Tag: books

UPDATE #118 (5/14/26): G-Fest 2026 Panels Revealed! Here’s Where You can Spot Me at This Year’s Con

Greetings, cool person!

Ah, May. The birds are beginning to chirp again. Green leaves are slowly but persistently sprouting from tree branches. Tax refunds are being deposited and promptly spent with reckless abandon. Endless fields of “CONGRATULATIONS GRAD!” signs wave in the delicate spring breeze as you drive down any given American suburban street. (If you’re a grad, congratulations!)

And, if you’re a Godzilla fan with a convention budget, you’re likely gearing up for the madness that is G-Fest.

As of this writing, the annual gathering of the kaiju nerds is just around the corner, and as usual, I’ll be a super busy bee at this year’s show! Every summer, the number of panels and events I’m invited to participate in grows, and this year (no joke), I was asked to join nearly 20 different panels. Flattering though that may be (and I sincerely thank everyone who wanted me to be a part of their presentations), doing that many panels would almost certainly put me in the ER. So, after some whittling, the final number comes to seven standard panels, one interview, a workshop, and a few surprises I can’t reveal just yet!

While locations and exact times have yet to be revealed, here’s where you can spot me at this year’s G-Fest:

  • “G-Cinema” Author Daniel DiManna Interview: That’s right… not only am I participating in the usual lineup of film retrospectives and special interest discussions, but (and I’m still pinching myself), I’m actually being interviewed about my new book, “G-Cinema,” live on an opening day panel! Absolutely amazing. I couldn’t be more grateful.
  • Shin Godzilla: 10 Years Later: Hard to believe this stone-cold classic is a decade old! Nick Crispino, John Schuermann, Helmi Abdat, Brendan Morley, and yours truly are teaming up to celebrate this milestone anniversary, complete with some never-before-seen photos from my visit to the film’s 2016 premier in Tokyo!
  • Daimajin 60th Anniversary: Ready to get stoned? Elijah Thomas and I are teaming up to celebrate everyone’s favorite living statue on his big 60th birthday. We’ll be talking about the oft-ignored origins of the 1966 trilogy, the deeper cultural themes that hallmark the series, and a whole slew of post-Showa appearances, homages, unmade films, and much more!
  • Kaiju Writers Unite: G-Fest’s annual writer Q&A is back, and this year, Ryan Collins, Donny Winter, Christofer Nigro, Nathan Marchand, and moi will be answering your questions about kaiju word-crafting. Come curious!
  • Rebirth of Mothra 30th Anniversary: The first installment in this magical, childhood-favorite trilogy is now three decades old, and it deserves a long-overdue spotlight. I’m joining fellow ROM evangelists Donny Winter and Danielle Fey to give this film, and its two sequels, some love.
  • Discussing Brush of the God: This summer, the landmark final film (and directorial debut) of revered monster maker Keizo Murase is coming to Blu-ray. Join SRS Cinema’s Ron Bonk, Elijah Thomas, and I as we tell the story behind this remarkable kaiju masterpiece, the singularly incredible man who made it, and the journey to create its definitive, bonus feature-packed home video release.
  • Godzilla 1994: Before Tristar’s 1998 Godzilla hit theaters, the King of the Monsters nearly had a wilder, more faithful adaptation produced in the mid-nineties. Greg Noneman, Sam Iller, Nicholas Latimer, and I are diving deep into this unmade epic to discuss its production history and why it was never completed.
  • War of the Gargantuas: The Frankenstein Brothers Turn 60: Last year, I had the distinct honor of celebrating the 60th anniversary of Frankenstein Conquers the World at G-Fest. This summer, we’re doing it again for the sequel! Kevin Horn, Brady Johnson, Jr., John Schuermann, and I will be giving this kaiju classic its due with lots of production history and fond memories.
  • PLUS, the Writers’ Workshop is returning for another round of kaiju flash fiction crafting. If you’re a fellow writer who’s looking to hone your skills and have some creative fun, I hope you’ll join us!

As you can see, this is gonna be another packed year for me. I can’t wait to tackle all these panels (plus those extra surprises I mentioned), and as always, I’m incredibly excited to see you in person, too. (If you spot me, don’t hesitate to say hi and chat me up!)

