Shameless self-promotion 1 of 4: Cthulhu

[Lomax]

Those of you who have been kind enough to read some of my little tales on this (and a former) site, will know that I harbour dreams of becoming a published writer. I am now a published writer. In a very small way, but hey, it's a start.

Attached is the cover of an anthology entitled Cthulhu Lives, a collection of seventeen stories by seventeen writers, each inspired by the late great Howard Philips Lovecraft. One of those seventeen is me, and since my editor/publisher (who expunged every single one of my semi-colons on the grounds that they're old-fashioned) is dropping unsubtle hints about marketing and "spreading the word," I humbly lay it before you. Are the stories any good? That's not for me to say, but what feedback I've seen so far suggests that different people like different stories. The book also boasts an introduction by Leeman Kessler (of "Ask Lovecraft" on youtube, which I heartily recommend to you), and an afterword by Lovecraft's biographer, S T Joshi.

So. If any of you are kind enough to purchase it (making me about 10p richer in the process...), I hope you like. Even more, I hope you are moved to place a review on Amazon or similar (hopefully positive, but I'll settle for honest).

Thank-you.

PS - Never mind what the G K stands for in G K Lomax. It is a nom-de-internet. I prefer not to reveal my real name.

PPS - What do I mean by 1 0f 4?? Watch this space.

[MadMax359]

congrats, brother, it's nice to see someone's dream come true

[BSink42]

Congrats!!!

[PM2K]

Congrats, indeed! From one writer to another, this is always the dream we strive for.

[Chimerix]

Niiiiice!

[joedeep130535]

self promotion-why not? Hope it goes well

[nachtjaeger]

Excellent! I actually love the genre of Pastiche. Like August Derleth's detective "Solar Pons"- that was just a way for Derleth to bring more Sherlock Holmes stories into the world. And today, some authors are very happy to let other authors play in their universe with their characters- look at all the "Star Wars" novels that are out there. I really need to get this book.

Strange coincidence- I just rediscovered my only attempt to write a Lovecraft-style story, and shared it in Stories.

[Lomax]

Excellent! I actually love the genre of Pastiche. Like August Derleth's detective "Solar Pons"- that was just a way for Derleth to bring more Sherlock Holmes stories into the world. And today, some authors are very happy to let other authors play in their universe with their characters- look at all the "Star Wars" novels that are out there. I really need to get this book.

Strange coincidence- I just rediscovered my only attempt to write a Lovecraft-style story, and shared it in Stories.

Not a coincidence. Cthulhu Lives was published a month ago, since when I've been dithering (self-promotion doesn't come easily to me). It was reading your story that finally prompted me to act.

August Derleth. Hmm. First and foremost, we should be grateful to him for founding Arkham Press and generally preserving Lovecraft's works, which may otherwise have been forgotten. On the other hand, he does seem to have got carried away. In 1945, for instance, he wrote The Lurker at the Threshold, claiming it to be a collaboration between him and Lovecraft. In fact, he found two fragments by Lovecraft, totalling 1,200 words, and spun an entire novel around them. I have read a couple of Lovecraftian stories by him (and Robert Bloch, and Robert E Howard, and Frank Belknap Long - all friends and correspondents of Lovecraft), and wasn't that impressed. Which makes me wonder where I found the bloody nerve to have a go - but never mind.

Solar Pons is, however, a new name to me. Are these books worth checking out?

Incidentally, it occurs to me that Pastiche may be an old word for what we now call Fanfiction. Which I also write. In a small way. About - well, guess.

[nachtjaeger]

To split hairs, "fan fiction" is simply borrowing another author's universe. "Pastiche" is copying another writer's style as well. For example, if I write a Cthulhu tale in my own style, that's fan fiction. If I try to write it as if it were a newly discovered Lovecraft original, that's pastiche.

And yeah, the Solar Pons stories are essential reading for any Conan Doyle fan, although definitely not part of the "Canon".

And, good news- I located my own "book of lost tales" and in it was the pastiche I did of William Hope Hodgson. On the Stories forum now.

[Lomax]

To split hairs, "fan fiction" is simply borrowing another author's universe. "Pastiche" is copying another writer's style as well. For example, if I write a Cthulhu tale in my own style, that's fan fiction. If I try to write it as if it were a newly discovered Lovecraft original, that's pastiche.

By which definition, Cthulhu Lives is neither Pastiche nor Fanfiction.

Leaving aside the other sixteen contributions (other to note that they are in a great variety of styles and moods), I certainly did not set out to mimic Lovecraft's writing style. Memorable though the man's works were, there were some things he simply didn't (couldn't?) do - including dialogue and comic relief. For better or worse, I've attempted to include both (the latter in a small way - and consistent with the rest of the narrative, I hope). Oh well, perhaps a few of you will be moved to find out for yourselves.

I remember you championing William Hope Hodgson before. I was moved to read a couple of his stories (one about smuggling saccharine, if memory serves); I found them good but not great. In return, have you ever come across Arthur Machen? Much admired by (and an influence on) Lovecraft himself; and the man who accidentally invented the legend of The Angel of Mons.