In our upcoming book The Anatomical Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors, which will be released March 29, Sandy explains how he met Dr. Luis Merlo, who initially appeared like an intelligent, talented doctor from Ecuador.

But things started to change as Dr. Merlo slowly became disturbed, fearful, and seemingly hunted by something indescribable. Read the genesis of Sandy’s relationship with this enigmatic scientist.

In 2018, Dr. Luis Merlo first contacted me with his idea for a scientific work about the otherworld entities which Howard Phillips Lovecraft first revealed to the world in the 1920s and 1930s. Naturally I assumed this would be a work of fiction, like my own Petersen’s Field Guides (1987, 1988).

But as Luis started sending me more and more of his sketches, some on paper stained by mysterious fluids, I started wondering … just where WAS he getting these? One letter came with a thumbprint stained in blood, and Luis’ cover letter mentioned that he would not be able to draw any images for a few weeks, because his arm had been “injured in a recent foray”. Once, a package came with a pungent-smelling, horny claw, which he claimed to be a Deep One’s fingernail. I was even more mystified.

At the King’s masquerade ball, an eldritch horror is unleashed, and the ultimate abomination rises above the city! Yet, this is only the beginning – volume 1 of The Big Sleep – an entire campaign devoted to exploring the terrors and wonders of the Great Old One Tsathoggua – the Sleeper.