I'll be attending this year's Necronomicon Providence, August 13–15. The tentative panel schedule has been released, which I am posting below (the whole big monster; as you can see, the programming is extensive). The schedule may yet be subject to change, but I will be on two panels (In Mountains Older Than Bones: Appalachian Gothic, Friday, 8/13, 11:00 a.m. and Drifting Down the River of Nights Dreaming: Karl Edward Wagner, Saturday, 8/14, 9:30 a.m.). Somehow, I got roped into moderating the latter panel, and though I detest moderating, I'm gonna give it my best go. I hope to do a reading as well; the author reading schedule should be released soon, and I will post that here as well.
Friday, August 13, 2026 8:00 AM
Daphne du Maurier: A Strange Creature - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni
Hotel 3rd Floor
du Maurier (English, 1907–1989) wrote broadly, including romantic, historical, adventure and biography, often with an underlying hint of darkness or the supernatural. Short stories such as Don't Look Now, The Apple Tree, The Blue Lenses, and The Birds are clearly in the realm of horror and weird fiction. Panelists discuss her work, controversies, and legacy. Panelists: Victoria Dalpe, Adam Golaski (Moderator), Robert Levy, Anya Martin, Cat Scully.
A People’s History of The Cthulhu Mythos: Leftist Appraisal and Reinterpretation - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
As Leftist pop-culture critic Nia Frome notes “…the basic components of Lovecraft’s vision really resonate with the denizens of late capitalism. Why is that?” Are colonialism, capitalism, and racism inherent in the foundation of the Mythos? What is the textual role of class in Lovecraft’s work? How have recent works attempted to reimagine or critique the underlying ideologies and how successful have they been? Edward Guimont (Moderator), Eric Williams, Tonya Monteforte, Alexander Dickow, Khora Martel
The Epistolary Form in Weird Fiction - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
Found journals and letters. Diaries and ephemera. Intimate,voyeuristic, and at times oblique. Although the form peaked in popularity in the 18th Century, works such as Frankenstein, Dracula, The Call of Cthulhu, Carrie, House of Leaves, and Tainaron: Mail from Another City all point to the ongoing role epistolary fiction has in horror and weird fiction. Panelists discuss the use of epistolary stories with reference to classic and contemporary examples. Jason A. Wyckoff (Moderator), Alison Lanier, Paula D. Ashe, Joshua Rex, Kevin Scott Joiner
Tainted and Impure: Environmental Contamination in the Weird - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
A discussion on the feeling of “ick” and our response to real and imagined environmental contamination. How are ideas of the purity and the polluted entwined, and what do they mean from a moral and scientific perspective? What is the psychology behind how we think of contamination, and how is it understood and used in weird art and literature? Our panelists will explore this topic citing examples from classic and contemporary sources. Rick Claypool (Moderator), Chesya Burke, Mathilda Zeller, Eric Schaller, K. H. Vaughan
Armitage 1 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Author Readings 1 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Special Presentations 1 - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Friday, August 13, 2026 9:30 AM
That Abandoned Mall is Still Playing Music: Theory and History of Hauntology - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
There's no standard definition, hauntology is the persistence of the ghosts of a future we were promised. On a small scale, it’s an abandoned home’s dead Christmas tree with still-wrapped, decaying gifts beneath. On a larger one, it’s the formerly “utopian” city of Pripyat or a landscape/city scarred or destroyed by war. While in a physical sense, hauntology drives many urban explorers, the ideological ghosts of the past haunt our daily lives. Our panelists discuss left-behind futures in architecture and design, language and social conventions, arts, and social structures—because the dreams we had for the future don’t matter to the passage of time. Gillian Daniels (Moderator), Sonya Taaffe, Jeff VanderMeer, Gabriel Mesa, Matthew Spencer, Allen B. Ruch
Ars Necronomicon Panel - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Pre-Lovecraft Sources of Cosmic Horror - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
Practitioners, and even masters, of cosmic horror existed before Lovecraft. Indeed, they were powerful influences on his work. Poe, Blackwood, Bierce, Machen, Chambers, and Dunsany are inevitably cited, but which writers did Lovecraft cite as influences? To what extent did HPL capture and solidify previous work, and at what point did his cosmic horror take on a life of its own? Matthew Carpenter (Moderator), Jac Chandross, Will Murray, Leslie S. Klinger, Peter Rawlik
Environmental Activism and Weird Fiction - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Climate change, invasive species, habitat destruction and more impact our planet in shocking ways–and they’re also not foreign concepts in the world of the Weird, which uses these disasters to fuel its surreal landscapes, monstrous lifeforms, and uncanny phenomena. Works like Tiffany Morris’ Green Fuse Burning, Jeff VanderMeer’s Hummingbird Salamander, and Trang Thanh Tran’s They Bloom At Night are but a few of the burgeoning slate of weird ecothrillers. Panelists discuss how weird fiction inspires calls to action. Rick Claypool (Moderator), Dr. Chesya Burke, Timothy J Jarvis, Jon Padgett, Victoria Nations
Author Readings 2 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Armitage 2 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Special Presentations 2 - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Friday, August 13, 2026 11:00 AM
