fur ball was after meeting her only once. Perhaps that isn't something to brag about, but I don't care. She had a big personality and I loved her for that. It didn't matter that people questioned why I kept such a crazy dog. I would do anything for her. I learned to love unconditionally, and having her in my life made me realize that I AM able to connect with another being with all my heart. She was my mirror in a lot of ways as she too had issues fully trusting others, was very independent, had a crazy sex drive, and had her emotional highs and lows. She was my barometer for how anxious I was or how much negativity I was carrying around that day - which was generally displayed by vicious growls at my face. Yes it was the right thing to do to assist her in leaving this earth, as the quality of her life was dwindling, but that doesn't make it hurt any less. I miss her everyday.

This loss made me truly empathize more than ever, with people who have lost children, parents, relatives, and companions they've held dear to their hearts. It is a pain that is inevitable in life. I too have had people and animals close to me pass away, however it never felt quite like this. It is the cycle of life and the reason we need to cherish each other, our animals, and our planet every day. We need to soak their souls in, their uniqueness, their faults and shining moments, and take care of each other the best we can.

What I Love and will miss most about my Moo Moo...

I will miss seeing her squeeze her little face through the bathroom door everyday to pay a visit.
I will miss having her wander into my office and nudge my hand to pet her. 

Scared of the thunder

I will miss hearing the pitter patter of her feet following me around the apartment.
I will miss her sleeping by my bedroom door, making me feel protected.
I will miss feeling her fur.
I will miss hearing her hump her stuffed alligator and drag it across the floor over and over again.
I will miss taking her for walks and seeing her bright coat shine in the sun. 
I will miss seeing her lie under the glass table while I eat...peering up expectantly.
I will miss feeling her wet nose on my hand or face.
I will miss her scent and her beautiful brown eyes staring up at me.
I will miss her waking me up every morning after I've hit the snooze button for the third time so she could eat her scrumptious food. 

I will miss having to explain to people every walk I go on, this:

Me: "No no don't try and pet her. She's not very nice."*
Them: Yah right. She's so cute *proceeds to bend down to pet her and cute Moo turns into rabid Moo*

End scene.

All groomed and ready to mingle

I will miss seeing her tap dancing away for her treats. 
I will miss seeing her prance across the floor. 
I will miss cuddling with her on the floor.
I will miss seeing her run after her squeaky "wooleys".
I will miss hearing her eat her crunchy dog food. She had no manners.
I will miss seeing her chase squirrels and hearing her bark at everything under the sun.
I will miss how we sometimes share the same menstrual cycle! Imagine how the house was then!
I will miss her crazy growl and her low manly bark.
I will miss her cuddling up to me when thunderstorms roll in and the smoke alarm goes off.
I will miss seeing her make a bed out of anything that is on the floor.
I will miss hearing her sing to my dad's trumpet.
I will miss seeing her sleep and looking so peaceful.
I will miss her making me laugh with her craziness.
I will miss my TV watching companion. 

Her lover of 12 years - Ali

I will miss seeing her bark at dogs on the TV.
I will miss her unimpressed glares at me and anyone else she came into contact with.
I will miss hearing her waiting excitedly by the door when I get home from work.
I will miss her sleeping under my bed when she gets scared of the loud noises outside.
I will miss hearing her snore.
I will miss seeing her run after the crazy Canadian geese or other birds.
I will miss seeing her looking so happy with the wind blowing in her face while we go on our car rides.
I will miss our lazy afternoons watching movies. 

I will never forget my little one and hope she is stirring up some trouble up above. I will love you forever Madster. 

"I know.  I'm beautiful."

