Literary Horror discussion

What do you think about this press Randolph?

I used to buy more of their books a while a go. My tastes in this genre has really changed over the last few years and has edged more to the uh... well away from CD types of books. CD is not really publishing high quality lit... just your run of the mill horror genre fiction, with a few hidden gems sprinkled about... IMHO.

I agree that their editing sucks; really it's unforgivable for collector's editions. But they have put out some things I'm glad to own, like huge collections by Tim Lebbon & Tom Piccirilli, and those Century's Best Horror (which I haven't read yet, but with such a range of material, it seems worth having.)

I agree, the price is good but there isn't much I'm interested in either.

There is precious little that they are putting out that holds my interest. I might snag the novellas every now and then, if it is by an author I like. Everything else is pretty forgettable.

Its funny, when I first got into horror, CD was my go to, but then my tastes changed and now Ex Occ, Tart Press, and the like are my go to.

CD is offering $15 off orders of $30 or more until the end of 12/31 with the coupon code NEWYEAR15.

I ordered I'm Not Sam and Shivers VII.

Randolph wrote (in part):

I ordered I'm Not Sam and Shivers VII.

I picked up the same two titles, Randolph. But for the most part, I agree with Benjamin and Mike. It’s not that the authors that Cemetery Dance touts are writing crap, but to a large degree the kind of horror they’re interested in doesn’t hold all that much appeal for me.

Scott wrote (in part):

But they [Cemetery Dance] have put out some things I'm glad to own, like huge collections by Tim Lebbon & Tom Piccirilli, and those Century's Best Horror (which I haven't read yet, but with such a range of material, it seems worth having.)

Perhaps I’m being petty, but my experience with The Century's Best Horror Fiction still irks me a bit. Cemetery Dance started accepting pre-orders around 2004 or 2005. (I placed my own pre-order fairly early.) Then they proceeded to post-pone, re-postpone, and re-re-postpone the publication of the two-volume set. I heard various stories over the years about the cause of the delay, but in the final analysis the reasons are moot — that was simply far to long to be holding on to customers' money. The irony is that had the volumes been released on schedule, they might have had a bigger impact on the genre. As events played out, John Pelan's anthology was (in my opinion at least) overshadowed by the more all-encompassing anthology co-edited by Jeff and Ann VanderMeer, The Weird .

I can understand being frustrated with that, and I agree that it's far too long; they should have refunded and then re-solicited the books later. Fortunately by the time I ordered they were available and in stock.

Randolph wrote:

I bought these as well but during a 50% off sale!

You’re rubbing salt in the wound, Randolph. Heh-heh.

What’s really embarrassing is that now that I finally have them in hand, I have rather churlishly refrained from picking them up for more than a year. That will change in 2014 — I recently placed them near the top of my to-be-read list and I plan on slowly going through them at the rate of one or two stories a week.

Randolph wrote: "I bought these as well but during a 50% off sale!"

I did the same. Wouldn't have, otherwise.

Canavan wrote: "Randolph wrote:


I bought these as well but during a 50% off sale!


You’re rubbing salt in the wound, Randolph. Heh-heh.

What’s really embarrassing is that now that I finally have them in han..."

I think you will enjoy them Canavan. I found some beauties by authors whom I had never read and/or heard of. Tower of Moab was phenomenal by LA Lewis. There were many others, at least within the first 50 years. I'll probably tackle volume II this year if I am able to get through the 1000+ pages of CP's Master's of the Weird Tale collection for HPL.

Benjamin wrote:

I think you will enjoy them Canavan. I found some beauties by authors whom I had never read and/or heard of. Tower of Moab was phenomenal by LA Lewis. There were many others, at least within the first 50 years. I'll probably tackle volume II this year if I am able to get through the 1000+ pages of CP's Master's of the Weird Tale collection for HPL.

Re-scanning the contents of the first volume, I see a lot of titles that I’ve previously read, but also a good number that I have not. I first read L. A. Lewis' "The Tower of Moab" about 10 years ago in the Ghost Story Press edition of Tales of the Grotesque . This one gets a lot of love from people whose opinion I respect, but for some reason it didn't quite click with me. I think of it as an okay story, but not necessarily a great one. I started out yesterday at lunch reading the first entry in Volume 1, Barry Pain's 1901 story, "The Undying Thing".

Jodi wrote: "Randolph wrote: "So anyway to make this really long story really, really longer, I don't know as much and have not read as much horror fiction as a person interested in the genre would have by my a..."

I am very much a late bloomer to the horror/weird genre as well. I read some King back in high school, but it never formed a gateway into the horror genre for me. In fact, I don't think I have read a King book since then. My last dalliance with King was the Stand, which I promptly put down after 400 pages.

