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Post by marksamuels on Jan 17, 2008 12:45:21 GMT
Thought that Vault folk might be interested in this (I'll be going along to it) BASIL COPPER BOOK LAUNCH Hosted by the British Fantasy Society and PS Publishing, the bio/bibliography BASIL COPPER: A LIFE IN BOOKS Compiled and Edited by Stephen Jones will be launched on SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23rd at THE UPSTAIRS BAR, YE OLDE COCK TAVERN, 22 FLEET STREET, LONDON EC4Y 1AA from 6:00pm onwards. Among those signing copies will be BASIL COPPER, editor/co-designer STEPHEN JONES, artists RANDY BROECKER and LES EDWARDS, co-designer MICHAEL MARSHALL SMITH and publisher PETER CROWTHER. Special Guests (subject to commitment) include legendary anthology editors HUGH LAMB, MICHEL PARRY and DAVID A. SUTTON. Basil Copper became a full-time writer in 1970. His first story in the horror field, 'The Spider', was published in 1964 in THE FIFTH PAN BOOK OF HORROR STORIES, since when his short fiction has appeared in numerous collections and anthologies, and been extensively adapted for radio and television. Along with two non-fiction studies of the vampire and werewolf legends, his other books include the novels THE GREAT WHITE SPACE, THE CURSE OF THE FLEERS, NECROPOLIS, THE BLACK DEATH and THE HOUSE OF THE WOLF. Copper has also written more than fifty hardboiled thrillers about Los Angeles private detective Mike Faraday, and has continued the adventures of August Derleth's Sherlock Holmes-like consulting detective Solar Pons in several volumes of short stories and the novel SOLAR PONS VERSUS THE DEVIL'S CLAW. Concluding three years' extensive research, multiple award-winning editor and writer Stephen Jones was given unprecedented and unrestricted access to the books and papers of renowned British macabre and crime writer Basil Copper. The result is BASIL COPPER: A LIFE IN BOOKS, a unique and in-depth study of the author and his works. Not only does this volume contain the most comprehensive Working Bibliography ever compiled of Basil Copper's productive output - including Macabre and Supernatural Novels and Collections, the "Solar Pons" series, the "Mike Faraday" series, Short Fiction and Novellas, Media Adaptations, Unpublished Works and much more, enhanced with commentary by the author himself - but it also features several rare and obscure articles covering everything from Arkham House creator August Derleth to a brief history of Count Dracula. There are also a number of short stories, most of them original to this volume, ranging from his very first published work back in 1938 to a brand-new "Mike Faraday" detective adventure, along with a complete television script based on M.R. James' classic horror story 'Count Magnus'. With an in-depth look at the author's life and career by acclaimed ghost story editor Richard Dalby, and Basil Copper's inspirational Guest of Honour speech from the 1977 British Fantasy Convention, BASIL COPPER: A LIFE IN BOOKS is illustrated with numerous cover reproductions, artwork and unique personal photographs. If you cannot make it to the signing, but still want to PRE-PURCHASE a personally-signed copy (or copies) please contact PS Publishing for details of how to place your order. Dealer's enquiries welcome - trade discounts available. ISBN 978-1-905834-98-3 (Jacketed hardcover) £25.00 / $50.00 (approx.) ISBN 978-1-905834-97-6 (Hardcover) £15.00 / $30.00 (approx.) 280pp BFS BONUS!!! On the night, a number of specially-priced copies of the PS hardcover anthology DON'T TURN OUT THE LIGHT will be available on a first-come basis. Edited by STEPHEN JONES, this third volume in the acclaimed new "Not at Night" series features work by BASIL COPPER, PAUL McAULEY, MARK SAMUELS, JAY RUSSELL, RANDY BROECKER, LES EDWARDS and many others (including Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Charles L. Grant and Hugh B. Cave).
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Post by justin on Jan 17, 2008 20:44:40 GMT
Looks like a superb event.
