{"id":1719,"date":"2016-04-16T14:55:42","date_gmt":"2016-04-16T14:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/greydogtales.com\/blog\/?p=1719"},"modified":"2016-04-16T14:55:42","modified_gmt":"2016-04-16T14:55:42","slug":"lurchers-and-a-sofa-go-to-south-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greydogtales.com\/blog\/lurchers-and-a-sofa-go-to-south-america\/","title":{"rendered":"Lurchers and a Sofa go to South America"},"content":{"rendered":"

Something for everyone today \u2013 which means everyone complaining at once. Life as a writer is such a social whirl \u2013 grand society balls, new racing cars to buy and ships to launch \u2013 that we’ve been forced into medley-mode. The End of Furniture as We Know It<\/em>, some fabulous South American weird art, music from Italy and Things We’re Planning<\/em>. It doesn’t get much more medley than that.<\/p>\n

Just remember that you can’t get blood from a rolling stone when it’s headed for a mossy greenhouse with too many cooks in it…<\/p>\n

\"by<\/a>
by pablo burman (see later below)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The End of Furniture as We Know It<\/h4>\n

Very occasionally people ask \u201cDo you allow your dogs on the furniture?\u201d Well, if we knew what the word ‘allow’ meant, we suppose we might think that one over. We’ve never had pets, as such, and no, we’re not trying to sound pretentious. Our dogs have always been companions with additional legs. They get to do mostly what they want, as long as it doesn’t cause too much mayhem.<\/p>\n

The mayhem, sadly is growing. There is little doubt that the house needs a teensy bit of work on it. Plastic explosives and a pick-axe would probably improve the place. Two lively lurchers<\/strong> and an obstinate, incontinent labrador<\/strong> do not make for a spread in the Sunday Times. The latter does mean keeping a copy of the Times spread out for accidents, but that’s not quite the same.<\/p>\n

\"pups2\"<\/a>
chillin’<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Regular visitors will have seen photos of Django<\/strong> sprawled in his chair. What we dare not show you are the graphic pictures of what lies beneath, and the fact that he has systematically gutted it. Every day we force the stuffing back in, chuck a throw over it and pretend nothing has happened. He knows he shouldn’t do this. All we have to do is say \u201cWhat are you doing, Django?\u201d in a normal voice, and he looks suitably penitent, an effect somewhat spoiled by the cushion filling on his nose at the time.<\/p>\n

Our females, on the other hand, have no shame. Twiglet<\/strong> determinedly licks, chews or scratches at anything she fancies. She actively likes poking her nose into things, and has done for 16 years. She has always pulled equipment out of electricians’ toolboxes, wallets out of handbags and shopping out of carrier bags.<\/p>\n

\"OLYMPUS<\/a>
a twiglet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It’s a very bad case of ‘labrador mouth’, exemplified by her attempt to chew her way into a bottle of Drambuie some years ago. She’s trained in many other ways, but she is of a bloody-minded and unapologetic nature. Point out bad behaviour to her, and unlike dear Django, she looks directly at you with an expression which says \u201cWhat’s it to you, flabby?\u201d Physical removal of dog, furniture or object to another room is the only known remedy.<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>
a gentleman of leisure<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chilli<\/strong> is quite responsive, but again, seems unashamed. If we mention that she isn’t supposed to un-stuff the sofa (her own preferred victim), she stops, but doesn’t look at all bothered. The sofa is a nesting area, and she doesn’t like some of the lumps in it. We’ve trying pointing out that many of these lumps are from her previous efforts, but that cuts no ice.<\/p>\n

The end result is that this year you should make every effort to buy the writing we produce as soon as it comes out. Not because we’re greedy, no. It’s just that we have to get new furniture faster than the dogs can destroy it.<\/p>\n

####<\/p>\n

South American Weird Art<\/h4>\n

The main mission of greydogtales<\/em> is to introduce people to new stuff. We’ve said before that one great pleasure of the last year has been getting to know some vibrant and interesting writers and artists from South America, especially Argentina.<\/p>\n

