New PUP advert in Phantasmagoria Magazine

Trevor Kennedy is very kindly publishing the following advert for Parallel Universe Publications in the next issue of Phantasmagoria Magazine.

Next big project: Centenary Book on William Hope Hodgson

The next big project for Parallel Universe Publications will be a centenary volume commemorating the 100th anniversary of the death of William Hope Hodgson in April 1918 in the First World War. The book will be 11.5 x 8.5 inches in size, and be a mixture of artricles, stories and artwork, put together by Jim Pitts, Nick Caffrey and David A. Riley. 

In the early years of the twentieth century Hodgson lived in Blackburn, Lancashire where both Jim and Nick now live and only three miles from where David lives. During his time in Blackburn Hodgson ran a body-building gym and had a newsworthy encounter with Houdini at the town's Palace Theatre. It was also where he wrote his first published stories: The Terror of the Water-Tank and The Goddess of Death, which were inspired by the water-tank on Revidge Road in Blackburn and by a statue of Flora in the town's Corporation Park. The book will include photos of the places associated to Hodgson's years spent in Blackburn. More details later. 

Eric Ian Steele

As well as the hardcover version of Eric Ian Steele's horror/SF story collection, Nightscape, a trade paperback version (£9.99) will also be available within the next few days.

As a screenwriter, Eric's latest movie, The Student, will be out soon, starring Alica Leigh Willis and Blake Michael.

Below is the poster from this movie.

Adrian Cole's Tough Guys Reviewed on the Horror Review website

Adrian Cole's Tough Guys gets a favourable review by Brian J. Lewis on The Horror Review website.

"Do you like adventure stories with a supernatural twist? Then Tough Guys by Adrian Cole might be exactly what you’re after. Cole gives us four stories to enjoy in this volume that show us four very different types of tough guy."

Click onto the link above to read the full review. 

Parallel Universe Publications to be at Sledge-Lit 3 in Derby on 25th November

For the first time Parallel Universe Publications has booked a stand at Sledge-Lit 3 in Derby for the 25th November.  First confirmed Guest of Honour is Alison Littlewood.

All our books will be available, including The Fantastical Art of Jim Pitts.

Manning our stand will be Jim Pitts and me.

Nightscape by Eric Ian Steele is now available

We are pleased to announce that copies of our latest hardcover book, Eric Ian Steele's brilliant collection of stories, Nightscape, is now available.

Order direct from us 

 

amazon.co.uk £20.00

amazon.com $26.00

Eric Ian Steele is a novelist and screenwriter from Manchester, England. He is the writer of the horror novel The Autumn Man, as well as the thriller feature film The Student (2017) and the action/sci-fi feature film Clone Hunter (2010). He won the prestigious Writers on the Storm screenwriting contest in 2012 and has had short films produced across the USA. He has also written for hire on a children’s sci-fi animated TV series. His short stories range from science-fiction to horror and fantasy and can be found in numerous anthologies and magazines including Terror Tales alongside fiction by Neil Gaiman and Kim Newman, The Lovecraft E-Zine, Horror Without Victims, the superhero fiction anthology POW!erful Tales, and the zombie poetry collection Vicious Verses and Reanimated Rhymes! 

Parlour Tricks by Carl Barker due from Parallel Universe Publications next month

Next month will see the publication in hardback of a new collection of short stories, Parlour Tricks by Carl Barker.

Carl resides in the Scottish Borders, where he can often be found skulking around ruined castles in the dark and generally getting up to no good - or so he claims.  With more than twenty short stories to his name, his work has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies over the last eight years, including The Alchemy Press Book of Urban Mythic 2, Shadows Masters; an anthology from The Horror Zine; and Terror Tales of the Scottish Highlands.

The cover artwork is by Luke Spooner, who also provided the cover art for an earlier collection from Parallel Universe, Their Cramped Dark World and Other Tales by David A. Riley.

Jim Pitts and his two British Fantasy Awards

Not many people win a British Fantasy Award, given out each year at Fantasycon. Fewer still win twice. Jim Pitts is one of those few, winning the award for Best Artist in 1992 and 1993.

Although these were designed by fellow artist, Dave Carson, the original British Fantasy Award was a statuette designed by Jim.

