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Episode 598 - Ramsey Campbell Interview (Patreon)

Published:
2022-06-02 16:00:49
Imported:
2026-06
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We're joined for a discussion of strange stories by a very special guest, legendary author Ramsey Campbell!

Discussed in this episode:

The Folio Book of Horror Stories 

Fine Frights 

Ramsey's Anthology of Stories Alone with the Horrors 

Letters to Arkham: The Letters of Ramsey Campbell and August Derleth 

The Severn Valley Trilogy 

The Hole in the Moon and Other Tales by Margaret St. Clair

Comments

Chris Moore

I just listened to this. Fantastic!

Josh Culpepper

This episode was awesome!! I love it when your guests are so great!!!

Albert Hernandez

That was such a great discussion. I really enjoyed hearing Chris talk to Mr. Campbell with some well deserved reverence and then, a bit out of left field, Chad starts just going chummy with Campbell and suddenly the conversation really came alive. Fantastic stuff!

Ben A

What a fantastic interview and conversation! Thank you all for providing this rare opportunity. I have often thought Campbell is somewhat of a living legend, based on written interviews I’ve read (and King’s discussion about his work in Danse Macabre). This just further solidified that notion. I agree wholeheartedly with what Ramsay and Chad had to say about the importance of learning through mimicry. When I was trained as a writer, one of our regular exercises was to start copying another author’s work, and when we felt warmed up to then go “off script” and start composing our own story. I am sure you all are familiar with this technique. There are few better teachers in writing than the work of others. As a scientist and academic writer, I will still sometimes find myself using this technique as a warmup for some of my writing. Alas, unless one is Carl Sagan or Stephen Jay Gould, it is rare to cultivate a particular writing style in scientific writing. But that isn’t a reason not to try. Thanks again! I’m looking forward to the official transition after these many years to Strange Studies.

Mark Simmons

I've been looking forward to this one for weeks, and it didn't disappoint. A great conversation with one of my absolute favorite authors! Incidentally, there's a half-remembered spooky story that's haunted me for decades, and the brief mention of "Just Waiting" makes me think it may have been Ramsey Campbell's fault all along. Somehow that one isn't in any of my Campbell collections, so I'd better get started on an obscure-book quest, which I'm given to understand always work out very happily.

KateSherrod

This was absolutely delightful in every way. I think HPL and AD would very much approve (and probably envy) the way RC just mentored a whole generation (or two or three) about the importance of learning craft by mimicry -- just by appearing on a podcast! You guys had great questions and insights and so did he. I'm also terribly chuffed for you two that, from humble beginnings 12 years ago, you've come to be litbros to be reckoned with and get to chat with people like Ramsay Campbell. Twelve years! Where has the time gone? Mostly via Bluetooth into my speakers chuckling along with Chris and Chad. Here's to twelve more! Now, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA GIVE MY GIRL EDITH WHARTON SOME LOVE?

Robert D.

Wow, such a fascinating interview! Ramsay Campbell seems like such a nice guy, and so entertaining. I laughed out loud several times. Really cool to hear about the mentorship from Lovecraft to Derleth to Ramsey. And now to Chris and Chad! Amazing.

Jim Bassett

Great episode! As others mentioned, some great questions and answers, and there seemed to be a real rapport among you three. It was fun to just "sit in" and listen to the conversation.

Jeppe Mulich

What a lovely conversation! This was the best kind of interview, a genuine dialogue. I have an abiding love for Campbell's work, especially his '80s novels but obviously also his earlier mythos shorts.

Wulf Mungus

Wait, back up....what about erotica?

Jim Cannon

Holy cow, Ramsay Campbell is Three Stooges fan?! That is so unbelievably awesome. Just when you think a person couldn't be any more inspiring or amazing, they pull out Mr. Fine and the two Mr. Howards. Delightful.

hilde

I got the book fine frights! but after the first story i’m a little hesitant to read it.

Sweatin' to the Great Oldies

That really was a stunningly impressive display of instant rapport and creative conversation. Many thanks!

Damon Bowles

Damn - sooo good. What a treasure trove Ramsey Campbell is. And to hear the genuine awe in your voices when he revealed spending the weekend with Robert Aickman and writing a monograph on The Three Stooges - priceless! :)

Frederick Fooy

So interesting, so amusing, and quite inspirational. It is almost always interesting to listen to elaborations on what cosmic horror means to both fans and authors of the genre. Anyway, a great episode in a vast array of great episodes!

