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Robert E. Howard Changed My Life: Personal Essays about an Extraordinary Legacy
ROBERT E. HOWARD CHANGED MY LIFE is a brand-new way of understanding how the Texas author's legacy continues today. 33 contributors long familiar with the man and his creations share how he impacted their lives and continues to impact modern entertainment. This is an intimate look at the changes wrought personally and professionally by the Father of Sword-and-Sorcery and a Founder of American Fantasy.
ROBERT E. HOWARD CHANGED MY LIFE is homage not only in memoir but also in financial support for Project Pride, the agency that sustains the Howard Home and Museum in Cross Plains, Texas. A portion of each sale of the hardcover and electronic book will be donated by RBF to Project Pride each year at the annual Howard Days.
ROBERT E. HOWARD CHANGED MY LIFE is as bold, raw, and filled with vibrant life as the words, characters, and works of the man himself. This collection of intimate essays on the impact of Robert E. Howard and his characters as catalysts of personal change comes from 33 scholars, writers, artists, publishers, and fans who can say, "Because Howard lived I am a changed person."
A Riot of Life, by Jason M Waltz
How REH Saved My Life, by Bill Cavalier
REH, Conan and Me, by John C. Hocking
Dreams of the Purple Kingdom, by Jason Durall
Out there in the Wilds with REH, by Joe R. Lansdale
Bêlit, Queen of the Black Coast, by Jaym Gates
REH and Me: The Celtic Connection, by Adrian Cole
He Himself was in Every One of Them, by Rusty Burke
Crossed Swords and Bloody Seas, by David C. Smith
Taking the World by the Throat, by Karen Joan Kohoutek
The Black Dog and REH, by C.L. Werner
An Empire of Ghosts and Smoke, by Scott Oden
From Conan to Cormac: My Path to Howard Studies, by Todd B. Vick
REH: Opener of the Way, by Nancy A. Collins
Wyrd Ensemble, by Bobby Derie
The Ride of Falume, by Barbara A. Barrett
For the Honor of the Ship, by Christopher A. Gruber
An Ode to REH, by Cecelia Holland
A Love Letter to Bear Creek, by Mark Finn
On the Trail with El Borak, by David Hardy
The Were-Woman, the Gnome, and the Zebra, by Deuce Richardson
In the Footsteps of Steve Harrison, by Fred Blosser
Unearthing an Age Undreamed Of, by Jeffrey Shanks
How REH (And Glenn Lord) Changed My Life, by Roy Thomas
Kosru’s Road, by Howard Andrew Jones
1975: The Year of the Cormac, by Keith J. Taylor
In a Dark Place, by Steven Erikson
My New Friend Agnes, by Becky Cloonan
Sol K. and Me, by Dierk Günther
An Unexpected Gift, by Barbara Ingram Baum
A New and Mighty Mission, by Matthew John
White Spark, Black Fire, by Charles R. Saunders
The Extraordinary Inner World of Charles R. Saunders, Father of ‘Sword and Soul,' by Jon Tattrie
Charles Saunders and I were Friends, by Joe R. Lansdale
The Importance of Charles Saunders, by David C. Smith
Why No Howard Character Ever Changed My Life, by Patrice Louinet
REH: A European Perspective, by Michael Moorcock
Afterword, by Janet E. Morris
Appendix REH: Suggested Additional Inspirational and Educational Readings
ROBERT E. HOWARD CHANGED MY LIFE is homage not only in memoir but also in financial support for Project Pride, the agency that sustains the Howard Home and Museum in Cross Plains, Texas. A portion of each sale of the hardcover and electronic book will be donated by RBF to Project Pride each year at the annual Howard Days.
ROBERT E. HOWARD CHANGED MY LIFE is as bold, raw, and filled with vibrant life as the words, characters, and works of the man himself. This collection of intimate essays on the impact of Robert E. Howard and his characters as catalysts of personal change comes from 33 scholars, writers, artists, publishers, and fans who can say, "Because Howard lived I am a changed person."