Religion in Call of Cthulhu RPGs - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Lovecraft’s fiction often incorporated, not always flatteringly, real world religions. In replicating the Mythos as a TTRPG, Call of Cthulhu also incorporates real faiths, necessitating a tight-rope act balancing felicity to the original Mythos flavor with evolving cultural and social sensibilities. Panelists talk about notable appearances of real world faiths, clergy, and beliefs in CoC, examine how its treatment of belief systems has evolved over successive editions, and offer advice to Keepers on respectfully and realistically incorporating real faiths into the game. Paul Fricker (Moderator), Peter Bebergal, Mike Mason
Machen Society Panel - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Dean W Zimmerman (Moderator), Geoffrey Reiter, Eric Steinhart, Timothy J Jarvis
Corporate Horror - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
Cubicles, paperwork, horrible bosses and unseen masters. Ligotti, Ballard, and others have explored the strange and terrifying world that unfolds under the baleful eye and soulless indifference of corporate ownership. Our panelists explore the hellscapes of Late-Stage Capitalism’s 9–5 and how these hellscapes serve as an excellent backdrop for exploring the Cosmic’s most common themes of existentialism and human insignificance. John Foster (Moderator), Charles Tyra, Gillian Daniels, Errick Nunnally, Jeff VanderMeer
Author Readings 3 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Armitage 3 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Special Presentations 3 - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
In Mountains Older than Bones: Appalachian Gothic - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Rightly or wrongly, on America’s cultural map, Appalachia is the equivalent to “Here there be monsters” — a region assumed not only to be unknown but perhaps also unknowable — where we credulously suspend our own disbelief. Panelists discuss what defines Appalachian Gothic, good and bad examples of the genre, and why the region has such a hold on the popular imagination. Mike Allen (Moderator), Tonya Monteforte, Jess Lewis, Shanna Germain, Stephen Mark Rainey
Friday, August 13, 2026 2:00 PM
Let Me Tell You About the Very Alien: They Are Different from You and Me - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Weird fiction is filled with entities that are fundamentally not like humans in the way they think, feel, and perceive the world. How does one write what one cannot understand? Must supernatural or alien beings have some recognizable human characteristics? Our panelists reveal the ways to bring alien psychology, behavior, and motivations to life and discuss the best examples from film and literature. Sarah T Walker (Moderator), Fred Van Lente, Rick Claypool, Alexander Dickow
Poe and Whitman in Providence - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Between 1845 and 1848, Poe visited Providence as a stop on the lecture circuit, but it culminated in his courtship and engagement to poet Sarah Helen Whitman. While the final months of 1848 saw the creation of the famous daguerrotypes as well as his attempted suicide, it also was a time of whirlwind romance for the two poets. Panelists discuss his time here, the effect it had on their lives and work, and the importance of Whitman in preserving his legacy. John Langan (Moderator), Joshua Rex, Christa Carmen, Chad Anctil
The Pale Song of the Butterfly Collector: Nabokov as Weird Fiction - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
Author, critic, and scholar Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov (Russian, 1899–1977) is famous as the author of Lolita and Pale Fire. His fiction is known for rich character studies and prose, but is it weird? In addition to his explicitly secondary world work Ada, our panelists describe how, beneath the surface, his work is pervaded with hints of the otherworldly and strange. Arguably, the most famous weird fiction author you’ve never heard of! John WM Thompson (Moderator), Jeff VanderMeer, Alison Lanier, Sean Moreland, Derek Austin Johnson
Author Readings 4 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Invited Academic Speakers 1 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Special Presentations 4 - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Worlds of Savagery, Super-science, and Sorcery: the Post-Apocalyptic Dark Ages in Weird Fiction - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
An exploration of works about people living generations after the collapse of industrial civilization, often so far in the future that our world has fallen into myth and the artifacts that remain are incomprehensible to most. Primitive cultures live among the ruins, plagued by mutants, monsters, and those who have recovered the technology of old or discovered powerful new magic. From the pulp adventures of Thundarr the Barbarian, The Coming of the Horseclans, and Gamma World to serious literary treatments such as Canticle for Leibowitz, Riddley Walker, The Road, and Always Coming Home, we discuss the history, themes, and appeal of these narratives. Curtis M. Lawson (Moderator), Larissa Glasser, Edward Guimont, Jacy Morris, Douglas E Winter
Friday, August 13, 2026 3:30 PM
I can’t go on. The Horror of Existential Hopelessness - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Most existential perspectives presume that purpose and meaning are created by the individual and, for many, maintaining hope in the face of the terrors of existence is a central concern. Panelists examine the use and function of existential hopelessness and despair in the Weird. How have authors and filmmakers confronted and portrayed this core challenge of existence? How does the Weird deal with hope and its failure? Authors and trends, etc. Despina Durand (Moderator), Jon Padgett, Michael Cisco, Mike Allen, Jonas Kyratzes
Representations of the Colonial New England Witch in Weird Film - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
