The Red
Light District
Jean-Loup Benét Chat
Transcript
Catwoman1022:: Welcome to Fireside Chats. Tonight’s guest is
Jean-Loup Benet, the master of the werewolf. Just
some reminders: maximize your chat window to keep up with the chat. If you have
a question, please post a ? and
I will call on you in turn. If you need to talk to someone in chat, please pm
them, but also please don’t pm the guest, he has a lot to keep up with.
Tonight’s prize is a group of signed, limited chapbooks, Sepsis by Graham Masterton, Diary by William Morris and The Dead Cat Poet
Cabal by Gerard Houarner. Now who would like to go
first?
deadscrypt:: I'll jump in, lol
Catwoman1022:: Nick...you're first
Nickolas Cook:: Jean, can you give us an idea
of a typical writing day for you?
JL_Benet:: I have school
(which I'm at late since I'm also involved in theatre). I get home, and relax
on the internet. Since the start of the school-year, my writing time has been
an hour or two around
deadscrypt:: (tentacles are
a pain)
lucysnyder:: mmm ...
tentacles ....
Tomokat0::
holy hentai batman
Catwoman1022:: Laura
LauraLongMartin:: What fascinates you about the
werewolf mythology? Is it the duality of man...the beast within...like
Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde....or Hesse's Steppenwolf?
lucysnyder:: now I totally want some fried
calamari
JL_Benet:: I've been working on a few projects,
one of which is a creative writing textbook
Nickolas Cook:: cool...thanks.
Catwoman1022::
J-L...Laura has a question up
JL_Benet:: I like the duality, the hidden strength
and beastly nature. Perhaps it's also the tie to nature that I get from my
Dad's side of the family (all of those spooky Seneca myths/legends)
JL_Benet:: I have to admit, I didn't like
Steppenwolf as much as I thought I would.
Catwoman1022::
How much studying into the werewolf legend have you done...and do you believe
there are some out there?
JL_Benet:: It also seems
more real to me somehow than the vampire/zombie/etc legends
Catwoman1022:: Do you think Vampires
and Werewolves go hand in hand? Alot of movies
portray them together?
JL_Benet:: I've been
interested in werewolves almost all of my life. Looking through some old
papers, I found a story I wrote in Kindergarten about werewolves and vampires.
Catwoman1022:: (if you guys want to ask questions just
post a ? for those of you who just joined)
JL_Benet:: I've been studying it intensely
since about 2001, when I decided to do my Master's thesis on werewolves.
JL_Benet:: Actually Wampyr means "wears the skin of a wolf", as
originally werewolves sold their souls to the devil for the power to shapeshift
Nickolas Cook:: Is it hard to balance teaching
with writing, other than schedule, I mean? Do you find professional barriers
from people who don't get the horror thing?
JL_Benet:: When they
died, they had no souls, and were forced to walk the earth for eternity
JL_Benet:: Oh, yes. When I get home, my brain
is fried. It takes a lot to get into the groove of writing.
JL_Benet:: A trick I do
is I have a writing hat. I literally put on a special black fedora. When I have
it on, my brain knows it's writing time
Catwoman1022::
So your hat is your muse so to speak?
Nickolas Cook:: good
trick.
JL_Benet:: And, I live in
northern
JL_Benet:: Yes, just the
weight of it on my head puts me in that mode.
Catwoman1022::
If one wanted to read up on Werewolves...what would you suggest?
JL_Benet:: I always suggest
Sabine Baring-Gould's "Book of Werewolves"
JL_Benet:: It's old (and even in public domain
now) but it is still the most comprehensive, and easy to understand
deadscrypt:: Obvious and lame question: what's
your favorite werewolf movie?
JL_Benet:: Tough one, I
have favorites for different reasons
Catwoman1022:: I was a Teenage
Werewolf?
Catwoman1022::
Michael Landon....
JL_Benet:: "Beast
Must Die!?" is stupid fun. "Curse of the Werewolf" has a cool
plot and acting (even if it drags a bit)
Catwoman1022:: I'll never forget
that one
JL_Benet:: I also like some of the new ones,
like Gingersnaps and Dog Soldiers
deadscrypt:: lol,
thought that'd be easier, but thanks!
JL_Benet:: Yes, Teenage
Werewolf broke some ground in the horror genre. Mixing science with hormones
gets you some bad results
Nickolas Cook:: Damn,
that Whit Bissell!