I get married on the 1st March so I may have a list of other tasks to undertake, but looking at the guest list I just have to get along... maybe I won't be getting married on the 1st after all....
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Post by Calenture on Jan 18, 2008 12:09:29 GMT
Looks like a superb event. I get married on the 1st March so I may have a list of other tasks to undertake, but looking at the guest list I just have to get along... maybe I won't be getting married on the 1st after all.... Paperback Fanatic editor recovers in hospital from mysterious assault. Police suspect a rolling-pin was used in the attack. His fiancee is unavailable for comment, but sources report that she remarked enigmatically: "I'll give him bleeding Basil Copper booksigning!"
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Post by Steve on Jan 18, 2008 19:21:09 GMT
All the very best for the 1st of March, Justin.
Have a marvellous day. I hope everything goes well and you'll be very happy.
Or if you decide to get married instead, best of luck with that too!
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Jan 19, 2008 16:31:54 GMT
likewise,
life is full of conflicts. Why not have the wedding at the book launch?
conflict resolved!!!
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Post by dem bones on Jan 21, 2008 8:53:02 GMT
Thanks for the alerting, Mark! Definitely gonna try and get along to this.
Congratulations, Justin and the future Mrs. Fanatic!
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Post by dem bones on Feb 19, 2008 9:04:50 GMT
time to give this one a little nudge as it's nearly upon us. i'm still intent on flashing my ghastly features in the vicinity of fleet street on saturday night and the word on the street is that justin the pulpmaniac walks abroad that night, ditto the legendary andy 'pulphack' bugg, highgate horror mark and possibly even franklin marsh, master of the macabre! so, if you happen to be malingering in london, come along if you can and seek out a scruffy rat-haired tramp with his arm in a sling - i.e., me! hopefully, my hand will still be swollen so i can do my impressive 'night of the crabs' blobby pincer impression.
hope to see you there!
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Post by dem bones on Feb 20, 2008 23:14:01 GMT
hmmm. this thread seems to have gone deathly quiet since i mentioned i'd likely be popping along and holding court on my operation ....
anyway, six o'clock seems a bit on the early side. given London pub prices, if we show up then we'll all be skint and dying of thirst by 6.10 pm and i'm not sure if there's a park in fleet street where we can converge with a stash of cans and bottles for some hot aqualung action. so what time do those who are going suggest we get there? bear in mind that if you say "after closing time, kev" i'll know you're cutting me out and will show up extra-early so i catch you furtively sneaking upstairs.
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Post by Johnlprobert on Feb 21, 2008 10:32:20 GMT
I'm in London at the moment on a 'working holiday' (ie catching up with friends in between finishing my next Amicus-style anthology of atrocities) so I'll probably be popping in, earlier rather than later.
I'll look out for a man with his arm in a sling!
(I'll be wearing the blue velvet smoking jacket, naturally)
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Post by David A. Riley on Feb 21, 2008 11:06:57 GMT
I'm afraid I won't be able to make it to the Basil Copper booklaunch unfortunately. I'm saving my cash for the Arthur Machen bash the following weekend in Stratford. It's a pity the two are so close together, as Copper's first collection of short stories, Not After Nightfall, is still one of my favourites - and inspired the title of one of my own stories too.
David
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Post by marksamuels on Feb 21, 2008 11:31:11 GMT
I love that track. Early Jethro Tull is the biz. I'll be at Ye Olde Cock (ooooer) around 6.30 or 7.00. I've grown a goatee beard especially for the occasion, Dem. I'll introduce you to Lord Probert. It should be a good bash and likely to be packed out. Our old amigo Michel Parry's coming over from Belgium, Steve Jones told me. Sorry you can't make it David, but I'll see you soon in Stratford-upon-Avon ! All best Mark S.
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Post by David A. Riley on Feb 21, 2008 12:01:34 GMT
I've grown a goatee beard especially for the occasion
Ah, the Julian Karswell look. I'll have to warn everyone to check any books you hand them for secretly hidden slips of paper.
