David A. Riley's Blog, page 37
December 1, 2020
Eccentric, Impractical Devils: The Letters of August Derleth and Clark Ashton Smith
Many thanks to Jim Pitts who, while we were signing pre-ordered copies of After Nightfall & Other Weird Tales yesterday gave me a copy of this fabulous book from Hippocampus Press: Eccentric, Impractical Devils: The Letters of August Derleth and Clark Ashton Smith. I have already started delving into it and it is utterly fascinating.
Pre-orders signed and ready to post of After Nightfall & Other Weird Tales
Met up with Jim Pitts (carefully social distanced!) to sign all the pre-orders for After Nightfall & Other Weird Tales, which will be posted today when the book is officially published.
A big Thank You to everyone who pre-ordered this book. There are still a small handful of signed copies left which can be ordered at the discounted price of £18, inclusive of postage and packing within the UK. First come first served. After that it will have to be ordered either through amazon or through Parallel Universe Publications at the full price of £20, inclusive of postage and packing anywhere in the world.
November 20, 2020
After Nightfall & Other Weird Tales by David A. Riley, Illustrated by Jim Pitts
After a bit of a hiccup when the printer made a hash of the first copies ordered (inserting an extra, unwanted page before the Contents page), After Nightfall & Other Weird Tales will now be published on the 30th November. Up until then copies are still available for pre-order, all of which will be posted on publication. PRE-ORDER
Below are some photos of the interior of the book:
November 19, 2020
Received a copy of Jester of Hearts in the post today containing my story Corpse-Maker
Got a copy of Jester of Hearts, "A humorous horror anthology" published by Terror Tract in the post today, which contains my story Corpse-Maker, which makes it the 10th story I have had published this year, with three more to go. "With our world in a rage of true horror, we set out to bring you a book guaranteed to make you laugh! These side splitting stories are the best of the best! Grab your tissues you are gonna need them! Stories from: Ramsey Campbell, John Di Donna, C.M. Saunders, Timothy Wiseman, Edmund Stone, Tony Gilbert, D. Thomas Jerlo, Dale Hollin, Tim J. Finn, R.C. Mulhare, Patrick R. McDonough, Justin Boote, T.M. Brown, David A. Riley, Marge Simon, E.A. Black, Matthew Cash, Andrew Lenno, Matt Scott, Chris Miller."https://www.facebook.com/terrortract
November 18, 2020
Help support a new British horror feature film - Day of the Clones
What is it About?
Human cloning. The dream of modern science. Or a nightmare?
DAY OF THE CLONES is new British feature film set in Manchester, England. This ambitious sci-fi horror movie asks the question: what happens when human cloning gets out of hand?
This is the story of a government scientist who tries to defend a rag-tag bunch of survivors in a remote farmhouse after the clones he has created have taken over the world.
The film combines the claustrophobia of George A Romero's “Dawn of the Dead” with the intense paranoia of John Carpenter’s “The Thing”, set against a realistic backdrop of the industrial North of England. The film has action, stunts, special effects and military vehicles galore!
We will use the latest technology as well as old-school practical effects. We will also be using experienced TV actors, a professional crew made up of local talent, using Hollywood-grade equipment, and a script written by a Hollywood screenwriter.
And now you can be a part of the story!
Why Do You Need Funds?
We try to pay for as much of the film as we can. But we are a tiny outfit, and in order to pay for the actors we want, and to achieve the special effects and exciting stunts we want to film, we need extra funding. This funding will also help us pay for postproduction facilities like editing and sound mixing.
Who Are We?
Writer/director Eric Ian Steele is the award-winning screenwriter of the thriller feature film “The Student” (2017), directed by Steven R Monroe (“I Spit On Your Grave”) and produced by The Cartel (“Creepshow”) which is currently on Netflix in the USA. He also wrote the sci-fi action film “Clonehunter” (2012). He made his last feature film, the body horror vampire movie “Boy #5” (2020) on a shoestring budget.
Producer Barry Morton is a professional filmmaker and photographer with 20 years of experience.
