James Dorr's Blog, page 5

Four “Vamps” Poems Noted in Alien Buddha Zine 72

The piece itself is a preview of the already available (cf. December 4) Alien Buddha edition of  VAMPS (A RETROSPECTIVE), originally published by Sam’s Dot Publishing in 2011.  And Wednesday evening’s email a proof copy of the upcoming issue of Alien Buddha Press’s magazine, ALIEN BUDDHA ZINE #72:

Here is the first revision and cover for the March zine.

If you have any edits to request, please let me know by the start of the third week in February.

The preview itself, then, consists of four poems from the collection, “The Fox,” “Vampire Thoughts,” “There Is a Comfort,” and “Craving,” which gives an idea of what to expect should you get the book — though with 70-plus poems in all there is much, much more.  And with one or two corrections noted which have been sent back, and since acknowledged.

In other words, just one more example of  “the writing life,” the dull, dull, sometimes even disheartening course of ingredients of that process we call “publication.”

Haunted Haus With “Victorians” Published, Available via Lulu

HAUNTED HAUS brings together established and emerging voices, each offering their distinct vision of what makes a house truly haunted. Journey through abandoned asylums and ordinary homes hiding extraordinary terrors – where every creaking floorboard and shadowed corner holds another chilling revelation.

Step into our collection of horrors, where vengeful spirits prowl Victorian halls and ancient evils awaken in suburban homes. From paranormal investigations spiraling into nightmare to cursed houses concealing generations of darkness, these 29 tales forge a masterwork of supernatural horror.

Perfect for fans of ghost stories, haunted house tales and psychological horror, HAUNTED HAUS proves that what lurks behind closed doors is often far more frightening than we can ever imagine.

Thus publisher Culture Cult’s blurb (cf. October 3) for their latest anthology, in which my tale, “Victorians,” can be found. “Victorians” has, in fact, been around, appearing originally in GOTHIC GHOSTS (Tor, 1997) as well as, after, a few other places including my long out of print first collection, STRANGE MISTRESSES: TALES OF WONDER AND ROMANCE (Dark Regions Press, 2001). It has in fact been a popular tale which, if you haven’t read it already, you might enjoy (think, again, “gothic,” plus unsolved murders).

And now it, as well as nearly thirty other (dare one say?) “haunting” stories, can be found together, for more on which you need only press here.

Tombs Proof Edited, Returned; Cover Revealed

And so, still quick as a brace of bunnies, the proof for the TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH new edition (see below, January 17) arrived from Alien Buddha Press yesterday afternoon.  With some corrections, mostly cosmetic (phrases to be set in boldface, eg.), it went back the same day along with my okay of the proposed new cover, the latter of which — why not? — is here.

My comment on whether I liked it: The cover looks super — very dramatic! Thanks!

Tombs To Be Out in New Alien Buddha Edition

Comes the time, all too often, when books go out of print — how well that’s known here! And for TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH, my 2017 Elder Signs Press novel-in-stories (cf. July 15 2019, et many al.), with even the publisher gone defunct only one year after its publication, the problem had become acute. Even my personal stash of copies — that is, ones that I might sell by hand — had dwindled down to only about twelve!

Time to do something.

So, call it a New Year’s resolution of sorts if one will, I decided I would. Saturday, January 11, I sent out the pitch: The attached, TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH, like VAMPS last year, has been out of print for some years, but is one I’d like to bring back in a new edition. It is prose, however, not poetry — two of the stories in fact, “The Last Dance” and “Carnival of the Animals,” are also reprinted in AVOID SEEING A RAT — and is set up as a novel-in-stories as seen through the eyes of a late survivor of the last days of Earth, or at least that part comprising the “New City,” its surrounding ruins in which are found eaters of the dead, and the ever-expanding necropolis serving the city, the “Tombs.” This followed by quotes from the back-cover blurb, an Amazon review, you get the idea. . . . The lucky recipient (you may be ahead of me on this, given the mention of last year’s VAMPS), Alien Buddha Press.

Wednesday, the 15th, came the reply (the Alien Buddha being known for, as they say, not letting much grass grow under its feet): Hi James

I would be happy to work with you again.

Currently at 6.2×9.2 you are a little under 300 pages. Do you think we should cut some, or keep it like that?

There was also a question about a cover so yesterday, Thursday, I sent back a copy of the existing Elder Science one along with some suggestions, as well as my thanks for a quick and affirmative reply. And a go-ahead for the full ([n]early 300 pages is pretty big, but . . . it’s a “big” story too in a sense) edition.

Chocolat Picked for Tales From Alien Buddha 5

It was all mysterious at first, the missive from Alien Buddha Press: If you’re receiving this, I’m reaching out to get your permission to republish one of your stories in TALES FROM THE ALIEN BUDDHA 5. This collection will feature both your previously published work and original stories from other authors.

I’ll wait for your confirmation before proceeding. Once you’ve read this, please let me know your thoughts, and I’ll share which story of yours I plan to include so far.

So, sure. Why not? I’d bite. I sent back my okay, receiving from Editor “Red” the following four words.

Thank you, James

CHOCOLAT

And that’s where it stands thus far. The story, “Chocolat,” was about a Frenchman’s protest against a European Union redefinition of chocolate, amounting to an adulteration. I’d protest too! In any event the tale first appeared in Third Flatiron Publishing’s 2016 already somewhat paranoic IT’S COME TO OUR ATTENTION, and since reprinted mid-last year in THEY’RE CONSPIRING AGAINST THE ALIEN BUDDHA TOO! (see July 1, et al.).

With more to be here when it’s known.