It wasn't only in the world of fantasy that Jim artistic merit was recognised. Years earlier he won the Ken McIntyre Award at the annual British Science Fiction Convention (Eastercon) held in Chester in 1972.

Pre-Order Offer on The Fantastical Art of Jim Pitts

The Fantastical Art of Jim Pitts - pre-order price: £35.00 plus postage and packing. All pre-orders will include 4 high-quality, personally signed A4 black and white prints of Jim Pitts' artwork, which will be unavailable elsewhere. Pre-orders are any made up to and including the 1st September, 2017, when the book will be published.

Copies can either be pre-ordered using the PayPal button or by cheque, payable to Riley Books, 130 Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, BB5 3DR, UK. 

The book is limited to 250 numbered copies, every one of which will be signed by Jim Pitts.

After FantasyCon the price will rise to £40 plus postage and packing.

Dedicated Facebook Page for The Fantastical Art of Jim Pitts

We now have a dedicated page on Facebook for The Fantastical Art of Jim Pitts, where uptodate information about this great book will be regularly posted.

Please take a look at it. Better still "like" it too. 

Proof copies received for The Fantastical Art of Jim Pitts

The proof copies of The Fantastical Art of Jim Pitts have arrived. Even though I knew the size of the book beforehand I was still surprised to see just how big the book is in reality! Here are a few photos of it.

 

Nightscape by Eric Ian Steele is the next book from Parallel Universe Publications

Eric Ian Steele is a novelist and screenwriter from Manchester, England. He is the writer of the horror novel The Autumn Man, as well as the thriller feature film The Student (2017) and the action/sci-fi feature film Clone Hunter (2010). He won the prestigious Writers on the Storm screenwriting contest in 2012 and has had short films produced across the USA. He has also written for hire on a children’s sci-fi animated TV series. His short stories range from science-fiction to horror and fantasy and can be found in numerous anthologies and magazines including Terror Tales alongside fiction by Neil Gaiman and Kim Newman, The Lovecraft E-Zine, Horror Without Victims, the superhero fiction anthology POW!erful Tales, and the zombie poetry collection Vicious Verses and Reanimated Rhymes!  

Unlike earlier PUP books, Nightscape will initially be published in hardcover, price £19.99 and will be available for order within the next few weeks. It includes eleven tales:

Charlie - first published in Terror Tales #4, edityed by John B. Ford and Paul Kane

The Musical Box - first published in Chaos Theory: Tales Askew #13, edited by A. A. Roberts

The Groaner in the Glen - first published in The Lovecraft eZine #29, edited by Mike Davis

City of the Damned - first published in In Bad Dreams II

Black Annis - first published in The Willows #1, edited by Ben Thomas

After the Fall - first published in Chaos Theory: Tales Askew #3, edited by A. A. Roberts

Moths - first published in Scifantastic

Cycle - first published in Terminal Earth

A Dahlia Among the Roses, Ars Armortia, and Indian Summer are original to this collection.

Wordery - all of Parallel Universe Publications' books can be ordered here

If you don't care for amazon, all Parallel Universe Publications books are available at wordery.

Wordery.com

With over 10 million books on Wordery, all with free worldwide delivery, we're dedicated to helping fellow bookworms find the right books at the lowest prices.

wordery.com

Hard cover version of Fishhead: The Darker Tales of Irvin S. Cobb

Parallel Universe Publications is pleased to announce that we have now published a hard cover version of Fishhead: The Darker Tales of Irvin S. Cobb, which is available direct frrom us for £20.00, including postage and packing within the UK. Overseas purchasers, please contact us for details.

paralleluniversepublications@gmx.co.uk

First book of poetry to be published by Parallel Universe Publications: Standing on the Threshold of Madness by Benjamin Blake

We are pleased to announce that Benjamin Blake's acclaimed collection of poems, Standing on the Threshold of Madness, is now available as a trade paperback.

Respected Lovecraftian scholar S. T. Joshi had this to say about Benjamin Blake's collection:

"I was most impressed with Standing on the Threshold of Madness. These dark, brooding vignettes do far more than send a shudder up one's spine (although they do that again and again, with elegance and panache). Benjamin Blake has found a way to infuse into his horrific lyrics a keen sensitivity to human emotions, an understanding of the fragility of life, and a bleak portrayal of the evanescence of all existence. This is a volume that aficionados of weird poetry will want to read over and over." S. T. Joshi.

