All the latest Shadow Writer news and announcements.   Current news can be viewed here 2023 news can be viewed here 2022 news can be viewed here 2021 news can be viewed here 2020 news can be viewed here 2019 news can be viewed here 2018 news can be viewed here 2017 news can be viewed here 2016 news can be viewed here 2015 news can be viewed here 2013 news can be viewed here 2012 news can be viewed here 2011 news can be viewed here 2010 news can be viewed here 2009 news can be viewed here 2008 news can be viewed here 2007 news can be viewed here 2006 news can be viewed here 2005 news can be viewed here 2004 news can be viewed here 2003 news can be viewed here   December EXTRA   A quick extra for those of you who might have missed the Soska Cenobite show Paul appeared on last night, the whole thing is now available to view below. --------------------------------- December     The first Kane publication of 2015 has now been announced: a novelette in ‘The Cursed’ series for Hersham Horror coming out in February. The books are very much in the tradition of the Universal and Hammer monster movies, with Paul contributing The Curse of the Wolf (above) – his love letter to the history of lycanthropy. This from the official blurb: ‘Trace the history of “The Curse of the Wolf”, back through the ages, from modern times to the dawn of the original werewolf. A hair-raising tale in more ways than one! The second in a series of six novelettes reviving the golden age of the monster!’ The story also contains nods to Paul’s own wolf stories ‘The Life Cycle’ and RED as well as The Gemini Factor, so it’s one not to be missed for fans of his fiction.   The book is available for pre-order here and you can find out more about the series in general at the publisher site here. -------------------------------------     The Books of Blood Motion Comics (see previous news updates for more details) are now available for iPhones (above) so you can read them on the go. Hailed as the most faithful graphic adaptations of the stories yet, you can catch the first part of the first issue free by clicking here or here. Coming next year is Paul’s adaptation of In the Hills, The Cities which will be illustrated by series artist Sam Shearon. -----------------------------------------     Our Guest Writer for this month is the brilliant Seth Patrick, author of last year’s Reviver (above). His latest book is the official novelisation of the hit French TV series The Returned (below) and we have an exclusive extract for you here. A big thank you to Sam, Lauren and Claire at Pan Macmillan.   -------------------------------   This Sunday Paul will be a guest on the Chattering with Nick Vince show on Google Hangouts, alongside the Soska sisters (who made the excellent American Mary, below) and author of The Venus Complex Barbie Wilde. The fun starts at 7pm and to join in just click here.   ----------------------------------   Paul was in London recently to see family, for meetings, and to attend the British Fantasy Society Christmas Open Night in the Two Chairmen pub just off Trafalgar Square. Above and below are seasonal photos he took at St. Pancras and Trafalgar.       So, it just remains now to wish all the visitors to the Shadow Writer site a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you in 2015! --------------------------------------- November The first issue of the Books of Blood Motion Comic (Seraphim/Madefire, above) launched last month – appropriately enough at Halloween. You can read news-pieces about the project at Digital Spy here, Rue Morgue here, Daily Dead here and Shock Till You Drop here, which says they are the most faithful graphic adaptations of the stories yet. Below you can check out a few of the stunning panels from that issue by artist Sam Shearon, and you can read the first part of it free by clicking here or here.         As reported last month, Paul has been adapting In the Hills, The Cities for this project which will also be illustrated by Sam. --------------------------------------- And sticking with the Barker theme for a moment, a new 10/10 review of Paul’s book The Hellraiser Films and their Legacy (above) has appeared online. Here’s what Books of Blood review site had to say about it: ‘The book also covers other aspects of the Hellraiser world including merchandising like the collectible figures (I have lots!) and the comic series…Paul Kane has put so much research into the book and that mixed with his passion for the subject really shows in the end product. This book is a no-brainer to buy if you’re a fan of the franchise, or even just the first two films. It’s entertaining, in-depth, and brimming with interesting facts.’ To read the review in full, click here. ----------------------------   More reviews now, firstly for anthologies Paul has stories in. To begin with there’s this one by The Well-Read Sherlockian of Gaslight Arcanum; here’s what they had to say about Paul’s story ‘The Greatest Mystery’: ‘Paul Kane commits one of the most common of the venial Sherlockian sins – well, I hope it’s common, as I’ve done it plenty of times myself. At the story’s conclusion, Watson recalls (fuzzily, it must be said) that, while unraveling the case of the Six Napoleons, his friend mused: “I am just contemplating the one mystery I cannot solve: Death itself.” As happens so many times (to me, at least), Watson has inserted a Granada moment into the Canon. I have to suspect that it was done purposefully, as it is a superb quote and fits the story perfectly. While most “Holmes confronts the supernatural” adventures depict the detective either finding a rational explanation for the spooky doings, or being shaken in his logical boots, not many show him using the spirit realm to his advantage. Here he does just that, as he and Watson seek the mastermind behind a series of seemingly motiveless murder-suicides.’   And this review of A Darke Phantastique appeared at Collings Notes, where they mention Paul’s Halloween-themed tale: ‘More than fifty stories, poems, and (one) teleplay…that is where the true magic reveals itself, whether in a relatively direct ghost story like Joe R. Lansdale’s “The Case of the Four-Acre Haunt”; a shorter, highly metaphorical tale about monsters, strangers, perceptions, and revenge, such as Paul Kane’s “Michael the Monster,” in which Halloween takes on a new significance; a horrific transformation of a childhood tale in William F. Nolan’s “The Last Witch”; or symbolic pieces that border on (and occasionally cross into) surrealism, such as Nathaniel Lee’s “The Wisest Stone and the Zoo” and Derek Künsken’s “The Buddha Circus.”.’      