Koontzland - Dean Koontz discussion

I am also the moderator for Stephen White's Alan Gregory series set in Boulder, Colorado come check out the group if you like Mystery/Thrillers. We discuss other authors there as well. The group is mostly women so we could really use male peoples there. The group is called Stephen White - Alan Gregory Thanks

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/2...

Tom, who is a member of Stephen King Fans and Dean Koontz (hopefully he'll be a member of Koontzland soon :-) has created a group for John Saul. So far, he and I are the only members - come check it out if you read John Saul or Horror. Thanks.
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/2...

Hey Matt I just joined the Horror group where you are active Horror Aficionados: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1...

I like that they have a group read program so I replaced the Horrifying Thriller group I belonged to with this one. I see they had Ghost Story by Peter Straub as group read for December but I couldn't find a discussion thread for it - is there one? I might read it in January since that group is doing some weird secret santa after Christmas discussion. As you can see, I really like organization and IMHO that group could use a little more organization - I mean I can't even find a thread to introduce myself :-) but it's better than many groups so maybe you'll see me over there.

Ok I found the Introduce Yourself thread for that group - nobody had commented in it since May :-) until me just a minute ago.

Matt, is there a thread set up in H.A. to invite people to other groups? ;-) I bet there are a few Dean Koontz fans hiding in that group of over 800 members! Just a thought.

Dustin wrote: "Hey Matt I just joined the Horror group where you are active Horror Aficionados: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1...

I like that they have a group read program so I replaced..."

Very cool, I would encourage others to join Horror Aficionados as well.

Group reads will resume at HA in Feb (after Santa books in Jan). There are nominations which are followed by a poll (which is now in progress for Feb) to select the monthly read. Start a thread for Ghost Story, not sure who else in the group is reading it but I have heard great things about the book and I am sure others will jump in the discussion who have read the book. It is a fun group and I have discovered some new favorite authors. Definitely a group worth checking out.

The secret santa thing just makes me laugh :-)

The Stephen King Fans Group - Monthly Group Reads, if you're interested!
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/2...

I just created a new group called Tess Gerritsen Fans. Please join if your interested. Thanks :-)
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/2...

I moderate a group called Fans of Arthur C. Clarke (ACC), which is for...big surprise...fans of Arthur C. Clarke. :-) Please come check it out if you are a fan of Clarke or of the (hard) scifi genre in general. Now that I have read your favorite book of all time (Life Expectancy), Dustin, it is only fair that you read mine: Childhood's End by ACC. I truly do think you will enjoy it. It is so inspiring.

I'll look into it :-)

Dustin wrote: "I'll look into it :-)"

I'm glad to hear that. :-)

I did add it to my to-read list - that's a start :-)

Dustin wrote: "I did add it to my to-read list - that's a start :-)"

All I ask is that you try to get to it before August, though the sooner, the better. It is a very famous work of science fiction, so your library certainly has it or can procure it easily...so no excuses! ;-)

Why did you find our secert santa laughable? It worked out really well. From my SS I got Dracula, and Frankenstein. I ask for a classic, and I got 2. Everyone didn't participate but those of us who did had a nice time of it. We're thinking of doing it this summer, calling it Christmas in July. If they do i'll join them. I've met the most nicest people there, and here.
As much as I love S.King i'm thinking of dropping out of that group. There's to much messiness over there. IMO once a thread has been exhausted take it down. If your group read has been up for more then 8, or 9 months take it down. I do like how you can only see 5 topic at a time in any thread, to see the rest you have to click on the main thread. Sort of saves room.

Lori wrote: " Why did you find our secert santa laughable? It worked out really well. From my SS I got Dracula, and Frankenstein. I ask for a classic, and I got 2. Everyone didn't participate but those of us who did had a nice time of it. We're thinking of doing it this summer, calling it Christmas in July. If they do i'll join them. I've met the most nicest people there, and here. ."

