John R. Fultz's Blog, page 49

Forbidden Futures #3

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Art by Mike Dubisch [Click to Enlarge]

FORBIDDEN FUTURES is a unique celebration of dark fantasy art and storytelling. The third issue features a “high fantasy” theme, but don’t expect the traditional fantasy fare as weirdness and horror are more likely to show up than “sweetness and light” in these adventures.

All the stories are based on artwork by the sensational Mike Dubisch, and the esteemed Cody Goodfellow serves as contributing editor. My story “Tears of the Elohim” appears in this issue, alongside one of Mike’s many superb illustrations.

You won’t find another magazine like this out there, blending voices of fantasy and horror prose with fantastic artwork from a single illustrator’s visionary palette.

Get your copy right HERE.

 

 

 

Getting to Know the EMPEROR OF DREAMS

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Darren Coelho Spring’s spectacular film explores the life and legend of Clark Ashton Smith–one of fantasy’s greatest talents, and one of the 20th Century’s most enduring “outsider artists.” [Art by Skinner]

I missed the World Fantasy Convention this year because I was too sick to travel. Feeling much better now, but still disappointed that I missed this terrific convention–it’s been my favorite yearly con since I attended my first one in 2009. (Wow! That was almost ten years ago! Time does fly…)
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Front cover of the DVD.

So how did I get over the heartbreak of missing WFC? I watched CLARK ASHTON SMITH: THE EMPEROR OF DREAMS, the brand new documentary spotlighting the life, the work, and the legend of my favorite fantasy writer.

I can’t say enough good things about this film, so let me just hit you with a few of the highlights:

The interviews with CAS experts are insightful and get more fascinating as the film continues.
The visuals are extremely well-done, as is the haunting and ethereal soundtrack, two elements that work together to create an almost supernatural presence as the story of Smith’s life unfolds.
Seeing the actual landscape that inspired “City of the Singing Flame”–one of Smith’s most admired tales, and one of his few fantasies that touch upon the “real world” in addition to his usual fantastical realms.
Some parts of the movie achieve an acid-trip style quality; filmmaker Darren Coelho Spring was obviously trying to evoke the weird wonder of reading a CAS tale–and he succeeds at this goal. This bio-doc gets totally “trippy” in a way that is delightfully unexpected.
After loving CAS’s work for decades, I now have a true understanding of the MAN behind the literature–the human being behind the cosmic poetry–the wizard behind all those wonderful narrative spells.
It traces Smith’s life from the beginning to the end, and provides a living context for his wildly fantastic work and his transcendent mastery of the written word.
One of Harlan Ellison’s last interviews is included, and he has some terrific observations about Smith’s work and legacy. Fittingly, Harlan even gets the “last word” in the documentary, exhorting the timeless quality of CAS’s work.
The film expertly captures Smith’s status as an “outsider” or “maverick” artist who never sold out, never chased after fame or success, and never once compromised his immense artistic vision.
CLARK ASHTON SMITH: THE EMPEROR OF DREAMS is the next best thing to sitting down with Smith himself and discussing the arc of his life in superb detail.

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Back cover of the DVD.

One caveat: This documentary is really for those who are already fans of Smith’s fiction, poetry, and other works of art. It’s not a CAS “primer” built to woo new fans. As Harlan Ellison elucidates so very well, Smith doesn’t need to chase fans; they find him.

If you are already a fan of Smith’s work, this documentary will amaze, enlighten, and entrance you.

You can watch the movie online HERE.

You can order a copy of the DVD HERE.

I rented it, watched it, and immediately ordered a copy of the DVD. It will make a terrific edition to anyone’s collection of CAS books.

I’m already itching to watch it again.

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Finally, here’s a link to a comprehensive look at Smith’s greatest epic poem, THE HASHISH EATER (or THE APOCALYPSE OF EVIL) that I wrote for Black Gate a few years back. This poem is given a special place in the documentary, as well it should be. There are few if any poems that can match its phantasmagorical imagery.

