December 31, 2017

Happy New Year!

Here is my interview on Dead Air Paranormal with Andrea Perron & George Lopez.

 A snowy evening & illuminating insights!

Make good resolutions for 2018!  Be positive, creative and keep moving forward!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dead-air/2015/12/23/a-world-awakening-author-spotlight--john-l-steadman

JLS

December 9, 2017

If you haven't  noticed, western occultism is at cross-roads.

There are the traditionalists, who keep pushing off on potential initiates the same tired, rather silly talking-points about the Hermetic Principles: mentalism; the principle of correspondences; the theory of polarity; the law of synchronicity; the law of symbolism; the law of this or that.

Pure sophistry.

Magick is change in perception; nothing more and nothing less.

Authors like Christopher Penczak, in The Inner Temple of Witchcraft,  think that they are serving the cause by rehashing the Hermetic points and sprinkling in a few points about contemporary scientific theory & quantum physics into the mix.

They all seem to understand one basic scientific talking point: wave vs. particle.  But nothing else.

Quantum physics is not about waves or particles at all, at least not theoretically.

It is about magick.  And magick is, as I said, change in perception.

My daughter & I put together a presentation that will explain things a bit further.  "H. P. Lovecraft's Cosmic Carnival of Horror."  Take a look & a listen if you haven't already.

JLS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2NC040CkuQ&list=PLQSrYNBZouPJ79LT-lwUGjPQt3EUAQsG_&index=9

December 2, 2017

The human mind is not “in” the brain, nor is it “in” the body.  In fact, the reverse is true-  the brain and the body are “in” the mind.

This may sound counter-intuitive, but it is true nonetheless.

And in this truth lies hope for survival after death.  And perhaps, salvation itself.

Read about it in my brief essay “The Astral Body, the Chakras & the Magickal Arts.”

https://rwwgroupblog.com/2017/05/17/the-astral-body-the-chakras-the-magical-arts/

November 25, 2017

Dig the Music, Kids!

This is what Johnny Alcucard ( Christopher Neame) said to his magickal cohorts in the film Dracula A.D. 1972 when they were inadvertently seduced into evoking Count Dracula.

But are we not all inadvertent in our endeavors?

Enjoy my interview with Brent Holland, on a cold,stormy night; a Lovecraftian night for sure, as Mr. Holland observes.

We talk about magick, occultism and the vagaries of the human mind & spirit!

So enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9KoulnuLo8&list=PLQSrYNBZouPJ79LT-lwUGjPQt3EUAQsG_&index=8

JLS

November 2, 2017

Halloween is over.

But the magick continues,

And the jack o' lanterns still smile,

And the candles still burn brightly in our thoughts!

 

Here is my pumpkin patch today, on November 2, All Souls Day!

It is consecrated, magickal ground.

And at midnight, you can see the thin, nearly insubstantial spirits that haunt it all

through the night til dawn.

 

October 31, 2017

Happy Halloween!

These are my Halloween Jack O’ Lanterns!  Please take a look!
 

 

 

 

 

 

They came from my own pumpkin patch across the street from my large, spooky house. 
 
During the autumn, the pumpkins crept out along their vines, hidden in shadow; green, yellow, then orange in the dark, leafy twilight.
 
They ripened slowly, turning up their faces & fat bellies to the smoky, ash-gray skies and orange sun.
 
They were waiting for the knife and the knife came at last.

So here they are.

And here is a spell, also, for you to recite on this special night.  It is called "Witches Ride."

Let this spell evoke the energies & the atmosphere of Halloween!
 

Night, black as pitch!
Black as a witch!
Where's the moon?
Gone too soon!
Hoot owls are out.
Bats fly about.
Where they glide,
Witches ride. 

JLS.

 

October 30, 2017

Here is a nice little song that I memorized when I was in Elementary School.  I learned it so long ago.  But I loved Halloween back then as much as I love it today.

The past is gone, and yet, this song has stayed in my mind!

Witches Ride

Night, black as pitch!
Black as a witch!
Where’s the moon?
Gone too soon!

Hoot owls are out.
Bats fly about.
Where they glide,
Witches ride.

I think this song might make a good spell; a celebration of the season, perhaps.

My Carnival of Para-Horror Presentation, H. P. Lovecraft’s Cosmic Carnival of Horror, is now a 23- minute YouTube video, uploaded by my daughter to YouTube.

My daughter, Ligeia Leigh Steadman, a sophomore at Michigan State University, majoring in Japanese, created the animation & chose the background images, the film-clips & the music.   I supplied the passages from Lovecraft’s works.

If you are fascinated by Lovecraft’s philosophy & his horror, fantasy, and sci-fi stories, then you will enjoy our animation presentation.  

In particular, you should study the pyramid, which points down instead of up, to illustrate just how heavily the burden of time lies on humankind, and how brief & infinitesimal human life really is in the grand scheme of things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2NC040CkuQ

JLS 

October 25, 2017

The powers of the imagination are primary.  This is especially true during the Halloween season.

I use the word “imagination” in its true sense, i.e. to image, or to make images.