Love,
Lovely Lianne xoxo

Have You Ever - Lianne Spiderbaby: Delving into Exploitation Films and Her Journey To Becoming a Successful Author

Lianne Spiderbaby's life has turned into a kind of fairy tale life as of late. A city girl growing up in the GTA, she had lived a fairly normal life riding horses, teaching elementary school, and freelance writing on the side for the popular horror magazine, Fangoria (among many others). Spiderbaby went to the University of Toronto to study cinema and later went on to teacher's college to pursue a career as an elementary school teacher - a career she would have been happy pursuing still if she wasn't busy building a life for herself in Los Angeles, California.  To say things have changed this past year would be an understatement. Over the course of this last year she has become a newly published author of her first book called Grindhouse Girls: Cinema's Hardest Working Women (being released later this year by St. Martin's Press), has gone public with her relationship with Quentin Tarantino (you may have heard of him), has recently attended the Golden Globes, and is now moving to Los Angeles to further pursue her rapidly growing writing career. It has been a whirlwind of amazing events indeed! I had the pleasure of interviewing Lianne the other week to talk about how her writing journey started, her new book, and what her plans are for the future. Her dreams certainly have become a reality with so many awesome opportunities to come in the future.

LG: So Lianne…tell me what your dreams were growing up?

LS: Growing up I wanted to be four different things - a much music VJ, a historian (or history professor) and then an actress or a lawyer. It was just ridiculous. When I went to university my parents encouraged me to take whatever I wanted to take…whatever I liked, so I did that and took a cinema studies course. My professor in my first year course was phenomenal and so inspiring and it was just really fun! I finally felt like I found a place where I belonged.  

LG: What did you experience after you completed your Cinema Studies degree?

Dial M For Murder

LS: When I graduated I had a few experiences in the film industry and I didn’t like it, which was disappointing to me. I didn’t want to work 12-hour days, and even tried to make a little student movie but that didn’t work out. I wrote it and I tried to direct it and realized I didn’t enjoy that part of it. I sort of came to a crossroads and wondered what I was going to do.

LG: So what did you do in the meantime while figuring out what to do?

LS: I definitely knew that film sets and contract–to-contract work was not how I wanted to work with film. I always worked with children at summer camps and I enjoyed it and enjoyed the hours. I am a very structured person, so Monday to Friday 8-3 p.m. was ideal for me. I applied to teacher’s college and I got in. I taught elementary school for three years and still do really like that job. I substitute teach occasionally and work with children. When the writing became more prominent that has been where I have been focusing my attention.

LG: Were you into writing before university? Or did that develop while you were in university?

LS: Getting out of university writing is what I knew HOW to do. I wasn’t really a writer in high school. I have always had creative outlets, as I was kind of a strange kid but writing was never in the forefront. When you’re in university you HAVE to write, so I was doing a lot of that and it kind of branched out from there. However, it was something I couldn’t do [professionally] until I was confident that I could do it well to a certain degree. You have got to have the gumption to get up and go and make it for yourself. No one is getting freelancing jobs by sitting on their ass. Even sending an email to anyone and say "I’d like to freelance for you", you have to have some confidence in your ability and I definitely did not have that all throughout high school and university.

  

LG: What was the defining moment for you that you thought "I can do this"? Was it when you were working with Fangoria?

LS: No, it was before then.  I just wanted to write about things that I loved, so I started with that, and then I started submitting to Fangoria.  I didn’t really have confidence in my writing abilities until I wrote an article called I Spit On Your Movie: A Critique of the I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE remake and I received great praise for it.  I also received criticisms for it – mostly from trolls the wonderful people online.  But you have to expect that in horror genre writing.

LG:  How did you find out about Fangoria magazine and how long have you been with the magazine?  

Article in Fangoria

LS: My older brother read it as a kid so I knew about Fangoria through him. I started working for Fangoria almost 2 ½ years ago. I started with Fango because I was turned down by the magazine Rue Morgue, a lesser known magazine, and it pissed me off. In my early twenties I had done a lot of volunteering with Rue Morgue as it was a Toronto based horror magazine. Rue Morgue was probably the best horror publication out there so when I actually started writing, I submitted to them first to give me some feedback. The editor at the time said we don’t need freelance writers right now and to try back in a couple of months, and I was kind of bummed out about it.  I decided to go higher up and contacted the editor at Fangoria who I knew through Rue Morgue as he also wrote for them in the past. I wanted to have them read a couple of reviews to see if they could use me in the future. He read my stuff and then put me on assignment right away. My first interview was kind of weird – it went on for 5 hours on a Friday night with the late Sage Stallone (he passed away last July), who is Sylvester Stallone’s son. The article I wrote was so-so but my second article went really well and I have been freelancing with them ever since.

