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 2017 news can be viewed here 2016 news can be viewed here 2015 news can be viewed here 2014 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   We’re ending the year on a high note, with the announcement of a brand new mass market anthology from Titan edited by Paul and Marie, which will be out in May 2019. Exit Wounds (above) contains nineteen stories from the masters of modern mystery and crime, including the likes of Lee Child, Val McDermid, Fiona Cummins, John Connolly, Dennis Lehane, Jeffery Deaver, Mark Billingham, Steph Broadribb, Paul Finch and Dean Koontz, to name but a few. There will be more on this in the months to come, but in the meantime to pre-order your copy just click here. ------------------------------------     Paul received copies of the limited and trade hardback, and paperback editions of his novel Deep RED – the final entry in the RED trilogy – last month, just ahead of the book’s launch (above and below, including on the shelf alongside this year’s other releases).              The book’s also been quite favourably reviewed. The first was by Kendall Reviews who had this to say: ‘Paul Kane’s RED trilogy has been an interesting ride. At its heart, it’s a post-apocalyptic tale woven with the threads of a fairy tale. Dark fairy tales are kind of Kane’s playground. It’s these call-outs and nods that always seem to shine the brightest in his work. Deep RED is no exception. The contagion of the virus has spread, driving the non-infected deep into the underground. It is here that the remaining humans plan and prepare for a final assault. A good portion of the beginning of this book is spent within the holding cells and military base. The POV is only a handful of the survivors, thankfully. Each one is fleshed out in a simple and easy to understand manner, their inner thoughts and occasional monologues filling in the blanks as you go. But, words cannot express my dislike of one of them. The absolutely annoying Grice. The war has really gone to his head. His inability to listen and even use common sense really has got the best of him. He dreams of glory and victory, sequestering the one person who could give them an edge in this battle, Tommy. Tommy has visions, glimpses of the wolves and their origins. They start as flashes of images, but when they capture one of the pack’s strongest, drugging her heavily and torturing her with silver… Certain things come to light. Through conversation that may or may not be fully in his head, he begins to understand his role. Her role. Why it seems he has such a great record for surviving when others have not. But is this all a ploy? The wolves have developed ways to impersonate and use psychic subterfuge. It could all be a ploy, after all. But the wolves are coming. There is no doubt. And they know more about Operation Wolfshead than would be possible, unless there was a sleeper agent within the ranks. Could it even be… Tommy, himself? There is a particular scene, where one character tells a fairy tale about The First Wolf. I enjoyed this exchange a lot and the entire last portion of the book hinges on these ideas as it kicks into the final showdown. The wolves are vicious. Throats are torn, limbs ripped from torsos… And lots of RED. Kane doesn’t linger on the violence with vivid descriptions of gore and such (though it is there), but instead uses it to remind us of how desperate and dangerous the world has become. And just “what big teeth they have”, so to speak. Just like most fairy tales do. Deep RED is a quick read and while I would have preferred a slightly larger-scale final showdown Kane draws his series to a close with some bared teeth and glistening claws, with silver-edged weapons at the ready. At times, it feels more “military action” in theme than urban fairy tales. While this book works fine as a stand-alone (complete with a quick rundown of the previous books before beginning)… I think that by doing so, it loses a bit of the charm and the overall sense of the series he has built. In my opinion, for newer readers, it would feel much fuller if they are read together as intended. But this a problem prevalent in most trilogies or series, and not a fault of Kane’s storytelling. Despite some of my minor quibbles, I still enjoyed it… Fairy tales, even the darkest ones, always have to come to an end. Never mind the glowing red eyes in the shadows. No, don’t try to count them. That never helps. There are so many of them…’     The second came from Pamela Scott over at Paperblog, who said in her 4/5 star review: ‘Deep RED is a cracking read, very dark and gory at times but well written and hugely enjoyable. I’ve read the other two books in the series, RED and Blood RED. Deep RED serves as a fitting end to a great horror series, a twisted version of Little Red Riding Hood. Some of the characters from the other two books make an appearance here and it was like catching up with old friends. This book is packed with tension, drama and horror as things get darker and darker as the evil wolves put their heinous plans in place. I was engrossed with Deep RED from start to finish!’     Finally, in a 9/10 review Starburst said: ‘Deep RED is the concluding novel of a trilogy that began with RED and continued in Blood RED, author Paul Kane’s twisted take on the Little Red Riding Hood tale. It’s a book that can be read as a standalone so it’s not essential to have read the first two, as there’s a handy recap before the novel begins, although if this third volume is anything to go by, there’s sure to be much enjoyment to be had by doing so. An introduction is provided by the multi-talented Barbie Wilde (perhaps best known as the female Cenobite from Hellraiser) and then we’re off on a lycanthropic roller-coaster ride. Deep RED takes the reader into a post-apocalyptic world, spinning a tale that leads to the final confrontation between humanity and the werewolves who have descended from myth into reality. There’s tension right from the beginning as a major protagonist crosses a desolate city landscape, concerned about who – or what – might be lurking in the shadows. It’s an opening that sets the reader immediately on edge, and once that atmosphere is built the book continues at a relentless pace, although the author is still able to provide characters that are empathic, their goals and needs both believable and understandable. There’s an additional layer of investment to be gained from reading the first two books, no doubt, but not having done so won’t spoil the fun nor lessen the thrills. For all that the fate of the world is hanging in the balance, Deep RED is a joy to read, a book that is thoroughly entertaining yet remains thoughtful despite the furious pace. At some points it feels like the author is almost eager to end this battle, with action-packed set-pieces that a Hollywood blockbuster would be proud of, and then there will be a perfectly-placed moment of poignancy to remind readers exactly why they’ve followed these characters right to the bitter end. Deep RED is a gripping story that has plenty of twists and turns and gloriously gory moments. Once again, Kane has demonstrated his multi-faceted talents as a writer in a book that readers won’t want to put down until the very end.’   You can read full reviews of the book here, here and here. Paul recently talked to Mass Movement magazine about the whole RED journey, which you can read here. And you can order your copies of Deep RED here, here and here. ---------------------------------------     Sticking with dark fairy tales now, and Starburst also reviewed Paul’s collection Scary Tales Vol. 1 last month giving it another 9/10. Here’s what they had to say: ‘Fairy tales have been around for centuries, and many storytellers have used them as a template for their own visions, with varying and contrasting intentions, from the sinister nature of the Brothers Grimm stories to the sweetness of a Walt Disney animated feature. Horror writer Paul Kane is the latest do to this, putting a frightening spin on five of these well-known stories, offering twists and turns that may surprise even the most cynical reader. An introduction by Angela Slatter sets the scene, providing atmosphere and whetting the appetite for what’s to come. Right from the start, Kane doesn’t mess about. His prose is straight and direct, throwing us into the world of each story, quickly defining characters with deft skill before cracking on. While some of the stories rattle along at a speedy pace, he never loses sight of who these people are or their motivations; Kane ensures we care for these characters, and they are never lost or warped simply for the purposes of the plot. The titles themselves are a giveaway as to which fairy tale is being made scary, but there’s great fun to be had in the knowledge that certain characters will make an appearance. In Kane’s hands, they’re not what readers may expect; we’ll meet seven miners, for instance, who are far from Dopey and Bashful… All bar one of these stories have been published before, but are collected together here for the first time. The standard is consistently high, meaning it would be difficult to pick a favourite, but special mention should go to the tale based on Sleeping Beauty, which never sacrifices character for plot, despite its intense pace. It’s a shame this isn’t longer as it would make a great novel, but perhaps leaving the reader wanting more – thanks to an enigmatic ending – is the author’s intention. Overall, this is a fantastic collection with every story fulfilling its potential and breathing new life into the familiar by making it strange and unsettling. We certainly won’t look at Cinderella in the same way again...’   You can read the full version of that one here. ---------------------------------     But we’re not done with the reviews quite yet. The British Fantasy Society had this to say about Paul’s latest hardback anthology Dark Mirages (above): ‘Dark Mirages is a collection of mostly unmade horror film or TV treatments and scripts from a selection of luminaries including Stephen Gallagher, Stephen Laws and Muriel Gray. The collection opens with a treatment for Hellraiser HRXX End of the World written by Smith and Jones, which brings Pinhead and the Cenobites into the 21st century and pays great tribute to Clive Barker’s creations. A cult run by a successful businessman stalks the streets of London, taking people to use in their ritual magick. A strange book that appears to be bound in human skin turns up, and then someone in the cult is given a strange puzzle box and the Cenobites are unleashed once again. Stephen Gallagher’s BBC Dracula script introduces us to a slightly different Dracula – still vicious and cold, but while he still has an aversion to sunlight, it doesn’t immediately turn him to dust. He still drinks blood, mesmerises mortals and moves to London to build a new vampiric empire. Axelle Carolyn’s The Last Post is the only entry that actually made it onto celluloid (a short film, starring Jean Marsh). A beautiful, haunting tale of lovers from the First World War who never met but are reunited in death. My favourite in the collection has to be Dead Man’s Hand, by Stephen Laws, a TV movie that was sadly never made. A family are renovating a house in a coastal town, and after a mysterious pair of ivory dice are found on a nearby beach, a presence awakens in the house. Laws builds the tension fantastically, keeping the reader on the edge of the seat as strange occurrences happen. Builders have accidents, an unseen presence prowls the house, bad dreams haunt the wife, and the family dog goes missing. Whether you’re an avid fan of horror movies, or just enjoy the occasional bit of terrifying cinematic blood-letting, this excellent and eclectic collection won’t disappoint. It’ll thrill, it’ll chill and you’ll want to read it with the lights on.’   You can read the full version of that review here, and order your own copy of Dark Mirages here. ---------------------------------     We’re delighted to welcome our last Guest Writer of 2018, the excellent Helen Grant – author of books like The Vanishing of Katharina Linden, The Glass Demon and Silent Saturday (above). As a special treat, we have an extract from her latest, Ghost (below), which you can read by clicking here.      -----------------------------------------     Paul was out and about in Derby last month, firstly as one of the speakers at the University of Derby’s ‘Foot in the Door’ event, alongside literary author Mahsuda Snaith, crime writer Roz Watkins and event organiser Alex Davis (photos above and below).          