Kanishka

Dreams in the Witch House is not considered Lovecraft's best (including the racist characterizations), but to my lucid-dreamy self it is an interesting description of (somewhat) relatable experiences.

I was originally enticed by the early scenes, but as the plot progressed, I realized that it was going to turn into another "save a loved one from the netherworld while the witch hunts you" story.
(That said, I did enjoy the bit where Brown Jenkin is let loose into the world)

Gone are the non-Euclidian dimensions, the gradual unraveling of the dreams and the witch house itself. Most of all, gone are the realms of the unfamiliar, the perspectives brought forth by Gilman's slow recognition of the unfolding other world.

Very late to this, I just watched Guillermo Del Toro's adaptation of Dreams in the Witch House. I loved Rupert Grint but hated the version they've put forth as a whole. It's one of my favorite stories by Lovecraft, along with Erich Zann, ATMM, Hypnos etc. GDT sorta botched the whole thing.

Coffee Grinder Love was exquisite! A bad cup of chai over a bad cup of coffee anyday xD

It's one of my favorite pieces of modern horror/fantasy fiction. Leaves a taste in the mouth that doesn't go away for quite a bit.

Begumpura by Sant (saint) Ravidas The regal realm with the borrowers name: they call it Begumpura, a place with no pain, No taxes or cares, none owns property there, no wrongdoing, worry, terror or torture. Oh my brother, I've come to take it as my own, my distant home where everything is right. That imperial kingdom is rich and secure, where none are third or second - all are one; They do this or that, they walk where they wish, they stroll through fabled palaces unchallenged. Oh, says Ravidas, a tanner set free, Those who walk beside me are my friends.

It's Dalit History Month and to start off, here's a poem about Begumpura, translated from Sant Ravidas's poem originally in gurmukhi script.

(Unsure if this is the exact translation, it's the more popular one that I know of at least)

And you wonder why your travels do you no good, when you carry yourself with you.

One elbow injury into a week of sickness to a week of deliberation and pulling myself back up, here we are with a totally unforeseen shoulder injury again.

This year just keeps on giving...

Similarly, Dr. Ambedkar Chair professorships, grants, scholarship positions should be for DBA folx. Columbia Law School famously has a visiting faculty position under his name and I have not heard of a single DBA professor having being awarded the position. (I'd love to know if someone has though)

unpopular opinion: it's weird for an award named after Octavia E. Butler to not be specifically for Black women.

New interconnected (vampire?) stories by @mimimondal.bsky.social!! I can't wait to read 😁

A photo of 5 copies of Charlene Elsby's The Organization is Here to Support You.

Happy pub day to Charlene Elsby and the absolute monster that is The Organization is Here to Support You.
This bureaucratic horror satire novella will scratch the itch if you're into Kafka, Ballard, Murata, and/or stuff like Severance. Upsetting and brilliant shit.
Grab one www.weirdpunkbooks.com

Oh well, it was the ides of march after all. No wonder I was sick.

Controversial Firebrand Politician Gaius Julius Caesar Dead After Senator-Involved Stabbing

Illness (hopefully) has taken it's course. It's the weakest I've become in the past 3 years. Barely able to eat, consequently barely able to move. I hope to become well enough in the next few days to get back to life as usual. I miss being mobile and working out.

I don't like what I've written, perhaps I've read it too many times, perhaps it is inherently trash. I really liked it when I was done with it, then with edits and first reads it ended up becoming boring to read.

I’m struck by how close we’re getting to finally curing some of the world’s worst diseases—sickle cell, Alzheimers, pancreatic cancer, etc.—at the same time that the world’s worst people are destroying medical research and care around the world.

If you see this, quote it with what you're reading this weekend!

I'm reading Laird Barron's 'Procession of the Black Sloth', Beckett's 'Imagination Dead Imagine' and @premeemohamed.com 's 'Four Hours of a Revolution'.

Reciting this was a pleasure. I gleaned much from it that I had missed earlier, as is always the case with re-reads. It contains frighteningly beautiful metaphors for existence.

Happy birthday Mr. Barron. Hope I get to read more of your works in the years to come.

"They prayed because to slight Shiva in their supplication was to risk his not inconsiderable fury.

Yet, the priests knew if Shiva opened his eye and gazed upon the world it would be destroyed."

It is @lairdbarron.bsky.social 's birthday today, as I got to know from my feed. It is also the day that my first cosmic horror story received a hold notice, it's the first ever personal response I've received. To celebrate both occasions, I shall recite to people around me 'Shiva, Open Your Eye'.

ART SALE! Not going to lie, I don’t make much $$$ doing this whole author-artist gig. I love it, and I’m very lucky to have a supportive spouse who can cover our bills. I try to keep my author expenses separate from our household ones. However things are getting tighter and tighter for me, with looming due dates, so I have decided to put all my artwork up for sale. The art itself is in my stories and pinned to my profile. Most art is between $20 and $30 shipped worldwide. Framed artwork has free US shipping and $10 worldwide shipping. Please comment or dm me from the story if you are interested in a piece of art.

I've added all the paintings to my ko-fi shop which you can find here: ko-fi.com/vesperdoom/s...

Shares help so much, and I appreciate each and every one of you. (this is so hard to do)

Interview with R.T. Samuel: On The Fundamentally Anti-Caste Nature of Science Fiction - Dark 'n' Light Anjali Alappat sits down with R.T. Samuel, the editor of The Blaft Book of Anti-Caste SF, to discuss science fiction in India, looking beyond language barriers, reframing what speculative fiction is, ...

Check it out! New from @anjalialappat.bsky.social @darknlightzine.bsky.social

darknlight.com/projects/int...

I have started to dislike watching shows. Watching something is synonymous for me with eating food for most OTT content consumption takes place at lunch/dinner. However, I cannot stop watching Severance. It's devastating, visceral, emotionally breaking, but SO immersive.

The Blaft Book of Anti-Caste SF New! Click here for the eBook  To order in the USA: Powell's Books An anthology of weird, fantastic, supernatural, Dalit futurist, & magical realist fiction by writers from South Asia and the dias...

A witch doctor tries to tame an invisible spirit.

A murder victim speaks from beyond the grave through a haunted melon.

Three zombie-slayer women drive a gold Ambassador w/ lethal mods à la Fury Road through post-apocalyptic Chennai.

All this & more in ANTI-CASTE SF

www.blaft.com/collections/...

I have also discovered that there is a movie, I shall be watching it for sure.

I forgot to mention, I found it interesting that none of the characters are fully described. I know the basic features of Constance, but barely any of Merricat and Charles. It makes for a very theatre of the mind experience. I love it.

I also like that there was no particular flashback into the past like "oh look at what dad did so I'll kill him". It's a very present piece of writing, similar to how experiences link us to the past. Not episodic thoughts but more a mix of the present with sensations and feelings from the past.

I think this is what I like about Shirley Jackson, she's somehow able to make disruption familiar and real, yet frame it from a character's perspective. Makes me feel kinda like an empath.