Summer Readings: The Storm Lord

[image error]Ever since the great Tanith Lee passed away, I’ve been meaning to make time for going back and 1) reading some of her important works that I may have missed, and 2) re-reading some of my TL favorites. Now that summer is in full swing, my reading season is here at last.

DAW has done a terrific job of releasing much of Tanith’s early back catalog, including the 1976 fantasy classic THE STORM LORD, and it’s two sequels. I’m reading that now and really loving it.

Looking at the great covers this book has been blessed with for over forty years, you can see from these images alone what a powerful story this is. A few years back I found and bought a huge paperback called WARS OF VIS that collected the first two books, but these days I’ve grown used to reading on my Kindle (for various reasons), so this gave me the chance to get all three VIS novels as e-books.

I’m glad to see that DAW has plans for even more Tanith Lee reprints, and they have already released new editions of the TALES FROM THE FLAT EARTH series–which many consider to be Tanith’s greatest masterpiece. However, THE STORM LORD was written directly before she started writing the first of the Flat Earth books, so it’s a look at her creative genius still in its formative stages. She was writing at a breakneck pace in the 70s, and that period is my favorite of her long and distinguished career.

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Magtone Returns in Weirdbook #39

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The second Magtone story, “Clouds Like Memories, Words Like Stones” is appearing in the pages of WEIRDBOOK #39, on sale now. Click here to ORDER.

Magtone of Karakutas is a poet-thief and a reluctant wizard, the lone survivor of a doomed metropolis. On his trusty flying carpet he soars across a world of lost kingdoms and fading civilizations, ever in search of Odaza, City of Walking Gods. Along the way he meets quite a few interesting folks–in “Clouds” these include a noble tribe of lion-folk and a raging dragon older than mountains.

Each Magtone story is self-contained, but reading them in order will give you the sense of a bigger picture. The first one, “The Veneration of Evil in the Kingdom of Ancient Lies” appeared two issues back in WEIRDBOOK #37.

Table of Contents for WB #39:

•HORROR AROUND THE BEND, by Franklyn Searight

•A TINY CUT, by Samson Stormcrow Hayes

•POSTHUMOUS, by Marlane Quade Cook

•PAGES FROM AN INVISIBLE BOOK, by Darrell Schweitzer

•THAT NAME WAS EVOC, by Lorenzo Crescentini

•MISDIAGNOSED, by Jackie Bee

•DOG DROOL, by Frederick J. Mayer

•THE VENUSIAN MANTIS, by Teege Braune

•THE COLOR OF THE GODS, by Ken Heuler

•SPAWNING GROUND, by Hannah Lackoff

•CURSE OF THE DARK QUEEN, by Lily Luchesi

•MONIKA UNRAVELING, by Rebecca House

•CRAWLING WITH THEM, by Jason Zwiker

•SEVEN SISTERS, by James Machin

•THE HOUSE IN THE MOUNTAINS, by Michael Washburn

•EYES WITHOUT A FACE, by Thomas Vaughn

•CLARTLEY CHOWDER, by Richie Brown

•DOMINION OVER ABBADON, by Richard J. O’Brien

•DIVINE WIND OF THE DARK, by Frank Schildiner

•SKRIK, by Bekki Pate

•THE FERRYMAN’S JOURNAL, by Ed Burkley

•DEMIURGE, by Mark A. Fitch

•AND IN HER EYES THE CITY DROWNED, by Kyla Lee Ward

•CLOUDS LIKE MEMORIES, WORDS LIKE STONES, by John R. Fultz

•UP THE LAZY RIVER, by Adrian Cole

Poetry and Short Stories

•EA CARPE NOCTIS, by Frank Coffman

•THE CURSED, by Julio Toro San Martin and Hank Simmons

6 •BAD NIGHT, by Lucy Snyder

•SONGS OF THE QUAIL, by Jessica Amanda Salmonson

•SYLVAN SIMALCRUM, by Chad Hensley

•MISTER DORTON’S CATS, by Russ Parkhurst

•MISKATONIC ETUDES, by James P. Roberts

•THE AUTUMN PEOPLE, by Kurt Newton

Weirdbook.

