What’s on for the 125th Anniversary?
GAMES schedule can be found here. FILMS schedule can be found here.
Walking Tours & Bus Tours can be found here!
Eldritch Ball and Cthulhu Prayer Breakfast tickets NOW available on our passes/tickets page, here.
For the full listing of all additional programming, HERE is the link!
A downloadable spreadsheet of all programming and events is available here: Schedule – Core
IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFO can be found HERE!
Please note: All event and program rooms have limited capacity as set by the Fire Marshal. Even though your pass is needed to get into most events, it does not guarantee you access if safe capacity has been reached. We can not clear rooms between events.
The Schedule of Panels and Talks
This section includes the schedule of talks, panels, author readings, and the like. This schedule is still subject to minor revisions. We will also make available a detailed downloadable .pdf of the full core schedule as well as the schedule of additional programming for NecronomiCon Providence 2015.
Some adjustments may still occur, but this is essentially the final listing of panels including the line-up of panelists.
Jump to Friday
Jump to Saturday
Jump to Sunday
[hr id=”friday”]
FRIDAY
9-10:15am
ARMITAGE SYMPOSIUM – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
(for more information on the symposium, visit the Armitage page)
Human Subjects: Lovecraft and the Disciplines
·“A Lawyer Looks at a ‘Layman’ Gentleman,” Jesús Emmanuel Navarro Stefanón, Círculo de Lovecraft Puebla, Civil Association
·“The Lovecraftian Cosmos: How the Tales of H.P. Lovecraft can be interpreted through the Concepts of Modern Science,” Fred S. Lubnow, Independent Scholar
·”Lovecraft and Folkloric Methodology,” Ken Van Wey, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia
·“Darwin and the Deep Ones: Anthropological and Evolutionary Anxiety in Lovecraft’s ‘The Shadow over Innsmouth’ and Other stories,” Jeffrey Shanks, Southeast Archeological Center, National Park Service
MIXING METAPHORS – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel, 2nd Floor
Lovecraftian fiction is a very specific type of story, with a fairly solidified set of elements. How well can you mix these in with other solidified types of stories? Both mysteries and detective/noir tales have been popularly swirled with Lovecraftian elements. But what about westerns, romances, superheroes, or fantasy? Is there a type of story that clashes with Lovecraftian fiction? Recommend an author or a story that combines Lovecraft with another genre, or a name a mix you’d love to see!
Panelists: Don D’Ammassa, Cody Goodfellow, Stephen Jones, David Nickle, Darrell Schweitzer
Moderator: Peter Rawlik
LOVECRAFT 101 – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
Although many know about Cthulhu, not everyone knows a lot about the man behind the mythos: H.P. Lovecraft. Join us for an overview of the life and work of the gentleman from Providence, where many myths and misconceptions will be dispelled. Learn about his boyhood exploits as a member of a youthful “detective agency,” his lifelong devotion to cats, and many of his accomplishments that we are here to honor this weekend.
Panelists: Paul Di Filippo, Leslie Klinger, Ross Lockhart,Steve Mariconda, Robert Price
Moderator: Peter Cannon
RAMSEY CAMPBELL INTERVIEW – Grand Ballroom, Biltmore 17th Floor
A recent recipient of a WFA Lifetime Achievement Award, Ramsey Campbell will be interviewed by Jason V Brock about his many accomplishments over the years, and his thoughts on the extended fields of weird fiction and horror.
Friday – 10:30-11:45am
ARMITAGE SYMPOSIUM – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
(for more information on the symposium, visit the Armitage page)
Pop Goes the Gent: Lovecraft in Popular Culture
·“Ripples from Carcosa: HP Lovecraft, True Detective, and the Artist-Investigator,” Heather Poirier, Formerly with Louisiana State University; Journal of Clinical Oncology senior editor
·“Lovecraft for the Little Ones: Paranorman, Plushies, and More,” Faye Ringel, U.S. Coast Guard Academy & Jenna Randall, Hebrew College
·“‘The Undying Leaders′: Ultraterrestrial Demonologies, Cthulhoid Conspiracies and the Rise of Lovecraftian Parapolitics,” Justin Woodman, Goldsmiths College, University of London
ART IN LOVECRAFT – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
How is art presented in Lovecraft’s fiction? How did art affect Lovecraft and influence his writing? How does it affect his characters?
Panelists: John Coulthart, Bob Eggleton, Steve Gervais, Robert Knox, Richard Sardinha
Moderator: Jason Eckhardt
ELDRITCH GAMING – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
Lovecraft’s mythology has a long history of adapting well into the world of gaming, be it video games or table tops. How did this start? Is there a type of game that works best at bringing Lovecraft’s world to life? Which games are still surviving, and which ones have lost popularity? If you’ve never played a Lovecraftian game, our panelists will also recommend their favorites, and good places to start!
Panelists: Scott Glancy, Ken Hite, Shane Ivey, Badger McInnes, Sandy Petersen
Moderator: Donovan Loucks
ROOTS OF HORROR IN H. P. LOVECRAFT – Grand Ballroom, Biltmore 17th Floor
Poe was not the only writer who influenced Lovecraft. There were many others who cast their shadows upon the gentleman from Providence and a few who were even his contemporaries. Join us as we talk about Ambrose Bierce, Algernon Blackwood, Arthur Machen, Robert Chambers, and many others.
