Question about Members' Readings and Published Work

[scrypt]

I might find the answer to this question myself by delving into the site, but here's the issue I'm trying to resolve:

Are members allowed to post announcements about their own readings and published work? If so, where is that information to be posted and are the postings governed by specific rules about content?

I'm about to do a reading at St. Marks Books in NYC with two other writers. My feeling is that, even though I'll be the only reader who is sometimes classified as a horror writer, Ligotti aficionados might be especially interested in one of the other readers -- a gentleman who has never written a horror novel but whose thoughts on human consciousness are similar to Ligotti's: Carl Watson.

I once accompanied Carl on a long trip and we spoke about our worldviews at length. I told Carl that I thought he might like Ligotti's work (because I've always thought Carl's writing showed an affinity with it) and paraphrased certain ideas from The Conspiracy against the Human Race. Carl's response to the idea that consciousness is a kind of deceptive glitch in the slavemind that makes most humans believe they are significant and central instead of redundant, servile and disposable: "That's exactly what I believe!"

Anyway, I'd love to announce our reading on TNN but don't want to violate any rules or otherwise post my feces in the sacred perfume forum.

Thanks.

[dr. locrian]

Quote Originally Posted by scrypt

I might find the answer to this myself by delving into the site, but here's the issue I'm trying to resolve: Are members allowed to post announcements about their own readings and published work? If so, where is that information to be posted and are the postings governed by specific rules about content? I'm about to do a reading at St. Marks Books in NYC with two other writers. My feeling is that, even though I'll be the only reader who is sometimes classified as a horror writer, Ligotti aficionados might be especially interested in one of the other readers -- a gentleman who has never written a horror novel but whose thoughts on human consciousness are similar to Ligotti's: Carl Watson. I once accompanied Carl on a long trip and we spoke about our worldviews at length. I told Carl that I thought he might like Ligotti's work (because I've always thought Carl's writing showed an affinity with it) and paraphrased certain ideas from The Conspiracy against the Human Race. Carl's response to the idea that consciousness is a kind of deceptive glitch in the slavemind that makes most humans believe they are significant and central instead of redundant, servile and disposable: "That's exactly what I believe!" Anyway, I'd love to announce our reading on TNN but don't want to violate any rules or otherwise post my feces in the sacred perfume forum. Thanks.

No worries. Announce away!

[hopfrog]

TLO remains my favourite online site, in part because it is populated by some of to-day's finest genre writers, editors, publishers, artists, &c. Although I am hesitant about posting about my own books at TLO, I really enjoy it when others announce their efforts. We are a community, and one of ye great pleasures is when we can actually meet IN PERSON with others here; and there is no finer way of meeting than at our own public readings or ye readings of others who participate here. I advocate that such readings be announced, so that any who can attend them may know of them.

[scrypt]

That's excellent news, and thanks for the swift replies. The next question is this: In which forum should readings be announced?

Thanks for the kind words, hopfrog, and I third your motion. You sound as though you might not live in NYC, but if you did, you'd be welcome at any reading that I attended, hosted or joined.

Here's the official announcement from our reading at St. Marks Books. My sense is that it should be posted somewhere else.

Jill Rapaport / Carl Watson / Rob Hardin

[scrypt]

The reading went far better than I'd anticipated: Standing room only in one of the last important bookstores in the Lower East Side. Several people approached me afterward to tell me that the story I read was "really scary" and what's interesting is that the event wasn't billed as a horror reading -- that was their uncoached reaction to my piece, which means the story did its job.

One woman who stopped to talk to me seemed frightened of me personally and said that the gestures I made while reading were as scary as the story. She inquired about the accident of my astrological designation and I indulged her by revealing what I'm purported to be. She twitched at the mention of Scorpio and actually exclaimed, "Help!" softly before edging away.

I didn't think that anyone from TLO would attend on such short and unpublicized notice, but I always hope I'll get the chance to meet some (or even one) of you.

I'll be reading again at the Lovecraft Bar on Halloween if anyone cares to visit.

[dr. locrian]

Quote Originally Posted by scrypt

The reading went far better than I'd anticipated: Standing room only in one of the last important bookstores in the Lower East Side. Several people approached me afterward to tell me that the story I read was "really scary" and what's interesting is that the event wasn't billed as a horror reading -- that was their uncoached reaction to my piece, which means the story did its job. One woman who stopped to talk to me seemed frightened of me personally and said that the gestures I made while reading were as scary as the story. She inquired about the accident of my astrological designation and I indulged her by revealing what I'm purported to be. She twitched at the mention of Scorpio and actually exclaimed, "Help!" softly before edging away. I didn't think that anyone from TLO would attend on such short and unpublicized notice, but I always hope I'll get the chance to meet some (or even one) of you. I'll be reading again at the Lovecraft Bar on Halloween if anyone cares to visit.

I lived in NYC for several years in the late nineties. I wish such things had been going on (or I had known about them) when I was there. NYC is a real epicenter of weird fiction activity/readings of late--even more than usual. Sounds wonderful!

[scrypt]

If I'd known you were in NYC back then, Dr. Locrian, I'd have invited you to my book party at a local hotel, which not only showcased my and other gruesome writers' work but offered free cognac and a soundtrack of dissonant music. I'd also have invited you to an evening I hosted at Tonic that I called The Carnivorous Salon. It featured writers like Colin Raff (author of The Premises of Otto Gast); you'd have been welcome to enjoy a drink with us afterward.

That said, if ever you find you'll be traveling to NYC and feel that you might enjoy some exploratory conversation, let me know.

One last thing: I've always enjoyed your mode (the discovery of which some have wrongly credited to composer Roy Harris).

[scrypt]

I'm looking for the right forum in which to announce the publication of a recent story.

Also, I did a reading at the Lovecraft Bar in NYC on Halloween; the emcee was dressed as (or simply was) Cthulhu, of course. Really receptive audience. Wish I'd had enough time to promote that event; perhaps I'd have met one or two of you there and the writers among you could have used the contact to pursue your own readings.

[dr. locrian]

Quote Originally Posted by scrypt

If I'd known you were in NYC back then, Dr. Locrian, I'd have invited you to my book party at a local hotel, which not only showcased my and other gruesome writers' work but offered free cognac and a soundtrack of dissonant music. I'd also have invited you to an evening I hosted at Tonic that I called The Carnivorous Salon. It featured writers like Colin Raff (author of The Premises of Otto Gast); you'd have been welcome to enjoy a drink with us afterward. That said, if ever you find you'll be traveling to NYC and feel that you might enjoy some exploratory conversation, let me know. One last thing: I've always enjoyed your mode (the discovery of which some have wrongly credited to composer Roy Harris).

I just read this response for the first time. You didn't by any chance happen to be at the TONIC Current 93 concert back in '99? I had the honor and everlasting delight of opening for them, with ventriloquist dummy in tow.

[scrypt]

Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Locrian

I just read this response for the first time. You didn't by any chance happen to be at the TONIC Current 93 concert back in '99? I had the honor and everlasting delight of opening for them, with ventriloquist dummy in tow.

Sadly, I didn't attend, though I was definitely in NYC in 1999. Had I known you, I'd have come just to see you!

I'm glad that we've both performed there, and glad to know your name as well.