Michael Kelly's Blog, page 34
February 19, 2013
Another Year’s Best appearance
Pleased to report that Bedtime Stories for Yasmin, by Robert Shearman, which appeared in issue 4 of Shadows & Tall Trees, will be reprinted in The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2013.
Closed to submissions
I’ve had to close the journal to submissions to deal with a sudden backlog. I’m unlikely to open again until summer, when I’ll be reading for issue 6, due summer 2014. Thanks for all your support!
February 18, 2013
The Best Horror of the Year again
Extremely pleased to say that Stephen Bacon’s tale “None So Blind” from issue 3 of Shadows & Tall Trees will be sharing space with Gary McMahon’s “Kill All Monsters” in ‘The Best Horror of the Year #5.
As well, a tale from issue 4 has been chosen for another “Year’s Best” list. More details once I’m allowed to spill the official news.
February 12, 2013
The Best Horror of the Year
Very happy to report that Gary McMahon’s Kill All Monsters, published in issue 3 of Shadows & Tall Trees, has been chosen for inclusion in The Best Horror of the Year, Vol. 5, edited by Ellen Datlow. Congratulations, Gary!
February 6, 2013
Peter Straub on Shadows & Tall Trees
The great and gracious Peter Straub likes the journal. I’m beyond thrilled.
“Michael Kelly’s Shadows and Tall Trees is a smart, soulful, illuminating investigation of the many forms and tactics available to those writers involved in one of our moment’s most interesting and necessary projects, that of opening up horror literature to every sort of formal interrogation. It is a beautiful and courageous journal.”
-Peter Straub
February 2, 2013
Major changes to Shadows & Tall Trees
Big changes coming to Shadows & Tall Trees. Here’s part of my editorial forthcoming in issue 5 this summer.
When I started publishing Shadows & Tall Trees I told myself I’d publish 5 issues and then re-evaluate its status. Thus, issue 5, which you hold in your hands, is the last issue to be printed in its present incarnation. Instead, from issue 6 onward, the format will change to a yearly trade-paperback anthology and eBook.
There are myriad reasons for this change.
When reading submissions, there are always a number of excellent stories that I have to turn down because they don’t quite fit the journal’s aesthetic. By widening the journal’s purview, I can include some of these excellent stories. My focus will still be the weird and dark, but I’ll be able to publish some of the odd, unclassifiable stories that come my way. As well, I’d like to include more non-fiction; specifically essays, criticism, and interviews.
I’d envisioned the magazine as an old-school literary journal. A niche, craft product. In that regard, an eBook wasn’t in my plans. A change to a yearly anthology necessitates some new thinking. So, for those who were asking, I will make it available in digital form.
With this change, subscriptions to the journal will cease. Postage rates have made the subscription model impossible to sustain. Economically, a yearly anthology is much more viable and feasible.
So, future volumes of Shadows & Tall Trees promise to be bigger and better than ever.
Many thanks for your continued support.
January 30, 2013
World Fantasy Awards
A reader has e-mailed to tell me they have nominated me for a World Fantasy Award for my work on Shadows & Tall Trees. That certainly made my day. I was nominated in “Special Award – Non-Professional.” The top two nominees are placed on the final awards ballot. If you attended either of the last 2 World Fantasy Conventions, or are attending this year’s in Brighton, you are eligible to nominate works. You must nominate in more than one category. Here’s the link for those who are eligible and want to nominate works.
January 29, 2013
Story sale
Occasionally, your intrepid editor will scribble a tale. So, I’m happy to report I’ve sold my story “The Beach” to editor Stephen Jones for inclusion in The Mammoth Book of Psycho-Mania! I realise this news isn’t Shadows & Tall Trees related, but I post it here because this blog feeds into my Amazon and Goodreads pages.
January 26, 2013
Yet another tale added for issue 5
I’m happy to report that I’ve bought Ray Cluley’s ‘Whispers in the Mist’ for issue 5 of Shadows & Tall Trees. Ray is a terrific writer. Issue 3 featured his memorable tale ‘Night Fishing,’ which is being reprinted in Wilde Stories 2013: The Best Gay Speculative Fiction. Depending on length, there are only 1 or 2 slots left in the issue.
January 22, 2013
Interview
There’s a short interview with me at This is Horror, where I sing the praises of two of my favourite writers, Charles Beaumont and Nicholas Royle.