A Riot of Life, by Jason M Waltz
How REH Saved My Life, by Bill Cavalier
REH, Conan and Me, by John C. Hocking
Dreams of the Purple Kingdom, by Jason Durall
Out there in the Wilds with REH, by Joe R. Lansdale
Bêlit, Queen of the Black Coast, by Jaym Gates
REH and Me: The Celtic Connection, by Adrian Cole
He Himself was in Every One of Them, by Rusty Burke
Crossed Swords and Bloody Seas, by David C. Smith
Taking the World by the Throat, by Karen Joan Kohoutek
The Black Dog and REH, by C.L. Werner
An Empire of Ghosts and Smoke, by Scott Oden
From Conan to Cormac: My Path to Howard Studies, by Todd B. Vick
REH: Opener of the Way, by Nancy A. Collins
Wyrd Ensemble, by Bobby Derie
The Ride of Falume, by Barbara A. Barrett
For the Honor of the Ship, by Christopher A. Gruber
An Ode to REH, by Cecelia Holland
A Love Letter to Bear Creek, by Mark Finn
On the Trail with El Borak, by David Hardy
The Were-Woman, the Gnome, and the Zebra, by Deuce Richardson
In the Footsteps of Steve Harrison, by Fred Blosser
Unearthing an Age Undreamed Of, by Jeffrey Shanks
How REH (And Glenn Lord) Changed My Life, by Roy Thomas
Kosru’s Road, by Howard Andrew Jones
1975: The Year of the Cormac, by Keith J. Taylor
In a Dark Place, by Steven Erikson
My New Friend Agnes, by Becky Cloonan
Sol K. and Me, by Dierk Günther
An Unexpected Gift, by Barbara Ingram Baum
A New and Mighty Mission, by Matthew John
White Spark, Black Fire, by Charles R. Saunders
The Extraordinary Inner World of Charles R. Saunders, Father of ‘Sword and Soul,' by Jon Tattrie
Charles Saunders and I were Friends, by Joe R. Lansdale
The Importance of Charles Saunders, by David C. Smith
Why No Howard Character Ever Changed My Life, by Patrice Louinet
REH: A European Perspective, by Michael Moorcock
Afterword, by Janet E. Morris
Appendix REH: Suggested Additional Inspirational and Educational Readings
339 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 11, 2021
8 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Jason M. Waltz
41 books72 followersI edited and published numerous heroic titles under Rogue Blades as both RBE, a micro publisher of heroic adventure fiction, and RBF, a nonprofit literary publisher of explorations of the heroic. If you enjoy hard-hitting, fast-paced tales of ringing steel and dark magics found in the battles of lore and myth, updated and written for the modern reader, you should check them out.
Personally, I also write heroic tales. Jason M (with and without that pesky period) are one and the same. Jason M Waltz enjoys sharing tales of heroes who are willing to step into the gap...sometimes to fill it, sometimes to make it wider.
Personally, I also write heroic tales. Jason M (with and without that pesky period) are one and the same. Jason M Waltz enjoys sharing tales of heroes who are willing to step into the gap...sometimes to fill it, sometimes to make it wider.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 20, 2021
Essays by over 30 authors, artists, and scholars about the effect that Robert E Howard and his writings have had on their lives and the direction their creative talents have taken. as a result. Inspired by "Indy" Bill Cavalier's speech as guest of honor at Robert E Howard Days 2018.
I was there for that speech and it is the first chapter or essay included in this volume.
I purchased the hardcover and was able to grab some signatures by some of the contributors last weekend and read most of the book on my Kindle (on my phone) while driving back and earlier in the week on a trip to and from Illinois to help my son move back to Texas. I couldn't wait to read it!
Many of the contributors have been familiar to me and have been regulars at Howard Days. Many others I have heard of and read their novels, comics, or admired their artwork but I never knew everything about their stories until now. There are also many contributors I was not familiar with. Writers and artists like Nancy Collins, Becky Cloonan, Jaym Gates, and Matthew John. I have been inspired to scour Amazon and the internet to find their works and read them.
There was also a couple of very nice tributes to Charles Saunders, creator of Imaro, who recently passed away. They were written by Joe R Lansdale and David C Smith.
