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March 2008 I am going to Mexico with my wife on the 7th March for a month and will be incommunicado until the 7th April, although I'll have the chance to look at emails occasionally whilst I'm over there. I was surprised the other day when someone remarked to me, in an email, that I was very much a part of the horror scene in the U.K. and highly regarded as an author. Although I know a number of writers, artists and editors in the field, I have to confess that I've not really felt an integral part of any grouping. I think I suffer from some psychological deficiency in this regard. I invariably feel outside of any group, collective or society. My self-perception has been of someone working almost in an underground fashion, not necessarily seeking to undermine the status quo, but retaining the freedom to ignore all of its demands.
In case you missed it, here's the You-Tube reading from last month again.
February 2008 I spent yesterday afternoon doing a little reading from an old story of mine, just to see how it went. You can judge for yourself in this clip I've uploaded to You-Tube. The Basil Copper booklaunch and BFS Open Night was a great success, with a very large turnout indeed and some moving tributes to a legendary writer of horror and crime fiction. Here are some photographs from the event for your delectation.
 The Great Man himself, Basil Copper.  Randy Broecker, Sara Broecker and Pete Crowther.  Mark Samuels and John Llewellyn Probert.  Steve Jones, Basil Copper, Randy Broecker, Les Edwards, Mike Marshall Smith and Pete Crowther.  Lilly Ibelo, Adriana Diaz-Enciso (Mrs S.), Pam Creais and Stuart Young.  The Vault of Evil gang, Mark, Andy, Dem, John and Franklyn.  David Sutton & Erik Arthur.  Madame Copper (foreground), Mr Copper and Mr Michel Parry shaking hands.  Steve Jones surveys the scene.  Kim Newman and Sara Broecker.  Andrew Hook, Sarah Pinborough and Allen Ashley.  Marie 0'Regan and Paul Kane.
January 2008  BASIL COPPER BOOK LAUNCH Hosted by the British Fantasy Society and PS Publishing, the bio/bibliography BASIL COPPER: A LIFE IN BOOKS Compiled and Edited by Stephen Jones will be launched on SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23rd at THE UPSTAIRS BAR, YE OLDE COCK TAVERN, 22 FLEET STREET, LONDON EC4Y 1AA from 6:00pm onwards. Among those signing copies will be BASIL COPPER, editor/co-designer STEPHEN JONES, artists RANDY BROECKER and LES EDWARDS, co-designer MICHAEL MARSHALL SMITH and publisher PETER CROWTHER. Special Guests (subject to commitment) include legendary anthology editors HUGH LAMB, MICHEL PARRY and DAVID A. SUTTON. Basil Copper became a full-time writer in 1970. His first story in the horror field, 'The Spider', was published in 1964 in THE FIFTH PAN BOOK OF HORROR STORIES, since when his short fiction has appeared in numerous collections and anthologies, and been extensively adapted for radio and television. Along with two non-fiction studies of the vampire and werewolf legends, his other books include the novels THE GREAT WHITE SPACE, THE CURSE OF THE FLEERS, NECROPOLIS, THE BLACK DEATH and THE HOUSE OF THE WOLF. Copper has also written more than fifty hardboiled thrillers about Los Angeles private detective Mike Faraday, and has continued the adventures of August Derleth's Sherlock Holmes-like consulting detective Solar Pons in several volumes of short stories and the novel SOLAR PONS VERSUS THE DEVIL'S CLAW. Concluding three years' extensive research, multiple award-winning editor and writer Stephen Jones was given unprecedented and unrestricted access to the books and papers of renowned British macabre and crime writer Basil Copper. The result is BASIL COPPER: A LIFE IN BOOKS, a unique and in-depth study of the author and his works. Not only does this volume contain the most comprehensive Working Bibliography ever compiled of Basil Copper's productive output - including Macabre and Supernatural Novels and Collections, the "Solar Pons" series, the "Mike Faraday" series, Short Fiction and Novellas, Media Adaptations, Unpublished Works and much more, enhanced with commentary by the author himself - but it also features several rare and obscure articles covering everything from Arkham House creator August Derleth to a brief history of Count Dracula. There are also a number of short stories, most of them original to this volume, ranging from his very first published work back in 1938 to a brand-new "Mike Faraday" detective adventure, along with a complete television script based on M.R. James' classic horror story 'Count Magnus'. With an in-depth look at the author's life and career by acclaimed ghost story editor Richard Dalby, and Basil Copper's inspirational Guest of Honour speech from the 1977 British Fantasy Convention, BASIL COPPER: A LIFE IN BOOKS is illustrated with numerous cover reproductions, artwork and unique personal photographs. If you cannot make it to the signing, but still want to PRE-PURCHASE a personally-signed copy (or copies) please contact PS Publishing for details of how to place your order. Dealer's enquiries welcome - trade discounts available. ISBN 978-1-905834-98-3 (Jacketed hardcover) £25.00 / $50.00 (approx.) ISBN 978-1-905834-97-6 (Hardcover) £15.00 / $30.00 (approx.) 280pp BFS BONUS!!! On the night, a number of specially-priced copies of the PS hardcover anthology DON'T TURN OUT THE LIGHT will be available on a first-come basis. Edited by STEPHEN JONES, this third volume in the acclaimed new "Not at Night" series features work by BASIL COPPER, PAUL McAULEY, MARK SAMUELS, JAY RUSSELL, RANDY BROECKER, LES EDWARDS and many others (including Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Charles L. Grant and Hugh B. Cave).
