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First, I’m hoping that all you NOCers (and your loved ones) are as safe and as healthy as you can be. We are in some strange and uncharted territories, but hopefully this little slice of community can keep us connected. I am fully aware that many of us are in dire financial straits. Many of […]

Here’s something cool: beloved childrens book author Beverly Cleary turns 104 today. The iconic author has written dozens of books and sold over 90 million copies worldwide, beginning with her first novel, Henry Huggins, in 1950. It was in that novel that Cleary created the indomitable Ramona Quimby, patron saint of scrappy little girls and children everywhere.

Ramona is one of those indelible literary characters that feels like she was written just for us. For every awkward, goofy, overly energetic kid, Ramona was a touchstone. Cleary’s writing impacted generations of kids, who learned that it was okay to be scared or sad, and that feeling things deeply was a part of life.

Many took to Twitter to celebrate Cleary’s life and career:

Beverly Cleary was in her 30's & working in a book store when she wondered if SHE could write. Turns out she could! She wrote over 40 books, selling 85 million copies. Authors live as long as their books are read. Cleary is still alive & still read at 104. Today is her birthday! pic.twitter.com/EG6a2xlIfu

— Peter MacNicol (@PeterMacNicol1) April 12, 2020

Happy birthday to the great Beverly Cleary who was 2 years old when the Spanish Flu came through and she’s still here.

— Jason Isbell (@JasonIsbell) April 12, 2020

Happy 103rd birthday to Beverly Cleary, a woman whose writing I loved so much as a kid I still haven’t been able to part with these raggedy old things 😍 pic.twitter.com/9rv7NRc3yz

— Ari Scott (@ariscott) April 12, 2019

A very happy 104th birthday to national treasure Beverly Cleary.

I think I'll reread Ramona the Pest today. Here's one of my favorite lines: “She was not a slowpoke grownup. She was a girl who could not wait. Life was so interesting she had to find out what happened next.” pic.twitter.com/oVvWU9KY3J

— Amanda MacGregor (@CiteSomething) April 12, 2020

Happy birthday Beverly Cleary! In honor of her 104th birthday, we're sharing some of our favorite books she has written. https://t.co/4hv8t9l0cK

— NY Public Library (@nypl) April 12, 2020

Beverly Cleary, who has helped instill a love of reading in children for decades, was born 104 years ago today. Like many of us, she worked under the editorial supervision of a cat. pic.twitter.com/SZdbuQABFY

— David C. Tucker (@DavCTucker) April 12, 2020

Happy 104th birthday to the great Beverly Cleary! pic.twitter.com/Uiid5tyEkr

— Karen Kilgariff (@KarenKilgariff) April 12, 2020

Beverly Cleary, 100, wrote a personal response to my 7 yo daughter's fan mail 👧📬📙💖 pic.twitter.com/GxPgss45yE

— Daniel Radosh (@danielradosh) September 29, 2016

What are your favorite Beverly Cleary books? I’m partial to Dear Mr. Henshaw, myself.

(image: By Unknown – Cleary Family archive/OPB, Public Domain)

• Check out this video on costumes and fashion in the science fiction genre. (via io9)
• Tara and Spike are here for a new Buffy the Vampire Slayer. (via Syfy Wire)
• because of COVID-19 delays, there won’t be any new emojis next year. *angry face*. (via Vulture)
• The First Cat of Kansas is in NO MOOD for your festivities:

Wishing a #HappyEaster to all my furry friends in Kansas! Except bunnies… they’re not my favorite. pic.twitter.com/m70dALzIiD

— Frances, First Cat of Kansas (@FirstCatofKS) April 12, 2020

• Here’s a review of Killing Eve season 3, which premieres tonight! (via Rolling Stone)
• RIP to British horror actor and producer Hilary Heath. (via AVClub)
• Happy Easter everyone, but mostly Danny Trejo!

Happy Easter, may your Friends and Family have a blessed day! pic.twitter.com/0wc6GT3o3z

— Danny Trejo (@officialDannyT) April 12, 2020

Hope you’re having a safe and candy-filled Easter, everyone!

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—The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—

One of Stephen King’s earliest novels is coming to the big screen.