We did manage to interview the talented artist Sebastian Cabrol<\/strong> last autumn, and his terrific art occasionally illustrates our articles. We’ve also mentioned the work of the multi-skilled Diego Arandojo<\/strong> a number of times, along with coverage of artists such as Quique Alcatena<\/strong> and Santiago Caruso<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"lafarium,<\/a>
lafarium, from diego arandojo, with cover by sebastian cabrol<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We want to do better this year. As a sign of this, Santiago Caruso is joining us in a few weeks for a full illustrated interview, which is exciting, and we’re going to work on some dedicated features.<\/p>\n

Between the physical distance, our own dubious Spanish and so on, it’s harder than usual, but worth it. Today we’d like to mention a few more names, and maybe we’ll be able to give them proper coverage eventually. We also hope to have our friends Sebastian and Diego back with us again later on in the year.<\/p>\n

\"pablo<\/a>
pablo burman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This weekend’s pick for a mention is Pablo Burman<\/strong>. Pablo is a cartoonist, painter and comics artist whose work always catches the eye. Pablo produces a fantastic range of art:<\/p>\n

\"1937191_1088907187839134_7623059174432683370_n\"<\/a>
by pablo burman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"by<\/a>
by pablo burman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And here are two other Argentinian talents in whom you might be interested:<\/p>\n

Ziul Mitomante<\/strong> is a writer\/editor at Mitomante<\/em> and is behind some fascinating comics, with a different take on comics literature.<\/p>\n

\"12321269_1357297534296157_2461736843866772234_n\"<\/a>
demshab from mitomante<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hernan Gonzalez<\/strong> is a creator\/editor at Buengustoediciones<\/em>, and an illustrator who has also worked with Ziul and who produces some striking work.<\/p>\n

\"mitomante<\/a>
mitomante and gonzalez<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Although the art is international, when it comes to books and comics the text of most of these is only in Spanish. Diego’s Lafarium<\/em> site, however, does have an English version:<\/p>\n

lafarium<\/a><\/p>\n

As an extra, we’re just getting to know Carlos Duenas<\/strong>. Carlos is a director\/cinematographer living in Ecuador who also has an interest in folklore and folk horror, so we hope to be talking to him about South American myths as well as his work.<\/p>\n

####<\/p>\n

Things We’re Planning<\/h4>\n

The moveable feast, as always, keeps moving. Still somewhere in the pipeline are many great interviews for April and May:<\/p>\n

Authors<\/span><\/strong> \u2013 Writer\/editor Lynne Jamneck<\/strong>; fantasy author Joanne Hall<\/strong>; horror\/weird writer Rich Hawkins<\/strong>; writer\/artist Alan M Clark<\/strong>; SFF, occult and comics writer Mike Chinn<\/strong>, and more.<\/p>\n

Artists<\/span><\/strong> – Santiago Caruso<\/strong>, as above, and Richard Svensson<\/strong>, Norwegian fantasy and supernatural illustrator.<\/p>\n

\"7366_1496750527299902_8689549772902440723_n\"<\/a>
richard svensson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Other features on the list include:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Sandra’s First Pony \u2013 the new <\/em>Enid Blyton\/Lovecraft story with Mary and Bottles the lurcher at school<\/em><\/li>\n
  • Two Immortals: <\/em>Torchwood and Roger Zelazny<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n
  • Raw feeding and Your Lurcher (with explicit pictures of a chicken carcass, naturally)<\/em><\/li>\n
  • H R Wakefield’s<\/strong> supernatural fiction \u2013 the impossible article started last December and still not finished<\/em><\/li>\n
  • Nautical Weird \u2013 the wonderful world of aquatic superheroes<\/em><\/li>\n
  • An illustrated guide to trying to walk your longdog<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Remember, if you don’t like the above, we’ll only tell you more about our own writing, and you wouldn’t want that, would you?<\/p>\n

    ####<\/p>\n

    Two Fragments<\/h4>\n

    Firstly, a mention of the music of the Italian dark ambient group, Nostalgia<\/strong>, because they have a whole album based on William Hope Hodgson’s<\/strong> The House on the Borderland<\/em>. It’s creepy and it’s good.<\/p>\n