David
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Post by dem bones on Feb 21, 2008 15:26:32 GMT
it's looking better and better with almost every post! ok, i'm thinking on showing between 7-7.30 which gives the early worms ample opportunity to escape. I'll be wearing the blue velvet smoking jacket, naturally I love that track. Early Jethro Tull is the biz. I've grown a goatee beard especially for the occasion not to be outdone, i've been cultivating my Aqualung look for weeks now. ok, it wasn't such a big step from my 'very poor iggy stooge' phase - i just skipped a bath and stopped shaving. tell you what, though - bleedin' coined it when i hung around aldgate with a guinness 4-pack yesterday, i did! made nearly enough for a copy of baz's book! Our old amigo Michel Parry's coming over from Belgium like i said, better and better! what a special treat! how about hugh? only downer is that mr. riley won't be there, but i hope there'll be another time for us and good luck at stratford (the other one )
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Post by franklinmarsh on Feb 24, 2008 11:10:51 GMT
Heee! Having missed Zardoz and the Best New Horror launch, I felt I had to show my face here. A sod of a day at work meant I left late instead of early, and train and tube hiccups meant I approached The Olde Cock Inn (straight out of Carry On Dick!) at 7.10 pm to be confronted with a sign saying 'Closed - Private Party.' I went upstairs to find that empty. Descending, I encountered a lass in an 'Old Cock' t-shirt. 'Where's the book launch?' I gasped. 'In there,' she replied, nodding at the gathering the other side of the private party sign. I squeezed past the sign just as the speeches started, and saw a familiar figure propping up the bar. 'Twas Dem with his sling under his coat, giving him the appearance of a surreal Napoleon crossed with a cartoon shoplifter. It also meant that he was obscuring fellow East End baddo and pulp hack supreme, Andy Boot. Intros over, speeches done, the saturnine and enigmatic figure of Mark Samuels emerged from the milling throng to slip Dem a copy of Gerald Suster's The Handyman with sleight-of-hand worthy of a Masonic handshake. (Proving once again that the Vault is virtually a secret society dedicated to esoteric and arcane knowledge, and not just a website dedicated to smut and gore.) This distraction enabled me to slip an Iceland bag full of manky spuds (surely tosh tomes) into the rather fetching shoulder bag Dem had secreted by the bar. It was a struggle as said bag was brimming with dollars and euros Dem had frightened out of unsuspecting tourists at bus stops, outside tube stations and patronising pavement cafes. This caused an exchange rate kerfuffle at the book stall - and he still only bought the cheap edition! As the crowd moved in to get their books signed, I gazed in awe at the venerable Baz, Michel Parry, Les Edwards...and kicked myself for not bringing up The Fourth Pan, The City and the DVD of The Uncanny. Doh! Dem led us over to formally meet Mark and John Probert, who wisely dashed to the other side of the pub. Contact was eventually made and , I have to say, Mr Probert effortlessly out-Vaulted everyone in his velvet jacket. (Darn it! I'm wearing mine next time. Black with purple lining. Not that impressive. Peacocks sale - £5. And its covered in dog hairs. And we've got a white dog) A big thanks to the BFS for organising this. Was it Stephen Jones' speech that thanked all the Society members 'and all the other people who've come into the pub.' Yeah! Sincere thanks to Andy , Mark and John for putting up with my waffle, and good to see Dem looking so hale and hearty. Illness, moaning and Iceland spuds seem to have agreed with him. He's shed the unsightly carapace of Aqualung, returning to his former Iggy Pop glory.
Was it worth 6 hours travel for an hour and twenty minutes with these guys? You betcha! Cheers all!
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Post by carolinec on Feb 24, 2008 16:34:27 GMT
That's a great report on the event Franklin. It sounds as though it was a brilliant evening. I wish I'd been there. Hope everyone else enjoyed themselves too. Are you all too hung over to pop into the Vault today folks?
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