I Am Providence

Social media might have changed Howard Phillips Lovecraft's life. His fans would argue about it, as the reclusive author lacked the confidence and drive to promote himself. Another thing was the public reception to horror fiction.

H.P. Lovecraft lived in dire poverty during his finals days, his earnings as author and editor not enough to support himself. He died on March 15, 1937, at a young age of 46, not able to achieve a prolonged commercial success that some of his peers did. However, it was during his last years when he penned some of his unforgettable tales. This brought him posthumous fame. He could have been the wealthiest resident of Providence, Rhode Island. He might be dumbfounded to see his popularity reaching beyond the Atlantic. Those who have doubts must see "Dagon", a Spanish horror film released in 2001. It was an adaptation of one of Lovecraft's classic novellas, "The Shadow Over Innsmouth".

The dark brotherhood

Those who have read Lovecraft's works would be horrified and fascinated at his obsession on forbidden knowledge. It was due to his peculiar background. His old man was once confined in a mental institution, which made an impact on the boy. He was involved in make-believe projects at a young age. He left school without graduating, but he developed a formidable interest in astronomy, history, and linguistics. All of these would play a part in the creation of the Cthulhu Mythos.

In "Dagon" (1917), a merchant marine officer set foot in an island in the remote part of the Pacific Ocean. He was terrified to see statues of creatures that have the head of an octopus and a body of a feathered vertebrate. He would learn that they were products of cosmic horrors that existed in the universe, long before the dawn of civilization in Earth. Could they be deities of the universe that have been put to sleep? The thought of it drove him mad.

"The Shadow over Innsmouth" (1931) referred to an abandoned town in New England. The narrator discovered its secret by accident; strange creatures would come out of the houses at night, their features suggested that they came from the depths of the sea. There was no clue on what happened to the last human inhabitants. But what if.

The doom that came to Arkham

Arkham, a fictional town in New England, was the setting of many of Lovecraft's stories. This place represented everything that the writer imagined, his sordid feelings included. It wasn't a pleasant sight to see.

"The Colour Out of Space" (1931) could be considered a sci-fi short story, but hold your breath. It was about a meteorite that crashed into the ground not far from Arkham, which had sinister powers. It sucked the life off the place. The residents went beserk. Readers would be intrigued, but this is not a roller coaster ride.

Did Lovecraft find comfort in the darkness? Was it a product of isolation? Was affection not enough? Readers might find the answers while they are sleeping.