Ever since the BFS AGM there has been discussion about the future for the society's regular publications, Dark Horizons, New Horizons and Prism.
Under the society's new chairman, David Howe, it looks as if it's certain now that Prism, the BFS Newsletter will be merged into the other publications. The likely result will be, I think, that the reviews will go, for the most part, online on the BFS website, and the articles will end up inside DH and NH.
Although it is suggested that these will go in as a supplement, since both publications already do articles and interviews, I can't see why there is any need for these to appear as a "supplement" at all, rather than just merged in as part and parcel of the publication. In which case, really, Prism as such will disappear.
I can't say I'm not disappointed at this as I have enjoyed my brief time as Prism's editor and did hope to make it a periodical members would look forward to getting through the post. But financial considerations do seem to make this the only alternative - and reviews online will appear much quicker than they could in a quarterly publication.
Oddly enough, I was there at the very beginning in the early seventies when the bulletin went from being a mimeographed sheet into a proper, substantial litho-printed publication for the first time, and it seems as if I'll now see out its demise.
Whether there will be a December issue of Prism I am not sure. If it is, that will probably be the final one.
After that, I suppose, I'll be back to being an ordinary member of the BFS again.
Thursday, 30 September 2010
Susan Hill Says No One Writes Ghost Stories Set In Modern Times???
Saw this on the Ramsey Campbell Message Board about Susan Hill talking about her latest ghost story novel on Radio 4. I really, really wonder about the vanity of some people. For someone who sets great store on her ghost story novels, you would think she would at least do a little research, or does she really believe she is unique?
Even if she doesn't have much of an opinion for some God damned reason for writers like Ramsey Campbell, to take just one example (though she should have!), what about Kingsley Amis's The Green Man?
Vanity, vanity, vanity.
Or just a load of pretentious old bollocks.
Even if she doesn't have much of an opinion for some God damned reason for writers like Ramsey Campbell, to take just one example (though she should have!), what about Kingsley Amis's The Green Man?
Vanity, vanity, vanity.
Or just a load of pretentious old bollocks.
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
BFS Open Night - Manchester - Sunday 5th December
I have just learned that BFS chairman, David Howe, has managed to book a venue for a BFS Open Night in Manchester on Sunday the 5th December at The Lass O'Gowrie Pub.
It's address is 36 Charles Street, Manchester, M1 7DB.
It starts at 6.00 p.m. onwards.
Although Sunday night is not ideal, it's better than nothing. I'll be driving there, so it's an alcohol free night for me.
For ongoing information about this event check out this link to the BFS site.
It's address is 36 Charles Street, Manchester, M1 7DB.
It starts at 6.00 p.m. onwards.
Although Sunday night is not ideal, it's better than nothing. I'll be driving there, so it's an alcohol free night for me.
For ongoing information about this event check out this link to the BFS site.
The Seventh Black Book of Horror
There's an interesting discussion of the Seventh volume here on the Vault of Evil, including some reviews of the stories inside it.
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Lucilla
You know some stories end so easily. It's there. It's finished. And not a word needs altering.
Others...
I'm afraid Lucilla is one of those. Spent a lot of today working and reworking the final pages.
I think I need to put it to one side for a while. Look at it in a few months time, refreshed.
Others...
I'm afraid Lucilla is one of those. Spent a lot of today working and reworking the final pages.
I think I need to put it to one side for a while. Look at it in a few months time, refreshed.
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
Lucilla
Having decided that this story wasn't right to be much longer than a novella, I finally finished the first draft tonight, drawing it to a conclusion at 25,700 words.
The final part will need some revision before it will be finally finished, and perhaps putting to one side for several months. Other than that, I am happy with it.
The final part will need some revision before it will be finally finished, and perhaps putting to one side for several months. Other than that, I am happy with it.
Monday, 20 September 2010
Russian Website: Лаборатория Фантастики
It looks as if my piece about The Mammoth Book of Zombies being published in Russia has been picked up on a Russian website, Лаборатория Фантастики (Laboratory of the Fantastic is my best translation), which is fantastic in itself.
The Mammoth Books of Zombies/The Monster Book of Zombies
Further to my comments about the Russian version of this anthology yesterday, which has been republished in various places under different titles, I have been informed by Stefan Dziemianowicz on the All Hallows message board that The Monster Book of Zombies, published last year in the States by Metro Books, is to be republished there again next summer.