LG: Horror movies are certainly an acquired taste and an interesting field to want to get into. I personally am petrified of these films so where did your interest in horror films come from? What inspired you to get into this field?  

LS: I have three half brothers and whenever they came to my house on the weekends they always wanted to watch horror films. They would pick the movie, and I would stay up and watch it with them. I don’t remember if I loved them when I was younger, but I think it was probably more about being cool to my brothers. By the time I got to university I just wanted to do something different that not everyone else was doing and wanted to write about the movies that other people were not writing about. And I wanted to explore the fact that I really did like horror films a lot. They get a bad wrap for being sexist and stereotyping women so I wanted to explore that as well.  You slowly find your way into exploitation films as you dig deeper into the horror genre (once you've seen all the mainstream films). My final essay in university was about Grindhouse theatres and about exploitation films that were shown in them, so that is where my interest started and that is what lead me to underground horror niches and then eventually to my new book Grindhouse Girls.

LG: Yes! You have your first book coming out later this year called “Grindhouse Girls: Cinema's Hardest Working Women” which is very exciting - congratulations! Tell me what the the premise is for this book.

LS: The book profiles and celebrates 17 different actresses (Tura Satana, Dyanne Thorne, Pam Grier, and Camille Keaton to name a few) that were involved in exploitation films in the 1970’s, and looks at the films and theorizes them as feminist subjects in some degree.  Yes these films are exploitive – sexy, and racy with a lot of nudity - but I think these films today can be looked at with a different lens than when they were looked at in the 1970’s.  I think all of them are political commentaries in some shape or form. The book is a social commentary and it parallels throughout history.  It talks about exploitation films in an academic and feminist light, which has not really been done yet.

LG: Do you think this book will allow people to understand the world of exploitation films a bit better - in a more accurate light? Perhaps drop any of the stigmas attached to them?

LS: Absolutely.  In the 70s-80s-90s, there was a resurge in popularity of film noir movies – and in part, that was because of feminist film theory being written on about the femme fatale in noir films. I think modern women took a great interest in these femme fatale characters – characters that were once looked upon as evil women out for their own interests.  Women started to conceptualize these femme fatales as empowering, and I think that now that several years have gone by since the 1970s, women can view these strong women in exploitation films the same way.  I make a case for it throughout the book, and each actress featured is a perfect example – in their own and very diverse way.

LG: What inspired you to even write this book?

LS: Well I was watching all the exploitation films for my final essay I had to write in university, so I already had a scope of what the movies were all about. I really liked them and found them hilarious and very self-aware.  These films were all coming out in a period of time where movies were really pushing the envelope in the 1970’s, so I found it fascinating that these really shocking movies were coming out with all the political issues happening in the U.S at that time. The book sort of came to be when I interviewed actress Lynn Lowry (George Romero's Shivers, Radley Metzger's Score) for my second interview with Fangoria.  Score was being re-released on Blu-Ray and DVD, and she had done a lot of horror and exploitation films in the 1970’s. Her whole story was really fascinating – she is a cult status figure now and is getting back into acting because people are rediscovering her work. We were at ease talking to each other because it was woman to woman and she normally gets interviewed by men. I went back into the movies and saw things that were almost feminist and how woman were portrayed and started contacting people who could connect me with the actresses.

LG: How much research was involved in writing Grindhouse Girls? 

