I woke to find myself in a dark wood, for I had wandered off from the straight path.

While I wholeheartedly understand and respect the fact that as a production of the nature and calibre of ‘Dust and Shadows’ nears completion that tempers grow shorter, I have reached what may be considered my ‘breaking point’ with Ritter. He is rude, classless and boorish, and not in the strangely endearing sort of way that Stone manages to affect.

Since our interview I have suspected that Ritter’s hatred of psychologists is far from a put-on persona and his recent behaviour toward me has confirmed my suspicions that while the character of ‘Ritter’ may be a fictional construction, his general malaise and animosity toward myself – and people in general, Ste.Croix being a noted exception – is almost certainly not an act.

And yet from my observations of the Steampunk Convention show and the Opening Gala, people are strangely drawn to him – although admittedly in a much different fashion than they are to Stone’s gregarious outrageousness. Ritter’s stand-offish personality are reminiscent more of BBC One’s recent Sherlock and less of outright hatred for the human race, but what the average person fails to recognize is that while Benedict Cumberbatch may be putting on what is in essence an oddly lovable sociopathic persona, true sociopaths will just as soon watch you be run over by a lorry as have a pleasant conversation with you over a cup of tea.

I am starting to believe that Ritter may in fact be at least moderately – if not extremely – sociopathic, given his utter lack of empathy toward any other member of the human species. Even his grudging respect for Ste.Croix appears predicated on the notion that he feels she somehow has power over him – and not on anything that a normal person would recognise as affection.

Suffice it to say that were it not for the considerable amount of temporal and financial resources already invested in this project, my contempt for Ritter might have caused me to throw the entire thing out with the proverbial bathwater.

–VKB Angell

It is my pleasure to be able to announce (as of today) that the Unorthodox Arts Foundation will be including a very special ‘show’ of comic art in the lobby area of ‘Dust and Shadows’! There will be several artists featured, some of whom I am given to understand will be exhibiting work that will be very interesting to my own research – it is something I am quite looking forward to. If you have not already purchased your tickets I encourage you to do so here.

On a related personal note it occurred to me today that ‘Dust and Shadows’ is only a little more than a fortnight away! I am uncertain as to whether I am more apprehensive about yet another public appearance (although Ste.Croix assures me I will be asked to do nothing more than observe this time) or of having to maintain a polite facade while dealing with Ritter. I have resigned myself to whatever antics Stone will get himself up to with assurance from Ste.Croix that while aggravating, he is mostly harmless.

‘Mostly harmless’. If only that phrase inspired more confidence. It strikes a note of familiarity with me, although I’m not sure if it is simply that Ste.Croix has used it before with regards to Stone, or if I have read or heard it elsewhere…

–VKB Angell

Ms Kingsley at the Unorthodox Arts Foundation has very kindly redone the webpage for the Dante Effect! If you haven’t been yet it is definitely worth a visit.

I am attempting to continue my work, but despite ceasing my inquiries into Northampton and the history of psychiatric practice, my dreams continue to be unsettling. Nothing as frightening as they were, thankfully, but still full of darkness and dripping and whispers that sound achingly familiar, yet that I cannot identify.

Perhaps it is time for the physician to cease attempting to heal herself and to turn instead to someone with more specialization in sleep…

–VKB Angell

I received a package today from Ste.Croix that requested I post a scan of a letter on their behalf.

To be perfectly frank, I am beginning to grow a bit weary of the constant mystery being perpetuated by the members of Ste.Croix’s Dante Effect. I can only imagine that this Mr John Carmine will prove to be yet another compatriot whom I will need to interview and who will insist upon an impossible biography.

That having been said, I continue to hold out the hope that some day soon Ste.Croix and her compatriots will be willing to reveal the truth about themselves to me. If not, I’m afraid that much of this project’s data will have to be scrapped – after all, fictional information does not serve empirical research terribly well.

Ms Kingsley contacted me today and asked that I be of assistance in promoting not only the upcoming performance of ‘Dust and Shadows’, but also the Kickstarter project that the Unorthodox Arts Foundation has put together in support of it. I understand that as of today there is approximately a fortnight remaining before the Kickstarter project closes.

So whether you are a Boston local and planning to attend or whether you are a friend from far far away, you can still be a part of the program by donating to the Kickstarter project (and, as I understand, you will receive a gift for your trouble!).

–VKB Angell