OTHER NEWS  Ellen Datlow's horror anthology INFERNO is now available for sale and contains my story "Ghorla".
In other news, PS Publishing have now announced that they are to publish my next collection of stories, GLYPHOTECH AND OTHER MACABRE PROCESSES, later this year as #5 in their "showcase" series. The book will be introduced by Ramsey Campbell, and advance copies will be available for purchase in person when it's officially launched at the British Fantasycon 2008. Further details to follow.
November 2007 Not much news this time, although I do have an announcement to make regarding a forthcoming collection. Just not yet...
October 2007 Morrissey fans might enjoy this clip. Play "Spring Heeled Jim" for enlightenment. HALLOWE'EN HORRORS! To celebrate the publication of THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST NEW HORROR #18 (Robinson, £7.99) on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31st 2007 (HALLOWE'EN!) you are invited to come along from 6:30-8:00 p.m. to: To meet critically-acclaimed horror writers CHRISTOPHER FOWLER plus Editor STEPHEN JONES who will be hosting a Q&A discussion about modern horror fiction and discussing some favourite authors and their works. ADMISSION IS *FREE*! COPIES OF THE BOOK WILL BE ON SALE! September 2007 News Extra The British Fantasy Society Convention 2007, Nottingham Forget everything else, the razzmatazz, the awards, the raffle, the glad-handing, the talk about commercial sales and the pandering to egos. The highlight, for me, of this year’s convention was undoubtedly the event tucked away in the Gallery Suite upstairs on Sunday morning. But more of that in due course. Friday Arrival at Fantasycon on the Friday is always a buzz, especially stepping into the bar and seeing friends and colleagues already in situ and knocking back their third or fourth pint. I arrived with Mrs S. just after 4pm and was glad to see the old tradition being upheld. Here’s a selection of stalwarts.
Another tradition on Friday nights is the curry-hunt, followed by the inevitable Saturday morning burning botty. Simon Clark and Paul Finch joined us on this occasion to partake of the “all-you-can-eat-for-a-tenner” buffet special at the Taj Mahal Curry House. Here we see the two gentlemen in question before the expedition.
After the curry Simon had to dash back for the mass author signing. But it appears everyone was still in the bar. I snuck into the hall to take this photo.
Later that evening, I noticed the following announcement pasted up in the lift. Oh dear, I was on the list of authors signing pre-publication copies of BEST NEW HORROR #18. Worse, someone with a malicious streak had later scribbled on the announcement, and put, next to my name, the single word “fool”.
After staggering out of the lift, I went along to the PS launch of Gary Fry’s new collection of tales SANITY AND OTHER DELUSIONS. There was free booze. I tried to get Gary’s attention, but as you can see here, he resolutely ignored my presence.
I then decided it was about time (well, a quarter to eleven to be precise) to take in my first panel of the convention. It was billed as “Chills vs. Thrills” but I must have lost the thread because I really couldn’t figure out what was going on. Well…I do remember that at one point an object was thrown into the audience.
Saturday Whilst mooching around in the foyer outside the dealers’ room I chanced upon that fine horror author David Riley and we marched off to…errm…the bar. It was about 11am. There David told us some tales of his time spent with Robert Aickman at the 1976 British Fantasy Convention in Birmingham.
At about this time Gwilym Games, the esteemed editor of the Friends of Arthur Machen’s newsletter “Machenalia” arrived.
Interlude After the signing is over, Mrs S. and I decide to make a break for it and get out into the Nottinghamshire countryside. We head for Newstead Abbey to immerse ourselves in Byronic Gothickry.
Saturday Night After crashing out for a couple of hours it was time to rejoin the throng for the panel “Taboo: how far is too far?” Alas, it was at this point that I realised that the Duracell Plus batteries I’d bought from some back street Nottingham newsagent were actually Duracell Duds. They kept packing up intermittently. At first I assumed I’d loaded one of them alongside one of those that had previously run out, and so (please recall I’d drunk a rather large quantity of alcohol) kept trying different combinations thereof. Yes, I was in denial. Hence, there are no photos of this panel. And there are no photos of the “Famous Fantasycon Raffle” either. However, since Mrs S. and I won nothing, there were no great scenes of jubilation to be recorded. The camera did however spark back into life again to record the following.
Time for my first panel, just before midnight! “Celebrating Classic Ghost Fiction”.