LS: A lot – especially because I watched so many films in preparation and then re-watched the films to discuss them in the book. Plus I was conducting interviews with the actresses when I could get them, and doing the research online and in fan magazines and books on the actresses (of which there are very few).  I found commentaries on DVDs really helpful – there’s a lot of information in the director and/or actor commentaries.  It was a lot of work, but again – it was about something I loved and was very interested in – so it didn’t feel like work at all.

LG:  With all this research involved, how long did it take for you to actually write your book? And are you proud of the outcome? 

LS: I’m so proud of it.  It took me a year to finish, but after sitting down with Quentin (Tarantino), he told me which chapter he liked the best and why and then I went back into the book and added a lot more, reworked some things, etc.  It’s currently in the editing phase, in the hands of my wonderful editor, and we’re toning down the academic language a bit to make it more accessible.  I’m so proud of the outcome.  Start to finish, including signing the papers for publishing, it’s been a two year process.

LG: Oh yes! Quentin Tarantino. He is penning the foreword in your book! How did this come about? That's pretty exciting - especially for your first book!

Lianne & Quentin at the 2012Golden Globes

LS: Tarantino and I were kind of running in the same circles – Eli Roth is a mutual friend of ours, and Quentin subscribes to three different magazines that I write for.  He’s my favorite film director, and he had heard about me from my writing and mutual friends.  We started talking online on Facebook, actually.  He deleted his account while leading up to filming Django Unchained but we kept in touch, and I was in LA often, so we decided to meet up.  I told him all about my book and told him that it would be really meaningful if he could be a part of it somehow – since Grindhouse and Death Proof in particular influenced my interest in exploitation films when I was in university.  He agreed, which I was so excited about.  Our relationship now is pretty public since the Golden Globes.  Write a book – you could find love, too  [laughs]!

LG: Well that is an amazing story in itself Lianne! Congratulations :) 

LG: Now, writing can be a challenging thing sometimes to keep motivated with if you aren't in the right frame of mind at the time. You may be tired, or frustrated, or lacking inspiration certain days which makes it hard to keep going. What kept you motivated to write each day? Did you ever want to give up? 

LS: No, it’s really just as simple as I love writing about things that I love, so it’s quite easy to stay motivated.  I’m lucky to not have the kind of writing job where I HAVE to go online and write about relationship advice or something like that.  I’m lucky that I don’t have to do that to make ends meet – that mundane, forced to write about shit I don’t care about is never a factor in my writing.  I only write about what I want to write about, and I’m fortunate enough – especially in the case of my book – to get paid well to do it.

LG: Getting paid to do what you love is a huge bonus! Something we all strive for most definitely in life! And being an aspiring writer myself and seeing you get paid to live your dream, how does a writer become successful in your opinion?

LS: Commit to writing everyday, even if it’s just for 20 minutes.  That’s why I think it’s important for every writer to have a blog.  Even if you have five minutes and only something small you want to say, there is an outlet for it.  As far as writing books, I would give myself personal deadlines.  I gave myself two weeks per chapter, and when I’m writing full-time, I give myself four days per chapter.

LG: Will you be doing many book launches and traveling to promote Grindhouse Girls? 

LS: I’m not sure what my publisher has in store for me yet, but I’m hoping to have a launch party in LA and a launch party in Toronto!

LG: Well I definitely will be attending your book launch in Toronto! What do you strive for next, after Grindhouse Girls is released to the public? What are your future aspirations? More movies/acting? Modeling?

LS: Writing, writing, and more writing.  I’m already working on another book called Hipsteria: A Film History Of Hipster Culture and I’m working on a fiction book of stories, as well.  The fiction writing is just a bit of fun, I’m not sure I will ever do anything with it.  It’s very Girls – Lena Dunham-ish.

LG: Sounds awesome! Oh hipsters. Trying to not conform but ending up conforming within the little culture they have built! Look forward to reading it! Have you prepared yourself for any media scrutiny regarding your book? Being in the public eye can sometimes require a backbone. 

