William Meikle's Blog: Latest, page 62

FUNGOID Hardcovers available to preorder

The signed, first, limited edition hardcover of my next novel FUNGOID is available to preorder from DarkFuse today, and there’s now only 6 copies left!

For fans of John Wyndham, William Hope Hodgson and H P Lovecraft, here’s a wee homage to a lot of the things I’ve loved since childhood.

When the end came, it wasn’t zombies, asteroids, global warming or nuclear winter. It was something that escaped from a lab. Something small, and very hungry.

It starts with deadly rain that delivers death where it falls, but soon the whole planet is under threat as the infection spreads, consuming everything before it.

A band of survivors on the Eastern coast of Canada watch as their world falls and crumbles to ruin. The infection seems relentless. More than that, it seems to be learning, adapting and evolving faster than they can fight it. Worse still—it is infecting not just their bodies, but is creeping into their minds, dancing in their dreams.

Can they stop it before it takes them?

Or must they all join in the final dance of death?

GET IT HERE –> DarkFuse Preorder Page

Waiting…

Waiting

… for publishers to decide on my submissions of two novels

… for publishers to decide on my submissions of a short story collection

… for publishers to decide on my submissions of foreign language reprints of three novels

… for publishers to decide on my submissions of a dozen short story submissions

… for publishers to publish ebooks of seven previously published paperbacks

… for publication of three novels already sold

…for publication of two novellas already sold

… for publication of twenty five short stories in magazines and anthologies already sold

Waiting.

I don’t like waiting.

FUNGOID Cover reveal

Coming soon from DarkFuse.

When the end came, it wasn’t zombies, asteroids, global warming or nuclear winter. It was something that escaped from a lab. Something small, and very hungry.

It starts with deadly rain that delivers death where it falls, but soon the whole planet is under threat as the infection spreads, consuming everything before it.

A band of survivors on the Eastern coast of Canada watch as their world falls and crumbles to ruin. The infection seems relentless. More than that, it seems to be learning, adapting and evolving faster than they can fight it. Worse still – it is infecting not just their bodies, but is creeping into their minds, dancing in their dreams.

Can they stop it before it takes them?

Or must they all join in the final dance of death?

 

ANNOUNCING THE HEROES OF RED HOOK ANTHOLOGY!

A collection of jazz era cosmic horror short stories featuring immigrant, minority, female, LGBT, and other outsider protagonists.

The book will contain my retelling of Lovecraft’s THE HORROR AT RED HOOK from the viewpoint of two of the local ethnic population.

Also included are works by Mercedes M Yardley, Tim Waggoner, Cody Goodfellow, Wilum Hopfrog Pugmire, Sam Stone and many more.

Support the Kickstarter here and get in on some nice bonuses with the publication.

And watch the video linked below – it tells you more about what the project is all about.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/golden-goblin-press/heroes-of-red-hook/widget/video.html

From the Publisher

Heroes of Red Hook is a collection of cosmic horror tales taking place during the Jazz Era with a very important focus. The protagonists of this anthology are members of the various under represented demographic in Lovecraftian fiction. Our heroes and heroines are the outsiders who are most often blamed (wrongly so) for the actions of various alien horrors of the mythos. Our stories put the spotlight on ethnic and religious minorities, immigrants, independent free thinking women, those with special needs, and members of the LGBT community. This collection features people struggling to overcome not only the horrors beyond mankind’s understanding, but an oppressive society seeking to deny them basic human rights.

The vast majority of the fans of Cosmic Horror Fiction struggle to reconcile their love for the genre with inherent racism of the original works of its creator, H.P. Lovecraft. Many of us are disturbed that bigots and hateful groups treat Lovecraftian fiction a manifesto to support their racism.They point to stories like The Horror at Red Hook and say, “See there, that is what’s wrong with the world.” They point to places like Brooklyn, and all they see is taint, corruption, and shadows.

We here at Golden Goblin Press reject their message and their ignorance, as we stand up and try to guide our genre towards a more inclusive future.  We see the mixing of races, cultures, genders, and orientations not as a negative, but as mankind’s greatest strength. These are not shadows to be fearful of but our brightest light guiding us to a more enlightened tomorrow. Together we can change the legacy of Lovecraft, from one of blame, fear, and bigotry, into something more representative of our greater humanity. We know that one little book won’t solve the problem in our genre, but maybe it can be a nudge in the direction it needs to move coming into the 21st century.

That might be a lot to ask from one book, but those familiar with cosmic horror know all too well the power one little book can sometimes wield.

Sitting, thinking

Sitting and thinking.

I got asked “Why don’t you write like {name}?”

The only answer to that is, I wouldn’t be writing like me. I have a certain voice that’s mine, and I’m happy with it, most of the time. I know it can be rather an old fashioned voice – but I can’t help that, it’s the way I roll.

