Posted by arthurchappell

Convention Activity – Friday 29th April 2024 Eastercon 2024 Levitation

Eastercon began in earnest on the Friday and after breakfast in the International Hotel I walked round to the neighbouring International Centre just ahead of convention registration commencing.

Suitably badged up and with a summary list of programme events, I was all set to go. Gradually over the day many old friends arrived and the con always feels like a happy school reunion when you have been going before, as I have. My first was Intervention in 1997. That was Eastercon 48. Now here I was at Eastercon 75.

Incorporating Myths From Different Cultures

Allen Stroud (Moderator) , Wole Talabi, Rhionnach (Jean Thompson), and Maria Sjostrand.

A look at World mythology and its treatment in fantasy literature. Defining mythology is not so easy. Dead religion? Unreal or just unverified and unverifiable?

Some unexpected works were referenced, including Lion King which has its roots in African myths. There are also works like the role playing vampire realms created by White Wolf for their Vampire Masquerade role playing games colliding vampires from many Western and Chinese traditions.

There are ethical issues in use of myths from different cultures. The central premise of Discworld, of the flat World balanced on elephants who stand on the back of a giant turtle is rooted in Hinduism. An episode of Xena: Warrier Princess, (The Way) moved from Xena dealing with the Greek pantheon to her meeting with Kryshna in India, which upset active current day followers of the Hare Kryshna cult (The International Society Of Kryshna Consciousness). Their protests got the episode temporarily banned. Myths are still part of a culture and history for many people even when not directly believed in.

Legends were defined as myths involving heroes though without supernatural or divine forces coming into play.

An impressive amount of ground covered here.

What Does Good Look Like?

Mike Brooks (Moderator), Helen Gould, Nick Hubble, Niall Harrison (Moderator) and Cecile Cristofari.

How do we define what is a good book, or film? Is it truly subjective? Blurbs compare books to established works and authors, there are critical recommendations, hype, must see, must read promotions, someone who loves a book offers us a copy with recommendations that we will adore it too. Books are labelled classics. Is it heretical to dislike them?

Is a book good for merely being enjoyable or does it have to change our lives, educate us or make us think?

A recommendation was The Tournament Of Books podcasts which pitch books against one another in a slam down contest.

I asked whether a work regarded as good ceases to be held in regard if controversial and even offensive aspects of the author’s life and beliefs come to light, as with the changing views on Marion Zimmer Bradley due to certain abuse accusations and the backlash to J K Rowling over her attacks on the trans community. The response was a sensible one of continuing to hold the works already appreciated in regard while recognizing the creators more negatively. Mike Brooks wisely flipped this to point out that as his work often draws on gender themes and Gay/trans characters his work can face utterly unfair criticism from the anti-woke brigade.

The Past Isn’t Straight (And Neither Is The Future)

Sandra Bond (Moderator) Elsa Sjunneson (via virtual connection), Mike Brooks, Wendy Metcalfe, Heather Valentine.

Creating gay, diverse characters is a daunting task for authors. Some early inspirations for the panellists include Orson Scott Card, Marion Zimmer Bradley, (who have gay characters who can become predatory and sinister). More acclaim went to Anne McCaffrey, and George R R Martin. Aliette De Bodard was also highly recommended.

An Evening With Donna Scott – Donna is a very funny and highly talented stand-up comic, so it was a lovely finish to the opening night to see her act and I knew I was due to appear alongside her on a comedy themed panel later in the weekend too.

Photos taken by me.

Arthur Chappell

Narcissus Terminology – Who Is The Narcissist?

Posted by arthurchappell

The main terms and medical terms for clinical Narcissism are not without their problems. The main ones I see over and over again are Narcissism, Flying Monkeys and Love Bombing.

This essay addresses Narcissism itself – Drawing from the Greek myth of Narcissus who was cursed with being too physically beautiful, and ends up drowning in a pool trying to become one with his own reflection. He represents vanity and being self-absorbed. The real tragedy of the Narcissus story is the fate of his girlfriend, Echo. Unable to find Narcissus (who has sunk into the pool and died) she roams the mountains crying out for him until she fades away leaving only her voice calling out in her absence – the mythical origin of the ‘echo effect’.

Psychological Narcissism has nothing to do with physical appearances (though some Narcissists might have such gym-fitness fanatical obsession with looking good too). It is a love affair with the sound of their own voice, certainty that they know more than others, a confusion between knowledge and wisdom, and the notion that their perception of the World has to be imposed on others. A closer, more accurate role model is Jean Paul Sartre’s concept of The Look (aka, The Gaze) . This is where someone tries to get others to see them as they see themselves, which is impossible as others are external to us and seeing / Interpreting us through their own eyes. The Narcissist, the dominator, the Sadist, tries to force others to see him or her as if they were the Narcissist, looking back on himself. They try to mentor and manipulate others into being their clones. They get angry, passive-aggressive and intimidating because the others are showing ongoing displays of independence, and having a separate way to see reality. They don’t see the idealised look the look the Narcissist has for himself.