From what I recall of the panel, I made sure to make mention of Terry Lamsley and Reggie Oliver as examples of brilliant contemporary practitioners in the form. I think the most intelligent comments actually came from Simon Bestwick, who was in the audience. He should have been drafted in alongside us! Then it was back to the bar, where I was the last person to have a conversation with Steve Jones before Mandy Slater deservedly gave him one of her Paddington stares and he finally retired for the night. Mandy rocks! Sunday Woke up too late for the British Fantasy Society AGM. 10.00am? Sunday morning? Come on. But had I made it there I would have demanded that any author caught voting for themselves in the awards process should be forced to read Nathaniel Hawthorne’s THE SCARLET LETTER on the naughty step. Bitter, you say? Noon arrived and the highlight of the convention began, the panel entitled “Arthur Machen: Master of Holy Terrors”. Despite the fact that it was held in the hard-to-find Gallery Suite, we had almost a full room of hardy souls who sought us out.
Although the panel was scheduled for a mere forty-five minutes it ran for an hour and could have easily gone on for two, had the banquet not broken its back at 1 pm. We covered a vast range of subjects and touched on Machen’s influences on authors such as Lovecraft, M. John Harrison, Frank Belknap Long, Iain Sinclair, Peter Ackroyd, Robert E. Howard as well as on those writers present. One author I should have mentioned but stupidly forgot to, is T.E.D. Klein. I had a golden opportunity to do so when John Probert asked me whether I could think of a contemporary novel in the Machen vein. I should have said THE CEREMONIES, of course! I can only blame my hangover and beg forgiveness. We also discussed themes in Machen’s work such as his use of his native Gwent landscape, London and Whitby. When asked to name their favourite works by the author, Ramsey chose “The White People”, I chose “A Fragment of Life”, Gwil chose THE HILL OF DREAMS and Simon FAR OFF THINGS.
At this point the digital camera packed up for good. Later, at the awards ceremony, I was particularly delighted to see that Ellen Datlow, Gary Couzens, Mark Morris, Vincent Chong and Paul Finch enjoyed success. Congratulations to all the winners. Thanks are due to Ian Watson who carried me through the presentation of the best collection award. Thanks Ian. Thanks also to the BFS committee for organising everything, they’re the unsung heroes of these conventions. September 2007 There is a new review of the paperback edition of THE WHITE HANDS AND OTHER WEIRD TALES over at the Fantastic Horror website, as well as an online reprint of an old tale of mine from BLACK ALTARS called “The Mysteries of the Abyss”. So please go and check the website out. Wander around; it’s a treasure-trove of weird fiction, essays and reviews. Now turn up the volume and sit back, just like Sister Ray said August 2007 Let's go shopping Hot off the presses is a marvellous anthology THE BLACK BOOK OF HORROR edited by Charles Black and published by Mortbury Press. This contains my story “Regina vs. Zoskia” and a number of other tales in the tradition of the old Pan Book of Horror series edited by Herbert Van Thal. My favourite tale from the anthology has to be Gary Fry’s creepy zombie-love tale “The Older Man”. It’s perverse and thought-provoking at the same time and is worth the cover price alone.
In other news, THE FACE OF TWILIGHT has made the shortlist for the British Fantasy Society’s August Derleth award for Best Novel. My heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who voted for it. I’m delighted to have reached this stage. July 2007 On Saturday, 7th July, the British Fantasy Society held their annual showcase featuring authors, artists and editors whose works have been recommended by the membership for the 2007 awards. The event took place at the Cock Tavern in Fleet Street, a hostelry (before it was transferred in the late nineteenth century from one side of the thoroughfare to the other) frequented by the young Arthur Machen, who wrote:
I calculate that Machen was not only around a hundred years too late but also, alas, well over a hundred years too early. Had he arrived on that recent warm Saturday evening just gone, he would have the opportunity to converse with a whole host of literary and artistic luminaries, all of whom are dedicated to keeping alive in their work that “withdrawal from the commonplace” he prized above all as the mark of true literature.
The incomparably wonderful Mrs S. in front of a four hundred year old fireplace, one of the relocated fixtures from the original Cock Tavern.
The throng gathered in the upstairs room, eager to pore over the recommended works on display.
A display of some of the artwork by maestros such as Les Edwards.
Gary Couzens, editor of EXTENDED PLAY: THE ELASTIC BOOK OF MUSIC, up for the best anthology award.
Erik Arthur, of Fantasy Centre, gentleman bookseller of great renown.
Joel Lane and Tony Richards, recommended for the best collection (THE LOST DISTRICT AND OTHER STORIES) and best short story (“A Night in Tunisia”) awards, respectively.
Mrs S. with Sarah Pinborough in the background, recommended for best novel (BREEDING GROUND).
