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The following post has been edited and adapted from the Coffee Before Pants Podcast dated Jun 12, 2024. Before I begin, I might mention that I do not wish to cast aspersions to any of my pagan readers. I know what witchcraft really is and know it has nothing to do with Satan. But I also cannot deny that the following movies are, well, really good movies that deal with the “Hollywood” version of witches. I have loved horror movies since I was a very young kid. Vampires, werewolves, Frankenstein’s monster, Creature from the Black Lagoon. All of them. Except movies about witchcraft, devil worship. My parents were not exceptionally Christian, but I was instilled with the concept of Heaven and Hell. The devil scared the shit out of me. The other monsters I knew were not real. As a 10 year old with an overactive imagination, Satan caused me some concern. Safe to say I have outgrown this fear. I don’t worry about being led into Satan’s midst. The movie witches aren’t real either. They are basically a play by parents to scare children into behaving, just like the Devil. I grew up in a town full of fearmongers. They were horrified (no pun intended) that a 10 year old child would be so into horror films. Nothing they did changed my mind, fortunately. I’m sure they thought I was, in fact, in league with the devil. I did nothing, in turn, to change their minds, either. So, with that, I would like to present some of my favorite movies about witchcraft. These are some films I think that are great movies for what they are. Most are low-budget, with one or two exceptions. So, presented in no particular order, are movies from the 50s and 60s about witches and witchcraft. First off, the movie Witchcraft is from 1964 and was directed by Don Sharp, with a script by Harry Spaulding. The basic story is that a witch named Vanessa Whitlock, buried in the Whitlock family cemetery, comes back to life when you grave is disturbed by construction equipment. It stars Lon Chaney as Morgan Whitlock, a descendent of Vanessa, Jack Hedley, and Jill Dixon. It is not necessarily a well-known film. Despite its low budget, it is still a fairly gripping and effective little horror film. I enjoyed this movie, which, of course is why it made it on the list! If you have streaming service such as Roku, it’s available on Tubi. At one point it was also available on DVD as part of 20th Century Fox’s “Midnite Movie” series. The DVD is a double-feature with 1965’s Devils of Darkness. By the way, Devils of Darkness is part-vampire, part black magic film which might come up in a future episode or blog post. Next on the list is 1962’s Burn, Witch, Burn, also known by its British title Night of the Eagle. It was directed by Sidney Hayers with a screenplay by Fritz Leiber Jr., Charles Beaumont, and Richard Matheson. The screenplay is based on the novel Conjure Wife, by Fritz Leiber. It stars Peter Wyngarde and Janet Blair. Wyngard plays Norman Taylor, a psychology professor who lectures on superstition and belief systems. He discovers his wife Tansy, played by Janet Blair, is a practitioner of “conjure magic.” Since this goes against everything he teaches, he makes Tansy destroy all of her magic trinkets and paraphernalia. Once this happens, a lot of things go terribly, terribly wrong. No spoilers! You need to watch this movie if you haven’t already. If you have, then maybe you should watch it again. Now, one of my favorite films. I mean I like all the films that I am featuring here, but this one, well, it’s a great film. I am referring to 1957’s Curse of the Demon aka Night of the Demon, directed by the great Jacques Tourneur. Based of a short story, “Casting the Runes” by M.R. James, it stars Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummings, and Niall MacGinniss. Andrews plays Dr. John Holden, who comes to England to attend a convention on parapsychology. He runs afoul of Dr Julian Karswell, the leader of a local black magic cult. In all likelihood, Karswell was inspired by real-life practitioner Aleister Crowley. Curse of the Demon initially was filmed without any demon that you could see. The producers of the film added a animatronic demon, a very effective monster if I may say, after the initial filming was wrapped. I will also note that the demon is obviously inspired by the engravings of William Blake. Apparently, this was without director Tourneur’s knowledge, since he was outspokenly against it. I have watched this film countless times, and own the DVD. As far as I know, it is still available for purchase. The next film is one of Hammer Studio’s lesser known films. Nevertheless, it is a well-made, effective movie. The Witches from 1966, directed by Cyril Frankel and starring Joan Fontaine. The script was by Nigel Kneale, adapted from the 1960 novel The Devil’s Own by Norah Lofts under the pseudonym Peter Curtis. It tells the story of Schoolteacher Gwen Mayfield, played by Joan Fontaine, who comes back to England after suffering a nervous breakdown caused by an attack by witch-doctors while working in a mission in Africa. She soon finds out that the town itself has some dark goings-on involving witchcraft and pagan rituals. This was Joan Fontaine’s last theatrical film, possibly due to the movie’s poor reception at the box office. The