There's no guard to kiss or kill—Death's frontiers are free

[sovay]

Today I am part of a podcast. Please enjoy the latest episode of The Outer Dark, "The State of the Weird 2018, A Roundtable Discussion featuring David Davis, Helen Marshall, Stephen Graham Jones, and Sonya Taaffe."

It was complicated. Originally I was supposed to be part of the roundtable proper, but there was technical snafu and my long-distance participation did not work out. That was upsetting. Fortunately, Scott Nicolay, host of The Outer Dark and moderator of the roundtable, was sufficiently upset to reach out to me about a kind of addendum conversation which we managed this week despite the technical issues escalating to fubar, which is why I still get to be on this incredibly cool poster designed by Yves Tourigny. I appear to be cheerfully grave-robbing the last expedition foolhardy enough to set off this way into the Weird. I am delighted. Anyway, have a listen! It was a lot of fun. I say things about poetry. Other people say things about other forms of the weird as a mode or mood or genre. I wish I'd had the time to talk more about opera, because it's not just Offenbach and Menotti and Peter Maxwell Davies. The world is always changing shape.

Comments

[cyphomandra]

I’m so glad to hear you were able to participate! And the poster is fabulous.

[sovay]

I’m so glad to hear you were able to participate! And the poster is fabulous.

Thank you! It was simultaneously reassuring and maddening to have it proven that the technical issues were not with my setup—it meant it wasn't my fault, but it also meant I couldn't do anything to fix it. I am really happy we made it work. Scott went above and beyond to make sure it would.

[thisbluespirit]

Oh, I am glad to know that they worked out a way for you to join in after all! And, aww, that is a wonderful poster!


(In random other things, this crossed my dash today and I thought you'd enjoy seeing it too: http://forthegothicheroine.tumblr.com/post/170914165871/charlesdances-peter-cushing-relaxing-off-set-and )

[sovay]

Oh, I am glad to know that they worked out a way for you to join in after all! And, aww, that is a wonderful poster!

Thank you! Now I am trying not to be desperately anxious about the fact that I think I show up much less well in open-ended one-on-one conversation than I do on panels where I have some idea of the parameters. Oh, well.

(I really do like the poster. There may be print versions available, in which case I am totally, egotistically putting one on my wall.)

In random other things, this crossed my dash today and I thought you'd enjoy seeing it too

That is lovely and yes.

[ashlyme]

Ooh, I'll play this later tonight! Thank you.

[ashlyme]

...and wow, that poster.

[ashlyme]

Peter Cushing blowing bubbles isn't something I expected to see today, but it's really cheered me up! Thank you. <3

[thisbluespirit]

I think it's a dandelion clock? BUt it's lovely either way. I had to share.

[thisbluespirit]

Aw, well, being able to listen to yourself is a terrible double-edged sword!

(I really do like the poster. There may be print versions available, in which case I am totally, egotistically putting one on my wall.)

It's not egotistical; if I was on a poster like that I think I'd want it on my wall too. It's brilliant.

That is lovely and yes.

:-D

[choco_frosh]

I do not know if I will get around to listening to that, but that is an AWESOME album cover picture.

[gwynnega]

I'm so glad you were able to participate! That poster is amazing. I look forward to listening later.

[nineweaving]

Fabulous. I hope you've hung that poster in your study.

Nine

[sovay]

Ooh, I'll play this later tonight! Thank you.

Enjoy! Tiny Wittgenstein keeps getting in the way of everything else I write!

[sovay]

I do not know if I will get around to listening to that, but that is an AWESOME album cover picture.

I would definitely listen to the album it came from.

[sovay]

I'm so glad you were able to participate! That poster is amazing. I look forward to listening later.

Thank you. Enjoy!

[sovay]

Fabulous. I hope you've hung that poster in your study.

Thank you. As soon as I have a print of it, I will.

[sovay]

...and wow, that poster.

I don't think I have ever been fictionally represented for marketing purposes. This is a pretty sweet way to start.

[choco_frosh]

I am now imagining Lovecraft/Arctic-themed deathmetal.

[kenjari]

Lovecraft-themed death metal and black metal does exist. The most obvious is a band called Yog-Sothoth, but there's also Morbid Angel. A whole bunch of other bands have also done Lovecraft-themes songs or albums. I have not listened to any of this, though (although I do enjoy some black metal), so I can't vouch for any of it.

[moon_custafer]

I think I show up much less well in open-ended one-on-one conversation than I do on panels where I have some idea of the parameters.

FWIW I think the interviewer spent way too long getting to the actual questions.

[sovay]

FWIW I think the interviewer spent way too long getting to the actual questions.

Because I am having a lot of trouble not reading everything through a filter of devouring self-hatred: does this mean that I don't show up well, but it's not my fault, or I sound all right, but there's not a lot of focus to the discussion?

[moon_custafer]

You sound all right, and he annoyed me a little.

[asakiyume]

I don't know the other participants, so I can't speak to overall representation, but the woman standing in the boad above the skeleton looks a little like you, which makes me think that the poster portrays you all.

[sovay]

I don't know the other participants, so I can't speak to overall representation, but the woman standing in the boad above the skeleton looks a little like you, which makes me think that the poster portrays you all.

It is definitely all of us. I don't know David Davis or Helen Marshall by sight, but I was on programming with Stephen Graham Jones at NecronomiCon and he looks very like himself here. I love both the conceit and the design.

[asakiyume]

That is *excellent*. It's a gorgeous poster. (Also, I'm sure you figured this out, but I meant "boat" not "boad"

[swan_tower]

That is an utterly fabulous poster!

[sovay]

That is an utterly fabulous poster!

Thank you!