Panelists: Scott Connors, Leslie Klinger, John Langan, Robert M. Price, Joe Pulver
Moderator: Darrell Schweitzer
AUTHOR READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
Nathan Carson, Scott R. Jones, Vincent O’Neil, Ian Welke
12-1:00pm – LUNCH
Miskatonic University Podcast LIVE – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
Friday – 1-2:15pm
ACADEMIC TALKS – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
1. Monstrous Stories: A History of Monsters
Prof. Touba Ghadessi, Wheaton College
Monsters have occupied a prominent place in the collective imaginary for centuries. Yet, as individuals have often attempted to claim the uniqueness of the monsters they saw/created/destroyed, these monsters all grew within a discourse of civic regulations and scientific discoveries. Visual and literary images of monsters served as active visual markers of these dichotomous interactions. This talk examines monsters historically and proposes that H.P. Lovecraft’s monsters fell, in fact, in line with the historical monsters that preceded them. From the importance of hybridity, to the monster as a body of knowledge, fear, and wonder, this paper will present several paradigms meant to highlight the ways in which monsters have been — and still are — a rhetorical device that serve strategically to delineate the boundaries of the very categories to which they do not belong.
2. Men and Monsters: Racism in the Time of Lovecraft
Dr. C. Morgan Grefe, Rhode Island Historical Society
Born in 1890, HP Lovecraft came of age in at the height of scientific racism in the western world. Witnessing massive demographic shifts around the globe and technological advances speeding the transformation of cultures, many individuals in this era sought explanation from the fields of science and used these ideas to fuel discrimination, violence and the perpetuation of their sense of self status. In this talk we will explore various forms that racism assumed from the end of the Civil War until the end of World War II.
THE ANNOTATIONS OF MADNESS – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
There are many different collections of Lovecraft’s work that are annotated, some incredibly extensively. What are the rewards of both reading and writing these annotations? What are the challenges? Where are good places to start, for both new fans and Lovecraftian veterans?
Panelists: Rusty Burke, S.T. Joshi, Leslie Klinger, Andrew Leman
Moderator: Donovan Loucks
LOVECRAFT: FAMILY MAN – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
Given Lovecraft’s own tumultuous childhood and family dynamics, what hope is there ever for a nuclear family in a Lovecraft story? Join us for a detailed look at Lovecraft’s own family relationships and the family dynamics that appear within his stories.
Panelists: Peter Cannon, Scott Connors, Paul Di Filippo, Steve Mariconda
Moderator: Alex Houstoun
NON-EUCLIDIAN SCIENCE – Grand Ballroom, Biltmore 17th Floor
Lovecraft was passionately interested in science. This transported over to his writing, as many of his stories are strongly based on scientific principles and methodology – at least as he understood them. This panel discusses Lovecraft’s use of science throughout his work, as well as how strongly that use holds up to examination.
Panelists: Dan Look, Fred Lubnow, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Pete Rawlik, Jeff Shanks
Moderator: Niels Hobbs
AUTHOR READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
Jason V. Brock, John Langan, Robert M. Price, Darrell Schweitzer
Friday – 2:30-3:45pm
ARMITAGE SYMPOSIUM – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
(for more information on the symposium, visit the Armitage page)
Space and Place in the Lovecraftian Milieu
·“Tentacles in the Madhouse: The Role of the Asylum in the Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft,” Troy Rondinone, Southern Connecticut State University
·“Resisting Cthulu: Milton and Lovecraft’s Errand in the Wilderness,” Marcello Ricciardi. St. Joseph’s College Patchogue, New York
·“The Sombreness of Decay: Lovecraft in Wilbraham, Massachusetts,” Christian Haunton, University of Nebraska Omaha
·“’Save the Old Brick Row’”: H.P. Lovecraft and the Modernization of Providence,” Connor Pitetti, Stony Brook University
AH-CULT! MAGICK IN PROSE AND PRACTICE – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
“Magic” is a large part of Lovecraft’s writings even if it is not meant to be magic in the traditional sense. How did Lovecraft use the concepts of magic in his fiction? How close is it to ritual traditions? Is there a connection?
Panelists: Richard Gavin, Scott R. Jones, Justin Woodman, Douglas Wynne
Moderator: Anthony Teth
LOVECRAFT: MAN OF LETTERS – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
Lovecraft is often described as one of the most prolific letter writers in the history of language. His letters number into the tens of thousands and touch on virtually every subject known to man from literature to politics to science to economics and more. He also used his letters as a tool to communicate with fellow authors, and to serve as both mentor and collaborator. This panel will discuss what we can learn about Lovecraft from his letters.
Panelists: Sean Branney, Christopher Geissler, S.T. Joshi, Leslie Klinger, Andrew Leman, Steve Mariconda
Moderator: Rusty Burke
LOVECRAFT AROUND THE WORLD – Grand Ballroom, Biltmore 17th Floor
Lovecraft was an American writer whose stories are very flavored by the native New England he loved. Posthumously, his stories have spread in popularity all over the world. What in his fiction is so universal, so resonating? What is added to Lovecraft’s legacy and mythology by it being adapted and translated? Is anything lost? Which mythos films, artwork, anime, and stories from other countries should fans be looking for?