Since that time, I read a lot of "literature", particularly all sorts of contemp lit in college classes... Camus, Gogol, etc. It wasn't until about 5 years ago that I was in the field for my job, and I was on break. I walked into a small Mystery/Horror indie book store. I was perusing the shelves, and I saw a cover to a book that really caught my eye. It was amongst a collection of other books, published by Midnight House (John Pelan's venture). It was this one:



There were many other beautiful books from the collection and I was blown away. So I bought the book. It wasn't quite what I was expecting (I was expecting more of a werewolf stalking the moors kind of story). Nevertheless, I was taken in by the whole presentation of this hardback book and sought out other Midnight House Titles. In doing so, I developed a passion for collecting beautifully produced, limited hard back books. From there, my tastes in weird fiction continued to develop.

Randolph wrote (in part):

I didn't much read horror other than Lovecraft and some Cthulhu Mythos when I was younger. I read mostly sf and "literature," whatever that means. My literature tended towards Modernism when it wasn't for school. I would buy these dime store mmpb anthologies with the lurid covers off of wire racks from time to time. I have to admit the covers were what drew me.

I remember developing a taste for supernatural fiction very early on. And like many adolescents, I went through an obligatory Lovecraft phase (which more or less coincided with the release of some of his stuff by the old Ballantine Adult Fantasy series). I sort of fell away from horror during much of the 70's, not because I became disinterested in the genre, but more because it was difficult to locate anything worth reading. The 80's horror boom re-energized my interest and my reading in the area has been fairly consistent since that time.

Benjamin wrote (in part):

I was perusing the shelves, and I saw a cover to a book that really caught my eye. It was amongst a collection of other books, published by Midnight House (John Pelan's venture).

I have a number of these. It's really too bad that John had to suspend his publication schedule. I was particularly disappointed that he was only able to publish the first volume of Joseph Payne Brennan's short fiction.

Canavan wrote: "Randolph wrote (in part):


I didn't much read horror other than Lovecraft and some Cthulhu Mythos when I was younger. I read mostly sf and "literature," whatever that means. My literature tended..."

I know... it is very disappointing that we have not seen an MH title since 2008. The JPB collection was outstanding (I can see where your handle comes from)!! I was hoping to see more volumes. It was also really fun hunting for some of the rarer titles too.

That Jean Ray volume took quite an effort... = )

Benjamin wrote:

I know... it is very disappointing that we have not seen an MH title since 2008. The JPB collection was outstanding (I can see where your handle comes from)!!

Yep, you caught me. One my favorite Brennan stories.

Benjamin also wrote:

I was hoping to see more volumes. It was also really fun hunting for some of the rarer titles too. That Jean Ray volume took quite an effort... = )

I vaguely recall that the Ray collection, My Own Private Spectres , sold out rather quickly. I think the Leiber and Edward Lucas White titles also moved fairly quickly. However, in the case of other authors I got the impression that John overestimated demand by quite a bit and I wonder if that played a role in Midnight House's demise.

I believe John is still heading up Dancing Tuatara Press, an imprint of Ramble House. I've picked up three or four titles, but by and large DTP is concentrating on authors that don't really interest me. I believe the books are currently all print-on-demand trade paperbacks.

By the way, if you have not already seen it, a witty and perceptive review of the Ray book, written by the late Johnny Eatman (aka rbadac), can be read here.

Randolph wrote (in part):

This whole digression made me remember something. I originally heard about Arkham House by reading the copyright pages in all those lurid paperbacks I bought in the '70s, but I didn't know anything else. In 1982 I walked into the Midway Bookstore in St. Paul, MN and saw an entire book case of AH books new and used. I freaked out.

Continuing to digress…

The trigger for my own collecting mania was an acquaintance loaning me a copy of Conan the Adventurer , graced by Frank Frazetta's cover art. At that time (this was, I think, sometime in the late 60's) I was already picking up the odd paperback here and there, but my determination to find and buy the Lancer-published Robert E. Howard books was a sort of watershed moment marking my transformation from a casual buyer of books to a more hardcore collector. I finally found the Howard books in a semi-sleazy newsstand called Shinders located on what was then a rather sleazy stretch of Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. I believe Midway Bookstore still exists; Shinders, however, finally went belly up about 5 or 6 years ago.

Canavan wrote: "Benjamin wrote:


I know... it is very disappointing that we have not seen an MH title since 2008. The JPB collection was outstanding (I can see where your handle comes from)!!


Yep, you caught..."

Thank you for the link Canavan. I had indeed read this some time ago when I was on the fence about shelling out serious dollars for the MH Ray volume. I realized Ray was a writer I needed to read. I was not disappointed by the collection.

Most of the DTP stuff is also unappealing to me, save for perhaps some of the additional Marc Hansom titles and perhaps some of the R.R. Ryan titles, that I think John had intended to publish under MH, until it went defunct.

