What A Sweet Lovecraftian Era We Stagger Through!

I became an obsess'd H. P. Lovecraft fanboy in the early '70s, shortly after ye death of August Derleth, at which time things began to blossom and to bloom.  Augie was no longer around to claim that he "owned" the Cthulhu Mythos, so more and more people began to write Mythos fiction.  Fervid new scholarship was rearing its anti-Derlethian dome, headed by Dirk Mosig.  de Camp publish'd his curious biography of E'ch-Pi-El.  I began to pen my poor wee early tales and created Sesqua Valley.  It was a delicious time.  But it cannot compare to now -- this wealthy era.  I just got ye copy of Black Wings II that I order'd from PS Publishing, and it is already (I've read the first five tales) one of ye most amazing Lovecraftian anthologies I have ever read.  Amazing!  "Houndwife," Caitlin R. Kiernan's riff on Lovecraft's "The Hound," is especially riveting, amazing, like nothing I have ever read, and Lovecraftian to its core.  Reading the book has such a curious, almoft a chemical, effect on me: it instills within me an even more potent ache to write Lovecraftian weird fiction, to become, more cementedly (I don't think that's a real word but I don't care), a part of the ghoulish pack of modern Mythos writers.  As if I needed more encouragement!  Great Yuggoth!  I didn't write a tale for this second volume in S. T.'s series because it was hinted that the publisher wanted new names for the book; but Jessica Amanda Salmonson and I have sold a story to Black Wings III, so that's way wonderful.

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Ye reader of this new audio rendition of Grandpa's sonnet cycle is Paul Maclean (aka Paul of Cthulhu), ye creator of the excellent site,   www.yog-sothoth.com.  This amazing audio of his reading may be purchas'd at Innsmouth House, a remarkable shop linked to the yog-sothoth site that has a number of really amazing items available for purchase.  I am, of course, utterly entranc'd by Lovecraft's sonnet cycle, and readings of the cycle are a passion for me as well.  (And there are many such readings available at YouTube.)  It was listening to Will Hart's splendid reading of all of the sonnets that inspir'd me to write my finest book, Some Unknown Gulf of Night -- & nigh, listening to Paul's enchanting readings of ye Fungi has entranc'd me yet again & fill'd me with an craving to write yet another book of wee works inspir'd by Lovecraft's Fungi fromYuggoth.  That book will be called Monstrous Aftermath, and I shall begin work on it shortly.  My plan, as of now, is to try and write a wee short-short or very short tale, from 2,000 to 3,000 words (and not exceeding 3,000) inspir'd by each sonnet -- except for the first three, which I will combine in an opening tale of greater length, perhaps 6,000 or 8,000 words.  I will take my time in writing these individual short things, and then each of them will see their first publication in the Lovecraft eZine (and if ye haven't yet check'd out Mike Davis's Lovecraft eZine -- honey, whut are ye waiting for???).  www.lovecraftzine.com  

So, lots and lots of writing to do.  I am on fire, burning with the ache, the burning need, to write more and more tales of Lovecraftian supernatural horror.  I actually had myself convinc'd that I was gonna take a wee break:  I have written so many books of late, & am having so many books publish'd.  Surely I shou'd slow down and ease up on production.  Who the hell can afford to buy all of my books?  They will be competing with each other for readers, an insane predicament.  Just chill out and stop writing for a year or two.  I actually thought I cou'd do that.  But I cannot -- indeed, ye opposite is true.  H. P. Lovecraft's genius has me by ye balls, & I must produce, again & again, until that sweet moment when extinction will stop mine pen.  Until then, ye books will swell in number.

Selah.

OH!!!  In his latest ASK LOVECRAFT video on YouTube, H. P. Lovecraft answers my question concerning his writing of "The Hound."  I've try'd to post the video here, but am having difficulty doing so.  Perhaps later I shall be able to do so.  It's quite delightful & I am utterly verklempt!