He then attended another one of Alex’s events, Sledge-Lit, where the Guests included Mike Carey (below)…       …and Sarah Pinborough, who did the notorious raffle, this time with Gary McMahon and Pixie.       Alex is, of course, also part of the team running StokerCon 2020 and as a reminder the price for tickets of this one will go up on 1st January 2019. Click here for more details.     ------------------------------------     Finally, the limited signed edition of Stephen King’s collection Nightshift (above and below) – which Paul and Marie did the afterword for – was shipped out from PS last month.         -------------------------------------     And that’s about it for another year. It only remains for us to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you all in 2019! ------------------------------------- November     Launched just in time for Halloween, and with a brand new novelette which takes place at that time of year, Paul’s new collection Lost Souls (above) dropped on 22nd October. Published by Shadowridge, this from the official PR: ‘A journalist is offered the interview of a lifetime with unexpected consequences, while another young man is convinced he’s being followed... Something as simple as a train journey becomes a living nightmare for one couple, and another, parted by death, are reunited in a very special cave... And as one ghostly sighting leads the world’s most famous detective abroad to solve his case, a group of other people go out searching for spirits at Halloween... A unique set of stories by award-winning and #1 bestselling author Paul Kane (Hooded Man, Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell, Before), ladies and gentlemen these are the Lost Souls. With an introduction by bestselling author Jason Arnopp (The Last Days of Jack Sparks) and cover photography by Michael Marshall Smith (Hannah Green and Her Unfeasibly Mundane Existence), this is one collection you might just get lost in yourself...’   You can get your hands on a copy here and here. --------------------------------------------       As advertised in the FantasyCon 2018 booklet (above), Paul’s book Dark Mirages was part of the PS Launches at that event on the Friday (photos below, including Paul signing with Stephen Gallagher who is in the book – see last month’s news update for more details).                   The anthology was also mentioned on the Clive Barker Podcast #127 recently, which you can listen to here. But if you missed out on the release, you can still order Dark Mirages here. -------------------------------------------     While Paul was at FCon he also had time to pop into the dealers’ room and sign copies of the critically acclaimed audio drama of The Hellbound Heart at the Bafflegab stall. You can see photos from this above and below, including Paul with Bafflegab’s Simon Barnard, who directed the adaptation.           Again, if you missed out you can still grab your own copy here. ---------------------------------------     Just before FantasyCon, the site for StokerCon – which Paul is co-chairing with Marie – went live. You can check it out and book your ticket simply by clicking here. ----------------------------------------------       Paul also had a brilliant time at the London Halloween Forbidden Planet signings and HWA Pub Meet which followed on (above and below). In attendance were authors such as Christopher Fowler, Alison Littlewood, Robert Shearman, Laura Purcell, Catriona Ward, Joe Hill, MR Carey, Mark Latham, AK Benedict, George Mann, Stephen Jones, Sarah Pinborough and Neil Gaiman.                   In terms of future appearances, Paul will be at both the ‘Foot in the Door’ event at the University of Derby on 15th November and then at Sledge-Lit on 24th. ---------------------------------------------     And Laura Purcell is our Guest Writer for the month of November. Author of the wonderful novel The Silent Companions (above), she’s back with The Corset (below) and you can read an extract from that one here.     -------------------------------------     Finally, Paul reviewed a couple of films last month, Down a Dark Hall (above), starring Uma Thurman, and Edge of Fear (below) with Robert Patrick. You can read these on the Sc-Fi Bulletin website here and here.     ---------------------------------------- October     We move into the Halloween month of October with a look at the terrific final cover of Dark Mirages (above, complete with wraparound). The artwork, along with the inside cover (below) is by none other than Ben Baldwin.        Featured in the most recent PS Newsletter (above), here’s the official PR for the book: ‘The Cenobites from Hellraiser return to their spiritual home of London for a showdown to end them all, and the legend of the world’s most famous vampire – Dracula – gets a fresh spin. The ghost of an elderly lady’s past returns, while a mysterious old-fashioned TV is rented out. And as a race against time begins, a deadly game of chance takes place… Dark Mirages is your chance to read unmade or rare TV/film treatments and scripts from talented writers such as Stephen Jones & Michael Marshall Smith, Stephen Gallagher, Axelle Carolyn, Peter Crowther, Muriel Gray and Stephen Laws. Compiled and edited by Paul Kane (Hellbound Hearts, Beyond Rue Morgue, A Carnivàle of Horror) this is a unique book no genre fan should be without!’ Published by PS, this will be launching at FantasyCon in Chester on the Friday (you can visit the site for that here), but you can read more of Paul’s thoughts on the project and pre-order it here and here. ----------------------------------------     But we’re not stopping there! Above is the cover reveal for Deep RED, the final part of the RED trilogy – with art by the wonderful Dave McKean once again. Published by SST, here’s the official PR for this one: ‘In a nightmare future, where the wolves have taken over, a lone messenger negotiates the dangerous landscape of this new world. The human beings that are left have been driven underground, deep under the earth where they survive in small groups fighting for their very survival. Against this backdrop, a new hero has emerged: a young man who has become a living legend, someone who might just be the key to their victory. Someone who knows the secret of what’s buried deeper than anything else, in a room full of mirrors. The final battle of the war is about to begin, as the wolves attempt to resurrect their long-lost leader. But which side will win? And what will happen after that? From the imagination of award-winning and bestselling author, Paul Kane (Hooded Man, Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell, Before) comes the final shocking part of the RED trilogy. A post-apocalyptic glimpse of a possible timeline, the conclusion to a terrifying dark fairytale in which absolutely anything can happen…’         Paul completed the signing sheets for the deluxe edition (above), and you can pre-order all editions by clicking on the link here.     ----------------------------------------     Sticking with dark fairytales for a moment, Kane’s Scary Tales (above) is on sale for a limited time – 99p/$1.30 for the ebook, £7.19/$7.84 for the paperback – which you can buy here, here, here, and here. ------------------------------------------     Our Guest Writer this month is the hugely talented Ray Cluley, author of the British Fantasy Award-nominated Probably Monsters (above). We’re lucky enough to have a taster of his story for the second New Fears anthology (below) which you can read simply by clicking here.     ------------------------------------     Above is the first look at the poster for The Colour of Madness, the feature film based on Paul’s story ‘Men of the Cloth’. You can find that tale in Shadow Casting (below) available to order here, and the movie is being made by Loose Canon Films.     -----------------------------------     Finally, more film news and pictures above and below from the test shots for The Torturer – see previous news updates for more about this one.               ------------------------------------------------- September   We start this month as we did the last with the reveal of cover art by Ben Baldwin again (above) for another of Paul’s books. This time it’s The Controllers, a collection coming in the New Year from Luna Press, which will include scans of concept sketches Paul did and handwritten stories from the 1990s (below).         -------------------------------------------     Last month the anthology Haunted Nights (above) was reviewed by The Monster Librarian who said of Paul’s story from the book: ‘Paul Kane’s “The Turn” takes the perspective of multiple characters, and is surprisingly well done in such a short story.’ You can read the full review here. ---------------------------------------     Another anthology featuring one of Paul’s stories has its final cover now, To Be One With You from St Rooster Books (above). It launched last month and you can read Paul’s tale ‘Cravings’ by ordering the book here. ------------------------------------------     A massive five page review of Paul’s novel Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell and article about him and Clive Barker in general appeared recently in the German magazine The Baker Street Chronicle, Vol 5, No. 25 (above and below).     ---------------------------------------------------     Our Guest Writer for September now, and we’re over the moon to welcome the British Fantasy Award-winning author of Rawblood (above) Catriona Ward. You can read an exclusive extract from her new one, Little Eve (below), simply by clicking here.     ----------------------------------------     Finally, last month Paul reviewed the indie Horror/SF movie It Lives for Sci-Fi Bulletin. You can read what he thought of it here. --------------------------------------- August   The first piece of news this month is the reveal of the cover art for Dark Mirages by Ben Baldwin, a book Paul has compiled and edited for PS Publishing. As mentioned in their newsletter (below) it will be included in the titles PS are launching at FantasyCon in October. More details about the book itself soon!     --------------------------------------------     Another review appeared last month for Paul’s collection Scary Tales (above), this time from The Grim Reader: ‘The imaginatively titled Kane’s Scary Tales Volume 1 collects 4 short stories and the novella, Sleeper(s)… Snow is certainly a fun and gruesome retelling of Snow White where a young girl is seemingly left for dead, only to return with some new friends to wreak havoc on her abusers. This is a dark, dark take on the classic fairy tale and it starts the collection off superbly. It’s fast-paced and was very satisfying even on a second read. Sleeper(s) on the other hand is a lot more plodding. It isn’t bad at all, it just broods and takes a little while to get anywhere. It isn’t my favourite Kane read, but still, it is enjoyable for the most part and fans of post-apocalyptic tales should latch onto it with ease. There is a definite Se7en vibe to Sin (What’s in the box?) in what turns out to be a dark take on Cinderella with elements of noir creeping into the storytelling. It’s a pretty solid tale that I quite enjoyed… Similarly with the Goldilocks influenced Who’s Been…? which sees a young girl on the run from her wretched homelife stumble across a seemingly empty house. The story takes a vengeful turn as our young protagonist returns home with her new-found friends in tow. Claws and blood feature in a bloodthirsty finale. A fun tale, for sure… Fairy tales are stories cloaked in darkness and Paul Kane has done an admirable job of reworking these to appeal to horror fans.’ You can read the full review here. You can also read an extract from the beginning of Scary Tales here, and order the book here, here, or for hardbacks visit the publisher site here. --------------------------------------     A terrific review now, this time for Paul’s Robin of Sherwood audio: The Red Lord. Here’s what Alasdair Stuart over at Sci-Fi Bulletin had to say: ‘Robin is warned that soon the man in green must face a man in red. And even as he’s told this, the Sheriff cements an alliance with a dangerous new foe in blood red armour… Paul Kane is one of those authors who simply doesn’t do bad work. His dedication to his craft and instinctive understanding, and honouring, of established universes he writes in, means his work fits in effortlessly. That of course means a vast amount of effort went into fitting it in place as is the case here. Kane manages two almost entirely contradictory, vital tasks here. The first is to tell a story with real stakes. The second is to do so in the middle of an established timeline. He succeeds completely at both, and in doing so actually deepens the mythos and tone of the Robin of Sherwood universe. The Red Lord’s abilities, and the price he pays for them, are the exact sort of English High Strangeness the show always excelled at. Crucially too, Kane uses them to cleverly ensure there are no victimless crimes here. Everyone swept up in the Red Lord’s path is an innocent and that only puts more pressure on Robin and his soldiers to be the heroes we know they are. That cleverly becomes personal two different ways in the second half and, even better, Kane gives Will Scarlet plenty of room to be supremely grumpy about the whole thing which is always good value. The story’s success within an established timeline is subtler but no less impressive. The Red Lord’s threat is very real and the resolution of it is definitive, cheerily brutal and upends your expectations in the smartest possible way. In doing so, it fits like a glove into the evolution of the series, and the various action genres’ attitude towards female characters, so well it could have been written at the time. Verdict: The reading, by the great Ian Ogilvy, is warm, measured and expressive. The script is smart a dozen different ways and the whole thing feels like exactly what it should be; both a unique story and a lost chapter of a much loved TV show. Massively recommended. 9/10.’ You can read the full review here. ---------------------------------------     Photos now from Edge-Lit in Derby last month (above), where just before the event Paul attended the launch of Jo Jakeman’s debut novel Sticks and Stones (below)…             At the convention itself, Paul found himself on the ‘Impostor Syndrome’ panel, appropriately filling in for someone else, and chairing the ‘Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic’ panel (all below).          Paul was there to launch his brand new hardback collection More Monsters as well, from Black Shuck, and sign copies with Butterball Cenobite himself Simon Bamford, who kindly provided the introduction (photos below)             Copies were then sent out to people who pre-ordered, resulting in photos of them in the wild, like the one below courtesy of Steve Matthewman.     You can still buy your copy of More Monsters here but hurry as they are going fast! -------------------------------------------     Paul was also fortunate enough to have dinner with one of the Guests of Honour at Edge, A Head Full of Ghosts and Disappearance at Devil’s Rock author Paul Tremblay, along with other Titan authors and the publishers themselves (above, photo courtesy Paul Tremblay).      And by a lucky coincidence Paul is our Guest Writer on the SW site for the month of August, with an extract from his new bestseller – the superb Cabin at the End of the World (above). To read this, just click here. --------------------------------------------     In addition, Edge was the venue at which StokerCon UK 2020 was announced, which is being run by Paul, Marie and Alex Davis. The convention will be held in Scarborough, not that far from Dracula country, Whitby, and we’ll be releasing more information in the future so keep checking back.   -----------------------------------------------     More cover artwork now, this time from the forthcoming parasite anthology To Be One With You from St Rooster Books (above). This one will feature a brand new story from Paul called ‘Cravings’. -------------------------------------------     Things are hotting up with The Torturer’s campaign (above), including an appearance by director Joe Manco on both Nicholas Vince’s Chattering show and the Clive Barker Podcast (both below). You can find links to those here and here.           Meanwhile casting has been continuing apace, and joining Paul T. Taylor (above) will be Richard Houghton (Streets of Harvest) as the detective, Robb Hudspeth (Core) as the doctor, and Lance Parker (Point Man) as the rookie cop (all below).           And the titular role of The Torturer himself has also been announced (live on video, which you can watch here. He will be played by Lawrence Varnado (below), whose credits include Breaking Bad, The Leftovers and Sin City 2.         To visit the Indiegogo page for the campaign, where you can become a producer, click here, and to visit the site for the film itself (below) just click here.     -----------------------------------------------     Finally this month, Paul and Marie attended the launch for Catriona Ward’s new book, Little Eve (above and below).         Catriona was also a Special Guest at the latest HWA pub meet Paul and Marie ran a couple of days later (below).     ---------------------------------------------   July   First item of news on the agenda this sunny July is Paul’s collection More Monsters, which launches next week at Edge in Derby (to book your tickets just click here). The limited edition hardback had an unboxing at publishers Black Shuck recently and looks amazing (below), so even if you’re going to the launch it’s recommended that you secure yours by pre-ordering here as these are going to go fast!         ----------------------------------------     Paul’s other collection of the moment, Scary Tales (above), has been garnering more excellent reviews. Here’s what Brian Bogart over at Kendall Reviews thought: ‘Fairy Tales. We’ve all grown up with them. Our childhoods would not have been the same without them. Maybe even our adult lives, as well. They are a part of every culture, life lessons wrapped up with a nice little bow; stories we tell children to warn them of the evils of the world and to entertain. While Disney and the modern world have taken many elements away from the original tales and glossed over them with song and dance numbers and pastel paints, the core of the truths within always are dark and brooding. Waiting for one fatal slip to expose their sharp fangs and glistening claws. Thankfully, Paul Kane revels in those shadowy bits and Kane’s Scary Tales: Volume 1 twists them for our reading pleasure. Between the pages are five stories that pay homage to some classics, ranging from Snow White to even Goldilocks. Each tale is unique and original, wearing the influences on their sleeves proudly. There are even a few connections to each other, if you pay attention. The collection kicks off with “Snow”, which has some wonderful passages throughout. Evil stepmothers really are the focus here and Ruth definitely fits the bill. It’s the moment that Snow is introduced to the “dwarves” that really got me interested. These are not the Sleepy and Bashful variety: these are sightless monstrosities scavenging in the deep underground caverns. Scrounging around in the dark with only the light of her cell phone, will she survive to confront her evil stepmother?... Next, is “Sleeper(s)”. This Sleeping Beauty-inspired story takes the idea of a sleeping sickness spiralling out of control, with plenty of military and survivor elements to satisfy some of the zombie/post-apocalyptic fans out there. Though the road it travels is well-worn, the descriptions of the Sleepers and details of their infection make this story very unique.  “Sin” takes the form of a police procedural, tracking down a serial killer. Bits of the film Se7en get entangled with Cinderella and I really liked the cop-noir retelling of a man falling in love with a blonde who had travelled to the wrong side of the tracks, seeking respite from her home life. Yep. Stepmother strikes again. “Who’s Been…?” is deceptively simple, just like Goldilocks herself. Cue a girl with a horrible home life and a trek into a house she shouldn’t be in. Who owns the house and will she make it home in one piece? Let’s just say that some sharp teeth and claws are involved and not entirely as expected. Last, but not least, we have “Giants”. While my least favourite story personally, there is some wonderful imagery at play in this Jack and the Beanstalk tale of Big Business and shady dealings. Kane’s writing style with these tales is almost conversational, which depending on the reader will either resonate with them or it won’t. But, if they think back to the stories which inspired them, at least one of the five stories between the pages will hit home. My two personal faves were “Sleeper(s)” and “Sin”. “Snow” was a beautiful introduction to this collection and I think if the readers enjoy that story they will slip into the others almost immediately. Vivid descriptions and easy-to-read, Kane’s Scary Tales: Volume 1 works on the same level as a devilish bedtime story: its simplicity makes your mind wander as you drift off to sleep. The world can be a horrifying place, but fairy tales can come true. Sometimes, in ways that you didn’t expect. Shadows have a funny way of lingering, like a kiss in the dark. 4/5 stars.’ You can read the full review here.     While Jim Dodge had this to say in his review for Mass Movement: ‘We’ve all read books of fairy tales and watched movies about them on TV. Some were Disney versions that took much of the darkness out of the original stories in order to mass market them. Others were intentionally crafted to add the darkness back into the stories in order to scare the pants off of the audience. Well folks, Kane’s Scary Tales Volume 1 is part of the latter category, thankfully. If you’re just as sick of beautiful princesses and comically evil witches and wizards, Paul Kane has the book you’ve been looking for. They’re bloody, gritty and, pardon my language, fucked up. Since those are the criteria I look for in a good (or great) book, I thoroughly enjoyed reading these stories. From the abused version of Snow White, which includes some monstrously awesome dwarves, to the zombified Sleeping Beauty, through a tale about a prostitute named Ella whose street name is Sindy, going on to Who’s Been…? whose bears are, perhaps, lycanthropes, ending with a secret lab full of possibly-partly-human creatures in Giants… Blood is guaranteed, death is certain and a feral enjoyment is definitely on the books. If you don’t read these Scary Tales with a demented glint in your eye, you’re probably not getting, and missing, the point.’ The full review is here and Jim also interviewed Paul for MM. You can read that by clicking here.   You can also read an extract from the beginning of Scary Tales here, and order the book here, here, or for hardbacks visit the publisher site here. ---------------------------------------     But we’re not done with reviews just yet. Paul’s story ‘Mind the Gap’ – published in the Sinister Press Sampler (above) – was reviewed by Ginger Nuts of Horror last month, along with the rest of the book. This is what they said: ‘Here again we have an adult still in the grip of childhood fears of what might lurk behind doors at bedtime. Kane gives even more weight to the struggle between the rational and the deliriously paranoid mind. The symbolism of doors either as gateways to other dimensions or openings into the darkest corners of the mind is well utilised.’ You can read the full review here. ----------------------------------------     Our Guest Writer for this month is none other than Jennifer Ash, who also writes as Jenny Kane (Romancing Robin Hood, above). We’re delighted to be able to give you a taster of her Folville Chronicles series with an extract from the first novel, The Outlaw’s Ransom (below). You can dive straight into that by clicking here.     ------------------------------------     Turning to film now, and the movie of Paul’s storyLife-O-Matic is getting a screening at the huge Gen Con festival next month (above), 2-5 August. To visit the site for the convention click here and to visit the section on the SW site for Life-O-Matic click here. -----------------------------------------     The Torturer campaign officially launched last month as well (above and below).     To watch the campaign video, just click play below.   The Torturer - Campaign Video from Little Spark Films on Vimeo.   To visit the Indiegogo page for the campaign, where you can become a producer, click here and to visit the site for the film itself just click here. ---------------------------------     Finally this July, Bafflegab head honcho Simon Barnard was interviewed for Starburst last month where he talked about the production of the full cast audio drama of The Hellbound Heart, adapted by Paul (above and below).     