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Post by Michael Connolly on Sept 3, 2016 12:59:46 GMT
and it arrived this morning, pacing myself after indulging in the first two I was expecting the book to arrive in about a fortnight. The postman brought me nothing today.
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Post by ropardoe on Sept 3, 2016 15:04:08 GMT
Whatever slash is, I'm against it! Shame! But it's mostly a girl thing anyway!
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Post by andydecker on Sept 3, 2016 21:08:09 GMT
I hope you don't mind asking me, ropardoe, but I first became aware of Ghost&Scholars in Karl Edward Wagner's Year's Best Horror Stories. Back then, did you had a lot of contact with him or were the business things done through DAW editorial?
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Post by ropardoe on Sept 4, 2016 9:51:27 GMT
I hope you don't mind asking me, ropardoe, but I first became aware of Ghost&Scholars in Karl Edward Wagner's Year's Best Horror Stories. Back then, did you had a lot of contact with him or were the business things done through DAW editorial? I did have some contact with Karl - all the dealings with the Year's Best Horror were done with him direct and not with DAW. He also wrote a nice introduction for The Best of Ghosts & Scholars booklet which Richard Fawcett compiled in 1986 (though Richard organised that and not me). I can't say I had a lot of contact with Karl - it was mostly by letter, though I did meet him once or twice at conventions. I liked him.
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Post by andydecker on Sept 5, 2016 10:30:55 GMT
Thanks. Interesting. Back then it was not easy and a bit expensive to get american books, but Year's Best was a must-have. In many regards the introductions were a kind of guide to things out of the mainstream. The tales from Ghosts&Scholars always were a counterbalance to the usual suspects like Schow or Etchinson, and it was nice to be made aware of publications like Interzone or of course G&S. Before I had never read M.R. James, whose name often was mentioned in the introductions, if I remember correctly, and this was educational.
I am a big Wagner fan, even read Exorcismns and Ecstasies with the disturbing and kind of angry rememberance by David Drake. He must have been a larger then life figure. One of the few writers I often re-read.
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Post by Michael Connolly on Sept 5, 2016 10:40:15 GMT
Whatever slash is, I'm against it! Shame! But it's mostly a girl thing anyway! I know exactly what slash fiction is. When Susan Calman talked about fan fiction on Radio 4 (in The Museum of Curiosity, 15 February 2016), she cited slash fiction involving Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. This caused an audible gasp (of horror, I hope) from a member of the audience.
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Post by Michael Connolly on Sept 7, 2016 12:29:03 GMT
and it arrived this morning, pacing myself after indulging in the first two I was expecting the book to arrive in about a fortnight. The postman brought me nothing today. The Ghosts & Scholars Book of Shadows 3 arrived on Monday. I've only read the editorial material so far. While I am disappointed that it does not contain a sequel to "An Episode of Cathedral City" (my favourite M.R. James story), Peter Bell, one of the authors in Book of Shadows 3, did write a sequel, "Lamia", which appeared in his collection A Certain Slant of Light (Sarob Press, 2012). I did not buy this book at the time. Has anyone else read "Lamia"?
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Post by ropardoe on Sept 7, 2016 14:46:57 GMT
I was expecting the book to arrive in about a fortnight. The postman brought me nothing today. The Ghosts & Scholars Book of Shadows 3 arrived on Monday. I've only read the editorial material so far. While I am disappointed that it does not contain a sequel to "An Episode of Cathedral City" (my favourite M.R. James story), Peter Bell, one of the authors in Book of Shadows 3, did write a sequel, "Lamia", which appeared in his collection A Certain Slant of Light (Sarob Press, 2012). I did not buy this book at the time. Has anyone else read "Lamia"? Despite the Jamesian trappings, I wouldn't say it's exactly a sequel as the nature of the beast is very different to MRJ's, but it's pretty good anyway. There's also a story called "Lamia" by the wonderful Manly Wade Wellman, but there's no MRJ connection there - it's the classical lamia of legend. I know you've read what I say about Peter's story in G&S, Michael, but here it is for non-G&S readers: ***** Another story specifically inspired by something written by MRJ is "Lamia", which acquires its title, of course, from "An Episode of Cathedral History" and the inscription, "Ibi cubavit lamia", placed on the tomb in that tale. The nature of the creature in MRJ's story has been much discussed over the years: is it a vampire of some sort, and how does it relate to the classical legend of the child-eating lamia? The protagonist in Peter's "Lamia" is a Cambridge professor who sets out "to explore the eastern counties in search of associations with M.R. James". In the process he attends a performance of "An Episode of Cathedral History" in an old country house, the narrator being one Dr Rant, who is only very, very loosely based on Robert Lloyd Parry! But it's not Dr Rant of whom our hero needs to be afraid. The climax doesn't quite live up to what has gone before in this tale, but the build-up is superb.
