David A. Riley's Blog, page 109

Blast from the past

Just came across this old photograph taken in London in 1976 of, in order, Jim Pitts, Jon Harvey, Steve Jones and me.

The Lurkers in the Abyss & Other Tales of Terror - update

Things are moving along quite smoothly for the publication of my short story collection in October by Shadow Publishing. Cover artwork has been commission by Dave Sutton for my artist of choice, Paul Mudie, whose fantastic paintings have graced the covers of all the Black Books of Horror.

After some discussion it now looks as if Paul will be basing his painting on my story Fish-Eye, which is possibly the most Lovecraftian one in the book (it was first published in the Lovecraft eZine) with my own turn on the Deep Ones.

The Unspoken edited by William Meikle - my review

Although this is a charity anthology, don't be misled into thinking any of the stories are castoffs. From writers like Tim Lebbon, Simon Kurt Unsworth, Steven Savile, Steve Lockley, John Shirley, Anna Taborska, Stephen James Price, Scott Nicholson, Stephen Laws, Nancy Kilpatrick, Barbie Wilde, Johnny Mains, Guy N. Smith, Pete Crowther, Steve Duffy, William Meikle and Gary McMahon that just isn't going to happen. There isn't a second rate story here.

And, though cancer is an underlying theme, there is a great variety in what we are offered, from true physical horror, science fiction, fantasy, to psychological horror of a high order.

Indeed, for me the highlight of the collection is a psychological horror story. Photographs of Boden by Simon Kurt Unsworth is a gem that would shine out in any anthology. Boden's memories of himself, his character, his past history, are undermined as family photographs are corrupted by some unknown force. Or are they? In his memories it was always his sister who managed to spoil every family event with her selfishness, endlessly arguing and sulking over everything that didn't suit her own wishes. Subtly, though, their roles appear to be being reversed, not only now, but at every event that Boden can remember. Even his own memories become corrupted by this metamorphosis. It is a frightening story, undermining the past - and the present. It's a story that has lingered with me ever since.

Polyp by Barbie Wilde is another standout story. Crazy, gut wrenchingly horrible, it is one of the wackiest tales I have read in a long while.

Pete Crowther's Cankerman, on the other hand, is a story of loss and self sacrifice, and is touchingly poignant. The Cankerman is a horrific creation, genuinely the stuff of nightmares but sometimes the human spirit - and love - can face up to and challenge, if not totally defeat even the worst thing that can be thrown at us.

Johnny Mains is well known for his over the top horrors, often written with a blood-soaked tongue in his cheek. The Cure is surely one of his most horrible yet, a strange story of what could be described as medical malpractice taken to its nth degree. I can guarantee you won't forget this one easily.

Though these are my own particular favourites, there are plenty of others that are almost as good, which other readers would probably like even more.

All profits from this book will go to the Beatson Cancer Research Institute and I am proud to have a story of my own in it.

kindle edition UK 
kindle edition USA

Cancer Charity Anthology The Unspoken edited by William Meikle

This charity anthology is available now via kindle for £2.88 at Amazon.co.uk and at Amazon.com

Contents are:


Ramsey Campbell – Introduction
Tim Lebbon – Just Breathe
Simon Kurt Unsworth – Photographs of Boden
Steven Savile & Steve Lockley – The Last Gift
John Shirley – Where the Market’s Hottest
Anna Taborska – Underbelly
Stephen James Price – Pages of Promises
Scott Nicholson – Heal Thyself
Stephen Laws – Harbinger
William Meikle – The Unfinished Basement
Nancy Kilpatrick – Alien Love
David A. Riley – A Girl, a Toad and a Cask
Barbie Wilde – Polyp
Johnny Mains – The Cure
Guy N Smith – The Big One
Pete Crowther – Cankerman
Steve Duffy – X for Henrietta
Gary McMahon – Bitter Soup
Edited by William Meikle
Cover art by Simon Marshall Jones

The book is being published by Karoshi Books, first as an ebook, followed by a POD paperback. All profits go to The Beatson Cancer Research Institute.

Under the Knife edited by Kevin G. Bufton

This anthology from Cruentus Libri, edited by Kevin G. Bufton, is now available via Amazon at £6.99 (print version) and £1.34 (kindle).

It includes my science fiction horror story Winter on Aubarch 6 which was originally published in 1989 in Fear magazine.

Dark Discoveries

Just received the latest issue of Dark Discoveries in the post this morning - and it's even bigger than ever. This is one magazine that definitely looks to be improving all the time. Pleased to see, too, that Hazardous Press have an advert in it, including for my collection of short stories, His Own Mad Demons.

I'll be doing a review of the magazine later as soon as I have managed to read it, though at over 100 A4 pages that's going to take a couple of days.

