Lily Childs's Blog

You're bored of it by now. 'The asylum novel' started life in 2013 as a crawling mish-mash of character visitations, all of them demanding a voice. Sounds pompous. Sorry about that. Actually, it was bloody scary. Still is.

What's more, these characters are all local to me. As a writer, the dead people you create will nag the damned life out of you, wherever they fictionally hail from. This lot though, are close - very, very close. In allowing them to die so nearby, I seem to have made it easier for them to creep into my head, to linger, to shout - and worse - to whisper. It's my own fault. 

They have expectations.

Even when I originally finished writing the novel to my satisfaction and had handed it over to a (fabulous indie) horror publisher, the characters continued to pester. When said publisher quite rightly suggested a few changes, well... Howard was indignant, Alice accepted her lot with eternal dignity, Alfred blamed everyone else, Rose wept, Jacob howled with his hounds from hell, Elizabeth hid in her tree and old Tom laid down the law. And the surgeon? The surgeon smirked, flabby lips glistening with drool in the candlelight as he sharpened his knives.

With the publisher's generous support, it still took me two long years to make the small changes. The key ones were done relatively early; they made sense but I could no longer work out the continuity. The harder I looked, the more difficult it became. 

As an aside, I blame the day job and Covid for sucking anything creative out of both me and my soul in equal measure. 'Anything' is a lazy term for which I apologise, but I have no other words with which to articulate such a void. For a long time I've been hoping the situation is only an extended, empty hiatus rather than a failure, or lost ability to write. 

Back to the novel. Finally, last month on a Sunday evening when I was super-tired and the brain cells had shut down, I decided to revisit the changes I'd made over the previous couple of years. There! The solution was obvious. Just before midnight, Sixsmith was complete. Turned out I'd been trying too hard. 

So it's done. It's finished. Elizabeth, Jacob, Howard and all are cackling in my ears, soft and loud, hurt and lonely. The wonderful (and I mean that) publisher has released the novel back to me as they have been offered some superb opportunities of their own. I wish them every success.

This all means I'm ready to send Sixsmith, 'that asylum novel' out again.

The characters are excited and terrified, as am I.

I'm perfectly aware I've not been keeping The Feardom up to date lately, nor have I been on Facebook or Twitter much either. For that, I apologise.

It's not to say I'm not writing; I am. But this girl has a day job which - at the moment - is overwhelming to say the least. If my day job was as a novelist, that would be utterly fabulata. Sadly, it's not.

So please don't give up on me. I have a pile of tales almost ready to put out as a collection, or submit separately to publishers. I haven't decided yet. They include:

a story that will make you scratch and itch and punch yourself senselessa gin-riddled, ghostly account of debauched possessionvicious trailer trash horrorplastic bubbles in a plastic world where you must watch where you treaddolls trapped in treesa dystopian tale of golden corsets, time-travel and drugsa new Magenta Shaman episodeI'm also reworking Six Souls, the asylum novel - with passion.
Bear with me. I'm not done yet.
Waiting... just waiting

Twinkling forth after an age, In Search of Silver Boughs is finally spreading its pages wide, published on 1st December 2016 by KnightWatch Press. Huge thanks to editor, Steve Shaw for bringing the chapbook to fruition, and to Theresa Derwin for acquiring Silver Boughs in the first place.

The best place to  buy the chapbook is always via the publisher themselves.

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Follow the ancient, ruthless soul of demi-goddess Emmeline as she struts across Scandinavia and western Europe, clad in magical, skin-stitched boots. When those handmade-boots are ripped from Emmeline's aching feet in 19th century Paris, the trauma triggers dangerous memories of long-term lover, the Bohemian artist Augustus Flinch – and their deviant daughter Ishtabelle.

With rumours that Flinch has taken cruel revenge by freezing their child in the filthy ice of London’s river Thames, Emmeline calls upon her most primal energies to hunt him down.

Hide your eyes. Hide your ears as Emmeline storms across the channel toward the heaving capital of England, in this twisted, bloody fairy tale. Protect your heart. It won't just break – it will shatter.