By imagining, the mind’s dormant powers, known to the ancient world metaphorically as will, knowledge, understanding & assimilation, can be activated.

The imagination, unleashed, unlocks a world of possibilities, and the mind thinking in isolation begins to think in harmony with the higher mental faculties.

*                                                          *

My Carnival of Para-Horror Presentation, H. P. Lovecraft’s Cosmic Carnival of Horror, is now a 23- minute YouTube video, uploaded by my daughter to YouTube.

My daughter, Ligeia Leigh Steadman, a sophomore at Michigan State University, majoring in Japanese, created the animation & chose the background images, the film-clips & the music.   I supplied the passages from Lovecraft’s works.

Our presentation explains why Lovecraft’s brand of horror is truly terrifying in its implications for the future existence & well-being of humankind.

Our focus is on four major Lovecraft themes: cosmic indifferentism; humankind’s insignificance in the universe; humanity’s inability to perceive the reality of the world or to comprehend the nature of extra-terrestrial entities; and finally, the ultimate nothingness of the life & the universe that we think we know.

If you are fascinated by Lovecraft’s philosophy & his horror, fantasy, and sci-fi stories, then you will enjoy our animation presentation.  

In particular, you should study the pyramid, which points down instead of up, to illustrate just how heavily the burden of time lies on humankind, and how brief & infinitesimal human life really is in the grand scheme of things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2NC040CkuQ

JLS 

October 15, 2017

As you all know, the night of Halloween belongs to the dead & we celebrate the passing of those we loved in life.

But also during this special season, the barrier between the living & the dead is paper-thin, and spirits & ghosts can interact with us and help us in our lives.

If you are looking for love this autumn, my friends, I have written a spell that will help you find the one true love. 

It is the Spell of the Red Witch Doll; try it out & see if it works.

https://www.wattpad.com/story/89470497-the-spell-of-the-red-witch-doll

https://www.wattpad.com/331295417-the-spell-of-the-red-witch-doll-%C2%A9-by-john-l

I have a darker spell that you can use to get rid of your enemies.  But please don’t use it to kill; use it only to neutralize them so that they can’t hurt or bother you again.

https://www.wattpad.com/story/90513842-the-spell-of-the-black-witch-doll

Happy Halloween!

JLS

October 8, 2017

My presentation, H. P. Lovecraft’s Cosmic Carnival of Horror, is now a 23- minute YouTube video.

My daughter, Ligeia Leigh Steadman, a sophomore at Michigan State University, majoring in Japanese, created the animation & chose the background images, the film-clips & the music.   I supplied the passages from Lovecraft’s works.

If you are fascinated by Lovecraft’s philosophy & his horror, fantasy, and sci-fi stories, then you will enjoy our animation presentation. 

In particular, study the pyramid, which points down instead of up, to illustrate just how heavily the burden of time lies on humankind, and how brief & infinitesimal human life really is in the grand scheme of things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2NC040CkuQ

Likewise, my interviews on the End of Days radio & Lighting the Void radio are available for listening or for download.  So, please listen in or download; you’ll hear a lot of fascinating things about Lovecraft, horror, fantasy, and the magickal arts.

http://endofdaysradio.com/john-l-steadman-lovecraft-magick-system-horror-influences-conspiracy-dr-strange-eodr-47/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEL-LzvKeMc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShtLz0ZgD5k

JLS

October 1, 2017

At the Carnival of Para-Horror, on August 26th & Sunday, the 27th, I gave an animation presentation: H. P. Lovecraft’s Cosmic Carnival of Horror.

H. P. Lovecraft’s Cosmic Carnival of Horror is now a 23- minute YouTube video, uploaded by my daughter to YouTube on August 22, 2017.

My daughter, Ligeia Leigh Steadman, a sophomore at Michigan State University, majoring in Japanese, created the animation & chose the background images, the film-clips & the music.   I supplied the passages from Lovecraft’s works.

Our presentation explains why Lovecraft’s brand of horror is truly terrifying in its implications for the future existence & well-being of humankind.

Our focus is on four major Lovecraft themes: cosmic indifferentism; humankind’s insignificance in the universe; humanity’s inability to perceive the reality of the world or to comprehend the nature of extra-terrestrial entities; and finally, the ultimate nothingness of the life & the universe that we think we know.

If you are fascinated by Lovecraft’s philosophy & his horror, fantasy, and sci-fi stories, then you will enjoy our animation presentation. 

In particular, study the pyramid, which points down instead of up, to illustrate just how heavily the burden of time lies on humankind, and how brief & infinitesimal human life really is in the grand scheme of things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2NC040CkuQ

JLS 

September 28, 2017

This autumn, I have been invited to give a presentation and to conduct a book-signing at the Scarefest X Convention in Lexington, Kentucky. 

Unfortunately, however, I am unable to attend this year.

Nevertheless, I hope that all of you will attend Scarefest X, especially everyone who lives in the Midwest & the south.

Scarefest X is an annual three-day event starting on Friday, 9/29/17 and running through Saturday & Sunday.  Tickets can be purchased on the Scarefest website or at the door.   Call 859-576-5517. 

http://www.thescarefest.com/

As with the previous conventions, Scarefest X will play host to a wealth of celebrities & guest-speakers, and there will be a large number of vendors, horror film & fantasy enthusiasts,  & fascinating people to keep everyone entertained and deliciously frightened. 