The full G-Fest 2026 panel schedule (complete with confirmed days/times/locations) should be going live soon, so stay tuned to the G-Fest website and social media pages. In the meantime, thank you for being here, and for your amazing support in all my crazy kaiju endeavors. I hope to see you in July!

-Daniel

UPDATE #117 (5/12/26): A Rondo Honorary Mention? For MOI?!

Hi again, readers! Time for some more cool news!

These last few months, the prestigious Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards have been open to your voting. Each year, the awards recognize and celebrate the very best of the previous year’s horror, monster, and sci-fi creations (including films, TV episodes, Blu-rays, magazines, writers, artists, horror hosts, and of course, books).

As you may recall, one of this year’s categories was BEST BOOK ON GODZILLA’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY, and in that category was a wonderful book by Peter H. Brothers called “Gojira 1954: A 70th Anniversary Retrospective.” And in that book was an essay by yours truly!

Well, as of yesterday, the results for this year’s Rondos are officially in, and…

Woah.

What a truly awesome surprise! Finding out I was a Rondo-nominated writer was special all on its own, but becoming a runner up is its own unique kind of amazing (especially with all the other incredible Godzilla books that got nominated in the category). To everyone who gave this book your vote, I thank you!

Congratulations to Peter and all the talented writers who added to “Gojira 1954,” to the incredible Jeffrey Angles for also snagging an Honorable Mention, Thom Shubilla for getting Runner Up for his “King Kong vs. Godzilla” book (a great read!), and to the dynamic duo of Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski for taking home the 1st place statue for their monumental “Godzilla: The First 70 Years.”

Click here for the full list of this year’s Rondo winners.

Thank you all for being here and for continuing to support my writing endeavors. Stay tuned for G-Fest panel announcements, coming soon to a GNP website homepage near you!

-Daniel

UPDATE #116 (5/6/26): I’m Officially a Guest of Kaiju Go! in Dallas, TX!

Happy Wednesday, cool people!

It feels like the announcements and reveals are swooping in from all directions these days, and today is no different. Because, dear reader, we’re officially in convention season, and between G-Fest in July and a few other events I’ll be attending, the next few months will be an absolute blur… in a good way!

But before we talk about G-Fest (which should be the subject of the next update), I’m absolutely thrilled beyond words to announce that I’ll be hitting up another event in August. And this one’s incredibly special… because I’ll be attending as an honest-to-goodness guest of the show!

On Saturday, August 15th, I’ll be heading to Dallas, Texas, as a guest of Kaiju Go! This awesome event – organized by the equally awesome Jay Key (he of Toku Toy Town and YHS on Monster Island fame) – is a celebration of all things kaiju, featuring toys, art, and monster films on the big screen.

And that’s where I come in, because (holy cow…) I’ll have the incredible honor of introducing a screening of 1966’s Ebirah: Horror of the Deep (A.K.A. Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster). How amazing is that?! I’ll also be bringing copies of my book for those interested in bringing home a copy (and I might even have a few new cool things to chat about by then, too…).

Here’s the official announcement from the event:

ANNOUNCEMENT: To introduce Ebirah, Horror of the Deep, we are thrilled to announce the Kaiju Go! debut of noted kaiju author, Daniel DiManna! The Ohio native’s recent release, G-CINEMA: AN EXPLORATION AND CELEBRATION OF JAPAN’S MONSTER KING (Fonthill Media), is a detailed and well-researched academic look at Godzilla, his origins, and cultural importance. DiManna’s contributions to the kaiju community have been plentiful over the years, including launching the Godzilla Novelization Project, countless articles in G-Fan, Kaiju Ramen, and Prehistoric Magazine, a frequent consultant for SRS Cinema, and the go-to guest on podcasts and panels throughout the country.

Don’t forget to pick-up G-Cinema at most major retailers, including Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/G-Cinema…/dp/1036152146…

Needless to say, this invitation means the world to me. Having the opportunity to host an official theatrical screening of a Godzilla film is a dream come true, and being brought to this show as a guest is an extra-generous helping of icing on an already delicious cake. A massive THANK YOU to my friend Jay Key (whom you should absolutely support by following the hyperlinks above) and the Kaiju Go crew for inviting me to be part of this amazing event. It’s gonna be a great time!