REVIEWS

The Black Room Manuscripts Vol 2 is already enjoying excellent reviews and I'm humbled to have received the following comments for The Vile Glib of Gideon Wicke:

From the always inspiring and honest Ginger Nuts of Horror: "Like the previous two entries in this anthology, Lily Childs’ writing is a revelation. Her story, “The Vile Glib of Gideon Wicke” is a haunting and poignant journey through limbo for a lost soul. Beautifully written with very vivid imagery about loss, redemption and finding oneself, this is an excellent story."
Read the full review on Amazon | More about The Ginger Nuts of HorrorFrom David Dubrow: "Not quite a horror story, but a sad, sweet tale of loneliness, death, and what lies beyond, The Vile Glib of Gideon Wicke by Lily Childs is arguably the best story in the collection."
Read the full review on AmazonFrom Chris Hall at DLS Reviews: "Some tales read more like poetry than they do stories. That’s not to say that there’s not a story in there – but the eloquence and beauty of the writing can sometimes speak louder than what’s being told. Lily Childs’ offering is one such story. From those initial first few stepping stones, from the quiet ambience and respectful graciousness of our tired protagonist, we’re pulled into the mesmerising charm of the story and the gentle flow of its direction. Indeed, reading Childs’ offering feels somewhat akin to drifting down a gently flowing stream; watching as around you things gradually float by and the world plays out its endless tune. But of course it’s not all roses and sunshine. Even though the story maintains a compelling beauty in its prose, the path it follows is clouded with heartache and sorrow. But there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. And to show this Childs executes a near flawless wrapping up of a lost soul’s final journey."
Read the full review at DLS ReviewsMy thanks to Jim McLeod (GNoH), David and Chris for their kind words about my dark, tragic, 'not quite horror' but desperate tale of post-death descent.

THE BLACK ROOM MANUSCRIPTS VOL. 2 ON AMAZON
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NEWS
The Thirteen Signs, edited by Dean M. Drinkel and published by Nocturnicorn Books is out this week for Kindle, and soon in paperback. Contains my Taurean tale of bloodshed in not-so-pleasant England, Come Join the Blood Parade.


Flash Fear, edited by the glorious Theresa Derwin of Quantum Corsets includes re-prints of two of my flash tales. Opening the anthology is baker-boy battering, Pat-A-Cake followed by mythical, mystical The Tale of Restoration. Out now on Amazon.

Fresh Fear: An Anthology of Macabre Horror, edited by William Cook and containing my cannibalistic dish Strange Tastes, has been re-published by King Billy Publications with an exquisite new cover. Available on Amazon now.

Today, Mr Postie almost beat down my door to hand me a very special package. What I found inside made my heart leap:



With much trepidation I carefully unwrapped the parcel and drew out my contributor's copy of...



Launching at Horror Con 2016 this weekend, THE BLACK ROOM MANUSCRIPTS Vol 2 from The Sinister Horror Company is also available on Amazon from 9th July. You can already pre-order it here in the UK and here in the US.

I'm immensely humbled that my bitter tragedy, The Vile Glib of Gideon Wicke is included in this stunning anthology, especially as all profits from sales are going to Alzheimer's Research UK, who work so hard to help defeat dementia.

Speaking as an author, the owners/editors at The Sinister Horror Company truly are a pleasure to work with. Their professionalism has been consistent at every stage of the publishing process, they're supportive and - something I personally find important - they take the time to communicate regularly with the anthology contributors. I hope I have the opportunity to collaborate with them again in the future.

The book features stories from world-renowned authors such as Shaun Hutson, Graham Masterton and William Meikle. It includes tales from Jasper Bark, Laura Mauro, Paul M. Feeney, Sam Stone, Rich Hawkins, Matt Shaw and many more.

Below is the opening page of The Vile Glib of Gideon Wicke. Enjoy the horror.

Believe (in) it or not, the planets turn and the stars point their sparkling, razor fingers at you the very moment you're born. What does the sun say, and better still... what does the moon say?