The celebrities include the well-known actors Robert Englund, Amanda Wyss & Barry Bostwick, along with John Kassir from Tales from the Crypt, Mary Jo Pehl from Mystery Science Theatre 3000 and Amy Allen from The Dead Files, among others.

A good time for everyone!  I hope some of you will attend.

JLS

September 17, 2017

At the end of September, I am going to be a guest at the Scarefest X Convention in Lexington, KY.

This is a three-day event starting on Friday, 9/29/17 and running through Saturday the 30th & Sunday the 31st.  Tickets can be purchased on the Scarefest website or at the door.   Call 859-576-5517. 

http://www.thescarefest.com/

I am giving a Presentation on Friday night, 9/29/17.  My presentation will happen at the Lexington Convention Center in the Elkhorn Room- B.  The time will be from 7 PM- 8 PM; there will be 10-minutes after the 45-minute presentation for questions & comments from the audience.

My focus will be on Lovecraftian horror, a deep, existential type of horror that is part of the fabric of the universe itself, soul-chilling & devastating in its implications for the future existence & well-being of mankind.

On the Saturday & Sunday following the Presentation, I will have a booth (#104) at the Lexington Center to sell signed copies of my book H. P. Lovecraft & the Black Magickal Tradition.  My lovely daughter & I will also be giving Tarot readings. 

When I visited the Carnival of Para-Horror in Buffalo, NY in August, my Tarot readings were very popular and there were lines of people waiting to learn about their future lives & prospects.  I am very skilled & intuitive when it comes to giving Tarot readings, and my readings are always accurate.

Other guests at Scarefest X will include the well-known actors Robert Englund, Amanda Wyss & Barry Bostwick, along with John Kassir from Tales from the Crypt, Mary Jo Pehl from Mystery Science Theatre 3000 and Amy Allen from The Dead Files, among others.

Please come out & see me on the 29th-31st in September.  You’ll have a good time and I will enjoy meeting each and every one of you! 

JLS

September 10, 2017

My interview on ScareFest radio at 9 PM EST, May 5, 2017, is now available for listening or for download.

http://scarefestradio.com/

Likewise, my interviews on the End of Days radio & Lighting the Void radio are available for listening or for download.  So, please listen in or download; you’ll hear a lot of fascinating things about Lovecraft, horror, fantasy, and the magickal arts.

End of Days Radio, 6 PM PDT, August 22, 2017:

http://endofdaysradio.com/john-l-steadman-lovecraft-magick-system-horror-influences-conspiracy-dr-strange-eodr-47/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEL-LzvKeMc

http://endofdaysradio.com/

Lighting the Void Radio 10 PM EST, August 16, 2017:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShtLz0ZgD5k

At the end of September, I am going to be a guest at the Scarefest X Convention in Lexington, KY.

This is a three-day event starting on Friday, 9/29/17 and running through Saturday the 30th & Sunday the 31st.  Tickets can be purchased on the Scarefest website or at the door.   Call 859-576-5517. 

http://www.thescarefest.com/

I am giving a Presentation on Friday night, 9/29/17.  My presentation will happen at the Lexington Convention Center, in the center of historic, downtown Lexington, KY.  The place will be in the Elkhorn Room- B.  The time will be from 7 PM- 8 PM; there will be 10-minutes after the 45-minute presentation for questions & comments from the audience.

My focus will be on Lovecraftian horror, a deep, existential type of horror that is part of the fabric of the universe itself, soul-chilling & devastating in its implications for the future existence & well-being of mankind.

On the Saturday & Sunday following the Presentation, I will have a booth (#104) at the Lexington Center to sell signed copies of my book H. P. Lovecraft & The Black Magickal Tradition.  I & my lovely daughter will also be giving Tarot readings. 

When I visited the Carnival of Para-Horror in Buffalo, NY in August, my Tarot readings were very popular and there were lines of people waiting to learn about their future lives & prospects.  I am very skilled & intuitive when it comes to giving Tarot readings, and my readings are always accurate.

Other guests at Scarefest X will include the well-known actors Robert Englund, Amanda Wyss & Barry Bostwick, along with John Kassir from Tales from the Crypt, Mary Jo Pehl from Mystery Science Theatre 3000 and Amy Allen from The Dead Files, among others.

Please come out & see me on the 29th-31st in September.  You’ll have a good time and I will enjoy seeing each and every one of you! 

JLS

September 1, 2017

The Autumn season is beginning now; this is my favorite season & the best, most powerful time of the year.

Ray Bradbury, the great fantasist & science-fiction writer, also loved the autumn months.  He describes  the season very memorably in a preface to The October Country (1956).

“That country where it is always turning late in the year.  That country where the hills are fog and the rivers are mist; where noons go quickly, dusks and twilights linger, and midnights stay…. That country whose people are autumn people, thinking only autumn thoughts.  Whose people passing at night on the empty walks sound like rain….”

