H. P. Lovecraft And His Legacy

Brief update

2014-11-30T00:36:00.001-05:00

Just looked in on the blog. A quarter-million hits. Who would have thought?

Technology moves fast.

I recall agonizing over learning to blog. Now if you don't vlog, no one seems to care. But at some point one has to draw the line with time expended for a non-paying gig. But I will never say never. Let's see what a year from now brings.

There is still huge amounts of data on HPL, and his legacy marches on. It is not going the way a lot of people thought, though. Those who took over in the post-Derleth era are now aging. And the ones who are taking up the legacy and making up yet another "new circle" are going places that are interesting. Just as exploitative in their own way, they are making (or re-making) HPL into something malleable to conform to their ideals.

I don't particularly care for this "new Lovecraft", but as a blog-chronicler I don't have a say in that.

One thing that concerns me is all this hype over Lovecraft's racism. Racism and Ethnism is horrific in all its forms. But I have yet to met a perfect person, nor a person who is completely unshackled from their personal prejudices. It is difficult, perhaps, to enjoy a writer who has been set up on a pedestal as an idol, or at least an ideal - and have that statue fall and crack. But to read a story is not to become the person who write it, any more than to look at a painting and become the painter. It is a piece of art, to be enjoyed, or rejected, or ignored. It is great that HPL is still relevant and enjoyed. That we know more about him each year should be celebrated, not make us cringe.

He is dead, and he cannot be resurrected and changed. Though wouldn't that be a fun little Lovecraft story.

:)

Chris Perridas has quietly worked on learning more about HPL and his family. Some of it I have had the energy to put up on line in various blogs and websites. The rest - well I only have so much time. Believe me there is a great deal more and I hope that one day it all gets online and shared.

One thing that stunned me was that when i was doing my non-stop 25 hour a day research, the internet was far more robust and search engines took me deeper into data mining. A lot of that technology has either went into paid markets (like ad ware?) and that you and I no longer have access. Stuff I found easily before I can't now. I know it is there, I just can't get it. But I did copy it. Maybe that was intuition? Maybe it was - as I sometimes believe - Lovecraft's ghost directing me to do this stuff.

If HPL's ghost was present and guiding, and I think he and his grandfather may have done so, they are very quiet now. I guess they have found other willing workers, or their restless spirits have now been satisfied that more of their story has been told.

Online attention spans are much shorter than 10 years ago. But for those who still are interested, enjoy the blog posts.

I don't check emails much because spam long ago overwhelmed the mailbox. So I am sorry if you did not get answered. For those of you who have worthwhile projects, I wish you luck, but I am not reviewing projects any more. I just can't.

Those who post comments, that's great. I see them, and if they are appropriate, I publish them. But for the most part, this is an historical blog now. It is here, but I am not active on it - but I think you can tell that.

So, I just stopped by to write a few comments, and to thank all who read this blog.

So until I stop by again --

All the best!

Chrispy.

Lovecraft-Inspired Music

2013-08-18T23:26:00.002-04:00

In my younger days, I used to call this avant garde. That dates me. But here are some cool music downloads ...

They include radio voice overs (some use of expletives in some narratives), narratives, electronic music, percussion, and other forms of music.

You may want to start with: Hail Zeon! - Super Science

Tales From The Doorstep
4 haunting tales of magic and super science. Join Hail Zeon!, Richard Pickman and Durka Dub on a journey along knowledge and madness.
A full sized sequel to the "Doorstep EP", Tales From Doorstep is a creepy mix of strange Space Opera from The Masters Of Space Opera.

I suggest you start with Chapter XV - Revenge Spells prt.2

The Lovecraftian EP, featuring Hail Zeon! and Richard Pickman , takes Space Opera through dusty libraries, distant times and even Antarctica.

Weird Tales: Like a Phoenix; Reborn!

2013-08-05T11:46:00.002-04:00

From the hand of renowned Marvin Kaye and numerous others, the venerable and beloved Weird Tales has returned.

My post is a bit late, but hopefully I can still be part of the congratulations celebration.

My first concern when I pick up a post-modern periodical. So many of these new magazines and web sites for horror are red print on black, or some other unreadable format. So I asked: Can my 57 year old eyes read this thing?

Yes!

The pages of my electronic format review copy was precisely formatted with a wonderfully readable font, and a wonderful contrast of black ink on soft white.

Thank you!

The illustrations are well chosen from a variety of authors, and issue 360 includes some wonderful Fabian illustrations. Poetry, too, is represented. In the case of issue 360: "Mummified" by Jill Bauman, "In Shadowy Innsmouth" by Darrell Schweitzer, "The Country of Fear" by Russell Brickey, and "Country Midnight" by Carole Buggé.