Catwoman1022::
According to your bibliography you haven't written a novel....do you have one?
Catwoman1022::
or working on something?
JL_Benet:: Yes, my
Master's thesis was actually my first novel
JL_Benet:: I had written a screenplay before
that
Catwoman1022:: anything coming up?
JL_Benet:: They are both
being shopped around now
Catwoman1022:: cool!
Catwoman1022::
keeping fingers crossed for you
JL_Benet:: I've got a non-fiction book on the Bearwalker legends of northern
deadscrypt:: When did you complete your thesis?
deadscrypt:: and how long did it take you?
JL_Benet:: November 2004
JL_Benet:: It took me almost 2 years from the
seed of the idea, to finished manuscript
deadscrypt:: wow. It must be something.
Catwoman1022::
Nick
Nickolas Cook:: In your fiction, have you found
it difficult to incorporate the werewolf legends in a modern day world?
deadscrypt:: (good one)
JL_Benet:: Yes, but that difficulty is what
makes it fun for me
JL_Benet:: I love the Indian werewolf-like
myths, and I love working out ways to fit those into modern settings
Catwoman1022:: How do you compare
writing a screenplay to a story?
JL_Benet:: There are some
great books dealing with werewolves in ultra-urban settings (like
JL_Benet:: I actually found the novel more
liberating. The screenplay format felt to structured. I love description, and
evoking all of my senses. I couldn't do that in a screenplay
deadscrypt:: So what is it that draws you to
werewolves above other "conventions" if you will?
deadscrypt:: Oh, that was sort of asked, never
mind, lol
Catwoman1022:: Laura...you're too
quiet
Nickolas Cook:: Yeah...
deadscrypt:: Let me put it this way, at what age
did you know werewolves were 'the shit"?
Nickolas Cook:: I don't trust her when she gets
this quiet
LauraLongMartin:: I'm here
JL_Benet:: Well, I can say that part of the
reason for choosing it for my thesis was the lack of a lot of werewolf
scholarship
LauraLongMartin:: Listening
LauraLongMartin:: For once
Nickolas Cook:: hehehe..
Catwoman1022::
There's a werewolf scholarship?
JL_Benet:: I would have
chosen something "horrific" regardless. In a certain sense, I don't
really know what drew me to werewolves
JL_Benet:: Oh yes, not a whole lot, but it's
out there
Nickolas Cook:: Why do you think it is that
werewolves haven't hit the romantic heights of, say, vampires?
Catwoman1022::
Heh...ever have erotic fantasies with werewolves?
JL_Benet:: werewolf
scholarship, as in literary and anthoplogical studies
on werewolves
Nickolas Cook:: actually...
Wrath White:: I have
Catwoman1022:: figures you would
Wrath
deadscrypt:: that's hot :P
JL_Benet:: I actually wrote a scene in my novel
dealing with something like that
Wrath White:: right after seeing
Howling. That sex scene by the campfire
Nickolas Cook:: oh
yeah...
JL_Benet:: I actually had
someone walk out of my thesis defense when I read that passage
deadscrypt:: lightweight!
JL_Benet:: I think the
vampires have it for sexy-cool, but werewolves have a more beastly, raw power
Nickolas Cook:: raw power is sexy
Wrath White:: much like myself
Catwoman1022:: Wrath....you gotta quit teasing like that
Nickolas Cook:: HA!
LauraLongMartin:: *sweating
deadscrypt:: I can smell the pheromones.
LauraLongMartin:: *hands shaking
Wrath White:: LOL
JL_Benet:: I think the pendulum is swinging
away from vampires as the market gets glutted
Nickolas Cook:: Have you ever studied the
Chinese were-tigers, were-foxes, etc.?
JL_Benet:: You will be seeing a bunch of
werewolf movies in the coming year (most are already in post-production)
Wrath White:: I hope they are done
without the use of CGI
JL_Benet:: Yes, I studied them when I studied
the werewolf legends around the world, but they aren't my specialty
JL_Benet:: I am sorry to say, that they are
not. A couple that are coming out are CGI
Wrath White::
CGI has made
Wrath White:: it sucks
deadscrypt:: cheers to that.
Nickolas Cook:: Yes,
the Chinese inundate all their were creatures with spiritual powers
JL_Benet:: Blood & Chocolate, Bitten,
Silver Wolf should hit theatres in the next year (all based on bestselling
books)
Nickolas Cook:: beyond the physical
Wrath White:: Blood and Chocolate?
