Summer is nearly over, but don’t despair, for as well as a season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, autumn brings with it the advent of one of my favourite literary experiences, the Innsmouth Literary Festival on September 27th.
Hatched and gestated by the splendid Rob and Tim of the Innsmouth Book Club, and now in its glorious third year, the Innsmouth Literary Festival is a place where lovers of Lovecraft, cosmic horror, weird fiction, the Cthulhu mythos, books, performance and gaming all come together in a day long celebration.
It’s not only a fantastic day out but a chance to mingle with some interesting and lovely people and geek out about our favourite weird subjects.
There’ll be book launches, panels, discussion, a trove of great artefacts, rare book stalls, Innsmouthian authors, artists, traders, gaming, a goodie bag and photo ops, along with a Friday night quiz and an extended RPG session on the Sunday.
There’s a stellar line up of confirmed guests including Mike Mason, Paul Fricker, Anna Smith-Spark, David Hambling, Ally Wilkes, CJ Hooper, Matthew Wood, Zoe Burgess and Simon Bleaken, with more TBA.
Plus of course there’s the legendary Innsmouth After Dark, with readings and live performances including Paul Roland’s Lovecraft inspired tunes and Edwyrdian Tales making a triumphant return, with Lovecraft’s ‘From Beyond’. Deadbolt Films are presenting two short films, ‘Beyond’ & Tape 3,’ and hosting a Q&A while CJ Hooper, comedian and improv poet acts as Eldritch Master of Ceremonies.
I’ll also be there, signing books and chatting about mythos gaming on one of the panels. Sadly, I won’t quite have Keeper of the Hidden Flame, the next Gaston Dubois tale, ready in time to launch (it’s currently in the first round of editing), but always happy to have a chat, especially over a pint! I’m also looking to do a short RPG taster on the Sunday morning.
So, book your ticket today, it’s an absolutely blast. Look forward to seeing you there!