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Post by Michael Connolly on Sept 9, 2016 11:23:07 GMT
I'd forgotten about your review of "Lamia". What I do remember is Peter Bell's excellent article, "The Lamia and the Screech-Owl: Some Thoughts on 'An Episode of Cathedral History'", in G&S Newsletter 16. I'm afraid that the asking price for a copy of A Certain Slant of Light is beyond me now.
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Post by ropardoe on Sept 10, 2016 8:24:27 GMT
Robert Morgan has just emailed to tell me the book is sold out already. Phew! I think that must be a record (bodes well for my next project with Sarob, of which more anon). Copies will still be available from a number of dealers, of course.
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Sept 10, 2016 15:29:17 GMT
My review copy arrived yesterday, so I'm looking forward to delving into the contents. But slowly, as I want to savour them. And, with the latest G&S Newsletter having arrived today, I'll be able to round out the sequels and prequels with the two stories in that edition... though i do already know the contents of one of those fairly well.
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Post by mrhappy on Sept 10, 2016 16:05:09 GMT
Robert Morgan has just emailed to tell me the book is sold out already. Phew! I think that must be a record (bodes well for my next project with Sarob, of which more anon). Copies will still be available from a number of dealers, of course. I really, really, really hope that we might get a 2nd printing or -gasp- a trade paperback edition of this set. Judging by the stories I have read, these deserve a wider audience. Mr. Happy
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Post by Michael Connolly on Sept 12, 2016 11:47:22 GMT
My review copy arrived yesterday, so I'm looking forward to delving into the contents. But slowly, as I want to savour them. And, with the latest G&S Newsletter having arrived today, I'll be able to round out the sequels and prequels with the two stories in that edition... though i do already know the contents of one of those fairly well. So far the best story in Book of Shadows 3 is the first, "Twenty Years Afterwards" by C.E. Ward. It is both a prequel and a sequel to "Lost Hearts" which adds much to the original story. As contributors to the G&S Newsletter get their copy first it almost tempts me to write something for it again. However, as my letters and article were excruciating to write (and to read?), I don't think I can do it again.
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Post by ropardoe on Sept 12, 2016 16:05:04 GMT
As contributors to the G&S Newsletter get their copy first it almost tempts me to write something for it again. However, as my letters and article were excruciating to write (and to read?), I don't think I can do it again. You shouldn't complain - at least you're towards the start of the alphabet (your copy of the G&S Newsletter has been posted). Pity poor Ziegfried Zyzygy, who is always grumbling about getting his copy last! Oh, and I've never published anything that is "excruciating to read". Have I? Er, have I??
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Post by mrhappy on Sept 12, 2016 17:16:49 GMT
My review copy arrived yesterday, so I'm looking forward to delving into the contents. But slowly, as I want to savour them. And, with the latest G&S Newsletter having arrived today, I'll be able to round out the sequels and prequels with the two stories in that edition... though i do already know the contents of one of those fairly well. So far the best story in Book of Shadows 3 is the first, "Twenty Years Afterwards" by C.E. Ward. It is both a prequel and a sequel to "Lost Hearts" which adds much to the original story. As contributors to the G&S Newsletter get their copy first it almost tempts me to write something for it again. However, as my letters and article were excruciating to write (and to read?), I don't think I can do it again. Another author that could use a little wider recognition, C.E. Ward is starting to become my favorite modern supernatural short story author. His three collections from Sarob Press are outstanding and he just seems to keep getting better and better. He freely admits his debt to M.R. James but Ward has his own voice, particularly in his last two collections. Unfortunately, his books sell out quickly and then sky rocket (if you can find them) on the second hand market. But they are worth every penny. Mr. Happy
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