No New Age 'love and light' fluffiness, THE THIRTEEN SIGNS is a horrorscape of zodiacal darkness brought to you by Dean M Drinkel and Nocturnicorn Books.

I'm very proud to be a part of this, alongside such wickedly talented authors.

The Thirteen Signs - Table of Contents

Foreword: Alex S. Johnson
Introduction: Dean M Drinkel
The Order Of Aries: Mark West
Come Join The Blood Parade: Lily Childs
Seven For Eight: Romain Collier
Carapace: Raven Dane
Leo: Tim Dry
Solomon Carson And The Death Of A Virgin: Trevor Kennedy and Robert E. Tate
Leeber: Christine Dougherty
The Scorpion Dance: Amelia Mangan
One in Twelve: Steve Byrne
A Sorrow Of Sweet Pipings: Jan Edwards
Ganymede: Emile-Louis Tomas Jouvet
Hooked: James Everington
Worshipping The Snake: Dean M Drinkel

Cover reveal coming soon, The Thirteen Signs will be available from the end of July 2016.

Believe (in) it or not, the planets turn and the stars point their sparkling, razor fingers at you the very moment you're born. What does the sun say, and better still... what does the moon say?

No New Age 'love and light' fluffiness, THE THIRTEEN SIGNS is a horrorscape of zodiacal darkness brought to you by Dean M Drinkel and Nocturnicorn Books.

I'm very proud to be a part of this, alongside such wickedly talented authors.

The Thirteen Signs - Table of Contents

Foreword: Alex S. Johnson
Introduction: Dean M Drinkel
The Order Of Aries: Mark West
Come Join The Blood Parade: Lily Childs
Seven For Eight: Romain Collier
Carapace: Raven Dane
Leo: Tim Dry
Solomon Carson And The Death Of A Virgin: Trevor Kennedy and Robert E. Tate
Leeber: Christine Dougherty
The Scorpion Dance: Amelia Mangan
One in Twelve: Steve Byrne
A Sorrow Of Sweet Pipings: Jan Edwards
Ganymede: Emile-Louis Tomas Jouvet
Hooked: James Everington
Worshipping The Snake: Dean M Drinkel

Cover reveal coming soon, The Thirteen Signs will be available from the end of July 2016.

Theresa Derwin of KnightWatch Press has edited and published an homage to the great B-Movies of times-past with KWP's new anthology, KILLER BEES FROM OUTER SPACE.

My story, 'Bite of the Horrorcane' tells the tale of best friends Ray and Joey after they open a singles' venue on the French Riviera. 
Guests start turning up dead in the dodgiest of places and with injuries more than personal. As if that isn't problematic enough, how does the murderer know their victims' intimate details? 
Joey and Ray - who in a panic have been burying the victims in the stark Provençal hills - are too afraid to go the police. 
It's bad for business. 
It can't go on.
But then Joey gets a visit of his own...
Bite of the Horrorcane intro:
Butterfly wings on her skin, thin feet dancing across shaven legs. Feelers and long tongue dripping, dipping... tasting her flesh. All the better to lick you with.

Tara brushed the creature away. Damned things. She didn’t care if they were pretty; they didn’t match her own beauty. A wink and smirk from a couple of guys in white T-shirts who she recognised from the resort proved the point. She adjusted her bikini top, a wiggle of the hips and a pout from glossed lips but by the time she got herself into the perfect pose the men had gone. Not a sign of them on the long beach, along its palm tree-lined promenade or out in the sea. Not a sign of anyone else either, for that matter.

Sand whipped up beside her in a frenzy; the tiniest of tornadoes it appeared out of nowhere to spiral just above the ground, gathering dust and grass. Locals called them sorcières, witch winds; This one shimmered with reds and yellows, scintillating golds. Quite magical. Tara reached into the twister.

“Ssssss.”

She grabbed her hand back. Blood immediately rose from razor cuts across her fingers. As she pulled away, the whirlwind grew. It leaned towards her, a mouth clearly visible in the raging turmoil.