Psy-Bomb Survivors Takes Mangol the Ghoul

The call was a dreary one yet, in its way, interesting as well: Minds shattered like glass to the ringing echoes of the blast.

Trapped in endless nightmares, haunted by hallucinations, or worse of all: sane, while navigating the world after.

In the distant future, some cities lie in ruins while millions move on with their lives. They ignore the mutates, the mad mendicants, and those struggling at the edge with the trauma.

And, yes, while the money was small, reprints would be okay too which put in mind something from my novel-in-stories, TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH. Almost anything from it, in fact. But which story to choose?

My mind went to one which had not had much luck as a reprint thus far — in fact no luck at all. An interesting one however, in my mind, of a villain of sorts: “Mangol the Ghoul.” An eater of bodies of the deceased — and, hence, no friend of the Tombs’ keepers — and from his point of view. A point of view in fact of one possibly a little unhinged. One possibly mad. Which may explain, somewhat, its poor luck in selling.

But given the subject of the anthology: PSY-BOMB SURVIVORS. . . .

So, long story short, the email came Tuesday from Editor J.R. Santos: ­I enjoyed reading your story and would be interested in adding it to the PsyBomb survivors anthology. These are the edits we would implement should you still wish to have your story be part of the anthology.

Please review, and if you agree, I’ll be happy to transfer the 15 usd via paypal this week. . . .

The review and agreement went back late yesterday afternoon.

The Calm in House of Long Shadows January 11

James Dorr’s “The Calm” first appeared in the anthology NEW MYTHOS LEGENDS. Set during the French and Indian War, it vividly evokes a raw country in which, blind to human conflict, true alienness lurks in the water and the air.

Thus the header appearing with the tale, originally offered in 1999 by Marietta Publishing and noted at the time as in a relatively rare historical period for a Lovecraftian story, and now due for a new airing Saturday, i.e. tomorrow, on the 11th in HOUSE OF LONG SHADOWS (cf. November 14, et al.). And in a possibly also rare setting, “upstate” New York on the mysterious — well, under the circumstances, maybe — slopes of the Taconic Mountains. And not to mention, with an evocative illustration.

Or, to quote from what had been the HOUSE OF LONG SHADOWS CALL: Trad Gothic. You know it when you see it. . . . Horror is the most famously Gothic genre — and our number one aesthetic touchstone is horror cinema in the Corman-Hammer vein — but we’re also open to family dramas, murder mysteries, and moody romance. . . Or maybe old customs that would have better been left unquestioned?

One can find out tomorrow.

Cat-Skinner Sweet Edited Copy Received, Returned

A snowy day, Monday — not a blizzard to be sure, but covering enough to keep one inside. At least for the day. And received on email, re. “Cat-Skinner Sweet and the Twirling Teacups of Deadwood City” (see December 16): Here is your story with the edits included on the document. They’re all fairly straight forward, with some from both my polishing editor and myself. I’ve added comments where any extra explanation is beneficial.

So far, so good. It goes on to say, [p]lease keep the Track Changes feature on so I can see whatever changes you make when you resave it and send it back to me. Just click accept for changes you’re fine with. If you reject any edits, please make a comment there with a reason why, so I can quickly find anything that is rejected (as I can’t see that easily on my end for some reason). If you can try your best to get the edits completed and the file sent back to me by Jan 12th, that would be incredible. And making by the 12th would be no problem, albeit it would have to be done at the library (it being beyond the “pay grade” of the Windows 7 home computer). So it would have to wait till Tuesday.

But again, no problem — and so, done and done. The publication, FORGETTING SOMETHING, an anthology with a humorous bent. And “Cat-Skinner Sweet” a western-style tall tale about alien mice and . . . well, maybe we should wait until it’s out and you can see for yourself. But, back to the edits, with everything checked and sent back today.

PseudoPod Contract Signed, Sent Back Thursday; Last Girls Club Received

Things move quickly sometimes, and so too this entry. Thursday’s email included the contract for “Some Say Art Deals With the Unexpected,” aka “The Artist” as originally published in 2013’s anthology SPLATTERLANDS, a complex eight-page affair from audio publication PSEUDOPOD (see below, December 30) and now signed and returned. Then, home from the library where I do much of my email, what should be lurking in my mailbox but the Winter 2024 “Underground” edition of LAST GIRLS CLUB, with my story “Tunnels” (cf. December 26), originally aired in jolly old England in LEAFING THROUGH, December 1 2004. Thus a worthy, quick start just two days in for a happy New Year!

Artist Accepted for PseudoPod Sunday

The email came yesterday: ­We’re very happy to say we’d like to accept “The Artist” to run at PseudoPod!You can expect the contract in a separate email from our Contracts Administrator (usually within 2-4 weeks).

The story, “The Artist” (see August 27 2014, et al.) is one about a special sort of art — indeed PSEUDOPOD editors Shawn Garrett and Alex Hofelich suggested a title change for audio purposes to “Some Say Art Deals With the Unexpected,” which I okayed — and originally appeared in the anthology SPLATTERLANDS (Grey Matter Press, 2013). A, shall we say, “unexpected” art. But, what kind might that be. . . ?

Let us just say that anthology title might offer a hint.

While as for PSEUDOPOD, to quote their original call: PseudoPod is a genre magazine in audio form. We’re looking for horror . . . dark, weird fiction. We run the spectrum from grim realism or crime drama, to magic-realism, to blatantly supernatural dark fantasy. We publish highly literary stories reminiscent of Poe or Lovecraft as well as vulgar shock-value pulp fiction. . . . Well, you get the idea.