Then there’s this review from Tentacle Books of Paul’s short novel Sleeper(s) (above) which had this to say: ‘Imagine if Freddy Krueger bottled up his particular brand of terror and shipped it off to England, just for the hell of it. Well, what do you think would happen? Sleeper(s) by Paul Kane is not exactly like that, but if I close my eyes and imagine Freddy Krueger with a better – eviller – marketer, I can see him coming up with something similar to what’s in Paul Kane’s novella. In other words: Nine, ten, never sleep again… Sleeper(s), set in Middletown (somewhere in the UK), is a haunting tale of a whole town suddenly falling asleep…for no apparent reason. The UK and US military (reluctantly working together to get to the bottom of this illness) bring in the help of renowned doctor, Dr. Andrew Strauss – who’s been waiting for this case his whole life. The thing is, there are more dangers in the quarantined town than they thought possible, which includes some violent sleepwalking scenes, sleep-falling scenes, the sleeping undead scenes, and some sleep-killing scenes. Sounds intriguing, yes? Well, it is. Sleeper(s) is fast-paced, contrary to the sleeping sickness plot, and the characters are realistic (even the psychotic ones)… I still enjoyed Sleeper(s) by Paul Kane a lot. It’s got some sci-fi elements, a great deal of horror, some interesting characters, and best of all, it’s a novella, so it’s a fun little book to read before bedtime rolls in…’ You can read the full versions of these reviews by clicking here, here and here. ----------------------------------- This month’s Guest Writer is James Oswald, author of the massively successful Inspector McLean novels, beginning with Natural Causes (above). His latest is Dead Men’s Bones (below) and we have an exclusive extract of the first two chapters for you here. With thanks to James and Penguin. -------------------------------- Photo © Jason V. Brock Photos now from recent events including a Darke Phantastique signing at famous bookstore Dark Delicacies in the US (above, the cake promoting this and below – from left to right – contributors Nancy Kilpatrick, William F. Nolan, Joe R. Lansdale and Dennis Etchison gathered together).   Photo © Jason V. Brock   While below you’ll find photos from a college talk Paul did, one of the promotional Halloween display that greeted him when he arrived and another of Paul in full flow.       Photos from another signing below, this time the massive Forbidden Planet Megastore (below) event where Paul signed copies of the anthology Zombie Apocalypse! Endgame (also below, with the wraparound cover), as well as his other books.       Below you’ll find him sitting with Unquiet House author Alison Littlewood and Eleventh Hour creator and Dr Who scribe Stephen Gallagher, as well as some of the promotional bookmarks that were available free on the day.     Finally, photos from the ‘Frizzi2Fulci’ concert at the Barbican where famous horror composer Fabio Frizzi played music from the film Paul scripted The Weeping Woman – plus signed Beat Records CDs of that music Fabio sent Paul (which can be purchased here)   © Jim Willumsen   © Jim Willumsen   © Jim Willumsen   ------------------------------ Paul is delighted to report that four stories from the anthology he co-edited, Beyond Rue Morgue (Titan Books), received Honorable Mentions from editor Ellen Datlow in her list for Best Horror #6: Lisa Tuttle for ‘After the End’, Stephen Volk for ‘The Purloined Face’, Elizabeth Massie for ‘From Darkness, Emerged, Returned’, and Joe Lansdale for ‘The Gruesome Affair of the Electric Blue Lightning’.     Paul himself received four Honorable Mentions, for his stories ‘Creakers’ (Above, Spectral Press), ‘Men of the Cloth’ (The Spaces Between), ‘Shells’ (Terror Tales of the Seaside) and ‘The Rainbow Coat’ (as P.B. Kane in Dark Moon Digest). ----------------------------------   Paul also took part last month in the Horror Writers’ Association ‘Horror Selfie’ campaign to promote the genre. You can see his picture above, but to view it on the site click here and to view the entire gallery, which includes selfies from the likes of Stephen King, Peter Straub, Ellen Datlow, Lisa Tuttle and Stephen Jones just click here. ------------------------------------ October Extra A special news extra about forthcoming events now, starting with a mega-signing that Paul is involved in for Halloween. This from the official press release: ‘No Tricks, just Treats this Halloween as the greatest names in British horror gather downstairs at the Forbidden Planet London Megastore to sign their terrifying tomes on Saturday, October 25, from 1:00- 2:00pm. Here’s a list of the authors, artists and editors who participating: Pat Cadigan; Ramsey Campbell; Michael Chislett; Adrian Cole; Peter Crowther; Les Edwards; Jo Fletcher; Christopher Fowler; Amanda Foubister; Stephen Gallagher; Stephen Jones; Paul Kane; Alison Littlewood; Paul McAuley; Gary McMahon; Lou Morgan; Mark Morris; Kim Newman; Thana Niveau; Reggie Oliver; Sarah Pinborough; John Llewellyn Probert; Joe Roberts; Lynda E. Rucker; Mark Samuels; Robert Shearman; Laurence Staig; Lavie Tidhar; Simon Kurt Unsworth; Stephen Volk; Conrad Williams. There will be in-store give-aways and, for the first 10 people to buy all five Zombie Apocalypse! titles on the day, a prize draw for the latest Sony XperiaTM Z3 phone (worth more than £470!) to tie-in with the publication of Zombie Apocalypse! Endgame. For those who cannot make it into London, you can pre-order your signed books through the Forbidden Planet website. Following the signing, many of the authors will move across to The Bloomsbury Tavern, 236 Shaftsbury Avenue (http://www.shepherdneame.co.uk/pubs/london/bloomsbury-tavern), where The British Fantasy Society is hosting an Open Day in the Upstairs Bar, and where you will be able to socialise with the writers, artists and publishers into the early evening. There will also be a raffle of books featuring some of the authors present. So, please come along and join us on Saturday the 25th for The Greatest Horror Halloween Signing Ever!’   Paul will be signing copies of the gorgeous Zombie Apocalypse! Endgame (above) featuring his story ‘He is Legend’, along with anything else put in front of him so do come along! -------------------------------   The second Kane-related event is ‘Frizzi 2 Fulci: Halloween at the Barbican: An evening of cult Italian horror films and music!’ on October 31st at 8pm. As well as playing music from those cult Lucio Fulci horror movies, such as The Beyond (above) and City of the Living Dead, Italian composer Fabio Frizzi will be playing music from the horror film Paul scripted: The Weeping Woman (below you can see a picture of Fabio working on that very music).     And if you want a taster, you can watch a clip of last year’s performance below.     For tickets to this very special event, visit the Barbican website here.     The music from the film can also be bought on CD now from Beat Records, including a bonus video documentary about the film. You can buy that here.     Finally, if you haven’t already seen it, above is the trailer for The Weeping Woman and the link to its page is right here on the Shadow Writer site. ------------------------------------ October     The first massive piece of news for this month is the announcement that Paul is part of the creative team working for Seraphim to turn Clive Barker’s Books of Blood (above) into motion comics for MadeFire.      Madefire are responsible for publishing many comics in this format, including Batman: Arkham Origins (above), Transformers and Hellboy, as well as Clive’s Next Testament (all below).         