The mouth was open.

The mouth had teeth.

It bit.
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Killer Bees Amazon book description:
If you're over a certain age, you'll remember double features, and if you were a '70s child in Britain, you'll remember the Sat night Universal/Hammer Horror double bill showing such classics as 'Frankenstein Created Woman' and 'Twins of Evil' Some of those films were great, and some were just plain awful.

Everybody loves a good B-Movie. 
From Plan 9 from Outer Space, to Tarantula, and into the more modern era of B-Movies; Sharknado and Big Ass Spider (referenced in Nick Walter's decade spanning story Blood Slobber of the Scrunge Worms'. There's something wonderfully nostalgic and entertaining about seeing heroes battle giant CGI sharks or rubber spiders. 
This anthology is a collection of stories inspired by and paying homage to the nature and style of a B-Movie. And boy, have we got a great eclectic mix of stories. 
Moth-women of Mars, giant worms, tentacles, Mummy Girls, Shadow People; they're all in here! The difference is, where some of those old films were a little, er, badly written, these cultural gems are intelligent, witty, and sometimes moving pieces of literature playing with the clichés of the genre. 
So grab your popcorn, your beverage of choice, sit down, open up this book and immerse yourself into the world of Killer Bees from Outer Space.
BUY/DOWNLOAD KILLER BEES FROM OUTER SPACE
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T'is Friday the thirteenth and darkness is spreading. Oozing through the cracks in your soul, its febrile fingers are teasing, touching and tearing at your skin, driving you wild.

And all because today's the day.

THE GRIMORIUM VERUM has finally been released.

Packed with terror, these 26 stories are written by some of the best horror writers around, and as the final volume in the TRES LIBRORUM PROHIBITORUM, it was of course, edited by Dean M. Drinkel. You can read the Table of Contents over at the publisher's website: Western Legends Publishing.

JIMSON JANE: SEITHR

The Grimorium Verum, or the Grimoire of Truth, was the 18th century textbook of magic attributed to Alibeck the Egyptian and coveted by ‘The Great Beast’ Aleister Crowley for use in his Magick ceremonies.
My own tale, J is for JIMSON JANE: SEITHR follows a pair of Victorian quacks escaping from the law in England to... not exactly find their fortune in America, rather scam as many people as they can whilst procuring new ingredients for their patented cures, tonics and restorative draughts. In their travels they hear about the mysterious healer Jimson Jane. In an obsessive search for Jane, for her methods and pharmacopeia they are introduced to rites and remedies as old as the land itself. But knowledge does not come without a price. And neither does life.

BUY THE GRIMORIUM VERUM

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The promise of a sparkling new life for Kim Newman's 'dysfunctional British nuclear family' lures the reader in with teases as to what has led the Naremores to occupy The Hollow - far away from the troubles and influences of their past.

I'm not the first reviewer to mention the similarity to James Herbert's The Magic Cottage, and although I read that book back in 1986, An English Ghost Story instantly evoked very similar emotions in me of delight and fear in equal measure.

It's a credit to the author that his writing can entrance the reader for quite some time before the darkness slowly starts to set in. From then on the writing style subtly changes as we progress - from poetic descriptions to a sharper, staccato delivery which matches the tension.

The house is a metaphor for the story itself. It is not just a place occupied by ghosts and more sinister entities, it is home to diverse personalities with banal and extreme human traits, where strengths and weaknesses are tested - to the limit. Newman toys with the psychology of his characters, as does The Hollow, treating them as playthings in this place where memories are warped and misconceived solutions create more problems than they solve.

Overall, I was enraptured by An English Ghost Story and completely drawn in, making the book difficult to put down. The only reason I haven't given it five stars is that the Naremore characters repeat the justification for their actions a little too often and it feels like the reader is being reminded, just in case we might have forgotten what each of them has been through. But I can overlook this.

4 stars. Highly recommended.

Buy An English Ghost Story by Kim Newman from Amazon

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