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Post by bec on Aug 24, 2010 17:17:07 GMT
Good luck!
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Post by steppedonwolf on Aug 28, 2010 21:05:02 GMT
My first conference call with people from three continents today. A very strange feeling, talking to an Aussie and two Americans in real time - and knowing I was the only Brit there. Some excellent progress made, and everything on track for WHC 2011. More updates when I'm allowed to give them...
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Post by steppedonwolf on Sept 4, 2010 11:38:20 GMT
DARK CONTINENTS PUBLISHING
You may have heard of us by now. A few months ago Dave Youngquist raised the idea of forming an author's co-operative and invited us along.
Here's the press release:
TISKILWA, IL – A group of horror and dark fiction authors from around the world announce the formation of a new voice in the publishing world. Dark Continents Publishing banded together August 10, 2010 with a new vision of business success for authors. The official launch begins this week as founding members start the countdown to the first Dark Continents Publishing release party, to be held at the World Horror Convention 2011 in Austin, TX from April 28 through May 1.
President/Publisher David M. Youngquist, along with fellow founders Serenity J. Banks, John Prescott, Sylvia Shults, Adrian Chamberlin, and Tracie McBride, introduce Dark Continents Publishing as the first organized authors' cooperative to focus exclusively on the horror and dark fiction markets. The founding members, who hail from various points of the globe, are in the process of incorporating as a legal, international organization under nonprofit workers' cooperative status and structure. The six come together to steer modern publishing capabilities toward mutual book sales success, moving away from outdated business models that have been marked in recent years by mounting declines and closures around the world.
A defining distinction of Dark Continents Publishing lies in its cooperative business structure, under which authors come together as equals to produce, publish, and promote their books for mutual business gain. By moving away from standard organizational protocol, the founders of Dark Continents Publishing envision a more versatile business model under which authors work together to profit as individuals. A cooperative effort by definition, Dark Continents Publishing allows members to take advantage of innovative partnership strategies surrounding author-driven, author-owned publishing. By embracing the founding principles of Dark Continents Publishing, dark fictioneers take back control of their own work—and, ultimately, their own business success.
Founded by authors who currently reside in the United States, England, and Australia, Dark Continents Publishing is forming as an international organization that intends to welcome members of the horror and dark fiction communities the world 'round. Dark Continents Publishing membership will be extended by invitation only for the first year of operations, with a membership application process to open at large in the near future.
Dark Continents Publishing introduces the authors' cooperative concept with plans to release its first six books, written and produced by its six founding members, in May 2011. The first wave of titles from Dark Continents Publishing will be distributed in both print and ebook format, with multiple electronic versions available to ensure compatibility with a wide range of reading devices.
“I love books, and I’m a voracious reader,” President/Publisher David M. Youngquist says. “We’re not out to kill books or bring down publishing; we’re out to lead publishing in a new direction toward a different sort of success. There will always be books, readers, and writers. Our main goal is to bring those three forces together.”
For more information, find Dark Continents Publishing on Facebook and follow the countdown to launch at World Horror Convention 2011.
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Post by steppedonwolf on Sept 14, 2010 17:51:58 GMT
Dark Continents Publishing now has a wordpress blog, where we'll be posting the same updates we do on our Friendface page until our website goes live. Linky linky: darkcontinents.wordpress.com/Dave Youngquist has posted a piece on the FB page about our editorial process: "At our weekly meeting, the board of Dark Continents discussed how to present our editing process to you folks, our friends and followers. I stated in one of my prior notes that Adrian Chamberlin and Serenity Banks would share the same UK editor. This will remain the same until further notice. The rest of us will have Serenity or Tracie edit our work. How this will work for forthcoming projects in the future is a little different. At this time next year, at the latest, we intend to open Dark Continents to outside submissions. Prior to that, we will have invited six additional authors into the group, so we will have had a total of 12 manuscripts to edit and prepare for publication. While this process has sped up over the years, it is still eyes on paper (or in this case, computer screen) looking for places to be fixed. Once we begin to take in submissions, our Editor-in-Chief, Serenity Banks will be the gatekeeper in this process. She will edit the incoming submissions, with overflow going to our Associate Editor, Tracie McBride. I am fully confident these two are completely capable of handling the work that will be needed to be done to manuscripts coming their way. After the manuscript has been edited, it will be presented to the rest of the group. We'll read it over, vote on if we want to proceed with the publication of said volume, and if the vote is to proceed, I'll sign off on the contract. Simple, majority rules vote. For those who vote against the manuscript, however, I will ask for a detailed reason they believe we should not publish that particular work. If their points are valid - and I'm sure they will have some - I may look at the work again more closely to understand their view. I don't want to ramrod my business as so many have done before. Each team member has valuable input, and it's important to me to understand their concerns. This being said, if there are any questions out there as to what we will look for in publication, we'll answer that as we go along."
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Post by steppedonwolf on Sept 20, 2010 20:19:45 GMT
I'm back from FCon. To say I had a great time would be an understatement!