You can listen to the trailer of this one and order from Bafflegab here or on Amazon here. ----------------------------------------- June   We kick off this month with news of yet another collection from Paul and Black Shuck Books, More Monsters (above) – the follow-up to the British Fantasy Award-nominated Monsters from 2015. This from the official PR: ‘Be afraid. Be incredibly afraid...again, because More Monsters are here! One man finds himself in the midst of a zombie uprising, while another is trapped between floors – and between realities – in a lift. A woman heads off to meet her boyfriend’s mysterious family at the coast, while another has to resist a Hell demon’s greatest temptations. And as two singers return from the grave for one final performance, a genetically engineered creature escapes from captivity to start a revolution... Werewolves, zombies, vampires, bugs, this sequel to the British Fantasy Award-nominated Monsters from the imagination of bestselling and award-winning author Paul Kane (Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell, Before) has them all! With cover art from Dominic Harman (The Hellbound Heart, Cabal) and an introduction from Simon Bamford (Hellraiser, Nightbreed), brace yourself – because this truly is a time of Monsters!’ The launch for this one will be at 1pm at Edge-Lit 7 on 14th July, where Paul is one of the guests. He will also be on a panel about post apocalyptic fiction at 4pm, but to see what else is going on that day and book your tickets just click here.   Or you can pre-order the hardback book from the publisher here. ------------------------------------     Meanwhile, Paul’s latest collection Scary Tales (above and below) had its own launch online last month. You can see the results of that here and visit the official Facebook page for the publication here.       The launch included caption competitions to give away prizes including a remarqued Mammoth Book of Body Horror and copies of Scary Tales, like the one in the photo Steve Herczeg posted (both below).       The book was also reviewed by Sci-Fi Bulletin last month. Here’s what Nick Joy had to say: ‘A handful of classic fairy tales are given a modern, twisted makeover in this creepy collection by Paul Kane. I’ve always wondered how fairy tales ended up being gentrified by the likes of Disney into material peddled to youngsters, as the original stories were certainly not the sort of fare you’d typically read to your children. Paul Kane has gone one step further and taken classic fairy stories and given them a contemporary, adult spin. After an introduction by writer Angela Slatter, looking at the role of fairly tales, Kane starts with “Snow”, where Snow White is a uni student and tumbles into an underground cavern populated by bat-like beasties rather than dwarves. “Who’s Been…?” substitutes porridge with a box of Frosties (and some unforgettable bears), while in “Giants” the magic beans are recreational drugs. “Sin” takes on Cinderella with a bold subversion of the crystal slipper and longest story “Sleeper(s)” is Sleeping Beauty with hazmat suits. As Angela Carter proved with her The Bloody Chamber (later made into the movie The Company of Wolves) and TV shows like Once Upon a Time, fairy tales are too good to be the sole domain of kids, and Kane subverts the popular tales with some nice alternative takes, while emphasising the ever-present abusive parents and dysfunctional extended families. Each story hits the ground running, with a pace that feeds you enough to get you up to speed and then sprints forwards. It’s unlikely you’ll leave any of them mid-tale, as you’ll want to finish them in a sitting. Verdict: Grimmer than Grimm, Paul Kane’s twisted variations on tales as old as time are a joy to read, and even if you think you know how they will end, the happily ever after might be a little different to how you imagine. 8/10’ You can read the full review here, read an extract from the beginning of Scary Tales here, and order the book here, here, or for hardbacks visit the publisher site here. ----------------------------------------         More reviews for Paul’s audio drama adaptation of The Hellbound Heart (above and below, in the wild) have appeared, including from The British Fantasy Society: ‘Everyone will be familiar with the iconography of The Hellbound Heart from the successful Hellraiser film series it spawned – but perhaps fewer will know the original source material, Clive Barker’s 1986 horror novella. This audio adaptation of the latter by Bafflegab is very faithful to the original text and manages to portray the visceral horror of the story magnificently through dialogue and sound effects alone. In particular, the gory scenes here turn out to be more wince-inducing on audio than on film, the listener’s mind filling in details that visual effects might have baulked at. But even when not making the listener squirm, the excellent sound design and music conspire to generate an all pervading sense of menace that permeates the entire play. The splendid performances of the cast really shine and make this play a must listen. Neve McIntosh’s Julia has just the right level of steel and disdain tempered with rare vulnerability that makes the character far more than just a villain. Tom Meeten puts in a very convincing dual performance, each so distinct in both voice and vocal mannerisms that it is hard to believe that both the reasonable but weak Rory and the reckless bad boy Frank are portrayed by the same actor. Alice Lowe’s Kirsty – Rory’s work colleague who gets drawn into events due to her unrequited love for him – is immediately sympathetic and real, someone we can root for and who we care about. This is a superb and engrossing listen that gets its hooks into you and won’t let up until the end.’         Starburst gave it 9/10, saying: ‘As the first-ever full-cast audio adaptation of Clive Barker’s novella, which was translated to the big screen as the original Hellraiser movie, Bafflegab’s drama has to confront the “inevitable comparison” that will be made with Barker’s own big screen version. With its fresh but authentic take on the source material, Bafflegab rises to the challenge with admirable self-confidence and conviction. The visuals, icons, characters and voices of the 1987 Hellraiser film are so ingrained in collective genre consciousness that “taking a different approach” to bringing the story to life could be seen as highly risky. But while, for the most part, Paul Kane’s adaptation stays faithful to the novella’s narrative, both the script and the audio realisation are determined to be neither a pastiche of, nor a homage to, the franchise’s first film. Central to Kane’s drama is the different life experience of two brothers. Rory has chosen the settled and staid life of work and marriage, a normality he is comfortable with. Frank has embraced the reckless pursuit of carnal pleasures and of indulgence and excess, always wanting to push things to new extremes. After Frank brokers a deal with the hellish Cenobites, the punishment is cruel and overwhelming. When the brothers inherit their parents’ home, fiancé Julia finds her world torn apart as a blood spill revives Frank’s atrophied remains. Bafflegab has assembled a uniformly strong cast. Neve McIntosh channels the venal selfishness and moral torpor of Julia, but finds her more human side too; Tom Meeten is doubly fantastic, as both the risk-averse everyman Rory (arguably the hardest role of the piece); and as the seductive and merciless Frank; while Alice Lowe brings the right mix of naivety and toughness to the role of Kirsty. The distinctive sounds of the Cenobites do take some adjusting to. Evie Dawnay’s vocalisation highlights their chilling and ruthless nature over out-and-out horror. But the creatures’ unwavering certainty works in the context of this version. Sound design is top notch throughout, with Frank’s reanimation, the visceral hands-on killings, and the sticky, nasty couplings all invested with just the right kind of disturbing squelches, rips and thwacks. As events darken, there are several full-on gruesome turns; and with its brutal depictions of violence, sexual scenes, gory themes and “coarse” language, The Hellbound Heart is unashamedly for adults’ ears only. This is a very impressive audio presentation that more than does justice to Barker’s vision, imagining just where “desire” that breaches the limits of reason and moral constraint might lead.’ You can read the full reviews of those two online here and here.       The audio also received 4 star reviews from newsstand magazines SFX (above) and SciFi Now (below). Here’s what the former had to say: ‘This is a more subdued – and creepier – take on the tale than the movie version… Sustaining a mood of mystery and dread, it reminds you just how alluring this mythology was before the patchy sequels.’          While SciFi Now commented: ‘This pacy, punchy adaptation starts with a lovely, pounding, 80s-feeling theme, before launching straight into the familiar tale of lifelong ne’er-do-well Frank Cotton getting in way over his head with a gang of otherworldly pleasure-seekers (the order of the gash, or Cenobites) who have some serious sadomasochism issues, disappearing into their world of sensations beyond imagining. His brother Rory and Rory’s wife Julia move into the house where he disappeared, and an accident brings Frank back as a monstrous half-man in need of blood to regrow his body. Julia has a history with Frank and agrees to bring him victims. Audio is a great medium for Barker’s story, allowing the squelchy sound effects to construct the nasty visuals in your head. Hissing, “half-made” Frank begging for blood is nicely traumatic, as is his recounting of his torture at the hands and hooks of the Cenobites and murder of one of Julia’s unlucky conquests. The pleasantly subdued angelic/devilish voices of the Cenobites are also creepily effective. Admittedly, it is difficult to forget the film entirely (can anybody ever really outdo Doug Bradley?), but the cast here do a sterling job. Tom Meeten (The Ghoul) is great in a dual role, playing both mild cuckold Rory and the superbly nasty Frank, while Neve McIntosh (Doctor Who) believably transitions from unsatisfied spouse to scary seductress as she procures more lives to feed Frank back into fleshliness. Alice Lowe (Prevenge) does well in the slightly thankless role of Kirsty, convincingly mooning after Rory and then righteously indignant once she uncovers Julia and Frank’s awful deeds. This is a short, creepy listen which will bring a shiver to a sunny commute or perfectly complement a dark, stormy night in.’   You can read the full version of that one here.       Paul has been signing lots of copies for fans too, like the ones above, and the CD has also gone on sale at Jeff ‘n’ Joys books (below) here.     You can also listen to the trailer yourself and order from Bafflegab here or on Amazon here.     Staying with Hellraiser for a moment, the documentary Paul took part in – Leviathan – is now streaming on Shudder (above). To visit the SW page for this one, just click here. --------------------------------------------     We’re fortunate this month to have bestseller David Mark as Guest Writer, author of the hugely successful DS Aector McAvoy series of novels including Dark Winter, Taking Pity and Cruel Mercy (above). Here we have an exclusive extract from his brand new novel, Scorched Earth (below), which you can read by clicking here.     -------------------------------------------     Paul’s other audio release, his Robin of Sherwood adventure The Red Lord (above), for Spiteful Puppet/ITV went on sale last month. Narrated by Ian Ogilvy (the Saint, and Lord Edgar in RoS - below) you can buy this directly from the store here.     And as part of the promotion for this, Paul wrote a lengthy piece for Jennifer Kane/Ash’s site which you can find by clicking here. ---------------------------------------------       The latest HWA pub meet took place in May, with special guest Mike (MR) Carey. Mike read an exclusive extract from his forthcoming novel Someone Like Me (above) and answered questions put to him by those present (below). The chat and beer flowed in equal measure!     ------------------------------------     Film news now, and not only did the movie of Paul’s story/script The Torturer get a new poster (above), it also now has a dedicated site which you can reach by clicking here. ---------------------------------------     Finally, Paul reviewed the latest in the Insidious series for Sci-Fi Bulletin last month: The Last Key. You can find out what he thought about that by clicking here. -------------------------------------- May     Paul’s full cast audio drama adaptation of Clive Barker’s The Hellbound Heart was released at the end of last month (above), heralded by an exclusive preview from Kendall Reviews here and accompanied by some amazing write-ups. The first was a 10/10 from Nick Joy Sci-Fi Bulletin who said: ‘Clive Barker’s 1986 novella, and the basis of his directorial debut Hellraiser, becomes an audio play with a great guest cast. Paul Kane is a true Hellraiser aficionado (he wrote the definitive book on the series The Hellraiser Films and their Legacy) and translates Barker’s 186 pages into a respectful and authentic 75 minutes. The cast is headed up by Alice Lowe (Prevenge) as Kirsty – she’s Frank’s friend here rather than daughter – Tom Meeten (The Ghoul) as both Cotton brothers, and Neve McIntosh (Doctor Who’s Madame Vastra) as Julia. There’s also a welcome connection to the original movies with Nicholas Vince (Chatterer) as a Cenobite and sleazy Businessman, and even Big Finish’s Bernice Summerfield (Lisa Bowerman) makes an appearance. Because there’s no third party narration to contextualise what people are thinking or what’s happening visually, the script has to do all the heavy lifting in the dialogue, and Kane does a great job in giving us enough understanding without shoehorning in clunky exposition. Having Kirsty as the third wheel in the relationship with Rory (no longer Larry) also adds a new dynamic to the story, Alice Lowe impressing here. Producer and director Simon Barnard gets good work from all around him, Edwin Sykes’ synth score not trying to ape Christopher Young’s movie soundtrack, and the gruesome sound design by Simon Robinson is very effective at covering off the bone crunching, stabs and soul tearing. Verdict: Come to daddy! You might think you know Hellraiser, but finally here’s an authentic British version of The Hellbound Heart without those annoying Americanisms that crept into the movie. These are also very different Cenobites, and movie poster boy Pinhead is a very different beast.’     While Ginger Nuts of Horror said: ‘Some stories become etched into the psyche of a horror fan, forming a pantheon of horror that stands as a list for all other stories to be held up against. Clive Barker’s The Hellbound Heart is one such story, the novella that spawned the Hellraiser franchise and formed the basis of the first film, this classic tale of pleasure and pain has a gravitas attached to it the likes of which hasn’t been seen in far too long… When it was first announced that Bafflegab Productions were doing a new audio drama version of the novella adapted by Paul Kane, I must admit I was somewhat wary about the idea. Not that I felt Bafflegab Productions weren’t so much up to the task…Nor was I worried by Paul Kane’s involvement, he is an excellent writer and more importantly a massive fan of the Hellraiser franchise… After listening to this audio drama, I can safely say that this is the best thing across all entertainment mediums to exist in the Hellraiser universe. This is as close to perfection as you can get… Simon Barnard, the producer and director, has assembled a cast which manages to do the unthinkable and makes you forget about the film adaptation. Sean Chapman’s and Claire Higgins’ performances as Frank and Julia are branded into our brains, as an on-screen “couple” they were perfect together. It’s a performance that would almost seem impossible to surpass, and yet Tom Meeten and Neve McIntosh’s performance of Frank and Julia is sublime; within minutes you forget everything that has gone before, they aren’t just playing the roles they become the roles. Frank is as nasty and driven as ever, and Julia is as cold and alluring as she could ever be.   Alice Lowe continues to cement her reputation as one of the country’s finest actors, with her turn as Kirsty… Lowe’s depiction is nothing short of exceptional. Her performance allows the full range of Kirsty’s character to shine through, the wide-eyed girl, the frightened girl, and the girl filled with grit and determination to escape the hell she is tricked into; all come across in an engrossing delivery. However the ultimate high point has to be the portrayal of the Prince of Pain himself. Stepping into the role of Pinhead, or Cenobite One as it should be named, must have been a daunting task; Doug Bradley, despite others playing the character, will always be Pinhead. However, there has always been contention with Doug as Pinhead, as he doesn’t quite fit the description of the character in the novella. When I first heard Evie Dawnay deliver the first line of dialogue I was, for a minute, somewhat confused, and when it sunk in a huge smile spread across my face. This is the lead Cenobite I have been waiting to hear for nearly thirty years. And boy does Evie deliver; this isn’t just a marketing gimmick, this is the lead Cenobite as it should be, ethereal, angelic, and apathetic to the pleas of us mere mortals. Dawnay is exceptional, and if there are any further dramatisations of the franchise, it would be a crime not to have her reprise this role. Having Nicholas Vince appear as Cenobite four and the businessman was a nice touch, serving to link this production to the history of the story, and Nicholas doesn’t disappoint in either of his two roles.   Paul Kane’s adaptation of the story is assured and hits the mark. His keen eye retains the essential elements that make the story work while updating some of the terms to make it more relevant to a modern age such as the use of emails and mobiles phones.  This must have been a daunting task, but Kane has more than stepped up to the plate. The Hellbound Heart had a lot of history and baggage to deal with, but this production has done the impossible and surpassed the original adaptation. You may shout heresy, but the combination of first-class acting, more faithful respect to the source material and a perfect soundscape makes this a superior adaptation. You may think you know this story, but you haven’t even heard the half of it until you have listened to this!’     It was also a 5/5 from Exciting Stuff, who had this to say: ‘Do we love The Hellbound Heart from Bafflegab Productions? Oh Hell, yes we do! Five star reviews are not easy to come by here on Exciting Stuff, but releases like this are what that fifth star is there for. The original novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker was the basis for the first – and still the legendary – Hellraiser movie, but Bafflegab delivers a version of Hell that’s truer to the novella, and more emotionally logical than the movie was. The story of Julia Cotton, a woman trapped in a loveless, undersexed, underthrilled marriage to the nicer and duller of two brothers remains, with Rory the nice guy and macho Frank both being played by Tom Meeten. Kirsty, who was one of the family in the movie, is returned here to being a friend of Rory’s, who dislikes Julie and fancies her own chances with the more respectable Cotton brother. And the twist that brings this dysfunctional foursome into contact with the Cenobites – a pack of extreme S&M “angels” from Hell, summoned by something called the Lemarchand puzzle box – remains the same, although again, the audio version is truer to the novella than the film, with the lead Cenobite, affectionately known by fans as “Pinhead”, being played with a girlish, almost childlike glee by Evie Dawnay – a far cry from the movie’s masculine version, played by Doug Bradley, but nevertheless deliciously right. Casting Tom Meeten as both Frank and Rory Cotton allows for a vocal similarity that’s believable as well as thematic (two sides of the coin of modern masculinity), while Neve McIntosh brings new levels of weary despair to Julia in this audio version, revealing more of the character’s desperation to feel, to love, to be part of something with a man who brings her sensuality to life. The story of Frank’s involvement with and escape from the Cenobites, his need for blood and bodies to revive himself, and Julia’s procuring of them is all here, but there’s something that’s made clearer in the audio version than in the movie – Barker’s splitting of post-modern maleness into insipid obsequiousness and vicious machismo is brought back together as Julia’s “whole man” at the end, in a way that works much more effectively with this cast. Alice Lowe’s Kirsty feels more alive and pro-active in this version too, more driven by her love of Rory than Ashley Laurence’s movie version – the lines of loyalty and action are much clearer when she’s fighting for a potential partner than they are when she’s fighting for her father. But Lowe gives Kirsty something believably 21st century too, something slightly selfish that allows us to wonder if even she is on the right side of the ethical divide. As for the Cenobites, Barker’s most indelible signature-stamp on the popular culture of horror, Dawnay plays the “Pinhead” Cenobite with a gorgeous, courageous difference from the Doug Bradley movie version, and as such she both claims the role and owns it in its new audio format. Slightly androgynous in her distance from human concerns, as the Cenobites are all supposed to be, but with a breathy female tinge, she’s a Borg Queen of pleasure and pain that makes you want more Barker adaptations from Bafflegab. Her subordinate Cenobites, while losing out in terms of the visual aspect of the movie, give her good support, but as with the movie version, this is very much Pinhead’s show, and Dawnay deserves extras props for steering away form a well-known and much-loved movie version, and making the role her own. The pace of this release is punchy, but the depth and the layering of story and character mean you emerge on the other side of it feeling like you’ve been through a much fuller-length wringer. The scares are en pointe and the elevated performances from Tom Meeten, Neve McIntosh, Alice Lowe and Evie Dawnay make for a Hellbound Heart that feels both classic and new at the same time, both right and fresh. Paul Kane delivers a gorgeous adaptation that allows longstanding fans to nod and revel in Barker’s horror genius, while inviting newbies into the embrace of the Cenobites with a bright, intelligent, twisted tragedy of desire and its consequences. Bafflegab’s been edging ever closer to the horror genre for a few years, but in its new straight horror adaptations, it feels like it’s found its true audio home. The Cenobites are back, as bright and as terrifying as ever, and they have such delights to show you…’     Tina at 60 Minutes With… posted this: ‘Adapted by Paul Kane (Sherlock and the Servants of Hell, The Hellraiser Films and Their Legacy) from Clive Barker’s seminal and much loved original novella The Hellbound Heart. This one story opened up a universe of Hell for initiates, The Hell Priest (Pinhead), the Cenobites, Lemarchand’s Box, and has so far been the inspiration for 10 films and, I think, 2 short films. Perhaps there is only one other person who could adapt this, and that’s Clive himself, but Paul does an admirable job of condensing a few hours’ text into a thrilling audio play. Paul has a long association with the Hellraiser franchise, writing a book about the Hellraiser films and a very unusual, entertaining crossover book about Sherlock Holmes and “The Order of the Gash”, so is more than qualified to take us to Hell. Now I am biased when it comes to most things associated with Clive Barker so when I heard that an audio play was being made of Hellbound Heart I was literally foaming at the mouth to hear it… This is an audio experience any horror fan should not miss. The whole cast are wonderful. Frank Cotton is played by Tom Meeten (The Ghoul) and oh Lordy lord, his voice is just perfect; the husky, sexually titillating, commanding, slimy way he wheedles and makes deals, is sizzling as Frank. He then turns it all on its head by being the amiable, loveable Rory. I admit I did have to check BOTH parts were played by Tom as his delivery is so completely different for each character. Neve McIntosh is Julia, and totally making you forget Claire Higgins with her beautiful soft Scottish accent, gives a very nuanced performance. Julia will do anything for her man, including bringing him fresh blood, and Neve’s level performance gives just the right hint of something rotten and putrid behind the soft Scottish tones… Last, but definitely not least, is Alice Lowe as Rory’s friend Kirsty. Giving just the right amount of unrequited longing, pathetic yet likeable, she is totally believable as the girl next door, who conquers Hell. I listen to a lot of audiobooks, around three a week, so I consider myself a connoisseur of them. Bafflegab are definitely a company to look out for, good stories and the perfect actors. I will be buying Hellbound Heart on CD, I liked it that much!’     