There is an example of a more radicalized story. "To Be a Star" by Parke Godwin is part-illustration and part narrative in a style that has a doodled on, antiquarian typescript (circa 1945), feel to it.

Notable and legendary names appear within the covers. And why wouldn't one want to hide under the covers with fear with the likes of "The Long Last Night" by Brian Lumley, "The Runners Beyond the Wall" by Darrell Schweitzer, and "The Empty City" by Jessica Amanda Salmonson.

I have to admit this. I am a sucker for flying saucers and aliens, so I b-lined right to page 85 and read "Alien Abduction" by M. E. Brines. I am not sorry. It takes a great flash fiction writer to pull off humor, genre homage, terror, and ethical philosophy all at once, but Brines does it with panache.

The greatest part of this issue is the wonderful Ray Bradbury tribute. We already miss him, and this reminds us why. A great treasure is now reprinted, a "lost" Martian Chronicle. This writer managed to track down one of the remaining issues of Fantasy and Science Fiction that had this, and now Weird Tales makes it available for the first time in about 3 generations.

This issue is phenomenal, and a blessing for horror fans. Buy it. If you only receive one hour of fun, then it is well worth the price, but I suggest you will have months of pleasure out of reading and re-reading. Maybe you should buy two copies, because likely you will read the cover off of issue 360.

_____

Here is information:

Advertising & promotional inquiries: WeirdTalesBox (at) Gmail.com
Webmaster/Web Site: WeirdTalesBox (at) Gmail.com

Weird Tales: Facebook page:

Basic Weird A one-year, four-issue subscription for just $20 — that’s more than 30% off the cover price!

Deluxe Weird Four issues, plus a special cosmically horrific bonus, for just $30!

International Subscriptions Enjoy Weird Tales delivered to your home outside of the U.S.!

Back Issues Recent and classic issues of Weird Tales, mailed to your home!

E-book editions now available!

New Stuff Added

2013-08-01T14:16:00.001-04:00

I have added new sections. Enjoy.

Pearls Before Swine: Very "Howard Lovecraft" This Week

2013-07-23T09:11:00.000-04:00

One suspects that Howard Lovecraft felt in New York the way Rat does in the strip.

For More "Pearls" and Stephan Pastis ... Go Comics!

New Comic Strip: Don't Pick the Flowers by David Hurley

2013-06-22T08:57:00.000-04:00

Ok, not Lovecraftian. But, hey, Mr. Lovecraft, it's my blog, too.

Sometimes when you're stressed you need horror. Other times you need funny. In rare occasions as with Mike McCarty you get both. I discovered a comic recently from a fellow Kentuckian, and you should check it out.

I'm a sucker for funny animals, usually with Garfield and Daffy Duck at the top of my list. In my humble opinion, David Hurley has created a breakout character in "Pekin Duck".

He is featured at gocomics, and his web site is Don't Pick the Flowers. Or you can support him on facebook here.

Is Sesqua Valley a suburb of Yuggoth?

2013-05-18T07:53:00.002-04:00

Ye olde Portland, Oregon, harbors the largest single organism on the planet: A nearly 4 mile wide fungus that descends into the soil as deep as a grave.

Reference:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/oregons-monster-mushroom-is-worlds-biggest-living-thing-710278.html

It is kind of old news, but not mentioned much in Lovecraft circles. It appeared about 2400 years ago, when the Buddha was still a young boy. There is a whispered rumor that this fungus is intelligent in ways vastly different than our feeble human minds can grasp. It lays in wait, until humans and other living things are buried, and then it feeds off the discarded life essence of those decaying corpses. What is its ultimate mad purpose? From whence did it come? And will it stay in Portland, or does it have it's collective mentality on your home?

Oregon's monster mushroom is world's biggest living thing The largest living organism ever found has been discovered in an ancient American forest.

The Armillaria ostoyae, popularly known as the honey mushroom, started from a single spore too small to see without a microscope. It has been spreading its black shoestring filaments, called rhizomorphs, through the forest for an estimated 2,400 years, killing trees as it grows. It now covers 2,200 acres (880 hectares) of the Malheur National Forest, in eastern Oregon.

The outline of the giant fungus stretches 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometres) across, and it extends an average of three feet (one metre) into the ground. It covers an area as big as 1,665 football fields.

The discovery came after Catherine Parks, a scientist at the Pacific Northwest Research Station in La Grande, Oregon, in 1998 heard about a big tree die-off from root rot in the forest east of Prairie City.

Using aerial photos, Ms Parks staked out an area of dying trees and collected root samples from 112. She identified the fungus through DNA testing. Then, by comparing cultures of the fungus grown from the 112 samples, she determined that 61 were from the same organism, meaning a single fungus had grown bigger than anything anyone had ever described before.

