David A. Riley's Blog, page 37

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

 

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."

amazon.co.uk

amazon.com

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.

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. 

 

 

Jester of Hearts from Terror Tracts

Very pleased to announce that I have a story in Jester of Hearts, published by Terror Tracts, "A Humorous Horror Anthology". My story is Corpse-Maker, which was first published in Dave Sutton's Weird Window fanzine in 1971.

"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."

Jester of Hearts

My story Grudge End Cloggers in Scare Me from Esskaye Books

Just received my contributor's copy of Scare Me edited by M. Leon Smith for Esskaye Books, containing my story Grudge End Cloggers. A nice note from the editor came with it: "Thanks so much for your story 'Grudge End Cloggers'. The mix of the supernatural Cloggers with the stark area of Grudge End (which reminded me of where I grew up) provided the right amount of uneasiness. Excellent story." amazon.co.uk 

Bloody Britain by Anna Taborska

Really pleased to get this gem in the post today from Shadow Publishing, Anna Taborska's collection Bloody Britain, cover by Paul Mudie, interior artwork by Reggie Oliver. It doesn't ever get much better than this!

Grudge End Cloggers in Scare Me from Esskaye Books

My latest Grudge End story, Grudge End Cloggers, appears in Scare Me from Esskaye Books, which is available now in paperback and kindle. 

To get hold of the paperback click on this link.

Pre-Order After Nightfall & Other Weird Tales, Illustrated by Jim Pitts

PRE-ORDERS


After Nightfall & Other Weird Tales by David A. Riley, illustrated by Jim Pitts, is available for pre-order up until the 14th November 2020, when it will be published. 
As well as over 20 illustrations by award-winning artist Jim Pitts, the book contains the following stories:
Three Eyed Jack
The Fragile Mask on his Face
Terror on the Moors
The Shade of Apollyon
Writer's Cramp
Fish Eye
Boat Trip
Prickly
After Nightfall

After publication this hardcover book will be for sale at £20.00 per copy.

Up until publication it can be pre-ordered for £18.00 including postage and packing within the UK, and all copies will be signed by both the writer and the artist. We have added extra charges for overseas orders.

To pre-order please use the button below.


Destinations United Kingdom £18.00 GBP Europe £22.15 GBP Rest of the World £31.18 GBP

Christmas in the Workhouse & Other Gruesome Tales by Craig Herbertson is available for pre-order up until the 14th November 2020, when it will be published. 

After publication this hardcover book will be for sale at £20.00 per copy.

Up until publication it can be pre-ordered for £18.00 including postage and packing within the UK, and all copies will be signed by the author. We have added extra charges for overseas orders.

To pre-order please use the button below.


Destinations United Kingdom £18.00 GBP Europe £22.15 GBP Rest of the World £31.18 GBP

Scare Me from Esskaye Books

 

Looking forward to seeing my story Grudge End Cloggers out in print from Esskaye Books at the end of this month in Scare Me.