On reflection, it’s probably why my period stuff does well – my own voice fits quite snugly in the past. It also fits a certain type of more modern story telling, and doesn’t fit certain other types. I think I’ve been trying to force a square peg into a round hole –

I’m not new weird.

I’m just weird.

On speed writing and a new novel

I spent the last two weeks writing 50,000 words on a short novel. No outline, no real plan, just a character, a goal and a starting point.

I let it come at the speed it wanted to come, trusted myself that it would all work out in the end, tried not to force any of it, and grew it organically to see where it led.

Where it led was to something that’s the most ‘me’ thing I’ve written for a while, in voice, tone and story. It’s fantastical but not fantasy as such, has supernatural elements but isn’t horror. I’m guessing, if it’s anything, it’s what gets called urban fantasy. All I know is it was a lot of fun. I hope it shows in the end product.

I had a blast writing it – my brain is frazzled now, but I’m already thinking about more in the same vein – and using the same process.

Writing fast like this has worked well for me in the past – THE INVASION was written in two weeks, and is still my top seller, and THE HOLE was done in less than a month.

It seems that when I open up and let it flow is when I hit something that people like to read.

So I’ll do more of that then, shall I?

A new 3 book deal with DarkFuse

I’ve just signed a new contract with DarkFuse for 3 more novels, one a year in 2017, 2018 and 2019. ( I’ll be 61 by the time I’m done, which is a slightly scary thought.)

DarkFuse are being very good for me. Back in 2011 I sent them NIGHT OF THE WENDIGO. They liked it, agreed to publish it, and so I sent them a novella, CLOCKWORK DOLLS. They liked that too, so much so that they offered me subsequent contracts for six novels and three novellas. Four of the novels are already published, aling with four novellas, there’s two new novels, FUNGOID and SONGS OF DREAMING GODS coming from them soon, and they’re currently evaluating the last book of the old deal.

This new contract arrives after I delivered that last novel of the old one.

I’m more than happy to sign up for this new deal as they’ve proved themselves to me, with great production values, great editorial skills, and a focus on customer satisfaction for their readers that’s second to none.

Plus, the sales aren’t half bad, and I get nice, regular, royalty checks.

I also get to rub shoulders with a fine stable of established and up and coming writers.

If you’re looking for a great read, look no further.

You’ll find my available books over at their online shop here » DarkFuse

 

– See more at: http://www.williammeikle.com/darkfuseandme.html

A new 3 novel deal with DarkFuse

Just signed a contract on a new 3 novel deal with DarkFuse, taking me up to 2019 ( when I'll be 61!) Details at the link...

http://www.williammeikle.com/darkfuse...

THE COMING OF THE KING free on Kindle

THE COMING OF THE KING, the first book of my Scottish historical Vampire trilogy, is FREE on Kindle for a limited time.

It is 1745, and the long awaited night has come.The BloodKing calls his army to battle and will bring them South to claim his birthright; the throne of Britain.Only the young Watchers on the old wall stand in his way.It is time for them to face their destinies – to whatever end that might lead them.

AMAZON

“Breathtaking, Scary and Original. A must read. An impressive blend of horror, history and imagination.” — Dave Dreher, Horror News Network

“I was captivated from the very first scene…Very well written.” — Patricia Altner, author of Vampire Readings: An Annotated Bibliography

 

In the pipe, five by five.

I’m a bit stuck on starting a new big project – this is the first time I’ve not actually been contracted for anything for a few years, and I also think the demise of Dark Renaissance threw me for a loop for a few weeks, but I’m starting to come out of the fug now and can see light ahead.

In the meantime, the list of work I’m waiting to see in publication in print and/or ebook continues to grow apace, with plenty of stuff to look forward to in the remainder of the year and into 2017

There’s two new novels coming.

Fungoid – novel / Darkfuse / September 2016
Songs of Dreaming Gods – novel / DarkFuse / Feb 2017

There’s also new Ebook editions of work already in print coming soon

Carnacki – The Watcher at the Gate – collection / Dark Regions Press
Sherlock Holmes: The Quality of Mercy – collection / Dark Regions Press
Sherlock Holmes: The London Terrors – 3 novellas / Dark Regions Press
Professor Challenger: The Kew Growths – collection / Dark Regions Press
The House on the Moor – novella / Dark Regions Press
The Amulet – The Midnight Eye #1 – Gryphonwood Press
The Sirens – The Midnight Eye #2 – Gryphonwood Press
The Skin Game – The Midnight Eye #3 – Gryphonwood Press
The Concordances of the Red Serpent – Gryphonwood Press

I have three German Language editions coming of novels

The Hole – Voodoo Press
The Dunfield Terror – Voodoo Press
The Amulet – The Midnight Eye #1 – Blitz Verlag

Alongside that little lot, I’m waiting for 20 stories to appear in anthologies ( including a couple of new HOLMES stories in big mass market books), there’s a juicy novella I can’t tell you about yet, and I’ve got hopes for several other current submissions, so keep everything crossed for me…

Onward and upward.