When I first began searching for publications to submit my Twilight Zone-type stories to, many editors cited the style of H.P. Lovecraft as a guide. I'd never heard him. Since at that time I was interested only in the work of "serious" writers, I did not hunt down any of Lovecraft's work. Recently, among the many donations I've received, there was a 1967 Lancer paperback - The Colour Out of Space, a seven-story collection of that master of the macabre. It's print is tiny, unlike the reader-friendly settings of today. It is falling apart, which is almost appropriate, as most of the tales feature much decrepitude. The title piece, the first, the story of the effects of of a meteorite on a farm, is phenomenal. I was not as enthusiastic about the others. All but one approach novella length. All but one is in the first person, the narrator recounting events that have already occurred. They lacked the immediacy of unfolding events and had a non-fiction, reportorial feel. Of course, these are only a handful of Lovecraft's canon, so it wouldn't be fair to draw a conclusion about his overall worth. He has influenced many artists: Clive Barker, Stephen King, John Carpenter, Black Sabbath, Metallica. Although he also wrote many poems and pieces on science and philosophy, it is his horror that endures. His vocabulary is vast. He died in 1937 at 47, so his style, use of language, may be odd to the modern ear. It is the opposite of minimalism, highly descriptive. (Facts culled at Wiki)
Yesterday, at the checkout counter at CVS, I asked the girl at the register the price of a flu shot. I was shocked that they were currently free due to an epidemic in our area. I immediately took advantage, as the shot had cost me $75 two years ago at the doctor's office. So if the bug isn't already in my system, I should be fine. It takes two weeks to kick in. I can't believe how lucky I've been lately, and it continued on the street today. I had to help my sister and nieces with some chores in the AM, and finished far sooner than I'd expected, so I had time to open the floating book shop. I didn't expect much business, given the holiday and the cold, but I immediately sold a large print novel by Barbara Taylor Bradford to a guy looking for something for his elderly mom. Later, a young woman noticed a hard cover edition of Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy. I couldn't help but notice her nose ring, which compelled me suggested Charles Bukowski's beat novel, Post Office, which she hadn't spotted. She was thrilled. I also had the chance to exchange season's greetings with several of my regular customers, well-wishiers and donors. And now it's back to my sister's for the traditional Christmas Eve seafood fest. Isabel, my oldest niece, says she bought a lot. Can't wait to dig in. Merry Christmas.
Visit Vic's sites:
Vic's Third Novel (Print or Kindle): http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
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