next two films have Christopher Lee, so you’ll have to go with me on this. I will watch almost anything with Christopher Lee in it. Except maybe The Howling II Your Sister’s a Werewolf. Even Lee is quoted as saying he wasn’t sure what he was thinking. The first Christopher Lee movie listed here is 1968’s The Devil Rides Out, made by Hammer Studios. It was directed by the inimitable Terence Fisher. Richard Matheson wrote the screenplay, adapted from a novel by Dennis Wheatley. It stars, as I said, Christopher Lee in a rare “good guy” role as Duc De Richelieu, an expert in the Black Arts. Charles Gray, who you may know from Diamonds Are Forever and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (it’s just a jump to the left) plays Mocata, the leader of a Satan worshipping cult. And boy Gray makes for a very engaging villain. Maybe it’s his incredibly blue eyes. Terence Fisher, who also directed The Horror of Dracula and the Curse of Frankenstein, has been quoted as saying this was his favorite film as a director. Given his past credits, I would think that would convince anyone who loves horror films to watch, The Devil Rides Out. It is available on DVD and Blu-Ray Eight years prior, Lee starred in another under-appreciated horror film titled Horror Hotel, otherwise known as City of the Dead. It was released in 1960, directed by John Llewellen Moxey, with a screenplay by Milton Subotsky and George Baxt. It’s the story of Nan Barlow, a graduate student who is working on her thesis about witchcraft, but is about to go on her winter break. Her professor, Alan Driscoll, played by Christopher Lee, encourages her to go to the small town of Whitehead, his hometown. Once she arrives she senses some very morbid and strange goings on. This film is apparently in the public domain and is very easy to find on DVD or some streaming services. It’s a definitely low budget yet well made film. The next film, well, I wasn’t sure, still not sure, it’s a out and out witch movie. Yes the main character is found guilty and executed as a witch AND a vampire. No spoilers here, this happens at the very opening of the movie. The movie is none other that Black Sunday, directed by Italian director Mario Bava, starring Barbara Steele, John Richardson. The screenplay was loosely adapted from the Nicholai Gogol story The Viy. This was Mario Bava’s directorial debut, as well as Barbara Steele’s first horror films. The dubbing on most editions of this movie is substandard, I am pretty sure there is a subtitled version available. If you have AMC+ or Shudder, it’s on there. I encourage to seek out this film. It’s atmospheric, and pretty scary. I have definitely watched it several times, Despite its flawed script and psychedelic imagery, I felt Dunwich Horror needed to be on the list. It was released in 1970, directed by Corman protégé Daniel Haller with a script by Curtis Hanson, loosely based on the H.P Lovecraft novella of the same name. It stars Dean Stockwell and, in her first role portraying an adult, Sandra Dee of Gidget fame. Supporting cast includes Ed Begley Sr. and Sam Jaffe. Stockwell portrays Wilbur Whately, who travels to Miskatonic University in Arkham MA to borrow the infamous and dreaded Necronomicon for use in a dark ritual. Nancy Wagner (played by Sandra Dee) becomes Wilbur’s focus of this ritual. He kidnaps her under the influence of hypnotism and drugs. Professor Henry Armitage, played by Begley, comes to her rescue. Or so he thinks. The next film on my list is Cry of the Banshee, starring Vincent Price. Price plays (or overplays, as it were) Lord Edmund Whitman, a cruel witch-hunting magistrate, who often tortures innocent villagers for his entertainment, runs afoul of a witch who conjures a banshee (or Sidhe) to kill the magistrate and his family. It was directed by Gordon Hessler and released in 1970. This film is one of my guilty pleasure films. I admit it’s not a great film. Gordon Hessler is all over the place with this one, much like he was with Scream and Scream Again. Price, despite how incredibly sadistic his character is, looks like he’s enjoying himself. I was around nine when I saw this film, my parents took me and my brother to see in at The Egyptian Drive-In in Herrin, Illinois. Another highlight of the film is the opening credits, done by a pre-Monty Python Terry Gilliam! You didn’t really think I was not going to mention Rosemary’s Baby, did you? That would be remiss of me, given that it’s one of the best movies about witchcraft and Satan worship? After 56 years it is still an incredibly powerful movie.
Released in 1968, directed by Roman Polanski with a screenplay by Polansky and Ira Levin, based on Levin’s novel of the same name. It stars Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon. It was the inspiration for countless other films, including those made-for-TV. I’m pretty sure you all know the basic plot, but in case, it’s about Rosemary Woodhouse, who is chosen by a Satanic cult to become the mother of Satan’s child on Earth. If by some slim chance you have never seen this movie, you are missing out. I hope I have possibly introduced you to one or two films you may have not heard of before. Have I omitted any witchcraft movies that you think should be on the list? Please let me know by sending me a message on the Contact form.