The psychological Narcissist won’t drown in his own reflection. He will try to get his Echoer to drown in his reflection. Echo won’t get to pine away alone in the mountains. The Narcissist would need her to fix her gaze on him so he can see her pain and exploit it or punish it when it is not reflecting his ‘look’.

Youtube – Narcissism Defined https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w4jxWPczLc

Youtube – Sartre’s The Look examined. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r-qoABSF9E

Arthur Chappell

Narcissist Love Bombing Defined

Posted by arthurchappell

Love Bombing is a term rooted in religious cults. The Church Of Reverend Sung Myung Moon, known as the Moonies, practised what was also going on in many new religious movements but their members had a cynically coined name for the active recruitment technique, ‘Love Bombing’. A newcomer to one of their meetings or church services will often be greeted by ever-smiling, ever cheery young people, have his or hand shaken vigorously and possibly even get hugged a lot. The love and affection can get touchy-feely, overpowering and intense. The newcomer’s story of how they came to the church will wow the listeners as will everything about the newcomer. They will hear you first came in after meeting say John, or Jane. This will be treated quickly as very special. John and Jane only know ‘the bestest people’, and they are great judges of character. You must be so privileged, charming and special. Everyone is thrilled to be in your presence. You can end up feeling like an A-List movie star surrounded by adoring fans, even though it is people who have literally only just discovered you even exist. You’ll be asked about your life and work. If you have a job, it’ll be the bestest, and they may play on someone in the group doing or having done similar work. (it also gives them clues to your income that will help them decide your true financial worth to the cult). Your hobbies will be the best, whether you say you only watch football on TV or go out kite-surfing every weekend. The love bombing saturates you in excessive often cloying flattery, and affection. They will fall over themselves to do you favours, buying you a beer, or a meal, carrying your luggage for you and if you don’t drive, they will go out of their way to give you a car ride home (which also lets them clock your address). Everyone is suddenly your new best friend. If they don’t see you for a few days they will say they really missed you and got worried you might not come back, or indicate distress that they somehow offended you. It’s all faked manufactured sincerity. This can be maintained over months.

Another side of it will be the confessional one, where members may see you as someone they can tell their troubles too; confiding in you about having taken drugs, feeling bad about a terminated pregnancy, once self-harming or attempting suicide, though seeing the cult as having rescued them from all that.

Their candid stories can make you open up to relate similar stories from your own past, recent or distant. This will move them to further hugs (and in some,but by no means all cults the flirting can extend to full on sexual intimacy though it remains all faked and controlling).

Your confessed material is relayed covertly to cult elders, and can later be used to guilt trip you and in some cases even as outright blackmail material.

The often glorious ego massaging honeymoon period that is love bombing wil stop, sometimes suddenly and brutally to be replaced with angry rebukes. You will be made to feel as if you have let everyone down after all the love and sacrifice and self-honesty they have shared. You are then trapped in trying to recapture that magical love-atmosphere, and it will then be switched on and off like a tap, as a system of carrot-stick punishment and reward to engineer you to where they want to be. That is in a nutshell how many cults operate.

A Narcissist love bombs in a similar way; they gain friends with flattery, affection, showering someone with gifts, putting you on a pedestal. A romance can be a whirlwind. Many (but certainly not all) love at first sight relationships are actually results of such control and love bombing.

In a cult, a group controls the individual. The Narcissist flips that by being an individual who can love bomb a group, though with particular individuals singled out for more attention than others. He will become the life and soul of the party. He might use clever tricks, even actual magic conjuring tricks to get everyone watching him. He is a supremely cool dude, but a smooth talking con-man, the kind of guy who could sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. Suddenly, he owns the room. If he’s invited to parties, other friends will agree to attend on the promise that he is coming, and offers to show more of his clever tricks and offers generous gifts to some guests. He necomes an indispensible assett, a selling point.

The Narc will quickly notice that some guests at the party seem less impressed by his hard sell self-promotion, the ones who see only a shady used car salesman selling a brightly striped sports car with a busted gear box. That person is then treated as the party-pooper, the one not getting, or in on the joke. The rest of the group starts to ignore the individual, or even rebuke them. The Narc will play on this to the max. The individual single out will be made to feel detached, secondary, or even full on excommunicated. It isn’t paranoia, as they are out to get you. It can fuel paranoia and suspicion though. A Narc gaslights, and makes you doubt your own sanity. You don’t fit in, the group likes the narc and you don’t so you assume you are the one who is wrong and not fitting in is your fault. It’s actually your saving grace, not a fault. You are seeing through the scam. You know the emperor has no new shiny clothes, and that he is actually just naked.

