David J. Goodwin
The Empty Chair
This past spring, I traveled to London for the very first time. I approached the trip not as a getaway or a vacation but as a pilgrimage to the epicenter of the English-speaking world. For a writer and a humanist such as myself, London represents literature, art, history, architecture, and learning—the foundation of my creative…
Shadows That Never Leave Us
Losing oneself in memories always stands as a perilous exercise. Nostalgia blinkers us to the more painful or uncomfortable details of our past and convinces us to undervalue or ignore the places and people forming our present. Nonetheless, when looking backward, we often recognize a specific individual, happening, or moment that will forever haunt us,…
Midnight Rambles: H. P. Lovecraft in Gotham
After months of hints, whispers, and allusions, I am honored to announce the release date of my second book. “Midnight Rambles: H. P. Lovecraft in Gotham” will hit bookstore shelves on September 5, 2023!
A Holiday Retreat
In the coming weeks, I hope to find myself immersed in a final push to complete a revised draft of my book manuscript. Since this will consume all my free hours and creative energy, I’ll be stepping away from the blog for a period. (Admittedly, it has been rather sleepy here during the past year.)
Halloween Fun: Lovecraft and King Manor
Autumn has arrived, and Halloween is approaching. An upcoming talk at the King Manor Museum will detail the relationship between H. P. Lovecraft and New York City.
Listening for Autumn Leaves
Last month, I submitted my book manuscript, a biography of H. P. Lovecraft and his New York City period, to my publisher, capping nearly two years of imaginative immersion and intensive writing. Now, I’m waiting for the peer reviewers’ critiques, a nerve-racking experience familiar to anyone who has worked with an academic journal or press.…
NecronomiCon Providence 2022
NecronomiCon Providence 2022 marks my first in-person event since the pandemic–a conversation about the long friendship between author H. P. Lovecraft and James F. Morton.
Sunset on the Hudson
Earlier this past May, my wife and I shared a brief, restful trip to Hudson, New York. I imagine that we resembled the stereotypical black-clad bohemians regularly hopping off the Amtrak train and searching for a country retreat away from the commotion of New York and yet replete with cultural amenities. A small, former industrial…
The Need for Small Cities
Recently, a documentary which I co-created was an official selection at the Albany Film Festival, and I traveled to New York’s state capital to represent the film and partake in a refreshing change of scene. My time in the Capital District, that is, the Albany metropolitan area, followed the cliched pattern of a New York…
They Came for the Neighborhood
Although the long-term impact of the ongoing pandemic upon cities remains uncertain, one reality remains constant: housing costs continue to tick upward in desirable urban areas. This raises the twin specters of gentrification and displacement. The causes and connections of these processes have been hotly discussed and debated over the past several decades in both…