Midnight Echo #7 Special Guests – news

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Andrew J McKiernan

The AHWA and the editors of Midnight Echo magazine have announced special guests for issue 7 – the Taboo Issue – to be edited by Daniel Russell. From the Midnight Echo website:

The AHWA and creators of Midnight Echo magazine are pleased to announce that a new short story by horror legend Graham Masterton will be appearing in Issue 7.

Graham has published more than 35 horror novels in his career, his debut being The Manitou in 1976 which became an instant bestseller and was made into a motion picture. He has been awarded numerous awards and recently had a special issue of Cemetery Dance in his name.

‘Graham Masterton has been a hero of mine since I first read him as a teenager. He is iconic within both the horror genre and the larger literature scene, especially here in Australia and in Europe. To have Graham in Midnight Echo is a great honour, and hopefully begins a new era for the vanguard magazine of the AHWA.’ Geoff Brown, AHWA President.

Graham’s story, What the Dark Does, in Midnight Echo #7 explores childhood fears that follow us into our adult lives…particular the terror of the dark, what it hides and our reluctance to reveal this childish phobia.

In addition to Graham’s story, we’re also happy to reveal that acclaimed horror photographer and artist, Joshua Hoffine, will be providing cover art.

“Horror tells us that our belief in security is delusional, and that the monsters are all around us.” (from http://www.joshuahoffine.com/)

We’re certain the cover for Issue 7 will live up to the high Midnight Echo standard while setting the taboo feel perfectly.

Full details can be found at: http://midnightechomagazine.com/2012/02/11/special-guests-revealed-for-midnight-echo-7-the-taboo-issue/

The Last Days Of Kali Yuga by Paul Haines – review

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Alan Baxter

“The Last Days Of Kali Yuga” is the third short story collection from Melbourne-based New Zealander, Paul Haines. It’s published by Brimstone Press.

Paul Haines is an outstanding short story writer, a truly unique voice. His stories often feature a character called Paul Haines and it’s never really possible to know where the author ends and the character begins. And within these stories, Haines explores every dark, dirty, nasty facet of the human condition.

This book is the definitive Haines collection. All the uniquely Hainesesque “backpacker horror” stories are here, along with a broad range of other subjects, from the fantastical to the horrible to the downright human nasty and every combination thereof. We also have the dystopian sci-fi novella “Wives”, originally published in the awesome X6 Novella Anthology from Coeur De Lion Publishing. “Wives” alone is worth the purchase of this collection, it’s an absolute masterpiece of fiction, a work of art in storytelling. But you should really buy X6 and read the others in that book, too.

By no means, however, should that suggest that you don’t need to buy this book too. I’m not going to go into each individual story in the volume, simply because they’re all outstanding and need to be experienced. Each one is followed by a bit about it from Haines himself, talking about the inspiration or the development of the tale. It’s a fascinating insight into the artist and I wish more writers would include this kind of thing with their collections. All the stories are reprints, bar one unpublished piece – the last story, “The Past Is A Bridge Best Left Burnt”. This is the story that most blurs the line between the artist himself and the character, and is a work of genius.

You must read this book, because you’ll never read short fiction anything like that of Paul Haines. There will always be a part of you that wishes you never had read the short fiction of Paul Haines, but ignore that sensible and happy bit of your brain.

Everyone needs to explore the darkness. Everyone needs to experience the horror. Everyone should read Paul Haines.

Dreaming of Djinn Submission Call – news

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Andrew J McKiernan

Ticonderoga Publications have announced submission details for the forthcoming anthology Dreaming of Djinn, to be edited by Liz Grzyb (Scary Kisses, More Scary Kisses, The Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror 2010).

The editor says in the submission guidelines:

Scheherazade’s One Thousand and One Nights stories have captured imaginations for a millennia. Fairy tales and fables abound, telling of the fantastic and mysterious, the comic and dramatic.

This anthology, with the working title Dreaming of Djinn, will look at romantic Orientalism through a speculative fiction lens. You might find lost cities, magical lamps, mummies, thieves, intrepid explorers, slaves, robotic horsemen, noble queens, sorcerers, outcast princes, harems, dancers, djinn, assassins and even smart-talking camels and cats, set in exotic Persia, Egypt, Arabia, the Ottoman Empire, or a modern incarnation of these.

The anthology will be published by Ticonderoga Publications in 2013 and submissions are open between 1st March and 15th October 2012.

Full submission guidelines can be found at: http://ticonderogapublications.com/index.php/guidelines/dreaming-of-djinn

Bloodstones Submission Call – news

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Andrew J McKiernan

Submissions are currently open for Ticonderoga Publications‘ forthcoming Bloodstones anthology, edited by Amanda Pillar.

The editor says in the submission call:

This is the first in a series of anthologies from Ticonderoga Publications that will focus on non-traditional horror. I want stories that are horrific, but that also fit within other genres—let’s look beyond the borders. This year’s anthology will focus on non-traditional urban fantasy. This means that I don’t want stories that feature vampires, witches or werewolves; if you send one, it probably won’t make it through to the final cut.

Give me tales of Sirens, Harpies, Bunyips, goblins, djinns, Mesopotamian demons, deposed gods…characters that spill from mythology and into modern suburbia.

Any stories involving cultural borrowing from indigenous cultures should be respectful of the beliefs of the traditional owners.

Romantic elements are acceptable, as long as the story is dark and has horrific themes/elements.

The story must be set on contemporary Earth, but it can take place in a fictional city.

The anthology will be published by Ticonderoga Publications in late 2012.

Full submission guidelines can be found at: http://ticonderogapublications.com/index.php/guidelines/bloodstones

Horror World Anthology Submission Call – news

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Andrew J McKiernan

Horror World has announced that they are now accepting submissions for the Horror World Anthology of Short Fiction – Volume 1, to be edited by Christopher Jones and Nanci Kalanta. The anthology is to be published in e-book format at the end of 2012 and a trade paperback to follow in 2013.

The following are the guidelines for submission.

Manuscripts should be 500 to 5000 words in length. Exceptions will be made either over or under the word limit based on quality. Poetry will be considered.
Manuscripts should be single spaced with breaks instead of indentations to denote new paragraphs. Please use size 12 Times New Roman font. Manuscripts should be submitted in DOC or DOCX formats.
We accept electronic submissions only through the following email address: submissions@horrorworld.org. Please allow up to 3 months for a response.
No multiple submissions. Please wait until you receive an acceptance or rejection before sending another story.
We accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if your submission is accepted elsewhere.
Payment: Horror World pays 2 cents per word for First Worldwide Electronic and Print Rights. Payment is made upon publication.
We will be accepting submissions until July 1, 2012
Any type of horror-related story is acceptable but we are looking for stories that are scary and original or stories that bring a fresh perspective to a familiar trope.

Source: http://www.horrorworld.org/hw/horror-world-announcements/

Night Terrors TOC announced – news

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Andrew J McKiernan

“What would you do if you received a phone call from a dead person? Or if aliens and zombies were killing everyone you loved? Or if your best friend offered you as a sacrifice? Or if you discovered a family secret that you’d prefer not to know? Do you know what’s waiting for you in the attic? Or at the cemetery? How would you react to the pressure of being pushed over the limit because you desperately wanted to fit in? How would you feel being locked in the dark with a hungry creature outside wanting … you? And can the children and the ancient ones really be trusted?”