Panelists: Martin Andersson, Ramsey Campbell, Stephen Jones, Leeman Kessler, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Jesús Navarro Stefanón
Moderator: Paul Maclean
AUTHOR READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
Michael Griffin, David Neilsen, Peter Rawlik, Scott Thomas
Friday – 4-5:15pm
ARMITAGE SYMPOSIUM – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
(for more information on the symposium, visit the Armitage page)
The Language of Lovecraft
·”Insider, outsider – from the commonplace to the uncanny in Lovecraft’s narration and descriptions,” Daphnée Tasia Bourdages-Athanassiou, Université Laval, Quebec City
·“Half-Limitless in Starlit Night: H.P. Lovecraft’s Vision,” Joe Fritsch, Independent Scholar & Poet
·“Terrores innombrables: Lovecraft and the Hispanic World,” Juan Luis Pérez, University of Cordoba, Spain
·“The Unspeakable Onomasticon: Divers Observations on H. P. Lovecraft’s Names and Name-Building,” Stephen Walker, University of Central Missouri
MAKE A SANITY ROLL – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Call of Cthulhu is one of the world’s most popular role-playing games ever published. But with so many expansions and additions, it can be confusing knowing where to start. At this panel, learn about the top 10 CoC beginner scenarios, how they can help you learn the game and, most important, keep your sanity!
Panelists: Adam Scott Glancy, Shane Ivey, Mike Mason, Jeffrey Moeller
Moderator: Oscar Rios
MAD PIPING – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
Lovecraft’s influence extends to all corners of art and fiction, even music. Many bands, both past and present, utilize Lovecraft’s fiction in their lyrics, but does the music itself count as Lovecraftian? How do you create music with a Lovecraftian feel? Are there types of music that work well at conveying a Lovecraftian sense of dread, or types that do not?
Panelists: Nathan Carson, Reber Clark, Chad Fifer, Jonathan Thomas, Jason Wallach
Moderator: Jason V Brock
NEW WEIRD – Grand Ballroom, Biltmore 17th Floor
The “new weird” is a literary genre that began in the 1990s and is known for breaking down the barriers between fantasy, science fiction, and horror. While Lovecraft and other early weird authors had some notable influence on this genre, it has proven a powerful entity unto itself with many writers of new weird fiction like China Mieville and Jeff VanderMeer and numerous others – including members of this panel! What are the challenges and rewards of subverting genre cliches? What are the challenges and rewards of mixing different elements of speculative fiction? Who are some of the best new weird fiction writers today? How can more diverse voices be encouraged and diverse fans be included?
Panelists: Lois Gresh, Caitlín Kiernan, Scott Nicolay, Vincent O’Neil, Joe Pulver, Jeffrey Thomas
Moderator: Anya Martin
AUTHOR READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
A presentation of Pulp Macabre: The Art of Lee Brown Coye’s Final and Darkest Days by authors Mike Hunchback and Caleb Braaten.
Friday – 5:30-6:45pm
INSANITY IS A SANE REACTION – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
Insanity, or the seemingly inevitable path toward it, seems to be a common pattern in Lovecraft’s stories. How (and why) did Lovecraft employ this common theme, and what might this say about his own psychology? And, why does his writing appeal so much to society’s “outsiders”? This panel explores the aspects of Lovecraft’s fiction that set it, and us, apart.
Panelists: Kenneth Heard, Shane Ivey, Damien Angelica Walters, Douglas Wynne, Joseph Zannella
Moderator: Jack Haringa
OCCULT DETECTIVES – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Murder! Mystery! Cthulhu? For decades writers have created that most unlikely of characters: the occult detective. These intrepid souls investigate cases of hauntings, curses, and murders to expose the frauds, and be amazed at the supernatural. From Algernon Blackwood’s John Silence to William Hope Hodgson’s Carnacki the Ghost-Finder, to Brian Lumley’s Titus Crow, these characters have stunned and amazed readers for over a hundred years. Join our talented panelists as they talk about some of the best examples of this odd genre mash-up, and why some work but others don’t.
Panelists: Sam Gafford, John Langan, Dwayne Olson, Robert M. Price, Darrell Schweitzer
Moderator: Cody Goodfellow
AUTHOR READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
Laird Barron, Sean Hoade, Daniel Mills, and Robert Waugh
Friday – 7-9pm
GUEST RECEPTION – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
A private reception for Guests-of-Honor, Guests, and Golden Key holders – hors d’oeuvres provided, cash bar available. The reception will feature the giving of the Robert Bloch Award to a very worthy Lovecraftian.
[hr id=”saturday”]
SATURDAY
9-10:15am
ARMITAGE SYMPOSIUM – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
(for more information on the symposium, visit the Armitage page)
(Re)Considering the Mythos
·“Color out of Mind: Correlating the Cthulhu Mythos to the Autism Disorder Spectrum,” Lars G Backstrom, Independent Scholar
·“From Crawling Chaos to Elder Things: Mythic Evolution in Weird Fiction,” Anthony Conrad Chieffalo, University of Rhode Island
·“Reordering the Universe: H.P. Lovecraft’s Subversion of the Biblical Divine,” Jessika R. Weise, Independent Scholar
·“The Arcane and The Rational: Lovecraft’s Development of a Unique Mythos,” D. Allen Crowley, Baldwin-Wallace University, Berea, OH
FOR THE SMALL ARE LARGE – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Small press publishers are continuing to make a great impact in the weird fiction market and are now some of the most interesting publishers to watch. What does it take to run a small press? What are some of the joys and terrors in being a small press publisher? Our illustrious panelists talk about why they do it and what they have planned for the future.