I am growing pumpkins this year; they are suddenly creeping out along the vines, hidden in shadow; green & yellow in the dark, leafy twilight,  turning their faces up to the smoky, gray sky & orange sun.

At the end of September, I am going to be a guest at the Scarefest X Convention in Lexington, KY. 

This is a three day event starting on Friday, 9/29/17 and running through Saturday the 30^th & Sunday the 31^st.  Tickets can be purchased  on the Scarefest website or at the door.   Call 859-576-5517.  

http://www.thescarefest.com/

I am giving a Presentation on Friday night, 9/29/17.  My presentation will happen at the Lexington Convention Center, in the center of historic, downtown Lexington, KY.  The place will be in the Elkhorn Room- B.  The time will be from 7 PM- 8 PM; there will be a 10-minute interval after the 45-minute presentation for questions & comments from the audience.

My focus will be on Lovecraftian horror, a deep, existential type of horror that is part of the fabric of the universe itself, soul-chilling & devastating in its implications for the future existence & well-being of mankind.

On the Saturday & Sunday following the Presentation, I will have a booth (#104) at the Lexington Center to sell signed copies of my book H. P. Lovecraft & The Black Magickal Tradition.  I & my lovely daughter will also be giving Tarot readings.  

When I visited the Carnival of Para-Horror in Buffalo, NY in August, my Tarot readings were very popular and there were lines of people waiting to learn about their future lives & prospects.  I am very skilled & intuitive when it comes to giving Tarot readings, and my readings are always accurate.

 

Other guests at Scarefest X will include the well-known actors Robert Englund, Amanda Wyss & Barry Bostwick, along with John Kassir from Tales from the Crypt, Mary Jo Pehl from Mystery Science Theatre 3000 and Amy Allen from The Dead Files, among others. 

Please come out & see me on the 29^th-31^st in September.  You’ll have a good time and I will love seeing each and every one of you!  

JLS

August 23, 2017

I am going to be a guest again at the Carnival of Para Horror 2017 in Buffalo, New York.

The Carnival runs from Friday, August 25th, 5 PM - 9 PM, through Saturday, August 26th, 11 AM- 7 PM & Sunday, 11 AM-4 PM.  This is the 6th Annual Carnival of Para Horror and each year, the Carnival gets better & grander. 

The Carnival will be held at the Buffalo Central Terminal, 495 Paderewski Drive, Buffalo New York. Tickets can be purchased online at the Carnival of Para Horror website and at the door of the event. There is free admission for children 10 and under.

Information about the Carnival of Para Horror can be found on their website.

https://www.parahorror.com/

My presentation will take place on Saturday & Sunday. The time for both presentations will be late afternoon.

The title of my presentation is "H. P. Lovecraft's Cosmic Carnival of Horror", which is an animation presentation, designed by my very talented young daughter Ligeia Leigh Steadman, who is beginning her sophomore year at Michigan State University & majoring in Japanese.

The presentation will demonstrate exactly why H. P. Lovecraft's "horror" is, in fact, the ultimate horror & much more disturbing & frightening than the horror that one usually encounters in contemporary cinema & literature.

Lovecraftian horror, in fact, is deep, existential and a part of the fabric of the universe itself- soul-chilling & devastating in its implications for the future existence & well-being of mankind.

My presentations, as always, are innovative & informal; I want my listeners to feel totally relaxed and to have fun; guests should feel free to ask any questions during the presentations and raise any issues they may wish me to address.

At the Carnival, before and after the presentations, I will have a table to visit with other guests and attendees.  Signed copies of my book, H. P. Lovecraft & The Black Magickal Tradition, will be available for purchase.

I am particularly looking forward to chatting with anyone who wants to just drop by and say hello.

The guests this year at the Carnival of Para Horror include John Carl Buechler, special effects wizard & director of Friday the 13th Part VII & Troll; Mitch Markowitz, TV personality & producer of The Hilarious House of Frankenstein; R. A. Mihailoff, actor from Texas Chainsaw Massacre III & Krampus; and Patty Mullen, actress from Frankenhooker, among others. 

The atmosphere of the Carnival of Para Horror is, in particular, worth the visit.  This is held at the central terminal in Buffalo; a magnificent, eldritch, crumbling edifice much like an antiquarian building in a Lovecraft story- vast, sepulchral,and filled with shadows & the ghosts that live in the shadows.

So, come on out and see me & the other wonderful guests at the Carnival of Para-Horror 2017.  

JLS

August 19, 2017

I am going to appear as a guest on End of Days Radio, broadcasting “from the broken ruins of Babylon.” The interview will take place at 9 PM EDT (6 PM PDT) on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 and will likely be broadcast also at a later date.

Daniel, host and creator of End of Days Radio, has had paranormal experiences throughout his entire life.  The most intriguing of these experiences was an up- close UFO encounter while he was in his late teens.

Since that day, Daniel has been obsessed with unraveling the mysteries of our reality and to further that end, he created the End of Days Radio to “awaken his fellow man to the reality of the Paranormal world.”, as he puts it succinctly on the show’s website.

