Quentin S. Crisp's Blog, page 5

It's Binturong Time

My novella Binturong Time is now is now at loose in the world. I know, because author copies arrived for me today.

Here are some pictures, courtesy of the publisher, Zagava (I am using these photographs as they are more attractive than my own). The lovely illustrations are by Natalie Kay-Thatcher:





The book can be ordered from Ziesings or direct from the publisher.

Hamster Dam released

Just a brief announcement:

My new novella, Hamster Dam, is released today, and is available, for instance, here, among other places.

There are signs, too, that Binturong Time, from Zagava, cannot be far off now, and I will post more when I know anything definite.

Zagava to stop selling paperbacks via Amazon

This is from the Zagava newsletter:

"For a number of reasons I will terminate offering paperbacks through Amazon, so please do use this last opportunity to choose from over 40 Zagava titles. The larger deluxe paperbacks manufactured in Bavaria will still be through the website."

I am informed that you have ten days left in which to purchase the Amazon paperbacks. These include the only current paperback editions of my Shrike and Erith.

The Zagava website is here:

https://zagava.de/about

This is a reminder of a point that I don't think has yet been given its full weight - that 'unlimited' PoD editions are not really unlimited at all. We simply don't know what their limitation is when they are first released. I dare say that the Zagava Amazon paperbacks, reaching their limitation in ten days' time, will thereafter become very collectible.

Publication of Hamster Dam imminent

I've just realised that I haven't yet announced the news of the imminent publication of my novella, Hamster Dam. It will be out in November and is already listed for pre-order at Amazon. I'm sure it will be available in other places, too - for instance, from the website of Snuggly Books.

The synopsis blurb for Hamster Dam is as follows:

What and where is Hamster Dam? Gary Weber, suspended from work after a distressing series of events involving his patient, Julie Wilcox, has had plenty of time alone to think . . . and remember forgotten things—to recall Hamster Dam. But was there ever any such television show, and would Hamster Dam itself be more or less real if there had been?

Brian Warfield, friend and work senior, oversees Gary’s case, but he, too, is drawn into a secret world that he dare not tell of and dare not forget.

In this multi-faceted gem of uncanny science fiction, British author Quentin S. Crisp penetrates deep into our anxieties about the internet, offering a cautionary tale concerning the terrors in store for a world where there is no offline.

There is a review of it up at Publishers Weekly, here:

https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-...

I hope also to be able to bring you an update on my other 2021 novella, Binturong Time before long. And I might as well mention that I've been toying with a new blog, but don't know how long it will last:

https://teachyourselfenochian.blogspo...

Binturong Time - news concerning an impending release

A novella, by the title of Binturong Time, is set to be released by Zagava soon. In fact, hardback editions of the book are available for pre-order from Zagava's website now:

https://zagava.de/shop/binturong-time...

The artwork (cover and frontispiece) will be by the wonderful Natalie Kay-Thatcher, whose website may be viewed here.

At the time of writing, the Zagava website does not show the final artwork, but I will post again when I am able to give a 'final artwork' reveal.

Perhaps I shouldn't say too much, but I am expecting to be able to announce at least one more standalone publication this year. 'Stay tuned', as the archaic phrase goes.

Publishing news and a review

I received author copies of 'Rain Against a Face That Isn't There', published by Zagava, this morning:

https://zagava.de/shop/rain-against-a...

In other news, Neo-Decadence: 12 Manifestos, edited by Justin Isis and in which I have a manifesto, was published earlier this month:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Finally, a review of Welcome to the Arms Race, by Justin Isis:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

In summary, it is one of the best collections I've ever read. He is almost too good. Perhaps this author will achieve recognition within a hundred years, or perhaps the mild obscurity will persist until the century-long pandemic of bland writing expires or we are all replaced by AI. At first it strains belief that such quality passes under the radar, but upon reflection, amid so many millions of books, how does one run across something this good? The answer is, one doesn't. At least, not more than once or twice in a lifetime.

Some publishing news

An essay of mine, 'Rain Against a Face that Isn't There', is to be published as a limited edition, hand-sewn chapbook by Zagava. There is a link here:

https://zagava.de/shop/rain-against-a...

I expect I will have more publishing news before long.

Shrike and Erith in paperback

This year, paperbacks of Shrike and Erith have both been released by Zagava. The latter has come out this month (I received copies this morning).

What do these books have in common? They are both novellas influenced by the Japanese I-novel.

You can buy them, among other places, here:

https://www.bookdepository.com/Shrike...

https://www.bookdepository.com/Erith-...

There's more stuff on the way . . . it takes a little time, but it's coming.

A New Interview

A new interview with me, conducted by Justin Isis, has gone online this week. It's quite long, but the last text-interview I did was seven years ago (and the last one with Justin was ten years ago), so I suppose there's a lot of catching up to do.

This is the basic link:

https://justinisis.blogspot.com/2020/...

The following link should take you to the same page but with grey text on white instead of yellow on pink for those, like me, with sensitive eyes:

https://tinyurl.com/yysmquq3

Thanks to Joe Campbell and Oscar Oldershaw for the first three photographs of me.

Best,

QSC.

Publishing news

Today is the official release date of The Flowering Hedgerow, the Goodreads entry for which is here:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

There will soon also be a re-issue of the novella Shrike, which was short-listed for the Shirley Jackson award back in 2009. It's available for pre-order here in a numbered edition and a more expensive lettered edition:

https://zagava.de/shop/shrike?edition...

It's quite possible that I will have more publishing news before the end of the year, but I don't want to jinx things by giving away too much.