Panelists: Jason V Brock, Mike Davis, Derrick Hussey, Ross Lockhart, Charles Danny Lovecraft, Dwayne Olson
Moderator: Tom Lynch
ONLY IN DREAMS – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
An examination of Lovecraft’s Dreamlands and the characters, creations, and places therein.
Panelists: Richard Gavin, Cody Goodfellow, John Langan, Dan Mills, Jason Thompson
Moderator: Simon Strantzas
LOVECRAFT: A CRITICAL HISTORY – Grand Ballroom, Biltmore 17th Floor
Today Lovecraft is recognized as one of America’s most powerful literary voices, but this was not always the case. For decades, Lovecraft was maligned and debased by critics like Edmund Wilson. This panel discusses the history of the critical appreciation of Lovecraft and the challenges facing it today.
Panelists: Peter Cannon, Paul Di Filippo, S.T. Joshi, Robert M. Price
Moderator: Steve Mariconda
BOOK LAUNCH and AUTHOR READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th floor (NOTE: this program runs 9 to 11am)
Innsmouth Nightmares & Cult of the Dead, two book author readings and discussions
Innsmouth Nightmares features original stories by leading writers of weird fiction, including John Shirley, Lavie Tidhar, Laird Barron, Paul Kane, Tim Lebbon, Richard Gavin, Steve Rasnic Tem, Wilum H. Pugmire, John Langan, Joe Pulver, Caitlín R. Kiernan, Bill Nolan, Jim Moore, S.T. Joshi, and many more. This is an all-star lineup of The Weird edited by Lois H. Gresh. Cult of the Dead is a special collection of Lois’ weird stories with an Introduction by S.T. Joshi, who writes, “Over the last decade or so, Lois H. Gresh has done some of the most scintillating work of any contemporary writer of imaginative fiction.”
Copies of both books will be available for sale and signing at this session, snacks provided! Readings and discussion with Lois H. Gresh, Caitlín R. Kiernan, Laird Barron, William F. Nolan, Richard Gavin, S.T. Joshi, Joe Pulver, Jim Moore, Jason V. Brock, Jonathan Thomas, and more
Saturday – 10:30-11:45am
ARMITAGE SYMPOSIUM – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
(for more information on the symposium, visit the Armitage page)
In the dark manner of Others: Lovecraft in Literary Context
·“Stylometry and Collaborative Authorship: Eddy, Lovecraft, and ‘The Loved Dead’,” Alex Gladwin, Independent Scholar
·“Rarebit Dreamers: the Poetics of Lovecraft, Poe, and Winsor McCay,” Miles Tittle, University of Ottawa and Carleton University
·“Searchers after Horror: H. P. Lovecraft contra M. R. James,” Jerry C. Drake, US Department of State
·“H. P. Lovecraft and Georges Bataille: One Crawling Chaos Seen Emerging from Opposite Shores,” Christian Roy, independent scholar
OH, THE TENTACLES! – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
The ubiquitous Lovecraft tentacles! Tentacles have become the go-to element of Lovecraftian art. As much as we love them, there is so much more to depict in Lovecraft’s fictional universe. What are other Lovecraftian artistic elements? How do you convey Lovecraftian dread and terror in a piece of artwork? What would you like to see more of in Lovecraft-inspired art?
Panelists: Michael Bukowski, John Coulthart, Jason Eckhart, Steve Gervais, Allen Koszowski, Lauren Panepinto
Moderator: Robert Knox
MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN MOVIE – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
Technology has changed so drastically in the last ten years that it is almost possible for anyone to make their own movie. Do you want to make a Lovecraftian movie? Come to this panel and find out how! We’ll discuss the concepts of funding, producing, social media, and distribution even for those with virtually no budget.
Panelists: Sean Branney, Mars Homeworld, Izzy Lee, Andrew Leman, Mallory O’Meara
Moderator: Phillip Gelatt
SECONDHAND MYTHOS – Grand Ballroom, Biltmore 17th Floor
Derleth! Bloch! Long! Lumley! Campbell! Ligotti! Carter! These writers, and many more, were the early standard-bearers for Lovecraft’s mythos. That considered, did they get it right? Which writers captured Lovecraft’s myth-cycle well and, perhaps more important, which did not? Join us as we discuss these authors and their contributions to Lovecraft’s mythos.
Panelists: Ramsey Campbell, Cody Goodfellow, Stephen Jones, Robert M. Price, Darrell Schweitzer
Moderator: Paul Di Filippo
AUTHOR READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
Peter Cannon and David Nickle (Note: session starts at 11am)
ASK LOVECRAFT – Renaissance Room, Biltmore 17th Floor
HP Lovecraft has returned from the dead and is now dispensing advice, offering opinions, and dishing out wisdom to any and all. Based on the popular web-series with assistance from Leeman Kessler.
