Pan Research

[allthingshorror]

Im on the hunt for Bertie Van Thal's autobiography. Does anyone have access to a copy?

[Dr Terror]

allthingshorror said:

Im on the hunt for Bertie Van Thal's autobiography. Does anyone have access to a copy?

Any idea what it's called?

Found this:
www.wayouteast.co.uk/writing/surgeon.html

[David A. Riley]

This story disturbed me so much (still does) that I held off sending it out to potential publishers for some time. Ironically, though, when I did it was accepted almost by return of post and was published in 1988 in 'The Pan Book of Horror Stories Vol.29', edited by the late Clarence Paget, who was kind enough to write to me later and tell me that it was one of the best stories that he had ever had submitted to him! It was my first sale and I was paid the princely sum of £250.

They were paid £250!!!!

I was paid the princely sum of £10 in 1970 for mine.

Phew!

David

[jkdunham]

charlesblack said:

allthingshorror said:

Im on the hunt for Bertie Van Thal's autobiography. Does anyone have access to a copy?

Any idea what it's called?

Isn't it called The Tops of the Mulberry Trees? Sorry, I haven't got a copy, I just remember seeing it mentioned in blurbs about him and always thought it might be an interesting read. Has anyone here read it?

[allthingshorror]

My father in law has managed to get me a copy and I should get it in a few days hopefully!

[Dr Terror]

Miranda Seymour

Philip Sidney Jennings has an MA degree in Creative Writing and a PhD in Creative Writing from Lancaster University. A well known writer of short fiction, his stories have appeared in a diverse range of magazines and newspapers, including The Evening Standard, Punch, Penthouse, Encounter, Iron, South-East Arts Review, The New Writer and Bananas. From 1985 to 1987 he edited Jennings Magazine, a quarterly started by a group of short-story writers to encourage new writing. His novel Dome was published in 1993 by Unicorn Publications. He is currently a creative writing tutor at the City Literary Institute in London, and recent publications include The Bible for Children, published by Barnes & Noble Books (New York) in 1995 and several stories in 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories, also by Barnes & Noble, 1996.

Ruth Cameron is a pseudonym used by Rosemary Timperley .

[allthingshorror]

I emaild Miranda ages ago and still no reply. I got an email from Harry Harrison - but he's busy and might not want to help. Ruth rendell has turned me down flat.

This one real? Terence Merchant - 'Listen' Pan 29?

[Dr Terror]

I wonder how many Black Book authors will be reluctant to talk about their involvement in the series in the future...

[David A. Riley]

I don't think you need worry, Charles. So far I can't see any shrinking violets amongst the authors you've used. Far from it!


David

[allthingshorror]

Funnily enough - writing about the Black Books is next on my to do list.....

[sean]

Excerpt from "My experiences with the Black Book of Horror series" (c)S.Parker 2035

Well back in them days, before Charles Black died and then came back (again), most people thought he was just another editor. They didn't realise that he employed tazers on his writers who he kept chained up in his attic. We had to live on rats, and horrible green stagnant water which leaked through the roof. When he didn't like a phrase he'd get out the cat o 9 tails, and even after all these years I shudder to think about the punishment for grammatical errors...

[allthingshorror]

Transcript of Seance with Madam Shazam - May 2099

Madam: Is there anyone out there?

Entity: Yes, believe it or not. Wow - you've been a faker all your life and now you have a real life spook talking through you!

Madam: Er...who..who are you?

Entity: I am Charles Black, aka Dr Terror, aka Mr Lover Lover, aka He who Must not Be Blamed for getting every dancer in Spearmint Rhino's pregnant.

Madam: And what can we do for you today? You have any spiritual seed you need to expunge?

Entity: No, I just have a message.

Madam: What's the message? What's the message?

Entity: You left the cooker on when you left the house this morning. It's burned down. You've lost everything. Even your husband......

[Dr Terror]

The final 4 volumes of The Black Book of Horror were published posthumously with photo covers featuring Black's corpse. In turn the photos were: the necrophilia cover, then the putrid decaying cover, followed by the ghouls feeding cover, and finally the grinning skeleton cover.

[Johnlprobert]

There is apparently no truth in the rumour of a volume following these, its cover a painting of a young man with a somehow more mature expression than someone of that age should ever have. The only person ever to have attempted reading it was found the next morning a mummified corpse.

And the book?

Maybe it's on one of our shelves even now...

[allthingshorror]

Tracked down John D Keefauver today and gave him a call. Seemingly it was 8 am there and I had just woken him up. Ooops..... He was very lovely though, said he would be thrilled to do an interview and that I could send him a few books to sign. Then he said he needed a pee as his 80 something year old bladder was shot to hell.

What a guy!!