Hi.
Just to let you all know, next weekend San Francisco will be hosting the World Horror Convention, and on Saturday May 13 there will be a panel devoted to Clark Ashton Smith. Don Herron will be moderating, and the panel members will include Ron Hilger, Dennis Rickard, Stanley Sargent, and myself. I hope to see Nighthalo and Steve and Mike and all of the rest of the Bay Area lurkers in the Darkness there.
Best,
Scott Connors

I have my last final that day :(

On a _Saturday_?!?! How uncivilized! Well, the panel isn't until 4 or 5 in the afternoon, maybe you'll be finished by then. But since the One True Name of God is Murphy, your final is probably scheduled for 1:00 PM. Scheisse!

Yes it is uncivilized! I have it on a Saturday (the day before one of my graduations to boot). The final is from 5PM-8PM and before that my signifigant other has the car until 4PM for work. Evil Murphy!!!

If you want to see Don Herron froth at the mouth, Scott, may I suggest getting a t-shirt that says "Ben Zoom is God" on it. ;)

*Author of Strange Gardens [www.lulu.com]


*Editor of Calenture: a Journal of Studies in Speculative Verse [calenture.fcpages.com]

*Visit my homepage: [voleboy.freewebpages.org]

Hell Phillip, that shirt damn near makes _me_ froth at the mouth! But let's not go down that road, shall we? Best, Scott

Best not, eh?

Too much froth on stage, and people will start slipping over, and spraining things best left unsprained. Good luck with the panel.

*Author of Strange Gardens [www.lulu.com]


*Editor of Calenture: a Journal of Studies in Speculative Verse [calenture.fcpages.com]

*Visit my homepage: [voleboy.freewebpages.org]

How was it Scott?

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

It sounds like it was a truly a rich experience, not only did you educate on behalf of CAS, but you scored some art in the process! :)