I'll be posting a full account of the events (what I can remember, anyway) soon. In the meantime, there are some snaps from FCon I'm uploading onto FriendFace (DLS's favourite networking site).
Gimme another five minutes and they'll be ready to view.
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Post by steppedonwolf on Sept 22, 2010 12:15:32 GMT
FANTASYCON 2010
A storming weekend at Nottingham began with Area 51 in the Brittania Hotel. This was a section of the bar set aside for newbie conventioneers, so everyone who’d never been to a convo before could make friends. It was organised by the excellent Di Lewis and got off to an interesting start (after I’d got the first dozen rounds in) with using marker pens to draw scary alien faces on balloons. As a heavy smoker with experienced lungs I was blowing them up.
Too many aliens, so I did my usual demon face. I thought someone had stolen it because on Saturday morning it was no longer there…but it seems I’d just put too much hot air into it (like my work) and it burst. Ho hum.
I didn’t make many panels, but two that sounded interesting were a bit flat IMHO. The ‘no small presses, only small writers’ panel discussed the difference between small presses (which must be called independent presses from now on!) and the larger, mainstream ones, with the pros and cons of each publisher. Strangely, the issue of distribution wasn’t broached. I was about to ask if the gap between published author and self-published author is getting smaller (as it seems that so many small start-up presses go in without a clue of what they’re doing) but the bell rang for ‘end of round.’ Back to the bar.
‘How not to get published – an idiots guide’ was entertaining but didn’t really say anything new. Jo Fletcher read out some submission letters she’d received in the past which were truly horrifying!
Friday night had two events that clashed. The FCon Quiz and the Heavy Metal Karaoke in Ye Olde Salutation Inn. I think you know which one I went to…it also meant I missed Simon Kurt Unsworth’s reading.
Rio Youers won for his stunning interpretation of Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In The Name Of.
Fifty Abaddon books were his…but I think I should’ve at least won a wooden spoon or something for my performance of System Of A Down’s Chop Suey. The mike wasn’t switched on but I was too pissed to realise, and belted it out anyway.
Sharon Ring (who’s editing The Caretakers for me) was celebrating her fortieth birthday a day early with her fiancée Ian Graham. I made her a card with the MAB picture and added the title S IS FOR SHARON in blood-red letters. Underneath I wrote Have a FantasyContastic Fortieth! which must’ve set her editor teeth on edge...
Incidentally, she returned The Caretakers a day before with the words ‘your MS has been a delight to work on. Many times I was so swept up in the story I caught myself reading it, rather than editing it…’ The critique pointed to various continuity errors, plot holes and certain things I’d missed. Reading through it I thought ‘Christ, how did I miss that?’ and ‘what the hell was I thinking?’ Just goes to show, if you’re thinking of going self-pub – get a professional editor! And few come better than Sharon.
Saturday was a bit of a haze, to be honest. I seem to have been stuck in the bar or in Smoker’s Corner (which, incidentally, is the best place to meet folks). I handed out copies of the Dark Continents press release, had a chat with Simon Marshall-Jones and Mark West about our upcoming collaboration and then met a brilliant new artist from New Zealand who’s just starting out and was showing his portfolio.
We exchanged email addresses and I discussed The Caretakers with him, so with any luck he’ll be keen to take on the commission. A chat with Simon Kurt Unsworth followed and we discussed many things. I just wish I’d gone to the reading he did later that night, where he got pissed up (on white wine, of all things!) and fell asleep…check his FB profile pic for proof!
I met Stephen Jones (again, in the bar) and he was more drunk than I was. I gave him a copy of the DC press release and asked him to keep an eye on us (and spread the word). I can’t remember if he’s coming to WHC Austin next year. I hope so, because then he’ll say ‘oh, you were the pisshead who slipped me this bit of paper…’
Sunday for me was the most memorable day. More chats in the bar (I’m now off Strongbow for life) and then the FCon Raffle, hosted by the inimitable Guy Adams. There was a joke and a piss-take every thirty seconds – he’s a real showman and a natural stand-up.
Met Paul Kane who kindly signed my copies of Arrowhead and Broken Arrow. We chatted about archery for a bit and the anthos we’re both appearing in, and then I asked him if I could use an excerpt from Arrowhead for The Arrow Of Artemis. He was very happy with the idea, and agreed that we’d need to ask the publisher for permission first. So we swapped emails (again, mine was cheekily written on a DC press release).
On the announcements notice board me and a friend from Area 51 had started a game of noughts and crosses. You’ll see it on the Facebook photos, along with the infamous tagline I WIN!
I couldn’t stop there. I wrote ‘THANK YOU, BFS. YOU ROCK!’ Must’ve made an impression – Danielle Sera took a photo of it. So I took a photo of him taking a photo, etc…
Finally, I’ve written something worthwhile!