On the surface, the only evidence of the fungus are clumps of golden mushrooms that pop up in the autumn with the rain. "They are edible, but they don't taste the best," said Tina Dreisbach, a botanist and mycologist with the US Forest Service in Corvallis, Oregon. "I would put lots of butter and garlic on them."

Digging into the roots of an affected tree, something that looks like white latex paint can be seen. These are mats of mycelium, which draw water and carbohydrates from the tree to feed the fungus and interfere with the tree's absorption of water and nutrients. The long rhizomorphs that stretch into the soil invade tree roots through a combination of pressure and enzyme action.

Below are some pictures that may startle your imagination.

Interlude

2013-05-13T09:32:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since I worked actively on this blog.

There are a few reasons for that.

The first is that so many other things are going on that HPL has to take a smaller role in my life.

The next is that there are already thousands of posts on this blog. How much is enough? I don't know, but it seems I am getting close.

There are many other HPL blogs now on the 'net and they are doing good work. They are not doing precisely what I am doing, but then what I am doing is pretty old fashioned for the 21st century. Like the old guy I am, I think old. The world needs new ideas and needs to be done by those who are much better at this Internet thing.

Then there is my frustration with Lovecraft scholarship in general. I participate minimally with the established groups. The work that has been done is outstanding, no doubt. It has been invaluable. But there seems something too political about it. From an historical perspective, it seems a bit too much, "I didn't like what Derleth did, so I'll show him".

It would be hubris to think that as good as the modern and post-modern scholarship is, that it is the end-all be-all of Lovecraft research. As the Derleth, Long and deCamp biographical work seemed inadequate, so one day will the late 20th century biographical work be revealed to be just a little too biased, and a little too inadequate.

It will one day be surpassed, but probably not until mid-century. It will likely start to look more like a wikipedia-YouTube multimedia presentation than a book. Something that will appeal to 40-somethings who were born in the first decade of the 21st century

I personally have found information that supersedes some aspects of published accounts of Lovecraft's life. I know others have as well, and they have found information that augments information that has been published.

I think it highly unlikely that this new information will ever find its way in a book, and probably will never enter a Lovecraft journal or pamphlet. Paper is rapidly becoming old school. I do not know how all this Lovecraft information will enter the mainstream, or how it can or will be vetted in the future. These are conundrums that are being worked out even by particle physicists and mainstream historians, much less a cottage industry like HPL.

So what is Chrispy going to do?

As long as Google keeps Blogger going, I will add from time to time on the HPL blog. I want to add to Lin Carter's early years as I find the time. I want to finish the biography of Whipple Phillips. I am trying to assume I have about a decade of good work left in me. It already has been 10 years - hard to believe that in 2002 I learned who HPL was for the first time. A lot of water under the bridge.

I have begun to think "What is Chrispy's legacy"?

I guess as a sometime writer of horror, and mostly known as a "Lovecraft blogger".

I believe that "Lovecraft blogger" is usually meant to be a pejorative, though not by all.

It comes from a time when all "good internet work" was allegedly "web site" work. As many are finding out, web sites are so early 2000's.

I am proud that I was one of the first to realize that you could use eBay as a museum and capture auction images to preserve fleeting materials that passed quickly from collector to collector. That Google's scanning project uncovered a wealth of HPL material before they began scaling it back.

But I hope that my biggest "legacy" will be to show HPL more in social context. His own and ours. When I finally upload all the Whipple Phillips biographical material, it will shed so much more light on Lovecraft and his family. I believe that will be a game changer. At least I think it will be.

Whipple and Howard lived an eerie parallel life.

Whipple was a true orphan, and HPL was a sort-of-orphan though his Mom was alive.

Whipple became a dynamo of the Gilded Age, although a few historical setbacks kept him from becoming a Carnegie or Ford. After his shocking political defeat resulting in bankruptcy, Whipple chose a path of stealth toward wealth and political power.

Howard became a success in his own way, and for many of the same reasons and due to many of the same skills he inherited from his grandfather. His total failure on the math exam at Brown University caused him to choose a new path in science, and then his near death experience in 1910 led him to an identical path of stealth toward literary success. Instead of becoming a Clyde Tombaugh, he became a different kind of legend.

Howard, though he struggled with mysterious and real illness, was a keen judge of character and had his own ability to masterfully manipulate people in his circle. This is not a criticism, nor an ethical judgement. But it should be acknowledged. It is not good enough to be a genius, but one has to have people believe and promote that you are a genius. Whipple had that unique Phillips skill before the age of 15, I think. So did Howard.

No offence to the Lovecrafts, formidable though they were as a clan, but Howard was and should always be seen as a Phillips. And specifically, as the last heir to Whipple's genetic gifts.

Whipple used his skill for business. That was his world.