LS: I try to have a sense of humor about it.  There were pictures of me in The Daily Mail [a UK online magazine] in a bikini on a yacht with Quentin, and I felt like shit for a week. I was bloated anyway – sporting a frozen-margarita-three-enchilada-filled tummy (I’m on vacation!) and to be shot in a crazy zoom lens, on a WIDE angle lens is quite awful.  I don’t look bad or anything – but it was embarrassing for me. Oh, and I’m wearing a snorkel mask as well.  It’s pretty much the hottest thing, ever. I have a sense of humor about it now, though. I wrote about it on my blog, Daydream Nation.

LG: Well you are beautiful girl so I’m happy you are trying to make light of things! The media can certainly be evil.  

On a side note...

Lianne Spiderbaby with Jack Hill, director of Spider Baby

LG: Where in the heck did you get the name Spiderbaby from? Would you ever consider changing your name permanently?? Are you going to use your real surname for your book?

LS: I would never change my name permanently, no.  It was just a name I took because I had the foresight of knowing that I did not want my professional career to conflict with the fact that I wrote for horror magazines. SPIDER BABY is a 1968 film directed by Jack Hill that I absolutely love.  It’s such a great film, and is one of those timeless and strange horror films that you know you will love forever.  I’m a big fan of Jack Hill, and I actually had the pleasure of meeting him in person at a recent Academy screening of SPIDER BABY in Los Angeles! I liked the name, and I loved the film, so I adopted it for my own use!  Jack knows about it of course, and I have his approval.

On another side note...

LG: I see you also have a YouTube channel called Fright Bytes which is pretty successful, that you do with your brother. How and why did you decide to start that channel?

LS: Everyone when they are reading something, likes to know where it comes from. If they feel that they have an attachment to the writer they will then make a point of going out and getting the magazines that the author has written in. It gives the author a persona. I think it’s important and I think that’s what makes good writers so I just figured I would do something on YouTube. Initially a friend of mine who has a successful video game channel on YouTube (where he actually makes money off of YouTube) had me on as a guest host during one of his own episodes to review The Walking Dead Season One. He said a lot of people were commenting that I should do something like this after they saw the episode so we ended up doing two other episodes together.  We decided to part ways soon after due to scheduling conflicts, and since I lived with my brother at the time, we decided to join forces and set up a show together. There are indie filmmakers that we know through friends that do little introductions for us as it's publicity for them and they like doing them. As well, because it's some of the people I have interviewed for the magazine I actually will personally send them the episodes and they will make an introduction for us. It's been really fun!

Zombies, exploitation films, dead genesis episode 5

LG: That's amazing! How awesome to be able to do something like that with your brother! Looking forward to future episodes.

LG: So we are down to our last question! The theme of my blog is “Have You Ever” so I have to ask you - HAVE YOU EVER looked back at your life thus far and have gone WTF?? How did this happen? How did I get here??? 

LS: Everyday.  Literally, this time last year (early February), I was unhappy in a relationship, my childhood horse had just passed away which devastated me, I felt like I had hit a wall with my writing because my book had been turned down by three publishers (I was rejected four times before nailing the publisher that I actually wanted – St. Martin’s Press), and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen.  A year later, I have the publisher I wanted, I got a great advance for the book, I can write for any horror outlet I want (editors are always willing to read my stuff and give me a shot since I have some credibility), I live with Quentin and we’re happy as hell, and I’m going to the Oscars at the end of the month!  I think when things are meant to be, and you get on the right track, and you work hard to overcome the hurdles, you will end up where you should be and you will be happy.  Everything just fell into place this year like a puzzle – so while hard work is EXTREMELY important and networking is my number one piece of advice for writers and anyone working in entertainment in any capacity – I would also say that if it’s meant to be, you will feel it.  Opportunities will present themselves if you’re on the right track, and you will be rewarded for your hard work.