Other comments about Benjamin Blake and his poetry:

“Benjamin Blake relishes funereal lyricism with a spice

of surrealism.” - Ramsey Campbell 
 

"Language and imagery rule in this collection of dark visions. Blake has a distinctive voice, rich in surrealism, and he uses it to considerable effect." - Bruce Boston, SFPA Grandmaster Poet 
 

“A plethora of dark and haunting poems that could be likened to a bone chilling symphony overall! Mood enhancing language that will curdle the blood, and excellent, original imagery!” - Marge Simon, Bram Stoker Award winning poet

amazon.co.uk  £9.99 

amazon.com  $12.99

S. T. Joshi on Benjamin Blake's Standing on the Threshold of Madness

Respected Lovecraftian scholar S. T. Joshi had this to say about Benjamin Blake's forthcoming collection of poems from Parallel Universe Publications, Standing on the Threshold of Madness:
"I was most impressed with Standing on the Threshold of Madness. These dark, brooding vignettes do far more than send a shudder up one's spine (although they do that again and again, with elegance and panache). Benjamin Blake has found a way to infuse into his horrific lyrics a keen sensitivity to human emotions, an understanding of the fragility of life, and a bleak portrayal of the evanescence of all existence. This is a volume that aficionados of weird poetry will want to read over and over."

Other comments about Benjamin Blake and his poetry:

“Benjamin Blake relishes funereal lyricism with a spice of surrealism.” - Ramsey Campbell 
 

"Language and imagery rule in this collection of dark visions. Blake has a distinctive voice, rich in surrealism, and he uses it to considerable effect." - Bruce Boston, SFPA Grandmaster Poet 
 

“A plethora of dark and haunting poems that could be likened to a bone chilling symphony overall! Mood enhancing language that will curdle the blood, and excellent, original imagery!” - Marge Simon, Bram Stoker Award winning poet

England 'B': Ninety Minutes of Hell reviewed on The Vault of Evil

Franklin Marsh wrote a tongue-in-the-cheek yet perceptive review of Richard Staines' England 'B': Ninety Minutes of Hell on The Vault of Evil - and has kindly given us permission to reprint it here.

"Thanks to the insane generosity of the good Mr Riley on this young person's social media thingy (Facebook), I've managed to blag a copy - and, hurling a host of anthos, Goth compilation CDs and Shaun Hutson's The Skull to one side, hurtled through Mr Staines' first two soccer cautionary tales at high speed, being projected back in time to when attending a football match could be classed as an extreme sport (for fans and players alike), to when men weren't confused and women were glad of it, to when England still hadn't realised it was somewhere below the Third World in terms of significance, when a trilby was the height of sartorial elegance for one positioning themselves as a football manager and when Crystal Palace turned from The Glaziers into The Eagles (and released Hotel California to widespread acclaim and disgust in equal measure. The Sex Pistols had to happen.)

*SPOILERS*

No Such Thing as A Friendly was even better second time around, the psychotic Nigel-Green-In-Zulu Mad Mickey Clinch's all too soon demise had tears (of mirth) springing to my eyes.

A Game of Two Halves upped the ante with cartoon Russkies eclipsing Michael Moorcock's The Russian Intelligence and any spy film from the 1960s. The actual make up of the Soviet opposition was unprecedented and brilliant. Vince's match unfitness and desperate hip flask swigging was all too real.

Utter genius! You can almost smell the grease and burnt onions pre-match atmosphere, and am looking forward to fear...the fear of becoming lost in unfamiliar side streets...hearing a roar go up... is it us or is it them...? Or failing that, some Satanic Haunted House shenanigans.

The Ref's Decision Is Final - if the portrayal of Russians in the previous story was somewhat stereotypical, this is taken to the nth degree with Caledonians (although as an Englishman I found it very truthful) and perhaps proscribes sales of the book north of the border. But I don't think anyone will worry as The Smuggler's Arms is as good a den of iniquity as you could wish for, Class War is alive and well and once again Vince and his merry band of handy reprobates face a life and death struggle in pursuit of the not-so-beautiful game. However far from grass roots the Premier League, the Champions League and the obscene amounts of money now involved in football take us, Richard Staines can furnish a timely reminder of how it once was. And there's an axe-wielding psychopath and Moira Anderson.