This anthology just seems to go on and on. Amazing.
This anthology just seems to go on and on. Amazing.
Chris Barker
In earlier threads I have written about Chris Barker.
FantasyCon 2010, though, was the first time I actually had the opportunity to meet him, when I spotted him, stood at one end of the hotel bar, chatting with Reggie Oliver. Not to my surprise, when I went up to him and introduced myself, I found him a really nice bloke. I had already noticed his blogsite, horrorwatch, had closed down. I am glad it has. It's been my opinion, rightly or not, that he does not handle internet debates very well. He is much better to talk to face to face. He is also a much better writer than I think those who have become bitter enemies of his would like or imagine.
Anyway, I'm glad to have met Chris Barker, after having occasionally sparred with him in the past, and been able to shake hands at last.
Click on this link to see my comments on Chris Barker's story, The Melancholy Haunting of Nicholas Parkes.
FantasyCon 2010, though, was the first time I actually had the opportunity to meet him, when I spotted him, stood at one end of the hotel bar, chatting with Reggie Oliver. Not to my surprise, when I went up to him and introduced myself, I found him a really nice bloke. I had already noticed his blogsite, horrorwatch, had closed down. I am glad it has. It's been my opinion, rightly or not, that he does not handle internet debates very well. He is much better to talk to face to face. He is also a much better writer than I think those who have become bitter enemies of his would like or imagine.
Anyway, I'm glad to have met Chris Barker, after having occasionally sparred with him in the past, and been able to shake hands at last.
Click on this link to see my comments on Chris Barker's story, The Melancholy Haunting of Nicholas Parkes.
Sunday, 19 September 2010
Out of Corruption published in Russia
One of the biggest surprises I got over the weekend at FantasyCon was Steve Jones coming over to me with a hardbound book called Zombi, (ЗОМБИ) which is a Russian version of The Mammoth Book of Zombies, which contains my novella Out of Corruption (Из Тлена).
This is a beautiful book, with gilt patterning on the cover and spine, and is without a doubt the most impressive version of that collection yet.
One of the best things about Steve is the fact that he does his very best to make sure that every author in his anthologies gets a copy of every version published anywhere in the world. For which, especially on this occasion, I am very grateful.
This is a beautiful book, with gilt patterning on the cover and spine, and is without a doubt the most impressive version of that collection yet.
One of the best things about Steve is the fact that he does his very best to make sure that every author in his anthologies gets a copy of every version published anywhere in the world. For which, especially on this occasion, I am very grateful.
FantasyCon 2010
We have only just arrived home a couple of hours ago from FantasyCon 2010, so I'm not really up to sayiong too much about it yet, except that this was one of the best, most interesting and well-organised conventions I have ever been too. It was also great to meet so many interestsing and nice people.
Anyway, as an appetiser here are a few photos we took there:
Anyway, as an appetiser here are a few photos we took there:
Joel Lane & Allyson Bird and some of the authors of the anthology Never Again at its signing
Lisa Tuttle, Garry Kilworth and Guy Adams
Lisa Tuttle being interviewed by Stephen Jones
Stephen Jones, Jo Fletcher, Marc Gascoigne & Jonathan Oliver
John L. Probert reads His Beautiful Hands by Oscar Cook at the Pan Book of Horror launch
John L. Probert and Johnny Mains at the Pan Book of Horror launch
Some of the people at the Pan Book of Horror launch
Some more of the guests at the PBH launch
Johnny Mains and Charlie Black at the PBH launch.
Reggie Oliver & John L. Probert at the PBH launch
Joel Lane, Les Edwards and Stephen Jones discussing Robert E. Howard
Ramsey Campbell, Mike Chinn, Joel Lane, Les Edwards & Stephen Jones discussing Robert E. Howard
Alasdair Stuart interviews SF author Peter F. Hamilton
Bryan Talbot discussing the anthropomorphic tradition in art
The FantasyCon committee relaxing after it is all over with a few well deserved drinks
Thursday, 16 September 2010
BFS Publications: advertising rates
The BFS produces three publications:
Prism, the quarterly newsletter, which has reviews, articles and interviews.