Lee Russell

Great interviews. Such a treat to hear Ramsey Campbell in such a casual, educational and ultimately fun chat. Thanks, guys.

Jeremy Impson

Guys you f*cking nailed this interview. Astoundingly great job!!

Ravewolf

Hearing a great interview of this important author was such an unexpected pleasure. As Campbell keeps appearing in anthologies year after year, it's so easy to forget how far back his history goes in this field, as he simultaneously feels so contemporary. Hearing his direct memories of folks like Derleth, Lieber and others was a good reminder though. So glad he mentioned The Guide, as it is one of my favorite stories. You guys did a great job bringing this together.

Cole Caron

I want to hear an episode 2 about Ramsey Campbell’s psychedelic indulgences.

Jamie Brittain

Fantastic episode, loved it. The idea of Steven King tracking down James Herbert, who exists in my imagination as ‘the budget King’ is very funny to me.

Jamie Brittain

But I could have listened to this for hours

Adequately Excellent Entertainment

First of all, I must say I found the number of times the phrase “By gum” was used absolutely charming. I identify with the experience of reading stuff that you may or may not have been ready for. I had been held back in the first grade for not being “mature enough”. One month into my second year of first grade and I had finally figured out the trick of hiding in the library during recess. I saw a book with a funny looking guy on the spine on a top shelf, so I got a step stool and pulled it out. There were no pictures but I decided I was going to check the book out anyway and maybe I could figure out who the guy was. The librarian said, “You’re too young for this book.” And let me tell you, I got super pissed, so I furrowed my brow and narrowed my eyes and said, “Check the book out lady.” I was so mad. Why would they have this book in an elementary school library if it wasn’t for elementary school kids? At the big public library, the librarians and my parents encouraged me to read at a higher level than my age and I enjoyed those books more. When I got to my classroom, my teacher saw the book and said, “You’re too young to read this.” That did not go over well with me. “I’m going to read it and I’m going to write a book report!” I spat back at her angrily. I’m pretty sure this b**** already didn’t like me, but this is probably the moment she decided she REALLY didn’t like me. I spent the rest of the day absolutely fuming. (I was a very angry child, I’ve had therapy, I eventually dealt with that.) After school I got picked up by my friend’s mom for carpool home and my “teacher” called my mom before I got home to warn her that I had found some “inappropriate reading material”. I think she must’ve left a message on the answering machine, because mom apparently didn’t know what this reading material was. She knew that there were signs that teenagers would sneak onto the elementary school campus at night to drink beer, so she was absolutely certain that I had found some kind of porno mag. I got home. Stormed into the house. Slammed the door and furiously announced. “Mom? I’m gonna read….” Checks title of the book. “… Hamlet. AND YOU CANT STOP ME!” Props to my mom, who did not miss a beat and is generally the Queen of “No Sell”. She just shrugged and said, “Okay, let me know if you have any questions.” This began my life long love of Shakespeare and footnotes. (The Bantom Paperbacks of the plays my parents would buy me had footnotes that defined the more esoteric words and phrases. They were cheaper than the Folgers paperbacks and thinner because of the way the footnotes were organized.) Thus also began my unfair disdain to teachers because of this one terrible person who probably should have retired by the time I rolled into her classroom. (I eventually got over that too.)

Andrew Brown

Wow, such fun! I was inspired to go buy some of his work. But I really loved his description of the chain from Lovecraft to Derleth to himself. BTW I read Rise And Fall Of The Third Reich when I was 9. If it was around I read it….

Ryan Thomas

Curious of Ramsey Campbell tales not yet covered in a Podcraft panel, I allowed myself, with self-judgment of the opportunity cost diminished a bit by the lack of a mirror, to bargained away a day to some internet wandering. Before I share the resulting recommendation I have for Chad and Chris to cover, here's my route: Amazon, where an unremembered commenter praised "The Companion" for creepiness. --> "Lord Razorslik" on Youtube, who read the story with clarity --> "Staring into the Abyss" on Youtube, who attempt with John Langdon to interpret it, me still loosely attributing to it my Catholic upbringing about Purgatory --> Another session of "Staring into the Abyss" because their episode about Karl Edward Wagner's "Sticks" caught my eye --> "Nightshade Diary" Podcast reading of Karl E. Wagner's "Into Whose Hands" and his "In the Pines", of which the former was not very rewarding in my opinion, and the latter pulled me along with a leash of suspicion and slowly led to a final harrowing reveal (highly recommended) --> renditions of "In the Pines/My Girl/ Where Did You Sleep Last Night", wondering about inspiration --> And now, following a commenter's observation of plot similarities to "In the Pines", we arrive at my recommendations of "The Beckoning Fair One" by Oliver Onions. Do not let the alliteration and easy-target nature of his name fool you. Also, do not discredit a lady friend's intuitive contrariness to your domicile choices. In fact, don't move into a house without such a friend's walk-through first. The off-putting coincidences are too many to ignore, yet just as I lie to myself about the expense of opportunity cost, I figure the character Paul Oleron is too far gone thanks to his blinding pride. Soon I will continue listening to Jenny of "Thirteen O'Clock" read "The Beckoning Fair One" through to the end. First, a broken stair needs my attention.

