S.E.’s Comments (group member since Nov 01, 2012)

S.E.’s comments from the Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy" group.

I haven't posted for a long while. Sharing this post to reach those few who have not heard about the passing of Howard Andrew Jones. This remembrance has helped me accept his unexpected death. Since building a S&S community was important to him, it was important to repost. It contains some connections you may not know about, including the origin of this group.

Swords Together!

GR is making it difficult to share a simple link but I think i tI got it working:
www.blackgate.com/2025/03/04/two-howa...


A Celebration of Life for Howard Andrew Jones (HAJ) was just held in Evansville, IN, Feb 22, 2025.  The event gathered friends, family, and over a dozen author colleagues. Numerous online memorials and tributes had been posted leading up to this. Links to many are listed at the bottom of the post; reading these reveals wonderful insights. This article aims to honor HAJ slightly differently by echoing excerpts from his blogs intermixed with remembrances and emphasizing the importance of community.

It struck me that when discussing HAJ, there are always references to REH (Robert E. Howard, indisputable "Father of Sword & Sorcery Genre"). Whereas REH kicked off the genre with his heroes in the 1920-30s (Conan, Bran Mak Morn, Kull, etc.), a hundred years later, the other Howard, our dear HAJ, championed S&S, wrote S&S, and built a community of S&S readers & writers.

You may already know that HAJ edited the online Flashing Swords ezine (links to internet archives below), grew Black Gate in print and online, edited the Harold Lamb series, led the Tales from the Magician's Skull Magazine, and wrote copious amounts of pulp and fantasy fiction (Asim & Dabir, Ringsworn, Pathfinder, Hanuvar). He did all that while immersing himself with authors and readers.

A lifetime of activity is impossible to capture, but several montages of his writer-focused activities were captured and shared at the celebration (PDF link); and Sean CW Korsgaard created a spectacular video playlist of HAJ interviews, panels, and more.

We’ve been conditioned to believe that there aren’t any real heroes and that everyone’s in it for themselves; we’ve been trained to be skeptical and ironic and detached and sarcastic and hip. Yet even as we sneer and laugh with our friends, we know it’s a lie. -- HAJ 2008

Herein, you'll learn his thoughts behind the "New Edge" S&S term he coined, how he inspired the Goodreads S&S group, how he conjured up the Day of Might, and more! HAJ was a mentor and coach to many dozens and a father figure to some (as Hanuvar champion and Bean editor Sean CW Korsgaard attested in his remembrance, image above).

I suspect HAJ would balk at being called "The only father of all S&S communities." Heck, being called a simple role model made him uncomfortable (sorry, Howard). But his community building and influence are undeniable. They deserve to be called out and remembered. Funny enough, Howard called "Harold Lamb the grandfather of S&S" (evidence herein). With REH being the father, maybe that makes HAJ the grandson?!

Whatever. Read on, mortal dogs, and imbibe the contagious sorcery of a hero recently passed. Hear now his closing line for his editorials, which resonates with comradery:

Swords Together!

Read more:www.blackgate.com/2025/03/04/two-howa...

we are all crushed by this.

end of chapter 5 was unexpectedly interesting.

The Doom of Odin
Available now as Kindle and hardcover.



Three cheers to (a) Clint for calling everyone to read together, and (b) Scott Odin for the Grimnir trilogy. If you haven't read any yet, you should.
#1: A Gathering of Ravens
#2: Twilight of the Gods



Sidebar: Legacy of Seth has a nice ring to it. Lol. Where has Seth been? I owe everyone an update, but have been publishing short stories and charing Gen Con Writers in 2023: https://www.selindberg.com/2023/09/ge...

Hocking and Oden's stories previously appeared serialized in comics. Nice to see them in this format, plus so many more stories

greetings!

got it

Joseph wrote: "I've been plowing through Jack Vance's Dying Earth books in preparation for next week's Appendix N Book Club Patreon discussion. Currently in [book:Cugel: The Skybreak Spatterlight: (..."

Joseph, I assume you heard about the Amber TV series produced by Colbert?

Just finished The Citadel of Forgotten Myths (new Elric novel) which was ok (review here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)

Now I'm reading and reviewing an ARC, a non-S&S book (but it is dark fantasy). It's Nightborn: Coldfire Rising, a prequel novel to the Coldfire Series.

Jason M wrote: "I come hither with news of potential import!
https://rogue-blades.com/2023/04/01/n..."

May 1st, Kickstarter! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saluting Jason. You reignited a generation with Return of the Sword and many collections after that. Glad you can at least put time toward your own writing.

Im not into audio books, but I love that the option exists.

Im halfway thru the new Elric, Citadel of Forgotten Myths. It's ok.

kudos to Joseph for helping support Uncle Hugo's store

The interface is a bit clunky. You may have gotten a link to follow by email... those often have and credit and will put the download into your cart and then you check out (even if it was paid).

You can search to see if your account already has them in purchases too...and re-download. log in and look for listing under your account as a next step [it's called MY LIBRARY] once you log in....look for the tab in the upper right

https://goodman-games.com/blog/2022/1...

For about a week starting Nov 30th.... you can a ton of digital versions of Tales From The Magician’s Skull

Sweet

Welcome Kek and Paul!

You rock Clint. Steve is ready to help with the banner

Jamie wrote: "#8 and the new special edition are missing from GR. I would add them myself but GR in their infinite wisdom denied my request to become a librarian. Much appreciated if any librarian(s) out there c..."

I started to fix the Tales from The Magician’s Skull #8 and the special issue #2.... a bit tied up though. We could use more librarians and time.

Is GR making it difficult to be a librarian now? ugh