End of Days delves into a myriad of supernatural topics: aliens, conspiracy-theories, magick, cryptids and much more!  I will be discussing my book H. P. Lovecraft & the Black Magickal Tradition and any other topic that my host & his audience might be interested in hearing about.

In my youth, I also had an encounter with a phenomenon which may or may not have been a bona-fide UFO- it was certainly flying and I couldn’t identify what it was, but whether or not it was put into motion by aliens or not, who knows?

http://endofdaysradio.com/

My essay “H. P. Lovecraft & the Elder Sign” has just been published in the recent special issue of New Dawn magazine, Vol. 11, No. 4. 

“H. P. Lovecraft & the Elder Sign” is a scholarly study of Lovecraft’s Elder Sign talisman.

The Elder Sign is a powerful repository of magickal energy used by magickal practitioners for protection against the evil power of the Great Old Ones, a race of extra-terrestrial entities that inhabit alternate dimensions outside of space & time.

Lovecraft’s disciple August Derleth created his own version of the Elder Sign which is commonly believed to be based on the five-pointed pentagram, a religious & Wiccan icon. In my essay, I debunk that myth and show that Derleth derived his Elder Sign from Lovecraft’s fictional masterpieces “At the Mountains of Madness” & “The Shadow Over Innsmouth.”

New Dawn magazine is a bi-monthly magazine distributed by newsagents across Australia & New Zealand & is available throughout the US and Europe as well.  Since 2004, New Dawn magazine has published special issues devoted to ancient mysteries, hidden history, future science and the unexplained. 

New Dawn magazines are thought-provoking, compelling, and highly readable examinations of the greatest mysteries of the past, the present, and the future. 

The magazines are very beautiful in design and format, and the magazine only publishes articles written by the best writers & experts in their respective fields.

New Dawn can be ordered at any bookstore or newsstand.  Or, you can order via mail or the internet.

Special Issue:  https://www.newdawnmagazine.com/special-issues/new-dawn-special-issue-vol-11-no-4

Mail:  New Dawn Magazine, Subscriptions Department, GPO Box 3126, Melbourne VIC 3001

Credit Card Orders:  call (03) 90055782

JLS

August 12, 2017

I am going to be interviewed on Lighting the Void Radio, Wednesday, August 16, 2017. The interview will take place at 7 PM PST (9 PM CST) on SKYPE.

This show is dedicated to the seeker of knowledge or gnosis. As declared on their website, “somewhere in the Void of Science and Spirituality lies the truth of our existence and the nature of life itself. This is what we babble about here at LTV Radio…. Major topics include, Astronomy, Kabbalah, Metaphysics, The Occult, Mysticism, Magick, Quantum Physics and much more!”

The host of the show, Joe Rupe, admits that he is not an expert in any field of study, but that he is nevertheless committed to questioning “many things” about the nature of our existence and life itself. 

Lighting the Void strikes me as a perfect place for me to discuss my book, H. P. Lovecraft & the Black Magickal Tradition, and to engage in a nice, stimulating discussion of magick, occultism and even Quantum Physics.

The theories and, surely, the practices of modern physicists in the 21st Century, are aligning themselves with the truths that magickal practitioners have acknowledged for centuries.

http://lightingthevoid.com/

The following week, I am going to be interviewed on End of Days Radio, broadcasting “from the broken ruins of Babylon.” The interview will take place at 6 PM PDT on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 and will likely be broadcast also at a later date.

Daniel, host and creator of End of Days Radio, has had paranormal experiences throughout his entire life.  The most intriguing of these experiences was an up- close UFO encounter while he was in his late teens.

Since that day, Daniel has been obsessed with unraveling the mysteries of our reality and to further that end, he created the End of Days Radio to “awaken his fellow man to the reality of the Paranormal world.”, as he puts it succinctly on the show’s website.

End of Days delves into a myriad of supernatural topics: aliens, conspiracy-theories, magick, cryptids and much more!  I will be discussing my book H. P. Lovecraft & the Black Magickal Tradition and any other topic that my host & his audience might be interested in hearing about.

In my youth, I also had an encounter with a phenomenon which may or may not have been a bona-fide UFO- it was certainly flying and I couldn’t identify what it was, but whether or not it was put into motion by aliens or not, who knows?

Listen live every Saturday night at 8:30 pm PST on the site or search “EODR” on your Tune In Radio App.  Itunes, Stitcher, Google Play and Youtube.

http://endofdaysradio.com/

My essay “H. P. Lovecraft & the Elder Sign” has just been published in the recent special issue of New Dawn magazine, Vol. 11, No. 4 on August 5, 2017.

The essay tells you all you want to know about Lovecraft's Elder Sign & how it inspired August Derleth's version of this talisman.

The Elder Sign is still used by magickal practitioners right up to the present day.

You can order a copy of the magazine via the link below.

In addition to my article, there are excellent articles on occult topics, including an amusing look at the Pepe the Frog meme & its connection with Kenneth Grant's Tree of Death.

https://www.newdawnmagazine.com/special-issues/new-dawn-special-issue-vol-11-no-4

August 6, 2017

My essay “H. P. Lovecraft & the Elder Sign” has just been published in the recent special issue of New Dawn magazine, Vol. 11, No. 4 on August 5, 2017.