Get Your Weird On.

http://wildsidepress.com/weirdbook

Summertime Rolls…

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Art by Frazetta

It’s summertime again, me hearties! Time for ol’ Fultzy to get “back to the drawing board”– or in this case, the “writing board.”

I’ve been researching and soul-searching lately to figure out what I’ll be writing this summer. Consequently, I’ve changed my original plans:

I will not be writing a third TALL EAGLE novel this summer.  Instead, I’m going to focus on writing a new batch of short stories for various markets.

To explain the staggering irony of this decision, a little background: This year I’ve written more short stories than any single year since 2012, when my first novel was published. So I’m kind of on a roll short-story wise.

Writing novels is very different from writing short stories–it requires an entirely different mindset. It’s not as easy as you might think to “shift” back and forth between those two mindsets. Novels require weeks and months of intense concentration on one idea, and expanding that idea to its ultimate potential. With a short story you can do the same thing–explore an idea to its ultimate potential–in a day or two. Of course some stories take way longer to write than others, but no short story takes as long to write as a novel.

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Art by Frazetta

Sales of the TALL EAGLE books has not been what I’d call impressive. Reviews are all great, but reviews don’t sell books–regardless of what Amazon tells you. I’ll say it again: Reviews don’t sell books. Especially when those books aren’t being distributed to bookstores all over the world (my first trilogy WAS distributed to bookstores all over the world, so it actually sold a decent number of copies for a relatively unknown writer).

This means there is no real demand for more TALL EAGLE books — at least not right now. I do hope that changes someday, because I’d love to write more about Ispiris and its strange wonders. Maybe the TE series will find its audience eventually, and at that point I’ll come back to it. But right now there is practically nobody waiting/expecting/demanding a third TALL EAGLE book. However, there is always a demand for good short stories.

[image error]About ten years ago, I decided to quit writing short stories and focus on novels. After two or three years I had produced my first novel, SEVEN PRINCES, which got me my first Big Writing Contract, and I turned that novel into a trilogy that I’m very proud of. It didn’t set the world on fire, but it did establish a firm fan base of people who really dig The Shaper Trilogy–a fan base that is still slowly expanding from year to year. I got into writing novels because I realized that nobody can build a writing career on short stories alone.

Now, I’ve come full circle–hence the gigantic irony–I’m back to writing short stories because I can’t rely on novels to sustain my writing career. There’s not much demand for my novels–oh, a few people every month still discover the Shaper Trilogy or the TALL EAGLE books–but it’s nothing like a vast audience.

I’m just glad that all my novels are still in print and will be in print (and ebook format) for the forseeable future. That means that all five of my novels are just sitting there–online and offline–waiting for me to drive readers toward them.

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THE AUDIENT VOID #5 features two of my latest stories: “Love in the Time of Dracula” and “Oorg.”

Every time I get a short story published, it gets exposure for my name and for my other work. Not every reader will enjoy a story and seek out a novel by that same author–but a lot of them do. I know I’ve always done that as a reader myself.

So every time I get a story published, I get three benefits from it:

1) I get paid. Short stories don’t pay a whole lot–especially in the smaller and indie markets that dig my writing. But I get something in my pocket for all my hard work. That’s nice.

2) As long as I keep writing short stories, as long as I keep getting BETTER at it, there’s always a chance of cracking into a top market (i.e. a high-paying story market).

3) Every published story promotes my novels. The novels are the pillars that support my writing career. But the short stories are foundation stones–they helped me build up to writing novels–and now they help me promote and expose those novels to new readers.

So I’m going to focus on writing short stories for awhile. Short stories that allow me to flex my creative muscles, to grow and experiment, to take various ideas for a ride and see where they lead me. Stories that promote my catalog of books simply by having my name on them.