Some great advice indeed. If you want to learn more about Lianne Spiderbaby and check out some of her work please visit: 

https://twitter.com/liannespider

www.liannespiderbaby.com
http://liannedaydreamnation.blogspot.ca/
www.fangoria.com - Fangoria Magazine
http://famousmonsters.com - Famous Monsters of Filmland Magazine
www.cineplex.com - Cineplex Magazine
www.videowatchdog.com - Video Watchdog Magazine
http://www.youtube.com/user/Frightbytes

If you're interested in watching some of Lianne's top exploitation film picks here they are:

1) The Big Doll House
2) Coffy
3) Faster Pussycat Kill! Kill!
4) Amuck (Italian film)
5) Bonnie's Kids
6) Thriller aka They Call Her One Eye

**HAVE YOU EVER EXCLUSIVE: Living Your Dreams Series**

Accompanied by "Nothing's Impossible" by the late great Solomon Burke.  Cheesy video but the lyrics are great :)

HELLUUUUUUUU!!!

Some exciting new stuff coming your way throughout the course of the year. I have made an intention to interview some of my fabulous friends that have made their dreams become a reality!! The idea of finding your passion and living the life you've always dreamed of has been something I have always been so fascinated by, and being the naturally curious person I am (who also strives to make my dreams a reality), it's naturally fitting I find out how they did it!  I love a good life story, so why not include some life stories in my blog :)

I hope you enjoy the interviews and I hope you find yourself inspired and uplifted by their stories as much as I will be!!!

Love,
Lovely Lianne XO

Have You Ever - Mental Illness Revisted

Bell Let's Day 2013 - Office

Hey Alllll!!!

Since it is Bell Let's Talk Day today I thought I'd revisit the subject of mental illness once again. I have been meaning to write this blog for the last few weeks upon hearing some horrible news regarding a 16 year old boy who committed suicide due to depression. It saddened me that he felt that desperate to end his life. He was suffering from depression for quite a while, but feelings were never discussed in his household which kept them bottled.

Having suffered from anxiety, and bouts of depression throughout my life, and diagnosed with ADHD when I was 18, I am no stranger to the world of mental health disorders. There are days when you slap a smile on your face and try to stay positive, but inside you feel empty, dark, and hopeless. Many people walk through life with these mental health disorders trying to look strong so to not expose their perceived dark secret, but in reality they are suffering big time on the inside. I know I have done that numerous times and it is not the way to live. This need to hide feelings and suffer alone is due largely to the unnecessary stigma related to mental illness - that you must be defective in some way, weak and or crazy if you have a mental disorder. In reality it is quite opposite - it takes a large amount of strength and courage to battle through each day with issues you feel are out of your control.  It takes a large amount of strength to deal with feelings of being "different" from others, being deemed as having an "illness", feeling unlovable, and or trying to be what is defined as "normal" in societal terms. Portrayals of people with mental illnesses throughout time within different media/creative outlets generally paint pictures of people screaming their heads off, wearing straight jackets at hospital psychiatric wards, talking to themselves incoherently, or even hurting others. These images have created a stereotype regarding people who suffer from mental illnesses, which in turn has caused many people dealing with mental illness to keep their mouths shut so to not endure the judgment and ridicule themselves. Although these types of behaviours do occur with certain mental disorders, there are many high functioning people that you wouldn't guess are even dealing with anything at all. Mental health is not a black or white subject and there is not just one picture to paint.

We should not feel ashamed to talk about our struggles. We should not feel the need to hide a part of ourselves. We should not feel ashamed to seek help for anything - and this goes for anything in life. To feel like you have no where to turn or no one to express your feelings to is a horrible feeling. To not be acknowledged and or feel understood or supported; to be seen as a monster; or to not be taken seriously because someone feels you can just think positively and be done with it (or that you are overreacting and or are oversensitive) - is complete ignorance. It's a lack of education. It's lack of compassion. It's a lack of understanding. It's not always that easy for everyone. Imagine how tough it would be to be trapped in a mind of a schizophrenic, or a severely autistic child? Or have to deal with Bipolar Disorder?  People need to walk a mile in someone's shoes before they can judge another. It's an old saying but a true one. Acceptance is key to people feeling safe to come forward and admit needing help. It is not a sign of weakness to seek help. People with any sort of disorder (whether severe or not) should not be the butt of people's jokes - they should be seen as an opportunity to open our hearts and send compassion and understanding even if we don't understand fully. This way of thinking should be applied to all people really - with or without disorders of any kind.

