Re: CAS Panel at World Horror Con San Francisco May 13, 2006
Posted by:
Scott Connors (IP Logged)
Date: 14 May, 2006 01:42PM
It went pretty well. Don Herron moderated, introducing Smith to the audience by reading Lovecraft's first letter to CAS: the _actual_ letter itself, not a copy!!! (Don is a great believer in the value of totemic objects....) He then passed the mike to me, so I discussed a little about how CAS had a considerable literary reputation during his lifetime, and how up until his death had probably received more press than HPL or REH combined. I went into some of his themes and what he tried to accomplish. Dick Lupoff then discussed him in view of contemporary pulp writers, pointing out essential similarities and differences, and then Ron Hilger discussed the compromises that writing for the pulps forced Smith to make with his writing. We then answered questions from the audience, which ranged from what future releases are forthcoming, whether Dunsany was an influence, how Ron and I are establishing the texts for the Night Shade series (which looks to see the first volume out in early July, and the bonus book out in June), etc. There were around fifty or so people in the audience, which wasn't bad for the Con.
I was only able to attend Saturday myself. Had to cancel Sunday, alas! One highlight was when I attended a promo event for Chris Golden and Jim Moore's new novella from Earthling, "Bloodstained Oz" (imagine the flying monkeys are vampires), and won the raffle for one of the original pieces of artwork (by Glenn Chadbourne)!
Best,
Scott