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This essay was adapted from a recent episode of the Coffee Before Pants podcast  H.P. Lovecraft. You may not have even heard of him or read any of his fiction, but I’m sure you have encountered books or movies that were inspired by him. Although denied any notoriety or recognition while he was still alive, he has over the last 80 or so years become a great influence on literature. Horror literature, specifically. He has inspired many writers, artists, and filmmakers. Yes, H.P. Lovecraft. He is one of my favorite writers of the horror genre. In fact, I am in the process of reading his complete fiction. And trust me, that is no small feat. He was an incredibly prolific writer, especially given his short time on this Earth. Howard Phillips Lovecraft was an American writer of weird, science, fantasy, and horror fiction. He is best known for his creation of the Cthulhu Mythos. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Lovecraft spent most of his life in New England. After his father's institutionalization in 1893, he lived affluently until his family's wealth dissipated after the death of his grandfather. Lovecraft then lived with his mother, in reduced financial security, until her institutionalization in 1919. He began to write essays for the United Amateur Press Association, and in 1913 wrote a critical letter to a pulp magazine that ultimately led to his involvement in pulp fiction. He became active in the speculative fiction community and was published in several pulp magazines. Lovecraft moved to New York City, marrying Sonia Greene in 1924, and later became the center of a wider group of authors known as the "Lovecraft Circle". They introduced him to Weird Tales, which became his most prominent publisher. Lovecraft's time in New York took a toll on his mental state and financial conditions. He returned to Providence in 1926 and produced some of his most popular works, including The Call of Cthulhu, At the Mountains of Madness, The Shadow over Innsmouth, and The Shadow Out of Time. He remained active as a writer for 11 years until his death from intestinal cancer at the age of 46. Lovecraft's literary corpus is rooted in cosmicism, which was simultaneously his personal philosophy and the main theme of his fiction. Cosmicism posits that humanity is an insignificant part of the cosmos and could be swept away at any moment. He incorporated fantasy and science fiction elements into his stories, representing the perceived fragility of anthropocentrism. This was tied to his ambivalent views on knowledge. His works were largely set in a fictionalized version of New England. Civilizational decline also plays a major role in his works, as he believed that the West was in decline during his lifetime. Lovecraft's early political views were conservative and traditionalist; additionally, he held a number of racist views for much of his adult life. Following the Great Depression, Lovecraft's political views became more socialist while still remaining elitist and aristocratic. Throughout his adult life, Lovecraft was never able to support himself from his earnings as an author and editor. He was virtually unknown during his lifetime and was almost exclusively published in pulp magazines before his death. A scholarly revival of Lovecraft's work began in the 1970s, and he is now regarded as one of the most significant 20th-century authors of supernatural horror fiction. Many direct adaptations and spiritual successors followed. Works inspired by Lovecraft, adaptations or original works, began to form the basis of the Cthulhu Mythos, which utilizes Lovecraft's characters, setting, and themes. Lovecraft and other writers of weird fiction brought horror into more modern times and settings. Prior to this, most horror was Gothic (like Dracula, Frankenstein, Carmilla with it’s castles and foreboding landscapes. Lovecraft and his contemporaries set their stories in early 20th century, contemporary to when they were alive. That being said, Lovecraft’s stories did display some influence from Poe, Folk Horror, and Gothic horror, but brought it to his time. As I mentioned before, Lovecraft would have never imagined his post mortem popularity with readers and the influence he had over later writers. His fiction was, in all likelihood, hard to accept by many general readers. His writing could be wordy and dry, to be honest. Still, his influence on many writers and other creators cannot be denied. Horror author Stephen King cites Lovecraft as a major influence on his own work. The short story “Jerusalem’s Lot” a prequel of sorts to King’s second novel Salem’s Lot, was definitely an homage to Lovecraft. King’ story The Mist, with its creatures from another dimension not usually seen my mortals, was also heavily influenced by Lovecraft. King himself has said that even Randall Flagg, the antagonist from The Stand, and Pennywise from It were based on and inspired by Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. I would venture to say that the Cthulhu Mythos is an inspiration for King’s The Dark Tower universe. Author Neil Gaiman also cites Lovecraft as a considerable influence on his own work. Gaiman is quoted saying "The interesting thing is in Lovecraft, people don't do the wrong thing in the way that you normally do in horror fiction. In horror fiction, you do the wrong thing: you go into the shop and you buy that cat-headed object you probably shouldn't, or whatever, and everything goes bad. In Lovecraft, you simply get a room in a wrong place, move to the wrong town, read the wrong story. You're just screwed." Gaiman wrote several short stories based on Lovecraft, as well as interviewed about Lovecraft’s influence, in the documentary The Eldritch Influence: The Life, Vision and Phenomenon of H.P. Lovecraft, which is available on DVD. Gaiman’s Lovecraft-inspired short fictions include Only the End of the World Again, Shoggoth’s Old Peculiar, both of which are included in Gaiman’s short story collection, Smoke and Mirrors. Brian Lumley was an incredibly prolific English author of horror fiction. He came to prominence in the 1970s writing in the Cthulhu Mythos created by American writer H. P. Lovecraft but featuring the new character Titus Crow. Lumley also created new “Elder Gods” inspired by Lovecraft’s mythos. He later went on to greater fame in the 1980s with the best-selling Necroscope series, initially centered on character Harry Keogh, who can communicate with the spirits of the dead. And now he is another author added to the Onerous and Ever Growing To Be Read List. It never ends, does it? I also have to mention Colin Wilson. Wilson was a British philosopher and author. Readers of H.P. Lovecraft are more that just slightly familiar with the book titled Necronomicon, written by the “mad Arab Abdul Ahazred.” In my years of working at different bookstores, there were often people who came searching for this book. Yes, there is a book titled Necronomicon. One will occasionally run across this title, and sure enough, it shows the author as being good old Abdul. I hope I don’t ruin anyone’s day by saying this, but the book you might find at a second-hand bookstore is not the actual Necronomicon. That’s because it never really existed. The book