New Book of Jade Edition

Hippocampus Press is planning on coming out with an edition of the Book of Jade by David Park Barnitz in December which I am very excited for.  Michael Abolafia, former intern at Hippocampus Press, last month called for any 'papers concerning any aspect of Park Barnitz's life and/or work -- whether a historical/political contextualization, a "close-reading" kind of analysis of a specific poem or group of poems, some notes on Barnitz as a writer of the Weird or as a Decadent/Symbolist, a reading of his work through a particular critical lens or framework, or anything else you think might aid in illuminating some facet of his art.'

I took the opportunity to write a 'close-reading' of my favorite poem of Barnitz's, The Grotesques.  I should be hearing back from Michael on the essay anytime now.

If you are unfamiliar with David Park Barnitz, here is an insert about him:

"In early 1901 The Book of Jade by David Park Barnitz (1878-1901), a little-known masterpiece of decadent and nihilistic verse was published —at its author's insistence, anonymously— by San Francisco bookseller William Doxey; publisher of the popular humorist Gelett Burgess, as well as many obscure, macabre, (and sometimes decadent) authors.

Later that year, mid-west newspapers were reporting the sudden death of a twenty-three year old Harvard graduate and orientalist scholar, David Park Barnitz (1878-1901), who was, the obituaries said, the anonymous author "of a volume of poems…which was spoken of as of unusual merit" That book was The Book of Jade ―one of the poems from The Book of Jade having been published in the Overland Monthly in March, 1901, under a new title, but under Park Barnitz's own name. And while the newspapers were saying that Barnitz had died accidentally, of an "enlarged heart", it was soon being whispered that Barnitz had actually killed himself."

 

You can the Book of Jade here:

http://www.bookofjade.com/poems

Here are pics of the copy I have now.  I can't wait to see the Hippocampus edition.

 

 

On Carathis from Vathek by William Beckford

My copy of Vathek by William Beckford.  The character Carathis fascinated me from the very beginning.  She is a dark sorceress and mother of the main character Vathek.  She is simply pure evil.  She has no remorse, no sympathy, no conscience.  Every scene with her has her contemplating and more often than not, acting out atrocious deeds to aid her magick.  She will literally stop at nothing to get what she wants and if it involves infant sacrifice or the mass murders of youths, she'll do it.  

 

 

 

My First Meeting with Donald Sidney-Fryer 2013

K.A. Opperman and I had a lovely time meeting the Courtly Poet, Donald Sidney-Fryer.  He was such a gentleman and showed us around his house and beautiful yard.  He talked about many different subjects, played his lute for us, and then we each recited one of our poems in turn.  He was happy to recite my favorite poem of his, Your Mouth of Pomegranate.  He then treated us to lunch at a favorite deli's of his.  We went back to his house a gave me some interesting things since he was in the process of moving and he wanted to get rid of some things to lighten the load.  He gave me two skull shaped candles and a lovely jewelry box.  He has moved twice since we visited him and now resides in Auburn, CA,the home of the Emperor of Dreams, Clark Ashton Smith.  We definitely plan on visiting him again one day.  We still keep in touch through mail.      

Don is the author of the Atlantis Fragments and Songs and Sonnets Atlantean.  Here is an insert about his Atlantis Fragments.

"Was the continent of Atlantis real or purely the speculations based on years of myth and fable? That's a question that won't be answered here or in the near future. But what will be discussed here are the three volumes of poetry that Donald Sidney-Fryer has written with the Atlantean continent and peoples as his inspiration.

This omnibus volume was first published in three volumes from three different publishers over a thirty year period and Hippocampus has risen to the occasion of keeping this collection of unique verse available to the poetry lovers, fans of the Lovecraftian Circle, and the science fiction fans who believe there is more to the world than we know today.

There are songs, sonnets, stanzas, and prose that show the life and happenings on Atlantis as well as poems dedicated to some of the people who became special to Sidney-Fryer. There are poems of romance, funeral dirges, long narratives, short missives, and memorials. There are notes to help the reader better understand the complexities of some of the works as well as descriptions of the locales. This is a valuable book not only for making the poetry available to today's readers, but also for its place in increasing the powers of wordsmithing and imagination."

    

 

Hippocampus Press 2014

At the beginning of this month, I got published in Hippocampus Press's first biannual journal Spectral Realms!  As of today I have not yet received my contributor's copies but I believe it has shipped and hopefully will arrive soon.  I have 3 'remarkable' poems published in it.  Carathis, based on the dark sorceress from the Gothic novella, Vathek by William Beckford, was written on November 20, 2013.  Horror was written on March 4, 2014 and Kiss the Stars was written on October 6, 2013.

http://www.hippocampuspress.com/journals/spectral-realms/spectral-realms-no.-1

Here is the introduction on Spectral Realms:

"The last few decades have seen a remarkable efflorescence of weird poetry, to such a degree that we can authentically state that a renaissance of the genre is underway. Hippocampus Press has always been committed to this most rarefied mode of expression, and now Spectral Realms, published in Summer and Winter, leads the way.