From Mather's The Invisible World to Egger’s The Witch, the specter of the Salem Witch trials and witch portrayals have ranged from the ultimate civic evil to social criticism to "good for her" revolution. Panelists discuss the diversity and social significance of witches in literature and media.Christa Carmen (Moderator), Alan Tromp, VJ Stonecraft, Alyssa Alexi, Joseph Dwyer
The Horror and Weird Fiction of Ray Bradbury - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
While he will always have a connection to science fiction because of books like Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury (American, 1920–2012) also had one foot firmly in the world of horror during his illustrious career. From Dark Carnival to Something Wicked This Way Comes to The Halloween Tree, our panelists will discuss how Bradbury could go from whimsical and life affirming in other genres to cruel and unsettling in his writings of horror and weird fiction. How does his vision of the world compare to authors of cosmic horror? Jason A. Wyckoff (Moderator), Maurice Broaddus, T.E. Grau, Thomas Olivieri, Jeffrey Ford
Author Readings 5 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Armitage 4 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Willis Conover and Lovecraft at Last: Fifty Years Later - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Best known as a jazz impresario and co-founder of the Newport Jazz Festival, Willis Conover was also a teenage correspondent of Lovecraft’s, a fanzine publisher, and an inveterate collector of 1930s science fiction, fantasy, and horror materials. Conover’s Lovecraft at Last, publishing their combined correspondence, helped kick off the late 1970s Lovecraft revival and turns fifty this year. Half a century on, what does it tell us about both people? Conover’s archival papers have recently received unprecedented reexamination and new material has been uncovered. What has it shown us about this complex character and his diverse interests? Jon Black (Moderator), Jess Tucker, Peter Cannon
The Influence of Charles Fort on Mythos Fiction - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Charles Fort (American, 1874–1932) was among the first to systematically study anomalous phenomena, publishing four landmark nonfiction books on the topic. The peak of Fort’s activity, 1919-1932, overlaps Mythos Fiction’s golden age. Did Fort’s publications create audiences hungry for weird fiction and its fellow travelers? To what extent can direct or indirect connections be made between Fort and the tales of Lovecraft and other Mythos contributors? A century on, can we still feel Fortean influence on fiction? Will Murray (Moderator), Edward Guimont, Gabriel Mesa, Justin Woodman, Eric Williams
Friday, August 13, 2026 5:00 PM
GoH Panel - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Meet our 2026 Guests of Honor. s. j. bagley (Moderator), Badger McInnis, Linda D. Addison, Gou Tanabe, Jeff VanderMeer, Chesya Burke, Jon Padgett, Phillip Gelatt
Designing The Weird: Collaborative Design In Props, Artefacts, And Special Edition Books - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Description pending. Sean Branney (Moderator), Tonnvane Wiswell, Shanna Germain, Ivan Carić, Liv Rainey-Smith
The Coldest Fear: Arctic and Antarctic Horrors - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
The frozen climax of Shelley’s Frankenstein, the unearthly revelations of Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness, the howling terrors of Ithaqua the Wind Walker, the paranoia and isolation of Carpenter’s The Thing or True Detective: Night Country. The Arctic and Antarctic aren’t just about how extreme cold, snow, and ice trigger primordial fears, they are places so isolated and alien that they might as well really be on another world. Panelists discuss why, even among other extreme environments, the Arctic and Antarctic are such persistent and effective settings for horror ranging from the psychological to the cosmic. Leslie S. Klinger (Moderator), Douglas E Winter, Madeline Newbery, Mathilda Zeller
Author Readings 6 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Armitage 5 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Special Presentations 6 - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
The Weird Within: Parasites and Parasitism - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Tapeworms, flukes, ticks, amoeba, cuckoos, cordyceps. Organisms that steal life, incubate within host bodies, replace young, and manipulate behavior are a powerful source of psychological and bodily terror. Unsurprisingly, these organisms and ideas have permeated the Weird from the beginning. Panelists discuss the reasons why with reference to classic and contemporary examples and a side of biology. Ann VanderMeer (Moderator), Victoria Nations, Nicholas Kaufmann, Stephanie M. Wytovich, Matthew Carpenter, Kristin Dearborn
Friday, August 13, 2026 6:30 PM
The Weird on a Moderately Large Color Screen! - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Panelists from 2024’s Weird on a Small Color Screen return with new reinforcements to continue their discussion of weird television shows from the Twenty-aughts, when cable and Blockbuster were still dominant but a proliferation of channels, production companies, and DVDs by mail began to change how the weird entered our living rooms. Turn to the scrolling channel guide to see what horrors await! Jacy Morris (Moderator), F. Brett Cox, Nicholas Kaufmann, John Foster, Jordan Smith
Saturday, August 14, 2026 8:00 AM
A Century of Cthulhu: The Greatest Great Old One - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
"The Call of Cthulhu was published in 1928, but was written in the Summer of 1926, right here in Providence, RI. Panelists discuss the history and broad cultural impact of HPL’s most recognizable and iconic creation. From a crowded field, Cthulhu became the archetypal eldritch, cosmic entity and shorthand for an entire subgenre of horror. Even outside fandom, Cthulhu has become a broadly understood meme. Why? What was it about Cthulhu that has captured imaginations for a hundred years and continues to resonate? How have perceptions and interpretations of the entity changed over time? Kenneth Hite (Moderator), Timothy Burall, Prema Arasu, Leslie S. Klinger, Will Murray
