James Dorr's Blog, page 96

Grimmer and Grimmer, Paperback DeadSteam Arrives in Mailbox

Reader beware: to open this tome is to invite dread into your heart.  Every page you turn will bring you closer to something wicked.  And when the dead begin to rise from the steaming pits of hell, only then will you discover that it is already too late.  Your life is forfeit.  Featuring an introduction by Leanna Renee Hieber, author of the Eterna Files and Strangely Beautiful saga, DeadSteam plays host to the scintillating writing of David Lee Summers (Owl Dance, The Brazen Shark), Jen Ponce (The Bazaar, Demon’s Cradle), Wendy Nikel (The Continuum), Karen J Carlisle (The Adventures of Viola Stewart), Jonah Buck (Carrion Safari), a[image error]nd more…  With seventeen chilling tales of dreadpunk, gaslamp, and dark steampunk, DeadSteam will leave you tearing at the pages, desperate for more.  For within these pages, the dead rise from their graves to haunt the London Underground, witches whisper their incantations to the wind, a sisterhood of bitten necks hunts fog-drenched alleyways lit only by gaslight, and only one thing is certain:  that dread will follow you until you turn that final page.  And that sinking feeling in the pit of your chest?  That fear that something is following you, watching you, hunting you?  It is not for nothing.  Look over your shoulder, dear reader.  Watch behind you.  Listen to the whispers in the darkness.  But know this . . . it is all inevitable.

Thus the Amazon blurb for Grimmer & Grimmer Books’s new anthology DEADSTEAM (see September 4, et al.), still listed for an official October 1 release. But strange are the ways. . . .  That is, yesterday my author’s paperback copy had nestled itself into my mailbox, seemingly more than two weeks before its official existence!  None the less, my tale in the tome (tomb?) involves not a premature birth of sorts but, recounted through the eyes of a Victorian London undertaker, perhaps an overly quick dismissal of death.  The title is “The Re-Possessed,” originally published in CEMETERY RIOTS (Elysium Press, 2016).

Not complaining about the date, though (albeit putting down its publication as September 2018 in my bibliography (cf. under “PAGES” in the right hand column) — it is in fact a lovely book.  And pre-orders are being taken now; so those who wish to indulge may press here.  And not only that, there will be an additional hardback edition, to pre-order which one may press here.

Another List? But This One’s the Real Stuff, the Absolutely Best 100 Scary Movies

Let’s give the piece its exact title, “The 100 best horror films,” subtitled “The best horror films and movies of all time, voted for by over 100 experts including Simon Pegg, Stephen King and Alice Cooper, and Time Out writers.”  The byline (that is to say, the TIME OUT writers themselves) is to Tom Huddleston, Cath Clarke, Dave Calhoun, Nigel Floyd, Alim Kheraj, and Phil de Semlyen and it was posted Friday April 13 2018 on the British site TIMEOUT.COM.  So how can you go wrong?  And, credit due, it comes to us courtesy of C.M. Saunders as mentioned in an interesting review on his blog of the Spanish film [REC] — one of the relatively few “found footage” films that really works — for [image error]which one can press here.

But to the main event, quoting the “Time Out writers” (as well, credit due, appropriating their title illustration):  For years, horror, unlike romance, action and science fiction, has been mistreated and subjected to vicious critical attacks.  For some, horror films are focused purely on provoking a reaction with little thought for ‘higher’ aspirations.  For others, they’re just a bit of fun.

Thankfully, it looks like the horror genre is finally getting the recognition it deserves, with recent releases getting Oscar buzz and proving to be box office hits.  To celebrate this often overlooked and thrilling genre, we approached horror experts, writers, directors and actors to help us chose the 100 best horror films.

Yes, I disagree with some, although if it is an endorsement of sorts I’ve seen or own well over half of these.  And everyone reading this will no doubt have their doubts about others, and possibly even criteria used to decide which is best.  And of course some favorites will fail to be there — we all have our tastes, yes?  But for me, also, part of the value of lists like these is finding the films I haven’t seen, but from the descriptions I might well want to.

So, giving a press here, shall we explore together?

As Fall Approaches, Why Not Some Ghost Movies for Our Late Night Viewing

There’s THE OTHER, THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE, THE ORPHANAGE . . . but then there’s also PARANORMAL ACTIV[image error]ITY.  Well, as they say in the biz mileage will vary, or, some people’s tastes may be different than others.  But to cut to the chase, according to compiler Aliza Polkes:  Spirits, poltergeists, otherworldly visitors:  Hollywood ghosts go by many different names.  Whether they’re possessing people, haunting houses, orphanages or schools, or just generally terrorizing those around them, these souls have a bone to pick with the living.