The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Annabelle Comes Home director Gary Dauberman will soon be helming a big-screen adaptation of Salem’s Lot. The epic vampire tale was one of King’s earliest success stories, and was his follow-up novel to his breakthrough hit Carrie in 1975. Dauberman will not only direct the film, but he’s writing the screenplay as well. He also wrote the screenplay for both chapters of the blockbuster It. Horror maestro James Wan is one of the film’s producers.

Warner Brothers

Salem’s Lot is essentially a modern retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and centers on a on an author who returns to his hometown in Maine (King’s home state) to write about a creepy abandoned mansion that’s haunted him since childhood. Not long after arriving back home, he finds out that the mansion was bought by a mysterious and reclusive antiques dealer, who is a vampire master. After turning several of the locals into his vampire minions, the author and several other townsfolk join together to put an end to the undead infestation.

The novel was turned into a two-part mini-series in 1979, directed by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Tobe Hooper. It was big success, and re-aired on TV for years. It was later edited down into a shorter runtime and released on VHS, where it became a favorite rental choice among horror fans. The scene were a young boy sees his vampified friend float to his window in the middle of the night traumatized an entire generation, myself included.

The original mini-series made several changes to the book, most notably turning the talkative vampire master Kurt Barlow into more of a Nosferatu-style vampire, who doesn’t speak and is more animalistic and terrifying looking. Although this was very different from the novel, the mini-series Barlow was a horrifying and memorable creation.

A TNT mini-series that stuck closer to the book was produced in 2004, which featured Rutger Hauer as Barlow and Rob Lowe in the lead. This was another vampiric notch on the actor’s belt. Not only was he the physical inspiration for Anne Rice’s Lestat, but he played vamps in movies like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Argento’s Dracula, and Dracula III: Legacy. It remains to be seen if this new version of Barlow will stick closer to the ’70s mini-series or the 2004 one, or go off in a completely new direction.

One thing is for sure, though. This is one King adaptation we can’t wait to sink our fangs into.

Featured Image: Warner Brothers

The post Stephen King’s SALEM’S LOT Gets a Big-Screen Remake appeared first on Nerdist.

The lack of basketball activities have sports enthusiasts clamoring for some type of action to feed their hunger for sports activity. Well, the National Basketball Association has a short term answer with the upcoming NBA HORSE Challenge.

ESPN, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced that they are introducing the new NBA HORSE Challenge to feed their audience with some basketball activity. 10-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder, 2020 NBA All-Star Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks and newly elected Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings are headlining the list of eight NBA and WNBA players and legends who will participate in the new NBA HORSE Challenge. The tournament will be shown exclusively on ESPN and can also be streamed on the ESPN App.

Starting on Sunday, April 12 at 7 p.m. ET, Paul, Young, Catchings, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, three-time WNBA All-Star Allie Quigley of the Chicago Sky, Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley Jr. and NBA Finals MVPs Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce will match shots against each other in a single-elimination HORSE competition from their respective, isolated home courts. ESPN NBA commentator Mark Jones will be the official host of the challenge.

NBA HORSE Challenge participants will be divided into two groups of four. The winners of the first two games in each group will meet in the semifinals and then the winner from each group will move on to the championship round.  The four quarterfinal games will air on Sunday. The semifinals and the championship game will be played on Thursday, April 16, beginning at 9 p.m. ET.

The rules for the challenge will start with a coin toss at the start of each game, which will determine who shoots first, with the more senior player calling heads or tails. Players must describe each shot attempt, specifying the type of score they intend to make before taking a shot, such as a bank shot or swish. Dunking is not allowed. The first player in each game to accumulate the letters “H-O-R-S-E” after failing to match five shots is automatically eliminated from the challenge.

State Farm will donate more than $200,000 on behalf of the participants to charities that are specific to coronavirus response efforts. This donation builds on the more than $74 million that has been contributed by the NBA Family to date to support coronavirus relief efforts through its NBA Together campaign.

NBA HORSE Challenge Presented by State Farm participants:

 ESPN NBA HORSE Challenge Presented by State Farm schedule:

ESPN will televise the NBA HORSE Challenge as it continues its commitment to bring the sports community together through its #oneteam initiative.