The essay tells you all you would want to know about Lovecraft's Elder Sign & how it inspired August Derleth's version of this talisman.

The Elder Sign is still used by magickal practitioners right up to the present day.

You can order a copy of the magazine via the link below.

In addition to my article, there are excellent articles on occult topics, including an amusing look at the Pepe the Frog meme & its connection with Kenneth Grant's Tree of Death.

https://www.newdawnmagazine.com/special-issues/new-dawn-special-issue-vol-11-no-4

In a few weeks,  I am going to appear on the End of Days Radio, broadcasting “from the broken ruins of Babylon”, as they put it.  The interview will take place at 6 PM PDT on August 22, 2017.

Daniel, host and creator of End of Days Radio, has had paranormal experiences throughout his entire life.  The most intriguing of these experiences was an up- close UFO encounter while he was in his late teens. Since that day, Daniel has been obsessed with unraveling the mysteries of our reality and to further that end, he created the End of Days Radio to awaken humankind to the reality of the Paranormal world.

I will be discussing my book H. P. Lovecraft & the Black Magickal Tradition and any other topic that my host & his audience might be interested in hearing about.

In my youth, I also had an encounter with a phenomenon which may or may not have been a bona-fide UFO- it was certainly flying and I couldn’t identify what it was, but whether or not it was put into motion by aliens or not, who knows?

Listen live every Saturday night at 8:30 pm PST on the site or search “EODR” on your Tune In Radio App.  Itunes, Stitcher, Google Play and Youtube.

http://endofdaysradio.com/

JLS

August 4, 2017

My essay “H. P. Lovecraft & the Elder Sign” will be published shortly in an upcoming special issue of New Dawn magazine, Vol. 11, No. 4. 

“H. P. Lovecraft & the Elder Sign” is a scholarly study of Lovecraft’s Elder Sign talisman.

The Elder Sign is a powerful repository of  energy used by magickal practitioners for protection against the evil power of the Great Old Ones, a race of extra-terrestrial entities that inhabit alternate dimensions outside of space & time.

Lovecraft’s disciple August Derleth created his own version of the Elder Sign which is commonly believed to be based on the five-pointed pentagram, a religious & Wiccan icon. In my essay, I debunk that myth and show that Derleth derived his Elder Sign from Lovecraft’s fictional masterpieces “At the Mountains of Madness” & “The Shadow Over Innsmouth.”

New Dawn magazine is a bi-monthly magazine distributed by newsagents across Australia & New Zealand & is available throughout the US and Europe as well.  Since 2004, New Dawn magazine has published special issues devoted to ancient mysteries, hidden history, future science and the unexplained. 

New Dawn magazines are thought-provoking, compelling, and highly readable examinations of the greatest mysteries of the past, the present, and the future. 

The magazines are very beautiful in design and format, and the magazine only publishes articles written by the best writers & experts in their respective fields.

New Dawn can be ordered at any bookstore or newsstand.  Or, you can order via mail or the internet.

Online:  www.newdawnmagazine.com

Mail:  New Dawn Magazine, Subscriptions Department, GPO Box 3126, Melbourne VIC 3001

Credit Card Orders:  call (03) 90055782

JLS

August 1, 2017

I am going to be a guest at two conventions this year.  The first of these is the Carnival of Para Horror 2017 in Buffalo, New York.

https://www.parahorror.com/guests

The Carnival runs from Friday, August 25th, 5 PM - 9 PM, through Saturday, August 26th, 11 AM- 7 PM & Sunday, 11 AM-4 PM.  This is the 6th Annual Carnival of Para Horror and each year, the Carnival gets better & grander. 

The Carnival will be held at the Buffalo Central Terminal, 495 Paderewski Drive, Buffalo New York. Tickets can be purchased online at the Carnival of Para Horror website and at the door of the event. There is free admission for children 10 and under.

My presentation will take place on Saturday & Sunday. The time for both presentations will be late afternoon.

The title of my presentation is "H. P. Lovecraft's Cosmic Carnival of Horror", which will be a very innovative presentation. I will demonstrate exactly why H. P. Lovecraft's "horror" is, in fact, the ultimate horror & much more disturbing & frightening than the horror that one usually encounters in contemporary cinema & literature.

The second convention that I will be attending is the Scarefest X Convention, taking place right in the middle of my favorite season.

http://www.thescarefest.com/

I am giving a two-day presentation & book signing on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at an hour to be determined between 10:00 AM-6:00 PM, and Sunday, October 1, 2017, 12:00 PM-5:00 PM.

The Scarefest X Convention will be held in the Lexington Convention Center in downtown Lexington, KY.  This is a three-day event starting on Friday, 9/29/17 and running through the week-end.   Tickets can be purchased on the Scarefest website or at the door. Call 859-576-5517.

My presentation is "H. P. Lovecraft’ Cosmic Scare Fest” and this will be very similar to the Carnival of Para Horror presentation. Lovecraftian horror, in fact, is deep, existential and a part of the fabric of the universe itself- soul-chilling & devastating in its implications for the future existence & well-being of mankind.

