Escape Artists

PseudoPod => Episode Comments => Topic started by: Bdoomed on January 20, 2015, 03:42:37 AM

Title: Pseudopod 421: The Three Chimes
Post by: Bdoomed on January 20, 2015, 03:42:37 AM
Pseudopod 421: The Three Chimes (http://pseudopod.org/2015/01/17/pseudopod-421-the-three-chimes/)

by David Longshore.

This is the first time “The Three Chimes” has been published. “Historical horror isn’t a new subgenre, but it does remain terra incognita for many of today’s horror and dark fiction writers. While it can be a challenging undertaking successfully melding historical tropes with contemporary horror themes, history itself has often provided plenty of gruesome inspiration for those writers who are willing to take on the task. As Louis XVI discovers in “The Three Chimes,” the trick is to remember that whether in ancient regime France or the 21st-century world, horror and terror and all that they inspire in human beings are universal constants, and omnipresent across all time.”

Born in Ipswich, Massachusetts – the heart of H. P. Lovecraft country – DAVID LONGSHORE holds degrees from Amherst College and the Naval Postgraduate School. He is the author of the Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones, as well as other non-fiction narratives. Previous examples of his horror and dark fiction have appeared in “The Horror Zine,” “SNM Horror,” and various anthologies.

Your reader – Corson Bremer – is a professional voice artist with a love of audio drama and dramatic readings. Which is also why he loves the work the folks at Escape Artists do. His roots are in acting, radio, and even technical writing, but he’s a full-time voice artist now His professional work includes video games, commercials, documentaries, and a variety of corporate voice over projects.



“On the 21st day of January in the last year of his life and reign, Louis awoke in his cold apartments in the Temple well before dawn. He was quickly assisted into his clothes by his valet, then sank to his knees beside his bed and prayed with his confessor until he heard a commotion from an adjoining room.

Almost crippled by fear and horror at the suddenness of the horrible day’s arrival, Louis nonetheless rose from his prayers and went to the door leading into the front room.”



(http://pseudopod.org/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/audio_mp3_button.png)
Listen to this week's Pseudopod. (http://media.libsyn.com/media/pseudopod/Pseudo421_TheThreeChimes.mp3)
Title: Re: Pseudopod 421: The Three Chimes
Post by: ElectricPaladin on January 25, 2015, 07:46:38 PM
This story was really, really weird... but I liked it. It was certainly a well-crafted horror story, with that sense of something dreadful approaching. The way that the eerie events combined with what we all know - the inevitable march of history, the weight of what is going to happen - was very well achieved.
Title: Re: Pseudopod 421: The Three Chimes
Post by: Sgarre1 on January 26, 2015, 03:35:17 PM
Glad you liked it - it was a slight departure for us but I figured the regular audience has come to expect and adjust for the occasional curve-ball of story types and that an old-school TWILIGHT ZONE tale was within our purview.
Title: Re: Pseudopod 421: The Three Chimes
Post by: Unblinking on January 27, 2015, 03:47:56 PM
I enjoyed it.  I'm vague enough on French history that I didn't remember if this was the Louis who met this fate or not, though I figured early on from all the doom and dates that it probably would be.  I like it wove that history into a hallucinatory kind of Twilight Zone tale as Shawn said.
Title: Re: Pseudopod 421: The Three Chimes
Post by: Fenrix on January 28, 2015, 11:03:22 AM
I really dug the swan boat bit, and the clock imagery at the ending was great. The narration really helped push this one up as well. Great stuff.
Title: Re: Pseudopod 421: The Three Chimes
Post by: davidthygod on January 28, 2015, 02:38:42 PM
Anytime there is a story about the French nobility, there is exactly a 98% chance that it ends with a guillotine.  I made that figure up right now, but it feels right to me.
Title: Re: Pseudopod 421: The Three Chimes
Post by: Dwango on February 03, 2015, 09:20:51 PM
Nice piece.  I love how his signing the act to support the English colonies is the portent to the end of his own reign.  Simple and elegant, especially the clock tying it all together.
Title: Re: Pseudopod 421: The Three Chimes
Post by: CorsonB on February 16, 2015, 05:35:53 PM
@Alistair et al (and for the benefit of all those who appreciate a writer's work), please give me the donation info for Greg Campbell.  I didn't find it in the story notes. While my wife has a small retirement and while I may be a full-time professional voice artist, I'm not Nolan North nor Mark Hamill nor Josh Gad, and our collective income goes from something, to nothing, to wonderful in a "rather random manner". Nevertheless, I'd like to donate to Greg. A simple email address seems to work nicely for PayPal.  You have my email address if you would prefer the privacy.

Best wishes,
Corson
Title: Re: Pseudopod 421: The Three Chimes
Post by: Fenrix on February 16, 2015, 08:46:15 PM
I think the event has ended: https://www.tilt.com/campaigns/help-a-navy-veteran-and-his-children-after-a-fire/description

But they encourage you to purchase his book: http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Hands-Warm-Heart-Children/dp/1493579061
Title: Re: Pseudopod 421: The Three Chimes
Post by: doctornemo on June 18, 2015, 01:02:30 AM
A very well done tale.  Longshore has a good grasp on Louis XVI's sorry but fascinating reign. 

More historical horror, please.
Title: Re: Pseudopod 421: The Three Chimes
Post by: Sgarre1 on June 18, 2015, 01:58:40 AM
It's a tough request... but I'll try my best!