"Secret Santa" just made me laugh :-) when they said something to the effect "we're not having a monthly group read because we'll be discussing the secret santa books we got" - it just seemed funny to me. I haven't participated much in HA - I've had a hard time getting their monthly books from my libraries. I'm still waiting for Ghost Story via inter library loan and I looked in the library catalog for Kult by Jeffrey without success. I'm not into book swaps right now and the Secret Santa/ Christmas in July seems like a big book swap so I probably won't participate but I'm sure it's great for lots of people :-)

Lori wrote: " As much as I love S.King i'm thinking of dropping out of that group. There's to much messiness over there. IMO once a thread has been exhausted take it down. If your group read has been up for more then 8, or 9 months take it down. I do like how you can only see 5 topic at a time in any thread, to see the rest you have to click on the main thread. Sort of saves room.
."

I currently have the settings to show up to 10 discussion threads from each folder but we could change that. The only folder getting close to 10 topics is "Welcome to Koontzland" which serves as a "General" folder. My reasoning for showing 10 threads rather than just 5 as most groups do is I thought it would help eliminate duplicated threads - people creating a very similar topic because they couldn't see that there was already one.

As far as deleting group reads - I'm all for deleting the group read polls and nomination threads but I think the discussion threads serve as a kind of history for the group.

If you have other suggestions, things that you'd like to see(or not see :-) or things that you like from other groups - feel free to post in the "Suggestion Box" topic - your ideas will be considered :-)

I moderate a group called World of Cthulhu, dedicated to one of the most talented horror writers, H. P. Lovecraft. There were no groups really paying proper tribute to the man who wrote some of the most memorable stories of all time. Also that his writing has influenced so many people over the years from authors to directors. He finds ways to blend his stories of terror together in unimaginable ways, including the Dream Cycle of Lovecraft which is connected in unaccountable ways.

I've never read a book by Lovecraft, but I've heard him mentioned often. Which would be the best book start with?

I'd say start with his best stuff. The Shadow Over Innsmouth, The Call of Cthulhu, The Dunwich Horror, The Colour Out of Space, The Shadow Out of Time. Those are some of my favorites and they are all in the The Best of Lovecraft; Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and The Macabre. If you like those stories you will enjoy almost all of Lovecraft's writing.

I'll give it a try :-)

Nicholas wrote: "I'd say start with his best stuff. The Shadow Over Innsmouth, The Call of Cthulhu, The Dunwich Horror, The Colour Out of Space, The Shadow Out of Time. Those are some of my favorites and they are..."

Thanks for the advice. I've been wanting to start reading Lovecraft for years now. I've seen most or all the movies based on his writings and have thereby been a fan since I was about 11 years old.

Once you guys start on some of the stories come over to World of Cthulhu. I just started the group and I am still working on building some interested people, this is slightly difficult when some people have never even heard of Lovecraft.

Nicholas wrote: "Once you guys start on some of the stories come over to World of Cthulhu. I just started the group and I am still working on building some interested people, this is slightly difficult when some people have never even heard of Lovecraft."

No true fan of horror could not have heard of Lovecraft. :-/

My only question is: if you have not heard of Lovecraft, what planet are you from????? I will admit I have not read any Lovecraft but I am aware of him. He's classic horror/science fiction. I will check out some of the titles you suggested

Christine wrote: "My only question is: if you have not heard of Lovecraft, what planet are you from????? I will admit I have not read any Lovecraft but I am aware of him. He's classic horror/science fiction. I wi..."
Sadly, the answer is Earth. Most of the people I know would not know of Lovecraft. I think he is only well-known in the literary realm, and even then only amongst those interested in the horror/scifi/fantasy super-genre.

I went out this morning and bought a copy of The Best of H.P. Lovecraft. I thought it would be a good addition to my library. Classics are always welcome and I love horror and science fiction. The cover is great. I'll let you know what I think.

Still waiting for a library copy :-)

Dustin Crazy wrote: "Hey Matt I just joined the Horror group where you are active Horror Aficionados: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1...

I like that they have a group read program so I replaced..."

