When the troubles of the world overwhelm, read some Dumas — and the troubles of the past are there to distract you! All the terrible things that happened in the past are there to amuse and/or horrify you as entertainment. Perspective, I guess? I recently learned that Etteilla turns up as a character in Alexandre…
Tag: gothic
Stars & Screen Virtual Symposium
‘Stars & Screen’ Cinema & Media History Virtual Symposium | May 16, 2026 Next Saturday! You can find the whole program on line here and you can attend by RSVPing on the page. Here’s my subject (though I’ve only got 15 minutes so it may be a little bare bones): Haunted: Where Gothic Bleeds into…
Reading into the New Year
I’ve been doing a lot of reading since I got here before Xmas and I wanted to try to keep track of as much as I can. A few books were waiting for me: some because shipping to the US was too much especially for contributor’s copies (why punish the publishers?). So very happily reading…
Recent Reads
ZOFLOYA, OR THE MOOR (1806) – I am sure this was bookmarked due to something or someone (if not Sam herself) over at Romancing the Gothic; while a poor reproduction, this is the version I read with that Fromentin painting (peak orientalism, yes–which is rather the point). I have been dipping into unusual gothics of…
Gothic: Black Magic by Marjorie Bowen
BLACK MAGIC (1909) Marjorie Bowen ‘I do not sin,’ he smiled. ‘I am Sin.’ I started this over at Internet Archive after seeing that Penguin would be republishing it as part of their ‘Weird Girls’ [yes, girls] series with funky faux psychedelic covers. At first I thought they looked kind of fun but the more…
Glasgow 2024 AKA WorldCon
My schedule includes two academic presentations because I bent the rules slightly to talk about Strange & Norrell (not just an excuse to show Charles Vess’ glorious illustrations!) and a bit about Scots literary history as there is a special track for that. My topics: SCOTLAND’S FIRST FLIGHT: 1507 In 1507 alchemist John Damian flew…
Romancing the Gothic!
It’s that Kit Marlowe AKA me appearing live and online at Romancing the Gothic on February 2nd! Dig that cool retro vintage-style cover by Stephanie Johnson! Who also did the portrait of the author. Is there no end to her talents? I hope not! We have many plans for the future. Buy the novel direct…
What I’ve Been Reading
Because I have to wait on some things — always irksome — I will quickly (very quickly) mention a few things I’ve been reading so you will not think I am simply lazing around (although some of the books are meant to be exactly that). Also doubtless I will leave out all the research-oriented things…
Surreal Noir: 9 Nov 2022
Tonight at 2100 UK/1600 NY it’s another episode of SURREAL NOIR! Drop over to the NoBounds Radio mix cloud page to listen live. This month you get a sneak peek at my MAPACA presentation on IVY starring Joan Fontaine, based on the novel by Marie Belloc Lowndes. Noirvember gets Gothic! Also music from Finnish mystic…
Carmilla (2019)
I feel perpetually late to the party on just about everything these days; mirroring real life I suppose as I am always late to any party (because who wants to be first? Unless it’s a good friend and then I get there early to make sure I can talk to them before the party starts…