Cancer Research Charity Anthology - The Unspoken edited by William Meikle

The cancer research charity anthology, The Unspoken , edited by William Meikle is finally, after a few ups and down, scheduled to be published in the near future by Karoshi Books, first of all as an ebook, followed by a POD paperback. All profits will go to The Beatson Cancer Research Institute.

The anthology includes:

Ramsey Campbell - IntroductionTim Lebbon - Just BreatheSimon Kurt Unsworth - Photographs of BodenSteven Savile & Steve Lockley - The Last GiftJohn Shirley - Where the Market's HottestAnna Taborska - UnderbellyStephen James Price - Pages of PromisesScott Nicholson - Heal ThyselfStephen Laws - HarbingerWilliam Meikle - The Unfinished BasementNancy Kilpatrick - Alien LoveDavid A. Riley - A Girl, a Toad and a CaskBarbie Wilde - PolypJohnny Mains - The CureGuy N Smith - The Big OnePete Crowther - CankermanSteve Duffy - X for HenriettaGary McMahon - Bitter Soup
Edited by William MeikleCover art by Simon Marshall Jones

The Sorcerers - The Original Screenplay by John Burke

The Sorcerers, directed by Michael Reeves and starring Boris Karloff and Ian Ogilvy, has long been a favourite British horror movie of mine. Filmed in 1967 at the height of "flower power", this was set contrastingly in a dank, depressing suburb of London, capturing a mood of pessimism and boredom that may be out of kilter with the more fashionably seen mood of the time but was probably truer for most people then.

Now PS Publishing are bringing out The Sorcerers - The Original Screenplay by John Burke - edited by Johnny Mains.

Introduction - Jean Burke
Introductory Essay - Dr Matthew Sweet
The Sorcerers Discord - Johnny Mains
Sorcerers Treatment - John Burke
Sorcerers Screenplay - John Burke
The Sorcerers Happening - Ben Halligan
Original DVD linear notes - Kim Newman
Michael Reeves Biography - Tony Earnshaw

Filmed on a tight, almost negligible budget, The Sorcerers was the second film directed by Reeves, who only made one more, Witchfinder General, before his early death.

Credits for the film have always been "Script by Michael Reeves and Tom Baker" based on an "idea by John Burke". Johnny Mains, who became close friends with John Burke in his final years, discovered, though, that these fail to reflect reality. Inside a plain cardboard box, John Burke showed him his early treatment for the film, plus the screenplay, headed:
"The Sorcerers"Screenplay byJohn BurkeMichael Reeves&Tom Baker
When he read this, Johnny's astonished response was to exclaim: "And when the film came out your name was dropped from the screenplay credits and you were relegated to 'from an idea by'. John, do you realise how important this all is?"

Sadly, a few months later, John Burke died, but Johnny was sent the cardboard box by his son. He decided there and then to do something to set the record straight. There followed the mammoth task of tracking down people who would, importantly, give him permission to reprint copyrighted material pertaining to the film, and to bring together an assortment of articles by experts on the subject, including Dr Matthew Sweet, Ben Halligan, Kim Newman and Tony Earnshaw.

Having already been given the opportunity to see Dr Sweet's Introductory Essay and Johnny's The Sorcerers Discord I can say that this is going to be one barnstormer of a book, one that anyone interested in 1960s British cinema, particularly the horror genre, will want to read.

Grey Matter Press Accept Scrap

Grey Matter Press have accepted my 12,000 word story, Scrap, for inclusion in their forthcoming anthology, tentatively due the 25th June, Dark Visions - volume 1. As well as the fact that there is a very nice fee to go with it, I am pleased also because I believe this is one of the best short stories I have written, even if it does have one of my shortest titles.

This year is proving one of the best so far for my writing with my novel, The Return, due out in July, and my short story collection, The Lurkers in the Abyss, launched at the World Fantasy Convention in October/November.

The Daylight Gate by Jeanette Winterson

Hellnotes have just posted my review of Jeanette Winterson's The Daylight Gate :

"In 1612 seven women and two men were executed at Gallows Hill, Lancaster Castle, as witches. It is an event made famous by the lawyer, Thomas Potts’ account of the trial in The Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Lancaster and, later, by Harrison Ainsworth’s Gothic masterpiece The Lancashire Witches. The events were later related in Robert Neill’s 1951 historical romance, Mist over Pendle.
Living within site of the infamous hill, I know I should like this book more than I do. The author’s debut novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, won the Whitbread Prize for First Novel, while its dramatization on television won a BAFTA for Best Drama. Other books by Jeanette Winterson have won prizes too. She is a prominent name in literature. She was also brought up in my home town of Accrington, which is not far from the focal point of where the Lancashire Witches, whose story The Daylight Gate is about. More ."