See you in Dallas! (And see you back here for more announcements and updates soon!)

-Daniel

UPDATE #114 (4/13/26): Wait… I’m A Rondo Hatton Award Nominee?! How YOU Can Vote in This Year’s Awards!

Hi there, readers! Time for one of those fun announcements I promised.

Spring has officially, spring, and that can mean only one thing… it’s Rondo time!

Every year, the prestigious Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards recognize and celebrate the very best of the previous year’s horror, monster, and sci-fi creations, ranging from films and TV episodes to books, Blu-rays, podcasts, magazines, writers, artists, horror hosts, and beyond. The Rondos are a big deal, made even more special by the fact that you – yes, you – get to decide all the winners with your votes.

The nominees for the 2026 Rondos were announced a few weeks ago, and I was immediately greeted by two special surprises:

  1. Godzilla got his own section this year, just for books celebrating 70 years of the King of the Monsters (plus a well-deserved appearance by Mothra).
  2. A book I contributed to was one of the nominees!

That’s right, folks… among such heavy hitters as Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski’s incredible Godzilla: The First 70 Years and Jeffrey Angles’ new translation of The Luminous Fairies and Mothra is Peter H. Brothers’ similarly fantastic Gojira 1954: A 70th Anniversary Retrospective, which includes (gasp!) an essay from yours truly!

The essay in question – entitled “Ambiguity in the Key of G: Gojira and the Horror of the Unknown” – explores how the 1954 film’s refusal to fully explain or rationalize Godzilla’s nature (from his destructive motivations to his murky origins) taps into a primal, unknowable fear, and how that terror stands as one of the film’s greatest – if often unsung – strengths. It’s an essay that’s received a lot of wonderful feedback from readers, and it’s meant a lot to see folks enjoy it so much.

It’s a tremendous privilege and honor to be counted as a Rondo-nominated writer for my contribution to this book, and it truly means the world. Congratulations to the many talented writers who supplied interviews and wrote essays, analyses, and retrospectives for this book, and my eternal gratitude to Peter H. Brothers for allowing me to be a small part of it.

Feel free to share the above photo around social media to help spread the word about the awards! And don’t forget: the Rondos are powered by your votes, and there are plenty of amazing kaiju books, articles, magazine covers, and more for you to choose from!

To vote, all you have to do is copy the Rondo ballot (found at the link below) into an email, choose your favorites in the categories you want to vote in (it doesn’t have to be all the categories), and email them to David Colton at taraco@aol.com no later than Friday night at midnight, May 1st, 2026.

Click here for the full ballot and more info on how to vote for your favorites!

Thank you all so much. Your support is one of the big reasons why I get to work on cool stuff like this, and I remain eternally grateful to you for continuing to believe in me.

I’ll be back soon with even more announcements (including info on a documentary I’m working on, more info about my book G-Cinema, G-Fest announcements, additional writing projects, the next GNP short story, and… more books?).

More to come! Until then, stay kind, stay safe, and stay grateful. I’m glad you’re here.

-Daniel

UPDATE #113 (4/8/26): “G-Cinema” Preorder Link Roundup

Salutations, readers. Happy April!

As of today, we are a mere three weeks away from the U.S. release of my new book, G-Cinema: An Exploration and Celebration of Japan’s Monster King. After a two-year journey, it’s hard to believe we’re this close!

Over the last few months, as the book has begun to roll out around the world (Amazon U.K. is already needing to replenish their stock, so THANK YOU to everyone across the pond who grabbed a copy!), I’ve gotten a lot of inquiries from readers wanting to know if the book is coming to their country. I’ve done my best to keep up with all your questions, but figured there might be a more helpful solution.

A few weeks ago, I began rounding up links to every North American and international bookseller I’ve found that’s selling (or will be selling) the book. All those links currently live on the Press & Appearances page on the GNP website, and more are being added as I find them.

So, if you’re curious about where to get the book in your country, that list is your best bet. And if you know of a bookseller that’s not listed and has the book for sale, please let me know and I’ll be sure to add it!