Allen Ashley, who was recommended five times in four categories, (“Listen to the Lion”, “Professor Clark and the Love Darts”, “The Interlopers”, URBAN FANTASTIC and THE DAYS OF THE DODO) along with Andrew Hook with multiple recommendations for his ELASTIC PRESS imprint, including best small press.
Me, looking shell-shocked after being obliged to speak about THE FACE OF TWILIGHT, which is in the novel category.
Mrs S. is agog at Chris Teague’s (recommended for best small press and numerous other works from PENDRAGON PRESS) firm belief that Mexicans speak in Portuguese.
David Howe, recommended for best small press and numerous other works from TELOS PUBLISHING, lures the unwary into the undergrowth to view the rather superb book SHROUDED BY DARKNESS recommended for best anthology.
Stephen Jones, recommended for THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST NEW HORROR #17, with BFS Chairperson Marie O’Regan for the short story “Mirror Mere” and eponymous collection, alongside Paul Kane for his tale “123, 123” and his non-fiction book THE HELLRAISER CHRONICLES.
St Brides Church spire by night. Contains the Haunter of the Dark. JULY NEWS EXTRA My old friend Simon Clark (not that I mean he’s old, rather we first met twenty years ago at a convention in Leeds called, I think, “Iconoclasm”) has a DVD release out called VENTURE MAN: TEMPUS FUGIT. I believe that the full version is only available within the USA, but an excerpt can be seen on YouTube, here. The full version also features Paul Kane and John B. Ford, and is well worth watching as a mysterious excursion into the mysteries of time and space. Further details can be found on Simon’s website under the “What’s New?” section. June 2007 Firstly, let me remind anyone reading this about Alison Davies’ excellent anthology SHROUDED BY DARKNESS. This is a book in which all royalties will be donated to the charity DebRA, which is a very worthwhile and deserving cause for children suffering from a rare skin disease. The volume features contributions from many well-known horror authors and also includes the hitherto unpublished, restored version of the story “Mannequins” from my WHITE HANDS collection. The deluxe hardback edition, signed by the contributors, has just been made available by Telos Books. If you’re able to, please purchase this anthology. Stephen Jones’s new anthology SUMMER CHILLS published by Carroll & Graf is now on sale and contains my story “A Gentleman from Mexico”, inspired by the months I spent over there towards the end of 2005. I think it’s one of my better recent efforts, along with “Ghorla”, which will be appearing in Ellen Datlow’s INFERNO anthology later this year. Steve Jones has also decided to include my story “Sentinels” from John Pelan’s ALONE ON THE DARKSIDE anthology in this year’s MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST NEW HORROR. This will mark my third appearance in the series, although I am far from blasé about it. I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment and honour at my work being featured alongside the luminaries and new talent that invariably appear in these anthologies. Thanks and love to all those who expressed concern about my wife’s recent problem with the (frankly inept) British Home Office regarding our marriage visa. I’m pleased to say that she is now back in England, after an enforced short stay in Mexico, with indefinite leave to remain, an outcome due not least to the intervention and assistance of our local M.P. Lynne Featherstone. Due to John Pelan’s recent move across the United States and a backlog in his publishing commitments, it has not proved feasible for my third collection GLYPHOTECH AND OTHER MACABRE PROCESSES to appear under the Midnight House imprint. However, another publisher is currently considering this collection. More news as I have it. On the 1st June I attended the British Fantasy Society open night at The Devereux Tavern in London. Here are a few photos of the event.
The Devereux, incidentally one of Arthur Machen’s waterholes. Adri, lately returned from Mexico! ¡Viva! Me having a ciggie outside the pub. Alas, note the crumpled shirt. Not cool. Adri and Gary Couzens plan to tar and feather John Reid. Trevor Denyer reminds Gary of places to avoid in Aldershot. The BFS throng. Thirsting for the fantastique. And beer.