12-1:00pm – LUNCH
HPL Literary Podcast LIVE – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th floor
Saturday – 1-2:15pm
ACADEMIC TALKS – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
1. Addicted to Fear: Why some of us love being scared
Joseph Zannella MA, LADC
Zannella, a practicing clinician and educator presents a rapid fire overview of addiction and how some people become addicted to fear, terror and death defying experiences. Ever wonder why some folks BASE jump, tightrope walk or expose themselves to things that would turn the rest of us to pudding. Maybe you have had to explain to friends or family why you like Horror, scary movies, or why you go to Lovecraft conventions? This talk will explore some of the psychological reasons why.
2. “The Necronomicon Americanus” and the “Tlaloc-Venus Stela”: An Ancient Maya Divinatory Almanac; Descending Venus Monsters; and the Cult of Venus-regulated Warfare and Ritual Sacrifice in Mesoamerica
Prof. John B. Carlson, University of Maryland
Venus for the cultures of ancient Mesoamerica was revered and feared as a powerful male god of warfare and ritual human sacrifice. An aspect of the “Plumed Rattlesnake” deity known to the Central Mexican Aztec and their ancestral Toltec and Teotihuacan cultures as Quetzalcoatl – and as Kukulkan to the Yucatec Maya – he often appears as a monstrous descending star-being with feline, avian, ophidian, and saurian characteristics. With his brilliant rays of light transformed into sacrificial flint knives, Venus pierced his victims in a rite heart-sacrifice. Among the surviving relics of the Teotihuacan cult is a small stone stela, carved in bas relief, depicting a death-dealing descending Venus Monster on one side with a likely image of a priest of Tlaloc on the other. Never previously described or published, this unique artifact would have been of considerable interest to H. P. Lovecraft for its evocative representations of a dire descending celestial monster and the priest of its sacrificial cult had it been known to the scholarship of his time. The priests of this sacrificial cult had screen-fold codex books painted calligraphically on coated bark paper with the calendrics, incantations, and images – divinatory almanacs – and five such codices containing Venus almanacs have survived dating from before Spanish contact. The oldest of these, known as the “Grolier Codex” or more appropriately the “Codex Mayano-Mexicanus”, dates from the thirteenth century A.D. and is thus the oldest surviving book on paper from ancient America. New research will be presented in a PowerPoint with a Lovecraftian flavor of what must surely be the lost “Necronomicon Americanus.”
FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
We all know the scene: investigator finds ancient book of forbidden knowledge that unleashes evil and terror upon the world. Lovecraft created the most sinister of them all with the NECRONOMICON but there are many more as well. Enough to equip a library of ‘forbidden knowledge’. Do you know who created “Nameless Cults”? Or ‘The Book of Eibon’? Join us for a bibliophile’s delight, or NIGHTMARE, as we chart the best and worst of these forbidden tomes.
Panelists: Sean Hoade, Robert M. Price, Douglas Wynne
Moderator: Pete Rawlik
LOVECRAFT’S NARRATORS – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
Much of Lovecraft’s fiction is written in the first person, but how reliable are these narrators? What kind of world do they reflect? This panel examines Lovecraft’s use of this literary aspect and whether it helps or hurts the themes of his stories.
Panelists: Ramsey Campbell, John Langan, Steve Mariconda, Jonathan Thomas, Robert Waugh
Moderator: Alex Houstoun
SHE WALKS IN SHADOWS NO MORE – Grand Ballroom, Biltmore 17th Floor
Many of the most unique and powerful voices in weird fiction belong to women! Although once looked upon incorrectly as a white man’s genre, weird fiction has a long tradition of women writers, and that tradition continues today. Join us in celebrating these talented authors, and find out why they write Lovecraftian fiction.
Panelists: Lois Gresh, Caitlín Kiernan, Anya Martin, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Ann Schwader
Moderator: Faye Ringel
AUTHOR READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
Richard Gavin, Tom Lynch, Simon Strantzas, Jeffrey Thomas
LOVECRAFT’S NEW ENGLAND, PART ONE – Renaissance Room, Biltmore 17th Floor
A “Virtual Walking Tour” of Lovecraft sites in Providence, led by Donovan Loucks
Focusing on Lovecraft’s hometown, this presentation highlights thirty points of interest central to both Lovecraft’s life and work. Think of this as a “sitting tour” for those of you that aren’t able to make it on one of the walking tours!
Saturday – 2:30-3:45pm
ARMITAGE SYMPOSIUM – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
(for more information on the symposium, visit the Armitage page)
The Armitage Talks I: Lovecraft, Ancient Rome, and the Cthulhu-Classical Tradition
In a letter to R. H. Barlow (13 June 1936) Lovecraft wrote, “To me the Roman Empire will always seem the central incident of human history.” References to aspects of the Roman world permeate Lovecraft’s fiction, whether it be the Magna Mater in “The Rats in the Walls” or Lovecraft’s comparisons of the degradation of Old Ones’ civilization in At the Mountains of Madness to the crumbling later Roman Empire. In this panel, three experts on Lovecraft’s debt to Roman classics will explore such topics as Lucretius’ theology and the gods of the Cthulhu Mythos; how the story “The Very Old Folk” uses Rome as a way to project the Lovecraft’s own attitudes towards race, imperialism, and the role of civilization; how Livy’s account of the Bacchanalia influenced the ritual depicted in “The Call of Cthulhu”; and other Roman themes in Lovecraft’s works.
