Richard Gavin's Blog, page 8

Save The Tell Tale Heart Tattoo & Gallery Fundraiser

Four years ago, my wife and I had the pleasure of walking through the doors of The Tell Tale Heart Tattoo & Gallery for their opening gala. This uniquely beautiful space was the realization of a dream for my friends Jovanka Vuckovic and Shane Faulkner; a combination of high-end tattoo shop staffed by a group of incredible artists, and an art gallery dedicated to fine art of a dark and fantastic nature. The Tell Tale Heart Tattoo & Gallery has been a place we've visited frequently. It is our go-to place for all our tattoo work.

In March, Shane and Jovanka made the difficult but responsible decision to close the shop to help flatten the curve of COVID-19. As you can imagine, with its income reduced to zero, The Tell Tale Heart is now in a precarious position.

To remedy this, they have started a GoFundMe campaign entitled "Save the Tell Tale Heart Tattoo & Gallery Fundraiser." I ask those you visiting this website to give what you can, if you can. I realize that this pandemic has left many in financial difficulty, but any donations would be greatly appreciated. (In addition to helping the business, Shane and Jovanka are also offering a variety of prizes.)

Donations can be made here.

Thank you.

R.I.P. Joe Pulver

My heart is heavy as I write of the passing of my friend, the renowned weird fiction author and editor Joseph S. Pulver.

Joe was one of the stalwarts of the dark fiction field, forever championing new talents, always quick to trumpet someone else's work above his own. As an editor, he created some of the most unique and fascinating anthologies of the last few decades.

I had the pleasure of knowing Joe for many years. We worked together on several projects, appeared together in countless publications, shared the stage on panels, and most importantly enjoyed great fellowship and conversations at conventions, podcasts, social media, and through correspondence.

Fare you well, my brother. I wish you indescribable dreams as you move through your beloved Carcosa...

'grotesquerie' Cover Reveal

I hope this post finds you all in good health and good spirits as we move through these roiling times.

Undertow Publications has revealed the cover for my forthcoming collection, grotesquerie. The breathtaking art is by the wonderful Mike Davis (whose work also graced the cover of Penumbrae: An Occult Fiction Anthology ). We were thrilled when Mike granted us permission to use his rendition of 'The Temptation of St. Anthony' for grotesquerie. The legend of Saint Anthony's visionary experience in the Egyptian desert has long served as a source of power and inspiration to me, so I am very pleased to have Mr. Davis's interpretation gracing the cover of my book. The phantasmagoric cover design is by the incomparable Vince Haig.

grotesquerie will be released in September 2020. More details will be announced in the near future.

Weird Fiction Review #10

Centipede Press has released Weird Fiction Review #10. This volume includes a never-before-published story from me, "Notes on the Aztec Death Whistle", along with fiction from D.P. Watt, Gemma Files, and others. 
The theme that binds the stories therein is E.C. Horror comics. (For those unfamiliar with these notorious comic books, there is a great overview of the phenomenon here.) As a lifelong admirer of Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror, and The Haunt of Fear, I was thrilled when legendary dark fiction editor John Pelan invited me to contribute a story that was in the, ahem, vein of these comics. 
The new Weird Fiction Review can be read about and had here.

German translations of 'Echoes from Hades'

Back in 2013 I penned the first in a projected series of essays, or meditations on the macabre, for Matt Cardin's wonderful website The Teeming Brain. My column, entitled 'Echoes from Hades', is now being translated into German.

The terrific website Phantastikon will be running 'Echoes from Hades' for German readers. The first translated essay can be viewed here.

It's a pleasure to have my work translated into different languages, and I'm grateful to Phantastikon for their interest and efforts.

For those who followed 'Echoes from Hades', I can report that I have definite plans to resuscitate the column sometime in the not-too-distant future.

More news is coming soon.

New Year, Fresh Fears

A very happy 2020 to you all. May it deliver glories and terrors in appropriate measure.

I can report that this year will see several new works from me, both fiction and non-fiction, all of which will be announced in due course.

To begin the new year, I want to mention that PS Publishing has released Best of Black Wings; an anthology featuring stories from the first six volumes of the successful Black Wings series that editor S.T. Joshi feels are the most exemplary. I'm flattered that my 2011 tale "The Abject", which first appeared in Black Wings II, is included in this new compilation.

Best of Black Wings may be ordered here.

My sixth full-length collection of short Horror fiction, grotesquerie, is progressing very well. It will be published in September of this year by the excellent folks at Undertow Publications. We have secured the cover art and it is a striking, sumptuous piece. Watch this space for further updates.

For those who are unaware, I have been on a social media sabbatical since Samhain of last year. This was undertaken so that I can focus all my energy and attention on my next book of esotericism, which will be once again published by the incredible Theion Publishing. The book will hopefully be out sometime in 2021, but this is dependent on when I am able to complete the manuscript to my satisfaction. It is a very demanding project, but I do plan to return to Facebook once this intensive phase of creation is completed. In the meantime I will be posting any pertinent publishing news here on this website.

"Fragile Masks" in THE DARK

My Samhain-themed story "Fragile Masks" (which originally appeared in Stephen Jones' The Mammoth Book of Halloween Stories from Skyhorse Publishing) has been republished in the November 2019 issue of the fabulous online magazine  The Dark .


"Fragile Masks" may be read here.

Announcing 'grotesquerie'

It is a pleasure to announce my next book...

grotesquerie is my sixth full-length collection of Horror fiction. It will be published in September 2020 by the excellent folks at Undertow Publications.

Undertow has produced some truly astonishing books and journals over the past several years, so it is an honour to join their roster of authors.

grotesquerie will be published as a trade paperback, an e-book, and as a limited edition cloth-bound hardcover.

More details on this collection will be unveiled over the coming months. 

Autumnal Equinox

Equinotical tidings to you all.


While things have been somewhat quiet on this website of late, there are a variety of fascinating projects being worked on Sub Rosa. Announcements shall be made in due course.


In the meantime, may the shadows of Autumn rest upon your homes...

Nightmare Magazine 83

Issue 83 of the perennially excellent Nightmare Magazine edited by John Joseph Adams features my story "The Word-Made Flesh."

Originally published in At Fear's Altar (Hippocampus Press, 2012), "The Word-Made Flesh" went on to be chosen by Ellen Datlow for Best Horror of the Year Volume Five.

You may read this tale, as well as order copies of Nightmare Magazine, by clicking here.