that one would find was written by none other than Colin Wilson as a hoax. The Necronomicon, before Colin Wilson came along, was a product of H.P. Lovecraft’s wild imagination. In case you are wondering why you have heard of Colin Wilson, he was also the author of The Space Vampires, the basis of Tobe Hooper’s abysmal 1985 film "Lifeforce.” There are also filmmakers that have been inspired by Lovecraft. In the 60’s and early 70s there were several films loosely based on Lovecraft’s writings. A few of them produced by none other than Roger Corman. The Dunwich Horror, Die,Monster,Die (based on The Colour Out of Space) and The Shuttered Room. Corman also produced The Haunted Palace, which was presented as from Edgar Allan Poe, but the story was quite loosely based on Lovecraft’s The Case of Charles Dexter Ward and The Shadow Over Innsmouth. A more contemporary director, Guillermo Del Toro is also inspired by H.P. Lovecraft. Although the source material is Mike Mignola’s, there is definitely some Lovecraft influence in at least the first film. When most people think of John Carpenter and Lovecraft’s influence on him, they usually go to In the Mouth of Madness. And they’re not wrong. I would say, although the basic story is based on John W Campbell’s short story “Who Goes There?” John Carpenter’s 1982 masterpiece, (yes, MASTERPIECE) The Thing is basically a Lovecraft movie, no less than that of Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead. And those who are old enough to remember Rod Serling’s Night Gallery, there were a few episodes that featured adaptations of Lovecraft stories, namely “Pickman’s Model” and “Cool Air,” I will have you know that Pickman’s Model gave me at least a few weeks of nightmares. It also was my first step toward being a fan of H.P. Lovecraft. Finally, I have to say this. Lovecraft’s detractors seem to focus less on his writing, which yes can be verbose, and more on his personal and political prejudices. Yes, H.P. Lovecraft was racist, anti-Semitic, and xenophobic. And yes, it does come through, albeit vaguely, in his writing. That does not negate his talent or imagination. And oh man, he was prolific. I recommend Lovecraft become part of your to-be-read list. His books are not hard to find at all. One of the reasons for this, sadly enough, is that Lovecraft’s fiction fell into the public domain some time ago. He’s everywhere…. You can find several editions of H.P. Lovecraft’s Complete Fiction, both in print and as Kindle Books. As far as the Kindle books go, read the reviews. I’ve seen some reviews that state that the book is not as complete as they say. That’s the drawback of a book being in the public domain. Want to learn more about H.P. Lovecraft? Here is a video H.P. Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown  This essay was adapted from the latest episode of the Coffee Before Pants podcast Signal to Noise. If you would rather listen, just click here
It’s everywhere. Everywhere you go. It’s something I have recently been thinking about quite a bit. Perhaps, it is a sign of age that I am noticing this thing, but I’m not so sure. I think it’s a sign that our environment is changing, and not necessarily for the better. Every day society is surrounded, even bombarded, by it. Constantly. In our home, in the workplace, in the grocery store, in restaurants. We are even subjected to it at the gas pump. It’s everywhere and it’s only going to get worse unless we find a way to minimize, or even eliminate it from our lives. I am talking about noise. We are assaulted by clamor, needless chatter, and bad music with have already grown tired of hearing. We can’t go out without hearing it. We can’t go out to eat and have a pleasant conversation without being drowned out by music. It’s not just music. It seems you can’t go anywhere without hearing advertisements. Loud, abrasive ads that demand your attention. When you go to a gas station, you pull up to the pump, enter your credit card information, and start pumping the gas. There’s always a notice that says Do not leave the pump unattended. As soon as you press the lever to start pumping, the pump starts blaring advertisements and pseudo-news at you. At least there is a mute button, right? I don’t think I’m alone in wondering why I have to listen to music or television when eating out. Valerie and I go to restaurants to have a nice meal, not to watch the NBA playoffs or listen to music. If I were interested, I would do those things at home. It’s still noise, yes but it is the noise of my own choosing. The loud music and television also starts a domino effect with fellow patrons, as well. The restaurant has a TV playing, or loud music. The conversation gradually gets louder because they want to have a conversation but have to talk over the TV. This causes other conversations in the room to also get louder. And so on. When I use the term Noise, I am not just talking about auditory noise. Visual noise also is a major issue. We are constantly bombarded by it. All this noise is affecting out ability to focus. That is what the noise makers of our society want. They want you to lose your inability to focus on what you want to do and instead focus on what they want to sell you. At least, for the most part. And noise, like static, daily traffic, white noise, can affect one's overall health. A new study led by Charlie Roscoe, research fellow in environmental health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, found that nighttime and daytime noise generated by things like cars, trucks, trains, and airplanes was linked with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a group of women in the U.S. Roscoe discusses the significance of the findings, and why the health impacts of noise should be taken seriously. And what is my point? My point is that, although this is not a new phenomenon, it is getting worse. We are losing our ability for critical thinking, we are losing our ability to read the things we want to read and instead the media and advertisers are trying to tell you what to think, what to read. So, consider this a call to arms, so to speak. There are ways to combat the pervasive noise in our lives, to help us focus on reading. Reading or whatever task there might be at hand that requires concentration. Some of my suggested tacts might seem anti-social. Others are just small ways we can rise above the noise levels. One, and this is the hardest. Turn off your goddamn smartphone. Seriously. It rules your life more than you care to admit or notice. Wake up. Nothing that happens outside of your silence is worth your attention. Unless you are on call for your job, nothing that happens is going to change because you missed a call. This is an excellent way to retain your focus. You can read, write, journal, meditate, what have you. Just leave the smartphone off. Give yourself an hour a day, whatever hour you choose, to involve yourself in these tasks. Second, invest in a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones. I have a pair of Status Core ANC over the ear headphones and they are amazing. I don’t know if other brands have this feature, but these have noise cancelling feature separate from the Bluetooth feature. If you like listening to music while you read, fine, but with these