Panel participants are:
·Sean Moreland, University of Ottawa
·Byron Nakamura, Southern Connecticut State University
·Dennis Quinn, Cal Poly Pomona
VISIONS OF TERROR – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Lovecraft at the movies! What are the challenges and rewards of bringing Lovecraftian mythos to a film? What are the challenges and rewards of creating a film with a Lovecraftian “feel” and elements? Is it possible to create an appealing and satisfying film that is also an accurate Lovecraft adaptation?
Panelists: Joshua Boone, Sean Branney, Mark Finn, Kevin McTurk, Frank Woodward
Moderator: Mallory O’Meara
WAYBACK MACHINE – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
Climb into NecronomiCon’s own time machine and travel back to those thrilling days of yesteryear when the NecronomiCon conventions were new! See dazzling footage of the early conventions with guests like Robert Bloch, Gahan Wilson, and more. Stare in amazement at embarrassing antics and foolish folly!
Panelists: Pierre Comtois, Robert Knox, Robert Price, Darrell Schweitzer, Ron Zimmerman
Moderator: The joey Zone
CHAMBERS AND “THE KING IN YELLOW” – Grand Ballroom, Biltmore 17th Floor
Thanks to the television show True Detective, and the work of Chambers enthusiasts like Joe Pulver, this long-forgotten writer is better known than ever before. But what EXACTLY is “The King in Yellow” and why is it important? This panel discusses Chambers’ trail-blazing book, what effect it might have had on Lovecraft, and why it is gaining more readers today.
Panelists: Richard Lai, Dominique Lamssies, Tom Lynch, Daniel Mills, Joseph Pulver
Moderator: Alex Houstoun
AUTHOR READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
¡Lecturas en Español!
LOVECRAFT’S NEW ENGLAND, PART TWO – Renaissance, Biltmore 17th Floor
A “Virtual Walking Tour” of regional Lovecraft sites, led by Donovan Loucks
This slideshow includes photographs of 45 New England locations beyond Providence which reveal the inspirations for Lovecraft’s fictional towns of Kingsport, Arkham, Innsmouth, and Dunwich.
Saturday – 4:00-5:15pm
ARMITAGE SYMPOSIUM – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
(for more information on the symposium, visit the Armitage page)
Lovecraft and the Aesthetic Experience
·“The Music of ‘Erich Zann’”, Phillip Chang, University of Colorado Boulder
·“’The Inside’ of H.P. Lovecraft’s Supernatural Horror in the Visual Arts,” Nathaniel Wallace, Independent Scholar
·”The Suffering Intellect: HP Lovecraft’s Weird Epistemology, ” Daniel Holmes, Villanova University
·“Howard Phillips Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth: An Aesthetics Analysis of the Construction of Fear,” Lucas Lopes C. Nóbrega, Federal University of Paraíba, Brazil
MECHANICS OF FEAR – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Lovecraft wrote all sorts of terrifying tales. But how do you scare someone? What is horror, as opposed to terror, in a piece of fiction? What are different types of scary stories? Are there elements of a horror story that are guaranteed to make the reader sleep with the lights on?
Panelists: Lois Gresh, Stephen Jones, Caitlín Kiernan, Jonathan Thomas, Damien Angelica Walters
Moderator: Don D’Ammassa
TWO-GUN BOB RIDES AGAIN! – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
Robert E. Howard was one of the most popular writers in Weird Tales with his pulse-pounding stories of Conan, Solomon Kane, Kull, and many more. But Howard was also close friends with Lovecraft despite the wide difference in their upbringings and philosophies. Join us at this epic panel to learn more about Robert E. Howard, his contributions to the Cthulhu Mythos, correspondence with Lovecraft, and how Howard’s work remains so vibrant and powerful so many decades later.
Panelists: Rusty Burke, Mark Finn, Jeff Shanks
Moderator: Scott Connors
LOVECRAFT AND RACISM: MOVING PAST THE HOWIES – Grand Ballroom, Biltmore 17th Floor
Lovecraft was a racist. Whether you believe that his racism was only privately expressed in letters (and somehow ignore the racist aspects of his stories) and that his views softened later in life, his racism is now an undeniable aspect of his known personality. So how can we respond to this in a productive manner, and create a weird fiction community that is welcoming of diverse voices? Within this discussion, panelists will explore how Lovecraft’s racism shaped his work, and how contemporary fans can still love the craft without necessarily loving the views.
Panelists: Morgan Grefe, Andrew Leman, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, David Nickle, Faye Ringel
Moderator: Niels Hobbs
BOOK LAUNCH and AUTHOR READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
Aickman’s Heirs author readings and discussion
Aickman’s Heirs is an anthology of strange, weird tales by modern visionaries of weird fiction in the milieu of Robert Aickman, the master of strange and weird tales. Join editor Simon Strantzas and contributors Michael Cisco, Richard Gavin, John Langan, David Nickle, Daniel Mills, and Michael Wehunt for short readings, snacks, and a book signing.
POETRY WORKSHOP – Renaissance Room, Biltmore 17th Floor
A special session welcoming of all poets and aspiring poets, led by Thomas Broadbent and Starry Wizdom, with our Poet Laureate Ann Schwader and several other remarkable eldritch scribes. Come together and share in the creative process or just enjoy the beautiful company.