Oh well... such is life.

I think from MH, I moved on to some of the Cemetery Dance novellas and novellettes, but then I found Centipede Press, and Tartarus Press (oh man... major hurt on the bank account).

What killed it for me though, and I think what has profoundly changed my tastes in weird lit is my discovery of Ex Occidente literature. Now... I seek out similar small presses as EO (in addition to continuing to purchase every new EO title)... such as Egaeus Press.

Randolph wrote: "This whole digression made me remember something. I originally heard about Arkham House by reading the copyright pages in all those lurid paperbacks I bought in the '70s, but I didn't know anythin..."

Randolph, what is your favorite Arkham House title in your possession?

Jodi wrote: "Randolph wrote: "...In 1982 I walked into the Midway Bookstore in St. Paul, MN and saw an entire book case of AH books new and used. I freaked out. What got me into collecting them was not just the..."

Which shop is this Jodi? I happen to be in Los Angeles.

Ah yes... the Mystery and Imagination Bookshop!! That is where I bought my first Midnight House book. I live on the west side (Mar Vista) but periodically drop by Glendale to buy a book or two.

Jodi wrote: "Tell them hi for me next time you go. :)"

= )
Will do.

Benjamin wrote quite a while ago (in part):

I think you will enjoy them [i.e., stories in John Pelan’s anthology] Canavan. I found some beauties by authors whom I had never read and/or heard of. Tower of Moab was phenomenal by LA Lewis.

Re the L. A. Lewis story, Mark Valentine has posted today on Wormwoodiana on the possible real-life inspiration for the Tower of Moab.

Randolph wrote (in part):

I joined the Cemetery Dance book club last year and I swear it is a bit of a con.

I’m sorry to hear this, Randolph, although I can’t say I’m too surprised. I’ve previously voiced some minor complaints about CD’s business practices. And as far as their selection is concerned, I get their mailings, but rarely buy anything from them.

Randolph wrote: "I joined the Cemetery Dance book club last year and I swear it is a bit of a con. The books you really want, the ones that are going to sell out in 24 - 48 hours, are announced on a schedule that ..."

I'm sorry to hear that, Randolph. Are you still signed up with Darkfuse?

Randolph wrote (in part):

IMHO this outfit has come off the rails

I’ve seen this sort of offer before from Cemetery Dance. Seems like a calculated effort to off-load stuff that wouldn’t ordinarily sell at any price. My only other observation might be directed at the tone of this and similar advertising e-mails they send out; they all seem to embrace that same shrill “hurry! hurry! get ‘em while they last” hucksterism that makes me think of a snake oil salesman.

Unless it's by an author I know and love, I don't think I'm going to be buying anything from them any more. Every thing from a "new" author I've tried has been lousy. Actually, some of their stuff from good authors has been bad, too.

Randolph wrote: "It didn't even post a price unless you went to checkout."

Buyer beware.

Randolph wrote: "I joined the Cemetery Dance book club last year and I swear it is a bit of a con. The books you really want, the ones that are going to sell out in 24 - 48 hours, are announced on a schedule that ..."
I've belonged to the Cemetery Dance Collectors Club three years running. It was a good deal at the beginning, but this last year has been disappointing. They used to offer a lot of great items (limited edition art prints, 3-year subscriptions to the magazine, free ebooks, a calendar), but those all seem to be of the past; this year was quite the disappointment. There are only so many baseball caps I can wear at a time. I can't stand Glenn Chadbourne's "art"; it's so amateurish, and yet they seem to use him as their "go-to" artist for the magazine and books - they even had a GC "special" issue last year (ugh). I'm on SSDI, and they offer their grab bags at the end of the month when my cash is nearly gone. I think I only bought three books from them in the last year, one with a "Snow Day!" 50% off coupon and a later one with a 30% off coupon.
I doubt if I can afford it this year, especially since last year the Housing Authority jacked my rent up $100. The temptation is there, but looking at my bank account I'm a few dollars short, and I'd rather eat.

Karl wrote: "Randolph wrote: "It didn't even post a price unless you went to checkout."

Buyer beware."

$119.

Steve wrote: "Karl wrote: "Randolph wrote: "It didn't even post a price unless you went to checkout."

Buyer beware."

$119."
That seems a bit expensive for four ARC's .. just sayin, and you don't even know what they are.

Karl wrote: "Steve wrote: "Karl wrote: "Randolph wrote: "It didn't even post a price unless you went to checkout."

Buyer beware."

$119."
That seems a bit expensive for four ARC's .. just sayin, and you don't ..."

This page has the details:
http://www.cemeterydance.com/page/CDP...

Steve wrote: "Karl wrote: "Steve wrote: "Karl wrote: "Randolph wrote: "It didn't even post a price unless you went to checkout."