Lovecraft used his to create a unique new genre, and by sheer willpower assembled a group of individuals who would perpetuate that new genre. That was a Whipple skill. Even the great Houdini fell under his power for a while. As did Derleth. As did so many others. It was not just literary genius, but being a keen judge of men that created Lovecraft's legacy. That was the Whipple genius, too.

So, from time to time I will continue to check in here at this blog, but don't forget the other blogs I post to also.

-Chrispy.

Beast in the Cave: House of H Productions

2013-05-13T08:38:00.004-04:00

Lately, a lot of folks have asked me to post on the blog. I do this as a service, and it does not mean I personally support the process. The blog is about Lovecraft and his legacy, and part of the second decade of the 21st century is about social networking and how Lovecraft's legacy interacts with that relatively new phenomenon.

In a decade or so, this will be historical information for researchers, so I tend to post these requests unless there is a compelling reason not to do so.

I do not really understand "kickstarter", but it seems to be a process to generate funding for start-up projects. Interesting stuff, and this project already has some cool graphics including a video at the site. I was unable to figure out exactly how to embed the video here. Sorry.

The "Beast int eh cave" is a favorite story of mine, though it usually ends up very low on other people's lists. I am fond of it because it features Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. Rarely is it discussed, but the story underwent several revisions by HPL and was edited both before and after Whipple died. I have spent hours dissecting the story to pull apart the revisions with some luck.

I think the original story was about a big cat in the Mammoth Cave, and later - possibly under the influence of a lecture by Alphaeus Spring Packard Jr. - became a devolved man in the new revision. There are many Freudian and Jungian conclusions that could be derived from that story by scholars more capable than I.

Here is an excerpt of the request. The link is:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2138072265/hp-lovecrafts-the-beast-in-the-cave

Dear Supporters,

We are a group of local film-markers in L.A. who love the works of H.P. Lovecraft. With that said we have decided to produce his short story, "The Beast in the Cave." We will be as faithful to Lovecraft's story as we can and do our best to bring you, our supporters, a great film that you will want to watch over and over. Our goal is for the film to premiere at either the Portland or Los Angeles H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival & Cthulhu Con.

Short Synopsis

The H.P. Lovecraft short story “The Beast in the Cave” is about a man touring Mammoth Cave who separates from his guide and becomes lost. His torch expires and he is given up hope of finding a way out of the pitch dark, when he hears strange non-human footsteps approaching him. Thinking it to be a lost mountain lion or other such beast, he picks up a stone.

Cave Example

Learn about accountability on Kickstarter

Our biggest challenge is simply to create a great short film that the H.P. Lovecraft community and others will want to see. Being true to Lovecraft's work is hard work and sometimes it's easier to make changes. But we are commited to being faithful to Lovecraft's vision.

Greatest thanks for your help!

Please send any queries to thebeastinthecave@yahoo.com.

Call of Cthulhu: The Musical

2013-03-25T12:45:00.002-04:00

Interesting little project. You may want to visit!

Here is the website link. Click!

Call of Cthulhu - The Musical Act 2 1/7/2013

At some point during the round of self-congratulations for finishing the first act of this particular webcomic, it occurred to me that I was not quite a quarter of the way through the entire story and it had taken me about 6 months to get there. I had originally intended Call of Cthulhu - The Musical to be a short, precursor project before getting into the substantially longer science fiction story from which I take the name of the web site.

But, honestly, once I began writing the story, I began to feel a real empathy for my interpretation of Randolph Carter. I got excited about portraying the conflicts and interactions with Ward, West, Wilbur Whately, and the Waites (One thing that becomes apparent through reading Lovecraft's work is his love of the letter "W"). My short little half-baked idea spiraled into a sprawling epic that would make the late Robert Jordan say "Dude, no one has time to read all that!"

But, honestly, I don't mind. This has been a really thrilling and engaging project for me. My intention is not to rush through this story to get to the "real" project. I instead want to do the best work that I can with my limited time and even more limited brain.

I hope you enjoy what I have in store for Act 2. I should say that despite my affection for these characters, horrible, horrible things will happen to them. So, look forward to jokes in poor taste, the outright mangling of a number of popular songs, and a sense of impending doom...kind of like American Idol with tentacles.

Brian Hendrickson Station Manager

Littlest Lovecraft Children's Book

2013-03-25T12:37:00.000-04:00

This is called a Kickstarter program. You may want to check out the details here.

Website, click here.

A collaborative full color illustrated children's book style adaptation of H. P. Lovecraft's The Call of Cthulhu.

The Strange Death of Sokullu Mehmed Pasha

2013-03-04T13:12:00.000-05:00

This blog is reblogged by permission from journalist and writer Matthew W. Quinn:

The Strange Death of Sokullu Mehmed Pasha

From A New Look at Sokullu Mehmed Pasha, published at Miskatonic University.