I know there are many more that could contribute their own stories. It wouldn't surprise me to see a second volume in the near future.
Highly recommended for fans of Robert E Howard.
I was there for that speech and it is the first chapter or essay included in this volume.
I purchased the hardcover and was able to grab some signatures by some of the contributors last weekend and read most of the book on my Kindle (on my phone) while driving back and earlier in the week on a trip to and from Illinois to help my son move back to Texas. I couldn't wait to read it!
Many of the contributors have been familiar to me and have been regulars at Howard Days. Many others I have heard of and read their novels, comics, or admired their artwork but I never knew everything about their stories until now. There are also many contributors I was not familiar with. Writers and artists like Nancy Collins, Becky Cloonan, Jaym Gates, and Matthew John. I have been inspired to scour Amazon and the internet to find their works and read them.
There was also a couple of very nice tributes to Charles Saunders, creator of Imaro, who recently passed away. They were written by Joe R Lansdale and David C Smith.
I know there are many more that could contribute their own stories. It wouldn't surprise me to see a second volume in the near future.
Highly recommended for fans of Robert E Howard.
June 29, 2021
This is a fantastic read. There are over 30 essayist. The essays run from serious literary criticism to personal testimonials. The roll call of authors is a dinner bell for those of us interested in swords and sorcery: Michael Moorcock, Charles Saunders (whose included essay might be one of the last things he wrote and I was glad to see three follow up reverential essays about him), Keith Taylor, C.L. Werner, Scott Oden, Howard Andrew Jones, John C Hocking just to name a few favorites of mine AND OMG, I forgot to list Roy Thomas, the King of Conan Pastiche! He tells a familiar story, but he does so well.
But the essays go beyond the characters created by REH and dig into his writings and offer a few gleaming gemstone nuggets of criticism with names familiar to REH armchair scholars such as myself: Rusty Burke, Bobby Derie, Mark Finn, Fred Blosser, Patrice Louinet, Todd B. Vick and Bill Cavalier are names known to me; however, I discovered so many more that I have not read much of, but will seek out.
Do not let the words “literary criticism” chase you off. The Lit Crit that is within these covers is very approachable; actually, if you have not read much literary criticism this is a fine, easy gateway place to start.
There are so many remembrances of people finding REH and/or his creations for the first time, you will find similarities with your own experience in one or more.
I enjoyed everything, the biggest surprise I found was Nancy Collins. I did not know she was a fan.
I can only make one quibble: I wish the table of contents listed the authors with their essays (perhaps the printed versions do, I read a Kindle edition).
Thank you Rogue Blades Foundation and Jason M. Waltz for publishing this book.
But the essays go beyond the characters created by REH and dig into his writings and offer a few gleaming gemstone nuggets of criticism with names familiar to REH armchair scholars such as myself: Rusty Burke, Bobby Derie, Mark Finn, Fred Blosser, Patrice Louinet, Todd B. Vick and Bill Cavalier are names known to me; however, I discovered so many more that I have not read much of, but will seek out.
Do not let the words “literary criticism” chase you off. The Lit Crit that is within these covers is very approachable; actually, if you have not read much literary criticism this is a fine, easy gateway place to start.
There are so many remembrances of people finding REH and/or his creations for the first time, you will find similarities with your own experience in one or more.
I enjoyed everything, the biggest surprise I found was Nancy Collins. I did not know she was a fan.
I can only make one quibble: I wish the table of contents listed the authors with their essays (perhaps the printed versions do, I read a Kindle edition).
Thank you Rogue Blades Foundation and Jason M. Waltz for publishing this book.
June 30, 2021
An admission: I am one of the authors. However, I really enjoyed the reminisces/essays contained in this collection!
December 31, 2021
This book was pre-ordered when it first was announced. My life is also heavily influenced by Robert E. Howard, but this is not about me.
In this book we get 33 stories/esseys about how Robert E. Howard or his creations, be it fictional characters, the way he wrote, the person himself or the world he built and how he in minor or major ways changed these persons lives.
Some of the stories are fun to read, some created tears. Many very personal. Those were the best. All of them were interesting.