Joshua Rainbird and Erik Arthur, with the latter peering into the camera Caroline (?), Stuart Young, Pam Creais and David Bezzina. Les Edwards and Adam L.G. Nevill. Blurry. Adam and Val Edwards. Still blurry. Brendan Vaughan and Claire Booker. Coming over sharp and clear! Paul Kane and Marie O’Regan caught (almost) unawares. Catherine (?) and Quentin in the unofficial smoking area, viz. the open window. QSC and MS. The final trip. This could be our moment. June news EXTRA (from Gwilym Games) An Arthur Machen Sculpture for Caerleon I am a citizen of what was once no mean city, this city is Caerleon-on-Usk, once the splendid Isca Silurum, the headquarters of the Second Augustan Legion. Arthur Machen The Celf Caerleon Arts Festival holds a sculpture competition in which wooden sculptures are made for the town every year in the open air. At the festival this year, July 4 - July 15, a sculpture will be created by a Czech sculptor, Jiri Netik, to immortalize Machen in the city of his birth in this the sixtieth anniversary of Machen’s death. There is also a seminar in Caerleon celebrating Machen's work in all its terror and mysticism on July 5th chaired by Rev. Lionel Fanthorpe, featuring writers Tim Lebbon, Simon Clark, Catherine Fisher, and Gwilym Games followed by tavern carousing. For further details see these websites: www.machensoc.demon.co.uk/machnews.html and the Arts Festival www.caerleon-arts.org . Machenology: Tributes to the Master of Mysteries is a 44 page A5 booklet limited to 300 copies edited by Gwilym Games. All profits from the booklet will raise funds towards the sculpture and commemorating Arthur Machen. It contains special new tributes to Machen written by Gwyneth Jones, Simon Clark, Tim Lebbon, China Miéville, Mark Samuels, Catherine Fisher, David Hewson, and Machen’s daughter Janet, plus a collection of thoughts from other notable figures on Machen including Tanith Lee, Stephen King, Clive Barker, Ramsey Campbell, Iain Sinclair, AE Housman, Henry Miller, HP Lovecraft, R.E. Howard, AE Waite, Clark Ashton Smith, MR James, Jorge Luis Borges, Sylvia Townsend Warner, plus many more. It also includes Rhys Hughes explaining why Arthur Machen is a better writer for the Welsh to idolise than Dylan Thomas, while Roger Dobson outlines the greatest unsolved mysteries of Machen scholarship. It features two rare essays by Machen unpublished for many years, “A Book I Should Like To Write”, in which he discusses “one of the wonderful books that ought to be written – and never will be written… of those problems which are - almost - insoluble; and yet are not beyond all conjecture” and a thrilling true account of a weird Oriental Adventure in which Machen plumbs the depth of the mystery of The Hidden Claw, an escapade Machen illustrated himself. Pre-order your copy - available from end of June. Cost is £5.00, postage free within the UK. Postage abroad is £1.00 inside Europe, £1.50 US/overseas. Make cheques payable to G. Games, or use paypal via gwilix@yahoo.co.uk. G. Games, 9 Heneage Drive, Westcross, Swansea, SA3 5BR. Copies will also be on sale at the seminar and around Caerleon. — Gwilym May 2007 Why do some writers think that they have a unique insight into the problems that vex humanity? Moreover, why do they imagine that their views are any more significant than those of plumbers or stamp-collectors? Look at the messageboards where writers congregate, or at their individual blogs. When they’re not writing about their own work, they’re holding forth about the state of the world, or else advising all and sundry about the finer points of philosophical theory. Why is this? And why is it important to them? Here’s my view; it’s a case of wishing to establish a persona in the public mind that’s in accordance with their individual self-perception. In reality many avowed nihilists are the kindest of people, but they’d rather go to any length than admit it’s so. Many avowed Marxists eagerly take the shilling of their Capitalist oppressors. Philosophy, as well as politics, is ego propaganda. It’s less a case of an individual expounding a series of propositions they maintain are true, and thereby enlightening others, but rather an attempt to encourage conformity in accordance with their own perspective. Writers do not set out to encourage debate; they set out to convince others that they are in the right. Recently I was taken to task by some contributor to a messageboard for there being a link to the EZLN on this website. The disappointed commentator doubtless felt that this display of political affiliation constituted a gross offence against my imagined cosmic impartiality. For this reason I should like to explain exactly why it is that I have such affection for the Zapatista movement in Mexico. When the spokesman of this group, then known as Sub-Commandante Marcos, but more recently as Delegate Zero, first sought to assist the impoverished indigenous peoples of Chiapas he arrived with the usual Marxist jargon that fills the heads of university graduates and tried to sell them the idea that leftist ideology had all the answers to their problems. In short order he soon realised that he could learn more from the dispossessed than he could teach them. It was he who was in need of their insights and experiences, rather than the other way around. And he did a wonderful thing. He stepped outside of his own paradigm and changed himself, taking up the causes that mattered to them. He had come to incite revolution and instead discovered its true meaning.
April 2007 Well, despite my best intentions, I missed the World Horror Convention in Toronto. I suppose I could be excused on the grounds that, at the time, my passport was in the possession of the Home Office whilst they made the decision to try and force my wife to leave the U.K. (for more on this see here) but in fact I didn’t have sufficient money to make it over there to Canada anyway. It’s a shame because there were a number of people whom I’d love to have met at the convention. There’s a new review of THE WHITE HANDS AND OTHER WEIRD TALES paperback up at The Compulsive Reader website written by one Paul Kane. However, this is a bit of mystery to me and I don’t know if it’s the same Paul Kane who’s involved with the British Fantasy Society. If so, he seems to have moved to Manchester! Anyway, it’s a fine review and I’m grateful to the author of it. Gary McMahon’s new book ALL YOUR GODS ARE DEAD is now out from the excellent Humdrumming Press and it’s a marvel of horror, dread and angst. Gary asked me to provide the introduction, and I’m very proud to be associated with this project. I think Gary is one of the best new writers around and is already producing work that will stand the test of time. March 2007 One of the grimmest aspects of middle-age is realising that many of one’s causes are lost causes. In youth one can hope for change, but as the years pass the hope of victory fades. In my last bulletin I remarked upon the advance of authorial self-promotion. Self-published writers judge the fitness of their own works for publication and woe betide anyone who thinks of the mass of these books as simple works of vanity. But I don’t entirely blame them for their protests. After all, their models are those mass-market authors who are terrified of appearing to be anything other than “professionals”. But the term “professional” has become a camouflage, since it really means turning out whatever their paymasters want time after time and not daring to show a preference for intelligent fiction in case their all-important careers become smeared with a suggestion of the artistic. Writing fiction is first and foremost regarded as a job, and if you’re not earning a living from it and accepting the values of the publishing industry, then you’re likely to be branded either a class traitor, a poseur or a jealous failure. If you advocate writing primarily for the sake of intrinsic excellence you are also likely to be dismissed by being labelled “condescending” or “elitist”. Well, I beg to differ. The true condescension and elitism is all on the other side. The condescension shows itself in expecting us to accept an author’s lowest common-denominator output as serious fiction and not criticise their motives in producing it. The elitism shows itself in measuring success by writers’ sales figures, name recognition and number of awards; it shows itself in a constant stream of small-minded self-aggrandisement that shouts down any opposition. But as I say, mine is a lost cause. Nevertheless, we all know what Borges said about lost causes. They’re the only ones really worth fighting for. Earlier this month was the Friends of Arthur Machen annual gathering, which took place at the Three Salmons Hotel in Usk, Gwent. A full account of the event will appear in the society journal Machenalia, but here are some photos taken by me during the course of the weekend.
February 2007 Since my last entry here I have been thinking about American and British attitudes to writing, and how they supposedly differ. Of course this difference is not entirely consistent and there can be found numerous examples of exceptions on both sides of the Atlantic (here I am assuming that the general perception is of US citizens being much more willing to “sell” themselves than their more reserved British counterparts). I am familiar with a number of British authors who are masters of self-promotion, however, and a number of Americans who prefer to have little to do with it. The British attitude used to be that it’s generally bad form to sing one’s own praises too much, and that modesty is a virtue. Alas, this is no longer the case. Having spent a good deal of spare time haunting message-boards lately, I’m more inclined to regard "look at me" syndrome as a problem with those individuals, irrespective of achievement, who have become publicity junkies. The odd thing is that it’s not even necessary for writers to have been (commercially or critically) successful to exhibit the fatal symptoms. But I will say that I think this attitude’s origins lie in a certain mindset that is profoundly insecure about its own authorial ability, despite protestations to the contrary. Anyone who takes the trouble to think things through will realise that commercial success in the publishing game is often much more a consequence of luck, social connections, saying the right thing at the right time to the right person and cultural trends than it is to do with straightforward hard work. Of course it’s true that without sustained hard work and baseline talent you’ll get nowhere, but then again this is blindingly self-evident, and for these factors to be cited as the sole criteria for commercial success is an egregious lie. Some individuals work harder at each and every piece they write, and take more time over it. Others work harder at producing a greater quantity of work, of which they hope the best may establish their reputation. But all too often it’s taken for granted that a dozen novels, multiple awards and name recognition is a reliable measure of worth. Anyone who talks about getting on in “the industry” as their main aim is in real danger of losing sight of the creation of worthwhile work as a valid end in itself, in my view. Writers are not all equal when it comes to the ability to produce work that will survive, despite whatever market fashion is currently in vogue. It’s a hard truth that many refuse to accept. You’ll generally find such folk looking over your shoulder for someone more famous than you to network with at fantasy conventions. Their websites will be filled with photos of them draped over horror celebrities, hoping some of their “magic” will rub off on them. Recently I read an account by a successful contemporary writer of horror novels in which he gave a valuable insight into the sorry way in which an aspiring full-time professional author would need to “pitch” oneself to a publisher. The only approach that can possibly succeed is to tell the publishers that you are “at the very least, a one-novel-a-year man”. Moreover the author must be fully prepared, where necessary, to act as his own publicist by arranging signings at local bookshops, library readings, coverage in local newspapers and so on. The trick is to recall that an unknown author’s first novel will make a loss, the second break even, the third make a small profit, and thereafter further novels should make a larger and larger profit, as the author builds his fan base. In short, the author must, by this roundabout route, become at least a minor celebrity. Alas, if this doesn’t bring in enough money the author is then usually jettisoned from the publishers’ lists after six books. After all, it’s a dog-eat-dog world and nowadays a single prime-time TV appearance is worth more to publishers than any amount of hard work and persistence. For those who do manage to stay the long course, fifty-five is the average age at which the majority of authors achieve any prominence and manage to support themselves entirely by their writing. This statistic is well-known in the publishing “industry” (I almost said factory) but one suspects its significance is lost on those who seek instant success in our age of those who are famous for simply being famous. The idea of “learning one’s trade” as a writer over many years is scarcely considered a sane approach any longer. It takes too long. Getting the requisite attention now is all that matters. . The famous have the aura of magic, of power about them. We hold them in awe because of their reputation; snatch their autographs before it is too late! Take a digital photo to record your encounter! Nothing else in this media-obsessed world is of any worth to those caught up in its spell. Fame, notoriety, recognition are everything. The cult of celebrity is killing our ability to determine our own values as authors, to see writing as a vocation rather than as a career. And all too often aspirant writers pay lip service to the notion that they are working in the tradition of, and genuinely contributing to a canon of literature that includes the likes of Arthur Machen, H.P. Lovecraft, Shirley Jackson and Robert Aickman. If aspirants can’t pay their bills by being true to their vision, then what’s the solution? I am reminded of the following exchange “So how are writers to make a living then, in your opinion.” “Let horror writers eat dog-food in garrets. Let them get jobs in gas stations, drive cabs, or do anything else to get by rather than turning themselves into whores.” January 2007 They say that “no news is good news”, but in my case it’s simply a consequence of inertia. Apologies to anyone who’s taken the trouble to visit this website and has wondered what’s become of the updates that I’d hoped to maintain on a monthly basis. For all I know no one has noticed my absence—certainly it’s not been remarked upon anywhere (and why should it be?). I’m afraid that I’m not a writer who feels his bulletins are likely to be of much interest to anyone, least of all me. Moreover, I find the idea of passing on the usual news about sales dispiriting. God has though, thus far, preserved me from the ultimate nadir for a comparatively unknown horror writer; posting what amounts to “skin trade” photos of myself draped over genre celebrities so as to try and raise my own “industry profile”. However I’m advised on good authority that keeping up some sort of presence on the internet is essential for the worst of authors, even at the very low level I’ve managed to achieve here. So I’ll press on. For the record, then, during the last few weeks I’ve completed two new tales, “The Cannibal Kings of Horror” and “The Highgate Vampyre: A Fiction”. Both works seem to be a species of satirical moral fables rather than the usual type of cosmic horror fiction with which I seem to be most associated. Whether or not this marks a new direction for my work I cannot say at this stage. Time will tell. Perhaps I’ve just lost the plot again. A quick word about Alison Davies’ marvellous anthology SHROUDED BY DARKNESS published by Telos Books. Please, if you only buy one book in 2007, make it this one. All proceeds go to a very deserving charity, DebRA, which exists for sufferers of Epidermolysis Bullosa. The excellent stories contained therein by Ramsey Campbell, Michael Marshall Smith and Storm Constantine, in particular, make it more than well worth the £12.99 it costs. I’m confident it’ll scoop this year’s BFS award for best anthology, and deservedly so. September 2006 Yesterday I received my contributor’s copies of Steve Jones’ anthology THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST NEW HORROR #17,
which contains my story “Glyphotech”. I love this series of anthologies. It’s true that I’m very late coming to them, but since then I’ve been doing my level best to obtain the complete run, just in order to catch up on what I’ve missed. I feel like an idiot for not having realised the series’ value before having made my first appearance with a story in #15, a couple of years back. Since Gollancz (bah! double bah!) have apparently decided to terminate their DARK TERRORS series, it seems to me more important than ever to praise BEST NEW HORROR for being one of the few remaining British mass-market paperback anthologies to feature works by lesser known horror writers alongside the “big names”. So if you’re an author who hopes to one day make an appearance in BNH then the thing to do is support it and buy the thing now. Otherwise, without your help, it might be not there in the future (and then how we’ll all miss complaining about not being in it!). I don’t anticipate seeing the anthologies SHROUDED BY DARKNESS (which contains the restored version of my story “Mannequins” from THE WHITE HANDS) and ALONE ON THE DARKSIDE (with a new tale of mine, “Sentinels”) until the end of the month, so I’ll hold over details until October.
August 2006 First of all, my apologies to those who have been waiting (that is, if anyone has) for the late appearance of this entry. I have been working on my novel CHTHONOPOLIS in what spare time I have, and it hasn’t been easy to find the opportunity to get much else done. Although I have a reputation for being averse to giving interviews (probably for the simple reason that scarcely anyone has ever asked me) my friend Matt Cardin has persuaded me to take the plunge and the results will be posted on his blog next week (4th September). Yesterday I received my contributor’s copy of THE YEAR’S BEST FANTASY AND HORROR volume 19...
...edited by Ellen Datlow, Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant. This really is a splendid volume and one in which I feel incredibly honoured to have made an appearance. As well as containing my own “Shallaballah”, it also features exemplary stories by the likes of Reggie Oliver and Adam L.G. Nevill. There are a number of other tales in the book that I am very much looking forward to reading as soon as I can find the time. I recently found another review of THE FACE OF TWILIGHT online at the Eternal Night website, which can be accessed here. The Friends of Arthur Machen, of whom I am currently the General Secretary, has been shortlisted for the World Fantasy Award in the Non-professional category for our publication (in conjunction with Tartarus Press and Reino de Redonda) of John Gawsworth’s THE LIFE OF ARTHUR MACHEN.