I just left that group and am looking for something to replace it with.

Why did you leave HA? too big?

Dustin Crazy wrote: "Why did you leave HA? too big?"

No, it was something that was said to me actually. I had been asked a question, so I answered and then got railed for answering. well piss on it.
Yay, I already found a new group! Yay!

Nora wrote: "Yay, I already found a new group! Yay! "

Which group? feel free to post a link in this discussion thread.

Book Haven
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/2...

It doesn't cover just one genre.

I wanted to invite everyone to join the Dare to Dream Group, this is a fun new group I just created this week and Crazy Al is my co-moderator. Click here to check it out:
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/6...

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Why did you leave HA? too big?"

I left again. It's kinda funny really since one of the mods threatened to ban me if I insulted her again, but she threatened to ban me after I had already rescinded my membership. I am so tired of how she can blatantly insult anyone she wants but good god if you call her on it. Oh well, I really need to spend more time over at the ASMB book club anyway.

Nora aka Diva wrote: "I left again. It's kinda funny really since one of the mods threatened to ban me if I insulted her again, but she threatened ..."

Do you mean Tressa?

I haven't been visiting HA lately. What is ASMB?

Adult Swim Message Board no it's not porn. lol

Jason "plasborgma" wrote: "Nora aka Diva wrote: "I left again. It's kinda funny really since one of the mods threatened to ban me if I insulted her again, but she threatened ..."

Do you mean Tressa?"

Oh yeah, she publicly called me a liar.. I'm not thank you. but anyway, summer's I am so short of time that I needed to cut back and I mod at the ASMB BK so I need to be there more.

Nora aka Diva wrote: "Adult Swim Message Board no it's not porn. lol"

Oh yeah you told me about that one before :-)

I know but wanted to make sure no one else reading this thread would be all.. 'is she hanging out at porn sites?..eww' lol

This is a group for Christians who are horror nuts. Ironically, two of the main contributors are named Dustin and Jason.

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/6...

Or would that be "coincidentally"? The wine makes it hard to tell. ;)

J. S. wrote: "Or would that be "coincidentally"? The wine makes it hard to tell. ;)"

As Dean Koontz would say: There are no coincidences. ;-) By the way, "ironically" would work in this case too, because Dustin and I are atheists.

Jason "plasborgma" wrote: "J. S. wrote: "Or would that be "coincidentally"? The wine makes it hard to tell. ;)"

As Dean Koontz would say: There are no coincidences. ;-) By the way, "ironically" would work in this case too, ..."

Haha! I think I see a Koontzian novel coming out of this. Something along the lines of two souls being split into polar opposites and secretly living parallel lives that manifest on Goodreads, and somehow an evil scientist and the government will be involved. Not to mention a golden retriever and a little bit of susurration. ;)

J. S. wrote: "Haha! I think I see a Koontzian novel coming out of this. Something along the lines of two souls being split into polar opposites and secretly living parallel lives that manifest on Goodreads, and somehow an evil scientist and the government will be involved. Not to mention a golden retriever and a little bit of susurration."

An evil scientist is already involved. :-)

Jason "plasborgma" wrote: "J. S. wrote: "Haha! I think I see a Koontzian novel coming out of this. Something along the lines of two souls being split into polar opposites and secretly living parallel lives that manifest on G..."

Have you succeeded in creating sentient monkeys yet?

J. S. wrote: "Have you succeeded in creating sentient monkeys yet?"

Nah, they (better known as humans) already exist, so I suffice to scan their brains...for now.

I'm not an Atheist, I'm just Agnostic :-)

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I'm not an Atheist, I'm just Agnostic :-)"

I know what you say, but that's only because you don't like the term "atheist" and misuse it. To be an atheist simply means that you lack belief in a deity--nothing more and nothing less. Like me and almost all atheists, you are an agnostic atheist, in that you do not claim to know with absolute certainty that a deity doesn't exist, regardless of how improbable a deity's existence might be. Agreed?