Special thanks to The Miskatonic Inquisitor for their glowing review of Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom!
You will find it HERE.
-DLM
Bruce Brown
All posts tagged Bruce Brown
Great news in our inbox this morning! David Barnett of the Guardian UK gives Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom a glowing review! And we’ve been alerted that there may be a Howard Lovecraft sighting in The Independent this weekend, so we’ll certainly keep our eyes peeled.
In the meantime, please be sure to pre-order your copies and thanks again for your support!
Rebecca
Special thanks to actor and MC extraordinaire Bruce Hopkins for the wonderful radio interview on his RadioLive show!
You would probably know Bruce best for his role as Gamling in The Lord of the Rings films. As a complete Tolkien nerd, I must confess that the most difficult part of the interview was restraining myself from geeking out because I was speaking with a valiant Man of Rohan! (Don’t judge me.)
Bruce, I’m pleased for the opportunity to speak with one of Rebecca’s dear friends, and it was a pleasure chatting with you. I truly appreciate it. Cheers!
Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom
The advance reviews have been flying in, and they have been fabulous. In case you missed them, I have posted a few select links below:
Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom will be released in March, but if you simply cannot wait to get your tentacles on it–or you prefer digital comics–it is also available for download at ComiXology.
It’s not too late to pre-order your copies from your local comic, book, and online dealers. Bruce Brown and I would love to make a third book, but, as with all indie comics, we are completely dependent upon you: the dear reader. So please pre-order your copies today and recommend the book to friends, family, and enemies (hey, why not?) so we can continue to chronicle the weird adventures of Howard and Spot. Oh, and Beastie, too.
-D
Firstly, a big thank you to my lovely wife Rebecca for posting in my absence. She is such an amazing woman! I am truly blessed to have her. I hope you’ve enjoyed her warm and personal perspective.
Secondly, I am happy and proud (and a bit relieved) to announce that I have finished writing my first YA novel, and, to be quite honest, I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever written! I cannot wait to share it with you.
So… the manuscript has been sent to my agent, and I am seated at my desk in the dungeon finally writing an update for my blog and beginning to put my thoughts onto paper for the second book. I have the story plotted in my head, so it’s just a matter of typing it out. That’s an “epic win,” as my 15-year-old son would say.
All I can say about the novel thus far is that it is primarily a work of dark fantasy. And if you are not necessarily a fan of dark fiction, fear not, I can assure you that you will still find something to like about the book.
I’ve learned quite a bit during the undertaking, and I will be sharing my thoughts about the entire process in future blog posts. I think you’ll find them quite interesting, informative–and perhaps even mildly entertaining.
As you know by now, I’ll pull no punches.
Pre-Order Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom NOW
Thirdly, I am happy to announce that Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom is now available for pre-order in the US and the UK! I co-wrote this book with my good friend Bruce Brown, and I think you will agree that I have brought my considerable knowledge of all-things-Lovecraft to bear. This exciting second volume greatly expands young Howard’s world, building upon what Bruce has established in the first book.
This second installment in the Howard Lovecraft series also includes a foreword by personal friend and author of the New York Times Bestselling Immortal Nicholas Flamel series: Michael Scott! How cool is that?!
Amazon seems to have jumbled the synopsis, so here is the cover by superstar artist Erik Fokkens and the correct text as it was given to our publisher:
Howard Lovecraft is back in a new tentacled tale of terror! At last, the sequel to the critically-acclaimed Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom which the Chicago Tribune called a “sumptuously illustrated, cleverly written and deeply haunting novel.” Join Howard as he travels to the planet Yuggoth, where he must face an all-powerful god and an army of monsters to rescue his family and Spot before he becomes a mindless Fishman. All he has to do is surrender his dad’s Book… which would result in the destruction of all mankind.
End Notes
That’s all that I can share at the moment, but I will be sharing my “Novel Concept” blog posts after the holiday. And, speaking of the holiday, be sure to tell your loved ones just how thankful you are to have them in your life. You are not guaranteed tomorrow.
Warm Regards,
Dwight
Happy Friday, my dear friends! I hope you have a productive, safe, and sane work day.