We Are Cult said: ‘Fans of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser film series will likely already be casting a glance toward The Hellbound Heart, Bafflegab’s new audio iteration of the novella that spawned the Hellraiser franchise. The production also has a big shot in the arm of Mighty Boosh and Doctor Who star power, with recognisable voices popping into the fray in the leads. Familiarity with the story isn’t strictly necessary. The audio adaptation carries itself admirably… If somehow you’ve made it to 2018 without knowing what Hellraiser is about… well, it’s about a balls-to-the-wall hedonist who needs a new thrill so bad that he uses a puzzle box to summon interdimensional sadomasochists. When that goes exactly as well as you’d expect, since said Cenobites have very different ideas of “pleasure,” he calls upon his sister-in-law – with whom he’s been having an affair – to sacrifice innocent victims to him so he can escape back into our world. Writer and actress Alice Lowe (Sightseers, Prevenge, Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, Blood On Satan’s Claw) takes the lead as Kirsty, the put-upon heroine. Fans of the films know Kirsty as Larry’s daughter – in the original book, as here, she’s a friend of Rory (Larry’s original name). She’s a strong centre for the cast, but bides her time in early scenes. Lowe downplays herself admirably, pining awkwardly on the side until the plot brings her in full force – then brings her lead game through the third act. Opposite her, we hear Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra to Doctor Who fans) as the bloodthirsty Julia. She has her acting chops severely tested, put up against some serious challenges when it comes to depicting repeated scenes of dubious consent while still maintaining a sense of power. Said scenes may be uncomfortable for some listeners simply by their nature – but McIntosh holds her own through them. And then there’s Tom Meeten of The Mighty Boosh and The Ghoul, dual-cast as brothers Frank and Rory Cotton. The decision to place one actor in both roles was, honestly, a fairly brave one. Especially considering the hedonistic Frank and the bless-his-heart Rory need to be differentiated easily… Meeten’s Frank was far more entertaining and well put together – not a surprise, since Rory is mostly there to show up at all the wrong times… And if you think you’ll be escaping the gross-out factor since it’s audio – you’re very, very wrong. Simon Robinson’s sound design is utterly disgusting in all the right ways. So if you’re easily affected by body horror and know the sorts of things the Cenobites get up to, your brain will do a fine job of filling in the blanks. At 75 minutes, it’s a worthwhile evening’s listen… And if Bafflegab ever wanted to continue forward with Kirsty’s character in the spirit of the films, it would be a treat to hear more of Lowe in the role.’     And finally, Horror Content by The Collective said on Facebook: ‘Now, I love Clive Barker’s work a little more than the air I breathe, so when I heard some time ago that there is a full cast audio adaptation of one of his most influential works... I was certainly intrigued if not a little nervous that one of my favourite novellas, and movies of all time for that matter, was getting the audio drama treatment. I shouldn’t have been nervous, Bafflegab Productions’ adaptation of The Hellbound Heart is a complete triumph. Every element of the drama is just as wonderfully compelling as the original source material and its movie counterpart Hellraiser (1987).  This production has beautifully captured the foul black beating heart of Barker’s style. As I am sure many of you will know The Hellbound Heart is the story of when Frank Cotton (Tom Meeten) finally acquires a fabled puzzle box, he gets more than he bargained for because the box is a doorway to another world, to Hell and its dubious pleasures, ruled over by the sadistic Cenobites. Frank’s reward for opening the box is an eternity of pain beyond imagining but when his brother, Rory, and his wife Julia (Neve McIntosh) move in to the house where Frank conducted the ritual, he sees a means of escape. For Julia was once Frank’s lover and swore to do anything for him…even kill, if it would make Frank whole again. Julia will stop at nothing to bring her lover back from Hell, and only Rory’s friend Kirsty (Alice Lowe) unwittingly stands in their way… Starring Alice Lowe (Prevenge, Sightseers), Tom Meeten (The Ghoul) and Neve McIntosh (Doctor Who) As many fans will have worked out just from reading the synopsis it’s an incredibly faithful adaptation of the novella. All credit to Paul Kane’s adaptation which not only captures the style of the novella but really brings out the theme from the book that in fact the road to heaven is full of hellish intentions. The script is effective, creepy, witty and creates an atmosphere the listener won’t forget in a hurry. This atmosphere is complemented by the brilliant sound design by Simon Robinson and by music from Edwin Sykes. It’s the tendency for lots of audio drama to overwhelm the listeners’ ears with noise in important moments which just comes off as bad mixing. This is absolutely not the case here, the mix is perfect and completely supports the voice work. The voice work is excellent all round. It may have been a temptation to copy what has come before but this adaptation moves in an original way with its characters and it pays off. The wonderful Alice Lowe plays Kirsty and completely adds authentic emotional depth to a character whose role is basically the narrator of the tale. Neve McIntosh’s performance as Julia is one full of cunning and a murderer’s intent and the Cenobites played by Evie Dawnay and Chris Pavlo are even more alluring and sinister than their movie counterparts... Truly angels to some and demons to others. The real standout performance of the drama is Tom Meeten as Frank and Rory Cotton... This is my favourite portrayal of Frank yet... Meeten captures the depravity and dangerous intelligence of Frank and his performance as Rory really adds to the duality of the storytelling. All in all it’s a brilliant production and at 75mins it’s perfect for a commute.’   You can read the full reviews here, here, here, here and here. --------------------------------------     The Clive Barker Podcast, as well as featuring the audio on their show (above, which you can listen to here or here) also reviewed it on their site. Ryan Danhauser gave it 9.5/10 and said: ‘Like opening Lemarchand’s configuration, I didn’t have a full understanding of what I was getting into. This is not an audiobook, it’s a full-blown audio drama. This means that though it is extremely faithful to the story, it is an adaptation by Paul Kane. There is no narration because the story is told through dialogue, the musical score and sound effects. As stated above, this is an adaptation, so it veers from the original story only in that the narration and description have been replaced by dialogue. That, and there were a couple anachronistic lines that pull it slightly askew of its 1986 origin. One in which Kirsty, in her office, said she had to send out some emails, and another where the doctor told Kirsty he found her phone…  These minor facts shouldn’t overly-bother even the purest of the purists, the strictest theologians, because this production will get its hooks into you. The cast did an amazing job that rivals Clive Barker’s film adaptation, Hellraiser (and is a worthy alternative to the audiobook narrated by Clive Barker himself). In particular, Neve McIntosh, who played Julia, was amazing, though they were all a great cast. I also wasn’t aware until the writing of this review that both Frank and Rory were played by the same person (Tom Meeten). Hellraiser fans will also be pleased to know that the Chatterer himself, Nicholas Vince, plays a Cenobite and one of Julia’s victims – the businessman. The first thing that struck me about this audio production was the sound design by Simon Robinson. The music by Edwin Sykes is haunting and top-notch. It sets the atmosphere perfectly, and the sound effects are visceral and very real. Particularly the sounds of Frank feeding on his victims, which was unsettling. Once I started, I had a hard time putting it down. I’d escaped into Clive Barker’s novella, and did not want to get out of the car and go back to work into the world of rain and failure. I can’t recommend this production enough. Whatever sum they are asking, you must pay it. I thought I’d gone beyond the limits. I hadn’t.’ And you can read the full review here. ----------------------------------     Finally, with regards to The Hellbound Heart, some new photos from the recording have surfaced online, including the full cast (above), and candid photos of Tom Meeten, Nicholas Vince, Neve McIntosh, Alice Lowe, Evie Dawnay and the signed copy of the script (all below).                 You can read the original press release for the project on the Bafflegab site here, listen to the trailer and order here, or buy now on Amazon here. --------------------------------------     Sticking with audio for a minute, and news now of Paul’s Robin of Sherwood adventure, The Red Lord, for Spiteful Puppet/ITV. Ian Ogilvy (who played Lord Edgar in the original series) was in the studio to record the script last month (pictures below, with a signed copy of the script).        Ian is perhaps most famous for his role as The Saint in Return of the Saint (below).      ------------------------------------     There was a promotion last month for Paul’s most recent novel, Before, where you could get the title for a limited period for just 99p/99c. The result saw the book make it to the Top 5 bestsellers in Dark Fantasy. You can still buy the title here or here and visit the dedicated site for the novel here. -------------------------------------     Meanwhile, two of Paul’s previous books have had a revamp. Part of Black Shuck Books’ Shadows series, The Spirits of Christmas (above) and The Life Cycle (above) can be found on the publisher site along with others in the line here.     ------------------------------------------     Time now for our Guest Writer slot, and for the month of May we’re fortunate enough to have the author of Bad Sister (above), Sam Carrington, with an exclusive extract from her new thriller One Little Lie (below). To read this, just click here.     And the five winners of our Sticks and Stones draw which took place at the end of last month are Andrea Hedgcock, Jill Fizsimons, Lisa Childs, David Burton and Claire Shedon. Copies of the novel will be winging their way out of you courtesy of those lovely people at Penguin Random House! -------------------------------------     You’ll be able to find a brand new short-short from Paul called ‘Mind the Gap’ in A Pocket Guide to the Sinister Horror Company (above) which is coming out over the summer. Sinister were, of course, the publishers behind Paul’s collection Death, out last year (below).      ------------------------------------------     A terrific new review for Paul’s post apocalyptic novella The Rot (above) has appeared on the Cedar Hollow Horror website. Here’s what they had to say: ‘The Rot is a great post-apocalyptic read. The cover is awesome. This is my first time reading Paul Kane, but it won’t be my last. I like his style and prose. There are several things that stand out about this novella. First, The Rot is packed with vivid scenes. Second, it feels like an original story. Third, it stands out because of the way the story is told.  Adam Keller is an excellent character. He volunteers to wear a state of the art environment suit. Adam seems to be the only person not affected by the contagion. The other characters come and go, given the circumstances and all. The story is told by Adam Keller through his series of recorded journal or blog entries. The dialogue feels real. The post-apocalyptic world Kane creates is one of decay and bleakness. The title has multiple meanings, which makes this novella even better.  The Rot has so much humanity. It contains violence and emotional turmoil. It’s a nailbiter. You will be hit with a rush of adrenaline. There are some things you can’t unsee. This novella packs a heavy punch right to the gut. This is one of the best novellas I’ve read this year. I will be checking out Paul Kane’s other works. I devoured this great story in no time! If you like great stories, then you should read this one. Highly Recommend! 