headphones, it isn’t necessary. I profess to be a bit of a hermit, myself, but occasionally I do like sitting at a coffee shop or café to read. These headphones are a must for me for obvious reasons. I even wear them when I read in the library, which has it’s own share of noise. Whatever happened to being quiet in the library. Our local library has a quiet room. It used to be that all libraries were quiet rooms. Weather permitting, of course, enjoy the relative silence of local parks. Bring your headphones nonetheless, since there is always a chance of some cretin playing music too loudly. Three, when you are out and about and simply want to read, put a sign on the table stating such. I have seen signs and stickers that say “the headphones mean I am reading, or the headphones mean I don’t want to talk. If you see that sign, please respect the owner’s intentions. And four, set up a hermit space in your home, if possible. This way you can make your own coffee. Listen to the noise or sounds of your own choosing. Or put your headphones on and listen to….nothing. Don’t forget to turn off or silence your phone. I am keeping in mind that there are those, unlike myself, who are not as sound reactive as I am. There are those who could focus on there reading or writing through a loud rock concert. I am not one of those. I prefer to be in a quiet space, alone with my thoughts. All the while I was working on the podcast, I kept thinking, am I not just one more aspect of the noise? Seriously, how many podcasts are there? Add this to all the YouTube and TikTok channels, most just add to the noise. I don’t want to add to the noise and clamor. I had serious thoughts about discontinuing the podcast. Instead, I intend to rise above the noise, or if nothing else make the noise less noisy. One way I will do this is to keep presenting what I hope is quality content. I would like to hear from you. What steps do you take to cultivate a positive reading environment? Travel into a large woods just to sit and read? Do you in fact wear headphones or earbuds when out in public, in order to concentrate? I am always looking for ideas myself. Let me know by either commenting down below or contacting me on the contact page. (As a side note, the reason I adapted this into a written post from the podcast is that I appreciate that not everyone likes listening to podcasts. I understand. I have never been able to enjoy someone reading to me, or listening to audiobooks.)  None of these books are mentioned here. I have yet to read them! Do you recommend books to others? Do you like it when someone gives you an unsolicited reading recommendation? Do you actually read the books others have recommended or do you avoid reading the book? I personally like talking about the books I read. I mean, that’s one of the biggest points to this podcast, although I do like also talking about literary history. Well, the recommendation of books is the subject of this week’s podcast. And in case you are wondering, I, for some reason, resist reading books that others recommend. I’m not sure why, really. Because of this I will understand if none of my book recommendations are heeded. Perhaps it is an independent spirit that causes us to balk at someone else’s recommendations. I am always looking for something new to read, and yet when someone else recommends a book, I’m not sure what happens in my brain. Maybe it’s the whole “it wasn’t my idea” thing. Nevertheless, I am here this week to tell you about authors I always recommend to others As an aside, personally, I try to alternate between fiction and nonfiction, book by book, but it doesn’t always happen. Sometimes I will find an author I really like and want to read more without having to wait. Then again, that’s me. I don’t hold myself to this rule all the time. I also believe that enjoying what you read is more important than restrictions on what you read or in what order. It’s also important to know that you are not obligated to read a book you are not enjoying. Enjoying what you read is more than half the fun. Haruki Murakami is the author of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Kafka on The Shore, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. He is a Japanese writer whose novels, essays, and short stories have been best-sellers in Japan. His work has been translated into 50 languages and having sold millions of copies outside Japan. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Gunzo Prize for New Writers, the World Fantasy Award, the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award, and the Franz Kafka Prize. The first book I read by Murakami was The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. It’s a fairly long book at 607 pages. However, Murakami keeps the reader engaged and you forget the book is as long as it is. My favorite, so far, though, it Kafka on the Shore. An equally engaging story, and slightly shorter. Murakami’s stories have elements of magical realism, the human struggle with every day life, and a healthy dash of pathos. He is definitely in my top 5 of fiction authors. Shane Jones is the author of The Light Boxes, which I have mentioned in a previous podcast, as well as Daniel Fights a Hurricane, and the Crystal Eaters. He was born in Albany, New York. He graduated from SUNY Buffalo in 2004 with a B.A. in English I enjoyed all three of the books mentioned. They are weird and surreal although written in a literary style that makes them not too difficult to read. These books and more are available at Amazon and Thriftbooks.com Neil Gaiman is next on my list. I will admit, I am not the biggest fantasy reader. I do like the occasional steampunk story and read most of Robert E. Howard’s Conan stories. Neil Gaiman, however, I love reading. Prolific writer Neil Gaiman was born in Hampshire, UK but moved to the US in 1992. He currently lives near Minneapolis with his wife, musician Amanda Palmer. He is the author of Neverwhere, The Ocean at The End of the Lane, American Gods, Trigger Warning (Short Stories). His literary influences include H.P. Lovecraft, James Branch Cabell, Edgar Allan Poe, Michael Moorcock, G.K. Chesterton, among others. My first exposure to Neil Gaiman was the comic book/graphic novels of Sandman. The first book I read by Gaiman was Neverwhere, also the book I usually recommend to others. I became so engrossed in the story that I was oblivious when I came to the end of the book. I came to the last page and needed more. Isn’t that one of the signs of a good book? I also recommend American Gods (skip the television series) and, although it’s a kid’s book, The day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, illustrated by Dave McKean. Next is Kevin Brockmeier. He was born in Hialeah, Florida and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas. He is a graduate of Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School (1991) and Southwest Missouri State University (1995). He taught at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, where he received his MFA in 1997, and lives in Little Rock. His short stories have been printed in numerous publications and he has published two collections of stories, two children's novels, and two fantasy novels. Brockmeier has won three O. Henry Prizes, the