Archive for June, 2023
Being primarily a prose writer, I don’t always — or necessarily often — get to the “Bloomington Writers Guild’s Last Sunday Poetry” (cf. January 29, et al.). And it wasn’t so much howling wind, as it turned out, but there was a loud spattering of hail on the roof at one point at host venue Morgenstern Books. But first things first:
There were two featured readers, both from south of us in Evansville, Indiana, with co-editor of The Grind Stone Press and co-host of Evansville’s Poetry Speaks reading series, C.S. Matthews, in lead-off spot with poems from her recently released REDACTABLE along with several other books, and ending with a sampling of new, yet to be published work. She was followed by MB, “a trauma poet [to quote the blurb] who often leans into dark romanticism and visuals to accompany her writing,” beginning her reading in a bunny suit and with sound effects — music box, burst balloon, kazoo — as well as a sword to enhance an exciting performance art flavor.
Then after the break, roughly half the audience came up for the less formal read-it-yourself part, of which I was about fifth of eight (there was a small mixup with one reader calling the wrong poet to follow him) with “a prose poem and a poem poem,” while also warning I frequently work with horror tropes. Thus the first, untitled, was from a Writers Guild “Third Sunday Write” Facebook workshop roughly a year and a half ago with prompts combining moonlight and gratitude, on hunters and werewolves, and the second, “Beware of the Dog” originally published in the UK’s GRIEVOUS ANGEL, September 11 2014, on lycanthropy meeting with working class aplomb.
But then the main event in a sense: even before “open mic” was ended an announcement came over the store PA. The county was under a tornado warning. So . . . nothing else to do, and why not? . . . most stayed on for a bit more than an hour and a half (at least that’s when I left, the sun out again at least for the moment), including two others from Evansville who were poets as well, providing encores in an even more informal post-session session. Relaxed and pleasant, though possibly one we’d just as soon not repeat in the future.
So, devil begone, my own copy arrived this afternoon, 146 pages containing fourteen stories in all as well as features, dated Summer-Fall 2023. My copy of what? Of the just-published NIGHTMARE ABBEY (see below, May 30, et al.).
Or as Editor Tom English had said on Facebook: NIGHTMARE ABBEY 3 is here at last. And don’t think birthing the little monster was not without its share of pain and sorrow. (I have new stretch marks on my fevered brow.) Don’t miss this volume’s cutting-edge terror tales by Steve Duffy, Helen Grant, David Surface, Ian Rogers, Ray Cluley, Gary Fry, Gregory L. Norris, James Dorr, and Darrell Schweitzer; plus Horror Delve by Matt Cowan, and John Llewellyn Probert’s Horror Flying High: Revisiting NIGHT OF THE EAGLE (aka BURN, WITCH, BURN). Copiously illustrated with scores of photos and the fabulous art of Allen Koszowski. Grab this book asap or I’ll fly to your hovel and haunt the devil out of you.
And so it goes. My story is second in the line-up. “The Great Man,” a saga of a bygone era (to quote my own blurb, cf. April 25), originally published in THE STRAND MAGAZINE for Spring-Summer 1999, of post-French Revolutionary times, and soldiers, and guillotines . . . along with some medical speculation of the day and a sort of steampunky final scene. Plus dark fantasy, weirdness — that goes with the course. Some politics of the time is there too, with off-stage nods from notables such as Charlotte Corday, Lavoisier, and even Napoleon (one’s tempted to say, “to add to the madness”).
For more information and/or perhaps order, one need just press here.
Be it mostly on me that, not for the first time, the Bloomington Writers Guild’s “Third Sunday Write” on Facebook (see April 23, et al.) gets reported here closer to the first Sunday of the next month. I generally make a point to not even look at the prompts until I have some time I can put aside to sit down and write, more or less on the spot, on the one that “speaks” to me. Or even decide which prompt that one will be. And this May’s closing days, as luck would have it, were busier than most (cf., e.g., May 31, 30).
But as life will have it, here it is now.
(Prompt 3) *What would you have in your picnic basket? Maybe share a recipe or two. Who would you share it with? Where are you?
The vampiress planned, for her picnic basket, yes. Catheters, of course, as well as a blanket. Nice bowls, with a flowery pattern perhaps to celebrate summer, even if they’d be eating at night.
Or would that be drinking?
Some bottles as well, to receive donations — some of the guests would not be going back when the meal was over. That would be the main course, enjoyed on the spot still warm, directly out of its original containers. But always one still had to plan on leftovers. And — that reminds her — some raw meat too just in case the werewolf should happen by?
And a few pre-filled blood-bags, chilled before leaving. A bracing, cold soup — in lieu of a salad. Beverages however should be no problem. Perhaps, though, some drinking straws?
Then for dessert a nice blood pudding.
jamesdorrwriter 