Robert Hayward Barlow: A Life - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
R H Barlow (American, 1918–1951) was more than the executor of Lovecraft’s literary estate, with a resume including anthropologist, poet, author, publisher, and noted sculptor. A researcher in Mesoamerican culture, Barlow served as Chair of the Anthropology Department of Mexico City College and made significant contributions to scholarship with more than one hundred academic publications. Panelists consider Barlow’s extraordinary life, contributions to the Mythos, and his greater legacy. Despina Durand (Moderator), Matthew Cheney, Ryan Page, Peter Cannon, Tim Lonegan
Theosophy As Weird Fiction: How Did the Esoterica of Madame Blavatsky Influence Cosmic Horror - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
The esoterica of theosophy may have influenced the major weird fiction writers of the 1920s and 1930s, including H.P. Lovecraft, Arthur Machen, Lord Dunsany, Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, etc. as well as modern writers, all of whom employed ideas or themes that can be found in her writings. Although HPL and others were clearly aware of theosophy and other esoteric traditions, did the commonalities come from direct influence, second-hand, or were they part of a broader cultural zeitgeist? Panelists discuss the influence of esoterica and Blavatsky on weird fiction. Jac Chandross (Moderator), John WM Thompson, Justin Woodman, Eric Williams, Curtis M. Lawson
Author Readings 7 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Armitage 6 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Special Presentations 7 - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Line My Eyes and Call Me Pretty:’ Sublimation of the Feminine through the Monstrous in Contemporary Horror Literature - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
It has been said that “monsters are the bedtime stories the patriarchy tells itself.” Greek myths characterized most monsters as feminine, and equating the “other” of femininity with the “other” of monstrosity remains part of contemporary horror literature. Panelists discuss how the “monster” is used to sublimate or other the feminine in contemporary horror. Are some ascribed-feminine behaviors or attributes more frequently targeted than others? Are we making progress in moving past this? How effective are efforts by women authors to reclaim agency by co-opting monstrosity? Can our monsters be beautiful (inside or out)? Anya Martin (Moderator), Kristin Dearborn, Nadia Bulkin, L. E. Daniels, Jess Lewis
Saturday, August 14, 2026 9:30 AM
Horror Noir: the Contributions of BiPOC Authors and Filmmakers in Horror and Weird Fiction - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Jordan Peele, Tananarive Due, Victor Lavalle, and P. Djèlí Clark are some of the Black American authors and filmmakers who are utilizing cosmic horror and weird fiction to explore Black identity, white supremacy, and the history and legacy of US race relations (and beyond). Panelists will discuss the books and films that represent, complicate, and expand our notions of horror, exclusion, and the monstrous. Michelle Renee Lane (Moderator), Jacy Morris, Paula D. Ashe, Zin E. Rocklyn, Gwen Callahan
Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted: William S. Burroughs and Weird Fiction - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Beat Godfather Burroughs (American, 1914–1997) was well-steeped in pulp-era weird fiction, and acknowledged knowing the work of Machen, Long, Lovecraft, and others. He was a student of Barlow in Mexico and a fan of Crowley, and his work is permeated with mysticism and the esoteric. Burroughs frequents themes of social decline and decay, forbidden knowledge, body horror, and nihilism often, parallel to those in Cosmic Horror. Panelists discuss the weird influences and long surreal shadow of Burroughs. Michael Cisco (Moderator), T.E. Grau, Matthew Cheney, Allen B. Ruch
36 Sonnetts: The Fungi From Yuggoth - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
Largely written between December 27, 1929 and January 4, 1930, The Fungi From Yuggoth is one of Lovecraft’s most well-known and recorded works. Panelists discuss the form and structure of the “Cycle,” as well as the sources and themes of the work, its publication history, influence, and relationship to his other verse. Jason Ray Carney (Moderator), Richard Gerlach, Jason B. Thompson, Adam Bolivar, Prema Arasu
Author Readings 8 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Armitage 7 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Special Presentations 8 - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Drifting Down the River of Night’s Dreaming: Karl Edward Wagner - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Karl Edward Wagner (American, 1945–1994) was a poet, editor, and publisher born in Knoxville, Tennessee. Wagner is known for his Sword and Sorcery anti-hero Kane, the Mystic Swordsman, and more contemporary horror tales that often drew on his personal demons and training as a psychiatrist. Wagner co-founded Carcosa Press and was executor of Manley Wade Welman’s literary estate until his death. He edited many anthologies, including fourteen years of The Year’s Best Horror. Our panelists discuss Wagner, his influences, and his impact on horror, fantasy, and the greater weird. Stephen Mark Rainey (Moderator), F. Brett Cox, Douglas E Winter, John Langan, Jordan Smith
Saturday, August 14, 2026 11:00 AM