Dark Horizons, a half-yearly magazine specialising in fiction, poetry, articles and interviews.
New Horizons, a half-yearly magazine specialising in fiction, poetry, articles and interviews.
£12 for half-page
£7.50 for quarter-page
£35 back cover
Anyone interested should follow this link.
Prism, the quarterly newsletter, which has reviews, articles and interviews.
Dark Horizons, a half-yearly magazine specialising in fiction, poetry, articles and interviews.
New Horizons, a half-yearly magazine specialising in fiction, poetry, articles and interviews.
Advertising rates are very reasonable:
£20 for full page
£12 for half-page
£7.50 for quarter-page
£35 back cover
Anyone interested should follow this link.
Self-Promotion - Does it sometimes go too far?
Mark Samuels has raised some interesting issues on his blog about the amount of self promotion that goes on these days amongst various writers.
Mark says: "I’m finding it increasingly difficult to drum up enthusiasm within myself for the horror/weird fiction genre right now. It’s not the literature itself that depresses me, it’s the insular self-obsessed promotional circus that surrounds it. I know there are good talented folk in there, but, by heaven, they’re not the ones making the most noise."
I must admit I do have a certain amount of sympathy for what he says. I've noticed on the BFS Forum (and elsewhere) that some people (a minority) only seem to find the energy to post something when it's about themselves and never say anything about other writers or about anything else in fact. A bit of self promotion is all very good - and these days writers do need to use their voice if they're to be noticed. But some do take this too far. Whether this ultimately does them any good or not, I'm unsure. When I see certain posts from some of the worst culprits, I must admit I avoid them like the plague.
Mark adds: "It used to be acceptable to hold the view that if you were talented enough, you didn’t have to talk about your work; others would do so."
Maybe, but there is a kind of quid pro quo attitude, and unless you are prepared to talk about others, I don't think many will talk about you either. Of course when that happens it's called back-slapping or cronyism which is perhaps regarded even worse than self-promotion!
I like to hope that Mark's attitude is the right one. But message boards aren't the place to find it. That's in reviews by people who don't have an axe to grind, like She Never Slept or The Black Abyss or in journals like Prism.
Edited to add Weirdmonger too, the unique D. F. Lewis, whose reviews, especially his Real-Time ones, are so enjoyable if sometimes mystifying to read!
Mark says: "I’m finding it increasingly difficult to drum up enthusiasm within myself for the horror/weird fiction genre right now. It’s not the literature itself that depresses me, it’s the insular self-obsessed promotional circus that surrounds it. I know there are good talented folk in there, but, by heaven, they’re not the ones making the most noise."
I must admit I do have a certain amount of sympathy for what he says. I've noticed on the BFS Forum (and elsewhere) that some people (a minority) only seem to find the energy to post something when it's about themselves and never say anything about other writers or about anything else in fact. A bit of self promotion is all very good - and these days writers do need to use their voice if they're to be noticed. But some do take this too far. Whether this ultimately does them any good or not, I'm unsure. When I see certain posts from some of the worst culprits, I must admit I avoid them like the plague.
Mark adds: "It used to be acceptable to hold the view that if you were talented enough, you didn’t have to talk about your work; others would do so."
Maybe, but there is a kind of quid pro quo attitude, and unless you are prepared to talk about others, I don't think many will talk about you either. Of course when that happens it's called back-slapping or cronyism which is perhaps regarded even worse than self-promotion!
I like to hope that Mark's attitude is the right one. But message boards aren't the place to find it. That's in reviews by people who don't have an axe to grind, like She Never Slept or The Black Abyss or in journals like Prism.
Edited to add Weirdmonger too, the unique D. F. Lewis, whose reviews, especially his Real-Time ones, are so enjoyable if sometimes mystifying to read!
FantasyCon 2010
I shan't be posting much on here for several days after today as I'll be at FantasyCon in Nottingham.
Lin and I'll be driving there, along with several boxes of Charles Black's Black Books of Horror, the 7th volume of which was delivered to us yesterday by the printer. Only had a brief look at the new one so far, but the opening story by Thana Niveau is a cracker: dark, gloomy, unsettling and downright creepy.
There are lots of interesting talks, interviews, discussions, readings, etc at the convention - as usual - though as usual I have managed not to volunteer for any of them!
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