Saturday – 5:30-6:45pm
SCULPTING THE INDESCRIBABLE – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
Many of Lovecraft’s beastie creations are called “unnamable, indescribable, maddening.” How do you bring that to three dimensions, be it in make-up or a sculpture? What is the creative process like to sculpt something not of this world, or this dimension? How much is Lovecraft’s description, and how much is something pulled from the mind of the artist?
Panelists: Joe Broers, Mike Knives, Jason McKittrick, Erminio Pinque
Moderator: Gage Prentiss
ANTARCTICA! – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
“At the Mountains of Madness” is widely considered one of Lovecraft’s greatest, if not most ambitious, stories, and for good reason. Our panelists will attempt to tackle everything going on in this novella that makes it such a success: the incredible detail to scientific accuracy, the Antarctic setting, the philosophical connotations, etc.
Panelists: Michael Bukowski, Peter Cannon, Jason Eckhardt, Jack Haringa, Robert Waugh
Moderator: Alex Houstoun
AUTHOR READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
Anya Martin, Scott Nicolay, and Joseph S. Pulver
[hr id=”sunday”]
SUNDAY
8-9:30am
CTHULHU PRAYER BREAKFAST – Grand Ballroom, Biltmore 17th Floor
The unholiest of cosmically unspeakable breakfasts, hosted by Hierophant Robert M. Price and Cody Goodfellow. Separate ticketed event – tickets on sale NOW via our eventbrite page
Golden Key and Silver Key members receive complementary admission.
Sunday – 9-10:15am
CLARK ASHTON SMITH – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
He was one of the Weird Tales “Three Musketeers” and an inspired writer of poetry and weird fiction. Clark Ashton Smith remains one of the giants in the field and is far more than just one of Lovecraft’s friends. In this panel, we discuss the contribution Smith has made to fantasy and weird fiction, his influence on later writers, and why it is important that his work be read and remembered.
Panelists: Scott Connors, Jack Haringa, S.T. Joshi, Will Murray
Moderator: Phillip Gelatt
MAKE YOUR OWN MADNESS – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
Lovecraft-based games continue to increase in popularity. Chaosium’s seminal RPG, Call of Cthulhu, remains one of the most popular role-playing games ever, even decades after it was first created. Learn the tricks on how to create a role-playing game that will rival Lovecraft’s stories and have your players begging for more, even as their sanity melts away!
Panelists: Shane Ivey, Mike Mason, Badger McInnes, Sandy Petersen,
Moderator: Jason Thompson
AUTHOR READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
Session One: *Special Young Lovecraftian Readers Section* (note: session runs 9-10am)
Goodnight Azathoth, a Lovecraftian parody of classic children’s literature from the Mini Mythos series, is sure to be a hit with the newest generation of Lovecraft fans and their parents. Read by book illustrator Christina Rodriguez.
C is for Cthulhu, an introduction to getting your child started with the Mythos, with authors Jason Ciaramella and Greg Murphy.
Session Two: Lois Gresh and Ann Schwader (Note: session runs 10-11am)
Sunday – 10:30-11:45am
ARMITAGE SYMPOSIUM – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
(for more information on the symposium, visit the Armitage page)
Philosophical Aspects of Lovecraft’s Fiction
·“’Shapeless congeries of protoplasmic bubbles’: H.P. Lovecraft and the Plasticity of Users and Tools,” Jason Ray Carney, Christopher Newport University
·“H.P. Lovecraft and the Dimensions of Speculation,” Anthony Camara, University of Calgary
·“H.P. Lovecraft’s Optimism,” Matthew Beach, Brown University
·“Lovecraft, Rand and the Abyss of Opportunity,” Rolf Maurer
LORD DUNSANY – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Lovecraft described Lord Dunsany as one of the three big influences on his writing. Despite being a major literary force in the early 20th century, few today know about Dunsany’s life. This panel gathers together the leading figures in Dunsany scholarship to discuss this historic writer and his work.
Panelists: Martin Andersson, Paul Di Filippo, S.T. Joshi, Faye Ringel, Darrell Schweitzer
Moderator: Jason Thompson
ON LOVECRAFT AND PHILOSOPHY – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
Just what is “cosmicism” and where does it fit into the philosophical realm? For all of his professed loathing of modernists, Lovecraft used his fiction to push some radically modern (if not post-modern) ideas. Panelists will attempt to tackle the “pessimism”–this is hardly an appropriate word–of Lovecraft’s cosmic horror, as well as place it within the greater context of the evolution of 20th-century thought.
Panelists: Michael Cisco, Mike Davis, Sean Hoade, Douglas Wynne
Moderator: Alex Houstoun
FUTURE OF WEIRD FICTION – Grand Ballroom, Biltmore 17th Floor
What is the future of weird fiction? Is it chained too strongly to the ghost of Lovecraft or can it still explore new vistas of horror? This panel discusses the current state of weird fiction today and where it might go in the future. Or, is there NO future?
Panelists: Laird Barron, Mike Griffin, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Joe Pulver, Simon Strantzas
Moderator: s.j. bagley
POETRY READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
Poetry circle (Note: session runs from 11am to Noon)
This session will be led by our Poet Laureate Ann Schwader, poet Adam Bolivar, and our own in-house muses Thomas Broadbent and Starry Wizdom, but feel free to bring some of your own favorite poetry to share.