With a one to one relationship, the love bombing might be maintained right to the wedding, but the object of the narc’s control expresses doubts, disagreement, or shows a wish to do something other than the narc desires, the affection is withdrawn, replaced with silence or possibly some other punishment up to actual violence, but also with a sliding scale of name calling, blaming, guilt-tripping, insults, withdrawal of favours, exposure to peer group pressure from others (the flying monkeys in particular), emotional blackmail, and a threat to separate or divorce entirely. The Narc may well start love bombing others, sharing the affection once exclusively given to the partner he claimed he only had eyes for. As the love bombing is withdrawn, it is replaced with a vacuum or with abuse, both of which amount to hate bombing which should be a cue to the victim to get out of there but the desire for a return to the happier times runs strong and other ties, through family, friends, finance, home ownership, children, etc and possibly threats of retribution, if not actual acts of retribution, can trap the victim for the long run, if not permanently or until pushed too far, they finally escape. The important thing is for you to get yourself out. You want to help the other victims but you can’t any more than you can get someone free from quicksand while you are also sinking into it.

Youtube – Narcissistic Love Bombing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKEjiyDivcc

Arthur Chappell

Beware Of Pagan Narcissists

Posted by arthurchappell

Beware Of Pagan Narcissists

Any social group or society should be cautious of members joining with or developing their own agendas, or not being what they appear to be from the outset or early on. The mask eventually slips. Pagan societies are no exception and in many ways they are more vulnerable to domination by would be cult leaders and callous Narcissists massaging their own egos looking for sensitive and vulnerable people to prey on.

Paganism covers such a wide scope, from history to mythology, to modern beliefs in magic, holistic healing, occultism and environmental needs to become one with nature. It is very easy to develop a passion for any and all such concerns but equally remarkably easy to fake it to use it to some other purpose. Many groups are taken over and turned into personality cults when a charismatic egotist develops his own circle of admirers. The church led to suicide at Waco by David Koresh was poached wholesale from The Seventh Day Adventist Church. Having been in a cult myself in the 1980’s (a Hindu meditation sect), I have seen the havoc some narcissists can generate for individuals, their relationship partners, groups, families, businesses and beyond.

The arrival of a Narcissist might seem innocent enough, a new, rather keen and enthusiastic member, probably bubbling with ideas, questions, etc. They may act as a guest speaker, and many Narcissists are genuinely smart, clever, articulate, etc.

They will quickly make friends, and soon become the alpha male (or female) of the group, dominating most if not all conversation, and this may or may not be the first red flag. Observe closely but discreetly how this is done. They may be just genuinely witty enough to gain such company, a natural Oscar Wilde.

Just as likely however, they will assertively, even passively-aggressively push others out of the chance to join in the conversation, which rapidly becomes a monologue with occasional quickly interrupted attempts to join in by the others. If members seem to drift away from such groups or look disenchanted talk to them discreetly to find out why.

Narcissism comes of course from the Greek Myth of a young man so in love with his own beauty that he drowns trying to merge with his reflection in a lake. True psychiatrically defined Narcissism has nothing to do with personal appearances. The pagan Narcissist (in the sense of joining a pagan group, just as he might join a science fiction society) is more likely to be in love with the sound of his own voice, and arrogant enough to believe his thoughts, views and opinions are all that matter.

In time (often a short time), the Narcissist will not only have his regular satalite audience, social group within the parent one), he will also have targets, the people he often slaps down (verbally), disses behind their backs and pedantically corrects on virtually everything they say. Look out for signs of such behaviour especially when it is being directed to the same individuals all the time.

It will soon become apparent that the Narcissistic member is something of a cold fish, utterly devoid of empathy, (though some Narcissists learn to fake that). If they are in a relationship there may seem little if any real chemistry with their partners, and when you talk to the partner in their presence they often speak for both of them. If someone is ill or even dies or feels grief, they will gain little support from the Narcissist.

Some members may become increasingly uncomfortable in the presence of the Narcissist, or driven to anger or distress by so much as a mention of their name. Some may not attend events if they think ‘S/he’ is going to even turn up. These are the members flat out offended, ridiculed or even bullied (usually bullied) by the Narcissist.