Representation of Ghosts in Culture and Literature: Taxonomy, Motivations, and Purpose - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Ghosts’ meaning, appearance, and reason for being have changed over time: classical antiquity's chorus of the dead, messengers and omens, cautionary tales, apparitions that exist in their own world, orbs, poltergeists, the sentimental ghosts of Victorian spiritualism, and modern horror’s vengeful and event violent spirits. Panelists discuss the details of this evolution and its relation to cultural trends. Robert Levy (Moderator), Sonya Taaffe, Dr. Chesya Burke, Nadia Bulkin, Liv Rainey-Smith, Stephanie M. Wytovich
Tales from the Crypt: EC Comics - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
A cackling, cloaked figure opens a dusty tome and reads to their audience stories featuring the supernatural, twist endings, and comeuppance. Welcome to the world of EC Comics, who specialized in gruesome titles like Vault of Horror, Weird Science, The Haunt of Fear, and, of course, Tales from the Crypt. Unfortunately, EC’s run of horror, sci-fi, and crime stories was short-lived due to their comics being used as a scapegoat by politicians and psychiatrists for cases of juvenile delinquency in the 1950s. But much like the Crypt Keeper, EC refused to stay dead. Our panelists discuss the writers and artists who contributed to EC's unique tone, the relationship of EC to the Pulp Era Weird, and how film adaptations, comic revivals and a certain beloved HBO series have kept EC’s legacy alive to this day. David Quiroz Jr. (Moderator), Sarah T Walker, Nicholas Kaufmann, Derek Austin Johnson, Adam Golaski
Just Enough: Descriptive Narration in Fiction and Gaming - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
A critical aspect of writing is control of information; what is obvious to the author or GM isn’t to the reader or player. The scene must be grounded and comprehensible for the reader or player to understand what is happening clearly and they must have an opportunity to identify the clues and relevant details that enrich their reading experience or allow them to advance the game. Too obvious? Boredom and a tendency to ignore everything else as irrelevant. Too obscure? Frustration and helplessness. How do you hide the important details in plain sight, obtainable without them screaming “I am the important piece!” How do you give them what they need without leading them by the nose? Sean Branney (Moderator), Laura Langrish, Shanna Germain, Jonas Kyratzes, Ivan Carić
Author Readings 9 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Gaming Industry Meetup - Ocean State Suite B, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
Armitage 8 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Special Presentations 9 - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Trans and Nonbinary Perspectives in Weird Fiction - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor Focusing on the history of trans and nonbinary authors and representation in weird literature. Description to be developed by participants Carrie-Edmund Laben (Moderator), Khora Martel, Zin E. Rocklyn, Andi, Larissa Glasser
Saturday, August 14, 2026 2:00 PM
Comedy from the Darkest Places: The Unbearable Lightness of Nihilism - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
The work of some of the bleakest and most nihilistic of weird writers is often downright… hilarious? Panelists discuss the role of humor in the dark work of Ligotti, Kafka, and others, such as M. Shaw, Nicole Cushing, Cody Goodfellow, Michael Cisco, Chesya Burke, and Matthew Bartlett. Jeff VanderMeer (Moderator), T.E. Grau, Jon Padgett, Thomas Olivieri, Rick Claypool
Bedeviled Blues and Haunted Hoedowns: European and African Origins of the Weird in American Dark and Horror Folk Music - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Description pending. Kevin Scott Joiner (Moderator), Alan Tromp, Joshua Rex, Douglas Wynne, F. Brett Cox
The Weird Art and Literature of Nick Cave - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
Description pending. Allen B. Ruch (Moderator), Michelle Renee Lane, Ryan Page, Theresa DeLucci, Allison Rich, Matthew M Bartlett
Author Readings 10 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Invited Academic Speakers 2 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Special Presentations 10 - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Revisiting Supernatural Horror in Literature - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor Lovecraft’s diligently researched essay on the state and origins of horror and the weird tale was widely circulated and well-regarded in its time. Today, it remains a classic in the field of weird scholarship. Panelists discuss Lovecraft's sources and research, the revisions and publication history, and the early distribution and impact of the document. In what areas was it particularly strong, and are there bodies of literature that he either missed, or considered outside the scope of his work? What was its impact through the history of weird scholarship up to today? Matthew Cheney (Moderator), Sean Moreland, Michael Cisco, Leslie S. Klinger, Aaron Worth
Saturday, August 14, 2026 3:30 PM
Bloody Weird: Splatterpunk on its Fortieth Anniversary - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
The term “splatterpunk” originated in 1986 at the twelfth World Fantasy Convention, right here in Providence at the Biltmore Hotel. The shockingly explicit violence and gore of the genre was controversial in Reagan’s America, and divisive within the community of weird fiction. Forty bloody years later, we consider the impact of the genre, its relationship with weird fiction, and what it means to be splatterpunk at a time when all the actual horror and brutality people have to offer can be livestreamed. Victoria Dalpe (Moderator), Cody Goodfellow, Paula D. Ashe, Alyssa Alexi, Douglas E Winter
This Little Meeple Went to Market - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