The List?  “14 Haunting Ghost Movies That Will Send Chills Down Your Spine” on THE-LINE-UP.COM, with its mocking sub-title: “We see dead people.”  To see for oneself, one need but press here.

The Making of Loving Vincent; Amazon Tombs and Tears Prices Compared

Two quickies for Monday, the first a YouTube followup on Sunday’s post on LOVING VINCENT.  For an 8 minute, 21 second peek into “The Making Of. . . .” via the BBC, with an [image error]interview of one of the artists, Sarah Wimperis, please to press here.

Then the second, just out of curiosity, I’ve noted several times that while paperback copies of TOMBS:  A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH often seem on sale, I seldom see bargains on THE TEARS OF ISIS.  So (why not?  thought I) this morning I made a comparison, at least on Amazon, and came across what seemed to me a curious counterpoint, that THE TEARS OF ISIS is the bargain if you like electronic copies, but TOMBS is still king for print on paper.  Thus THE TEARS OF ISIS Kindle edition is priced (today, at least) at $2.99 compared with TOMBS at $8.99; for print editions, however, TEARS has one used “good” copy at $12.94 with free shipping but everything else at full price or higher, while TOMBS bargains abound with one new copy at $10.02 (plus shipping) and a number of others for $14.02 and $14.07 with shipping free.  What is to be made of this I know not myself, other than that strange are the ways of book pricing on Amazon (or, if you haven’t already, treat yourself to a Kindle copy of THE TEARS OF ISIS for which I should get at least a small royalty while, for TOMBS, snap up those new copies in print if you will, or even Kindle for which the royalty is a bit better — that is, I do have a dog in this fight myself).

Sunday Afternoon Twofer: Hand-Painted Movies and Vincent Van Gogh

Van Gogh suffered from psychotic episodes and delusions and though he worried about his mental stability, he often neglected his physical health, did not eat properly and drank heavily.  His friendship with Gauguin ended after a confrontation with a razor, when in a rage, he severed part of his own left ear.  He spent time in psychiatric hospitals, including a period at Saint-Rémy.  After he discharged himself and moved to the Auberge Ravoux in Auvers-sur-Oise near Paris, he came under the care of the [image error]homoeopathic doctor Paul Gachet.  His depression continued and on 27 July 1890, Van Gogh shot himself in the chest with a revolver.  He died from his injuries two days later.  (Wikipedia)

Sunday, roughly from noon to 3, saw the fall semester’s opening “Art and a Movie” doubleheader of a lecture/presentation on “the artist’s technique and influences” by Arts Museum Curator Nan Brewer (including the department’s own copy of a rare Van Gogh etching of Dr. Gachet) followed by the film LOVING VINCENT at the Indiana University Cinema.  Only six weeks separated Van Gogh’s leaving the hospital proclaiming himself as feeling cured, a prolific six weeks and under a possibly himself melancholic Dr. Gachet’s care, and his taking his own life — if indeed it was suicide.  There were no witnesses to the actual shooting and even [image error]some disagreement as to where it happened, out in a field where he liked to paint or in a local barn.  And so the film, while covering the painter’s whole life, ostensibly takes place a short period after Van Gogh’s death and seeks to answer the question why.

But the film itself is a work of art.  While perhaps not the world’s only “hand-painted feature film” (one thinks, for instance, of Georges Méliès’ 1902 A TRIP TO THE MOON and others like it, where he and his assistants painted directly on the processed film), but, quoting the IU Cinema’s blurb, [i]t weaves nearly 130 of the artist’s iconic paintings into a detective story that is itself a “one-of-a-kind work of art.”  Made over seven years, actors recreated the scenes in front of green screens, then 125 artists hand painted each of the 62,450 frames in Van Gogh’s style.  Voice work by actors like Saoirse Ronan and Chris O’Dowd enhances the experience.

It really has to be seen to be believed, simply on a visual level.  But add to that the tragedy of an artistic genius, driven by whatever demons came with it, to end after only about a decade of fortunately very prolific work and LOVING VINCENT is, in my view, a film not to be missed.

