Yeah, I know. Lovecraft’s birthday (August 20) was yesterday. For reasons that are not entirely clear, I missed it.
I’ve not read much Lovecraft in recent years. I’m not sure I’ll be able to work any in this evening, but I’ll give it a try. I’m not sure if I want to reread something or try a story I haven’t read yet.
Regardless of what you think about him as a person, there’s no getting around Lovecraft’s influence on the genre. He’ll always have a spot on my reading list.
I’ve gotten word that three anthologies I have stories in won’t be available much longer. If you want them, you should act now. All of them are available in print and electronic editions. The anthologies are:
WEIRD MENACE – This is a two volume set of weird menace stories in the vein of what were known as weird menace pulps. One volume contains stories with contemporary settings and the other contains stories set during the pulp era. I’m only in the pulp era one, but all the stories are fun. You know you need both volumes. If you’re not sure what weird menace is, think Scooby Doo without the kids and the dog but with a lot more titillation. Volume 1 Volume 2
TALES FROM THE OTHERVERSE – This is an alternate history collection. Some stories are serious. Others are just gonzo fun. James Reasoner’s story was runner up for the Sidewise Award, and Bill Crider’s story won.
ROCKET’S RED GLARE – This is a science fiction anthology that presents positive views of the future. Three of the stories in this volume were selected for one of the Year’s Best anthologies for the year it was published, which was the source with the most selections that year.
I’m proud and honored to have been published in these anthologies alongside some amazing writers. The anthologies won’t be available for long, so if you don’t have them and think you might like them, click the links. They won’t last long. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.
I’m up to my armpits in other projects today, so I probably won’t get around to reading anything by today’s featured authors, but I did want to give a shout-out to two of the greatest and one artist who deserves better recognition. So in order of their birth, here are… Continue reading
Today’s post is a guest post by Will Oliver.
There is a writer we all know and love who was born in the American West in the 19-aughts, and his father was a doctor. When he first started writing, he churned out dozens of stories and sent them off to publishers with little acceptance. He finally got his first break with the pulp magazines and later published in such magazines as Thrilling Adventure. Although he wrote what is often called westerns, most of his stories were really about life on the frontier. He was also both a fan of boxing and was a boxer himself, and he incorporated this interest into many of his short stories.
He also had a distinct love for composing poetry, some of which was published, but he realized that he could not make a living from writing poetry. He wrote well over 200 short stories in his lifetime and wrote across many genres including westerns, adventure, and even science fiction. Although he did a lot of single character stories, some of his most popular writing included series involving the same characters. One of his most popular series was about a merchant sailor. He also wrote of a man named Sackett who came over from England and, on a few occasions, this author also did some ghost writing.
Early on in his career, some of his short stories found their way into a number of anthologies, and this increased the visibility of his name. The first book he ever published, however, was actually published in England, not in America. Later, some of his stories and characters were even made into television shows and movies.
He died in mid-June and his autobiography was published posthumously. Again, even though he wrote widely in many genres, he always believed that his most worthwhile contribution to the literary field was his western frontier stories.
And, of course, we all know I am writing about……………………………………………. Continue reading
Today, July 24, marks the birth of three writers and one artist who have not only been major figures in the fields of fantasy and science fiction but also personal favorites of mine. In order of the years of their births, they are Continue reading
Locus Online is reporting that William F. Nolan (1928-2021) passed away on July 15. He was 93.
Nolan is probably best remembered as the author of Logan’s Run, co-written with George Clayton Johnson, and several sequels, written solo. Nolan was primarily a short story writer. He was a member of the California school. While he might not have received the critical acclaim other members of the group did, such as Ray Bradbury and Richard Matheson, he was able to produce a body of work that was quite consistent in quality. I’ve always enjoyed his work and bought any book with his name on it. I’ll raise a glass in his memory tonight.
Rest well, sir. You showed us that life is only getting started at the age of 30.
Today, July 10, marks the birth of three writers whose works I’ve enjoyed. They are Greye La Spina (1880-1969), John Wyndham (1903-1969), and Carl Jacobi (1908-1997). Continue reading
Here’s another guest post by John Bullard. Today, June 25, is the 145th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
Detail from Paxson’s painting of the Little Bighorn Battle.
Robert E. Howard was definitely a born story-teller, and in his letters to his author pen-pals, he definitely followed the rule to never let the truth get in the way of a good story. Since the anniversary of the battle has just passed, let’s look at what Howard had to say about it. In the middle of his August 9, 1932 letter to H.P. Lovecraft, Howard segues from talking about Texas gunfighters to the Battle of the Little Bighorn: Continue reading
Today we have another guest post by John Bullard.
Ambrose Bierce
Today, June 24th, is the birthday of writer, reporter, and Civil War veteran, Ambrose Bierce. I originally wrote this piece last year after having thought about Bierce’s influence on some of Robert E. Howard’s stories. Well, I have recently read another Bierce story that Howard may have read, and influenced a story he wrote. At the very least, they both wrote a story on the same idea- the psychological effects of horror on a person’s mind involving snakes. Did Bierce’s story influence Howard in writing his story?
Massive Spoilers follow for both stories.
(i. to r.) Your Intrepid Blogger, Jason M. Waltz, and James McGlothlin visit the Howard family plot.
This past weekend was the 2021 Robert E. Howard Days. After last year’s cancellation, it was a much needed gathering. And while many of the regulars weren’t able to attend, the number of first time attendees made up the difference. The gift shop sold out of almost all the books they had in stock.
Roy Thomas was the Guest of Honor. The schedule was a little different this year, with a fewer panels and later starting times.
Mark Finn did the Fists at the Ice House panel solo after the banquet on Friday night. That panel is different every year and depends on who is there. Mark listed his ten favorite Howard boxing stories and read excerpts of each one. If you’ve not read Howard’s boxing stories, you’ve missed a major portion of his output. Howard’s send of humor really comes through in his humorous boxing stories. The four volumes of the collected boxing stories are almost our of print, so move quickly if you want to get copies of the first printings. They are available from the Robert E.Howard Foundation Press. Continue reading