Ross E. Lockhart's Blog, page 67

Countdown to Cthulhu: Cephalopodcasts

I live about forty-five miles north of San Francisco, so on the days I drive in to the office, I've got a long commute. Fortunately, in this era of four-buck-a-gallon gas, I drive a hybrid. And I've got the perfect co-pilot in Maddie, who watches out for giant squids as we cross the Golden Gate Bridge.



And we listen to podcasts. Lots of podcasts.

One of my favorites, and frequently the high point of my Thursday morning drive is The H. P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast with Chris Lackey and Chad Fifer, who explore the deeper themes, origins, and influences behind Lovecraft's fiction on a story-by-story basis--with a good dose of humor. Lately, they have been examining "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" in a multi-part show. The H. P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast have also produced full-length readings of Lovecraft's stories "From Beyond," "The Picture in the House," "The Haunter of the Dark," "Cool Air," and "The Cats of Ulthar." They are currently collecting donations which will allow them to produce a reading of "The Call of Cthulhu."



Two of the stories included in The Book of Cthulhu originally appeared as podcasts:

"Jihad over Innsmouth," by Edward Morris, first appeared at Pseudopod.

"Cinderlands," by Tim Pratt, first appeared at The Drabblecast.



Moreover, Elizabeth Bear's Hugo-winning novelette "Shoggoths in Bloom," which first appeared in Asimov's, and is being reprinted in The Book of Cthulhu, received a podcast adaptation at StarShipSofa.



And while it's not a podcast, here's an audiobook sample from the Brilliance Audio adaptation of The Book of Cthulhu contributor John Hornor Jacobs' debut novel, Southern Gods, of which the BN Mystery Blog says, "flat-out one of the scariest books I've read in a long time; a sweaty, sultry trek through the secret geographical and spiritual places of the American South fueled by a delta blues soundtrack so transcendent and graphically conjured you'll not be able to shake reverberations of the spectral tunes you've never actually heard for weeks (and the dreams they'll conjure will keep your local mediums, pharmacists and psychoanalysts in the manner they're accustomed to for years)."

So if you want a preview of The Book of Cthulhu, all you have to do is click and listen. Because what's cooler than having someone read you a story?

And this was too good not to hotlink from the Girl Gone Geek Blog:



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The Book of Cthulhu is now available for pre-order from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and better independent booksellers everywhere.

My tweets

Thu, 17:23 : RT @EllenDatlow: Great piece on print vs kindle: Time for book publishers to fight dirty - chicagotribune.com http://t.co/Z5kuFxH Thu, 21:43 : RT @nightshadebooks: Night Shade Books presents "Cthulhu Summer." http://conta.cc/ntVRO7 via #cthulhusummer Fri, 00:45 : RT @solobasssteve: TV news: "the world is completely screwed". Twitter news : "the world is full of remarkable creative hilarious people ... Fri, 00:47 : RT @ebertchicago: "Printed books don't have a Search option!" Boo hoo! Plus, you have to turn pages. Too much work for today's kids. htt ...

My tweets

Wed, 14:07 : RT @johnhornor: In other news, over at @jimbomcleod's Ginger Nuts of Horror, he's got a great review of Southern Gods. http://bit.ly/qNnmwL Wed, 14:09 : RT @Qwillery: The Qwillery: Interview w/ debut author @JohnHornor Jacobs & giveaway of SOUTHERN GODS. http://bit.ly/qAoGg6 Pls RT Wed, 17:30 : RT @StinaLeicht: Locus magazine reviewed Of Blood and Honey and it's a *good* review! (Too bad I can't link to it.) Wed, 17:30 : RT @StaciaDecker: "Southern Gods is a novel that you have to buy . . . @johnhornor Jacobs is a name to watch."--@jimbomcleod http://bit ... Wed, 19:11 : RT @johnhornor: Just a wee reminder to all you Kindle owners, SOUTHERN GODS is just holding its breath and waiting for you t… (cont) htt ... Wed, 23:33 : RT @cthulhuHQ: Lovecraft's own sketch of #cthulhu http://t.co/hOntg1M Thu, 04:33 : RT @johnhornor: Last bit of pimpage 4 the day, NOOK USERS you can get SOUTHERN GODS at this location http://bit.ly/oEfQXP. Will let you ...