Fred Bednarski

It was really interesting to hear Ramsay's voice. I only got into his work few years ago, through a chance encounter on reddit of all places! I was asking in one of the lovecraftian groups about recommendations about writers/stories that don't simply rehash Lovecraft's creations. I got to the point that I would guess the basics the plot from first few pages, because those stories weren't much of weird fiction anymore, more like a game "spot the Deep One." So I asked about what authors actually add to the mythos and have new, surprising plots, gods, creatures, etc. Got some good recommendation and one comment from someone saying something along the lines "Check my work, because I tried to do something like it." Now this being reddit, I imminently assumed it's just some dude showing his first stab at writing. It's a common occurrence on some other subs I visit where people just throw something half-assed together and blow their own trumpet at any chance they get. I was going to just pass on all that, but I go curious about the person and checked what else the they posted. It looked like a proper writer so I googled their name and discovered a whole new amazing world of horror! I just never expected to run into a well established author just randomly on the internet like that, but happy that I did. And big Kudos to Ramsay's for treating his readers like actual people, online!

Lord Rancid

Great interview and Ramsey seems to be a really nice chap :) I've read quite a bit of his work over the years, but in no particular order. Recently, and with a nice touch of synchronicity, I picked up the new editions of his short Mythos fiction, The Inhabitant of the Lake and Visions from Brichester (absolutely gorgeous editions, illustrated and with "French Flaps"!). I'd read most of the stories before except for one, "The Last Revelation of Gla aki", the very last tale in the second volume (bar the addendum early drafts and non fiction essays), a more recent story from what I gather, Ramsey bringing his more mature and nuanced writing skills to his old pastiche hunting grounds (something he confirms in your interview in fact). What's interesting is how much this recent mythos tale feels more Robert Aikman like in it's telling than Lovecraft (or Derleth). With it's dreary and foreboding coastal holiday town setting that the protagonist can't quite seem to escape, and the frustrating slightly misunderstood dialogue exchanges, it could be Aikman's "Ringing the Changes" with added Mythos goop slathered all over it. Very interesting to hear how much love Ramsey has for him as a person and a writer....

Adequately Excellent Entertainment

Me: Playing this episode for my partner, Todd, one of the people involved with Mythos Houston. Ramsey Campbell: “… people make (your creatures) their Twitter handles, Facebook profiles, heavy metal bands write songs about them. Amazing amount of art out there. And they’re out there I can’t reign them back in…” Todd/ “Do not call up what you can’t put down Ramsey!”

Robby H.

In regards to reading Lovecraft and scary stories as a kid, I grew up with CUrage the Cowardly Dog and Goosebumps. Granted they are meant for a younger audience, Courage did deal with some adult concepts. In one episode, Muriel's cousin, Fred, came to visit. He was obsessed with cutting/shaving hair and he was very nauuuuuughty. He was locked in the bathroom with Courage and Fred shaved Courage. He was then arrested. This episode always unnerved me as a kid and as I grew up, I realized it was analogous to sexual assault. There was also another episode that was bascially about domestic abuse. And the show had some creepy animations that gave me nightmares as a kid (using claymations in a primarly animated show gave it a very unnerving/unreal aspect to it).

Ethanolparty

I hope you have Mr. Campbell back on as a guest in the future. When I heard you were covering stories he recommended a few episodes back and were due to have him on as a guest, I nearly couldn't believe it as he had been for a long time my favourite contemporary horror author. I find his protagonists to have very relatable inner monologues, and sympathetic in the way they invariably inhabit the fringes of society, disenfranchised and vulnerable to hidden dangers that lurk beyond. The selections are excellent also, I now count Chilton Castle, Brenda, and The Bus among my favourite stories.