For those that are capable of taking responsibility for their own mental health, there are many great treatments out there - social workers, medication, cognitive behavioural therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, doctors, nurses, mental health hospitals - that people can turn to in times of need whether short or long term. We can create our own happiness and take control of your lives and live a more stable life. It takes work and commitment, and there are many challenges to face, but it is worth it in the end.

Here is to even more positive change in years to come regarding stigmas and mental health!!! We are getting there and #BellLetsTalk is just one great step forward to helping create that change. Bell is donating 5 cents for every text, tweet, Facebook post, and or long distance call so join the movement!!

http://letstalk.bell.ca/en/

Love,
Lovely Lianne XO

Have You Ever Thought About How It Would Feel To Live a Limitless Life?

Accompanied by "Breaking Free" - High School Musical (don't judge!)

Hey Y'aaaallll!!

HAPPPPPPY NEW YEAR!!!! It is now 2013 - another year to manifest some amazing adventures and experience some great opportunities (and lots of love and happiness of course!!!) It is also the year to break free from any limitations you may be putting on yourself! Personally I want to start living the life I've always dreamed of. The year 2013 is gonna be my freakin' year I say!!!

This blog was inspired by a video I saw on my friends Facebook page asking the question "What If Money Didn't Matter?"

"What makes you itch? What sort of a situation would you like?...What would you like to do if money were no object? How would you really enjoy spending your life?"

So many questions!!!! AH! What WOULD I do if money were no object?? and how would I spend my time?? Think! Think!!! After watching this video my head was spinning with all the different options I could experience. There is so much of the world I haven't seen yet and I want to see it all!!!! I WANT TO SEE IT ALLLLLLLLL!!! I couldn't shake, however, the underlying thought of "PSHHHHH that kind of life can't happen to you. You have debt; that's not your destiny; only lucky people get that chance...". Uh yah it can negative thoughts in my head. Did you not see - money is no object so suck it.

We are all lucky. We are alive and breathing which is lucky in itself. There is nothing stopping me but myself (and perhaps all the negative subliminal conditioning our brains are exposed to each day - but that can be fought against :p). The world really is our oyster. We just have to believe it and know we deserve the kind of life we want. Personally, over the years disappointments, struggles, financial strain and a run of bad luck have overshadowed that spark and optimism I once had, and left me feeling stuck - stuck with a clear vision but no clear direction on how to move forward! I have been in survival mode for so long and have become a bit lost.  I've always held this thought pattern that making money and living the life you want involves struggling for it and working endless hours to get ahead. Well...yes...part of that is true. You do need to take action and earn your keep in ways, and do the research it takes to move yourself forward in life, but struggling does not have to be the majority of the equation. We can actually enjoy the journey as we go. There are always challenges to face but they can be seen as learning opportunities and ways to grow as a person. I need to start taking my own advice.

I've laid in bed many nights thinking about what a limitless life would feel like.

"How would it feel to be free of all the worries and struggles and have complete freedom to do whatever you want??? BLISS I TELL YOU!!! TOTAL BLISS!" 

This CAN be everyone's life. Our dreams can be our reality! Obviously money is in existence still and is required for our survival, so at this point until money is of no value, we need to make it. BUT with that said, life can be lived even if you are strapped for cash. Dreams can still come into fruition - perhaps with a little more creative thinking involved if certain goals require more money than you have. Every obstacle can be overcome - maybe some a bit slower than others but they can be resolved!

Here are a few ways I would spend my time if I had the luxury of living a limitless life. Remember your dreams don't have to be censored!!

