All the latest Shadow Writer news and announcements.     March   In February, there were not one, but three cover reveals for new anthologies coming this year from Paul & Marie. The first, in the run-up to Valentine’s Day, was for the hardback of The Hopeless Romantic’s Guide to Enchantment – their second Romantasy antho after The Secret Romantic’s Book of Magic (above and below).     Out in September from Titan, it features the authors below…     You can pre-order here and here. ---------------------------------------------     The British Fantasy Society revealed the next anthology from Paul & Marie – Land of Oz – also out in September from Titan (above and below). You can read more about that, including the full list of contributors, on the BFS site here.     The book is of course the third of Paul & Marie’s ‘Land’ anthologies, following the Shirley Jackson Award-shortlisted Wonderland, and the #1 bestseller The Other Side of Never (below), both still available here and here.     And you can pre-order Land of Oz here and here. ----------------------------------------------     Finally, the third of Paul & Marie’s Beyond & Within anthologies, a crime one centred on revenge stories – Best Served Cold – had a cover and contents reveal, which you can take a look at here. This was also shared by one of the contributors, Ronnie Turner, as a story on Instagram (below). More news in the months to come…     But in the meantime you can also pre-order this one, out over the summer, here and here. ---------------------------------------------       However, their most recent Beyond & Within book – Witchcraft – has been getting some great reviews since its release in January.     Starting with Candace over at Uncomfortably Dark, who said: ‘Having been a child that grew up loving stories about witches of all kinds, this anthology really hit home for me. The authors deliver a wondrous display of stories, ranging from the village witch to the Baba Yaga, Djinns, and everything in-between. The stories vary wildly in setting, theme, and tone and span the globe with stories from a wide variety of countries, ranging from the UK, Scotland, the Middle East and beyond; stories that center on the lore of that country or region as well as the specific power of the entity in question. Regardless of setting or tone, the theme of each story is masterfully delivered by each author, invoking those feelings of intrigue and fascination that such stories held for me as a child… A favorite for me was from Mark Chadbourn with his tale, “The Smokeless Fire”, about a young woman in need, an old woman from the local village, and a Djinn. Another standout was “The Witch of Withered Hill” by David Barnett. A tale of a village, a deal made with an ancient spirit and the witch in the midst of it all. Ally Wilkes’ opening story, “Apotropaic”, tells the tale of the old witch on the edge of town, and the young girl that visits her in times of need, a story that tells tales of both past and present, with one common and relevant theme. I honestly could list every story in this volume as a standout because that would be the truth. They are unique, beautifully written, and deliver a wonderful reading experience for any reader that enjoys tales of witches, and their craft. Highly recommended reading to all.’ You can read the full thing here.     Cat Treadwell over at The Fantasy Hive had this to say: ‘The first thing you notice about this book is that it is beautiful. A gorgeous old-style hardback… glistening slightly as it encourages you to crack open the cover and see what delights lie within. The second thing I noticed was the lineup. From favourite authors of mine such as Ally Wilkes and Mark Chadbourn to a host of brand new names, the editors have done an amazing job in compiling some of the best “weird” writers working right now. Those who understand what magic means in the 21st century. Because this is an anthology about witches and fairytales, yes, but it’s also deeply modern. I think most readers will find a story that resonates with them in particular as the book crosses so many continents and settings, from the traditional Scary Woodlands of Europe to the historic Philippines and back to modern America. It was easy to visualise the woods of my own childhood, familiar path fading away into the trees as I realized how little it takes to become lost; an apt metaphor for this book! I love anthologies that take an idea you believe has been done to death, only for multiple authors to breathe new life into it, showing why the fairytales have always been so relevant. Stories advising us to Fear the Witch are as old as humanity, and this book reminds us why that is. Whether we relate to the witch for the way she acts or if she truly is a supernatural threat, this is about the Other, the Dark, the creeping dread of the unknown that trickles through our hearts when we realize that civilization is a fragile eggshell that can’t always be relied upon to protect us. My favourite tales here are at once similar and yet different, showing the difficulties and power of being a woman. “Apotropaic” by Ally Wilkes speaks of the circular nature of humanity and storytelling both, as the same problems rise again and again, with each generation forgetting the lessons of the one before. “What Bones Remember” by Buhlebethu Sukoluhle Mpofu transcends boundaries as it ties the witch to crucial roles within life and death. Both show that sometimes you have to take the monster’s place as the very thing you once feared in order carry on some very necessary (if unspoken) roles in your society, no matter where or when you may be. After all, most genre readers know that the wickedest of all creatures is humanity. This book isn’t about whether you’re a Good Witch or a Bad Witch – more that you understand Why the Witch is still here and needed.’ The full review is here.     Over on Instagram, @graeme_c called the book, ‘An impressive new anthology of horror stories. Award-winning anthologists Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane have commissioned and chosen an outstanding selection of tales…There is something here for everyone.’     And @pameladelupio said, ‘A gorgeous edition of Beyond & Within Witchcraft, which includes Gabriella Buba’s “Oro, Plata, Mata”. Everyone who knows me knows I am a huge fan of horror and folklore, major bonus points for witches and Filipino lore.’     While others posted photos of the book, like @booknerdkat (above), @petertedonephotography @susanearlam and @titalindascorner (below).         Plus contributors were sharing their own photos, including Ally Wilkes, Amanda Mason, Angela Slatter, Damien Kelly, David Barnett, Eliza Chan, Helen Grant, Lisa Hannett, Mark Chadbourn, Melissa Bobe, Muriel Gray (all below)…                         And Gabriella Buba posted a number of photos and videos (below).           You can visit the page for the book on the Flame Tree site here, and order yours here and here. ---------------------------------------------------       Sticking with anthologies for a moment, and @george_can_read on Insta was recommending both In These Hallowed Halls and These Dreaming Spires as two of the best Dark Academia books he’s read (above).     While over on Hellnotes, Spires was also reviewed by Carson Buckingham, who said: ‘These Dreaming Spires is the latest literary effort by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane. It is part of the newly popular horror genre labeled “Dark Academia”, and surprise, surprise, all the stories take place in schools… the new haunted houses of the millennium’s second decade. There are a dozen stories in this anthology, and they are all good ones. Here’s what you get: “Tallow’s Cove” by Erica Waters – Lana Waldron is writing her thesis about haunted sacred spaces in the US that represent historical wrongdoing… “Utilities” by Genevieve Cogman – Studying and working inside a virtual reality (read that, living inside the server), Madeleine, a student at Scholomanz School, a virtual university, is working on coding utilities around midnight…but on the hour, the campus clock chimes 13… horrifying and unexpected. One of my favorites. “Destroying Angel” by Jamison Shea – Evander, an expelled Philosophy major, still sneaks into the University of Whitby library to steal books and to sell drugs. When he steals a rare book, entitled The Book of the Damned, we learn what self-love is really all about… “Within the Loch” by Elspeth Wilson – Why is the Schoolmistress so attached to the Loch? And why does she panic when the school votes to drain it? “Advanced Dissection” by Taylor Grothe – At Hallenrod University in Switzerland, there are only a few prestigious spots open in the Dissection class, and only the best of the best get in… Nice twist at the end. “God, Needy, Enough With the Screaming” by Olivie Blake – Seraphina goes from being a top-performing college student to an asylum resident in the blink of an eye… Another favorite. “Poisoned Pawn” by De Elizabeth – Gives a horrifying new meaning to codependence. “Open Book” by Kit Mayquist – An ancient grimoire, an Archivist, and a student who takes competition to a whole new level. “A Short List of Impossible Things” by Faridah Abike-Iyimide – How far would you go to be with someone again? Someone you truly love? “The Harrowing of Lucas Mortier” by M. K. Lobb – Lucas Mortier seeks spiritual salvation… a wonderful twist at the end of the story. Another of my favorite stories. “The Coventry School for the Arts” by Ariel Djanikian – Katherine is an art student who is the product of an emotionally absent father and an out-of-control mother… Things get stranger and stranger until the truth comes out in a beautiful twist at the conclusion. “The Magpies” by Kate Alice Marshall – Set at a school of magic… All in all, the stories presented had sufficient variety and depth to keep me interested in what could have easily degenerated into mind-numbing repetitiveness, due to the specific and narrow nature of the theme. All were well-written, imaginative, and I enjoyed each one. Marie and Paul did a fine job of choosing the stories for this volume, and you will take something away with each of them and be mulling them over long after you close the book. “Stick to the ribs” literature like this is becoming increasingly difficult to find in this age of “let’s crank out 12 books a year, who cares if they’re any good” nonsense, so it is nice to see the concern for quality, and the thought that was put into this book. I highly recommend These Dreaming Spires to the horror reader who enjoys thinking. 