Sounds like my kind of party
JL_Benet:: I think B&C wasn't going to use
CGI, if memory serves
Nickolas Cook:: Jean, that's what I read as
well...hardly any CGI
JL_Benet:: It's a play on a woman's "time
of the month," except the blood-flow is much greater
Wrath White:: Then I look forward to
seeing it
Catwoman1022:: hummmm
Nickolas Cook:: Ah...sounds like home.
JL_Benet:: Perhaps that
makes the chocolate sweeter
Wrath White:: LOL
Nickolas Cook:: Jean, what do you find hardest
in writing: the start or the finish?
JL_Benet:: Finish, as in
the end of the story; or finish, as in completing the manuscript?
Nickolas Cook:: end of
story
JL_Benet:: Actually, middle.
Nickolas Cook:: how
so?
JL_Benet:: I can usually see where I want to
start, and a big ending, it's the hurdles in between that give me some trouble
Catwoman1022:: Jean-Loup...if you
are into werewolves...why did you use cthulhu as your
ezboard name?
JL_Benet:: I often know
exactly how I want it to end
Catwoman1022:: Sorry Bill....
JL_Benet:: Very good
question. I have no idea
Catwoman1022::
Bill you have a question
alienmotives:: issok.
JL_Benet:: I got cthulhu
when ezboard first started up in '96
JL_Benet:: And forgot the password, and had to
get cthulhu3
Catwoman1022:: heh...we
should have a contest...name Jean-Loup a good werewolf name
alienmotives:: It's always a risk, asking a
question after you come in late, but I'm still curious: were there any guides
by "established" authors you found helpful when you were starting? Or
did you just do it on your own?
deadscrypt:: You mean "Jean-LOUP" isn't
a good werewolf name?
alienmotives:: Or the third alternative, writing
group?
JL_Benet:: Tim Esaias was a great help in starting my novel. Mike Arnzen has been my mentor for a while. Dallas Mayr gave me a boost I needed.
JL_Benet:: And
Catwoman1022:: One thing you gotta love about Horror writers...they're willing to help
each other.
JL_Benet:: Going to Seton
Hill for my Masters was really what did it though. Up until then, I wasn't sure
of myself
LauraLongMartin::
JL_Benet:: Teaching actually improves my
writing as well. I am forced to hone my craft, because my students look to me
for examples and critiques
alienmotives:: Another thing
about writers: a lot of them are very bright and learned.
Catwoman1022::
J-L who do you like to read?
JL_Benet:: Ketchum is
tops for me
alienmotives:: Although few seem adept at puzzles.
... :/
Catwoman1022::
LOL
JL_Benet:: I read a fair mix of literature and
horror.
alienmotives:: What would you say distinguishes
horror from literature?
deadscrypt:: Speaking of wolves, my dog is pawin' me. I'll drop in later. Thanks for your time, Jean-Loup, I will keep an eye on ya. I
used to have fantasies about changing into a werewolf and murdering my Math
teacher, Sister Elizabeth, right in front of the whole damn class.
JL_Benet:: I am always
surprised at the level of writing from my friends on the boards. I know Pic, Clegg, and Ed Lee before I ever read their books.
JL_Benet:: When I did, I
was blown away
deadscrypt left
JL_Benet:: I think the evoking of fear. It is a
fine line, and I think there are many books that can fall on either side.
Nickolas Cook:: erm...
JL_Benet:: For me, it
comes down to that basic emotional response
JL_Benet:: I think Kafka and Calvino belong in the genre just as much as Lovecraft
JL_Benet:: Of course, then you get into
"weird fiction" and the waters get muddied even further
Catwoman1022:: Thanks for joining us
in Fireside Chats. Special thanks to tonight’s guest Jean-Loup Benet. Tonight’s prize is a group of signed, limited
chapbooks, Sepsis by Graham Masterton, Diary by
William Morris and The Dead Cat Poet Cabal by Gerard Houarner.
And tonight’s winner is Laura Long Martin. Laura e-mail
me your address at catwest1@charter.net with your address. Be sure to join us
this Sunday for a Fireside Chat with John Skipp!!! I
now declare FREE FOR ALL!
Nickolas Cook::
Thanks, Jean. You were great!
JL_Benet: Thank you all for the great chat!
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