5/5 stars.’ You can read the full thing here. --------------------------------------------     Film news now – and below are some of the test make-ups for one of the more gruesome scenes from The Torturer – based on Paul’s story and script – which is being made by Little Spark Pictures.           -------------------------------------     Finally, the next HWA UK event has been announced, organised by Paul and Marie. This is a pub meet with Special Guest Mike (M.R.) Carey, author of The Girl With All The Gifts. Mike will be doing a reading and answering your questions, and the fun kicks off on 19th May at 2pm at The Red Lion, 1 Eldon Street, Moorgate, London. For more details visit the HWA UK site here. ------------------------------------------   April   The first piece of news this Easter month comes in the form of another book release. Kane’s Scary Tales Vol. 1 (above) is to be published by Things in the Well very soon, with cover art from Les Edwards and an introduction from Angela Slatter. This from the official PR: ‘Once upon a time... A young woman runs through a snowy wasteland, fearing for her life, only to find help from an unexpected source... A whole town falls asleep, resulting in a joint US/UK military and scientific expedition to find out what happened... A serial killer with a penchant for severed feet strikes again... A teenage girl seeks refuge in a strange house, only for its owners to return... And a man wins at cards, then is made an offer he can’t refuse... With an introduction by World Fantasy Award-winning author Angela Slatter (the Verity Fassbinder series) and cover art from the legendary Les Edwards, join the bestselling and award-winning author of RED and Blood RED, Paul Kane, as he once again gives well-loved fairy tales a modern, horror spin. Living happily ever after is far from guaranteed!’       -------------------------------------     News of Paul’s adaptation of Clive Barker’s The Hellbound Heart (see previous news sections for details) has been spreading. In particular, SFX magazine interviewed Paul about the project and you can find this in their latest issue out now (below).     You can read the original press release for the project on the Bafflegab site here, and listen to the trailer and order here. ----------------------------------------     Film news now and the short movie of The Torturer, based on Paul’s script, has been announced by Little Spark. You can watch the announcement which was televised here. It was also announced that the new Pinhead from Hellraiser: Judgment, Paul T. Taylor (below), will be playing Andy Brooks. The Torturer himself is yet to be cast, but the call has gone out here.     ----------------------------------------     Our Guest Writer for April is another of our speakers from the Partners in Crime event last month, Jo Jakeman. We’re lucky enough to have an extract from her superb debut Sticks and Stones here. But that’s not all, those lovely people at Penguin Random House are giving away five copies of the book to the lucky winners of our exclusive SW draw. Just send your name and address to hellraiser@shadow-writer.co.uk. And the winner of our March competition is Theresa Derwin, who will receive a copy of the anthology Behind the Mask. -----------------------------------------     Photos now from that successful Partners in Crime event at Derby, run by the HWA and the Quad. These include: panellists such as Jo, Roz Watkins, Steph Broadribb and Fiona Cummins discussing the merits of writing crime; Barry Forshaw interviewing Stuart MacBride; Barry, Roz, AK Benedict, SJI Holliday and David Mark talking about the supernatural in crime; the audience enjoying their day; AK, Steph, Fiona and Paul Finch chatting about monsters and serial killers; Paul, Jo, Stuart and David pondering Taboos; Barry giving a talk on crossovers; and Stuart signing Paul and Marie’s copy of A Dark So Deadly (all below).                    ---------------------------------     Last month, Paul and Marie signed copies of the oversized edition of Stephen King’s Night Shift (above and below, alongside signatures by the man himself) which is due out from PS Publishing. They wrote the afterword for this new edition of the classic collection.           -----------------------------------------------     Finally, Paul reviewed the anniversary edition of The Dark Crystal (above) and the BBC’s new supernatural show Requiem (below) for Sci-Fi Bulletin. You can read what he thought of these here and here.   -------------------------------------------   March   The big news this month is that the full cast audio drama of Clive Barker’s The Hellbound Heart, adapted by Paul, has a cracking new cover (above) and is now up for pre-order. You can read the press release for it on the Bafflegab site here, then listen to the trailer and order here. And for more about the cast and recording, check back through January’s news. -----------------------------------------     And sticking with audio for a moment, ITV have now approved Paul’s pitch for a Robin of Sherwood audio adventure, to be produced by Spiteful Puppet. More news on this one, as and when.     -------------------------------------------     Our Guest Writer for March is rising star Roz Watkins, whose first novel – the CWA Debut Dagger shortlisted The Devil’s Dice – is out now! To read an exclusive extract from this, just click here.     Roz is also one of the Guests at the HWA’s ‘Partners in Crime’ event this month at the Quad in Derby (above, and see last month’s news for more details). To book your place at that one, just click here. -------------------------------------     Finally, we have a giveaway on the site this month where you can snag one of the Behind the Mask anthologies, edited by Steve Dillon and featuring the likes of Clive Barker, Ramsey Campbell and Paul (with his story ‘Masques’, a sequel to ‘The Masque of the Red Death’). To win a copy of the book, signed by Paul, just answer this question: Who wrote ‘The Masque of the Red Death’? Answers by the end of the month with your name and address to hellraiser@shadow-writer.co.uk and we’ll announce the winner in April’s news. ------------------------------------------ February   First up this month are these new promos for Paul’s novel Before (above and below), published by Grey Matter Press. There are several out there being shared on social media, so be sure to look out for them. In the meantime, the book has been selected for yet another ‘Best of 2017’ listing – this time by The Horror Bookshelf, where Paul shares the honour with the likes of Josh Malerman, Ania Ahlborn and Kealan Patrick Burke. THB commented: ‘This is an engrossing novel that will appeal not only horror fans, but fans of other genres as well. Before is impressive in scope and the characters are excellent. I love the contrast of a seemingly average man going up against a force that wields a staggering power. Excellent novel and I can’t wait to dive into Kane’s other works, particularly Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell.’ You can read the full list here and find out more about the novel itself at its official website here. You can also buy the book directly here or here.     ----------------------------------     Above and below you’ll find pictures of a new remarque Paul did last month for a client in a hardback copy of Death. To visit the page for this service on the SW site and arrange your own, just click here.     -------------------------------------     News now of the latest in the ‘Highlighting Horror’ series of events, run by Paul and Marie for the HWA in conjunction with Alex Davis at the Quad in Derby. This time the focus is on dark crime and here’s the official PR mail out: ‘Through exclusive interviews, informative panel discussions and expert talks you’ll learn more about crime fiction’s edgier side, how thrillers have become darker, serial killer fiction, whether there’s a place for the supernatural in crime and how authors can benefit from this increasing crossover. Perfect for fans of crime fiction or for those who might want to write it. There will also be opportunities to purchase books and get them signed by your favourite authors, and socialise with many experienced writers, film-makers and publishers.’     As reported by sites such as Rising Shadow, Where Can We Go? and The List here, here, and here, the stellar line-up of Guests for this one include AK Benedict (The Beauty of Murder, Jonathan Dark or The Evidence Of Ghosts), Steph Broadribb (Deep Down Dead, Deep Blue Trouble, My Little Eye), Paul Finch (Author of the bestselling Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg Series), Barry Forshaw (Brit Noir, Nordic Noir, British Crime Writing: An Encyclopaedia), SJ Holliday (Black Wood, Willow Walk, The Damsel Fly), Jo Jakeman (Sticks and Stones), David Mark (Author of the Bestselling DS McAvoy series), Roz Watkins (The Devil’s Dice) and Fiona Cummins (Rattle, The Collector).     And just added: Stuart MacBride – Number #1 bestselling author of the Logan McRae series and, most recently, A Dark So Deadly (above). The event will take place on 24th March at the Quad, tickets are £35.00, and the event is half-price to HWA members. Click here to buy your tickets. -------------------------------------     Sticking with dark crime for a moment, this month’s Guest Writer is C.J. Tudor – author of The Chalk Man (above and below) from Penguin, which just recently appeared on the Sunday Times bestseller list. To read an extract simply click here.     ---------------------------------------     And yet more, because a new glowing review of Paul’s dark crime/psychological collection Nailbiters has appeared at SF Crowsnest. Here’s what Pauline Morgan had to say: ‘In this latest collection of short fiction from Paul Kane, the focus is mainly on the contemporary situation and the horrors that can stalk everyday lives for a variety of reasons. Many of the stories are an exploration of why seemingly normal people carry out abnormal acts. Although most of these stories are seen from the point of view of the perpetrator there isn’t necessarily a sense of having been cheated by not being told the thought processes of how they reached the situation the reader sees them in. Partly that is because the conscious mind is not always in control and reason is not what is driving the actions. Despite what may be thought, horrific crimes are not usually planned in detail. Grief is a powerful emotion and people often act irrationally under its influence but it can get out of hand as in “Grief Stricken” in which a husband feels the need to punish a surgeon for his wife’s death during a routine operation. The grief in “The Torturer” only comes clear at the end of the story but also results in irrational and horrific actions. Under stress, minds can create fantasies and in “Remote” the protagonist has detached himself from reality, believing that he is an agent on a mission. The desire for revenge isn’t always associated with grief. Sometimes the victim doesn’t even understand why he has been selected. So when in “Cold Call”, a call centre worker hangs up on a potential client he is surprised that the man wants revenge for his perceived rudeness. Obsessions can be a cause of aberrant behaviour. Janet, the check-out girl in “Check-Out” is obsessed with Mark, who once made the mistake of making her think she was important to him. Now she is determined that he will notice her properly. Sebastian in “Gemini Rising” has different kinds of obsessions. He wants to know who his real parents are and after discovering a passion for cutting up initially dead bodies transfers his obsession to twins. OCD is an obsession rooted in the idea that if patterns are not observed, then disasters will happen. In “1,2,3,…1,2,3” Michelle has proof of it, even when Josh tries to show her otherwise.     