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Post by johnnymains on Dec 18, 2020 16:01:48 GMT
I had a blast reading "The Dungeon." I'm hoping Mr. Mains won't mind if I say that the parts by his co-author were my favorites. He'd better watch himself... The illustration is a perfect fit for the story. she puts my work to shame.
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Post by helrunar on Dec 18, 2020 16:44:46 GMT
Holy Hell Johnny Mains, this is INCREDIBLE. As I read I found myself reflecting about halfway through that perhaps it was a fortunate thing that old Siggie Freud is dead because if some unkind person were to send him this tale for critique, he would surely have a full fledged nervous breakdown and need to go into analysis with Jung. Daughter Anna might have some pointed comments to make. (I think sometime around nineteen ninety-something, people stopped having "nervous breakdowns" and became some variety of "reality challenged.)
And! Not only does your daughter have an unspeakably vivid imagination, but two other Vault authors of eminent repute make cameo appearances!
It's all so meta and so perfect as a comment upon this insane year.
BRILLIANT, BEAUTIFUL drawing from Chrissie!
cheers, Helrunar
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Post by helrunar on Dec 18, 2020 19:04:19 GMT
I meant to say, Johnny, that I'm very sorry you had to give up your library of fabulous paperbacks back when you were ill. I lost quite a few books over the years due to various things. I appreciate all the scans posted here because they do remind me of happy times with books I loved.
cheers, Helrunar
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Post by Shrink Proof on Dec 18, 2020 19:19:55 GMT
Holy Hell Johnny Mains, this is INCREDIBLE. As I read I found myself reflecting about halfway through that perhaps it was a fortunate thing that old Siggie Freud is dead because if some unkind person were to send him this tale for critique, he would surely have a full fledged nervous breakdown and need to go into analysis with Jung. Daughter Anna might have some pointed comments to make. (I think sometime around nineteen ninety-something, people stopped having "nervous breakdowns" and became some variety of "reality challenged".) And! Not only does your daughter have an unspeakably vivid imagination, but two other Vault authors of eminent repute make cameo appearances! It's all so meta and so perfect as a comment upon this insane year. BRILLIANT, BEAUTIFUL drawing from Chrissie! cheers, Helrunar A Psychiatrist writes:- As you rightly point out, Dr Freud is dead, or, as we say in these more enlightened times, he is now a daisy support scheme. That being the case, the psychiatric evaluation of Mr Mains would of necessity be conducted along 21st century lines. And I fear that any present-day psychiatrist worth their salt would be driven to conclude that Mr Mains is undoubtedly suffering from Scriptophrenia, a mental disorder in which the patient is compelled to produce writing of the most disturbed and disturbing nature. Full insight into this disorder is maintained by the patient, indeed many sufferers feel driven to produce material of ever greater abhorrence, with pronounced feelings of failure should they be unable to do so. This in turn they attempt to manage by self-medicating with prescribed and illicit drugs and/or alcohol. There is some evidence for a genetic component in this disorder in that first-degree relatives have been noted to display similar symptoms; this certainly seems to be a feature in the case of Mr Mains. To date, no treatment has been found to be effective and management of such patients is on a palliative basis only. However, patients with this rare condition are able to find their ecological niche, psychiatrically speaking, by using their compulsion as the basis for a successful career in speculative fiction, and this is to be encouraged and indeed applauded, as it brings pleasure and enjoyment to a great many people.
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Post by helrunar on Dec 19, 2020 2:31:46 GMT
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Post by dem bones on Dec 19, 2020 10:40:46 GMT
Chrissie Demant Day SixMany thanks to another Advent Calendar ever-presents, David A. Riley, for this particularly nasty 12-pager exposing diabolical cult activity (and multiple phantom hitchhikers?) on the outskirts of legend-haunted Edgebottom. This story was first published in the Johnny Mains edited Screaming Book of Horror (2012)
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Post by andydecker on Dec 19, 2020 10:42:36 GMT
Brilliant story, Marnie. (Your dad is also not bad.) Give my regards to Button.
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Post by ripper on Dec 19, 2020 10:43:48 GMT
Congratulations to Marnie and Johnny for a terrific tale that I enjoyed immensely! Also another wonderful illustration from Chrissie.
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Post by andydecker on Dec 19, 2020 11:55:35 GMT
Another winner from David. Another wonderful illustration from Chrissie.
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Post by Shrink Proof on Dec 19, 2020 19:19:55 GMT
Great stuff! Fine picture too...
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Post by Swampirella on Dec 19, 2020 20:00:25 GMT
Chrissie Demant Day SixMany thanks to another Advent Calendar ever-presents, David A. Riley, for this particularly nasty 12-pager exposing diabolical cult activity (and multiple phantom hitchhikers?) on the outskirts of legend-haunted Edgebottom. This story was first published in the Johnny Mains edited Screaming Book of Horror (2012) A wonderfully ominous illustration to go along with a dark and menacing story. Thank you, David and Chrissie!
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Post by johnnymains on Dec 19, 2020 20:45:24 GMT
Chrissie Demant Day SixMany thanks to another Advent Calendar ever-presents, David A. Riley, for this particularly nasty 12-pager exposing diabolical cult activity (and multiple phantom hitchhikers?) on the outskirts of legend-haunted Edgebottom. This story was first published in the Johnny Mains edited Screaming Book of Horror (2012) So good to read this story again. Bloody love it.
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Post by cauldronbrewer on Dec 19, 2020 23:29:48 GMT
"Right on." Mr. Riley's story hooked me before the end of the first paragraph with all the talk of witchcraft, cults, and devil-worship. The tale has a great setting (the evocatively named "Grudge End"), a rich sense of history, and an escalating sense of dread.
Also, another beautiful illustration!
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Post by helrunar on Dec 20, 2020 1:19:11 GMT
Now THAT'S what I call a creepy, flesh-crawlingly chilling tale. Excellent work!
And I love Chrissie's drawing! Evocative of one of my all time favorite films, City of the Dead aka Horror Hotel. A specific feature of the story sparked that memory as well.
cheers, Hel
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Post by helrunar on Dec 20, 2020 1:20:40 GMT
Phrase to look up/investigate: "like factory figures from an unusually depressing Lowry."
H.
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