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Weirdbook #37

I’ve started the Magtone Saga already in WEIRDBOOK. This is a cycle of tales chronicling the exploits of a wandering poet-thief transfigured by sorcery. Magtone first appeared in the pages of WB #37. The second Magtone tale, “Clouds Like Memories, Words Like Stones” will be in WB #39–set for release sometime in the next few weeks. A third Magtone story called “Impervious to Reason, Oblivious to Fate” has been accepted for WB #42 (which will be the first issue of 2019). Although Magtone himself plays a key role in all of these stories, each tale introduces new characters, realms, and concepts, fleshing out a phantasmagorical world of magic and mystery.

I’ve also written two new Cthulhu Mythos stories: One for Darrell Schweitzer’s forthcoming MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS REVEALED anthology, where global warming and climate change meet the eldritch horrors of H.P. Lovecraft’s classic — with a sci-fi twist. My contribution is called “The Embrace of Elder Things,” and it takes place mainly in a future moon colony that is the last bastion of human civilization.

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Artwork by Bob Eggleton

The other Lovecraftian story is “The Thing In The Pond“– a tale inspired by Clark Ashton Smith’s favorite Great Old One, Tsathoggua, also known as the Sleeper of N’kai. This one takes place in the early 20th Century Midwest, and it’s more of a psychological approach to cosmic horror. Scheduled to appear in the Mythos-themed WEIRDBOOK Annual #2 (Fall, 2018).

I do plan to write more Magtone tales, until that story-cycle comes to its natural end. But I also enjoy the freedom to write stories about whatever I want. The most challenging thing about doing short stories is finding a (paying) publication for them. The trick is to keep writing them, and keep sending them out. Always have something in play. One editor’s “trash” is another editor’s “treasure.” It really is that subjective. I’m glad to have a few markets that are actually requesting stories from me. I hope to expand that list and get my stories into fresh new markets as well.

Meanwhile, my novels aren’t going anywhere. It’s my job to bring the reading public’s attention to them. The best way to do that is to impress readers with short stories that make them want to seek out more of my work. In other words, it’s time to focus on short stories for a while.

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Artwork by Rowena, inspired by Clark Ashton Smith’s “The Last Incantation.”

Instinct tells me that I will return to novels at some point. I love writing novels. But I don’t know when that will be, and I’m okay with it. Above all, a writer has to follow his or her inspiration, regardless of market trends or sales figures.

I want to take this short-story momentum that I’ve built up this past year and kick it into overdrive this summer. My passion for short fiction has come back in a big way, so I plan to keep that fire burning.

And at some point this summer, I hope to mix in some actual vacation-ing.

Thanks for reading…

THE AUDIENT VOID #5

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Cover art by Brad Hicks for “Love in the Time of Dracula”

The Audient Void #5 is now available. It features two stories by Yours Truly (“Oorg” and “Love in the Time of Dracula”) as well as a bunch of other great stuff—including a story and column by David Barker plus scads of weird poetry. Complete TOC below. Order your copy right here.

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Interior art by Brad Hicks for “Oorg”

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SON OF TALL EAGLE Paperback Edition

[image error]It’s been out as an eBook since last December, but finally SON OF TALL EAGLE has arrived in a gorgeous paperback edition from Crossroad Press. Get your copy now–the Tall Eagle books can be read in any order.

In other Fultz news:

I plan to finish a third Tall Eagle book this summer in hopes of having it released before the end of the year. Meanwhile I’m working on a few short stories for various publications.

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“Love in the Time of Dracula” appears in AUDIENT VOID #5. Coming soon…

THE AUDIENT VOID #5 will be out soon featuring TWO of my most eerie horror tales.

A second Magtone Tale is coming in WEIRDBOOK #39.

I’m also finishing up a new high fantasy tale for Cody Goodfellow’s lavishly illustrated FORBIDDEN FUTURES, which will debut at Crypticon Seattle (and will be available for online ordering).

My unpublished Weird Fantasy novel, A FEW ODD SOULS, is still in limbo, but not for much longer. If it doesn’t find a home in the next few weeks, I’m going to follow through with my plan to publish it right here on my blog–one chapter per week–each chapter with an original illustration by Yours Truly. I’m working primarily with pen-and-ink on these illustrations, and they will spotlight the huge array of strange beings and odd creatures that inhabit the novel, which takes place across hundreds of alternate realities.

