We’ve been waiting for dinner A feast for the survivors of the plague Plenty of food remain Fewer mouths to maintain Pigs and chickens immune to the disease Butchered in the morning But where is the cook? We are starving Staring at the empty porcelain plate While we wait Fig. 1 Skele Dinner. Taken at … Continue reading Skele Dinner [Poem & Photo]
Satan is the easiest scapegoat for the generalization of evil. To claim Satan is behind collective evil is lazy. Use your brain. Especially don’t claim to be esoteric and rely on conventional superstition - this one really gets my goat. Take the difficult path and earn wisdom. Humans often prefer the scapegoat to lay blame. … Continue reading Satan as Scapegoat
The Smurfs - Symbols and Allusions I have been fascinated with symbols and their meaning as long as I can remember. I like to look for symbols and I gain pleasure when I pick up on a reference to a past literary work or moment in history. Understanding symbols and why they are used is a … Continue reading The Smurfs – Symbols and Allusions
[Note: At the time I wrote this article, Possessions of Putressa was the working title for what I eventually titled Along the Graveyard Lane (2020) in paperback and eBook] The big villain in my novel Possessions of Putressa is a 200-year-old zealot of the Catholic faith, Seymour Downcross. In the novel, there is a statue … Continue reading Book Cover Talk – Possessions of Putressa
Why We Chase Ghosts Metaphysical PTSD - Temporality & Chasing Ghosts "Some chase ghosts, and though their hearts may thump in their ears, the fear serves as a ladder to scale over the horror of impermanence." As humans, we have an advanced awareness of time. We understand the temporary nature of things. We know this … Continue reading [Why We Chase Ghosts] Metaphysical PTSD – Temporality & Chasing Ghosts
What is the difference between horror and gothic fiction? Horror is full of overt terror and gothic fiction often teases, nay tickles the fringe of horror, but the effect is quite different. This is a general rule that can be broken. It depends on the story. Gothic fiction invokes in me a mood that emphasizes … Continue reading Horror vs. Gothic Fiction: The Overt – Covert Horror Spectrum. Know Your Book Genre.
Ever wonder why you feel incomplete? Do you know we are actually only a half of one person, craving to find the other half? You were once one. Search your heart and you will know this is true. As a whole person, humans were once wise and powerful. You once had four arms and four … Continue reading Greek Myth – Why We Seek Someone Else To Feel Complete
A Mood I Enjoy in Music & Gothic Fiction + "My Regards to Those Able to Keep Their Courage" NC Club Welcome to the world of Dream Pop The Character's Mood: The slow power of a being who has "seen it all before" and pities humankind for their shortsightedness, but is in awe of their … Continue reading A Mood I Enjoy in Music & Gothic Fiction + “My Regards to Those Able to Keep Their Courage” NC Club [Dream Pop Song]
Evolution of the Golem - From Golem to Robot - From Jewish Mysticism to Science Fiction A Golem is a magical creature made from inanimate materials. He is usually summoned to perform a particular deed such as protect a city. The earliest extant text mentioning a golem is from the Jewish tradition. Many of the … Continue reading Evolution of the Golem – From Golem to Robot – From Jewish Mysticism to Science Fiction
Something often neglected in laudations of The Cure is Robert Smith's lyrical world building. Through his robust discography, Smith has created a gothic fiction world. He gives strength to the Anima as if she could live in the material world if only for a short time. It took the only girl I loved and drowned … Continue reading My Ultimate ‘The Cure’ Gothic Fiction Playlist
In the genre of Fantasy, there is a concept known as hard magic. An author using a hard magic system creates clear principles and methods behind his or her use of the craft. Soft magic, on the other hand, is based on unclear principles as far as the reader is concerned. I like the concept … Continue reading [Hard Magic & Hard Metaphysics in Fiction] W/ Book Club Discussion Questions. Fantasy. Gothic Fiction. Horror. Paranormal. Supernatural.
How to Speak to the Dead according to Homer ~ Afterlife Communication of the Ancient Greeks Today, I am sharing an episode of Ancient Light I wrote and narrated on the topic of a method of speaking to the dead employed by ancient Greeks. The primary source for this information comes from Homer's Odyssey. The … Continue reading How to Speak to the Dead according to Homer ~ Afterlife Communication of the Ancient Greeks
Recently, I traveled to Boston where I met up with the gothic fiction poet Edgar Allen Poe. The first night in Boston, I came upon his statue on accident. I recognized his face, but the nearby crow only confirmed it. "Well, look who we have here," I said to my wife. Poe is easily recognizable … Continue reading Visiting Poe – Edgar Allen Poe in Boston
I am working on a graphic novel. At first, I thought of it as an illustrated book, but then, as always, the writer bends to the power of genre. So, a graphic novel it is. The title is Guide to Ghosts: Why your Grandmother's Name is Stan. Many, if not most, graphic novels (comic books) … Continue reading Oscillating Wildly: Life as a Writer-Illustrator
I wrote about this project in a recent post, "Occult Art & Dark Haiku." I am back to deliver more content from the soon-to-be-released illustrated book of poetry. Below, I read selections from Supper of Suffer over a bed of sound and music. Send me a message if you would like to perform your own … Continue reading A Dramatic Reading – The Dark Haiku of Supper of Suffer.
I illustrated a book of dark haiku, Supper of Suffer, coming out in late 2018/early 2019. In the interview below, I talk about how I created 30 new tarot cards to go with each haiku. We talk about Metropolis (1927) & symbolism. Two examples of the artwork are shown in the video. "Continue to Sob … Continue reading Occult Art & Dark Haiku. Interview w/ Supper of Suffer Illustrator SM Dotson
SM Dotson 