Robin Spriggs
Encyclopedia
Robin Spriggs is an American writer, actor, and poet. Known primarily as a dark fabulist, he is the author of the critically acclaimed Diary of a Gentleman Diabolist and Wondrous Strange: Tales of the Uncanny;http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/eaw.cgi?11207 the co-author of The Dracula
Poems: A Poetic Encounter with the Lord of Vampires; and the creator of Capes & Cowls: Adventures in Wyrd City, a "book-in-a-box" superhero
board game based on his illustrated series, Capes & Cowls: The Wyrd City Chronicles.
, a Bram Stoker Award
, a Rhysling Award, and received honorable mention in The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror
. His fiction and poetry have appeared in such anthologies and magazines as Beyond, The Rhysling Anthology, Cemetery Dance, Going Postal, Space & Time, and Terminal Fright.
The literary offerings of Robin Spriggs have been well received by critics. According to Cemetery Dance magazine, "Spriggs displays a wide range of talents in both form and substance. He's equally comfortable in the short story, short-short and novella lengths. His tone varies from the gently whimsical to the truly nasty. He crosses genre lines with ease, showing strength in all forms of the fantastic, from horror to fantasy to science fiction."
His lyrical
prose, with its dreamlike and often frightening depiction of reality, has been favorably compared to the work of such writers as Edgar Allan Poe
, Franz Kafka
, Ray Bradbury
, Jorge Luis Borges
, Robert Aickman
, and Clark Ashton Smith
. Much of Spriggs's work, in fact, falls into the category of prose poetry
, prompting thriller author Harry Shannon
to refer to him as "a linguistic acrobat who works without a net."
Noted editor and anthologist Ellen Datlow
, in volume 3 of her The Best Horror of the Year, wrote: "Diary of a Gentleman Diabolist by Robin Spriggs is a series of well-wrought interconnected prose poems of the ghostly and uncanny." Internationally distributed fan magazine Fangoria
referred to the same collection as "a rather ingenious little grimoire charting—in fractured, dreamlike form—the trip of a seeker, someone who dives head first into the fevered realms of black magic and beyond, encountering all manner of arcane horror and supernatural phenomena."
Due to the cult
popularity of his aforementioned Dracula Poems, the long out-of-print book often commands inordinately high prices.http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0963429655
As an actor, Spriggs was called "terrific" by Variety magazinehttp://www.variety.com/review/VE1117924373?categoryid=31&cs=1 for his 2004 performance in Paul Schattel's Sinkhole.http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/310402/Sinkhole/overview He most recently appeared as Chris Amante on the USA Network
drama series Necessary Roughness
.
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
Poems: A Poetic Encounter with the Lord of Vampires; and the creator of Capes & Cowls: Adventures in Wyrd City, a "book-in-a-box" superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
board game based on his illustrated series, Capes & Cowls: The Wyrd City Chronicles.
Overview
Spriggs holds degrees in both English and Theatre. He has been nominated for a Pushcart PrizePushcart Prize
The Pushcart Prize is an American literary prize by Pushcart Press that honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in the small presses over the previous year. Magazine and small book press editors are invited to nominate up to 6 works they have featured....
, a Bram Stoker Award
Bram Stoker Award
The Bram Stoker Award is a recognition presented by the Horror Writers Association for "superior achievement" in horror writing. The awards have been presented annually since 1987, and the winners are selected by ballot of the Active members of the HWA...
, a Rhysling Award, and received honorable mention in The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
. His fiction and poetry have appeared in such anthologies and magazines as Beyond, The Rhysling Anthology, Cemetery Dance, Going Postal, Space & Time, and Terminal Fright.
The literary offerings of Robin Spriggs have been well received by critics. According to Cemetery Dance magazine, "Spriggs displays a wide range of talents in both form and substance. He's equally comfortable in the short story, short-short and novella lengths. His tone varies from the gently whimsical to the truly nasty. He crosses genre lines with ease, showing strength in all forms of the fantastic, from horror to fantasy to science fiction."
His lyrical
Lyric poetry
Lyric poetry is a genre of poetry that expresses personal and emotional feelings. In the ancient world, lyric poems were those which were sung to the lyre. Lyric poems do not have to rhyme, and today do not need to be set to music or a beat...
prose, with its dreamlike and often frightening depiction of reality, has been favorably compared to the work of such writers as Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
, Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century...
, Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
, Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo , known as Jorge Luis Borges , was an Argentine writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. In 1914 his family moved to Switzerland where he attended school, receiving his baccalauréat from the Collège de Genève in 1918. The family...
, Robert Aickman
Robert Aickman
Robert Fordyce Aickman was an English conservationist and writer of fiction and nonfiction. As a writer, he is best known for his supernatural fiction, which he described as "strange stories".-Life:...
, and Clark Ashton Smith
Clark Ashton Smith
Clark Ashton Smith was a self-educated American poet, sculptor, painter and author of fantasy, horror and science fiction short stories. He achieved early local recognition, largely through the enthusiasm of George Sterling, for traditional verse in the vein of Swinburne...
. Much of Spriggs's work, in fact, falls into the category of prose poetry
Prose poetry
Prose poetry is poetry written in prose instead of using verse but preserving poetic qualities such as heightened imagery and emotional effects.-Characteristics:Prose poetry can be considered either primarily poetry or prose, or a separate genre altogether...
, prompting thriller author Harry Shannon
Harry Shannon
Harry Shannon is an American novelist, songwriter and entertainer. He was born Harry Rivard Siebert in Reno, Nevada, to Dr. William L. Siebert and Belle Elizabeth Cazier. He has a brother, Dwight Siebert, and a sister, Marsha Desiderio. Shannon was married from 1978 to 1988 to Swiss singer...
to refer to him as "a linguistic acrobat who works without a net."
Noted editor and anthologist Ellen Datlow
Ellen Datlow
Ellen Datlow is an American science fiction, fantasy, and horror editor and anthologist.-Biography:Datlow was the fiction editor of Omni magazine and Omni Online from 1981 through 1998, and edited the ten associated Omni anthologies...
, in volume 3 of her The Best Horror of the Year, wrote: "Diary of a Gentleman Diabolist by Robin Spriggs is a series of well-wrought interconnected prose poems of the ghostly and uncanny." Internationally distributed fan magazine Fangoria
Fangoria
Fangoria is an American magazine devoted to horror and exploitation films, which has a number of associated brands:* Fangoria Comics* Fangoria Films* Fangoria RadioFangoria may also refer to:* Fangoria , a Spanish electro pop band...
referred to the same collection as "a rather ingenious little grimoire charting—in fractured, dreamlike form—the trip of a seeker, someone who dives head first into the fevered realms of black magic and beyond, encountering all manner of arcane horror and supernatural phenomena."
Due to the cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
popularity of his aforementioned Dracula Poems, the long out-of-print book often commands inordinately high prices.http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0963429655
As an actor, Spriggs was called "terrific" by Variety magazinehttp://www.variety.com/review/VE1117924373?categoryid=31&cs=1 for his 2004 performance in Paul Schattel's Sinkhole.http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/310402/Sinkhole/overview He most recently appeared as Chris Amante on the USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
drama series Necessary Roughness
Necessary Roughness (TV series)
Necessary Roughness is a USA Network television series starring Callie Thorne and Marc Blucas. The one-hour drama series was picked up for 12 episodes on January 19, 2011...
.
External links
- Robin Spriggs at Hollywood Reporter
- Robin Spriggs's Wondrous Strange on Internet Book List
- House of Nine - Fan site dedicated to Robin Spriggs
- Interview with Robin Spriggs at Read Horror