The list (as of the day I’m writing this update) is below, for your convenience:

There you have it! 15 countries, 20 booksellers and counting… it’s pretty surreal to see it all listed out like this. What an amazing experience this continues to be.

I’ll be back with more book updates and announcements (plus some additional BIG projects and opportunities I’m finally able to talk about!) very soon. Until then, stay happy, stay kind, and stay grateful for the blessings and amazing experiences in your life.

Thank you for continuing to join me on this journey. More fun to come!

-Daniel

UPDATE #112 (2/4/26): Full Cover Reveal for “G-Cinema” (And Other Book Info/Shenanigans)

Hi there, GNP readers… welcome to 2026!

Oh, the year started 35 days ago? We’re somehow already a month into 2026? Well, in that case… welcome to February!

All kidding aside, this is the first GNP update of the year, and it’s set to kick off an absolute doozy of an 11 months. There’s so much in the pipeline this year – from massive writing and home video projects to new GNP chapters/books/short stories, convention appearances, and exciting collaborations – that my head is spinning from just thinking about how insane and busy 2026 will be. But don’t worry, it’s the good kind of insane and busy!

And to kick things off, it’s time to talk about possibly the biggest thing on my list: a little somethin’ I wrote that’s finally set to release this year…

That’s right, it’s official… my new book “G-Cinema: An Exploration and Celebration of Japan’s Monster King” has been revealed in all its fiery, pre-orderable, “holy crap this is actually happening” glory!

A few days ago, the book’s publisher, Fonthill Media (a member of the Pen And Sword Books family of publishers) did a full reveal of the newly orange-ified cover (a slight tweak of the lighter-colored version I shared last year – isn’t it friggin’ striking?) and jumped full steam into the promotion process. They were kind enough to share the book via social media, both on their own pages and by sharing links in multiple Godzilla fan groups on Facebook. All the while, they and I worked behind the scenes to finalize everything from copy edits to image proof approvals.

And now, at long last, the final product is done and ready to hit bookstore shelves.

Absolutely. Surreal.

Since I’ve gotten some questions from readers about the specifics of the release, here’s some quick info on what you can expect, when you can expect it, and how all this madness is gonna play out:

  • The book actually has two release dates. Since Fonthill Media is based in the UK, merry old England will be getting the book first, and very soon, since it’s releasing on February 28th! Two months later, it’ll release in the US on April 28th. Think of it like, oh, say, a classic Godzilla film getting released in Japan first, and then popping up in America afterword. If you’ve seen multiple release dates for the book online, that’s why!
  • The book will not just be on Amazon. This is a full release and will be available via multiple online booksellers and – most remarkably – in physical bookstores! Links for a handful of these stores are at the bottom of this post.
  • While currently listed at 224 pages on most websites, “G-Cinema” will actually be 242 pages of text and 274 pages in total (the extra 32 pages are full-color image plates). So, you’ll be getting even more Godzilla history than advertised!

Last but not least, here’s the final synopsis for the book:

He’s iconic. He’s atomic. And at 70 years young, he’s still the King of the Monsters!

Ever since his silver screen debut back in 1954, Godzilla has maintained a mighty hold on the collective imaginations of cinema lovers around the world. Originally conceived as a powerful metaphor for Japan’s fears of nuclear destruction, the character has undergone a complex metamorphosis over an incredible seven decades and more than three dozen films. From allegory to superhero, from atom-age menace to children’s matinee star, from arthouse to grindhouse and back again, Godzilla has survived by adapting and reacting to the changing cultures and generational expectations of the countries—and the filmmakers—that bring him to life. In this exploration and celebration of Godzilla’s first 70 years, the full story of Japan’s kaiju icon is revealed through detailed histories, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, cultural connections, and contextualizing thematic analyses. Beginning with his postwar origins and continuing through his many rises, falls, revitalizations, and reinterpretations, this comprehensive companion to the Godzilla franchise seeks to place the character in his proper historical perspective and, by doing so, shed light on the depth, the flexibility, and the fun that’s kept him relevant and beloved for generations.