I took a while reading these since it also made me find other books and stories which influenced some of the involved.
Many (or most) of the involved all have a connection with Robert E. Howard and I've actually met many of them online and hopefully will meet them in person during Howard Days in Cross Plains, Texas.
I really hope there will be a follow-up to this book with a second volume. There are so many persons influence by the greatest author I've read. I can really recommend this book!
In this book we get 33 stories/esseys about how Robert E. Howard or his creations, be it fictional characters, the way he wrote, the person himself or the world he built and how he in minor or major ways changed these persons lives.
Some of the stories are fun to read, some created tears. Many very personal. Those were the best. All of them were interesting.
I took a while reading these since it also made me find other books and stories which influenced some of the involved.
Many (or most) of the involved all have a connection with Robert E. Howard and I've actually met many of them online and hopefully will meet them in person during Howard Days in Cross Plains, Texas.
I really hope there will be a follow-up to this book with a second volume. There are so many persons influence by the greatest author I've read. I can really recommend this book!
April 6, 2022
An exceptional collection of essays, memoirs, and criticism of REH and what he's meant to a host of creators and differing personalities from different walks of life.
While I enjoyed them all, Bill Cavalier's, C.L. Werner's, Scott Oden's, and Christopher A. Gruber's pieces resonated with me the most.
Also supplies a lengthy recommended reading list, an Appendix H, of Howard material and other inspirational works related and adjacent that will keep me coming back over the years.
Highly recommended.
While I enjoyed them all, Bill Cavalier's, C.L. Werner's, Scott Oden's, and Christopher A. Gruber's pieces resonated with me the most.
Also supplies a lengthy recommended reading list, an Appendix H, of Howard material and other inspirational works related and adjacent that will keep me coming back over the years.
Highly recommended.
July 2, 2021
Robert E. Howard Changed My Life is a collection of personal essays on how interacting with Robert E. Howard's stories, his fans, and the business around it impacted the lives of several dozen writers, artists, fans, and scholars, myself included. Many of these folks are long-time friends of mine. REH changed my life, REH fans enriched it.
August 5, 2021
Like REH's own works, this is a good but uneven collection of essays. This is a book by bibliophiles for bibliophiles. If you are a REH fan, you will enjoy it. If you are not an REH fan, you'll probably want to give it a pass.
This is a collection of personal essays by members of the REHupa and Howard Days long term members. It's an insiders book written for insiders. As such, it reads more like a collection of fanzine letters to the editor than a real book. My favorite editor (OK, my only editor) Jason Waltz has done a great job of pulling these essays together to create an homage to the impact REH has had on the sword and sorcery world.
Each contributor provides a reason why the fiction of REH has had an indelible impact on their life. Although many of the entries highlight the impact of Conan, I loved the fact that lesser known characters like Bran Mak Morn, Cormac Mac Art, Turlough and Steve Costigan also get their share of the limelight. I especially liked the entries by Jaym Gates and Becky Cloonan which highlighted the strong female characters of REH. Given today's environment, some of the essays dip into political and social issues. I could have done without the personal angst, political diatribe (Ayn Rand, anyone?), and of course the obligatory race issues dealing with an author that wrote in the 1930's American south. But each of the collection's authors have paid their dues and deserve to have a voice on the father of S&S.
My biggest complaint about this volume is that they did not ask me to contribute. Given the quality of the essays, that was probably a wise choice. The best part of any collection like this is the recommendations of other works which each essay provides. My personal reading stack has grown by several inches based upon the recommendations of the various contributors. Highly recommend for fans of REH.
jeff
This is a collection of personal essays by members of the REHupa and Howard Days long term members. It's an insiders book written for insiders. As such, it reads more like a collection of fanzine letters to the editor than a real book. My favorite editor (OK, my only editor) Jason Waltz has done a great job of pulling these essays together to create an homage to the impact REH has had on the sword and sorcery world.