Fear, too, is strong emotion and although fear may be induced in many of Kane’s victims it is the fear of change that makes Beryl in “The Anniversary” behave the way she does as her husband of twenty-nine years threatens to leave her. Fear of the dark is fairly universal. For Kelly in “Blackout” having the light go out on a night when she is alone in the house brings all those fears to the surface, to the extent that she is irrational. “The Cyclops”, too, is a story about fear though in this case it arises from a misconception and illustrates the need for relationships to be taught in schools. Horror, as the news keeps showing, can occur in unlikely places, where you are meant to be safe. “A Nightmare On 34th Street” shows that even a visit to Santa’s Grotto on Christmas Eve can prove very hazardous…Also amongst these offerings are a couple of police procedural stories as cops are not immune to having nasty things happen to them… And since the creations of Arthur Conan Doyle are now out of copyright, Kane has added to the “Sherlock Holmes” franchise with “The Greatest Mystery”. All writers would like to see their work on screen. “The Opportunity” is an atmospheric piece showing a felon stalking a woman with the clear intention of murder. Lewis Copson made it into a short film and the script is reproduced here. While we hear horror stories of what scriptwriters do to stories, in this case, seeing both the original and the script it is clear that the latter is faithful to the former and the film itself may well have enhanced the atmosphere. To add to his versatility, this volume is book-ended by poems. Paul Kane is a good writer and for the reader, this is an excellent book to dip into.’ You can read the full review here. -----------------------------------     In January, Paul chose his Top Ten Books and Films (which included The Road, above) for the Kendall Reviews site. To see what he picked just click here. He was also interviewed by World Fantasy Award-winning author Angela Slatter (the Verity Fassbinder series of books) and you can find this over on her site here. -------------------------------------     At the end of last month Paul reviewed the new version of Flatliners (above) for Sci-Fi Bulletin, and you can read what he had to say here. ----------------------------------------     Tom Meeten’s movie The Ghoul, written and directed by Gareth Tunley, was nominated for a BAFTA last month in the ‘Outstanding Debut’ category (above and below). Tom, of course, plays both Rory and Frank in Paul’s audio drama adaptation of Clive Barker’s The Hellbound Heart for Bafflegab (see previous news update for more details).     ------------------------------------     Meanwhile the film of Paul’s story Life-O-Matic has won another award, Best Horror Short at the Wayward Festival. And you can now watch the movie itself online by clicking on the below:   Life-O-Matic from Blackeyed Cat on Vimeo. -----------------------------------     Finally, regular visitors to the Shadow Writer site will know that February is Paul’s birthday month. We’re sure you’ll join us in wishing him a very Happy Hellraising Day! -------------------------------------------- January   Happy New Year! We kick off 2018 with more book news. As announced on New Year’s Day (above and here), Luna Press are to publish a new ‘Harvester’ series of collections. One of these will bring together all of Paul’s ‘Controllers’ stories – along with new material and exclusive extras, such as Steve Lines’ terrific illustration for ‘Astral’ (below). You can read more about it all, including Paul’s thoughts, on the publisher’s website here.     ----------------------------------     Speaking of collections, Paul received his contributor copies of Disexistence last month, which you can see above and below (on the shelf alongside 2017’s other releases). You can order yours by clicking here.     -----------------------------------------     Beneath the Surface – Paul’s first collaboration with bestselling author Simon Clark for SST Publications – officially launched last month (above). You can find out more and order your own copy by clicking here or here.   --------------------------------------------     Paul’s novel Before received yet another brilliant review last month, this time from This Is Horror. Here’s what Thomas Joyce had to say: ‘A fan of horror, science fiction and fantasy from a young age, it should come as no surprise that Paul Kane has a strong love for speculative fiction. He has carried this passion into his own work, from his first mass market novel, Arrowhead (Abaddon/Rebellion, 2008), a post-apocalyptic retelling of the Robin Hood legend which spawned two further novels, to the bestselling Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell (Solaris, 2016), pitting Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective against Clive Barker’s Cenobites (Barker himself is quoted as naming Kane “the resident Hellraiser expert”, which is quite the accolade). He is also the author of numerous other novels, novellas and collections, as well as contributing to many anthologies. His latest novel, Before, has been described as an epic fantasy, but it certainly has its fair share of horror, with Barker’s influence evident in a few scenes. Before we get into the main story of the here-and-now, Kane adds a little backstory to the mystery beginning with a couple of chapters set in the 1970s. The first takes place in a psychiatric hospital in Germany where English doctor Patrick Vaughn is treating an enigmatic patient in a state of catatonia. Then Vaughn is summoned urgently to the hospital. The patient, Johann, is showing signs of life. Then, in the next chapter, a platoon of American soldiers in the Vietnam jungle are seemingly on a mission to rescue some POWs… Readers may feel that these two chapters have little or nothing in common, but they lay the groundwork for the epic story that is to unfold. A story that, for the reader, begins in the 1970s in Germany and Vietnam, doesn’t find resolve until present-day England. These opening chapters also show us something about the style of the book; it is a story intended to draw the reader in, to be immersive. While the story is told in a contemporary setting, Kane must build up his dark fantasy framework, hinting at the history of the Infinity and those who oppose it. Bringing the story into the present day, we meet university lecturer, Alex Webber, a deeply unhappy man who seems to be in the midst of a dark depression. It is his birthday, and he is miserable. Not least because he feels that he is growing distant from his wife, Beverly. They appear to have very little, if anything, in common and the spark seems to have vanished from their relationship. At first, it is difficult to feel any kind of sympathy for this human doormat. But the reader’s interest is piqued by the terrible visions he experiences with increasing frequency. The world around him begins to blur and transform until he sees people dressed in clothes from hundreds of years ago. And the scenes are usually from a battlefield or some other bloody altercation. Eventually, the visions become so vivid that Alex hurts himself, and finds himself referred to a psychiatrist, Dr. Ellen Hayward. At first, Alex’s case seems to be one of depression and self-harm. But as Hayward digs deeper and witnesses his reaction to the visions, they are forced together in a quest for the truth. Unfortunately, it is not only Dr. Hayward that shows an interest in Alex’s visions. The Infinity can sense Alex by the visions, suggesting that there is an underlying power of which Alex is unaware. Accompanied by his psychotic sidekick, Lucas Peck, the Infinity tracks Alex like a homing signal every time he has one of his episodes, gradually narrowing the search area until the inevitable climax. While it may seem like we are simplifying the plot of this near 500-page book, this is only to steer clear of spoilers. As well as taking time to introduce the elements of dark fantasy to what is best described as a good old-fashioned adventure story, Kane also does a wonderful job of developing his characters, to the point where Alex, seemingly undeserving of our compassion at the beginning of the story, quickly grows into a sympathetic character before developing into a formidable leading man. Similarly, Dr. Hayward never comes across as a stereotypical psychiatrist; with a complex backstory and unorthodox medical style, she soon proves to be an integral component of Alex’s story. And the villains are no less interesting. The Infinity is truly iconic, reminiscent of King’s Randall Flagg (a comparison that has been noted elsewhere) or even Sauron, given his ability to influence men in power to feed his own. Peck presents as a stereotypical psychopath sidekick, yet Kane conveys the true extent of his vicious and heinous character, especially the scene in Alex and Beverly’s living room. The description of that particular scene is especially chilling, and vivid. Before is epic in scale, building steadily towards a thrilling finale. The characters all evolve organically, and the descriptive language employed by Kane, especially in the action scenes, is quite cinematic. If you like your horror fiction short and to the point, this may not be the book for you. If you enjoy losing yourself in a well-written supernatural thriller with strong elements of horror, curling up in your favourite reading spot with this book may well be the perfect way to spend a long winter evening or two.’ To read the full review, just click here.   Before also gained an honourable mention on The Passionate Foodie’s Blogspot for his Top Ten novels of the year, and was included as one of Kendall Reviews’ Top Books of 2017. To read the full listings, just click here and here. You can find out more about the novel at its official website here and you can buy the book directly here or here. --------------------------------     More review love now, this time for the short story Paul contributed to the anthology Haunted Nights: ‘The Turn’. Here’s what Locus had to say about it: ‘Paul Kane’s “The Turn” beguiles with its account of an imaginary boogeyman on the prowl on Halloween before deftly overturning reader expectations.’ To read the whole review just click here. ----------------------------------------     We kick off 2018’s Guest Writers with the wonderful SJI Holliday, author of thrillers like Willow Walk and The Damselfly (above). You can read an extract from her novel Black Wood (below) – the first in the trilogy featuring Sergeant Davie Gray – simply by clicking here.     ------------------------------------     Paul was in London not once, but twice last month. The first time was for the British Fantasy Society Christmas Open Night, and you can see photos from this above (from L-R, Roger Gray, Graham Humphreys, Dolly Garland, CC Adams and Marie) and below (Phil Sloman and Alex Davis).        But Paul was also down for the recording of his full cast audio drama adaptation of Clive Barker’s The Hellbound Heart for Bafflegab (below).       And below you’ll find photos of Paul with some of the cast, including Neve McIntosh (The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Replacement, Lucky Man), Tom Meeten (The IT Crowd, Luxury Comedy, The Ghoul), Alice Lowe (Sightseers, Adult Life Skills, Prevenge) and Bafflegab boss Simon Barnard, plus a photo of Nicholas Vince – the original Chatterer from Hellraiser – also in the play, signing copies of the script.              While below is a publicity still Bafflegab have put out of (L-R) Alice (who plays Kirsty), Tom (playing Rory and Frank) and Neve (who plays Julia). To read the press release that accompanies it, just click here.     -------------------------------------------     Paul reviewed a couple of the new Robin of Sherwood audio stories last month, brought out by Spiteful Puppet – who also produced the audio drama The Knights of the Apocalypse in 2016. You can read what Paul thought of ‘The Blood That Binds’, read by the Sheriff of Nottingham himself Nickolas Grace, on the Sci-Fi Bulletin site here. And you can read what he thought of ‘Sanctuary’, which brings back the original Robin, Michael Praed, here. -----------------------------------------     Paul’s story ‘Masques’ – a sequel to Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ – has been now reprinted alongside the original in Behind the Mask: Tales from the Id (above), which also features tales from the likes of Clive Barker, Ramsey Campbell and Algernon Blackwood. Edited by Steve Dillon (Between the Tracks, Beneath the Stairs) you can find out more about this one at the publisher’s site here. ---------------------------------------     Finally, film news – and the movie of Paul’s story ‘Life-O-Matic’ has been selected for the Lost Sanity film festival and also won Silver in the Spotlight Horror Film Awards (both below).         -------------------------------------------------------------- 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 2017 news can be viewed here 2016 news can be viewed here 2015 news can be viewed here 2014 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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