David A. Riley's Blog, page 52

The Walking Dead

For the first time since it first began I am not excited about the start of the new series of The Walking Dead. Some of the writing and particularly the plotting recently has been dire. I hope it improves but I can understand why viewing figures have fallen.

The Gallery of Curiosities

Received my contributor's copy of the lovely little publication, The Gallery of Curiosities, in the post today, courtesy of its editor and publisher, Kevin Frost, the print version of the podcast. https://gallerycurious.com/
It contains my story After Nightfall, which has been published several times already, notably in The Year's Best Horror 1 edited by Richard Davis, Fantasy Tales, and more recently in Otto Penzler's mammoth collection Zombies! Zombies! Zombies! - as well as in an unauthorised Russian translation in the early 90s! It's also included in my own collection, The Lurkers in the Abyss and other Tales of Terror (Shadow Publishing).

Simon Scarrow's Day of the Caesars

First book read in 2018 was Simon Scarrow's Day of the Caesars, the latest in his series of novels about Centurian Macro and Prefect Cato in first century Rome.

In the previous novel we saw our interpid legionaires recruited into the Praetorium Guard, then sent off to settle a revolt at a vital silver mine in Spain. Returning to Rome at the start of Day of the Caesars, they expect to be treated as conquering heroes, but the old emperor, Claudius, has died and Nero is the new power in town, and it's not long before they unwillingly find themselves up to their necks in court intrigues, conspiracy and treason.

One of the things I like about Simon Scarrow's novels is how varied they are, so that each novel is refreshingly different. His knowledge of Roman history is phenominal, as is his grasp of character. A thoroughly good read - one which, quite literally, I couldn't put down. The appearance of a new novel about Macro and Cato around the end of the year is one of the few bonuses of the winter-time - and one I have grown to look forward to immensely.

The twists and turns in Day of the Caesars certainly surprised me this time, though they all, in restrospect, make perfect sense - which is a sign of a master teller of tales, which Simon Carrow most certainly is.

Fully recommended.

"Prickly" available to read for free on the Vault of Evil Advent Calendar

Artwork: Chrissie Demant

My short story Prickly is now available to read for free on the annual Vault of Evil Advent Calendar.

Prickly was first published in 1982 in David Stuart Schiff's anthology Death (Playboy Paperbacks). It is also included in my collection The Lurkers in the Abyss & Other Tales of Terror (Shadow Publishing).

Sledge-Lit, Derby, November 25th 2017

Great time spent with Jim Pittsat Sledge-Lit on Saturday, despite a 5.30 am start off and a journey beset with roadworks and sleet! Still we got there on time and set up our stand for Parallel Universe Publications. Like every other dealer there it was, unfortunately, a very poor day for sales, but, on the plus side, it was a great opportunity to meet up with old friends and new, including Mike Chinn, Eric Ian Steele, CC Adams, Alex Davis, and Ash Hartwell, whose new novel, Tip of the Iceberg, I'm reading at the moment.
http://paralleluniversepublications.blogspot.co.uk/

Carl Ford - RIP

Saddened to hear of the death of Carl Ford - far too young to have left us.

Above is the only photo I have of Carl, taken at the World Fantasy Convention in Brighton with David Sutton to the left, me to the right, and Carl in the middle.

Carl will long be remembered for the outstanding magazine Dagon, which he published and edited and for which he received a well-deserved British Fantasy Award.

The Fantastical Art of Jim Pitts - signed editions by Ramsey Campbell, Stephen Jones, Peter Coleborn, Jon M. Harvey, David A. Riley, Jim Pitts

There are a limited number of editions signed by most of the contributors to the book at Fantasycon left: Ramsey Campbell, Stephen Jones, Peter Coleborn, Jon M. Harvey, David A. Riley, and of course Jim himself. If you would like one, you'll need to order one soon before these run out.

After Nightfall accepted for the Gallery of Curiosities audio podcast

Just learned that Gallery of Curiosities podcast have accepted a reprint story of mine, After Nightfall, for an audio transmission.

This will be the 7th time this story has been published:

1970 - in a slightly different form - Weird Window 1, published by Shadow Publishing, edited by David A. Sutton1971 - The Year's Best Horror Fiction 1 - Sphere Books and Daw Books, edited by Richard Davis1985 - Fantasy Tales #15, edited by Stephen Jones and David A. Sutton1992 - Tayaschiysya Horror 2 , ( Таящийся ужас 2 ) published in Russia, translated by Vladimir Vladimirov (This was an unauthorised reprint which I didn't find out about till years later)2011 - Zombies! Zombies! Zombies! published by Vintage Books, edited by Otto Penzler2012 - Zombies: A Compendium of the Living Dead, published by Corvus/Atlantic Books, edited by Otto Penzler2013 - The Lurkers in the Abyss & Other Tales of Terror, published by Shadoiw Publishing

Lancashire Telegraph article about The Fantastical Art of Jim Pitts

The Lancashire Telegraph published a half-page story about The Fantastical Art of Jim Pitts in today's edition.



The Lancashire Telegraph published a half-page story about The Fantastical Art of Jim Pitts in today's edition.



Original of photo used by The Lancashire Telegraph taken by Tim Bradley

David A. Riley & Jim Pitts - unused photo by Tim Bradley

Mythic magazine #4 and my story A Grim God's Revenge

Got my contributor copies of Mythic magazine #4 in the post today, containing my dark fantasy story A Grim God's Revenge.