The consensus of historians on the assassination of Grand VizierSokullu Mehmed Pasha on October 11, 1579 AD (or 20 Sha'ban 987 AH in the Islamic reckoning) is fairly well-known in our field. The Ottoman Sultan Murad III, alienated from the vizier who had served his father and grandfather so long and ably by his mother Narbanu Sultan and Venetian-born wife Safiye Sultan, took steps to reduce the vizier's influence on government. The vizier's allies were sent to faraway positions or assassinated. Ultimately, a mentally-unstable dervish talked his way into the vizier's office and stabbed him. This kind of intrigue was fairly common in the Ottoman Empire, especially during the period known as the Sultanate of Women.

However, some recent discoveries by Miskatonic University researchers of documents thought lost forever during the civil unrest that wracked Constantinople when the Janissaries were suppressed has shed new light on the circumstances of the vizier's assassination and an incident that took place in 1571.

These documents paint a far more sinister picture of the vizier. They include accusations of dealings with agents of Safavid Persia, with whom the vizier had counseled peace as opposed to the usual border wars, and even black magic. The documents accuse the vizier of, under the influence of an agent of Persian Shah Tahmasp I, acquiring a book of black magic from an Armenian merchant who had visited the long-vacant shrine of a corrupted Sufi order that had been destroyed by Turkish nomads not long before. The use of this book resulted in an incident in Constantinople that killed dozens of Ottoman soldiers, destroyed one war galley and forced the scuttling of a second, and caused significant damage to the Bayezit II mosque.

These accusations against Sokullu are not new, but have been long dismissed as the slanders from his political enemies. However, the mosque was damaged somehow, necessitating repairs by the famed Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan in 1573 and 1574. Furthermore, it is often said that converts make the best zealots. Safiye Sultan was a Catholic before she became a Muslim, while the most recent evidence suggests Narbanu was an Orthodox Greek from Corfu before her conversion. If Sokullu was involved in the dark arts, or was widely believed so, this could have provoked the ire of the Imperial women. They would not wish one so tainted to continue virtually ruling the Ottoman Empire in place of their son and husband. And the dervish orders might be willing to provide an assassin to dispose of the vizier, especially given his (tangential) connection to a Sufi order that had become warped by dark forces.

Of course, this is all just speculation. The documents describe how the soldiers killed in the incident were buried in a mass grave outside Constantinople that was given special attention by Muslim imams, Orthodox Christian priests, and even a Jewish rabbi, while the materials used by Sokullu in the incident were confiscated, burned, and abandoned in Persia. Should this mass grave or the dumping site be found, it would lend credence to the incident described in the documents.

So just why was the Grand Vizier assassinated, and is the author's theory about dark powers manifesting in Constantinople actually true? Read "The Beast of the Bosporus" on Amazon.com or on Smashwordsto find out!

a blog from the black gulf between the stars

2013-02-12T08:43:00.000-05:00

Interesting Lovecraft blog:

On Lovecraft: a blog from the black gulf between the stars, a blog about the writings of Scott Jäeger.

Portland Lovecraft Art Show 2013

2013-02-08T08:35:00.000-05:00

Below is a re-blog of Strange Maine's discussion of an important Lovecraft art show going on right now. Michelle Souliere is one of the participants, and I am proud to own and display a portrait of H. P. Lovecraft which she created. Please help spread the word, and if you live close, try to attend.

_____
_____

Thursday, February 07, 2013

Lovecraft's influence on Maine artists

Photographer Eric Pomorski surveys his fellow artists' work.

It will come as no surprise to readers that once again I and other Portland, Maine, artists (as well as a few guests from away) have fallen under the spell of Lovecraft. The result is an epic artshow, Lovecraft: A Darker Key, which is showing at Sanctuary's gallery here in Portland from Feb 1, 2013, to May 1st, 2013 (or, Candelmas to Beltane).

The show, curated by Carrie Vinette, Michelle Souliere, and Brandon Kawashima, features the works of: Eric Anderson, Tom Brown, Clayton Cameron, Brandon Kawashima, Max Leon, Marco, Christian Matzke, Corey Paradise, Eric Pomorski, Michelle Souliere, Dave Stelmok, Jason Thompson, and Carrie Vinette.

WHAT: Lovecraft: A Darker Key artshow
WHERE: Sanctuary, 31 Forest Avenue, Portland, Maine
WHEN: Feb 1 - May 1, 2013; viewing hours 11:00-7:00 Tues-Sat
FMI: Contact Carrie at Sanctuary: (207)828-8866http://www.sanctuarytattoo.com/

The artists involved range from illustrators to sculptors to photographers to painters, each showing his or her own interpretation of the elements of Lovecraft's stories. To quote Nicholas Schroeder of the Portland Phoenix, "Viewers, particularly those who haven't read Lovecraft, might look at 'A Darker Key'... as a richly involved visual glossary of profoundly alien terms."

