Ruins of Holyrood Chapel, 1824 by Louis Daguerre

It does my cold, dark heart good to see all of y'all enjoying these Gothic Romance posts.

Still blown away by Sebastián Cabrol's illustration for my story 'A Shadow Against the Stars'.

Seriously, I'm obsessed. I got boxes of the things.

I did purchase the original art for one of the classic Gothics from the artist, Jack Faragasso.

Speaking of Eldritch Horror, Lovecraft circle member Frank Belknap Long wrote several Gothics, mostly using his Wife Lyda's name. They don't contain supernatural elements but they are heavy on mood and atmosphere.

And yes, I've gotten in on the act myself. My story 'The House in the Witch Dreams' which brings some Lovecraftian horror to the Gothic genre appeared in this anthology.

There are some excellent writers working in the Gothic Romance genre today. My good friend, Amanda DeWees writes novels very much in the spirit of the classic Gothics, but very much written for today's audience.

2/2 One writer whose books more than lived up to their covers was Virginia Coffman. I've found all her Gothics to be extremely readable. I also like Dorothy Daniels and Victoria Holt, but Coffman is the queen. My favorite of hers is The Vampire of Moura because it has real vampires in it.

In case you came in late, I am absolutely obsessed with 'Women Running From House' covers of the Gothic Romances of the 1960s-70s. When I was a kid back then, my mom read hundreds of them. I've read quite a few myself, but more often then that not, I like the covers better than the books. 1/2

Don't know the artist, but this is a classic Gothic Romance cover.

Scrappy Doo shot J.R.

Tonight's reading. Comparing Lin Carter's detailed synopsis that became the De Camp/Carter story 'Black Tears' from Conan the Wanderer.

Drop someone blonde

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"It was on a cold and misty morning in March that Holmes and I prepared to make an aerial survey of the countryside. Holmes had found the addition of a helicopter to his crime fighting arsenal to be of material assistance."

Robert E. Howard Foundation eBay listings. These are the items from the collection of Barbara Barrett, a long-time member of the Foundation who passed away and bequeathed them. The auction goes to fund the necessary repairs to the Robert E. Howard House & Foundation. www.ebay.com/usr/rehfound...

I was having so much fun with the Guy N. Smith cover, I decided to go back to reading the series. I had read the first two books so starting number 3, The Origin of the Crabs.

Green Acres: The Return. This time it's personal.

I was telling someone about this book and the cover was so crazy I started to think I'd imagined it, but no, it's real. A Giant Crab with a knife making a human sacrifice.

Beautiful edition.

Jack Kirby was one of the first comics artists to buy his own copy machine, and that's one of the reasons we have so many examples of Jack's pencil work.

And there's that single lighted window.

Some more great THUNDARR animation designs by Jack Kirby. @briankeene.bsky.social

Another hurtful bit of Aquarius=Evil stereotyping. We're just misunderstood.

Boom!

Something I have to constantly remind myself of is just because I enjoy reading something, doesn't mean I'll enjoy writing it. I love slow burn, quiet build-up horror but every time I try and write it, I get bored and wander off. So y'all other horror types keep writing it and I'll keep reading it.

I'm putting the Visi back in Goth.

So anyway, I've been studying the Gothic...

Gothic art by George Ziel.

Some of you may recall that last year I picked up the Conan/Dragonero Italian/Spanish collection. Couldn't read it, but I loved the art. @comicstitan.bsky.social is publishing an English Language version, so I picked the first issue up last night.

This week's haul from the Comic Shop. In some ways this sums up my idiom. Dark Shadows, Jack Kirby, Superman, and Conan. With @markwaid.bsky.social @twomorrows.bsky.social @comicstitan.bsky.social

In 30 minutes I'll be on a livestream interview with Evan from Stygian Dogs, Dan from the Conan Chronology, and Lion from the Sword and Sorcery Book Club. Join us and let's talk sword & sorcery: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWel...

Pre-order a SIGNED copy (personalized if you wish) from @copperdogbooks.bsky.social and get this exclusive in-world postcard. :) Get yours!

As I'm writing this morning, focusing on mood, I'm reminded of something my friend author @leannareneehieber.bsky.social said about dread being the engine that drives the Gothic. So I am ladling on the tension and the atmosphere. George Ziel art.

Up before dawn and writing Gothic Sword & Sorcery, as one does. Inspiration from artist George Ziel.

Happy Birthday to my favorite Pre-Raphaelite.

I remember reading SWORDS IN THE MIST while sitting atop this tower in the Mall, waiting for my parents to finish shopping. This was Cumberland Mall, north of Atlanta. The mall is still there but the tower and fountain long gone.

I bought these books when I was 12 years old at B. Dalton in a local Mall. Not all at the same time. Seems like I got two on one trip and the other three the next time. Conan was out of print at that point, so after discovering Sword & Sorcery comics I went looking for books and lucked into these.

A big Happy Birthday to pal, Neil D Vokes, who drew this nifty Christopher Lee Dracula Vs Alien for me.

My research sometimes takes me strange places. I remembered Lawrence Block talking about how Ross MacDonald's Lew Archer books were basically Gothic novels. I knew I'd gotten rid of most of the Archer books,but figured I'd have kept The Galton Case, which he considered his breakthrough book.I did.

Tom Jennings was probably the most feral vampire to appear on Dark Shadows. He also wore the most guy-liner.

Actor David Selby was so tall he had to duck to go through the door in the back of the Collinwood foyer.

2/2 I’d seen blueprints of the studio layout before, so I knew that part of the house was designed as one big set, but it was still kind of cool to see it working in real space. Of all the sets for TV shows I’ve seen in my life, I probably know that Collinwood set better than any of them.

1/2 Watching Dark Shadows with breakfast this morning and they had a shot you don’t often see, where the front doors to Collinwood were open and so were the doors to the drawing room. The camera was ‘outside’ the front doors so you could see straight back through the foyer.

I'll take Famous Mothers for $4000."

I'll warn you in advance... today's newsletter started out great but then becomes a real bummer. If you want to read it, it's in your inbox right now. If you don't, no judgement from me. briankeene.substack.com/p/letters-fr...

A bit Kirby, but okay.

Watched the first 3 episodes of 'The Other Bennett Sister' today. Enjoyed it. Very fun take on the Bennett family. When Mr. Collins showed up I kept thinking, "I know that actor." Hit me about halfway through his first episode. Ryan Sampson, 18 years after playing a boy genius on Doctor Who.