Our guest of honor for PulpFest 2015 has been collecting pulps ever since he was in college. The first pulp he ever bought was the August 1935 WEIRD TALES–pictured here with front cover art by the incomparable Margaret Brundage. The lead story of the issue was Paul Ernst’s first Doctor Satan story. Our guest found a copy of the pulp for $4 at an old magazine shop and never looked back.
He became interested in H. P. Lovecraft as a kid and has remained a devotee ever since. He attended the first World Fantasy Convention in Providence in 1975. There he met all the “younger” Lovecraftians, then in their sixties and seventies. He has remained well-versed in Lovecraftiana and HPL scholarship to this very day. He has even written a few Lovecraftian stories: “From the Papers of Helmut Hecker,” appeared in LOVECRAFT’S LEGACY, edited for Tor Books by Robert E. Weinberg and Martin H. Greenberg; and “Appointed,” for S. T. Joshi’s BLACK WINGS II, published by PS Publishing.
Our PulpFest 2015 guest of honor, Chet Williamson, has been writing in the fields of horror, science fiction, and suspense since 1981. Among his many novels are SECOND CHANCE, HUNTERS, DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH, ASH WEDNESDAY, REIGN, and DREAMTHORP. His forthcoming books include THE NIGHT LISTENER AND OTHERS, a story collection from PS Publishing; A LITTLE BLUE BOOK OF BIBLIOMANCY, a collection from Borderlands Press; and PSYCHO: SANITARIUM, an authorized sequel to Robert Bloch’s classic novel. It will be published by St. Martin’s Press.
Over one hundred of Mr. Williamson’s short stories have appeared in such magazines as THE NEW YORKER, PLAYBOY, ESQUIRE, THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION, and many other magazines and anthologies. He has won the International Horror Guild Award, and has been shortlisted twice for the World Fantasy Award, six times for the Horror Writers Association’s Stoker Award, and once for the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award. Nearly all of his works are available in e-book format at Amazon’s Kindle Store and through Crossroad Press.
A stage and film actor–his most recent appearance is in Joe R. Lansdale’s film, CHRISTMAS WITH THE DEAD–he has recorded over forty unabridged audiobooks, both of his own work and that of many other writers, available via Audible.
Our guest of honor will be presenting an informal lecture on Friday, August 14th, beginning at 7:55 PM. Mr. Williamson will be discussing his interest in the pulps and H. P. Lovecraft in particular. He will explain how “the old gentleman” of Providence influenced him in his writing as well as the writing of his peers in the world of modern horror fiction.
Chet will also be available on Saturday, August 15th, at 1 PM to meet our members. He will be very happy to provide autographs.
The convention wants to thank organizing committee member J. Barry Traylor for arranging Chet Williamson’s appearance at PulpFest 2015. A longtime pulp fan, Lovecraft enthusiast, and professional writer and actor, Mr. Williamson is the perfect guest to help us celebrate the 125th birthday of H. P. Lovecraft and salute WEIRD TALES, “the unique magazine” where the bulk of Lovecraft’s work appeared.
(You can follow Chet Williamson on Twitter @chetwill or via his home page at www.chetwilliamson.com.)
