Tales of the Grotesque and Dungeonesque: March 2020

Friday, March 27, 2020

Literary Hoaxes, First Frankenstein Film, Medieval Swords

Literary Hoaxes and the Ethics of Authorship
- Louis Menand, The New Yorker

The First Film Version of Frankenstein, Newly Restored!
- Wendi Maloney, The Library of Congress Blog

A Brief Guide to Medieval Swords
- Geeks Are Sexy

Monday, March 23, 2020

Mephistophela

Episode 42: Mephistophela

Mephistophela by Catulle Mendès (1889) is one of the key works of decadent literature, describing the various paving stones on one woman's descent into an erotic hellscape. Translated into English for the first time by Brian Stableford, the book's lush horrors are now accessible to a new audience. Jack and Kate tackle the lurid and tragic story of Baronne Sophor d’Hermelinge, lesbian seducer and damned woman.

Was the fin de siecle really as prudish as some folks seem to think it was? When does homoerotic desire become demonic possession? How do lesbians even do it? All these questions and more will be explored in this episode of Bad Books for Bad People.

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Feast Your Eyes

The semi-regular inspirational image post.

Japanese poster for Company of Wolves

Bryan Baugh

Becky Cloonan

John Bauer

L Vallei

Yuliya Litvinova

Bryan Baugh

Melissa Kojima

David Hartman

Sunday, March 15, 2020

Entertaining Yourself in Times of Quarantine

If you're smart, and the powers that be are allowing you to, you're currently practicing social distancing and self-quarantine. That may leave you with a lot of empty time on your hands and a need for entertainment. Let me suggest a few ways to keep yourself occupied during these trying times.

If you need something to read, Gretchen Felker-Martin has made her novella No End Will Be Found pay-what-you-want. Yes, you can even opt to get it for free, but it would be nice if you left her a bit of a tip. Check it out here.

Here's twelve museums that let you take virtual tours from the comfort of your own home.

There's never been a better time to catch up with your favorite podcast. May I suggest Bad Books for Bad People, Bronze Age Book Club, or Pet Cinematary?

Maybe watching cute animals who know nothing about pandemics is more your speed. If so, here's the Monterey Bay Aquarium's live cams.

I assume Youtube is going to get quite the workout as people stay in. Might I suggest Drivetribe (if you like cars), Ola Englund (if you like guitars and metal), Matt Colville (if you like D&D), Avoiding the Puddle (if you like video games and humor), Sajam (if you like fighting game commentary), Ask a Mortician (if you like the death industry), Mary Spender (if you like guitars and a view into the life of a musician), Rachel Maksy (if you like vintage clothes and cosplay), eBay Miniature Rescues (if you like painting miniatures).

Looking for a new long-running livestream D&D game to follow? Check out this playlist for Tales from the Mists, an interesting take on Ravenloft.

Want a near-endless stream of heavy music? Follow the Nuclear Blast, Napalm Records, Metal Blade, and Century Media channels.

I also imagine people will be getting a lot out of their Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc. streaming services. Need a list of the Best Horny Movies for Quarantine? Well, somebody's got you covered.

The LA Times crossword is free online. But don't just exercise your mind; keep that body moving too with this cornucopia of workout routines.

Keep washing your hands, don't hoard toilet paper, stay home and stay well.