You can read about our amazing adventures making our first feature film “Boy 5” here.
The talented cast includes Sean Cernow of TV’s “Shameless”, Steven Coogan’s comedy feature “24 Hour Party People” and indie horror film “K-Shop”, alongside regulars of TV's “Emmerdale”, “Coronation Street” and “Peaky Blinders”.
What’s In It For You?
First of all, you get to see a feature film made, thanks to your support!
We also aim to make more feature films. So you will be helping to revitalize the British film industry and be supporting local indie filmmakers and actors!
And there’s more good news… due to the current situation, we have just as good a chance as any major Hollywood film to be selected for a major film festival or to get picked up by a large distributor like Netflix!
Finally, you get to choose one the semi-awesome perks listed below!
We welcome your suggestions and comments. You can contact us on our Facebook page here:
And finally..!
Any donation, matter how small, is always greatly appreciated. Just £4 will help go toward making this film a reality, and we will keep you constantly updated about the progress so far!
And even if you are unable to donate anything, you can still help! Just share this campaign with your friends and family and on social media. Every little helps!
Thanks again for all your time! Enjoy the teaser!
Eric Steele.
Click on this link to go straight to the film's official site.
Craig Herbertson reviews Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy presented by David A. Riley. Illustrated by Jim Pitts Nov 17 2020
Filed In: Fantasy, Heaven, Uncategorized
A good buffet has something for everyone. Similarly, a good anthology treads the delicate balance of achieving a consistent feel while rewarding the reader with a mix of tales. “Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy” achieves this balance as one would expect from a veteran editor. David Riley has previously expressed his fondness for Lin Carter who almost single-handedly resurrected the fantasy anthology and its no surprise that this collection of stories seems a worthy successor.
After a fascinating introduction dedicated to the late Charles Black, we have eight very different fantasy tales enhanced by the distinctive art of Jim Pitts.
In the The Mirror of Torjan Sul by Steve Lines a powerful necromancer sends his dubious apprentice to collect the mirror. It has a plot reminiscent of Jack Vance and convolutes in an interesting manner. Desert peoples, suspicious meteorites, sultry ladies with a bloodthirsty bent and a hero entertain in The Horror from the Stars by Steve Dilks.
Trolls are Different by Susan Murrie Macdonald, is a little gem involving a head village lady in some subtle diplomacy to sort out the bad guys. The tale departs some way from a conventional fantasy tale but loses nothing by this..
I never got into the Grey Mouser or spoofs but Chain of Command by Geoff Hart is really a marvellous take on Leiber, brilliantly crafted, funny and slick. Suspiciously familiar heroines join with incompetent mages on a quest for the Chain of Office of a long dead king. Doesn’t work out well for most involved. Ten out of ten.
Disruption of Destiny by Gerri Leen had me yawning in the first page and applauding by the last. It starts in an innocuous manner and then takes on a maze of interesting twists. It’s a standout in a very good anthology. Don’t be fooled by the tarot cards and the witch. It is a far deeper and more interesting tale.
In The City of Silence by Eric Ian Steele, The king Ariston and his loyal vizier, Obadiah seem to have come to the end of their adventures. When the king loses his sword and some other bits it looks like the end is nigh. But it ain’t.
Another standout is Red by Chadwick Ginther with its neat female protagonist on the search for her recalcitrant brother in the underground city. Funny at times, exciting at others this was one of the most enjoyable tales.
The final tale, The Reconstructed God by Adrian Cole, is an excellent and well plotted piece about the Key of Keys. Elfloq comes to an arrangement with the merchant Aggrabal but who will end up with the master Key? Keeps you guessing.
One of the most cheering aspects of this anthology is ‘Volume 1’ on the front of a striking cover. Thankfully, there is no boring literature here and no mundane facts. There is action, intrigue, impossible places and unlikely scenarios. In short if you like fantasy you are in the right place. There is also a refreshing hint of the good old days in “Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy” spiced up with the approach of a new generation of fantasy writers – Let’s hope Volume 2 is not too long in coming.