You’ve developed an idea into a new game, play-tested it to death, and gone over your rules document with a fine-toothed comb until your eyes bled. Congratulations! Now what? Veteran industry professionals discuss the next steps in bringing a game to market, including developing a pitch, and contacting artists, designers, and publishers. How do you decide whether to self-publish or work with an established company. So many questions, including ones you didn’t know you should ask. Time to get some answers! Robby Howell (Moderator), Paul Fricker, Mike Mason, VJ Stonecraft, Kenneth Hite
The Weird and Hip-hop - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
Much like heavy metal and punk before it, hip-hop music has crossed paths with the macabre over the years. During the 1980s, it started mostly with humorous tracks, from Whodini’s “Haunted House of Rock” to The Fat Boys’ “Are You Ready for Freddy.” But as the ’90s approached, darker and more complex albums emerged from groups like The Geto Boys and Three 6 Mafia, which eventually led to the emergence of the horrorcore subgenre. Our panel will expand on the hip-hop artists who have incorporated the supernatural and occult into their music, and how hip-hop has influenced the horror genre in return. Errick Nunnally (Moderator), Zin E. Rocklyn, Ryan Page
Author Readings 11 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
LGBTQIA+ Meetup - Ocean State Suite B, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
Armitage 9 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Special Presentations 11 - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Let Me Tell You of the Days of High Adventure: Exploring The Hyperborean Age - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
For writers such as Robert Howard and Clark Ashton Smith, Hyperborea was an ancient time lost to history but still echoing in the cultures of the contemporary world. What advantages and constraints appeared for writers using this recognizable but imagined past? How did different writers conceptualize and employ the concept? Panelists discuss the creation and use of “Hyperborean” settings in the Pulp Era by Howard, Smith, and others. Zack Davisson (Moderator), Luke Dodd, Larissa Glasser, Jackson Kuhl, Eric Williams
Saturday, August 14, 2026 5:00 PM
White Rabbits and Purple Haze: The Influence of the Psychedelic Era on Weird Fiction - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Lovecraft and weird fiction enjoyed a surge in popularity with new readers during the psychedelic sixties as the counterculture embraced pulp-era stories of banned books, esoteric knowledge, mind-altering substances, and exotic cultures. Some of those new fans went on to become creators and artists in their own right, putting a distinct countercultural spin on Weird Fiction. Panelists discuss the different cultural movements embracing HPL and company, and the way psychedelia began to infuse and revitalize the weird fiction of the period. John WM Thompson (Moderator), Cody Goodfellow, Carrie-Edmund Laben, T.E. Grau, Douglas Wynne
Archives: Preserving Collective Memory - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Archives are stores of documentary history, preserving the past so it will be accessible in the future. Fans, writers, scholars, and artists all collect and accumulate artifacts, but not with the archivist’s eye. How do we preserve the past and present and vouchsafe the survival of information in an electronic age? Whether it is an author’s letters and papers, documents of potential historic interest, rare books, comics, maps, and illustrations, or electronic records and data, there are processes for preservation. In this panel, professional archivists discuss how to assess, collect, organize, and preserve materials for posterity. Jon Black (Moderator), David Boop, Thomas Olivieri, Jess Tucker, Jeremy Brett
Cosmic Horror and Gaze: The Terror and Power of Seeing and Being Seen - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
The Gaze is at once power and vulnerability. Panelists discuss cosmic horror through the lens of Gaze Theory. To see can be to know, to define, to acknowledge, to experience horrifying and ecstatic revelation. To be seen can mean many things: to be affirmed, to be affixed, defined, to be the object of predation. Through Gaze Theory, what sees and what is seen in the work of HPL and cosmic horror? What are the consequences of perception and being perceived in the Mythos? Heather Miller (Moderator), Chesya Burke, Jeff VanderMeer, Paula D. Ashe, Fred Lubnow
Author Readings 12 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Armitage 10 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Special Presentations 12 - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
The Call Of Cthulhu at 100: A Deep Dive into the Story that Launched the Mythos - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
It’s heavy LitCrit time as panelists consider Lovecraft’s signature story on a textual level, discuss its direct influences and antecedents, and analyze its themes and symbolism. Panelists compare and contrast the story through the lenses of 1926 and 2026. Is Call of Cthulhu a well-written story? Or more an entertaining and influential one? Edward Guimont (Moderator), Tim Lonegan, Sean Branney, David Quiroz Jr, Fred Van Lente
Saturday, August 14, 2026 6:30 PM
The Collectable Lovecraft - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Lovecraftiana has been produced and reproduced in a dizzying array of editions, ephemera, and memorabilia. This panel explores the trials and tribulations of the Lovecraft completionist, including the ones that got away, greatest finds, and white whales, and gives advice to those who collect. How do you find, appraise, and research memorabilia? Tim Lonegan (Moderator), Peter Rawlik, Matthew Carpenter, Darrell Schweitzer, Sean Branney
Sunday, August 15, 2026 8:00 AM
Prayer Breakfast - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
The One! The Only! The Blasphemous and Deeply Silly Prayer Breakfast returns! Press your robes and dust off your hymnal for a rambunctious and unspeakable morning of fellowship, comedy and song with Hierophant Cody Goodfellow. Also, there will be eggs.