Each contributor provides a reason why the fiction of REH has had an indelible impact on their life. Although many of the entries highlight the impact of Conan, I loved the fact that lesser known characters like Bran Mak Morn, Cormac Mac Art, Turlough and Steve Costigan also get their share of the limelight. I especially liked the entries by Jaym Gates and Becky Cloonan which highlighted the strong female characters of REH. Given today's environment, some of the essays dip into political and social issues. I could have done without the personal angst, political diatribe (Ayn Rand, anyone?), and of course the obligatory race issues dealing with an author that wrote in the 1930's American south. But each of the collection's authors have paid their dues and deserve to have a voice on the father of S&S.
My biggest complaint about this volume is that they did not ask me to contribute. Given the quality of the essays, that was probably a wise choice. The best part of any collection like this is the recommendations of other works which each essay provides. My personal reading stack has grown by several inches based upon the recommendations of the various contributors. Highly recommend for fans of REH.
jeff
November 9, 2021
A great collection of essays filled with personal and professional experiences related to Robert E Howard’s work. I remember buying my first Conan paperback and how it led to a lifelong obsession with the character. It’s gratifying to read I’m not the only one a bit obsessed with his writing. I also appreciated the insight into other Howard creations I wasn’t all that familiar with. Overall a great collection full of heart and scholarly insight.
January 7, 2026
REH’s Legacy
There are over 30 essays, each about 10 pages in length, from a regular who’s who of sword & sorcery, fantasy, horror, comics, and historical fiction writers and Robert E. Howard scholars all discussing their personal connection to REH. Most describe their first encounter with some aspect of Howard’s writing and how it affected their literary or scholarly careers.
Editor Jason M. Waltz has made sure to cover the gamut of REH’s stories and verse. And that’s what I really liked about the book. Thirty essays just about Conan would get old quick. But the range of essays makes you really appreciate what Robert E. Howard was able to accomplish in his short life.
Special mention goes to Nancy A. Collins’s essay on Howard as a horror writer. I’ve rarely (if ever) seen Howard recognized as a horror writer. Most of his straight-up horror stories tend to get neglected except for the ones attached to his recurring characters of Solomon Kane or Bran Mak Morn.
5 stars for any fan of Robert E. Howard’s writing.
There are over 30 essays, each about 10 pages in length, from a regular who’s who of sword & sorcery, fantasy, horror, comics, and historical fiction writers and Robert E. Howard scholars all discussing their personal connection to REH. Most describe their first encounter with some aspect of Howard’s writing and how it affected their literary or scholarly careers.
Editor Jason M. Waltz has made sure to cover the gamut of REH’s stories and verse. And that’s what I really liked about the book. Thirty essays just about Conan would get old quick. But the range of essays makes you really appreciate what Robert E. Howard was able to accomplish in his short life.
Special mention goes to Nancy A. Collins’s essay on Howard as a horror writer. I’ve rarely (if ever) seen Howard recognized as a horror writer. Most of his straight-up horror stories tend to get neglected except for the ones attached to his recurring characters of Solomon Kane or Bran Mak Morn.
5 stars for any fan of Robert E. Howard’s writing.
March 21, 2022
There’s no doubt in my mind that Robert E. Howard is one of the greatest writers of all time. He is the father of sword and sorcery, and is also known for his stories of dark fantasy, planetary romance/sword and planet, horror, historical adventures, supernatural sleuths, boxing tales, and westerns/weird westerns. From the fierce Conan the Cimmerian to the philosophical Kull of Valusia to the brooding and fanatical Solomon Kane, Howard’s stories cover nearly all genres, and are always injected with high adventure.
Thus when this hardback collection of essays from various writers and Howardian scholars, it quickly drew my attention. When I had read enough glowing reviews about how good and moving it was, I purchased it, and I certainly didn’t regret it.
Within you will find a veritable treasure trove of emotional and dynamic essays from prominent authors in the sword and sorcery and dark fantasy fields such as John C. Hocking, Joe R. Landsdale, Adrian Cole, David C. Smith, C.L. Werner, Scott Oden, Howard Andrew Jones, Nancy Collins, Michael Moorcock, Keith Taylor, the late Charles R. Saunders and others of how much Robert E. Howard’s works impacted their lives and careers.
