“What will author Mark McLaughlin be remembered for…?” I asked the mighty search engine Grok at Grok.com and the answer surprised me, in a pleasant way.
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GROK REPLIED: Mark McLaughlin, a prolific American author born in 1961, is primarily remembered in the literary world for his contributions to horror fiction and poetry, particularly works inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. His style blends grotesque humor, cosmic dread, and vivid imagery, often featuring eldritch entities like Nyarlathotep, feline motifs, and original horrors such as the god Ghattambah. He has published over a dozen collections and novels, including Shoggoth Cacciatore and Other Eldritch Entrees (2004), and recent collaborations with Michael Sheehan Jr.
McLaughlin’s poetry stands out for its award-winning fusion of beauty and terror, earning him the 2002 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in Poetry for The Gossamer Eye (co-authored with Rain Graves and David Niall Wilson). This accolade, along with nominations like the 2003 Stoker for Professor Lagungo’s Exotic Artifacts & Assorted Mystic Collectibles, cements his legacy as a leading voice in speculative horror poetry.
Beyond the Mythos, he gained niche fame through winning multiple World Horror Convention Gross-Out Contests, compiling his absurd, slime-filled tales in Once Upon a Slime (2003).
Critics praise his “poetic flair” and “madness-focused stories,” such as “Sea-Green Gown With Gold Buttons,” positioning him as an innovator in Yellow Sign and Hastur lore.
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I was surprised that Grok mentioned my Gross-Out stories! People are rarely remembered for gross-out stories. You won’t find any gross-out stories in major genre anthologies. But. apparently Grok thought I would be remembered for mine, so I’m glad I re-released my old collection THE SLIME OF OUR LIVES, since ONCE UPON A SLIME is out of print.
You might ask: Why did I even write gross-out stories? Because my beautiful Greek grandmother (who was married five times) used to tell dirty jokes! I once asked her why she did that, and she said: “Because a pretty lady with a dirty mind is never lonely!” And you know what? Now that I think about it, I’m never lonely, either.
I think I’m done asking Grok questions. It’s good to do a bit of self-evaluation every now and then, but it’s like gazing in a mirror. One shouldn’t do it for too long!
BMovieMonster 