The Birth of the Fantastique in German Literature: Adelbert von Chamisso (Peter Schlemilh), Achim von Arnim, and E.T.A. Hoffmann - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Influenced by Romanticism, a generation of German writers including Adelbert von Chamisso, Achim von Arnim, and E.T.A. Hoffmann pioneered a literary form prefiguring slipstream and magical realism by integrating supernatural elements into ostensibly real world stories. Reaction to the First World War’s horrors breathed new life into German Fantastique and, through German Expressionism, also put an enduring stamp on cinema. Panelists discuss the movement and its legacy. Jon Black (Moderator), Eric Williams, Matthew Spencer, Michael Cisco
Using Cthulhu in Call of Cthulhu - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
Although the popular RPG is named for him, Cthulhu himself presents a challenge for keeper and investigator alike. Unlike some adversaries, he does not traditionally have interest in influencing the affairs of mortals or even acknowledging his worshipers. His immediate physical appearance is most likely to trigger an apocalyptic total party kill. Panelists discuss the uses and abuses of the Great Old One, and how his presence is manifested in an effective CoC campaign. Mike Mason (Moderator), Badger McInnis, Christopher Smith-Adair, Kenneth Hite, Paul Fricker
Theatre and the Weird - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Discussing plays and staged presentation. Tonnvane Wiswell (Moderator), David Baillie, Evan Spreen, Justin Woodman, Jon Padgett
Sunday, August 15, 2026 9:30 AM
Sheridan Le Fanu: Seeing Through a Glass Darkly - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Author of Victorian ghost stories, gothic horror, and mysteries, Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu (Irish, 1814–1873) was a master of atmosphere and dread. His transformative work was a significant influence on M. R. James, and Carmilla preceded and influenced Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Our panelists discuss his life, work, and enduring cultural impact. Adam Golaski (Moderator), Michael Cisco, Aaron Worth, Timothy J Jarvis
Representation and Function of Disease and Illness in the Weird - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
From plagues like the sleeping sickness in The Beak Doctor by Eric Basso to alien infection in Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach books, weird fiction is filled with tales of illness. Physical and psychological. We will explore why writers of weird fiction continue to return to these themes and why readers are hungry to read more. VJ Stonecraft (Moderator), K. H. Vaughan, Matthew Carpenter, Ann VanderMeer, Sonya Taaffe
Author Readings 13 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Armitage 11 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Special Presentations 13 - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Humans Are Such Easy Prey: Forty Years of From Beyond - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
The success of the film Re-Animator – based on Lovecraft’s “Herbert West–Reanimator”– put director Stuart Gordon and actors Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton on the radar of both critics and cult movie fans alike. However, their sophomore Lovecraft adaptation, From Beyond, has never achieved that same level of recognition, despite it also taking many wild swings at Lovecraft’s original text. Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, our panel will expound on the merits of this grisly (and gooey) film, and why From Beyond remains overlooked. Fred Van Lente (Moderator), Jacy Morris, Victoria Dalpe, Jason LeBlanc, David Quiroz Jr
Sunday, August 15, 2026 11:00 AM
Sources Over Innsmouth - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
An examination of the inspirations and influences behind Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth, considering the importance of real-world inspirations, philosophical concerns, and the art and literature he drew on. Kenneth Hite (Moderator), Leslie S. Klinger, Prema Arasu, Tim Lonegan
Collaborative Writing in Weird Fiction - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Description pending. Peter Rawlik (Moderator), Laura Langrish, David Boop, Matthew M Bartlett, Jon Padgett
Redefining Cosmic Horror - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
As a genre, cosmic horror has always been a little bit nebulous. What is it, exactly? How have conceptions of the genre changed, and how will it continue to evolve in years to come as a literary movement? Are the original definitions truly relevant as “horror” when materialism,cosmic indifference, and existentialist themes are increasingly mainstream positions in culture? Jason Ray Carney (Moderator), Gwen Callahan, Ann VanderMeer, Paula D. Ashe, Sean Moreland
Author Readings 14 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Armitage 12 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Special Presentations 15 - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Mucho Mojo Storyteller: Joe R. Lansdale - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
With tales of an interdimensional creature obsessed with razors, apocalyptic drive-ins, and an elderly Elvis Presley facing down a soul-sucking mummy, Texas based author Joe R. Lansdale (American, 1951–) has created his own distinct space in the world of speculative fiction. Join our panelists as they examine Lansdale’s lengthy career in both print and film, the one-of-a-kind narrative voice used in his stories, and the way he merges different genres, from mysteries to Westerns to horror, in unique and surprising ways with an emphasis on his contributions to the weird. Jeremy Brett (Moderator), Jon Black, Alan Tromp, Derek Austin Johnson, Theresa DeLucci
Sunday, August 15, 2026 2:00 PM