I feel blessed to know that others felt the immense raw power and inspiring heroism that flowed forth from the pen of Howard and blazed in his tales. Some of the essays within are so emotionally poignant, they nearly move one to tears, or at least they did me. So many of these authors found within came from humble and troubled beginnings, and Howard’s work gave them the inspiration they needed to achieve the heights they dreamed of reaching.
This collection is a tribute and a heartfelt thank-you to a divinely talented author that left this world all too soon, and whose epic legacy will echo through all eternity.
I give “Robert E. Howard Changed My Life” a 5 out of 5.
Thus when this hardback collection of essays from various writers and Howardian scholars, it quickly drew my attention. When I had read enough glowing reviews about how good and moving it was, I purchased it, and I certainly didn’t regret it.
Within you will find a veritable treasure trove of emotional and dynamic essays from prominent authors in the sword and sorcery and dark fantasy fields such as John C. Hocking, Joe R. Landsdale, Adrian Cole, David C. Smith, C.L. Werner, Scott Oden, Howard Andrew Jones, Nancy Collins, Michael Moorcock, Keith Taylor, the late Charles R. Saunders and others of how much Robert E. Howard’s works impacted their lives and careers.
I feel blessed to know that others felt the immense raw power and inspiring heroism that flowed forth from the pen of Howard and blazed in his tales. Some of the essays within are so emotionally poignant, they nearly move one to tears, or at least they did me. So many of these authors found within came from humble and troubled beginnings, and Howard’s work gave them the inspiration they needed to achieve the heights they dreamed of reaching.
This collection is a tribute and a heartfelt thank-you to a divinely talented author that left this world all too soon, and whose epic legacy will echo through all eternity.
I give “Robert E. Howard Changed My Life” a 5 out of 5.
September 20, 2024
This is an amazing collection of nearly three dozen essays describing the impact and influence of Robert E Howard on the lives of diverse creators. I had the unique experience of having read Bill Cavalier’s lead off essay just days before arriving at Howard Days 2024, and in an informal meeting out in the pavilion next to Howard’s home, an affable gentleman and I struck up an introductory conversation during which he introduced himself. “I just read your essay!” I blurted. I met (and knew of) a handful more of the contributors and got a chance to meet them or exchange a brief pleasantry. Their real life personableness is captured in their respective essays. This book mirrors in many facets my own experiences of Robert E Howard and his influence on my own writing. So many similarities, yet so many differences as well, as each life derived from different soil yet watered from the same source expresses appreciation for the catalyst Howard’s writings provided for their individual aspirations and achievements. A great many of Howard’s characters are here represented, in contrast to Patrice Louinet’s penultimate essay about just that very character centric approach in estimating Howard’s works. A thread runs through most of the essays, with the discovery of Howard and his writing through the iconic volume “Conan the Adventurer” with Frazetta cover. But not all ways to Howard go through that gate. I enjoyed immensely the ups and downs of the rights to most of Howard’s writings in Barbara Ingram Baum’s essay, a history I had not known prior. It’s hard to say which essay is my favorite, as I related to so many of them so closely. Bill Cavalier’s is among the list of nominees. As is Rusty Burke’s, David C Smith’s, and others—I starred fully half the essays in the table of contents. And Michael Moorcock offers his own thoughts in the final essay. Whether or not you’re a die hard Howard fan, even if you are merely curious about Howard’s writings, this is a great volume to sharpen and intensify that interest. And if you already have that devotion to Howard’s work, this will be a welcome exploration that will resonate and ring the changes on your own experiences.
December 20, 2021
Great collection of essays on REH's characters and writing and how they've impacted the lives and careers of more than a dozen authors and others.
If nothing else, it's a great read to introduce you to elements of Howard's writing that you might have missed while reading just Conan or Kulll or Solomon Kane.
Highly recommended for any fan of the pulps or Robert E Howard
If nothing else, it's a great read to introduce you to elements of Howard's writing that you might have missed while reading just Conan or Kulll or Solomon Kane.
Highly recommended for any fan of the pulps or Robert E Howard
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews