The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 23 (Mammoth Books)

by Jones, Stephen

  Eighty-four-year-old maverick British director Ken Russell (Henry Kenneth Alfred Russell) died on 27 November, following a series of strokes. After making a string of acclaimed TV documentaries and short films for the BBC in the late 1950s–early ’60s, he transferred his talents to the cinema, where he directed a number of flamboyant and often controversial movies, including Billion Dollar Brain, The Devils, Tommy, Lisztomania, Altered States, Gothic, The Lair of the White Worm, the homemade comedy-musical The Fall of the Louse of Usher: A Gothic Tale for the 21st Century, the “Girl with Golden Breasts” episode of the anthology horror movie Trapped Ashes, and the short Revenge of the Elephant Man. Russell made cameo appearances in a number of his own films, and had a role in the 2011 zombie comedy Invasion of the Not Quite Dead.

  The 35mm Motion Picture Camera officially died in 2011. In an article written by Debra Kaufman for the Creative Cow website, it was revealed that ARRI, Panavision and Aaton had all ceased making them, concentrating instead on professional digital cameras.

  Maverick American film producer and political activist Bert Schneider (Berton Jerome Schneider), who co-produced the Emmy Award-winning TV series The Monkees (1966–68) and the music group’s psychedelic spin-off movie Head (1968), died on 12 December, aged seventy-eight. Schneider’s other credits include Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, The Last Picture Show and Days of Heaven.

  Australian-born scriptwriter and director Don Sharp (Donald Herman Sharp), who made six films with Christopher Lee, died in Cornwall, England, on 14 December, aged eighty-nine. A former actor, he moved to the UK after World War II and started directing in the mid-1950s. Although not prolific, Sharp was always a stylish director and his credits include Hammer’s The Kiss of the Vampire, The Devil-Ship Pirates and Rasputin the Mad Monk, along with Witchcraft (with Lon Chaney, Jr.), Curse of the Fly, The Face of Fu Manchu and The Brides of Fu Manchu, Rocket to the Moon (aka Those Fantastic Flying Fools), Dark Places, Psychomania (aka The Death Wheelers) and What Waits Below (aka Secrets of the Phantom Caverns). Sharp also directed three episodes of The Avengers, plus an episode each of The Champions and Hammer House of Horror (“Guardian of the Abyss”). As an actor, he also had a leading role in the 1953 BBC Radio serial Journey Into Space.

  USEFUL ADDRESSES

  THE FOLLOWING LISTING OF organizations, publications, dealers and individuals is designed to present readers and authors with further avenues to explore. Although I can personally recommend many of those listed on the following pages, neither the publisher nor myself can take any responsibility for the services they offer. Please also note that the information below is only a guide and is subject to change without notice.

  —The Editor

  ORGANIZATIONS

  The Australian Horror Writers Association (www.australian-horror.com) is a non-profit organization that was formed in 2005 as a way of providing a unified voice and a sense of community for Australian (and New Zealand) writers of horror/dark fiction. AHWA aims to become the first point of reference for writers and fans of the dark side of literature in Australia, to spread the acceptance and improve the understanding of what horror is in literature to a wider audience, and in doing so gain a greater readership for established and new writers alike. Email: ahwa@australianhorror.com.

  The British Fantasy Society (www.britishfantasysociety. org) was founded in 1971 and publishes the newsletter Prism and the magazines Dark Horizons and New Horizons featuring articles, interviews and fiction, along with occasional special booklets. The BFS also enjoys a lively online community – there is an email news-feed, a discussion board with numerous links, and a CyberStore selling various publications. FantasyCon is one of the UK’s friendliest conventions and there are social gatherings and meet-the-author events organised around Britain. For yearly membership details, email: secretary@britishfantasysociety.org. You can also join online through the Cyberstore.

  The Friends of Arthur Machen (www.machensoc.demon. co.uk) is a literary society whose objectives include encouraging a wider recognition of Machen’s work and providing a focus for critical debate. Members get a hardcover journal, Faunus, twice a year, and also the informative newsletter Machenalia. For membership details, contact Deputy Treasurer Jon Preece: machenfoam@yahoo.co.uk.

  The Friends of the Merril Collection (www.friendsofmerril. org/) is a volunteer organization that provides support and assistance to the largest public collection of science fiction, fantasy and horror books in North America. Details about annual membership and donations are available from the website or by contacting The Friends of the Merril Collection, c/o Lillian H. Smith Branch, Toronto Public Library, 239 College Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R5, Canada. Email: ltoolis@tpl. toronto.on.ca.

  The Horror Writers Association (www.horror.org) is a world-wide organization of writers and publishing professionals dedicated to promoting the interests of writers of Horror and Dark Fantasy. It was formed in the early 1980s. Interested individuals may apply for Active, Affiliate or Associate membership. Active membership is limited to professional writers. HWA publishes a monthly online Newsletter, and sponsors the annual Bram Stoker Awards. Apply online or write to HWA Membership, PO Box 50577, Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA.

  World Fantasy Convention (www.worldfantasy.org) is an annual convention held in a different (usually American) city each year, oriented particularly towards serious readers and genre professionals.

  World Horror Convention (www.worldhorrorsociety.org) is a smaller, more relaxed, event. It is aimed specifically at horror fans and professionals, and held in a different city (usually American) each year.

  SELECTED SMALL PRESS PUBLISHERS

  Aeon Press Books (www.aeonpressbooks.com).

  Atomic Fez Publishing (www.atomicfez.com).

  Bad Moon Books/Eclipse (www.badmoonbooks.com), 1854 W. Chateau Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92804-4527, USA.

  B!/Bedabbled (bedabbled.blogspot.com/), 24 Whinney Moor Lane, Retford DN22 7AA, UK. Email: bedabbled@hotmail.co.uk.

  Big Finish Productions Ltd. (www.bigfinish.com), PO Box 1127, Maidenhead SL6 3LW, UK.

  Books of the Dead Press (booksofthedead.blogspot.com). Email: besthorror@gmail.com.

  Cemetery Dance Publications (www.cemeterydance.com), 132-B Industry Lane, Unit #7, Forest Hill, MD 21050, USA. Email: info@cemeterydance.com.

  ChiZine Publications (www.chizinepub.com). Email: info@ chizinepub.com.

  Chômu Press (www.chomupress.com), 70 Hill Street, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1TW, UK. Email: info@chomupress.com.

  Cycatrix Press (www.jasunni.com), JaSunni Productions LLC, 16420 SE McGillivray Blvd., Ste 103-1010, Vancouver, WA 98683, USA. Email: jasunni@jasunni.com.

  Dark Arts Books (www.darkartsbooks.com). Email: emailsales@darkartsbooks.com.

  Dark Continents Publishing (www.darkcontinentspublishing).

  Dark Minds Press (www.darkmindspress.com), 31 Gristmill Close, Cheltenham GL51 0PZ, UK. Email: mail@darkmindspress. com.

  Dark Regions Press/Ghost House (www.darkregions.com), PO Box 1264, Colusa, CA 95932, USA.

  Donald M. Grant, Publisher, Inc. (www.grantbooks.com), 19 Surrey Lane, PO Box 187, Hampton Falls, NH 03844, USA.

  DreamHaven Books (www.dreamhavenbooks.com), 2301 East 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406, USA.

  Earthling Publications (www.earthlingpub.com), PO Box 413, Northborough, MA 01532, USA. Email: earthlingpub@ yahoo.com.

  Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing/Hades Publications, Inc. (www.edgewebsite.com/www.hadespublications. com), PO Box 1714, Calgary, Alberta T2P 2L7, Canada. Email: publisher@hadespublications.com.

  Guntlet Publications (www.gauntletpress.com), 5307 Arroyo Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80922, USA. Email: info@gauntlet press.com.

  Gray Friar Press (www.grayfriarpress.com), 9 Abbey Terrace, Whitby, North Yorkshire Y021 3HQ, UK. Email: gary.fry@ virgin.net.

  Hersham Horror Books (hershamhorrorbooks.web.com/). Email: silenthater@aol.com.

  Hippocampus Press (www.hippocampuspress.com), PO Box 641, New
York, NY 10156, USA. Email: info@hippocampus press.com.

  IDW Publishing (www.idwpublishing.com), 5080 Santa Fe Street, San Diego, CA 92109, USA.

  Imajiin Books (www.imajiinbooks.com).

  Jurassic London (www.pandemonium-fiction.com), 153 South Lambeth Road, London SW8 1XN, UK. Email: jared@ jurassic-london.com.

  LCR Books (www.liliesandcannonballs.com), PO Box 720422, Jackson Heights, NY 11372, USA. Email: editor@lilies andcannonballs.com.

  McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers (www.mcfarland pub.com), Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640, USA.

  MHB Press (www.mhbpress.com), The White House, 29 Park Lane, Shifnal, Shropshire TF11 9HD, UK.

  Miskatonic River Press (www.miskatonicriverpress.com), 944 Reynolds Road, Suite 188, Lakeland, Florida 33801, USA. Email: keeper@miskatonicriverpress.com.

  Mortbury Press (mortburypress.webs.com/), Shiloh, Nantglas, Llandrindod Wells, Powys LD1 6PD, UK. Email: mortbury press@yahoo.com.

  Mythos Books, LLC (www.mythosbooks.com), 351 Lake Ridge Road, Poplar Buff, MO 63901, USA.

  NewCon Press (www.newconpress.co.uk).

  Noose and Gibbet Publishing (www.nooseandgibbetpublishing.com). Email: info@nooseandgibbetpublishing.com.

  Nightjar Press (nightjarpress.wordpress.com), 38 Belfield Road, Manchester M20 6BH, UK.

  Night Shade Books (www.nightshadebooks.com), 1661 Tennessee Street, #3H, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA. Email: night@nightshadebooks.com.

  Obverse Books (www.obversebooks.co.uk). Email: info@ obversebooks.co.uk.

  P’rea Press (www.preapress.com), 34 Osborne Road, Lane Cove, NSW 2066, Australia. Email: dannyL58@hotmail.com.

  PS Publishing Ltd/PS Artbooks Ltd (www.pspublishing. co.uk), Grosvenor House, 1 New Road, Hornsea HU18 1PG, UK. Email: editor@pspublishing.co.uk.

  Raven Electrick Ink (ravenelectrick.com), 9327 Creemore Drive, Tujunga, CA 91042, USA. Email: comments@raven electrick.com.

  The Scarecrow Press, Inc. (www.scarecrowpress.com), The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc., 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706, USA.

  Screaming Dreams Publishing (www.screamingdreams.com), 25 Heol Evan Wynne, Pontlottyn, Bargoed, Mid Glamorgan CF81 9PQ, UK. Email: steve@screamingdreams.com.

  Side Real Press (www.siderealpress.co.uk), 34 Normanton Terrace, Elswick, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 6PP, UK. Email: siderealpress@hotmail.com.

  Small Beer Press (www.smallbeerpress.com), 150 Pleasant Street #306, Easthampton, MA 01027, USA. Email: info@small-beerpress.com.

  Spectral Press (spectralpress.wordpress.com), 5 Serjeants Green, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK14 6HA, UK. Email: spectralpress@gmail.com.

  Stumar Press (www.stumarpress.co.uk), 4 Pottery Close, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 0HU, UK. Email: stumarpress@gmail. com.

  Subterranean Press (www.subterraneanpress.com), PO Box 190106, Burton, MI 48519, USA. Email: subpress@gmail.com.

  Swallowdown Press (www.swallowdownpress.com), PO Box 86810, Portland, OR 97286-0810, USA.

  Tachyon Publications (www.tachyonpublications.com), 1459 18th Street #139, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA.

  Tartarus Press (tartaruspress.com), Coverley House, Carlton-in-Coverdale, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 4AY, UK. Email: tartarus@pavilion.co.uk.

  Telos Publishing Ltd (www.telos.co.uk), 17 Pendre Avenue, Prestatyn, Denbighshire LL19 9SH, UK. Email: david@telos. co.uk.

  Ticonderoga Publications (www.ticonderogapublications. com), PO Box 29, Greenwood, WA 6924, Australia.

  Two Ravens Press Ltd. (www.tworavenspress.com), Taigh nam Fitheach, 26 Breanish Uig, Isle of Lewis HS2 9HB, UK.

  Undertow Publications (www.undertowbooks.com), 1905 Faylee Crescent, Pickering, ON L1V 2T3, Canada. Email: under towbooks@gmail.com.

  SELECTED MAGAZINES

  Albedo One (www.albedo1.com) is Ireland’s magazine of science fiction, fantasy and horror. The editorial address is Albedo One, 2 Post Road, Lusk, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Email: bobn@yellow brickroad.ie.

  Ansible is a highly entertaining monthly SF and fantasy newsletter/gossip column edited by David Langford. It is available free electronically by sending an email to: ansible-request@dcs. gla.ac.uk with a subject line reading “subscribe”, or you can receive the print version by sending a stamped and addressed envelope to Ansible, 94 London Road, Reading, Berks RG1 5AU, UK. Back issues, links and book lists are also available online.

  Black Gate: Adventures in Fantasy Literature (www.black gate.com) is an attractive pulp-style publication that includes heroic fantasy and horror fiction. Subscriptions are available from: New Epoch Press, 815 Oak Street, St. Charles, IL 60174, USA. Email: john@blackgate.com.

  Black Static (www.ttapress.com) is the UK’s premier horror fiction magazine, published bi-monthly. Six-and twelve-issue subscriptions are available, along with a new lifetime subscription, from TTA Press, 5 Martins Lane, Witcham, Ely, Cambs CB6 2LB, UK, or from the secure TTA website. Email: black static@ttapress.com.

  Cemetery Dance Magazine (www.cemeterydance.com) is edited by Richard Chizmar and includes fiction up to 5,000 words, interviews, articles and columns by many of the biggest names in horror. For subscription information contact: Cemetery Dance Publications, PO Box 623, Forest Hill, MD 21050, USA. Email: info@cemeterydance.com.

  Dark Discoveries (www.darkdiscoveries.com) sets out to unsettle, edify and involve with fiction, interviews and non-fiction and is published irregularly. 142 Woodside Drive, Longview, WA 98632, USA. Email: info@darkdiscoveries. com.

  The Ghosts & Scholars M. R. James Newsletter (www. pardoes.info/roanddarroll/GS.html) is a scholarly journal published roughly twice a year. It is dedicated to the classic ghost story and, as the title implies, to M. R. James in particular. Two-issue subscriptions are available from Haunted Library Publications, c/o Flat One, 36 Hamilton Street, Hoole, Chester CH2 3JQ, UK.

  The Horror Zine (www.thehorrorzine.com) is a monthly online magazine edited by Jeani Rector that features fiction, poetry, interviews and reviews.

  Locus (www.locusmag.com) is the monthly newspaper of the SF/fantasy/horror field. Contact: Locus Publications, PO Box 13305, Oakland, CA 94661, USA. Subscription information with other rates and order forms are also available on the website. Email: locus@locusmag.com. You can also now subscribe to a digital edition at: weightlessbooks.com/genre/ nonfiction/locus-12-month-subscription.

  Locus Online (www.locusmag.com/news) is an excellent online source for the latest news and reviews.

  The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (www.fandsf. com) has been publishing some of the best imaginative fiction for more than sixty years. Edited by Gordon Van Gelder, and now published bi-monthly, single copies or an annual subscription are available by US cheques or credit card from: Fantasy & Science Fiction, PO Box 3447, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA, or you can subscribe via the new website.

  Morpheus Tales (www.morpheustales.com) is a quarterly magazine of horror, science fiction and fantasy, with reviews appearing on the website and myspace versions (www.myspace. com/morpheustales).

  Murky Depths: The Quarterly Anthology of Graphically Dark Speculative Fiction (www.murkydepths.com) is a glossy magazine devoted to graphic strips and short fiction.

  Phantom Drift: A Journal of New Fabulism (www.word craftoforegon.com/pd.html) is a literary journal dedicated to building an understanding of and appreciation for New Fabulism and a Literature of the Fantastic. The journal is published annually. Email: phantomdrifteditor@yahoo.com.

  Rabbit Hole is a semi-regular newsletter about Harlan Ellison® that also offers exclusive signed books by the author. A subscription is available from The Harlan Ellison® Recording Collection, PO Box 55548, Sherman Oaks, CA 91413-0548, USA.

  Rue Morgue (www.rue-morgue.com), is a glossy monthly magazine edited by Dave Alexander and subtitled “Horror in Culture & Entertainment”. Each issue is packed with full colour features and reviews of new films, books, comics, music and game releases. Subscriptions are available from: Marrs Media Inc., 2926 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON M6P 1Y8, Canad
a, or by credit card on the website. Email: info@rue-morgue.com. Rue Morgue also runs the Festival of Fear: Canadian National Horror Expo in Toronto. Every Friday you can log on to a new show at Rue Morgue Radio at www. ruemorgueradio.com and your horror shopping online source, The Rue Morgue Marketplace, is at www.ruemorguemarket place.com.

  Shadows & Tall Trees (www.undertowbooks.com) is published annually. Editor Michael Kelly’s trade paperback magazine is open to previously unpublished submissions of quiet, literary horror fiction from 1 January to 28 February. Standard manuscript format, up to 7,500 words. Email: under towbooks@gmail.com.

  Space and Time: The Magazine of Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction (www.spaceandtimemagazine.com) is published quarterly. Single issues and subscriptions are available from the website or from the new address: Space and Time Magazine, 458 Elizabeth Avenue #5348, Somerset, NJ 08873, USA. In the UK and Europe, copies can be ordered from BBR Distributing, PO Box 625, Sheffield S1 3GY, UK.

  Spectral Press (spectralpress.wordpress.com), 5 Serjeants Green, Neath Hill, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK14 6HA, UK. Email: spectralpress@gmail.com.

  Subterranean Press Magazine (www.supterraneanpress.com/ magazine).

  Supernatural Tales (suptales.blogspot.com) is a twice-yearly fiction magazine edited by David Longhorn. Three-issue subscriptions are available via post (UK cheques or PayPal only) to: Supernatural Tales, 291 Eastbourne Avenue, Gateshead NE8 4NN, UK. Email: davidlonghorn@hotmail.com.

  Theaker’s Quarterly Fiction (www.theakersquarterly.blog spot.com). Email: theakers@silveragebooks.com.

  Video WatcHDog (www.videowatchdog.com) describes itself as “The Perfectionist’s Guide to Fantastic Video” and is published bi-monthly. One year (six issues) subscriptions are available from: orders@videowatchdog.com.

  DEALERS