The official artist for the series is Sam Shearon, who has worked on lots of comics before such as 30 Days of Night, Judge Dredd, Hellraiser and X-Files (both below)       And the score for the first issue (out October 14th), composed by Cris Velasco, can be heard below, performed by the Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra.     Paul has been working over the summer adapting the story ‘In the Hills, The Cities’, which was originally adapted as part of the Tapping the Vein series in the late ‘80s, with artwork from the legendary John Bolton (below)     Needless to say, Paul is delighted to be part of this groundbreaking new project. -------------------------------     The cover of The Mammoth Book of Sherlock Holmes Abroad (see last month’s news for detail) has now been revealed (above). The book is out next April and features Paul’s story ‘The Case of the Missing Soul’. -----------------------------     Our Guest Writer for this Halloween month is award-winning and bestselling author Mark Morris, who has just edited the first Spectral Book of Horror Stories (see last month to read some of Stephen Volk’s contribution). Mark is, of course, known for books such as Toady, Stitch (above), The Immaculate and Mr Bad Face. To read an exclusive extract from his new novel published by Titan, The Wolves of London – Book One of the Obsidian Heart trilogy (below), just click here.     -----------------------------       Paul had a fantastic time at FantasyCon in York last month. Above you can see him on the TV Horror panel with the creator of Afterlife, Stephen Volk, Guest of Honour Toby Whithouse (Being Human) and moderator Maura McHugh (Hellboy). While below you’ll find pictures of The Afterblight Chronicle – given away at the con to attendees – which featured Arrowhead pieces by Paul and an ad in the middle for the Afterblight Chronicles series, including Hooded Man.            ----------------------------------- September Paul is delighted to announce that he is contributing a story to the new Mammoth Book of Sherlock Holmes Abroad anthology, to be published by Constable & Robinson/Running Press (publishers of the Mammoth Book of New Sherlock Holmes Adventures – above). Edited by bestselling author Simon Clark, the stellar line-up includes such writers as Mark Morris, Alison Littlewood, Paul Finch and Chris Lunt (who wrote the recent TV series, Prey). The character is currently riding high, with not one but two small screen incarnations: the UK’s Sherlock (which recently cleared up at the Emmys) and American show Elementary (both below).   Paul’s story is called ‘The Case of the Lost Soul’ and you can find the Amazon link to this officially endorsed mass-market book here. -------------------------------- It’s that time of year again, and Paul will be at FantasyCon in York this coming weekend. Running from Friday to Sunday, you’ll find him on a panel on the Saturday at 5pm talking about TV horror with Guest of Honour Toby Whithouse (creator of Being Human, above), one of the contributors to the Hellboy miniseries Witchfinder (below), Maura McHugh, and creator of Afterlife (below) Stephen Volk.         You can find the complete schedule on the FantasyCon site here. --------------------------------- Our Guest Writer section for September is devoted not to a person, but a book. The Spectral Book of Horror Stories (above) – edited by Mark Morris (Toady, Cinema Macabre, and next month’s Guest Writer) – is launching at FantasyCon and to celebrate we have an exclusive extract from the aforementioned Stephen Volk’s story (Stephen is, of course, responsible for the Spectral publication Whitstable, below, which has been nominated for a British Fantasy Award this year). To read the extract click here. To find out more details and buy the book click here. ------------------------------   In issue #336 of the famous American horror magazine Fangoria, you’ll find Paul’s piece on the creepy new TV series Intruders, which includes exclusive quotes from the author of the novel it’s based on, Michael Marshall. Starring John Simm (below) and Mira Sorvino, the show is already screening in the States on BBC America and we’re due to get it here very soon.   ------------------------------ August Extra Photo Credit: Claire Grogan Photography Just in time for the UK bank holiday, our Guest Writer for August is actor and author Nicholas Vince (above). Nicholas is, of course, famous for such film roles as Chatterer Cenobite from Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II and Kinski from Nightbreed (below).       His latest collection is Other People’s Darkness (below)…     And you can read ‘Green Eyes’, taken from his debut collection What Monsters Do (below) by clicking here.   Nicholas is also responsible for the ‘Luggage from the Crypt’ interview series. Click here to find him chattering with fellow Hellraiser & Nightbreed actor Simon Bamford in September, and to watch his interview with Female Cenobite and previous Guest Writer Barbie Wilde this coming Sunday simply click here. ------------------------------------- August   Another month, another new book and we’re delighted to announce that Shadow Writer – The Non-Fiction Vol. 2: Articles and Essays (above, with the wraparound cover) is now out. This from the official press release: ‘Bestselling and award-winning author and editor, Paul Kane (the Arrowhead trilogy, Lunar, Hellbound Hearts, The Mammoth Book of Body Horror) has also been a genre journalist and writer for almost twenty years, working for such magazines as SFX, Rue Morgue, GoreZone, Eclipse, Area 51, DeathRay and Fangoria to name but a few. He wrote the bestselling, critically-acclaimed and British Fantasy Award-nominated The Hellraiser Films and their Legacy, and compiled Voices in the Dark (interviews with such genre luminaries as Neil Gaiman, John Carpenter, Ron Perlman and Betsy Palmer) with his wife, Marie O’Regan. Here, for the first time, we present a collection of his articles and essays which span the entirety of his career. Covering subjects as far ranging and interesting as the work of Clive Barker, Planet of the Apes,Jack the Ripper, Child’s Play, Masters of Horror, Genetics in SF movies, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Lord of the Rings, Robots in Cinema, The Hound of the Baskervilles and the legacy of H.G. Wells, this book also includes event reports and Paul’s Masters dissertation about Women in Horror: Scream Queens (never published before). A non-fiction book that no fan of the genre should be without.’ Like Vol. 1: Reviews (see previous news sections for more details) the book is again published by BearManor and can be bought here in the UK and here in the US. ------------------------------ Paul had a great time guesting at Edge-Lit in Derby last month, and below you can find photos of him on the Dark Borders panel with Simon Clark and Janet Edwards – with Kim Lakin-Smith moderating, sitting next to Freda Warrington. You can also see Guest of Honour Half a King author Joe Abercrombie MC-ing at the raffle.        -------------------------------- You can find a brand new interview with Paul – including an up-to-date bibliography – on the Festivale site as part of their ‘The Usual Questions’ section. To read this, just click here. ------------------------------ If you’re suffering from withdrawal symptoms after all the news about Avengers: Age of Ultron (above) coming out of San Diego Comic-Con, then head over to Sci-Fi Bulletin where you can read Paul’s review of the new Avengers Confidential cartoon, Black Widow & Punisher (below) here. ---------------------------------- Another glowing review for Paul’s GHOSTS collection now, this time from Chris Limb at the British Fantasy Society, who had this to say: ‘A compilation of supernatural tales that lift the curtain on the ever-present spectre of death and what may lie beyond. After the death of a hoarder the crew sent to clean up his house encounter more than they bargained for… A hotel room with a deadly secret… A selfless charity worker who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve who hope to persuade him to change his ways… An unexpected guest at a funeral… Social media updates from beyond the grave… GHOSTS  is an enthralling collection of stories – some with a humorous touch, some thick with heartbreak and some which will chill to the bone – all of which will trouble the reader long after they have finished the final page. Although in theory short story collections are designed to be dipped into, this one is as compelling as a novel and no sooner has one story ended than the next drags you into its sphere of influence. The protagonists of all these stories are immaculately drawn – convincing and very realistic with foibles and neuroses like the rest of us. This makes it all the more shocking when they come up against the unexplained and the downright terrifying. In some of the stories the supernatural element is an extrapolation of very real human tragedy – the death of a parent or child – and in others it has a terrifying life all its own. Two of the stories here are sequels to perhaps a couple of the most famous ghost stories of all time – Dickens’s A Christmas Carol and “The Signal-man”. Some might consider it audacious to tackle these but they both work superbly – Humbugged as a dark comedy in which the ghostly visitors are attempting to get Scrooge’s descendant to stop being so compassionate and Signals as a grim tale of inevitability and destiny with an atmosphere as oppressive as the original and a circular logic about it which is as satisfying as it is horrifying. A haunting selection of tales that all feel like classics, GHOSTS will probably draw the reader back to it again and again…’ To read the review on the BFS site, just click here and to buy the book itself click here or here. And don’t forget, if you want to read about what inspired GHOSTS you can find a piece by Paul all about it on the Upcoming4Me website here, which is also, coincidentally, included in Shadow Writer – The Non-Fiction Vol. 2: Articles and Essays. ----------------------------- July Extra Our Guest Writer for July is fantasy author Den Patrick (above). This from his official bio: Den Patrick was born in Dorset and shares a birthday with Bram Stoker. He has at various times been a comics editor, burlesque reviewer, bookseller and Games Workshop staffer. Anything to avoid getting a real job in fact. He lives and works in London. His first three books for Gollancz, the War Manuals, were released autumn of 2013. The Boy with the Porcelain Blade is his first novel. Find him at http://www.denpatrick.com/ And we're lucky enough to have an extract from The Boy with the Porcelain Blade (above) - so to read the first two stunning chapters as a PDF download, simply click here.     July We kick off this month’s news with the announcement that Clive Barker himself has been added to the list of interviewees for the Leviathan documentary Paul is involved with (see February & March news sections for more details). More recent additions to the DVD include effects man Bob Keen; writer of Hellbound, Hell on Earth & Bloodline Peter Atkins and publicity man on the first three movies, Stephen Jones (all below), and the project has received support from the likes of Brian (Manhunter, X-Men 2) Cox who commented that Leviathan was ‘Well worth supporting’.     The Kickstarter campaign has almost reached its target, but if you still wish to contribute you can find the page here. ------------------------------------- Photos now from last month’s Gemmell Awards ceremony which Paul attended at the Magic Circle in London, including Paul in the sunshine outside (above) and the event itself inside (below). It was a brilliant evening and a good time was had by all who went along!         -------------------------------------- Looking ahead now to Edge-Lit 3 – sponsored by Gollancz and SF Gateway – where Paul is a Guest on 19th July at the Quad in Derby (above is a photo of Paul on the ‘Are We Still Afraid of Monsters?’ panel, moderated by Simon Bestwick and featuring Emma Newman and Ian Culbard, during the first Edge-Lit event a couple of years ago). A PDF of the full schedule of events has now been released here and we can report that Paul is on the ‘Dark Borders: Where Horror and Other Genres Meet’ panel at 2pm and the ‘What An Editor Really Wants Panel’ at 5pm, as well as doing a signing at 12:15 – 12:45. To book your place, simply click here. ------------------------------ Publishers of the bestselling Arrowhead trilogy and sellout Hooded Man omnibus, Abaddon, are having a summer sale at the moment (above) featuring selected Afterblight titles and including Paul’s books at a reduced price. The sale only lasts until 17th of this month, so don’t miss out – go straight to the sale page on the Rebellion store here. ---------------------------------- Editor of the Best British Horror anthology published by Salt, the prolific Johnny Mains, has written a mini-review of Paul’s collection GHOSTS in which he says: ‘This has one or two stories that maybe should have been left out, but is more than made up for the fact that “Funeral For a Friend” blew me out of orbit and is a sublime piece of writing and shows why Paul is a much needed author in this genre of ours. 8.0/10.’ You can buy GHOSTS from Amazon here or directly from the publishers here. -------------------------------- June Above is the exclusive first look at the cover to the second volume of Paul’s Shadow Writer – The Non-Fiction series, once again published by BearManor. This one collects the very best of his articles – including the popular Kane’s Korners he used to write – and essays, all covering a wide range of genre topics. More about this as and when. --------------------------------- A new glowing review of GHOSTS has appeared in the second Beware the Dark magazine from SST publications (above). Here’s what William J. Grabowski had to say: ‘I’m embarrassed to admit not knowing much about the work of Paul Kane, but let’s face it: you can’t read everything. So I came to his hefty collection of short fiction with no preconceptions, beyond a simple awareness of his high rating shared by readers and fellow writers. My ignorance had the serendipitous effect of providing a fresh perspective. As Nancy Kilpatrick writes in her Introduction, Kane explores a wide variety of ghostly manifestations, each written with inventive verve and eclectic personality so lacking in much recent “ghost fiction,” which seems reliant on bad TV and movies and “clever” gimmicks. I’m pleased to report this collection has none of those failings, and can’t remember when I’ve more enjoyed a single-author collection. ‘Too, such narrative diversity showcases Kane’s adaptability. “Homeland,” wherein a gruff clean-up crew tasked to handle the residence of a deceased hoarder, literally have their hands – and fears – full. (Having once worked in disaster-restoration, this really chilled me.) Kane is adept at fusing physical detail with emotional, bringing his settings to life, no matter how unpleasant. In “Funeral for a Friend,” we are reminded that the passed-on can be unwilling to pass over the sins of the living…a morality tale for the New Shallow who’re too busy to live. “Wind Chimes” is a lacerating tale of loss, redemption, and…never mind. Kane’s own script for what became a short film, directed by Brad Watson, ends the book, and even includes a Watson Intro. The book’s front-matter helpfully (for late-comers like me) lists books published – and edited – by the author.’ You can buy copies of Beware the Dark from the publisher site here. And you can buy GHOSTS from the Spectral Press shop here. ---------------------------- The SW site is very happy to welcome back another old friend for the Guest Writer section this month. The Killing Club (above) is the latest in Paul Finch’s crime series of novels featuring DS Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg, and heralds the return of ‘The Good Guys’ from last year’s bestselling Stalkers (below). To read the exclusive extract just click here.  ------------------------------- Paul was hard at work last month doing more remarques for fans (original illustrations inside copies of his books), like the ones above – inside The Butterfly Man – and below – inside a copy of Shadow Writer. Due to demand, a page for these will soon be set up on the SW site and Paul is now charging for them. In the meantime if you’re interested in having a personalised remarque done, drop a line here. --------------------------- Paul will be at the prestigious David Gemmell Legend Award Ceremony once again on 13th June held at the Magic Circle headquarters in London. A wonderful event, hopefully he will see some of you there and to check out the list of nominees this year you can visit the site here. ---------------------------------- May The fantastic cover for forthcoming anthology Zombie Apocalypse! Endgame, featuring Paul’s story ‘He is Legend’ (see last month’s news) has now been revealed and it’s a belter (above). You can pick up your copy later this year when it hits the shelves, but in the meantime you can visit the publisher page for the book by clicking here. ----------------------------- More short story news now, as Paul can now announce that his tale ‘Michael the Monster’ will feature in the gorgeous hardback anthology A Darke Phantastique (above), edited by Jason V. Brock and published by CYCATRIX PRESS. Paul features in this alongside such genre heavyweights as Dennis Etchison, Joe R. Lansdale, and creator of Logan’s Run William F. Nolan to name but a few. The page for the book on the publisher’s site with pre-order details for the trade and lettered editions, plus full line-up of stories can be found here and here. ----------------------------- Paul’s copy of the limited edition hardback version of the Dead Roots zombie comic anthology arrived last month (above). It features his story ‘The Easy Way Out’, which was illustrated by Jack Tempest (below). Other contributors include Torchwood’s James Moran and Dr Who’s Jason Arnopp, but for the full line up visit the anthology’s site here. -------------------------- Paul is delighted to welcome a couple of old friends as Guest Writers on the site this month. Publishers, editors and authors Maynard and Sims, who write the paranormal Department 18 thrillers, like Black Cathedral (above) and crime novels – as Maynard Sims – like Let Death Begin (below), are celebrating 40 years in the business with the Maynard Sims Library. Click here to read an exclusive short story called ‘COAT’ which will feature in a future volume. ------------------------------ Reviews now, and the first has come in for the Noir anthology, edited by Ian Whates and containing Paul’s story ‘Grief Stricken’. Here’s what Amazing Stories thought of the tale: ‘“Grief Striken” is a dark revenge thriller with no fantastical or supernatural elements. The protagonist is on a quest to find the doctor responsible for the death of his wife. What follows will not be pleasant. Paul Kane’s story may remind you of a Christopher Nolan film. I forget which one.’ To read the full review, click here and to purchase the book click here or here.   While the non-fiction book Paul contributed to, Horror 101: The Way Forward, has just been reviewed on Nick Daw’s Writing Blog, where he commented: ‘Horror 101 comprises over sixty articles from a wide range of horror writers, including big names such as Graham Masterton and Ramsey Campbell and some up-and-coming authors whose names are not (yet) as well known... There are articles on subjects such as how to get an agent (and whether you need one), the pros and cons of Kindle self-publishing, creating audiobook versions of your work, screenplay writing, and so on. But there is plenty of advice related to the craft of horror fiction writing as well, including developing your ideas, avoiding genre clichés, endings to avoid, proofreading and editing, and many more…The articles are interspersed with thought-provoking quotes from successful writers, from Stephen King to Lord Byron.’ To read the full review click here and to order the book click here.   Finally, The Rainbow Man received yet another glowing review, this time from Layers of Thought who said: ‘This is a terrific, slowly escalating thriller that readers who love scary books will devour. I know I did. And it’s a perfect read to take in on one sitting…I would say that the author knows his craft, creating this “clean” literary thriller that will be just as great for teens as for adults. It has a great setting that the reader will love – an island somewhere off the UK. It’s a small coastal town that helps create a feeling of being stranded, which is a key element in the story for Daniel as he is the only person to believe that the rainbow man is not who he leads everyone to believe. Recommended for lovers of horror and books with paranormal or mythological twists. Also recommended to audio book listeners since it’s just as great of a book in its audio version, with its UK accented reader. Highly recommended at 4 stars.’ You can read the full review here and visit the publisher page at Rocket Ride Books – which includes glowing recommendations from the likes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer author Nancy Holder – by clicking here. ------------------------------------ April We start this month with some exciting short story news. Paul’s tale ‘He is Legend’, an homage to the famous Richard Matheson vampire novel, is to appear in the third Zombie Apocalypse! book, edited by Stephen Jones. Zombie Apocalypse! Endgame follows the original Zombie Apocalypse! (above) and Zombie Apocalypse! Fightback (below) and will be out in mass market paperback later this year.   ------------------------- And, as reported last month, Paul’s crime story ‘Grief Stricken’ appears in the NewCon anthology Noir (above) alongside writers such as Adam Roberts, Simon Kurt Unsworth and Marie. The book is out now and you can buy your copy in hardback or paperback here but you can also purchase as part of a very special limited edition ‘Black Box’, which comes with the other NewCon crime anthology La Femme and lots of extras (below).       To buy that, just click here ------------------------------------ Paul is delighted to announce that he’s one of the Guests at this year’s Edge-Lit (above) at the Quad in Derby, on Saturday 19th July. Sponsored by the likes of Gollancz and Harper Voyager, the Guests of honour this year are fantasy author Joe Abercrombie and SF author Charles Stross, while other guests include Simon Clark, Jane Fenn, Conrad Williams and Niki Valentine. To book your place visit the site here. --------------------------------- Spin City, The Good Wife and Anger Management star turned author, Michael Boatman (above) is our Guest Writer on the site for April. You can read an exclusive extract from his latest novel Last God Standing (below), published by Angry Robot, by clicking here. ------------------------- Lastly this month, Paul’s reviews for the DVD release Frankenstein: The True Story and Michael Marshall Smith’s new collection Everything You Need are now up on the Sci-Fi Bulletin site here and here. -------------------------------------- March We kick off this month with the first Kane book release of 2014, Shadow Writer – The Non-Fiction Vol. 1: Reviews (above) from BearManor. This from the official press release: ‘Bestselling and award-winning author and editor, Paul Kane (the Arrowhead trilogy, Lunar, Hellbound Hearts, The Mammoth Book of Body Horror) has also been a genre journalist for almost twenty years, working for such magazines as SFX, Rue Morgue, GoreZone, Eclipse, Area 51, DeathRay and Fangoria to name but a few. He also wrote the bestselling, critically-acclaimed and British Fantasy Award-nominated The Hellraiser Films and their Legacy, and compiled Voices in the Dark (interviews with such genre luminaries as Neil Gaiman, John Carpenter, Ron Perlman and Betsy Palmer) with his wife, Marie O’Regan. Here, for the first time, we present a collection of his film, TV and book reviews which span the entirety of his career. From movies like The Black Cat, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Blade Runner, right up to The Dark Knight Rises, Prometheus and Avengers; from TV shows such as Dr Who, Time Tunnel and Night Gallery, to Xena, Masters of Horror and Stargate: Universe; from classic novels such as Nineteen Eighty-Four, I Am Legend and The Haunting of Hill House, to more modern fare like Under the Skin, The Intruders and The Secret of Crickley Hall…there should be something of interest for all fans of the genre.’ You can order the book here and read an ‘Author of the Week’ interview with Paul about the release here. -------------------------------- As well as yet another five star customer review on Amazon for The Rainbow Man here, the novel was recently given a Readers’ Favourite Five Star Review, which commented: ‘The Rainbow Man by P.B. Kane is a quiet, sinister fantasy thriller with a mythological twist… Like the secrets of Shorepoint, the plot reveals itself in relentless, slithering waves that break upon the strand of reason and erode the reader’s sense of security. As the various denizens of Shorepoint are alternately lulled into complacency or perplexed by the blight that has befallen their normally idyllic community, shadows loom and threaten until the reader is breathless with anticipation. Conversational, engaging narrative makes The Rainbow Man a real page-turner, appropriate for young audiences but gripping enough to hold any adult’s attention. In Shorepoint, P.B. Kane has created a vivid, bustling community full of people who could easily be our friends and neighbours; good people whom one would never want to see in distress. As a result, the reader is drawn into the story with a sense of real concern for the way things might turn out in the end. The Rainbow Man is a multi-hued, keenly absorbing work of contemporary fantasy with enduring images that will linger long after the story is finished.’    You can visit the publisher page at Rocket Ride Books – which includes glowing recommendations from the likes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer author Nancy Holder – by clicking here. ----------------------------- Paul’s essay on ‘Writing About Film and for Film’ is included in Crystal Lake Publishing’s Horror 101 book (above), which also features helpful pieces by the likes of Ramsey Campbell, Jack Ketchum, Graham Masterton, Mort Castle, Ellen Datlow and more, covering most topics of the genre. The e-book is out on March 10, so keep an eye on the CL site here for more details as and when. --------------------------------- Our Guest Writer slot this month is taken up by Aurealis Award-winner and World Fantasy Award-finalist, Angela Slatter – author of The Girl With No Hands (above) and Black-Winged Angels (below). To read ‘Frozen’ just click here. ------------------------------- Paul had a great time in Birmingham last month filming his bits for the Leviathan documentary (above), and found out he is to get a featurette to himself about the sequels – in conversation with director Gary Smart. Below is a picture from the day showing Paul (middle) with Marie, immediate right, Chatterer Cenobite Nicholas Vince far right, Paul’s daughter Jen, immediate left, and Butterball Cenobite Simon Bamford, far left.   More people have been added to the list of interviewees, including producer of the first two Hellraisers, Christopher Figg, and Pinhead himself, Doug Bradley (below). -------------------------------- Finally this month, Paul is delighted to announce that his crime story ‘Grief Stricken’ is to be included in the Noir anthology, published by NewCon press and launching at Eastercon in Glasgow next month. Join us next month for more Shadow Writer news and announcements. ------------------------------- February The first piece of news this month is a glowing 4/5 review of one of Paul’s most recent novels, Sleeper(s). Here’s what Horror Novel Reviews reported: ‘I’ll be the first to say I’m not a big fan of zombie novels (not the most popular opinion, I know). Looking at the cover I figured that’s what this was. Luckily I couldn’t have been more wrong. There’s more than a trace of that subgenre here, but Paul Kane’s Sleeper(s) is unlike anything I’ve read. Part medical thriller, part zombie story, part fairy tale and part sci-fi shlockfest, Sleeper(s) is a unique beast that genre fans of all sorts will enjoy… I was drawn in immediately by the general conceit, and drawn further by the great characterisation. Strauss, his assistant, and the group of people they’re with are all three-dimensional personalities, flawed (sometimes deeply) but with understandable motivations… The atmosphere is brilliant as well. It’s utterly creepy. Kane does a great job mixing tension with a sort of hazy, dreamlike quality that appropriately matches the story’s events. It’s got the feel of a modern dark fairy tale, partly inspired as it seems to be by Sleeping Beauty. The first act is all mystery, and really keeps you turning the pages… I won’t spoil plot details or get into the origin of the virus. All I will say is there’s a lot to like here, and I very much recommend it. It’s a cerebral take on the genres it culls from, but it’s fast-paced and always entertaining. Think of it as the written equivalent of a B-movie with brains. Good stuff indeed.’ You can read the full review here, read an exclusive extract of the novel here and order the book in paperback or on Kindle here and here. ------------------------------ More reviews now, and another for Paul’s first YA book The Rainbow Man (the trailer for which you can find above) this time on the Ebookwyrm’s website here. Reviewer Andy Angel commented: ‘Daniel Routh lives in a small fishing community on the island of Shorepoint with his mother and his little brother Mikey. After a storm he, his brother and two friends, Jill and Greg follow a rainbow and find a body on the beach. This strange, unknown man, when he recovers, becomes a part of community life, everyone seems to love him but Dan is not convinced. Alas, he seems to be the only one, though. This is P B Kane’s first foray into YA fiction (he is better known as Paul Kane) and a very fine effort it is too. Not as much of an all out horror story, more of a creeping fear. It makes you feel as though you are watching events, you want to yell at the characters to wise up to what is happening. I must say I really enjoyed this and by the end I was so wrapped up in the story that when the “reveal” of who the man on the beach really is I never saw it coming, even though I should have guessed. Hopefully Mr Kane will write more in this genre as well as his usual adult horror tales (and if you have a young adult reader treat them to a copy of this… and read it yourself when you can pry it out of their hands).’   You can also read the story behind this novel on the Upcoming4Me site by clicking here.   There were reviews for both The Rainbow Man and Paul’s most recent collection GHOSTS on Terror Tree published here last month. Here’s what Theresa Derwin said about the former: ‘This YA novel by Paul Kane features an introduction by Morganville Vampires author Rachel Caine and according to the blurb, “you will never look at a rainbow in the same way again.”… I was more than a little excited to read this book, especially as Caine likens it to Hitchcock in tone, more of a creeping build up than a Michael Bay bang. Daniel Routh would never forget the day they found the body. This book is refreshing in that its teenage characters aren’t all angsty with more excess baggage that Paris Hilton going through airport control. Daniel’s little brother Mikey is always tagging along with Daniel and his best friends, which isn’t surprising given that they live on an island with little to do. So the teenagers with Mikey in toe set off on an adventure following the storm of the previous night. On the beach the next day as the kids explore, the enthusiastic collie Vincent appears to be chasing the left over rainbow that leads to the body of a man, barely alive. But there is something about the man, whose only name he can remember is John, that makes Daniel distinctly uncomfortable. Strange things are happening in the village, which Daniel believes could be linked to the mysterious newcomer John Dee, the Rainbow Man. As usual with Kane’s writing there is a great deal of atmosphere from the outset. The ghost of the boys losing their father hovers around the text. There is an almost Stephen King vibe to the novel, with the small town environment, intimate locals and a sense of the supernatural. Kane keeps the tension building as Daniel, then his friends investigate exactly who, or what, the Rainbow Man is. This is a compelling story of Daniel’s growth into adulthood and the nature of humanity and the grip of something inherently evil on a small community. And when the mythology is finally revealed, well, what a cracker. Brilliant YA Fantasy in action.’ And her thoughts on GHOSTS: ‘This collection from Spectral Press brings together 16 short stories on the subject of ghosts and hauntings from one of my favourite modern horror writers, Paul Kane. Also included here is the film script for Wind Chimes as well as the story itself (which I’ll come to later). With the title and subject matter you may be expecting terror and frights all the way but the second piece “Kindred Spirits” is actually quite a feel good tale which left me with a smile. The majority of the tales here though will leave you placed well and truly on the edge of the seat. In amongst these stories there are two Christmas tales (including a re-working of Dicken’s A Christmas Carol), some proper haunting stories (“Grandpa’s Chair”, “The Procession”) and the truly scary (“The Suicide Room”), but the standout offering for me was “Wind Chimes”. Sometimes, long after you finish a story, you find yourself recalling the events and “Wind Chimes” is a case in point. This is a truly disturbing tale that never lets go, but the highlight for me. This is a corker of a collection, just what the long, cold Winter nights need – just don’t be hoping for a good nights sleep after.’   And, finally, another review of GHOSTS from Dark Musings, who said: ‘GHOSTS is a collection of sixteen stories and one poem from Paul Kane, drawn from his back catalogue and based on the theme of, well, ghosts. The suitably atmospheric cover is by Les Edwards and it is, of course, another beautifully produced book. It’s a strong collection of stories, written in clear, precise prose – there aren't too many stylish flourishes here, this is straightforward story-telling… It’s difficult in these post-modern times to make a ghost story scary and the tale that probably best achieves this is “Homeland”which uses the haunted house trope to good effect. The standout stories for me were “Kindred Spirits”and “The Suicide Room”for the concepts behind them and “Wind Chimes”which is a nicely atmospheric tale with a twist. A DVD of the short film made form this story is also included. Dickens provides the starting point for two of the stories in the collection. “Humbuggered”is an updated version of A Christmas Carol which didn't quite work for me, whereas “Signals”was my favourite story in the book. The story it references is “The Signal-man”– which just happens to be my favourite Dickens ghost story (and which is definitely the best of the BBC’s adaptations). I was a little apprehensive starting Signals – a high risk of sacrilege and all that – but actually really enjoyed this clever sequel to the original. GHOSTS is the first in Spectral’s Collections series and provides a strong start to what will hopefully be a long line to come.’ To read the full review, click here. ------------------------------ To celebrate its official release, the Scribe Configuration (above) which Paul designed and came up with the backstory for now has its own promo page, which you can find here.     And sticking with the Hellraiser theme for a moment, Paul is due to be interviewed this month for a forthcoming major documentary about the first two movies in the series: Leviathan (above and below).     The documentary features interviews with the cast and crew from the movies, including Nicholas Vince (Chatterer Cenobite), Barbie Wilde (Female Cenobite from Hellbound), Simon Bamford (Butterball Cenobite) and Kenneth Cranham (below, who played Dr Channard).   More news as and when, but in the meantime you can visit the official site for the film here. ------------------------------- Moving on to that other famous Clive Barker franchise now, and Paul has contributed a story and a piece of artwork to the Book of the Tribes – a tribute publication to Nightbreed, which coincides with the new extended ‘Cabal Cut’ of the movie, due out on DVD and blu-ray soon. ---------------------------- Our Guest Writer this month is author of The Sex Life of Monsters (above) and the recent British Fantasy Award-winning Hair Side, Flesh Side (below), Helen Marshall. You can read a story from the latter entitled ‘Lines of Affection’ by clicking here.   --------------------------   Some great news now about Paul’s anthology from last year, Beyond Rue Morgue published by Titan. One of the stories from the line-up ‘The Gruesome Affair of the Electric Blue Lightning’ by Joe R. Lansdale has been picked up to be reprinted in The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2014 (below), edited by Paula Guran. Needless to say Paul, his co-editor on the project Charles Prepolec, and Joe himself are all delighted by this news!   -----------------------------   Terror Tales of the Seaside, which includes Paul’s story ‘Shells’ was reviewed by D.F. Lewis on the Null Immortalis site last month. He called the book itself, which is edited by Paul Finch, ‘superlative’ and here’s what he had to say about Paul’s tale: ‘“Then there, down along the beach – a couple by the edge of the water, holding hands and skimming stones into the sea.” A story of another marriage faced by its coming ‘Flowers of the Sea’ moment, as we all are faced by it eventually: a deadpan naivety told as an accretive zombie story through the young son of this couple who – while on holiday that is meant to break the circle, to save the family from such a slow motion dulling by fate – befriends a local boy by the sea …. But that friend’s gathered seashells when held to the ear, perhaps like those ears affixed to the stone arch in the Spalding story, sound out to us Stone’s “elevated white noise” or Spalding’s whistling – revealing, I sense, the encroachment of the central crux of this book: the “tenuous duty”, the depletion of self as an attempt to defeat those who would deplete us first. The pale-faced, melancholy side of the sea that we all should take into our soul even as we give back to it something of our own soul. It now seems fateful to me that this author had a story in the first Nemonymous a number of years ago, partly by which means, for me, this whole parthenogenetic process started.’ You can read the full review here. ------------------------ Finally February is, of course, Paul’s birthday month so we’re sure you’ll all join us in wishing the old man a very happy horror birthday! Join us next month for more Shadow Writer news and announcements. ----------------------- January Happy New Year! And we hit the ground running in 2014 with yet another four star review for Paul’s first YA book The Rainbow Man, this time from Once Upon a Moonlight, who said: ‘Full of mystery and intrigue, this story will suck you straight in to how a tight community can fall to pieces in the blink of an eye!... Daniel is a character who is consistent and driven to solve any problems, no matter what people think of him. He also tries his best to protect his family and friends no matter what, even if it means driving them away. His involvement in the story was key and his theories prompted you to try and solve the mystery alongside him…The mystery and conflict behind his story is incredibly engaging. The way that some of Daniel's thoughts concerning his father always ended in: ‘Especially before he...’, ah, I just really wanted to know what had happened. The manipulation of the community was interesting to read about, how they turned against each other and acted the opposite of their usual characters gave a thrilling and creepy edge to this story that kept you wanting to read further and allowed you to look deeper into their hidden feelings and personalities. This is an engaging and thrilling story, testing the friendships and family bonds between all when they are pushed to their limits.’ You can read the full review here and you can read a brand new interview with Paul about the book on the Layers of Thought site here. Plus you can visit the publisher page at Rocket Ride Books – which includes glowing recommendations from the likes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer author Nancy Holder – by clicking here. ------------------------ Paul is also delighted to report that his novella collection from a couple of years ago, Pain Cages, published by Books of the Dead, reached #1 in the Amazon.com Horror Bestseller lists over the festive season. ---------------------------- The first Guest Writer of the year is rising genre star Cate Gardner, author of Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits and Theatre of Curious Acts (above). We’re lucky enough to have an exclusive extract from her novella published by Delirium Books, Barbed Wire Hearts (below). To read this, just click here. --------------------------- Finally, Paul’s story ‘The Face of Death’ has been given another airing thanks to a major new horror anthology called Miseria’s Chorale, edited by David Nell and published by Forgotten Tomb Press. He features alongside authors such as Peter Crowther, Anna Taborska and Peter Mark May, and you can find out more at the publisher website here.   -------------------------------------------------------------- Current news can be viewed here 2023 news can be viewed here 2022 news can be viewed here 2021 news can be viewed here 2020 news can be viewed here 2019 news can be viewed here 2018 news can be viewed here 2017 news can be viewed here 2016 news can be viewed here 2015 news can be viewed here 2013 news can be viewed here 2012 news can be viewed here 2011 news can be viewed here 2010 news can be viewed here 2009 news can be viewed here 2008 news can be viewed here 2007 news can be viewed here 2006 news can be viewed here 2005 news can be viewed here 2004 news can be viewed here 2003 news can be viewed here

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