Monday, a wander around Grottingham and visits to Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem pub, the caves under Broadmarket and the castle. A word of warning: the castle is closed on Mondays. So I didn’t get to see inside it…
My second convention and I have to say I enjoyed it more than WHC. The reason for this is that I felt more relaxed and less star-struck with all these famous writers and artists milling around than I did in Brighton. Yes, there was a lot I missed but I think everyone can say that – too much going on all at once, so you’re bound to miss out on something.
All I can say to anyone nervous about attending a convention for the first time – GO! Yes, there are little cliques where everyone huddles together and it can be hard to talk to some of them, but by and large most folk there are friendly and welcoming – especially if you buy them a drink!
I can’t recommend FCon highly enough. Area 51 is a great place to start – and next year’s one is to be held in Brighton.
I’ll see you there. This time my balloon won’t explode…
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Post by steppedonwolf on Oct 1, 2010 13:34:01 GMT
Well, I've been struggling with this 'Carnival of Fear' story for HorrorBound. I was writing a tale about the nasty Slingshot amusement ride that gave me the worst two minutes of my life in Ibiza, but it just wasn't going anywhere. So, after a few days in Somerset I decided to write a tale about the annual Bridgwater Carnival. Have a look at the amazing videos here: www.bridgwatercarnival.org.uk/
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Post by steppedonwolf on Oct 24, 2010 19:59:54 GMT
A lovely day. The MAB books arrived last Thursday and I'm getting them all ready for posting to the various Northmen who don't have the decency to live in the Beautiful South...
Today I drove down to Bec Zugor's home in West Sussex, dropped off her books and had a lovely Sunday lunch with her and her family. Had a great chat with her and then her husband (who's also a writer himself - and he came FIRST in last month's Spinetinglers!) and made her teenage son choke on his vegetables when I told him about how badly I sung SOAD's 'Chop Suey' at FCon's Heavy Metal karaoke...
It was great to have Bec sign my copies (one for me, one for the FCon 2011 raffle) but my first signing was for my sister Bev yesterday.
And she read Warpigs and said 'Didn't like it. There was no ending.'
I hastened to remind her that the W story has an 'open' ending, leaving the reader to imagine what happens next...then she read the first story A by Ash Krafton, said she really enjoyed it...'because at least it has an ending.'
Grr...
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Post by bec on Oct 24, 2010 21:56:33 GMT
Aww, it was soooo lovely to meet you, Ade. And I think my husband was relieved to know that you're all right and not just some axe murderer I met off the internet, haha!
I'll read Warpigs tomorrow...
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Post by ian on Oct 25, 2010 6:09:22 GMT
Ade is an axe murderer Bec. You were just lucky that here didn't stay too long. Another hour and well...Let's just say that your house would have needed a lot of cleaning.
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Post by bec on Oct 25, 2010 7:12:14 GMT
Noooooo! So that's why he took such an interest in all the weaponry lying around the house...
And Ian - how come you didn't warn me before he turned up here?
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Post by steppedonwolf on Oct 25, 2010 15:50:04 GMT
Ade is an axe murderer Bec. You were just lucky that here didn't stay too long. Another hour and well...Let's just say that your house would have needed a lot of cleaning. HA! Axes are so passe... My murdering-up of people has moved into the twenty-first century. Behold:
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Post by steppedonwolf on Oct 30, 2010 17:15:37 GMT
MAB books posted on Thursday have arrived safe and sound. Now planning a meet-up in London Village for Dean Drinkel and Jonathan Green to give them their copies - should be a nice photo opportunity.
The links to the sites to buy M Is For Monster will be posted tomorrow.
All pumpkins have been carved - now I'm off to a party dressed as Baron Samedi. I'll also be doing a reading of 'Crabmeat' and the first story from Chuck Palahniuk's 'Haunted'.
Happy Halloween Eve, chaps and chappesses.
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Post by steppedonwolf on Nov 4, 2010 20:35:55 GMT
The 'Haunted' reading went well, although no-one fainted as reported in previous Chuck P readings...perhaps I'm not doing something right. But, there were plenty of nervous chuckles and squirmings...maybe why they didn't stay for the reading of 'Crabmeat'. Finally finished the autumn issue of 'Arrow of Artemis' - Paul Kane kindly allowed me to use an extract from 'Arrowhead', so that - along with a review - can be found here: www.harlequinbowmen.org.uk/page31.htmlBeen feeling quite weary this week, so writing has been put on the back burner. But over the weekend, I'll be working on a story for AJ French's 'Monk Punk' antho. Hope y'all will join me? In other news - working on a collaboration with fellow BHN member Suzanne. Thrashing ideas out at the moment, can't say too much...but it's going to be great fun...
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Post by steppedonwolf on Nov 25, 2010 21:53:31 GMT
Bec Zugor kindly informed me that my 2009 story CRABMEAT is in a poll to be included in the 2010 Spinetinglers Anthology. Voting closes on December 31st according to their forum. If you'd like to put a smile on my face and get the Ghost Crab into the antho, please go here and vote: spinetinglers.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=573.0
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