My tweets

Tue, 14:22 : RT @TheSciFiChick: Book Review: No Hero by @thexmedic: http://t.co/jkFEx7V @nightshadebooks Tue, 14:22 : RT @thexmedic: "Highly imaginative and entertaining, with plenty of twists and surprises." Review of No Hero at http://t.co/zYmXZRP Tue, 14:22 : RT @thexmedic: "Every time I fight unspeakable horrors, I am reminded of the value of teamwork." The Nyarlathotep Event http://t.co/PaEpFxP Tue, 15:21 : RT @erik_lundqvist: Should be made into a movie! 'Southern Gods' - John Hornor Jacobs http://bit.ly/rhhMs9 #review @johnhornor @nightsha ... Wed, 00:57 : RT @cischafer: Oh happy day: saw Whitefire Crossing on the shelf! (Nicely placed between @scalzi & @kenscholes, no less.) http://yfrog.c ... Wed, 00:57 : RT @BastardBooks: New blog post, Bastard Promotions: The Whitefire Crossing by @cischafer http://t.co/fUTFGL9

My tweets

Mon, 14:16 : RT @KameronHurley: "Kameron Hurley's God's War arrives into this melee like a live grenade, lobbed with abandon and not a little mischie ... Mon, 14:16 : RT @thexmedic: "We seriously have to go into a dimension representing humanity's collective fears and madness?" The Nyarlathotep Event h ... Mon, 14:49 : RT @strangehorizons: And the first of this week's reviews is @danhartland on God's War by @KameronHurley: http://t.co/3dMhRnJ "Just what ... Mon, 14:50 : RT @Cavorter: Got lost in @marthawells1 most recent novel "The Cloud Roads" after waking up. Now off to do stuff before getting to Detro ... Mon, 14:52 : RT @johnhornor: So, today is actually the official book release day of SOUTHERN GODS. This means you can buy it instantly as an eBook. h ... Mon, 14:55 : "If James Lee Burke and T.E.D. Klein could somehow hook-up and procreate, Southern Gods would be their love child." http://t.co/zOkIJwE Mon, 15:09 : RT @mlvalentine: New at @flamesrising Bradley P. Beaulieu on The Winds of Khalakovo Debut http://bit.ly/r0P1ki Mon, 15:35 : RT @johnhornor: From the publisher: SOUTHERN GODS should be up at BN.com today, but if you're dying to get it on the Nook NOW, go here. ... Mon, 15:35 : RT @cthulhuchick: I turned the complete works of Lovecraft ebook into a PDF for those who can't use the other files: http://bit.ly/objYru Mon, 20:47 : RT @StaciaDecker: "It has one the best covers you'll ever see."--@lucaveste on the@nightshadebooks design for @johnhornor http://bit.ly/ ... Mon, 21:08 : RT @charliejane: Government isn't some alien entity. It's us, acting collectively to do things we can't do as individuals or private org ... Mon, 21:38 : RT @StaciaDecker: "Combining elements of horror, fantasy & crime to create a thrilling ride, SOUTHERN GODS is a spectacular debut."--@lu ... Mon, 21:38 : RT @NewBookIn: The Whitefire Crossing, Courtney Schafer: A smuggler risks all smuggling an apprentice into a dangerous land. Out now: ht ... Mon, 21:39 : RT @JMMcDermott: We are, all of us, secretly wizards, waiting for the train to take us where our skills and talents are actually valued, ...

My tweets

Sun, 18:46 : Countdown to Cthulhu: Why Cthulhu hates the universe now more than ever... http://j.mp/nBKl5w Sun, 22:09 : RT @alan_tudyk: cowboys and aliens is okay for a space western but suffers from a painful lack of chinese Sun, 22:24 : RT @johnhornor: The reticent Erik Williams @erik_williams does his best not to compliment Southern Gods on his blog. http://bit.ly/p9tGP6 Sun, 22:58 : RT @emptywheel: What's particularly ironic about GOP balking at DOD cuts is that we're in this mess bc they didn't pay for their 2 wars ... Sun, 23:51 : RT @ChicksDigBooks: My review of The Loving Dead, a really quirky zombie book by @amelia_beamer. Check it out! http://fb.me/13sdhse2T Mon, 03:11 : RT @charliejane: So basically the GOP stance was, "Help us trash the economy, or we'll trash the economy."

Adult Beverage: He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A.

Does this beer smell funny to you?

Lenny Bruce is one of my heroes. A tragic hero, sure, not to mention an excellent example of how to be a bad example. But his insistence on fully exercising his freedom of speech: American Dream-level heroic.

And Bruce's How to Talk Dirty and Influence People tops my list of recommended texts.

So I've been interested in Shmaltz Brewing Company's tribute beer, He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A., since I first spotted it in my local grocery store. This, in spite of my bad record with their Coney Island line.

That first time, I was denied. The glue on the four pack gave way, sending bottles tumbling like drunken acrobats to the beer aisle floor. This time, I did a little better. The glue held up until I got home and lifted the four pack from my grocery bag, then gave way, leaving the bottles standing at attention in the bag while I held the useless cardboard package in my hand, feeling like the magician holding the tablecloth while a twelve course meal languishes on the carpet. Ah, comedians.

But how's the beer?

Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A. pours dark mahogany with a thick, tan head and visible carbonation. Toffee malt and rye on the nose, bright and sugary, with a light, herbal hop character underlying the grains. Big and bold, with a creamy molasses attack: candied citrus chased by rye bread and hop resin, which swells and bitters and leaves your mouth tingling as you swallow. Clean finish except for a lasting, smokey bitter deep in the throat. Aggressive, complex, and embarrassingly potent, just like a good dirty joke.

Countdown to Cthulhu: Why Cthulhu hates the universe now more than ever...

Funnies for your Sunday from John Kovalic's webcomic Dork Tower: Why Cthulhu hates the universe now more than ever...

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Here's someone attempting to crowdsource funding for an adaptation of H. P. Lovecraft's "The Dunwich Horror"

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And happy birthday to The Book of Cthulhu contributor Michael Shea, author of The Extra, The Color Out of Time, and the Centipede Press collection, The Autopsy and Other Tales.



I've long taken Shea's picaresque fantasy hero Nifft the Lean to be named for Nith, the lean notary, in H. P. Lovecraft's "The Cats of Ulthar." If you like heroic fantasy with a horrific twist, The Incomplete Nifft is a great place to start.



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The Book of Cthulhu is now available for pre-order from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and better independent booksellers everywhere.

My tweets

Sat, 17:41 : Countdown to Cthulhu: Cthulhupunk? http://j.mp/ohnniV Sat, 17:52 : RT @jasummerell: My Amazon review of SOUTHERN GODS by @johnhornor has posted- http://amzn.to/pZTBjB Go buy this book if you haven't yet. Sat, 18:23 : RT @LibraryAmerica: S. T. Joshi: Ambrose Bierce conveyed the varying emotions of soldiers—terror, panic, heroism, tedium, self-preservat ... Sat, 20:39 : RT @MissLiberty: "My mglw'nafh brings all the boys to the yard." - Cthulhu Sat, 21:47 : RT @TomPiccirilli: 100 pags into SOUTHERN GODS by @johnhornor and digging it greatly. Sun, 01:03 : RT @misanthropemike: Very GOOD News about THE #LOVECRAFT EZINE: http://t.co/WwfiC3A #cthulhu Sun, 02:06 : RT @johnhornor: My mom wants me to send a copy of Southern Gods to my cousin Jill Hornor who's married to Yo Yo Ma. I'm cool with that. Sun, 02:32 : Frustrated by a typo in a short story--a big, swashy oldstyle F where it has no business being. Has it otherwise corrupted the text?

Countdown to Cthulhu: Cthulhupunk?

One of those inevitable questions that I know I'm going to have to answer sooner or later about The Book of Cthulhu is, "Is Cthulhu steampunk?" Thing is, I'm not sure I can answer that question in an unbiased manner. On one level, it's an easy no; Cthulhu Mythos fiction doesn't lend itself towards the edisonades, airships, and difference engines typically associated with the steampunk subgenre. And while there are numerous strange inventions within Mythos ficiton--Doctor Muñoz's air conditioner in "Cool Air" comes to mind immediately--if anything, those devices are more within the realm of early 20th century dieselpunk, with an art deco aesthetic, rather than the pseudo-Victorian affectations of top hats and goggles commonly associated with the steampunk movement.

But if it's going to make you want to buy the book, then sure, you can call Cthulhu steampunk. You can even call it "Cthulupunk" (Ctheampunk?) if you'd like... so long as you're buying.

Googling "Cthulhupunk" yields a few interesting results, including an abandoned early 90s attempt to create a Cthulhupunk subgenre, a a mash-up of cyberpunk and tentacles. Here are some of the more notable ones:

1) A GURPS sourcebook ("Ancient Horror Crawls into the Dark Future"), the cover of which seems to depict Locutus of Borg about to be eaten by one of the Hounds of Tindalos. Watch out for the bolts, pup.



2) Also on a role-playing front, there's this Delta Green Cthulhupunk campaign, The Fairfield Project: "I spliced William Gibson's and HP Lovecraft's DNA and all I got was this lousy campaign setting"

3) Here's a short short called "Cthulhupunk" by Finnish author Kaj Sotala, which seems to lose a little in translation.

4) How about an article on Why Cthulhupunk Failed as a Sci-Fi Sub-Genre.

5) And then there's this, which is as enigmatic as it is awesome:



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Speaking of Steampunk, happy birthday to The Book of Cthulhu contributor Cherie Priest, author of the wildly-entertaining Clockwork Century novels Boneshaker (Steampunk with zombies!), Clementine, Dreadnought, and Ganymede. Now that's some serious steampunk!



Cherie's short story included in The Book of Cthulhu is "Bad Sushi", which originally appeared in Apex Science Fiction and Horror Digest #10. "Bad Sushi" was one of the first handful of stories on my list when I pitched The Book of Cthulhu to Night Shade Books, so I'm very happy to have been able to include it in the anthology, and I'm sure you're going to enjoy it.

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The Book of Cthulhu is now available for pre-order from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and better independent booksellers everywhere.