Lots can happen when a direct complaint is raised regarding the Narcissist. First, he will deny any knowledge of what he is accused of, though he will be keen to shut down any discussion of his behavour, attitudes and faults. He may well issue a tirade of counter accusations, and commonly resorts to a tactic psychiatrists call ‘Selective Amnesia’, namely simply and very conveniently not remembering anything to do with what he is accused of. Normally, the Narcissist has near photographic recall of everything, but that bad thing, he suddenly all too conveniently forgets all about.

He hasn’t forgotten at all. He just wants the accusers to forget it, and doubt the reality of what they actually know went on. The Narcissist is very skilled at ‘Gaslighting’, the art of obfuscating reality. The term Gaslighting comes from an Edwardian theatrical crime drama, which has been filmed three times, once with Ingrid Bergman. In the story, a young bride is driven to the brink of insanity by a Sadistic, Narcissistic sociopathic husband. Her things go missing, only to reappear elsewhere later, she hears strange noises and feels haunted and hunted. The gaslighting in the house (the story is set in pre-electricity Victorian London), starts acting up in mysterious patterns. In the final scenes she finds out her husband is causing all these mysterious things to cover up a crime (and in some versions, rob his bride of her inheritance).

The modern Narcissist twists, truth, history and facts to gaslight his targets often just for fun. He can be particularly insensitive and cruel in dealing with people who already have some stress, anxiety and depression, as the Narcissist enjoys kicking someone already down.

The other problem someone seeking support or justice in being entangled with a Narcissist is the ‘Flying Monkeys’, a clinical term bizarrely borrowed from The Wizard Of Oz stories and films, where the Wicked Witch’s army of simion minions fly around doing her bidding, no questions asked. If the Narcissist is questioned, his Monkeys will spring to his defense, and close ranks against the already distressed complainant. They will insist the Narcissist is a nice, kind, reasonable person, that the offensive comments were merely a joke the complainant took badly, that any bullying that can’t be flat out denied was somehow provoked (it never was), and that the complainant is only upset because he or she is already in a known state of anxiety, stress and depression. The Narcissist gets a mulligan (free pass), and the victim is left sulking, or withdraws from the group entirely as the Narcissist seeks out fresh prey. Narcissistic abuse is not a dispute that can often be resolved by making the opposing sides apologise, shake hands and forget it all. The Narcissist will invariably strike again, and should be asked to permanently leave a society he has caused such problems within.

It is frightfully easy for good people to be duped by a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It may be a root cause for why paganism was widely crushed by the growth of Christianity but it can happen with individuals too. The best way to handle an identified Narcissist is total rejection – no second chances. This is someone who won’t be happy until he reduces all around him to a shell, or sinks the ship to get a lifeboat all to himself. Watch one another’s backs and don’t let yourself become a flying monkey.

Selective Memory Link (one of many).

https://www.mindsettherapyonline.com/blog/do-narcissists-have-selective-memory

Arthur Chappell

Author Unleashes Wendigos And Vampires In Preston.

Posted by arthurchappell

I’ve brought some of my favourite monsters to Preston, Lancashire. Student Exchange has just been published in the 9th BHF Book Of Horror Stories – Atlas Of Abominations (2023). My tale starts with the massacre of UCLAN students at a Goth party, before vampires chase a survivor through Avenham Park, but they don’t seem to want to kill her or turn her into a vampire. So what are they up to? Could the answer lie with flesh eating demons in the Niagara Falls region of Canada?

Avenham Park, and The River Ribble, referred to in my story, Student Exchange

Rooted in actual student exchanges I took part in, the story speculates that different kinds of monsters spend time together to exchange hunting methods and dealing out justice when someone breaks the rules. In this case, the monsters are vampires and Wendigos (a cannibalistic demon from Native American/Canadian mythology). Usually when vampires meet werewolves, or other creatures, they have to fight to the death to see who is strongest. I wanted to have them work together, even when one monster does go off the rails and need taking down.

My story is illustrated by award winning science fiction artist Smuzz, who worked on the ABC Warriors for 2000 AD. All proceeds from BHF (British Horror Films books) go to charity.

Copies of Atlas Of Abominations are available on Amazon for £11.99 Edited by Andrew Llewellyn and Ian Talbot Taylor https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C2SW3F1X?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8391744542

This is not my first use of Wendigos in my writings. My 25 minute horror podcast play, Wendigo Water was recorded live in front of a theatre audience (at Three Minute Theatre – 3MT in Manchester) with a cast of 7 (including myself), and the recording is available here for free listening or download. There is no direct link between the two depictions of Wendigos I have created though they can exist in the same universe. https://www.mixcloud.com/arthurchappell/wendigo-water-a-horror-play-by-arthur-chappell/

Some of the 3MT theatre cast recording Wendigo Water, with me 2nd from the right, taken by members of the audience.