1) Travel the world making music - with my band y'all!
2) Travel the world exploring different cultures - snapping photos along the way. Explore the different architecture, environments, ways of living, food, drink, entertainment!!!
3) Travel the world volunteering with different organizations. Go to Fiji to build a house! Help build a school! Help with Right To Play!
4) Attend all the music festivals around the world!! Coachella for sure!
5) Finish my Graphic Design and Advertising diploma!!
6) Become a groupie for my favourite band - on a bus like the movie Almost Famous.
7) Buy a cottage, a boat, and a badass Seadoo.
8) Go back to school to take up journalism or creative writing to become a children's author.
9) Buy an Ipod finally.
10) Bike across Canada (....buy a gym pass first).
11) Travel across North America in an RV!
12) Buy a whole new wardrobe to look cooler.
13) Buy a good camera - and glue it to my body. And buy five back-ups. And hire a detective to find the other two cameras I seemed to have lost in my move.

14) Go to the Olympic games!
15) Attend all the major sporting events - Superbowl, Stanley Cup finals, World Series, FIFA World Cup, Wimbledon - whatever else there is.

16) Go to Hawaii to attend a Yoga and artist retreat.
17) Go to India to attend a yoga and spiritual education retreat.
18) Start my own positive media company!!! Bring along Monika Platek and Todd Cooney with me! Power of 52 yo (check out their website - http://powerof52.wordpress.com/!!).
19) Road trip from Arizona to California! In a convertible! Like Thelma and Louise - minus all the killing and...driving their car off the canyon...
20) I'd have a full tank of gas all the time! How glorious!
21) I would travel and write about every spa/resort out there in this lovely world. Live a luxurious life for some of my life.
22) Train to become an Olympic squash player. Or perhaps a "table tennis" player. Put my third year university experience to good use.
23) I would go to Bouctouche, NB every summer - the magic of the East Coast is like no other.
24) I would stop war - and obliterate all weapons. We aren't a video game people. Actual people are dying over stupid shit.
25) I would build my first house completely environmentally friendly. And dust resistant.
26) I would start my own TV show and interview all of the people that have inspired me.
27) Travel back in time in the Delorean and actually attend dance classes when I was a kid - not run out of them!
28) Attend more singing lessons.
29) Go to a Red Sox game against the Blue Jays.
30) Purchase a good pair of running shoes.
31) Invent a fashionable boot that fits muscular calves so I too can wear skinny jeans and boots.
32) Spend copious amounts of time in nature - hiking, admiring the sights and sounds of all that is around me - the wind, the rain, the rustling of the trees and leaves. Feel the sunlight on my face. Hug a tree!! Feel the grass on my feet - hopefully grass that hasn't been blessed by bowel movements of our beloved pets.

33) Burn all the cubicles in the world. And fluorescent lighting. No more living each day as caged animals in the corporate world!!!! Unless that is your dream - then so be it.

34) Create tons of farms for animals that can't find proper homes. It saddens me how many innocent little lives are euthanized.

35) Become more involved in the community and with causes I feel passionate about (which I need to start doing now!) - the environment, child abuse, etc.

36) I would restore Maple Leaf Gardens to its original state. Miss the magic of that building. How insulting that they put a freakin' Loblaws there!!!! Pshaw!

37) I would walk 500 miles.
38) I would become a motivational speaker!!!!
39) I would go to Yoga more often! My goal is to touch my toes - at one point in my life.
40) Become a vegetarian - and purchase discipline so my hair doesn't fall out due to lack of nutrition.
41) I would eat clean! and eat the best food out there! I LOVE FOOD!!
42) Purchase the best vibrator ever - I mean....errrr....nope....I really would. How glorious would that be?
43) Attend all the concerts of the aging legends in music - before they die.

If anyone would like to share their own versions of a limitless life please don't be afraid to comment or share your dreams!!!!

I hope you all have an amazing week!!!! Here is to a happy 2013!!

Love,
Lovely Lianne XO