Blog
Nearing “Midnight Rambles”
Although Midnight Rambles: H. P. Lovecraft in Gotham won’t hit bookstore shelves until this November 7, 2023, my book recently enjoyed a banner week. Publishers Weekly published a stellar review, noting that “Goodwin builds his scrupulous account on a thorough reading of Lovecraft’s letters and diaries, and the unsparing portrait that emerges, while unflattering, offers…
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…
The 100th Episode
Recently, I made my fourth consecutive annual appearance on We Need Some Milk, a podcast exploring local politics and urban policy. This episode was the 100th for the program. I was excited and honored to be a part of this milestone. The hosts and I chatted about pandemic-era cities, mass transit, gerrymandering, and my forthcoming…
H. P. Lovecraft and the Winter Blues
Weird fiction author H. P. Lovecraft moved to New York City to marry the stylish milliner Sonia H. Greene and chase after the writer’s life in March 1924. Greene rented a spacious apartment (four rooms!) in the fashionable Brooklyn neighborhood of Flatbush. Lovecraft fancied himself landing a plum writing or editorial position. By January 1925,…
Winter Spirits and Solitude
Edith Wharton’s Ghosts demonstrate that the solitude of a winter night might still evoke dread and and wonder.
A Christmas Star
With the emergence of a worrisome new COVID-19 variant, nightmarish climate forecasts, and the full embrace of unscientific and undemocratic thinking by a substantive percentage of the American voting public, this Christmas season feels more emotionally challenging than last year. “Normal” life resembles a distant memory more than an object just in sight. For that…
Providence: Walking with H. P. Lovecraft
A research trip to Providence, Rhode Island allows this biographer to immerse himself in the the world of his subject — weird fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft
Small Green Spaces
A visit to Greenwich Village’s Jefferson Market Garden underscores the importance of small green spaces.
H. P. Lovecraft’s Summer in the City
Share some summertime fun with author H. P. Lovecraft as he makes the most of New York City’s public treasures — its parks, beaches, and libraries.
A Summer Break
Since I’m fully immersed in finishing a rough draft of my second book, a biography of iconic horror writer H. P. Lovecraft and his time in New York City, I’ll be stepping away from the blog for several weeks. In the meantime, I hope that you’ll check out some past pieces and enjoy the beginning…
Greetings from Asbury Park
A review of Gentrification Down the Shore — a new book exploring a changing Asbury Park, New Jersey, an epicenter of creative and LBGTQ communities on the Jersey Shore.
Love(craft) and Marriage: A New York Story
A recent article in Gotham distills H. P. Lovecraft’s New York City years and offers a hint of a forthcoming biography on that time in the author’s life.
Greenwich Village with H. P. Lovecraft
A city creature, H. P. Lovecraft loved strolling through Greenwich Village to discover its architecture and streetscape.
A Song of Spring
Walking through an early spring garden prompts a reflection on William Blake and the nearness of infinity.
The City of Light
Paris has inspired countless paintings, stories, and dreams. Lupin invites viewers to walk through this Paris.
Analog Memories
Watching The Booksellers leads to a reflection on the printed word, discovery, and friendship.
A Dispatch from the Study
Quiet solitude is the natural environment for most writers. However, the grinding isolation and stress of the ongoing pandemic tests everyone’s psychological mettle. Then came the Capitol insurrection last month. The future remains, at best, unsettled. Most days, frightening. Still, we can find solace, relief, and daresay meaning in our day-to-day routines and pursuits. Here…
Chatting about Cities (and Lovecraft)
Earlier this January, I talked with We Need Some Milk, a podcast discussing local politics and urban policy. Since the hosts and I shared such a wide-ranging and fun conversation, they decided to make my appearance a two-part episode. We chatted about the Jersey City political landscape, the New Jersey gubernatorial race, and my forthcoming…
New Year, New Podcast
2021 marks my third straight appearance on a New Year’s episode of We Need Some Milk, a podcast devoted to exploring local politics in Massachusetts and New Jersey. (Although this pairing might seem strange, trust me, it works.) Three years running … it’s officially a tradition. The hosts and I discussed the pandemic, cast predictions…