This concludes one of the most insane writing weeks I’ve had in quite some time, so this will be a short note. The good news: the week flew by.
Totally unrelated, but has ANYONE actually been able to complete the e-mail submission process on J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore site?! My… uh… my sons were wondering.
Moving right along, I wanted to share another fabulous Howard Lovecraft teaser with you, so here goes…
Art by Thomas Boatwright
TOMORROW: Rebecca will post a short entry that you DO NOT WANT TO MISS, so please be sure to check back after 9AM EST. And, as always, thank you for reading, and feel free to comment and share this exciting teaser!
Cheers,
D
As many of you know, the sequel to the critically-acclaimed Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom, written by yours truly and fellow scribe and best friend Bruce Brown, is well into production.
Well, I’m delighted to say that the rendering stage is nearing completion. Only one chapter of sequentials remains to be illustrated, and then the book will be lettered. After that, it’s off to the publisher for solicitation and printing.
In short, we anticipate wrapping up production on Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom by the middle of June!
After the completed files are sent to the publisher, I will ask a large favor of YOU.
But I mustn’t get ahead of myself.
Show Me The Art
As you may have guessed, this book reunites the creative team behind the Harvey and Eagle Award nominated The Surreal Adventures of Edgar Allan Poo Book 1. Yes, indeed. Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom is illustrated by none other than the sensational Thomas Boatwright!
Back to Work
I apologize for the short blog update, but I have a looming deadline. Words must be transformed, and snipped, and replaced. And still others must be completely obliterated.
But fear not, I have my wand at the ready and I am more than prepared for the challenge.
So thank you for reading, and please feel free to share!
Sounds like the subject line of a spam e-mail, but I’m going with it. And I promise to say nothing of Viagra (get your free sample here).
Anyway, as a special “thank you for reading” gift, I have decided to make a PDF copy of my horror anthology Dwight L. MacPherson’s Basement of Horror available to YOU, dear reader, absolutely free. But only for seven days.
If you do not download the book within that time… You. Will. Die.
Well, not really, but the link will cease to exist. So, in a sense, the link will die, right? (Work with me.)
Warning: This book contains disturbing imagery. Recommended for adult viewers.
You have been warned!
DOWNLOAD BASEMENT OF HORROR HERE!
America: Land of the Free, Home of the… Illiterate?
I read a disturbing bit of information on the Mental_floss blog today. Check this out:
• One-third of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
• 42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.
• 80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.
• 70 percent of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
• 57 percent of new books are not read to completion.
I don’t know about you, but I find these numbers staggering. Looking at them makes me irritable and downright furious.
It would be easy for parents to blame educators, our culture, or the entertainment industry. But the real blame lies directly–and wholly–upon us: the parents.
Listen up, parents! The chances of your children becoming habitual readers is greatly increased if introduced (yes, you reading to them) in infancy, rewarded in youth, and strongly encouraged throughout early adulthood. So get off the internet, put down the video game controls, step away from your 3-D TVs and your busy little lives and pay attention! You are failing your children.
But you have the power. Make reading a priority in your home. And let them see you reading, too! Set the example. Limit video game, television and internet time (for them AND you). Create a “Reading Time” in your home where reading–and only reading–is the acceptable activity. Make it rewarding for younger readers (i.e. read a book and get a new one, an ice cream cone per book, etc). There’s nothing wrong with a little positive reinforcement–unless it’s your 15-year-old who expects an ice cream cone in exchange for reading a book. (My 15-year-old just read this and said “Dad, I don’t expect an ice cream cone!” I responded “Exactly.”)
Oh, and if your children are already teens, that’s no reason not to try. Buy your son or daughter a new book for their birthday or Christmas. Meet up regularly at a bookstore or library. Try. You may be surprised with the results.
CUT!
As you can see, I could post a long diatribe on this subject (I may already have). Literacy is a topic that I feel extremely passionate about. And I’m even more passionate about a parent’s (oftentimes neglected) role in literacy.