The contributors in this first issue, hailing from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Australia, and elsewhere, are indicative of the worldwide nature of the weird poetry renaissance. New poets who have emerged in recent years—Ann K. Schwader, Wade German, Leigh Blackmore, K. A. Opperman—join such veterans as Bruce Boston, W. H. Pugmire, and Richard L. Tierney in contributing vital original work to this issue.

In addition to publishing new, original poetry from modern practitioners, Spectral Realms also resurrects classic poems from prior ages as one component of its educational function; another component is the inclusion of essays on weird poets or on topics related to the field and reviews of contemporary work, whether it be volumes of poetry, anthologies, works of criticism and scholarship, or other volumes of ancillary interest."

The Horror Zine 2014

In May 2014, I got 4 poems published by the Horror Zine.  Paper Doll Displays was written on May 9, 2012, Dead Kings Rise, originally Amidst the Mist, was first written on March 23, 2007, Frozen Tides was written on November 29, 2007, and The Porcelain Garden was written on March 30, 2013.

http://thehorrorzine.com/Poetry/May2014/AshleyDiosis/AshleyDioses.html

  

The Stray Branch 2014

On March 30, 2014, I got a poem published at the Stray Branch.  Chartreuse was actually the very first poem I wrote when I started up again during college.  It was written on December 12, 2011.

http://www.thestraybranch.org/index.php/reviews/34-contributors/371-ashleydioses

 

 

The Carnage Conservatory 2014

I got my fourth short story published by the Carnage Conservatory in January 2014.  Awaiting the Beast was written May 9, 2012.

 http://carnageconservatory.wordpress.com/2014/01/08/awaiting-the-beast/

My Weird Book Collection

My Poe, Lovecraft, and Smith collection thus far.  And my leather bound collection.

      

 

Aphelion 2013

In December 2013, I got my 3rd short story published by Aphelion.  Blood Oranges was originally written on February 25, 2013 and then revised on March 2, 2013.

http://www.aphelion-webzine.com/shorts/2013/12/BloodOranges.html

The Horror Zine 2013

In July 2013, I got my second short story published by the Horror Zine.  Infused Realities was first written on October 19, 2012.  Unfortunately, the editor saw fit to edit it greatly and the plot and character development were drastically altered.  If readers like that version though, I won't mind, but I do not think I will be sending stories there again.

http://thehorrorzine.com/Fiction/July2013/Ashley/AshleyDioses.html

 

 

Blood Moon Rising 2012

In October 2012, I got 3 poems published at Blood Moon Rising.  Light Fades from Her Dark Embrace was written on January 8, 2007, They Shall Forever Remain, originally They Shall Ever Remain, was written in 2006, and Under the Chrysanthemums was written first on September 18, 2012, and then revised on September 24, 2012.

http://bloodmoonrisingmagazine.com/shortstory5114.html

Horrotica December 2012

In December 2012, I got one last poem published at Horrotica.  Skinless was written on April 25, 2012 and was inspired by this illustration by Stephanie Bowman.



Horrotica was shut down shortly after this publication and you can read why here:

http://mythwurks.com/

Terry D. Scheerer was an awesome publisher and is a very sweet person.  After sending him my poems he specifically asked to see any stories that I may have written to see what I had in that area.  I had only one story at the time which was already published by Dark River Press previously mentioned, titled Out of Reach.  I informed him that it was over his required word limit for fiction but he read it anyway and critiqued.  That he took the time to read it blew my mind.  He is currently in ill health but he is a fighter and he is often in my thoughts.

Horrotica October 2012

In October 2012, I got 3 poems published by Horrotica.  Now these poems are actually a bit newer than the previous poems published thus far.  The Body Shop was originally written as just the first stanza and titled A Body's a Body.  I extended it to the publisher, Terry D, Scheerer's, suggestion.  It was originally written on May 5, 2012 and then extended on October 26, 2012.

http://mythwurks.com/horrotica/poems/the_body_shop.html

Body Parts was written on May 27, 2012.

http://mythwurks.com/horrotica/poems/body_parts.html

Crimson Swirls was written on July 18, 2012.

http://mythwurks.com/horrotica/poems/crimson_swirls.html

Dark River Press 2012

After my first publication in the Horror Zine, a poetry editor named K.A. Opperman from Dark River Press invited me to submit poems to that ezine.  I was published there every month for exactly 6 months, from January 2012 to June 2012, before it shut down.  I had numerous poems published there as well as my first published short fiction horror story.  I was also in their 2nd ebook titled Tales From The River Volume One.  It is no longer available but here is a picture of the cover;



Sorry, it's blurry.

The Horror Zine 2012

In October 2012, the Horror Zine accepted and published 3 of my poems.  A Luminous Darkness was written on January 23, 2007, The Picture in 2006, and Quest for the Flesh on April 5, 2007.

http://www.thehorrorzine.com/Poetry/Oct2012/Ashley/AshleyDioses.html

First Publication

I first got published by the Horror Zine in 2011.  Here are the first 2 poems to get published.  Created was written on October 17, 2006 when I was just 15 years old and Pale Radiance was written the next year on June 5, 2007.