And, just for fun, here’s the author bio that will appear on the back flap:

Daniel DiManna is a film historian, artist, voice actor, and professional goober. An award-winning marketing writer by day and an unapologetic monster-nerd by night, Daniel is the author of multiple short stories/novellas and creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project, a fan-driven endeavor to write novel adaptations of every Japanese G-flick. His academic writing has been published via multiple magazines/websites. He is a frequent panelist at G-Fest and can be heard hosting audio commentaries for SRS Cinema’s kaiju Blu-rays and guesting on multiple kaiju-related podcasts. Daniel lives in Sylvania, Ohio, surrounded by DVDs, books, and an unhealthy number of monster toys.

I’m truly speechless at how dreamlike and borderline unreal this all is. It’s one thing to sit down at a desk and do some writing – something I do every day of my life – and another thing entirely to see a book with my name on it slowly coalesce and come into being. To craft and publish a book has been a dream of mine since childhood, an aspirational goal that – despite the hard work and good fortune I’d need to get there – I always hoped in my heart was possible.

And now, here it is. An honest-to-goodness book, written by me, available to purchase from just about anywhere books are sold – including physically at several of the world’s largest bookstores.

Just… wow.

Thank you so very much to the amazing people at Fonthill Media and Pen and Sword Books (Jay Slater, Jasper Hadman, editor Tony Walton, cover designer George Kalchev, and a remarkable team of typesetters and artists) for making this book look like a million bucks, and for allowing me to take this journey. You only get to write your first book once, and I’m so fortunate to have done so with this amazing team.

And thank you to you, the readers of the GNP, for following me this far and being the most supportive crew of Godzilla nerds a fella could ask for. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to adequately express how profoundly grateful I am for the opportunity to have brought this dream project to life, and your continuing belief in me is a crucial and humbling cornerstone in that opportunity. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

“G-Cinema: An Exploration and Celebration of Japan’s Monster King” releases in bookstores on February 28th in the United Kingdom and on April 28th in the US of A. You can secure your copy from your bookseller of choice at the links below:

All of these links (and any future ones) will be added to the Press & Appearances page on the GNP website. If you’re looking for a specific place to buy the book, that’ll be your one-stop shop moving forward!

And now, the countdown to release can officially begin! The next few months will be an exciting time; I’m already coordinating interview requests and planning for signings and maybe even a few surprises at this year’s G-Fest. It’ll be a great time, and I’ll keep you all informed and updated as cool things continue to happen. What a gift all of this is, and what an extraordinary year it will be! Thank you for coming along on the journey.

I’ll be back soon with more. Until then, stay happy, stay safe, and stay kind.

All the best,

-Daniel

UPDATE #111 (12/12/25): A New Short Story – Inspired by “Godzilla vs. Biollante” – Is Live

On December 16th, 1984, an explosion destroyed a Middle-Eastern bioengineering laboratory operated by the government of the Republic of Saradia. The deadly terrorist attack destroyed irreplaceable research and ended dozens of lives.

On that day, Dr. Genichiro Shiragami – a geneticist heading the lab’s experimental botany research team – discovered that his daughter, Erika, was among those killed in the attack.

On that day, a father lost his child.

And his heart would never be the same again…

Season’s greetings, everyone.

Before we jump into this post, I apologize for the incredibly long gap between updates. If you’re a follower of the GNP on social media, you’re likely aware that the project went on a brief hiatus this summer/fall while I navigated some personal struggles. The back half of my year has been incredibly difficult, and at the risk of sounding dramatic, it truly did rob me of any semblance of a creative spark. Typically, writing and art are an effective escape for me, a way to recharge and heal. Sadly, not so these last few months.

That said, while these struggles are still ongoing, I have been gradually working my way back into being creative. And with the year closing out, I knew it was time for me to usher a new GNP short story out into the wild.

Truth be told, this tale is not one I was expecting to tell. It began falling out of my brain and through my fingers several days ago, and I couldn’t stop the flow.

The end result – inspired by work I did several years ago writing the script for an animated Godzilla vs. Biollante fan film that, unfortunately, remains unproduced – is not the happiest of tales. It takes the form of a letter written by a grief-stricken Dr. Shiragami roughly one year after the death of his daughter, Erika. A letter written to his daughter. A letter she will never read.