5 out of 5 stars.’ You can read the full thing here. And you can pick up both books here and here. -----------------------------------------------------     Audio news now, and the Robin of Sherwood book Paul contributed to, The Sorcerer’s Incantation, is to due to be read by Rocky Horror’s Richard O’Brien (Gulnar), Claire Toeman (Meg) and Freddie Fox (Gisburne) – all below. More about this as and when.         ------------------------------------------------     As announced by Variety, the makers of the film Paul scripted – The Torturer – Little Spark Films, are expanding into a full-blown genre studio with several projects on the slate. You can read all about this here.         It coincides with LSF sharing filmmaking videos on Instagram, using The Torturer to show how to put together a bible for a movie (above). ---------------------------------------------     Finally, Paul & Marie were interviewed by CC Adams on his site recently. You can read that by visiting it here. ----------------------------------------   January/February     January was of course the launch month for Paul and Marie’s new anthology, Beyond & Within – Witchcraft and publishers Flame Tree sent them a bundle of books to celebrate.       They also included the antho in their newsletter for Jan (below), plus you can listen to one of the stories for free – ‘What Bones Remember’ by Buhlebethu Sukoluhle Mpofu – introduced by Paul & Marie, on their Myth & Fiction podcast here.       Visit the page for the book on the Flame Tree site here, and order yours here and here. ---------------------------------------------     While back in December, Death Comes at Christmas hit the coveted Number 1 bestseller spot on Amazon, across ebook, paperback and hardback editions (above and below).           There were also some more mentions and reviews. ‘A thoroughly enjoyable selection of Christmas stories to curl up and read on a wintery Christmas night, or a warm summer evening, depending on where you are in the world!’ said @fortheloveofbooks383 (below).     ‘Perfect Christmas reading. Cratchits, bookshops, ghosts, and a wonderfully clever Joseph Spector story,’ was @j.s.savage_author’s take (below).       @katies_cosy_reading_corner (below) said, ‘Each story is packed with imagination and flair… This book is one of those that you could easily curl up with… dip in and out of in-between the continuous prepping for Christmas.’     And @shesdefinitelyreading left the below picture reviews…       For those of you who celebrate Christmas all year round, the book is still available here and here. ------------------------------------------------     Sticking with anthologies for a moment, and over on Insta @george_can_read chose Paul & Marie’s first Dark Academia book In These Hallowed Halls as one of his anthologies of last year. You can pick up your hardback or paperback copies of that one here and here. ------------------------------------------     Dark Reflections from Black Beacon Books was also part of a seasonal promotion with an extract from the collection and the tale that inspired it for the ‘12 Days of Christmas’ (above and below).       The push saw it rise in the bestseller ranks itself, to Number 6 in British and Irish short stories (below).      The dedicated ordering page for Dark Reflections is here. --------------------------------------------------------     Paul received a copy of the German hardback edition of Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell, brought out by Festa publications, and gorgeous it looks too! Little wonder it’s now sold out…         The book is now out in Spanish, French, German (below).     But to pick it up in the English edition, just click here. --------------------------------------------------     Paul wrote about his first encounters with the Daleks – on TV!! – for the latest Phantasmagoria Special (above), and received his contributor copy (below). Exterminate!         You can pick yours up here or here. ---------------------------------------------------     Interview time, and Paul & Marie were interviewed by Lauren McMenemy for the British Fantasy Society recently (above and below). You can see what they had to say here, and directly on YouTube here.       Paul also gave a lengthy interview to the Hellraiser Revival Discord (below), which you can read by joining here.     Plus he was interviewed by Jason DeHart for his Words, Images and Worlds podcast, which you can watch by clicking on the below…     -----------------------------------------------     Free fiction for you now, and a novelette Paul originally wrote for the Professor Challenger anthology New Worlds, Lost Places which sadly wasn’t included in the final line-up. It’s the crossover you never knew you needed, taking Challenger into William Hope Hodgson’s Sargasso Sea – and presented purely as ‘fan fiction’. Enjoy The Lost Voyage by clicking here.      -------------------------------------------------------------- ARCHIVE 2015 |2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025

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