Christy asked Randy Attwood:

I was asking about the strange case of James Kirkland pilley......?

Randy Attwood Ah, well its five reviews are each five stars on Amazon. And here is what a noted Lovecraft scholar had to say about the story which I've included in the back story to the story. And, as coincidence would have it. I've just given it a new and better cover:

I discovered H.P. Lovecraft when in college and was captivated by his style. While living in a suburb of KC I read in the newspaper about an horrific murder by an adult brother of his adult sister who lived together in a large mansion that was known as the DeSoto House. The man had bludgeoned her to death. There was a news report of him sitting at first appearance in court rocking his body. That night he was found dead in his cell. The autopsy report came back later. "Total system collapse." I had never heard of that cause of death before.

Years later we moved into Kansas City near Loose Park. One of the houses that faces that park is the DeSoto House. When we moved into our house they were draining a small pond at the park to enlarge and improve it.

I had finished up a fiction project and wanted to do something in a completely different style. The Victorian language and tone of Lovecraft appealed to me and "The Strange Case of James Kirkland Pilley" came forth.

Later, I was so proud when I received this note from the noted Lovecraft scholar William E. Hart

"I received your excellent story today, The Strange Case of James Kirkland Pilley, read it, and having found it to be a marvelous tale that touches upon Lovecraftian mood, and events somewhat similar to those in The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, with your own original spin on the past haunting the present."

Another reviewer said the story "Out-Lovecrafted Lovecraft."

http://amzn.to/2c5DFzV

9/11/12

From William E. Hart

received your excellent story, read it, and having found it to be a marvelous tale that touches upon #Lovecraftian mood with your own original spin on the past haunting the present.
9/11/12

I discovered H.P. Lovecraft when in college and was captivated by his style. While living in a suburb of KC I read in the newspaper about an horrific murder by an adult brother of his adult sister who lived together in a large mansion style house that was known as the DeSoto House. The man had bludgeoned her to death. There was a news report of him sitting at first appearance in court rocking his body. That night he was found dead in his cell. The autopsy report came back later. "Total system collapse." I had never heard of that cause of death before.

Years later we moved into Kansas City near Loose Park. One of the houses that faces that park is the DeSoto House. When he moved into our house they were draining a small pond at the park to enlarge and improve it.

I had finished up a fiction project and wanted to do something completely different and in a completely different style. The Victorian language and tone of Lovecraft appealed to me and "The Strange Case of James Kirkland Pilley" came forth.

Here's the first sentence:

"Edward Hawthorne had no premonition of the first disturbing and later horrifying consequences that would result from his joining the Friends of Pilley Park Garden Society."

An editor who worked on the novella for inclusion in an anthology thought I had "Out-Lovecrafted Lovecraft." I don't think that's possible, but it's high praise indeed.

The cover image is of a former mental hospital in Topeka, KS., now torn down. I still don't think I have the right art for this story and would welcome suggestions along those lines.

Lovecraft fans may know of William Hart, a recognized Lovecraft specialist who said of the story:

"I received your excellent story today, The Strange Case of James Kirkland Pilley, read it, and having found it to be a marvelous tale that touches upon Lovecraftian mood, and events somewhat similar to those in The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, with your own original spin on the past haunting the present; I now also recommend it as a bargain to download in a Kindle format from Amazon."

http://amzn.to/2c5DFzV

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