While the proposed fan film – to have been created by my dear friend “Kaiju” Kim Lacanilao – would have focused on Erika’s perspective as her psyche slowly transforms into something monstrous (a remarkable story I dearly hope Kim gets to tell some day), I instead chose to step behind the eyes of Erika’s father. To lose a child is, perhaps, the greatest, most unspeakable pain a human being can endure. What would this do to a man with Shiragami’s intellect? How would it break him, fracture his heart, and ultimately put him on the path to attempting his daughter’s resurrection five years later?

All interesting questions, and all representing the exact kind of emotional character study the GNP loves to tackle with its short stories. It’s my hope that this raw, devastated deep dive into Shiragami’s grief will not only expand upon one of the Godzilla franchise’s most intriguing and tortured characters, but also articulate – to the best of my ability – how even the strongest of people struggle to process a pain that, tragically, is all too real in our world.

That said, a word of caution: this story – as you can imagine – deals with some very heavy topics. If you’ve ever lived through the death/loss of anyone close to you (be it friend, parent, or child), please use discretion as to whether you should read or not.

The GNP proudly presents… “Missing You” – A Short Story

READ IT HERE

I hope you enjoy it.

And with that, the GNP has officially published its last short story of 2025. I will be taking the remainder of the year to breathe, de-stress as best I can, and spend time with my family. I hope to enter the New Year with as much renewed energy as I can muster, because, to put it mildly, I will need that energy for what’s destined to be a packed 2026. Between my Godzilla history book beginning its press/promotion and hitting bookstore shelves, a whole second book I haven’t even announced yet, some exciting collaborations on upcoming kaiju Blu-ray releases, the inevitable wave of G-Fest prep, and some big plans for the GNP (including finishing that Godzilla 1985 short story I promised you), it’s going to be big and very exciting year! I can’t wait to reveal it all to you.

Until then, thank you for being here. Thank you for your patience, your support, and for continuing to believe in me and this project. It means more to me than I can say, and it has been especially uplifting for me over the last few months. I appreciate each and every one of you, and I hope you have a safe, special, and healing holiday season with those you love.

With love and gratitude,

–Daniel

UPDATE (1/3/24): “A Prayer for Peace” – A New Short Story for the New Year

“I’d come to know the horrors of man and his capacity for destruction. I’d stared that destruction in the eye, felt its claws rip at my flesh and tear away at my very soul. On that day, I knew what it meant – how it felt – to behold a monster…”

Hello there, readers. Welcome to 2024!

It’s high time for a new short story, and this one has been a long time coming.

Back in the summer of 2023 (which I’m still getting used to referring to as “last year”), I began writing a story that had randomly popped into my mind and taken hold of my creative attention. I hit a few roadblocks (some involving the story itself, and others involving some personal things that needed tending to), and ultimately shelved the project for a few months. I picked it up again in November, but still couldn’t quite crack the approach I wanted to take for telling the tale. But finally, as 2023 wrapped up, I was able to nail down the final details and complete the story in the way I wanted to. And dare I say, I think the final result was worth the wait!

With that said, the Godzilla Novelization Project is proud to present “A Prayer for Peace,” a new short story inspired by Godzilla (1954).

The tale follows a young Japanese soldier who dreams of peace amidst the horrors and bloodshed of WWII. A decade later, when the shadow of a nuclear titan falls over his country, the soldier – motivated to fight for Japan once more – finally finds his opportunity to achieve the peace he so desperately wants, but in a way he never imagined…

The story takes the form of a first-person memoir crafted by the soldier during the events of the 1954 film, acting as an alternate perspective to the story that puts a unique spin on multiple elements fans will know all too well from the film itself. Part diary, part remembrance, and part warning for the future.

(Also – in a first for the GNP – this story has spoilers, so if you give it a read and want to share your thoughts, please do so without spoiling anything for those who haven’t read it yet!)

Check out “A Prayer for Peace” here.

Thank you all for your continuing support, and – as always – for taking the time to read this new story. (Also, a HUGE thank you to each and every one of you for making 2023 the best-performing year for the GNP! I’ll be sharing some pretty incredible stats and numbers in a future post, but to say I was blown away would be an understatement. You’re all amazing, and your excitement for this project never ceases to leave me speechless.)

Happy reading, and happy New Year to you all! I hope 2024 brings you success, fulfillment, and happiness.