Participants include such horror luminaries as Eric Anderson of the Shoggoth Assembly (who recently worked on effects for the local projects Ragged Isle and Hanover House), Mortimer Glum (currently working on art for Escape from Jesus Island), Jason Thompson (artist of the recently publishedDream-Quest of Unknown Kadath), and Tom Brown (artist of the recently publishedHopeless, Maine).

The classic weird fiction writing of author H.P. Lovecraft forms the dark heart of this delectable array of eldritch art. Each artist was inspired by the dreamlike vistas created by Lovecraft's pen in the brief window between the years of 1917 and 1935. The world of his fiction was one of contrast between cosmic horror and eerie beauty. The title of this show references one of the stories in his Dream Cycle, "The Silver Key." Appropriately, this art show bookends the anniversary of his early death, March 15 (1937).

Come, and peer through the eyes of artists at the vision of a master writer!

Those curious about the show will find an assortment of photos from the opening night here on my Flickr page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/darkbrilliance/sets/72157632712016012/with/8454099856/

Read more:
Blending Lovecraft and Modern Art, by Nicholas Schroeder, Portland Phoenix 02/07/13

“Lovecraft: A Darker Key” opens tonight at Sanctuary Tattoo [A discussion with Michelle Souliere], by Alex Steed, Bangor Daily News2/1/2013

Explore the artists' websites:
-- Eric Anderson of the Shoggoth Assembly special effects group:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shoggoth-Assembly/108860862470296?ref=ts

-- Tom Brown, artist of Hopeless, Maine(Archaia, 2012)
http://www.hopelessmaine.com/

-- Max Leon, illustrator and fine artist

Prospect Street, 1906.

2013-01-04T22:17:00.001-05:00

This in from a reader:

What about this one? It's much closer to where HPL was actually living at the time.

Circa 1906. "Prospect Street. Providence, Rhode Island."

For more Prospect Street stuff, check out this link back:

140 Prospect Street

Exchange Place, 1910

2013-01-04T08:17:00.002-05:00

Here is Lovecraft's world at age 20. The image can be expanded by clicking, with amazing detail. Or the link is here.

Westminster Street, 1903

2013-01-04T08:13:00.002-05:00

Here is an almost teenaged Lovecraft's world. It is expandable with great detail. Click it, or go here: (Link)

Antarctic Horror? Could Be Interesting!

2012-12-28T08:30:00.003-05:00

Link here.

...one thing is already clear: Lovecraft was actually right about far more than his readers could have realized.

...British team is preparing to drill into Lake Ellsworth, which sits beneath 10,000 feet of ice and has not seen the light of day for millions of years.

...Monsters of the Lovecraft variety — the kind that will butcher a tenured university professor and take him along as camping provisions — might also find credible habitats on Europa or Enceladus, at least until space probes can disprove their existence.

Goominet

2012-12-01T09:39:00.002-05:00

Amazing art ...

Here (Link)

The Alluring Art of Margaret Brundage !

2012-11-08T08:20:00.001-05:00

New book coming!

This classic "batgirl" is from the paperback edition

This, "witches", is from the regular hard copy.

Here is the exciting copy for the upcoming book. Likely some things you did not know about Margaret!

"Conan" is from the Deluxe Slipcased Edition that contains 16 bonus pages

"Starting in 1932, Margaret Brundage, wife of leftist revolutionary Slim Brundage, -- who she met at the wildly-bohemian Dil Pickle Club {sic} during the Chicago Renaissance -- forever changed the look of Fantasy and Horror with her alluring, sensationalistic covers for the legendary pulp magazine, Weird Tales.

Brundage, whose art contemporaries include Virgil Finlay and Hannes Bok, is unique as she was the first female cover artist of the pulp era.

Decades before the gothic fetish craze, Brundage's lush, provocative paintings, which frequently featured smoldering, semi-nude young women bearing whips, became a focus of acute attention and controversy. At the very peak of the notorious pulp's classic run, the magazine's appeal was due as much to Brundage's covers as to the stories inside by famous authors H. P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, Robert Bloch and Conan creator, Robert E. Howard. Long before Frazetta, it was Brundage who was the very 1st Conan cover artist. The Alluring Art of Margaret Brundage is the premier book devoted to this noted artist and features all of her Weird Tales and Conan covers.