Looking forward to cranking out more stories and at least one novel this year, and I’ve made plans to attend the World Fantasy Convention in Baltimore this November. Poe City! Very much looking forward to it.

Peace!

John

SON OF TALL EAGLE Paperback Arrives

[image error]It’s been out as an eBook since last December, but finally SON OF TALL EAGLE has arrived in a gorgeous paperback edition from Crossroad Press. Get your copy now–the Tall Eagle books can be read in any order.

In other Fultz news:

I plan to finish a third Tall Eagle book this summer in hopes of having it released before the end of the year. Meanwhile I’m working on a few short stories for various publications.

[image error]

“Love in the Time of Dracula” appears in AUDIENT VOID #5. Coming soon…

THE AUDIENT VOID #5 will be out soon featuring TWO of my most eerie horror tales.

A second Magtone Tale is coming in WEIRDBOOK #39.

I’m also finishing up a new high fantasy tale for Cody Goodfellow’s lavishly illustrated FORBIDDEN FUTURES, which will debut at Crypticon Seattle (and will be available for online ordering).

My unpublished Weird Fantasy novel, A FEW ODD SOULS, is still in limbo, but not for much longer. If it doesn’t find a home in the next few weeks, I’m going to follow through with my plan to publish it right here on my blog–one chapter per week–each chapter with an original illustration by Yours Truly. I’m working primarily with pen-and-ink on these illustrations, and they will spotlight the huge array of strange beings and odd creatures that inhabit the novel, which takes place across hundreds of alternate realities.

Looking forward to cranking out more stories and at least one novel this year, and I’ve made plans to attend the World Fantasy Convention in Baltimore this November. Poe City! Very much looking forward to it.

Peace!

John

BLACK GATE Reviews SON OF TALL EAGLE

[image error]The first review of SON OF TALL EAGLE is in!

Over at the esteemed Black Gate website, ace reviewer Fletcher Vredenburgh has posted his review of the book. Here are a few of the highlights:

“…a model of swords and sorcery precision…”

-and-

“…the story’s velocity and momentum build steadily, each event, each fight, becoming larger and more important than the last. The same goes for the measured reveal of the world’s complexity. New peoples, deeper history, and more danger is uncovered with each new chapter.”

-and-

“…will grab you and pull you into its invented world and leave you thrilled and exhausted by its end.”

 

Read the full review HERE. 

 

WEIRDBOOK #37

[image error] WEIRDBOOK #37 is now available.

 

Don’t miss this issue, which includes the first tale of the Magtone Saga (i.e. “The Veneration of Evil in the Kingdom of Ancient Lies”) and loads of other good stories and poetry.

 

—–Contents—–

• “Sea Glass Harvest” by Bear Kiosk


• “The Changeling” by R. Rozakis


• “The Maiden Voyage of the Ariona” by Dale W. Glaser


• “One Million & One” by Andre E. Harewood


• “War is Grimm” by Clifford Be


• “Blood Pact” by Sharon Cullars


• “Something I Have to Tell You” by John B. Rosenman


• “The Curious Simulacrum of Dr. F” by Michael Canfield


• “A Cure for Restless Bones” by Angela Enos


• “Homecoming Corpse” by Andrew Bourelle


• “A Chorus of Shadows” by Sarena Ulibarri


• “Graveyard Wine” by Joshua L. Hood


• “My Last Sixteen Hours” by Angela L. Lindseth


• “Wide Wide Sea” by Jackson Kuhl


• “The Safari” by Michael S. Walker


• “The Water Horse” by Bill W. James


• “The Long Way Home” by S.E. Casey


• “Unseelie Things” by Taylor Foreman-Niko


• “The Veneration of Evil in the Kingdom of Ancient Lies” by John R. Fultz


• “Livingstone” by Cody Goodfellow


•  Plus a selection of poetry by Darrell Schweitzer

 

WEIRDBOOK.

Get Your Weird On.

wildsidepress.com/weirdbook