Greetings and salutations!

I'm thinking of starting up a mailing list devoted to H. P. Lovecraft and his circle of friends, including, but not limited to CAS.

It'll be through YahooGroups, and will cover not only general discussions, but also announcements of items in print, items forthcoming, and so on, that should prove of interest.

Roughly, how many here would be interested?

Phillip

Yahoo lists 120 groups that mention lovecraft in its name or description. I would think you could find one to your taste.

[groups.yahoo.com]

Boyd,

I've checked the desriptions of all 120, and no, there are none that satisfy my needs.

What I am proposing is a serious group covering those in his circle, not just Lovecraft. This means CAS is an integral part of the group's coverage (and before you ask, I've applied for ZothiqueNights).

It would also serve as a forum where Scott could legitimately mention forthcoming issues and projects, providing they remain on topic, ie. were related to the people covered.

The point of bringing it up here was to discuss it as one more opportunity. Instead of focusing dtraight on one author, say, CAS, it can legitimately focus on such topics as CAS' relationships with others in the circle. Lovecraft is not the topic, he is merely the device that unifies the discussion of the disparate individuals covered.

Of course, Boyd, if I do get it up and running, I'm going to spefically invite you to join, as you are an integral part of CAS fandom, and you would also be free to post updates to your site through it as well, as it would be a legitimate topic.

Thank you for bringing up the points you did, and allowing me this forum to clarify the issue of subject and coverage.

Phillip

Phillip,
I realize that the temptation to reinvent the wheel is sometime irresistable, but there already exists a forum, some quiesient at the moment, which fills your requirements, ie Yahoo Group's Zothique Nights. While a lot of the action that used to take place there has moved here, due in no small part to Yahoo's irritating popup ads, all of the topics which you mention have come up for conversation at one time or another. Starting a new group from scratch when a perfectly good one is available reminds me of Hitler's penchant for forming new divisions with grandiose names like "Nibelungen" and "Feldherrnhalle," while veteran divisions that had proven themselves--and had the casualties to prove it--were allowed to wither and die.
Best,
Scott

Hej Scott!

As I understand it, though, Zothique Nights is dedicated primarily yo CAs, and not to HPL's entire cirle of correspondence. So if I was, say, to post a piece on Elizabeth Toldridge in Zothique Nights, it would be irrelevant, compared to a post in a group on the correspondents in general.

Likewise, discussing Derleth and Wandrei alone would be irrelevant in ZN, but not in the one I have proposed.

I'm not sure I see the point of your analogy, though.

Phillip

Phillip,
ZN has a loose enough mission statement that it should cover whatever anyone might wish to discuss. I quote: "A list devoted to the works of Clark Ashton Smith - his poetry, prose-poems, fantasy, science-fiction and art, as well as discussion of related matters, such as fellow Weird Tales authors (Lovecraft, Howard, Wandrei, etc) their influence on modern writers, and any other aspects of the 'weird' in contemporary art." Discussions of Derleth and Wandrei, or Arlton Eadie and Allison V. Harding for that matter,would be on topic. As for Miss Tolridge: few people are even familiar with her poetry (some was printed in Barlow's LEAVES and DRAGON-FLY), but I would hardly expect you to be cast into the Outer Darkness for broaching the subject.
Best,
Scott

As Scott Connors sayeth:

Quote:

"related matters, such as fellow Weird Tales authors (Lovecraft, Howard, Wandrei, etc) their influence on modern writers, and any other aspects of the 'weird'"

.
Ms Toldridge, related correspondents, and HPL's amateur colleagues would, as I read and understnd your words, still fall without the focus of the group. I understand, though, that some will: Loveman is the chief exception that comes to me.

Even returning to Ms Toldridge, I doubt if anyone would consider a post on, say, her rhetoric as a possible topic within ZN. A comparison, though, say of hers and CAS' use of possessive determiners within their respective poetries would, however, be more germane.

This is how I see it; I may not be cast into the Outer Darkness, but I would get a few people wondering what the hell I've been smoking.

Just go for it. It's free, so you have nothing to lose and should no-one take any interest then you can just leave it.

Well, regardless, I will sign up if it materializes.
Best,
Scott