Another podcast recommendation! Listen, I got so excited about H.P. Podcraft because I had just discovered it, and then I later realized that somehow I haven’t told you guys about one of my favorite standbys, Crime Time Podcast.
I first found out about Lee and Eddie’s podcast focused on crime and horror fiction when they interviewed Ian Rob Wright, a popular self-published horror author (who has quite a bit of free stuff over at his website). They’re two Australian girls that just, you know, talk about crime fiction and horror. They’re pretty funny, and like the guys over at the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast, often point me towards new stuff I hadn’t had on my radar, and also often discuss other books and authors I already know and love, so every couple weeks I end up bombarding their twitter with comments relating to the episode I’m listening to (sorry girls). They usually respond, too, so it’s like, I feel like we’re best friends that I’ve never even met. (Well, I don’t know if they would say I’m their best friend, maybe more like that annoying kid that follows you around everywhere and won’t shut up.) For a while I would get confused because for some reason I couldn’t tell the difference in their voices, but I’m just now finally starting to pick out the one from the other. They say they even have different accents, but all Australian sounds the same to these American ears. But they say cool Australian things, like “good on ya” and other things that you are only allowed to say if you’re Australian. I wonder if they like vegemite…
I want to take this moment to share with everyone that there is an Australian member of my own family:
This is Canaan, my wife’s Australian cattle dog. So you see, I love Australians. Here’s another:
Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, Crime Time Podcast. Go check it out, if you love Australians or if you love crime or horror fiction, or both. As they would say, “get amongst it.”
Crime Time Podcast on Facebook
Crime Time Podcast on Twitter
Horror
Currently reading: The Red Church by Scott Nicholson
I just told my wife that I’m done working for the day, but I just thought I’d take a quick moment and let you know what I’m reading right now:
The Red Church is a supernatural thriller by Scott Nicholson. Haunted churches, weird cults, small, Southern Appalachian town–all the good stuff! Scott is a good writer, and I’m enjoying this one so far.
Buy The Red Church on Amazon
Read book summary on Scott’s website
Coming Fall 2016
Hey, Tim here–Elder Signs Press is publishing an anthology this fall called Dark Horizons.
They have released the Table of Contents on their website. You might check it out. Maybe you’ll recognize one of the names.
Writer Resources: The Horror Tree
It’s time for another segment of Writer Resources! Last time, I told you about The (Submission) Grinder, a website that helps fiction authors find markets and keep track of their submissions. Since I love writing short stories, today I have another recommendation for the short story writers out there, specifically those who like to write in the horror and scifi/fantasy genres: The Horror Tree blog.
Continue reading
Reading List: I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
When people ask me for my favorite books (or when I volunteer the information unsolicited), some are surprised when I suggest Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend. They are even more surprised when I tell them it is probably one of the most unexpectedly profound books I’ve ever read.
Quoth Christopher Walken
Since Halloween is soon upon us, it doesn’t surprise me that this video has been going around recently: Christopher Walken reciting Edgar Alan Poe’s “The Raven”
I cut my literary-horror teeth on Poe; in fact, Poe has been a huge influence on my own writing (as is the case, I’m sure, for almost every modern American horror writer). I even hesitate to say that I love this poem, because it is so commonly known and admired that I feel like I’m a cliche for doing so–as if, to retain some sort of literati street cred, I should turn my nose up at this one and tell you that that you should really read this other obscure Mesopotamian or German or Norse poem, or whatever (but really, if you like Poe’s fiction, you should check out Johann Ludwig Tieck). But I’m not that well-versed, and even if I were, I would probably still love “The Raven.” And who wouldn’t (besides Emerson)? Beneath the dark and haunting imagery is a genius rhythm that plants those lyrics deep in the cracks of your brain (the rhythm he likely stole borrowed from Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem, “Lady Geraldine’s Courtship,” but that one is almost four times as long, and a chick flick besides). “The Raven” was like a creepy 19th century rap song. So, for your viewing and listening pleasure, here some more readings of “The Raven” I found on YouTube.
I like to listen to the next one and imagine Mufasa reading “The Raven” to Simba at night:
And it’s hard to talk of Poe without thinking of Vincent Price (whether you want to or not)–
The following video is actually my favorite out of all of these. I love the animation, and it makes a lot of sense to precede “The Raven” with Poe’s earlier “Lenore.”
I hope you enjoyed all this poetry as much as I did! (See what I did there?) Let me know in the comments which one was your favorite, or if you know of any other good ones out there! And don’t forget to join my email list!