Additional and alternative press notes that you may enjoy reading:

Margaret Brundage was an innovator who created a hybrid between Pin-Up, Fantasy and Horror art. Long before Frazetta, it was Brundage who was the 1st painter of Conana. Half of a revolutionary couple who met at the wildly-bohemian Dil Pickle Club {sic} during the Chicago Renaissance, Brundage forever changed the look of Fantasy and Horror with her alluring, sensationalistic covers for the notorious pulp magazine, Weird Tales which, featured stories by H. P. Lovecraft, Robert Bloch and Robert E. Howard. Her lush, provocative paintings of smoldering, semi-nude women bearing whips instigated acute controversy in the 1930s. While the "Queen of The Pulps" has endured as an elusive figure for eighty years, this lavishly-illustrated tome is the premier compendium devoted to the mysterious ground-breaking artist; features all of her Weird Tales and Conan covers; and reveals for the first time ever, her radical "Secret Life."

You can also visit at Facebook!

www.vanguardpublishing.com

CTHULHU CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT !!

2012-11-05T14:19:00.001-05:00

What can every Lovecraft fan not be without this year?

A 2012 LIMITED EDITION CTHULHU CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT by Alex McVey (Signed Limited Edition Resin Sculpture)!
To reserve yours or get more information just click the artwork below.

Miskatonic Books has commissioned renowned artist Alex McVey to create a unique, signed, limited edition Christmas ornament specially designed for the H. P. Lovecraft enthusiast.
This ornament is limited to only 250 signed and numbered sculptures. Each ornament is hand-cast, hand painted, and hand numbered by the artist. Each year we will be creating a new holiday sculpture and those purchasing this years ornament will have first chance at getting matching numbers on next years Lovecraft Christmas ornament.

Limited edition resin sculpture ornament of only 250
Hand-cast
Hand painted
Signed by the artist
Comes with golden tie string.
Approximately 4 inches tall and nearly an inch thick.

Joofville

2012-09-26T10:29:00.001-04:00

I enjoyed this, and I hope you Lovecraftians do, too.

_____

Chrispy:

Joofville Here.

My Story:

I'm a 39 year old married man and father of two and live in South Africa, I've always enjoyed cartoons, animation and especially aliens, space, the strange and paranormal stuff. I work as a web developer and animate as a hobby in the evenings when I have time. I animate for the fun of it and intend on improving my skills and one day create a feature length film completely animated and edited by myself and yes it will be about aliens.

YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/joofville
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Joofville-Cartoons-and-Animation/273961836031536
Wesbite: http://www.joofville.co.za

Regards,
"Joofville"

New Lovecraft Digital Book

2012-09-04T08:18:00.000-04:00

Keeping you posted of things Lovecraftian: This just in!
_____

Hello Lovecraftians!

My name is Jessica and I'm a huge fan of all of H.P. Lovecraft works and an avid reader of all his stories, as well as a follower of everything related to him. This includes board games, movies, and writings inspired by his work. Exactly, the same as all of you! I've even been known to admire jewelry and home décor inspired by the characters in some of his works even, such as Cthulhu and House of Yig . I've read his stories over and over again - more than 400 times if I just read each of his stories 4 times!

However, I was never able to find all of his stories collected in one volume. All collections I have found were nothing more than 50% of his writings. I knew I had to change this and make it easier for fans to get on hold for all.

I solved this problem by collecting all of his stories and writings: 102 horror stories, juvenilia, novels, ghost writings, and collaborations in all, into one Kindle title that is available on the Amazon Kindle Marketplace. My goal, which was successfully achieved, was to compile the most complete collection available in the consumer marketplace. Readers can't find some of his stories, like Bothon and Four O'clock, anywhere else except within this collection, as an example.

I got this title listed in the Amazon Kindle Marketplace here:

Complete Works of H.P.Lovecraft

This collection has been released on August 18, 2012 and is affordably priced at only $1.99 per download!

The following are the included stories in this amazing collection:

Short Stories and Novels:

The Tomb (1917)
Dagon (1917)
A Reminiscence of Dr. Samuel Johnson (1917)
Polaris (1918)
Beyond the Wall of Sleep (1919)
Memory (1919)
Old Bugs (1919)
The Transition of Juan Romero (1919)
The White Ship (1919)
The Doom That Came to Sarnath (1919)
The Statement of Randolph Carter (1919)
The Street (1919)
The Terrible Old Man (1920)
The Cats of Ulthar (1920)
The Tree (1920)
Celephaïs (1920)
From Beyond (1920)
The Temple (1920)
Nyarlathotep (1920)
The Picture in the House (1920)
Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family (1920)
The Nameless City (1921)
The Quest of Iranon (1921)
The Moon-Bog (1921)
Ex Oblivione (1921)
The Other Gods (1921)
The Outsider (1921)
The Music of Erich Zann (1921)
Sweet Ermengarde (1921)
Hypnos (1922)
What the Moon Brings (1922)
Azathoth (1922)
Herbert West—Reanimator (1922)
The Hound (1922)
The Lurking Fear (1922)
The Rats in the Walls (1923)
The Unnamable (1923)
The Festival (1923)
The Shunned House (1924)
The Horror at Red Hook (1925)
He (1925)
In the Vault (1925)
Cool Air (1926)
The Call of Cthulhu (1926)
Pickman’s Model (1926)
The Strange High House in the Mist (1926)
The Silver Key (1926)
The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath (1927)
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (1927)
The Colour Out of Space (1927)
The Descendant (1927)
The Very Old Folk (1927)
The History of the Necronomicon (1927)
The Dunwich Horror (1928)
Ibid (1928)
The Whisperer in Darkness (1930)
At the Mountains of Madness (1931)
The Shadow Over Innsmouth (1931)
The Dreams in the Witch House (1932)
The Thing on the Doorstep (1933)
The Book (1933)
The Evil Clergyman (1933)
The Shadow out of Time (1934)
The Haunter of the Dark (1935)