Parallel Universe Publications
November 17, 2020
Another story accepted by Lovecraftiana magazine
This year I have had two stories published in Lovecraftiana magazine and have three more scheduled for next year, with a sixth just accepted for the Candlemas issue in 2022.The lineup is:
Lurkers - Walpurgis 2020
The Shadow by the Altar - Halloween 2020
Boat Trip - Candlemas 2021
Inside the Labyrinth - Lammas 2021
The Lurkers in the Abyss - Halloween 2021
Fish Eye - Candlemas 2022
November 16, 2020
A great 5-star review of Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy on amazon.com
A great 5-star review, with a concise but in-depth look at the stories on amazon.com by Jason Ray Carney. "All in all, an entertaining and fresh new anthology of sword and sorcery! Jim Pitts's cover is really distinctive; moreover, his interior illustrations are delightfully eerie, otherworldly, and evoke that "old school" charm."
First review for Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy on amazon.com
The first review for Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy has appeared on amazon.com. "A varied collection of stories. Not to be overlooked. And be sure to keep an eye out for Volume Two out next year with more art by Jim Pitts."
Parallel Universe Publications
The contents of Volume One are:
INTRODUCTION - David A. Riley
THE MIRROR OF TORJAN SUL - Steve Lines
THE HORROR FROM THE STARS - Steve Dilks
TROLLS ARE DIFFERENT - Susan Murrie Macdonald
CHAIN OF COMMAND - Geoff Hart
DISRUPTION OF DESTINY - Gerri Leen
THE CITY OF SILENCE - Eric Ian Steele
RED - Chadwick Ginther
THE RECONSTRUCTED GOD - Adrian Cole
The cover and all the interior artwork is by Jim Pitts.November 15, 2020
My review of The Watcher in the Tower by James G. Watson in Phantasmagoria magazine, M. R. James Special
The latest Phantasmagoria Special, devoted to M. R. James, contains my review of The Watcher in the Tower, a "Jamesian" tale.
THE WATCHER IN THE TOWER by James G. Watson
Ghost-Writers Worldwide Press 2018
We could all do with more Jamesian tales of the supernatural, and in this regard James G. Watson has served us well with The Watcher in the Tower, though I cannot help suspect that the Provost himself would have told the story in fewer words. Though Jamesian in spirit, it has a verbosity which James himself was never guilty. Still, it is an enjoyable yarn, even if I sometimes felt tempted to grab a blue pencil (or whatever it was that editors in times gone by used to use for this purpose) to cross out all that extra wordage.
My other complaint would be the typography, which is downright awful and totally inexcusable. This is not something I usually make a fuss about, but here it is downright dreadful, especially as the typographer actually gets thanked in the credits! The worst of it is the margins, which are totally ill balanced, with far too much space on the right hand side, but so little on the left that to read the opening lines on the odd-numbered pages you almost have to break the spine to force the pages open wide enough. It makes the book look ugly and, worse still, makes reading it a chore. I’ll not nit-pick all the typographical horrors that afflict this book, but they do abound. Which is a crying shame. As is the fact that if a larger font had been used the page count might have been enough for the printer to include a title on the spine instead of leaving it blank.
Back to the story, which is a fascinating tale told in retrospect by the garrulous Dr. Kirkman who many years before was enlisted to help Dr. Julius Mann in his researches into St. Bavo’s Priory in the Austrian Duchy of Carinthia. The most notable thing about this building was its great tower on top of which stood eight gargoyles “of monstrous size”, and even more frighteningly hideous than usual, with dire warnings against those who break the Commandments.
It is a gripping story of an ecclesiastical curse that, in typical Jamesian manner, continued to exact its peculiar impact through the centuries. The climax is genuinely terrible and makes all the 73 pages to get there worthwhile.
I would heartily recommend The Watcher in the Tower to anyone who loves Jamesian stories, though I do wish the publishers would revise the book’s layout. I would even be tempted to buy another if they did! But, please, don’t let this put you off. Despite all the typographical horrors it is an excellent book.