The presentation will be, as always, informal and despite the subject-matter, I want my listeners to feel totally relaxed and to have fun; guests should feel free to ask any questions during the presentation and raise any issues they may wish me to address.

At both the Carnival & Scarefest X, before and after the presentations, I will have a table & a booth (#93) to visit with other guests and attendees.  Signed copies of my book, H. P. Lovecraft & The Black Magickal Tradition, will be available for purchase.

I am particularly looking forward to chatting with anyone who wants to just drop by and say hello.

There will be a wealth of great guests at both conventions. The guests this year at the Carnival of Para Horror include John Carl Buechler, special effects wizard & director of Friday the 13th Part VII & Troll; Mitch Markowitz, TV personality & producer of The Hilarious House of Frankenstein; R. A. Mihailoff, actor from Texas Chainsaw Massacre III & Krampus; and Patty Mullen, actress from Frankenhooker, among others. 

As for the guests of Scarefest X, these include the well-known actors Robert Englund, Amanda Wyss & Barry Bostwick, along with John Kassir from Tales from the Crypt, Mary Jo Pehl from Mystery Science Theatre 3000 and Amy Allen from The Dead Files, among others. 

The atmosphere of the Carnival of Para Horror is, in itself, worth the visit.  This is held at the central terminal in Buffalo; a magnificent, eldritch, crumbling edifice much like an antiquarian building in a Lovecraft story- vast, sepulchral, dark and filled with shadows & the ghosts that live in the shadows.

In contrast, the Scarefest X convention is held at the Lexington Convention Center, located in the center of historic, downtown Lexington, KY. This is a very contemporary, versatile, multi-purpose event facility with 66,000 square feet of dedicated exhibit space, 40,000 square feet of elegant meeting spaces, and a mall and food court, all of it relatively free from darkness & shadows.   However, the guests and the attendees will easily make up for this by providing ample darkness, shadows & ghosts of their own!

So, come on out and see me & the other wonderful guests at the Carnival of Para-Horror & Scarefest X.  

JLS

July 25, 2017

At the end of summer, I am going to be a guest at the Carnival of Para-Horror 2017 in Buffalo, New York.

https://www.parahorror.com/guests

The Carnival runs from Friday, August 25th, 5 PM - 9 PM, through Saturday, August 26th, 11 AM- 7 PM & Sunday, 11 AM-4 PM.

The Carnival will be held at the Buffalo Central Terminal, 495 Paderewski Drive, Buffalo New York. Tickets can be purchased online at the Carnival of Para Horror website and at the door of the event. There is free admission for children 10 and under.

My presentation will take place on Saturday & Sunday. The time for both presentations will be late afternoon.

The title of my presentation is "H. P. Lovecraft's Cosmic Carnival of Horror", which will be a very innovative presentation. I will demonstrate exactly why H. P. Lovecraft's "horror" is, in fact, the ultimate horror & much more disturbing & frightening than the horror that one usually encounters in contemporary cinema & literature.

Lovecraftian horror, in fact, is deep, existential and a part of the fabric of the universe itself- soul-chilling & devastating in its implications for the future existence & well-being of mankind.

The presentation will be, as always, informal and despite the subject-matter, I want my listeners to feel totally relaxed and to have fun; guests should feel free to ask any questions during the presentation and raise any issues they may wish me to address.

Before and after the presentations, I will also have a table at the Carnival for those who wish to purchase a signed copy of my book, H. P. Lovecraft & The Black Magickal Tradition. And I will be very pleased to chat with anyone who might want to just drop by and say hello.

The central terminal in Buffalo is, in itself, worth the visit; this magnificent, eldritch crumbling edifice is like an antiquarian building in a Lovecraft story- vast, sepulchral, dark and filled with shadows & the ghosts that live in the shadows.

So, come on out and see me & the other wonderful guests at the Carnival of Para-Horror. I really would like to meet some of my Facebook and social media friends at this event.

JLS

July 16, 2017

My interview on The Wicked Domain with Alex Matsuo, 10 PM EST, 5/10/17, is now available for listening or for download.

http://liveparanormal.com/m/news/view/John-L-Steadman-on-The-Wicked-Domain-5-21-17

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/liveparanormal/2017/05/22/the-wicked-domain-on-liveparanormalcom-with-guest-john-l-steadman

At the end of summer and early autumn, I will be attending two conventions & giving presentations & book signings.

First, I am going to be a guest at the Carnival of Para-Horror 2017 in Buffalo, New York. The Carnival runs from Friday, 8/25/17 through Sunday, 8/2717.  The Carnival will be held at the Buffalo Central Terminal, 495 Paderewski Drive, Buffalo New York.

https://www.parahorror.com/guests

My presentation will take place in the late afternoon on Saturday & Sunday. The title of my presentation is "H. P. Lovecraft's Cosmic Carnival of Horror", which will be a very innovative presentation.

I will demonstrate exactly why H. P. Lovecraft's "horror" is, in fact, the ultimate horror & much more disturbing & frightening than the horror that one usually encounters in contemporary cinema & literature.