For the Writers Among Us, Kurt Vonnegut Offers Some Tips on Short Stories

By courtesy of Facebook friend and writer Ilona Hegedus, today’s item of extreme interest:  “Kurt Vonnegut Offers 8 Tips on How to Write Good Short Stories (and Amusingly Graphs the Shapes Those Stories Can Take)” by Colin Marshall on OPENCULTURE.COM.  Check it out by pressing here for some explanation, plus two (count ’em) links to brief lectures,[image error] “Kurt Vonnegut on How to Write a Short Story” and “Kurt Vonnegut on the Shapes of Stories,” in one minute and 28 seconds and four minutes 36 seconds respectively.  Short but information-packed (the first is a list of eight basic principles as the overall title implies), if these weren’t enough there are then six more links at the end of the text which, opened, in some cases add new topics in links at their ends.  Which all adds a kind of puzzle box quality (see also, below, May 11; May 27 2016) which in itself is kind of fun.

AbeBooks Sale May Not Include Tombs, But Super-Low Prices Apparently Do (At Least Right Now)

We’ve met AbeBooks before, most recently with a Summer Sale only last month (see August 3, et al.), and they’re [image error]doing it again, this time with savings of up to 50 percent from selected vendors through September 28.  The catch here is that the varying discounts don’t seem to include Elder Signs Press or other publishers of my books as such — at least not exactly.  But discounts in some cases do still abound.

So if you haven’t checked out a paperback copy yet of TOMBS:  A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH, but wouldn’t be averse to a bargain, press here quickly.  Two vendors, both British, are offering TOMBS at an astonishing [image error]$7.04 and $7.22 respectively, and that seems to include free shipping to the US!  Other low prices can be found there as well, and while I don’t know if the September 28 cutoff applies, books at prices like this might be snapped up fast.

So I also checked out THE TEARS OF ISIS (hint:  if searching for it add the name DORR after the title, otherwise you get buried in titles about the mid-east) but, alas, no bargains here.  But I did find one “very good” used copy of the technically out-of-print DARKER LOVES:  TALES OF MYSTERY AND REGRET at a sale price of $8.99 (also with free shipping within the US), for which one may press here.

Poem Escalations Is Bought by Illumen

This one’s just one poem, of a group of three, but every one counts. The email came this afternoon from Editor Tyree Campbell:  I’m accepting one of these, “Escalations,” for the Winter 2019 [that’s this January] ILLUMEN, and you’ll [image error]receive payment with your contributor’s copy.  The poem itself is a dark humored one, some might say “silly,” a sort of riff on the classic film short “Bambi Meets Godzilla.”  As with many tales of horror, though, perhaps the real fear should be for what comes after.

Tyree continues, and I agree with him, [m]eanwhile, keep promoting poetry.  So many folks are terrified of it because they’re afraid someone might find out that they don’t understand it sometimes . . . it’s a never-ending battle for us publishers.  Poets, please take note.  While as for “Bambi Meets Godzilla,” to see it for yourself on YouTube press here.

DeadSteam Web Page Update, Pre-Order Links Announced

To continue September 3’s announcement, two posts below, DEADSTEAM now has an updated website, including links for pre-ordering from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, !ndigo, and Kobo, with links as well for a special hardcover edition from all but Kobo.  To check out the website, one need but press here or, if in a hurry, to get to the ordering links directly give a press here.  The [image error]release date remains October 1, with more information to be revealed here as it becomes known.

DEADSTEAM is an anthology of dreadpunk, gaslamp, and dark steampunk, to quote an early blurb (for a more complete one, see two posts below).  These are tales of the ghoulish and the gothic, chilling stories of haunted streets, of vampires and demons stalking the city from fog-drenched alleyways lit only by gas lamps.  And amongst the seventeen stories therein presented, please to peruse mine, “The Re-Possesed,” on the importance of scrupulous honesty in the funeral profession.*

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*In the interest of full disclosure, therefore, “The Re-Possessed” was originally published in CEMETERY RIOTS (Elysium Press, 2016).

Re-Launch Launched in Electronic Format

Okay, sorry about that headline (but you can appreciate my temptation).  Pole to Pole Publishing  announced today that their reprint anthology RE-LAUNCH:  SCIENCE FICTION STORIES OF NEW [image error]BEGINNINGS (see  June 1, February 18, 4) is available now from major distributors, including Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, BN Nook, Scribd, and 24Symbols, with print to follow in the next few weeks.  Moreover, for about the next ten days, it will be on sale for $2.99, after which the price will go up to $4.99.  Links to sellers offering RE-LAUNCH can be found on Pole to Pole’s website, for which press here.

And, yes, I do of course have a dog in this hunt (a pup in the pack?), my story “The Game” which originally appeared in the British e-zine HUB for November 2007.  “The Game” tells the tale of an on-the-beach spaceman, the unfriendly streets of an alien town, and his striving to maintain self respect as he seeks redemption.