The Electric Nightmares of Philip K Dick - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Exploring themes of identity, surveillance, paranoia and technology, Philip K. Dick (American, 1928–1982) was prolific as a writer of science fiction short stories and novels, but his tales frequently contained elements of the Weird. From the alternate history horrors of The Man in the High Castle to the various realities and unrealities in The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, our panel will delve into the strange and unforgiving worlds that sprung from Dick’s imagination. Cody Goodfellow (Moderator), Derek Austin Johnson, Matthew M Bartlett, Jac Chandross, Eric Schaller
Orientalism in HPL - Bristol/Kent Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Orientalism refers to a scholarly and cultural movement that rose in the 18th and 19th centuries that mythologized various aspects of “The Orient,” or those lands east of the Mediterranean (including the Near and Middle East, South Asia, and northern Africa). These “exotic” cultures were portrayed as lands of ancient civilizations and decadence, populated with fakirs, snake charmers, and sheiks on magic carpets. This romantic but savage view was deeply tied to Colonialism and ideas of the racial and cultural supremacy of The West. Our experts discuss Orientalism as it appears in Lovecraft’s letters and literature. John Langan (Moderator), Matthew Spencer, Zack Davisson, Prema Arasu
It Came From the Stacks: Librarians & Archivists in Weird Fiction - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
Librarians and archivists are the keepers of knowledge, and as such, are often featured as important characters in weird fiction. Our panelists discuss these figures who preserve, catalog, and safeguard mysterious tomes, haunt forbidden archives, offer counsel and information to the curious, and sometimes employ their knowledge and expertise to explore the supernatural for good or ill. VJ Stonecraft (Moderator), Jess Tucker, Jeremy Brett, Timothy Burall
Author Readings 15 - Narragansett Bay Room, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
Invited Academic Speakers 3 - Providence Ballroom, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
Weird film from the Pre-Code Era - South County Room, Omni Hotel 3rd Floor
The 1934 Motion Picture Production Code (“The Hays Code”) had a devastating impact on creativity and free expression in Hollywood. Pre-Hays Code films challenge much of the conventional wisdom about America’s early motion pictures: portrayals of marginalized groups, depictions of sex and sexuality, and complex explorations of criminal, supernatural, or horrific topics. Panelists consider Hollywood’s Pre-Code era specifically in light of the Weird. What characterizes or defines Hollywood’s Pre-Code Weird? What films and directors should every cinephile and connoisseur of the Weird know? Gwen Callahan (Moderator), Gillian Daniels, Douglas E Winter, Matthew Cheney, Sonya Taaffe
Monsters in the Closet: Queer Representation in Horror Gaming - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Queer representation in horror has come a long way since its early days of stereotypes as evildoers and outcasts. When we create and play horror games, and more, how can we utilize the breadth and depth of our queerness to tell incredible, haunting stories that resonate not just within our community, but without as well? Tonya Monteforte (Moderator), Cat Scully, Shanna Germain, Alison Lanier, Christopher Smith-Adair
Sunday, August 15, 2026 3:30 PM
Dancing Backward In The Black Lodge: David Lynch & The Weird - Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
The late David Lynch (1946 – 2025) was a great practitioner of Weird cinema, sometimes taking Weird to a place it seldom goes: commercial success. Twin Peaks, not just Weird but with nods to cosmic horror, was a 1990s pop culture phenomenon. Many of his less commercially successful Weird projects, such as Eraserhead, have found critical and scholarly acclaim alongside cult status. Panelists offer a Lynch retrospective, considering Lynch’s influences and influence, impact on cinema, and place in the Weird. Matthew Cheney (Moderator), Theresa DeLucci, Joseph Dwyer, Ryan Page, Kayte Terry
The Sheer Mind Bending Terror of Physics - Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2nd Floor
While physics promises understanding, more often than not, science fiction, horror and weird lit and film render it in shades of profound terror–a terror of scale, indifference, and forces that don’t notice us at all. The overwhelming power of physics and forces beyond human comprehension is present in thousands of pieces of work, in everything from “The Color Out of Space” and Jeff VanderMeer’s “The Third Bear” to Interstellar, Event Horizon, and Ant-Man—and that barely scratches the surface. In this discussion, panelists will examine how writers and filmmakers use physics not as device, but as existential threat. Jac Chandross (Moderator), Sonya Taaffe, Despina Durand, Allen B. Ruch, Jonas Kyratzes
French Fantastique in the 19th Century - Waterplace Ballroom, Omni Hotel 2nd Floor
Fantastique may have been born in Germany, but it was polished in France. Its tropes would feel familiar to modern horror fans: vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and unspeakable crimes, all served up with liminal uncertainty and alienation. French Fantasists include titans such as Balzac, Dumas, Gautier, and Maupassant, as well as lesser-known figures like Mérimée, Nodier, and Nerval. Panelists discuss the history of these writers and their influence on weird fiction over time. Matthew Spencer (Moderator), Jon Black, Eric Williams, Michael Cisco, Alexander Dickow
Sunday, August 15, 2026 5:00 PM
Closing Ceremony/Feedback Meeting - Biltmore Ballroom, GraduateHotel 17th Floor
Join program staff in bringing the convention to a close, with an immediate post-mortem, initial statistics, and audience feedback.