So What Are Wendigos?

I no more invented the Wendigo than Bram Stoker invented vampires. While vampires are well known, the Wendigo get fewer horror outings which is surprising given how monstrous, frightening and powerful they are. They are rooted in the mythology of the Algonquin tribes who dominated North West America and Canada, taking in what are now New York state, Niagara, The Great Lakes and Toronto.

Such regions freeze severely in Winter and it was not unknown for tribal members and later, the European pioneer settlers to get cut off by the snows to the point of desperately resorting to cannibalism to survive. The Alconquin created the Wendigo as a bogeyman to deter such practice. They taught that it was better to starve to death yourself than feed off the flesh of your kinsmen. Those who did resort to cannibalism were believed to be tempted by the Wendigos and that the taste of human flesh would become an addictive craving that would lead the cannibal to become another Wendigo, doomed to human-meat addiction, and unable to escape a desperate hunger no matter how many people they eat. The Wendigo turns into a walking caribou, emaciated, and virtually indestructible (though in some stories they can be killed by melting their hearts which are said to be a ball of ice).

In my tales, the Wendigo can pass for human for a limited time by breaking off their antlers but they will still be desperate cannibals.

Various writers have used the Wendigo in their tales, including Henry Longfellow (The Song Of Hiawatha), and Algernon Blackwood (The Wendigo). Blackwood actually avoids cannibalism in his depiction. His Wendigo catches its prey and runs it ragged until its legs fall off. In the novella, an explorer is captured by the entity, and after his legs fall off he starts growing Wendigo legs and feet, but when his two human companions find him, the pain, and madness of the transformation process causes him to die of shock.

Algernon Book, includes The Wendigo story he wrote.

My first discovery of Wendigos was through Marvel comics where they played a surprisingly vital role. Their initial main opponent was The Incredible Hulk.

Tired of General Ross trying to kill or capture him with the entire US army, Hulk retreats to Canada, only to face off against the Wendigo, (usually depicted as a white/grey abominable snowman figure. After a few battles with the monsters, Hulk faces a new initially independent enemy, a mercenary assassin hired by the Canadian government. The mercenary villain is Wolverine, making his comic strip debut, but the fight between Hulk and Logan is interrupted when they are forced to work together to deal with the return of The Wendigo. The need to do good leads to a change in temperament as Wolverine becomes more anti-hero than villain, and this paved his way for joining The X-Men soon afterwards (they were already well established before he joined them). The Wendigo would turn up many times over the years, even briefly infecting most of The Avengers.

Stephen King’s Pet Semetary is a burial ground serviced by wendigo entities though we never see them directly, just the zombie people and creatures resurrected on their patch.

On TV Buffy The Vampire Slayer never met a Wendigo though they did make appearances on Charmed and in Supernatural. In the movies, the film Ravenous has a Donner Party style cannibalistic slaughter that we are told is orchestrated by Wendigo spirits though they are never seen on screen.

My wendigos get to take centre stage in Student Exchange (Wendigo Water carries more ambiguity). They have become my favourite monsters, though I am careful in Student Exchange to give the vampires equal billing.

My own student exchanges (1978 and 1979) were with Lingen in Germany. I later visited Toronto and Niagara (in 2003) which I felt were more apt to have as the Wendigo base given the Algonquin origins. The story also refers to the great earthquake of Lisbon, Portugal in 1755, which was genuinely one of the most destructive quakes to ever hit Europe, with the quake and tsunamis generated from it killing over 12,000 people. I learned of the event at university in studying Voltaire’s Candide, which opens with the quake, and has a character, Dr Pangloss remaining insanely optimistic despite being surrounded by disaster and tragedy. In my story, the Wendigo have reason to appreciate the Quake as it gives them the biggest meal they’ve ever enjoyed.

In life, I have faced the instant death of my father through coronary thrombosis, the misery of long term unemployment, alienation from my surviving family (most of who no longer talk to me), a savage attack with a broken bottle that left me sporting eighteen stitches in my face, Covid running parallel to bowel cancer that nearly killed me and left me wearing a stoma bag for life, and I know that the monsters like Wendigo and vampires are somehow never as horrible as what the real world can do to us. Fortunately, there has been a lot of love too, bringing out my own inner Dr Pangloss even in my darkest hours, and publishers like BHF have wonderfully given my preferred monsters a chance to shine. I hope you enjoy them too.

Link – Smuzz’s website http://www.smuzz.org.uk/

All photos taken by me unless otherwise stated..

Arthur Chappell