Second, I am going to be a guest at The Scarefest X Convention in Lexington, Kentucky. The convention runs from Friday, 9/29/17 through Sunday, 10/1/17. The Scarefest X Convention will be held in the Lexington Convention Center in downtown Lexington. 

My presentation will take place on Saturday & Sunday.  The title of my presentation is “H. P. Lovecraft’s Cosmic Scare Fest”; it will be similar to the Carnival of Para-Horror presentation, except that it is slanted more towards cinematic horror.

JLS

July 11, 2017

At the end of summer, I am going to be a guest at the Carnival of Para-Horror 2017 in Buffalo, New York

The Carnival runs from Friday, August 25th, 5 PM - 9 PM, through Saturday, August 26th, 11 AM- 7 PM & Sunday, 11 AM-4 PM.

The Carnival will be held at the Buffalo Central Terminal, 495 Paderewski Drive, Buffalo New York. Tickets can be purchased online at the Carnival of Para Horror website and also at the door of the event. There is free admission for children 10 and under.

My presentation will take place on Saturday & Sunday. The time for both presentations will be late afternoon. The title of my presentation is "H. P. Lovecraft's Cosmic Carnival of Horror", which will be a very innovative presentation. I will demonstrate exactly why H. P. Lovecraft's "horror" is, in fact, the ultimate horror, much more disturbing & frightening than the horror that one usually encounters in contemporary cinema & literature.

Lovecraftian horror, in fact, is deep, existential and a part of the fabric of the universe itself- soul-chilling & devastating in its implications for the future existence & well-being of mankind.

The presentation will be, as always, informal and despite the subject-matter, I want my listeners to feel totally relaxed and to have fun; guests should feel free to ask any questions during the presentation and raise any issues they may wish me to address.

Before and after the presentations, I will also have a table at the Carnival for those who wish to purchase a signed copy of my book, H. P. Lovecraft & The Black Magickal Tradition. And I will be very pleased to chat with anyone who might want to just drop by and say hello.

The central terminal in Buffalo is, in itself, worth the visit; this magnificent, eldritch crumbling edifice is like an antiquarian building in a Lovecraft story- vast, sepulchral, dark and filled with shadows & the ghosts that live between the shadows.

So, if you have time for a wonderful diversion such as the Carnival of Para-Horror, come on out and see me. I really hope to see some of my Facebook and Twitter friends at this event.

JLS

https://www.parahorror.com/guests

June 3, 2017

On May 21st , I had an  interview with Alex Matsuo and her co-host Maevelin on The Wicked Domain radio show.  The interview is now available for listening or for download.

  

I had a very lively discussion with Alex & Maeve about my book, H. P. Lovecraft & the Black Magickal Tradition and other issues associated with horror fiction, fantasy, science fiction and the paranormal. We speculated, in particular, about exactly what a supernatural entity such as a “ghost” actually is.

Please download or listen to the interview; it was very stimulating!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/liveparanormal/2017/05/22/the-wicked-domain-on-liveparanormalcom-with-guest-john-l-steadman

http://liveparanormal.com/m/news/view/John-L-Steadman-on-The-Wicked-Domain-5-21-17

On May 17th, I published a short essay, “The Astral Body, the Chakras & the Magickal Arts, which explains the connection between the astral body and the chakras, and elaborates on why the relationship between these two is crucial for maintaining spiritual & physical well-being.

The mind and the astral body are not “in” the body or the brain; they are separate.  They are inviolate, not subject to dissipation, decay and death. And the most effective magick is always performed using the Astral Body.

Please check out my essay!

https://rwwgroupblog.com/2017/05/17/the-astral-body-the-chakras-the-magical-arts/

JLS.

May 20, 2017

On Sunday, May 21, at 10 PM EST, I am going to be a live guest on The Wicked Domain radio show, hosted by Alex Matsuo.

I will be discussing my book H. P. Lovecraft & the Black Magickal Tradition and other issues about horror fiction, fantasy, and science fiction.

By the way, if you haven’t ordered a copy of my book yet, please do so; the book explains in full detail Lovecraft’s connection with western occultism.  My book is also useful as a general introduction to the principle black magickal organizations in existence today- Chaos Magick, Satanism, Wicca, Vodou & the Typhonian cults.

The host of The Wicked Domain, Alex Matsuo is a podcaster and paranormal researcher; she has previously hosted the radio shows “ParaNation” and “Paranormal Insider Radio.” She also runs a podcast for the North Carolina theatre community called “Triangle On Stage.”

Ms. Matsuo is the founder of the Association of Paranormal Study, which specializes in private home investigations and consultations. She is the author of THE HAUNTING OF THE TENTH AVENUE THEATER, published by Llewellyn. She has also published THE HAUNTED ACTOR, as well as MORE THAN GHOSTS (a guide for investigators taking on private paranormal cases). Alex is also a contributing writer to The Supernatural Magazine and Paranormal Enlightenment Magazine.

The links to The Wicked Domain are as follows:

PR link:   http://liveparanormal.com/m/news/view/John-L-Steadman-on-The-Wicked-Domain-5-21-17

FB event link:   https://www.facebook.com/events/1959816400917751

JLS