I gave away all my business cards at NecronomiCon Providence in August, and realized I'd probably better update the blog in case anyone actually looked me up. Like everyone else, I've been busy with things within and without, but here's a few highlights.
I kicked off the Armitage Symposium at NecronomiCon Providence, presenting the first paper in the first session ("Shocking Revelations: Diverse Approaches to Lovecraft," chaired by: Nathanial Wallace) on the first day, with my essay “Red Hand, Red Hook: Machen, Lovecraft, and the Urban Uncanny.” I was tweaking for the time limit almost until the time, and academia makes me very nervous, but it went well, and people came up to me all weekend wanting to talk about Arthur Machen. Someone also told me, "Much has been said about Lovecraft's racism, but this was the most nuanced approach I've ever heard." Awww. When the time comes, I plan to submit the paper to the "Proceedings" of the Symposium, although it might involve heavy and stressful editing, but we'll cross that bridge etc.
I was also on two panels. First: "Nameless Cults: Robert E. Howard: The Gent from Bear Creek is more popular than ever before! Come and hear some of the foremost experts in Howard scholarship talk about his life and career. Panelists: Scott Connors, Karen Kahoutek, Rick Lai, Jonas Prida, Jeff Shanks (Moderator)." And second: "Arthur Machen: Between Myth and Modernity: Machen was one of the first writers to blend the weirdness of European myth and folklore with the burgeoning modern world and its new concerns. Our panelists will discuss Machen’s life and work and try to come to terms with how the seemingly exclusive influences on his work came together to create something truly remarkable, new, and deeply influential. Panelists: Michael Cisco, Jack Haringa (Moderator), Karen Kohoutek, Donald Sidney-Fryer."
Available for pre-order, it's Giant Creatures in Our World: Essays on Kaiju and American Popular Culture. Coming out from McFarland Press, with a projected date of November 1, 2017, this includes my essay on the Mystery Science Theater 3000 versions of the Gamera films.
I kicked off the Armitage Symposium at NecronomiCon Providence, presenting the first paper in the first session ("Shocking Revelations: Diverse Approaches to Lovecraft," chaired by: Nathanial Wallace) on the first day, with my essay “Red Hand, Red Hook: Machen, Lovecraft, and the Urban Uncanny.” I was tweaking for the time limit almost until the time, and academia makes me very nervous, but it went well, and people came up to me all weekend wanting to talk about Arthur Machen. Someone also told me, "Much has been said about Lovecraft's racism, but this was the most nuanced approach I've ever heard." Awww. When the time comes, I plan to submit the paper to the "Proceedings" of the Symposium, although it might involve heavy and stressful editing, but we'll cross that bridge etc.
I was also on two panels. First: "Nameless Cults: Robert E. Howard: The Gent from Bear Creek is more popular than ever before! Come and hear some of the foremost experts in Howard scholarship talk about his life and career. Panelists: Scott Connors, Karen Kahoutek, Rick Lai, Jonas Prida, Jeff Shanks (Moderator)." And second: "Arthur Machen: Between Myth and Modernity: Machen was one of the first writers to blend the weirdness of European myth and folklore with the burgeoning modern world and its new concerns. Our panelists will discuss Machen’s life and work and try to come to terms with how the seemingly exclusive influences on his work came together to create something truly remarkable, new, and deeply influential. Panelists: Michael Cisco, Jack Haringa (Moderator), Karen Kohoutek, Donald Sidney-Fryer."
Available for pre-order, it's Giant Creatures in Our World: Essays on Kaiju and American Popular Culture. Coming out from McFarland Press, with a projected date of November 1, 2017, this includes my essay on the Mystery Science Theater 3000 versions of the Gamera films.
And I'll have updates soon about some poetry appearing in Moveable Type's 2017 issue.
More important than all that, it was great hanging out with my cronies from the Robert E. Howard Foundation/Skelos Press, along with other new people I got to meet. While I was traveling, I also got a brief visit with the esteemed Memsaab of Memsaab Story, during which some wine was imbibed, and we watched this movie. Wow.
With any luck I'll be back soon with some book reviews and Halloween viewing. After all, it can't be all horn-tootin' all the time!