On a personal note, I am bemused at how very often Machen is name-checked by modern horror and fantasy authors and cited as a vital influence on their work and yet how few of them, and these author’s readers, are actually members of F.o.A.M.—especially given the huge amount of Machen material that we have published over the last few years. I would urge anyone reading this to seriously consider taking up membership if they have an interest in Machen and further details can be found here.
July 2006 There isn’t a great deal of news concerning my fiction this month, so instead I am going to say a few words about awards in the horror/fantasy genre. My feeling about such awards is that they’re in danger of being seen by some as a form of coronation rather than just a tribute from one’s peers. No award (whether arrived at by a panel or voting membership system) guarantees the quality of the winning entry. That’s not to deny that great books, stories etc often do receive justifiable awards, only to recall that, without doubt, other great books etc often don’t. But in both instances a writer who has done his best does not improve the quality of his work by either winning or losing in an awards process. I don’t mean by the above that awards are meaningless, simply that their value needs to be put into perspective sometimes. Of course, gaining an award offers a form of instant prestige, and may be a short cut to increased attention or sales. But these are transitory effects, most of interest to publishers. Posterity has, I think, proven itself to be a much more reliable indicator of a work’s intrinsic value than any award. June 2006 As has been pointed out to me by a friend, the identity of the American small-press publisher who has offered to accept my third collection of weird stories (whose working title is GLYPHOTECH AND OTHER MACABRE PROCESSES) has already been mentioned on the internet. So, just to confirm the information already available, I can announce here that the publisher in question is John Pelan and the volume is proposed to appear under his Midnight House Books imprint. I am a great admirer of this series and have long been a fan of their house artist Allen Koszowski. Midnight House generally concentrate on bringing back into the print the fiction of classic horror fiction authors, mostly dead. However, since I understand that they also have a collection lined up from the Belgian living master of the weird, Eddy C. Bertin, any reports of my demise can safely be ignored for now. It’s my intention to make it along to this year’s British Fantasycon in Nottingham. This will be held at the Britannia Hotel from 22nd to 24th September. Alas, as ever, I’ve left it late to book but hope to squeeze myself into a room at the hotel somehow. Apparently the event is very highly subscribed this time, doubtless due to the expected presence of celebrated trans-Atlantic Guests of Honour. On Sunday, before the ceremony to present the B.F.S. awards, there is to be a book-signing for Alison Davies’ anthology SHROUDED BY DARKNESS. This is a book in which all royalties will be donated to the charity DebRA, which is a very worthwhile and deserving cause for children suffering from a rare skin disease. The volume features contributions from many well-known horror authors and also includes the hitherto unpublished, restored version of the story "Mannequins" from my WHITE HANDS collection. May 2006 PS Publishing has recently released a book edited by Mark Morris called Cinema Macabre. This volume contains fifty short essays by a range of eminent figures connected with the horror genre, in which they detail one of their favourite films of this type. For the book I chose to write about George Romero’s 1968 movie Night Of The Living Dead. There is a wide range of surprising, and perhaps not so surprising, choices made. The dust jacket by J.K. Potter is, as with all of this marvellous artist’s work, a chilling delight to behold. Writing the essay for Cinema Macabre moved me to pen a few more mini-reviews that can be found elsewhere on this website. John Pelan has accepted, subject to contract, my longish short story “The Mexican Gentleman” for the sixth instalment in his mass-market paperback Darkside anthologies. Instalment five, Alone on the Darkside, will include my tale “Sentinels”, which is set in the London Underground transport system. This will see publication in October 2006. On the 5th May I had a booklaunch for my PS novella, The Face Of Twilight, at the Fantasy Centre, the secondhand specialist SF/Fantasy/Horror booksellers in Holloway Road, London. The event was surprisingly well attended, with over twenty-five people present. I say “surprisingly” because I know a lot of folk were up in Derby instead for the alt.fiction weekend. Thanks to Erik and Ted for organising this memorable occasion and to all those who were able to attend. My story “Glyphotech” from Lost on the Darkside has been selected for inclusion in Stephen Jones’ Mammoth Book of Best New Horror #17, while Ellen Datlow has selected “Shallaballah” from Don’t Turn Out The Light for The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror #19. Ellen Datlow has taken my recent tale “Ghorla” for inclusion in her mass-market TOR anthology Inferno, which is scheduled to appear in the second half of 2007. A leading American small-press publisher has made an offer, which I have accepted, for my projected third collection of stories whose working title is Glyphotech and other Macabre Processes. I am not yet, however, at liberty to reveal further details at this early stage. PAST NEWS
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all material contained herein © Mark Samuels 2008