Deep breaths…
Signing Off
I need to get back to work, so I’ll say so long for now. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy Basement of Horror!
It’s Coming…
I am proud to announce the sequel to the critically-acclaimed Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom is well into production! And, whereas I served as the copy editor on the first book, I have co-written this installment with Bruce Brown.
Cover art by Thomas Boatwright
Have You Read the First Book?
While it is not imperative that you read Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom before diving into the sequel, I strongly recommend doing so. Our publisher has notified us that the initial print run is almost sold-out, but you may yet purchase a copy at an online retailer. Your local bookshops (Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, etc.) can also order copies–but make haste, as they are very nearly gone!
Sneak Peek
Without further adieu…
Sneak Peek from Howard Lovecraft & the Undersea Kingdom
Brilliant–right?
We do not have a release date as of yet, but I will let you know as soon as we are notified by our publisher.
Work, Work, Work
Please feel free to share the sneak peek and spread the word about the sequel. In fact, I’d greatly appreciate it if you did. We have a small publisher, so we will not get the PR love the “Big Boys” offer their clientele.
Well… I am up to my tentacles in writing, research, worldbuilding and editing work, so I’ll get back to it. Thank you for reading!
I would like to take a few moments out of a busy writing day to ask you–yes, YOU– for a very special favor.
Last year, my good friend and co-writer Bruce Brown and I teamed with artist Renzo Podesta to create a very special graphic novel titled Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom.
Cover Art by Thomas Boatwright
I say this is a “very special graphic novel” because it was my sons’ first venture into the weird world of Lovecraft. And, over the course of the year, I have learned that it was also the first taste of Lovecraft for many, many little Shoggoths and Deep Ones around the world.
When Bruce and I set out to create a book that would introduce young readers to Lovecraft’s work, I must admit that I was a bit intimidated. As a lifelong (almost) fan, I felt that we were treading on (un)holy ground. What resulted, however, was a true effort of love that Bruce and I can say that we are extremely proud of.
(And wait till you read the sequel!)
The graphic novel has received quite a bit of critical praise, but the feedback we’ve received from readers and educators has been the most rewarding.
Yes, unlike some of those other guys, we CARE VERY MUCH about hearing from our wonderful readers and will always take the time to respond to YOU because, unlike the other guys (you know who I’m talking about), we made this graphic novel out of our love for the medium and for Lovecraft and his work. This isn’t “just another paying gig” for us. Our only reward is a few kind words–and perhaps a recommendation–from our readership.
So… to cut to the chase, I am asking you to NOMINATE Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom for an Eagle Award, and consider voting for Bruce in the best writer category, Renzo for best artist, and yours truly as best editor. Bruce and I would truly appreciate your votes, and you could proudly proclaim “I SUPPORT INDIE COMICS!” and “I LOVE HOWARD LOVECRAFT AND DON’T WANT A SHOGGOTH TO DIE!”
Full Steam Ahead!
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening, Lords and Ladies, and thank you for joining us for another page of SIDEWISE commentary! If you have not already read the newly-posted SIDEWISE Page 27, please do so now.
We’ll hold the dirigible until you return.
Page 27 Commentary
Sometimes there is no choice but to trust. Especially when hope is fading and the immensity of a situation begins to sink in. Adam is in such a situation. Despite what he has learned about Nikola Tesla–which will remain a mystery for now–Adam appears to have an insoluble problem. Even with the assistance of one of the greatest scientific minds the world has ever seen, can he actually repair the device in 1902 London?
And what has Wells and Hopping–well–hopping?
We shall see.
Nikola Tesla – El Mago Olvidado (The Forgotten Magician)
Check out this wonderful Tesla mini-documentary sent to me by my friend Juan Felipe Salcedo.
I’m always on the lookout for cool Tesla videos and pictures, so please feel free to post cool links on my blog.
MacPherson Media News
I can’t share much… yet, but here are a few (of the many) things I’m currently working on:
I Believe It’s Time For Me To Fly
Sorry for the REO Speedwagon reference, but I’m old.
*AHEM*
Thank you for reading! See you next week with a brand new commentary post.