Buyer beware."

$119."
That seems a bit expensive for four ARC's .. just sayin, a..."

Thank you for the information, I have been disappointed by those dancers once too often. Let's see , a t-shirt , a cup, a thingie to put the cup on, a poster and two books for a hundred and twenty bucks ... I will pass thank you.

I just checked the page again, and it says "$199 plus shipping ".
Buh-bye, CD; let me know when it's time for me to renew my magazine subscription.

Steve wrote: "I just checked the page again, and it says "$199
plus shipping
".
Buh-bye, CD; let me know when it's time for me to renew my magazine subscription."

You are a wise reader and have made what I think is a good decision.

Randolph wrote: "I got my last book club "coupon" from CD. Actually glad it is finished so I don't have to think about it anymore. A few months back (way back) I pre-ordered October Dreams II. What do you want t..."

How bout the end of the year ?

Use the code SNOW50 for half off until midnight tonight.

I know I said I was done with them but $30 (incl. shipping) for three TPBs from Norman Prentiss (2 signed) seems like a good deal. At least it's an author I've liked before.

Randolph wrote: "Karl wrote: "Randolph wrote: "I got my last book club "coupon" from CD. Actually glad it is finished so I don't have to think about it anymore. A few months back (way back) I pre-ordered October ..."

"October Dreams II edited by Richard Chizmar and Robert Morrish:
The trade edition will arrive at our warehouse at the end of January, so that edition will ship in February. The signature sheets are circulating now for the signed editions, but with the added production time for the sheets and for the slipcases/traycases, those editions will be published in late 2015."

Shocklines: Fresh Voices in Terror. I ordered this in 10/2011; 4.25 years later and they still don't have a production date. Seems to me, those stories won't be so fresh when they finally arrive...if.

The most irritating thing about CD now is that they've become an expensive collectors' reprint house, especially of Stephen King. I thought there already was a Stephen King Book Club?

As a final kick to CD's shins, in the I Spoil It So You Don't Waste Your Time and/or Money Dept., I received a short story chapbook by Richard Chizmar called The Box. An obvious and predictable bait-and-switch killer child story.
Don't give up your day job, Chizmar.

Geez, I hope I don't have any trouble with Robert McCammon's The Border. A signed HC was going for only $26.95 plus shipping, so I ordered it. It's my very first order of an autographed book and now you all have me worried.

I made sure to order only books that were in stock.

Charlene wrote: "Geez, I hope I don't have any trouble with Robert McCammon's The Border. A signed HC was going for only $26.95 plus shipping, so I ordered it. It's my very first order of an autogr..."

Charleme I believe that "The Border" is being published by Subterranean press and they are usually on time. they offered the same price ($26.95) at their website. I also noticed the same deal a couple of other places. Looks like Subterranean Press is trying to sell out their print run of the McCammon book. So in reality Cemetery Dance is just collecting your money and the book will most likely be sent out by Subterranean Press's shipper.

Randolph wrote: "I never got my "special" two limited edition books either from the CD Book Club and since they were "secret" I don't even know what to ask for. They could give me literally anything signed by anyo..."

It's only slander if you lie. ;)

yeah, it almost sounded appealing until I got to the price.

Yeah, I used to get those, until I realized they don't check your previous purchases, and I ended up with three more copies of Peter Straub's Pork Pie Hat. Great novella, but I only needed the one, y'know?

Cemetery Dance's new publication is a book about baseball - Oh, the horror! The horror!

DarkFuse seems to have it's own stable of writers that it mines again and again, some of them not very good at all. I can't remember the author's name (a blessing from the gods), but it was fundamentally Rosemary's Baby in contemporary England, with a few ghosts thrown in. As they say in Yiddish, feh.

Steve wrote: "DarkFuse seems to have it's own stable of writers that it mines again and again, some of them not very good at all. I can't remember the author's name (a blessing from the gods), but it was fundame..."

Ohh...I think that might have been this one: Surrogate. I haven't read it, but I've read a few by Bernstein that I thought were okay.
I very much enjoy Meikle, Curran and Lee Thompson.

Steve commented (in part):

DarkFuse seems to have it's own stable of writers that it mines again and again, some of them not very good at all.

It’s a little hard for me to judge the talent of the DarkFuse writers because, for the most part, the sort of horror they tend to focus on is not something I’m overly drawn to — the sort of stuff that Leisure used to publish. On the other hand, in looking at their roster, I see at least a few names whose work I’ve at least sometimes liked including Brian Hodge, Gary McMahon, Gary Fry, and Elizabeth Massie.

Randolph wrote: "I've always like Greg F. Gifune even if he is a Dunbar cronie."

Greg Gifune does rule. His last book was published through Samhain.