12-1:00pm – LUNCH
Lovecraft eZine podcast LIVE – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
Sunday – 1-2:15pm
ARMITAGE SYMPOSIUM – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
(for more information on the symposium, visit the Armitage page)
Beyond the Lovecraft Circle
·“A Closet Quetzalcoatl: Intimations of HPL and Same Sex Desire in R.H. Barlow’s ‘The Wind That Is in the Grass’”, Jarett Kobek, Writer and Editor
·“The Derleth Mythos: Literary Evidence of Weird Realism,” Daniel Rottenberg, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Colorado
·”No Black Stone Unturned: A Critical Examination of Robert E. Howard’s Most Significant Cthulhu Mythos Story,” Mark Finn, Editor, The Dark Man: The Journal of Robert E. Howard Studies
·”‘It was from the artists and poets that the pertinent answers came’: Shared Authorship in the Discourse Community of the Lovecraft Circle,” Nicole Emmelhainz, Christopher Newport University
NAMELESS RHYMES – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Poetry was an important part of Lovecraft’s life and “weird poetry” is a growing trend today. There are many writers who dabble in the poems of the weird and still more who make it their singular creative focus. What is the history of weird poetry, and what makes a poem weird? Our panelists debate this issue and what it means to write weird poetry in the 21st century.
Panelists: Adam Bolivar, Thomas Broadbent, Derrick Hussey, Charles Danny Lovecraft, Fred Phillips, Ann Schwader
Moderator: Jason V Brock
THE LITTLE TERRORS – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
Once upon a time, back in the mists of forgotten ages, there were these things called pulps and fanzines. While quite different in their origins, these low-budget publications provided the market for the first sales by writers like Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, and others. Through the years, these became more professional and slick. But they, and the burgeoning field of small press, were the backbone of fandom and kept weird fiction alive. The panelists discuss the wide history of these publications, their importance then and now, and the recent resurgence in pulp writing.
Panelists: Leslie Klinger, Richard Lai, Will Murray, Darrell Schweitzer, Jeff Shanks
Moderator: Scott Connors
RELIGION IN LOVECRAFT – Grand Ballroom, Biltmore 17th Floor
Lovecraft was a devout atheist all his adult life. As a result, religion rarely plays a significant part in his writing or life. However, he had certain clear feelings about the subject, which he expressed in letters and occasionally seeped into his fiction. This panel will examine this aspect of Lovecraft’s life and work, and its place in developing his cosmic philosophy.
Panelists: Paul Di Filippo, Scott R. Jones, S.T. Joshi, Robert M. Price
Moderator: Ross Lockhart
AUTHOR READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
Ramsey Campbell and William F. Nolan
Sunday – 2:30-3:45pm
ARMITAGE SYMPOSIUM – Narragansett Ballroom, Omni Hotel 1st Floor
(for more information on the symposium, visit the Armitage page)
The Armitage Talks II: The Bishop Letters
A recently discovered collection of letters from HP Lovecraft to Zealia Bishop shines a light on Lovecraft’s professional relationship with a client. We examine the progression of his mentorship as revealed through this new collection of 37 letters being published this year by the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society. We look at their progression from client/mentor to a growing friendship and their collaboration which led to “The Curse of Yig,” “Medusa’s Coil,” and “The Mound.”
Presenters: Sean Branney and Andrew Leman, H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society
WRITING THE MYTHOS – Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Mythos and Lovecraftian fiction is bigger and more popular than ever before. What makes a story “Lovecraftian,” and how can a writer make a unique and powerful contribution to this ever-growing genre? Our panel of legendary writers show how they did it and which steps new writers should avoid.
Panelists: Joe Pulver, Darrell Schweitzer, Ramsey Campbell, Peter Rawlik, Lois Gresh, Laird Barron
Moderator: Mike Davis
LOVECRAFT AS SCI-FI WRITER – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
Often, Lovecraft is described as being the innovator of weird science fiction because of his use of science in his stories. How does Lovecraft compare to other science fiction writers? What impa
ct, if any, has Lovecraft had on the science fiction genre?
Panelists: Jason V Brock, Leslie Klinger, William F. Nolan, Robert M. Price, Ann K Schwader
Moderator: Brian Callahan
NEW ENGLAND GOTHIC – Grand Ballroom, Biltmore 17th Floor
New England has a long tradition in Gothic literature. From Hawthorne to Poe to Lovecraft, the haunted streets of New England have been home to many a spook and specter. Influenced strongly by Poe, Lovecraft nurtured a love for the Gothic and New England. In this panel, we discuss the Gothic influence on Lovecraft and his place in that literary tradition.
Panelists: Thomas Broadbent, Kenneth Hite, John Langan, Faye Ringel
Moderator: Rory Raven
AUTHOR READINGS – L’Apogee, Biltmore 17th Floor
Caitlin Kiernan and Jonathan Thomas
Sunday – 4:00-5:00pm
LOOKING FORWARD… PEERING INTO THE ABYSS – Garden Room, Biltmore 2nd Floor
A final chat with some of the organizers of NecronomiCon Providence and friends, looking back at the convention and discussing future plans.