The Temple of Dagon

Hello everyone, I am new to the group and need a little help. I have been asked to write for an anthology that requires Mythos fiction. They are not interested in anything written in a mock-Lovecraftian style. I am very new to this genre and am looking for maybe links or advice that can help me on my path. Thanks so much. All help is greatly appreciated.

Read some of my stuff posted on here. I have been told I do mythos fiction that is not a pastiche of Lovecraft.

Thank you, I will make sure I do just that.

There's also a nice guide to avoiding blatant Lovecraft regurgitation in the Mythos FAQ on the main page. Though why would anyone want to avoid sounding like the man himself?

I think the key thing is to give the mythos-feel, without coming off like you are mimicking HPL, or just name-dropping elder-god style.

Aleister wrote:I think the key thing is to give the mythos-feel, without coming off like you are mimicking HPL, or just name-dropping elder-god style.

Sounds about right. I only ever subtly use mythos elements, really. However, I did launch into a mighty big list of names in one tale, but I think it came out okay.

I will rephrase, I think name-dropping as fine, as long as it comes off as valid work, and not simply name-dropping

Aleister wrote:I will rephrase, I think name-dropping as fine, as long as it comes off as valid work, and not simply name-dropping

Ah, I get you now.

I think you can name drop (cautiously) as long as the plot is original, and the name that you use fits into the storyline in a unique way.

yogsototh wrote:I think you can name drop (cautiously) as long as the plot is original, and the name that you use fits into the storyline in a unique way.

Yeah, that's the way I usually do it.

Aleister wrote:I will rephrase, I think name-dropping as fine, as long as it comes off as valid work, and not simply name-dropping

I cringe just about every time I see an established mythos name. Good stories get away with it not by relying on the name to create the dish, but by using it to add that ever-so-subtle dash of flavor. Seems like too many authors depend on the weight of the mythos icon(s) named to create the horror.

E.A. Lovecraft wrote:

Aleister wrote:I will rephrase, I think name-dropping as fine, as long as it comes off as valid work, and not simply name-dropping

I cringe just about every time I see an established mythos name. Good stories get away with it not by relying on the name to create the dish, but by using it to add that ever-so-subtle dash of flavor. Seems like too many authors depend on the weight of the mythos icon(s) named to create the horror.

On a similar note, is it going too far to use a fictional Irish city with an insane asylum and University, and name it Arkford?

Are you asking how we'd react to a setting that is basically Arkham in another country?

My question about modern mythos fiction is this: so much of the mythos was left unexplored by Lovecraft, why do so many feel the need to recreate what has already been done? Why not approach it from different directions? There must be more ways to illustrate the horror than using insane asylums, a handful of crusty old tomes, academics, and inbred hillbillies.

Reading a well-written pastiche can be fun, but let's face it, it just doesn't spark the same degree of suspense as did the originals. This isn't because the writer doesn't have the story-telling skills that Howie had, it's because we know the scoop by now. When the main character brings out a Necronomicon or Cultes des Goules, we no longer go, "Oooooh." We go, "Of course he did," and then we have to read the same old spiel about how rare and myterious the books are.

E.A. Lovecraft wrote:Are you asking how we'd react to a setting that is basically Arkham in another country?

My question about modern mythos fiction is this: so much of the mythos was left unexplored by Lovecraft, why do so many feel the need to recreate what has already been done? Why not approach it from different directions? There must be more ways to illustrate the horror than using insane asylums, a handful of crusty old tomes, academics, and inbred hillbillies.

Reading a well-written pastiche can be fun, but let's face it, it just doesn't spark the same degree of suspense as did the originals. This isn't because the writer doesn't have the story-telling skills that Howie had, it's because we know the scoop by now. When the main character brings out a Necronomicon or Cultes des Goules, we no longer go, "Oooooh." We go, "Of course he did," and then we have to read the same old spiel about how rare and myterious the books are.

Well, it's not so much an Irish Arkham, as it is a city borrowing elements from Arkham. I use an asylum for a lot of stuff not because of Lovecraft, but because I was always fascinated by the character Renfield in 'Dracula'; there's also a huge lake, botanic gardens, and a harbour. It's mainly the name that I cribbed from Lovecraft, because it sounded so much better than Lakeford (as it was originally called in the initial draft of 'Lure of the Kraken')
As for Mythos tomes, I usually only use the Necronomicon, not for weight, but because it has been roughly dated to somewhere in the 800s. It's this antiquity I use more than the book (cf the inscriptions on the plaque in 'He Who Is Set Upon His Mountain'). Apart from that, I'm phasing in the antediluvian 'First Book of Sarnoch', written before the Jewish Exodus. It should feature heavily in the piece I'm currently working on ('Dreams from Outer Spheres' - also featuring Ezekial-style Cherubim).

I'm phasing in the antediluvian 'First Book of Sarnoch', written before the Jewish Exodus. It should feature heavily in the piece I'm currently working on ('Dreams from Outer Spheres' - also featuring Ezekial-style Cherubim).

That description sparks my interest much more than any that would include Arkham, asylums, and the Necronomicon. Even if I knew beforehand that it was a mythos tale, it sounds as if it might add a breath of fresh air. But that's just my opinion. I realize there are folks who can't get enough of the old stuff, and more power to 'em when they do.