The Robert E. Howard Foundation Awards & Other Announcements

Every year, the board of directors chooses articles, artwork/artists, and other people/projects as nominees for their Foundation Awards. These people & projects are nominated due to their efforts at furthering Robert E. Howard and his works in academia and popular culture. There are eleven nomination categories:

1. The Atlantean—Outstanding Achievement, Book (non-anthology/collection)
2. The Valusian—Outstanding Achievement, Book (anthology/collection)
3. The Hyrkanian—Outstanding Achievement, Essay (Print)
4. The Cimmerian—Outstanding Achievement, Essay (Online)
5. The Venarium—Emerging Scholar
6. The Stygian—Outstanding Achievement, Website
7. The Aquilonian—Outstanding Achievement, Periodical
8. The Black Lotus—Outstanding Achievement, Multimedia
9. The Black River—Special Achievement
10. The Rankin—Artistic achievement in the depiction of REH’s life and/or work
11. Black Circle Award—Lifetime Achievement

This year, many of the above categories included people/articles from this very website (On An Underwood No. 5). In fact, On An Underwood No. 5 was nominated for The Stygian and made it to the final voting stage but was ultimately beat by the ever popular and long standing website: REH: Two-Gun Raconteur. There is always next year!

Two nominees were for actual articles/series from this website:

DAVID PISKE – “Barbarism and Civilization in the Letters of Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft: A Summary with Commentary (6 parts).”

BOBBY DERIE – “The Mirror of E’ch-Pi-El: Robert E. Howard in the Letters of H.P. Lovecraft (3 parts).”

And, several of the writers/scholars who were nominated (some also won) contributed to On An Underwood No. 5. These were:

BOBBY DERIE – Contributed essays to TGR blog, On An Underwood No. 5, and compiled the The Collected Letters of REH: Index and Addenda

TODD VICK — Contributed essays to TGR and On An Underwood No. 5; Editor of On An Underwood No. 5 blog

DAMON SASSER — Awarded for his journal and Blog - REH: Two-Gun Racontuer, also contributed an essay last year (2015) to On An Underwood No. 5

ROB ROEHM — For his biographical research published at the REH: Two-Gun Raconteur Blog, On an Underwood No. 5, and the Black Gate website.

One other first round nominee was for David Bowles who wrote an excellent article for this blog titled, "Toltec Traces in “The Thunder-Rider." Also, award winner Barbara Barrett contributed several articles here at On An Underwood No. 5: The Game's Afoot! & An Overview of Robert E. Howard's Poem: "The Ballad of King Geraint". Barbara tied with David Piske for the The Cimmerian Award — Outstanding Achievement, Essay (Online) for her series at REH: Two-Gun Raconteur titled “Hester Jane Ervin Howard and Tuberculosis (3 parts).”

This is quite a showing from this little blog in a single year. As editor of this blog, I am quite proud to have participated in all the above. But it should be pointed out that of those listed above, two are regular contributors to On an Underwood No. 5.

The first of these is, Bobby Derie. This year Bobby won two REH Foundation awards:

Bobby Derie with his REH Foundation awards
on the REH House porch in Cross Plains, TX

The Atlantean Award — Outstanding Achievement, Book (non-anthology/collection), for his book titled The Collected Letters of REH: Index and Addenda (which I have used and am currently using for research).

And, The Venarium Award — Emerging Scholar.

It should also be noted that Bobby Derie is a well established H.P. Lovecraft scholar. And, with regard to Lovecraft studies Derie is the author of Sex and the Cthulhu Mythos. Derie has contributed a number of high quality articles here at On an Underwood No. 5 over the past year.

The second of these is, David Piske. Piske has written one of the more popular series (in terms of clicks on the series) here at On An Underwood No. 5. Not only was this Piske first year to even be nominated for an REH Foundation award, but he actually won an award:

David Piske with his REH Foundation award
at the REH house in Cross Plains, TX

The Cimmerian Award — Outstanding Achievement, Essay (Online) for his series “Barbarism and Civilization in the Letters of Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft: A Summary with Commentary.”

Piske has also written the popular trip reports for the last two Howard Days events: 2015 & 2016

Piske is also wrapping up his award winning series, "Barbarism and Civilization in the Letters of Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft: A Summary with Commentary." So, readers can expect a few final posts on that series in the near future. 

My goal for 2015 and 2016 was to raise the quality and standard of articles that appear at On An Underwood No. 5. I think I've accomplished this. I hope to be able to continue that standard in the years to come. However, I must admit that it is very time taxing and difficult to get solid writers/scholars lined up to write for the blog. I've invited at least a half-dozen other scholars/writers to contribute to On An Underwood No. 5, several have said they would when their schedules clear up or they can find the time.

In the meantime, I'll try my best to provide a few articles over the next months. However, I am currently working on a book to be published by The University of Texas Press about the last 6 years of Robert E. Howard's life. This work, of course, will keep me extremely busy. Cheers!