Juvenilia:

The Little Glass Bottle (1898)
The Mystery of the Grave-Yard (1898)
The Secret Cave (1898)
The Mysterious Ship (1902)
The Beast in the Cave (1904)
The Alchemist (1908)

Collaborations and Ghost Writings:

The Green Meadow (1918)
Poetry and the Gods (1920)
The Crawling Chaos (1920)
Four O’clock (1922)
The Horror at Martin’s Beach (1922)
Under the Pyramids (1924)
Two Black Bottles (1926)
The Last Test (1927)
The Thing in the Moonlight (1927)
The Curse of Yig (1928)
The Electric Executioner (1929)
The Mound (1929)
Medusa’s Coil (1930)
The Trap (1931)
Winged Death (1932)
The Man of Stone (1932)
Through the Gates of the Silver Key (1932)
The Horror in the Museum (1932)
Out of the Aeons (1933)
The Hoard of the Wizard-Beast (1933)
The Horror in the Burying-Ground (1933)
The Slaying of the Monster (1933)
The Tree on the Hill (1934)
The Battle that Ended the Century (1934)
“Till A’ the Seas” (1935)
The Challenge from Beyond (1935)
The Diary of Alonzo Typer (1935)
The Disinterment (1935)
The Night Ocean (1936)
In the Walls of Eryx (1936)
Collapsing Cosmoses (1938)
Bothon (1946)

This title is huge. More than 1700 pages full of Lovecraft! Readers can also navigate easily throughout the ebook because I've created an active Table of Contents, as well as back links leading readers back to the Table of Contents from the start of each story or chapter. So, unlike some other Kindle ebooks, the need for constant scrolling isn't an issue because readers can just click around. I have also included an NCX table of contents so that you can move from one story to another with a simple click on the 5-way kindle button.

Because readability is a priority for Kindle users, spacing and font use took precedence when working on the design details of this collection. Italics are also included just as the original version of the story was printed. The last thing anyone wants to see are writings that are clustered together too tightly, or fonts that are too fancy to read - a thing you will not encounter in this collection.

Now, you can get hold of The Complete Works of H.P. Lovecraft and keep yourself engrossed, engaged, and addicted!

2012-07-23T04:00:00.000-04:00

“Shall I compare thee to a Shoggoth?”

"In the same putrid vein as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Shakespeare v. Lovecraft slithers hideously onto the literary mash-up scene, whispering of cosmic horrors and eldritch tales whilst espousing sweet soliloquys and profoundly contemplating mankind’s place in the universe.

The powerful magician Prospero, driven dangerously insane by prolonged exposure to the dread Necronomicon, makes a terrible pact with the titanic alien beast known only as Cthulhu. Now only his enchantress daughter Miranda and a handful of history’s greatest heroes are all that stand between humanity and blasphemous eternal subjugation.

Macbeth, King Henry V and more clash with some of Lovecraft’s most memorable monstrosities including Dagon, The Colour Out Of Space, Night- Gaunts, Ghouls, a Shoggoth and, of course, the Great Priest himself. And which sides will the Dream-God Oberon, the monstrous Caliban and ethereal Ariel favour in this savage clash of worlds?

Will humanity triumph and celebrate with a bawdy global rendition of “Hey Nonny Nonny”, or will the rest, as they say, be silence?"

Teaser trailer artwork from the forthcoming graphic novel adaptation of Shakespeare v Lovecraft... it's an excerpt that reveals that Juliet is not the girl she used to be!

Amazon Link here!

Julie Hoverson: 19 Nocturne Boulevard

2012-07-16T21:55:00.002-04:00

This came in from a fellow Lovecraftian.

Created By Julie Hoverson inspired by H.P. Lovecraft

Sitting down to dinner with friends was never quite so .... chilling.

click here !

19 Nocturne Boulevard (award-winning podcast audio drama anthology series) has included dramatizations of a number of HPL's stories, including a 4-part adaptation of The Dunwich Horror