Chicago Tribune's Nelson Algren Award for Short Fiction, Italo Calvino Short Fiction Award, the Booker Worthen Literary Prize, and the Porter Fund Literary Prize. Although I have only read Brockmeier’s two novels, at this point I plan on reading everything I can get my hands on. His writing style is empathetic, his descriptions make it easy to see exactly what or who he is describing. Although his novels have been described as speculative fiction, to pigeonhole Brockmeier would be an error of judgement. His work transcends labels. The first novel I read was Brockmeier's first, A Brief History of the Dead. To give you a hint toward the plot, Brockmeier quotes James Loewen's Lies My Teacher Told Me at the beginning of the book. The quote describes the belief of many African tribes that humans can be divided into three categories: Those still alive on earth, the recently departed (sasha), and the dead (zamani). When people die.they are sasha while people are still alive who remember them. When the last person remembering them dies, they go to the zamani and are then revered and recalled by name only. Are you intrigued? And then, there is Brockmeier’s novel The Illumination. And wow, what a story Brockmeier tells. It asks the question “What if our pain and injuries were the most beautiful thing about us?” It describes a universe in which human pain is expressed as illumination, so that one's wounds glow luminescent. I found it a very engaging story. I look forward to reading more of Brockmeier’s fiction. It is safe to say that most people know or know of Ray Bradbury. And if you don’t, well, acquaint yourself with this wonderful writer. Born in 1920 in Waukegan, Illinois, Bradbury moved with his family to Los Angeles at the age of 14. After graduating high school, he ended his formal education and found work selling newspapers. In 1943 he began his career as a writer. He was a prolific writer, authoring stories of science fiction, speculative fiction, horror, and even detective stories. His books are too numerous to list, but if you want a good start, read Fahrenheit 451, October Country, The Illustrated Man, or The Martian Chronicles. I don’t have any favorites, really. I like them all. My first exposure to Ray Bradbury, I owe to two of my junior high school teachers. Stuart Davis, my science teacher, read us the time travel story, “A Sound of Thunder." Steven Lather, our social studies teacher, showed a documentary about Bradbury in class. The last time I looked the documentary, filmed in 1963, is available on YouTube. I will post a link in the episode description. I am grateful to both Mr. Davis and Mr. Lather. On a personal note, a few years ago Valerie and I went to Chicago’s American Writers Museum, where there was a Ray Bradbury exhibit. In part of the exhibit, they had what I assume was Bradbury’s first typewriter, a 1940’s Royal. An adjacent placard encouraged visitors to sit down and type it. I don’t remember what I typed, but there was a sense of awe present. Then again, the whole museum felt like church. You may have noticed the authors highlighted on this episode are writers of fiction. Trust me, I will be back at a later date with non-fiction author recommendations. And there are definitely so many more fiction writers that I could recommend. As mentioned before this was edited and adapted from my recent podcast. If you would like to listen, just click here. Peace. Now go read a book!  I turned sixty-one a week ago. Ten years ago, or so, I might have had doubts that I was going to make it this far. But I did. This isn't about my longevity so far, not really. It's not how long you live but what you do in your brief time here on Earth. That being said, it's okay if you've never figured out what you want to do when you grow up. You are allowed to change your mind at any time. Besides, being a grown up is vastly over-rated.
In the past 40-plus years, I have changed my mind a lot. Everything I did, though, I wasn't just a dilletante. I took the deep dive. I had been writing poetry since I was in high school, not that anyone knew since I rarely showed anyone. When I moved to Milwaukee, I became entrenched in the poetry scene there. After a few years, I grew bored with it. So I changed my mind. From there, I went from making hand bound books to re-learning how to draw and sketch, to printmaking. The printmaking lasted a few years, but eventually the summers became too hot for me to sit outside for hours at a time and still be expected to be sociable. Again, I changed my mind and no longer wanted to do printmaking. I veered again toward writing and this led to buying a manual typewriter. I was inspired by the typewriter poetry movement. I thought, hey, that's cool. I loved typing on a typewriter. I followed a Instagram user Black Adder Press, also a printmaker, who instilled the interest in me for typewriter poetry. But I couldn't stop there. Suddenly I wanted to learn how to work on typewriters. I sold my etching press and letterpress, which afforded me the money to be able to buy more typewriters. Suddenly I had fourteen, then 40, then....I stopped at just over a hundred typewriters. I guess I eventually became sick of looking at all the typewriters. I am currently in the process of reducing my inventory. I have changed my mind, again. So what is my new thing? As many of you already know, I started a podcast back in November called, yes, Coffee Before Pants. I have been doing it since October of last year and I think I have found a new passion. On the podcast, I focus on books, music, and film. The process of doing a podcast appeals to me because the majority of it is writing. And, harkening back to college days, it's kind of like being a radio announcer. And since I have turned into quite the urban hermit, well, the concept of doing a podcast from my home is totally appealing. And why am I saying all of this? So you will know that decisions you make for yourself when you are 18 don't always have to be the same decisions you make when you are 25, or older. Or 61. You don't have to have your life planned out years down the road. I found a new passion at 60. Valerie, who is 49, is pursuing her Masters Degree in Yoga Therapy. We often tell our niece, (who by the way, turned 21 today! Happy Birthday, Kyra!) that she doesn't have to decide what she wants to do right now. And even if she did, she is free to change her mind. Everyone is. Everyone is free to change their mind. Don't like your job Find another field you will enjoy. Hate what you're studying? Change your major. I'm sure many people wake up on any given morning and say to themselves "What the fuck am I doing this for?" That's when changes can happen, folks. You are free to change your mind. Peace.  WinterWalk by Mark B Hill The clinic where I work has begun requiring all of us, even the support staff such as I am, to wear protective masks. This is due to not only an increase of Covid-19 but also of Respiratory Syncytial Virus aka RSV. I get irritated when I look at myself in the mirror. The daily mask wearing has made a mess of my long beard, causing it to tuck under my chin. It looks a little ridiculous, to be honest It's like if you parted your hair the wrong way and then put on a knit cap, leaving it there for a few days.
