Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise contributor Bracken MacLeod

When I asked Bracken if he'd be interested in contributing to the book and sent him the list of topics, his response was immediate:

"Oh my god! Are we reserving outline ideas because I want to do Gacy soooooo bad!!!"

Bracken's essay, "I(T) PAGLIACCI: AN INCOMPLETE HISTORY OF CLOWNS AS DARKNESS DISGUISED AS LIGHT" is both personal and enlightening. In addition to Gacy, Bracken discusses Lon Chaney's depiction of Tito in Laugh, Clown, Laugh as well as the 1892 opera, Pagliacci.

But it's Bracken's recollection of a painting his mother did of Chaney as Tito that highlights the essay. The painting that haunted him as a child. "...my mother depicted him looking straight ahead, managing to capture the optical illusion of a gaze that followed me wherever I stood." Years later, Bracken was unable to locate the painting among his mother's possessions.

I consider Bracken a dear friend and feel it's my duty to return that painting to him. I will not rest until I succeed.

Bracken's Bio:

Bracken MacLeod is the Bram Stoker, Shirley Jackson, and two-time Splatterpunk Award nominated author of the novels, Mountain Home, Come to Dust, Stranded, and Closing Costs. The New York Times Book Review called his collection of short fiction, 13 Views of the Suicide Woods, “Superb.” His short stories have also been recognized in the summation and honorable mentions of several volumes of The Best Horror of the Year. His newest collection from Bad Hand Books, Let Not Your Sorrow Die, is available now. A recovering lawyer, Bracken lives outside of Boston.