Get Your Fritz Out For The Lads - There's only two ways this is going to go - women and Germany. Our rag, tag and bobtail hard-drinking, chain-smoking, skirt-chasing rogues have no sooner escaped death at the blade of a crazed Scotsman than their excessively air-conditioned coach has broken down in the grounds of a remote stately home in Northern England. If a blood-lusting pack of Doberman Pinschers aren't clue enough, the strangely Teutonic (not to mention vaguely feminine) Lord soon has the lads locked up in a cellar with unlimited Blue Nun and the real aristocrat, before releasing them to face a cloned team of Nazi Amazons. Will their nightmare never end? Not just yet. Arguably the greatest 70s signpost yet is the shoehorning in of the Bermuda Triangle. Some clues to the real identity of the man behind the Staines can be glimpsed via a (censored?) thesis on Catholicism and a disturbing familiarity with Leslie McManus' WWII melodrama Jackboot Girls.

Football's Dark Arts - America's on the receiving end this time. Glorious stuff, with Vince discovering that the wide-open spaces of Texas look just like a long episode of Rawhide (except in colour) and small town America can be a frightening place, but not as frightening as the Astral Plane where a most unique game of football takes place. Weird dreams, sinister monk-like apparitions and Jack Parsons namechecked. Huzzah!

They Think It's All Over - Sadly we come to the end of this odd but howlingly accurate glance at a different world. The transposition of homosexuality with vampirism skewers both targets (even though the dartboard keeps falling off the wall). Vince's puzzled assertion that gays didn't exist before 1967 apart from Oscar Wilde (who had the decency to get married and father a couple of kids) and the parody of the laborious Dracula AD 1972 anagram working out had me laughing out loud.

Nothing like this exists elsewhere. Thank goodness."

Read more: http://vaultofevil.proboards.com/thread/6198/richard-staines-england-minutes#ixzz4aonX6cko

Five-star review of Tough Guys by Adrian Cole on the Slaughtered Bird website

There is a truly brilliant 5-star review of Adrian Cole's collection Tough Guys on the Slaughtered Bird website by David Bubrow.

"If you’re familiar with Adrian Cole’s body of work, what I’m about to say about his collection of novellas TOUGH GUYS won’t come as a surprise. If you’re not familiar, then thank me, because I’m going to tell you about an amazing read. Simply put, TOUGH GUYS is the best old-school horror I’ve read in many, many years. In it, Cole reaches deep into your soul to elicit atavistic terrors, making the stories timeless, while mingling them with a feeling of adventure reminiscent of the finest works of Robert E Howard and Michael Moorcock."

To read the full review click on this link. 

Next Book from PUP will be a collection of poems by Benjamin Blake: Standing on the Threshold of Madness

The next book from Parallel Universe Publications will be a collection of poems by Benjamin Blake: Standing on the Threshold of Madness.

Benjamin Blake was born in the July of 1985, and grew up in the small town of Eltham, New Zealand. He is the author of the poetry and prose collections A Prayer for Late October, Southpaw Nights, and Reciting Shakespeare with the Dead. His debut novel, The Devil's Children, was published in October of 2016.  

Find more of his work at www.benjaminblake.com 
 

Praise for Standing on the Threshold of Madness and Benjamin Blake:
 

“Benjamin Blake relishes funereal lyricism with a spice of surrealism.” - Ramsey Campbell 
 

"Language and imagery rule in this collection of dark visions. Blake has a distinctive voice, rich in surrealism, and he uses it to considerable effect." - Bruce Boston, SFPA Grandmaster Poet 
 

“A plethora of dark and haunting poems that could be likened to a bone chilling symphony overall! Mood enhancing language that will curdle the blood, and excellent, original imagery!” - Marge Simon, Bram Stoker Award winning poet

A Great Review for Jessica Palmer's Other Visions of Heaven and Hell on the British Fantasy Society website

There's yet another great review for a PUP book on the British Fantasy Society website. This time it's the turn of Other Visions of Heaven and Hell by Jessica Palmer.

"With Parallel Universe Publications, readers always get their money’s worth as Jessica has over 20 short stories to interest the discerning horror reader. Some have been published in anthologies such as Last Laugh for Weirdbook #28, Cinderella Revisited, Weirdbook #29 and What the Dickens in Substance."

For the rest of the review follow this link.