Irritated. Yes. I have worked so hard at not fussing with the beard. Not clipping or snipping the wild hairs. And now, at this very moment, I am considering trimming it down to a goatee. This is the wrong time of the year to have these thoughts. Usually, I consider this action when the weather warms in the Spring. But it's the end of January, in Wisconsin, and the Winter is far from over. I lay this directly at the feet of all those dismal anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers. I firmly believe that they are the reason that Covid-19 has not been completely eradicated. They are the reason that the variants came, with the resulting extra boosters. All this because of some fucked-up sense of freedom, but without any responsibility. I blame them that I will probably have to trim my beard. Jerks. I think to myself that it's also a mixture of ego and a weird since of materialism. Isn't that why people who are initiated into being Buddhist monks shave their heads? A gesture of letting go? I am more inclined to cut my hair short, I wear a hat anyway and it gets thinner as I get older. I resist shaving or trimming short the beard. Yet, I am not impulsive. Tomorrow morning, a Sunday, I might look again in the mirror while I brush my teeth and say to myself, "I'll leave it one more day." Monday may present a different frame of mind. It depends on how early I get up to get ready. Shaving in the morning, before I've had coffee, presents a few obvious dangers. I try to avoid sharp objects before my morning coffee. It's not that my hand is unsteady, it's that my vision is blurred.  photo by Valerie Hesslink Every other month, Valerie and I fly to Laurel, Maryland via Reagan National Airport, where Valerie is pursuing her Master's degree in Yoga Therapy. On the months we don't fly there, her classes are virtual. I come along for the down time, spending most of my time there in the hotel, reading, writing, working on the podcast. This time, however, it didn't work out how I had planned.
We flew in Wednesday night and retrieved our checked bags. I had a carry-on, a travel backpack. We walked out to catch the shuttle to the rental car area. I put my carry-on on the bench and we waited. Then, I'm not sure what happened. We boarded the shuttle and half way to the car rental, I realized I had just left my bag on the bench. By the time we came back around, it was long gone. Stolen. I felt that I had experienced what could be described as a "cognitive lapse." It was less that I had just forgotten my bag, and more that I had forgotten that I even had a bag. I didn't occur to me until we were well on our way to pick up our rental car that I did have a bag, but it wasn't with me. Suddenly, my mind was full of a mix of panic and a sense of "what the hell is wrong with me?" After making certain that the bag was indeed missing, there was nothing to do at the time except to drive to Laurel and call airport security. I was, to say the least, devastated. Not just because of the loss of possessions, but the thought that there were signs of cognitive lapse. Valerie tried to reassure and comfort me as well as she could. "At least we are safe and most of what was in the bag is replaceable." The nest day, I called airport security and they assured me that no bag fitting the description I gave had been turned in. The advised that if any of the airport staff had seen the abandoned bag, the DC police would have been contacted and they would have swept it for explosive devices and/or drugs. What was in the bag, you ask? All the elements of my weekend that were to keep me occupied. My Kindle Scribe, my fountain pens, a book I was reading and planned to finish over the weekend, a pair of Bluetooth headphones, and a Lochby Field Journal (kind of a binder that holds 3 cahier notebooks with pen slots. There was also a travel espresso maker, the keys to both my car and our apartment, and my medications. All of these things are replaceable. I had to go two days without my medications, but those were eventually replaced. The one thing that is not replaceable is my journal. It was a 6 x 9 hardcover notebook and I had almost filled it. Reading notes, quotations, writing and podcast ideas, all gone. I did have my contact information written in the inside of the front cover. I, however, hold no faith that anyone would bother to put it in bubble mailer and ship it to me. But as Valerie reminded me, I came out of the whole thing a little worse for emotional wear, but was safe, relatively healthy, and alive. I spent the next day, while Valerie was in class, meditating and pondering about letting go. It was all just "stuff" I said, stuff that would eventually be replaced. I spent the Friday following looking for a new notebook, a cheap set of headphones (from Five Below, no less) and then I found a thrift store with a decent selection of books. With that I managed to get through the weekend relatively unscathed. We are back home now. I received my new Kindle Scribe and a new Lamy fountain pen. I found a decent shoulder bag and a couple hardcover journals. And we are home, safe and alive. The sting of loss will fade eventually. There will be new ideas, new opportunity to create. And lessons of mindfulness and of letting go. As far as the cognitive stuff goes, we will just have to keep an eye on it. It could be nothing, It may have been that I was just over-tired from the trip. I always tell my doctors, jokingly, that having open heart surgery about sixteen years ago made me a bit of a hypochondriac. Let's hope that is all this is. A Companion to Episode 9 of the Coffee Before Pants PodcastHere are links and cover art for the albums I featured on Coffee Before Pants podcast, Episode 9. The links will take you to Amazon.com. I'm sure you can find them on Spotify as well, but I no longer have a Spotify account.  Kind of Blue- Miles Davis. Initial release 1959. Personnel: Miles Davis on trumpet. Julian "Cannonball" Adderly on Alto Saxophone, Bill Evans-Piano, Paul Chambers-Bass, Wyn Kelly-Piano. James Cobb - Drums and John Coltrane -Tenor Sax.  Moanin, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Initial release 1959. Personnel: Art Blakey-Drums. Jymie Merritt-Bass, Bobby Timmons-Piano, Benny Golson-Drums, and Lee Morgan Trumpet.  Cornbread-Lee Morgan. Released 1967-Lee Morgan-Trumpet, Jackie McLean-Alto Saxophone, Larry Ridley-Bass, Hank Mobley-Tenor Saxophone, and Herbie Hancock on Piano.  Journey in Satchidananda-Alice Coltrane- Initial release 1971,with Alice Coltrane on harp, Piano, Cecil McBee-Bass, Majid Shabazz -Bells, Tambourine, Pharoah Sanders-Soprano Saxophone, Percussion and Tulsi on Tamboura  Bags and Trane-Milt Jackson and John Coltrane. Initial release 1961 with Milt Jackson on Vibraphone, John Coltrane on Tenor Sax, with Connie Kay on Drums, Paul Chambers-Bass, Hank Jones on Piano.  Straight, No Chaser-Thelonious Monk- Released in 1967 with Thelonious Monk on Piano (of course) Larry Gates-Bass, Charlie Rouse-Tenor Saxophone, and Ben Riley on drums.  Wild Flower-Hubert Laws-First released 1972 Hubert Laws on Flute, Ron Carter on Bass as well as several others on strings.  Song for My Father-Horace Silver-Released in 1964 with Horace Silver Piano, Teddy Smith and Gene Taylor-Bass, Roy Brooks-Drums, Junior Cook-Tenor Saxophone, Blue Mitchell-Trumpet,  Blue Train-John Coltrane, initial release 1957-Personnel includes John Coltrane on Tenor Saz, Paul Chambers on Bass, Philly Joe Jones on Drums, and Kenny Drew on Piano. And guess who on Trumpet. Lee Morgan!  Bird and Diz- John Coltrane and Dizzy Gillespie, Released in 1952, with Charlie Parker on Tenor Saxophone, Dizzy Gillespie on Trumpet, Thelonious Monk -Piano, Curly Russell on Bass.  Mingus Ah Um-Charles Mingus, Released 1959 with Charles Mingus on Bass, John Handy Alto Sax, Shafi Hadi on Tenor Sax, Horace Parlan on Piano, Jimmy Knepper on Trombone, among others.  Portrait in Jazz-Bill Evans Trio, released 1960, with Bill Evans on Piano, Scott LaFaro on Bass, and Paul Motian on Drums. Yep, that's why they call it a trio. And you can listen to the podcast by clicking here
 Well, I guess this is my last post for 2023. I am looking forward to the coming year, remarkably. Except for the last few months, it felt like a shit show. I sincerely hope we can turn the bullshit away and have a great year. I feel an uncharacteristic optimism. Maybe I'm slightly delusional, who can tell. Right now I can tell you that I feel pretty awesome about the last couple of months. Most of you know, I started a podcast titled, of course, Coffee Before Pants. If you want to listed there's a link along the top you can click and on that page is a podcast player. Also, if you would be so kind, check out the merchandise page. It will redirect you to my RedBubble shop. It has been a pretty creative year, with more ups than downs. I changed my focus from typewriters to actually writing. I have a few irons in the fire, as they say, beyond the podcast and this website. For now, the irons are on a secret fire that only I know about. I'm not giving up all my secrets. I will definitely let everyone know when the time is right. How enigmatic, right? I am rambling and it is late. I always get my best ideas just as I am falling asleep. Most times I am too lazy or too paralyzed by lack of sleep, and those ideas are POOF, out into the ether. I tried setting up a voice-activated recorder app on my phone, but all I ever get is mumbled nonsense and snoring. Valerie bought me a new nightstand where I can place a notebook, just in case. It's the same law of nature that gets the bus you are waiting for after you've lit a cigarette, or your food comes right as you have to go to the restroom. You know what I mean. Placing a notebook guarantees you will not wake up with a great idea. At least it potentially helps with sleep. One secret I will divulge is that I am working on developing a YouTube channel. There are some things I want to share that are more suited for visuals. When the channel is ready, you will definitely know. None of this would be possible without Valerie. We marked our 19th year together, always the Sunday after Thanksgiving, the day we first met in 2004. She is my rock and the love of my life. I am ever grateful. I know she knows, but I like telling her anyway. My wish for you is that you find your groove in 2024. I hope you get to read a lot of good books, drink good coffee, and well, become the hermit you always wanted to be, if that be the case. Peace.  I just had to!
 It is Sunday morning and I am relatively awake. I woke at a reprehensible hour of the morning, which is annoying since I didn't go to bed until after midnight. So, please, bear with me while I clear the cobwebs with another espresso. As many of you know, I started a podcast a few weeks ago. It's titled, of course, Coffee Before Pants. It just seems fitting. Each week I talk about books, authors, literature, and literary history. I have, so far, four episodes. Although they are a bit clunky, I am still pretty proud of them. They are going to improve once I figure out the ins and outs and what have yous. Yesterday, I learned how to use the Audiolab app, which will hopefully improve the quality of the recordings. There are several reasons that I feel a podcast is a perfect venue for me. One, I don't have to leave the apartment. I don't have sit in the miserable heat all day, as I did in art fairs. It's not as tedious as working on typewriters of which I am trying to purge). The end result of recording a podcast is very gratifying. So, I ask that you give it a listen. You can find it here on the website, on TuneIn, iHeart, Prime Music/Audible, Podchaser, and Podbean. Let me know what you think. And in closing, I want to share what could possibly be my new life philosophy  |
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