Ghosts & Scholars 40

[helrunar]

That's hilarious Kev!

cheers, Steve

[dem bones]

Mar 23, 2021 19:38:44 GMT The Lurker In The Shadows said:

Hmmm... no sign of my contributor copy yet. Hopefully tomorrow or not long after.

Hope it's turned up, Lurkio?

Mark Nicholls - The Happy Highways: Set last year during the lockdown MK. I. A spectre stalks Cambridge during times of national crisis, and now happens to be one. As Covid deaths escalate, the University is evacuated of all but staff, overseas students and Fellows too old, stubborn, frail or all three to think of moving out. Mr. Thomas Waddelow, fanatically dutiful head porter of St. Matthews, is sworn to keep the death-bringer from the college, but blurred CCTV footage suggests the cause is already lost. Another sad one, beautiful in its own way as the crushing The Manor Ghost.

Being dense, the relevance of the title eludes me, but it's a lovely line (The Happy highways where I went And cannot come again.)

[humgoo]

Mar 23, 2021 19:38:44 GMT The Lurker In The Shadows said:

Hmmm... no sign of my contributor copy yet. Hopefully tomorrow or not long after.

Love the cover, thanks for the work! The packet has been torn open as usual (the authority still thinks G&S is a cult or something?!?), but thankfully the booklets remain intact!

[dem bones]

"I want my wife never to look at another man again. I want to be the one she needs. Me and only me."

H. R. Hopcroft - The Laying on of Hands: Wasn't expecting this; a cruel cautionary tale of 'be careful what you wish for' nature. Brits Rosa and Paul arrange a holiday on a Greek island in a last ditch attempt to save their tempestuous nine-year marriage. After yet another row, Paul heads into a woods where he almost trips over an old man sat under a tree. The tourist, eager for someone to confide in, spills his woes. The ancient, Spiros, hears him out, suggests he accompany him to the shrine of Agios Skoteinos, a seventeenth century 'miracle worker', where, for a trifling donation, the Saint will grant his wish. Against his better judgement, Paul follows Spiros to the ruin of a church destroyed by earthquake in 1840. What has he let himself in for?

This so rarely happens. Three original stories, and I absolutely love them all, couldn't settle on an overall favourite if my life depended on it.

A reminder: Couldn't resist giving this a plug. If ever there was an intriguing idea for a themed-anthology of ghost stories this, surely, is among the most appealing.

Rosemary Pardoe's next book for Sarob Press, The Ghosts & Scholars Book of Follies and Grottoes, is now open for submission. Supernatural (not necessarily Jamesian) short stories are welcome, that feature any sort of folly or grotto, for example (but not exclusively), folly temples, belvederes, pyramids and other odd garden buildings, obelisks and towers, sham castles and ruins, eye-catchers, faux druid circles and hermitages (with or without hermit!), shell and rock grottoes. The deadline is 30 September, and the book will be published in 2022. Submissions (and enquiries) to Ro.

[The Lurker In The Shadows]

Mar 26, 2021 18:35:17 GMT dem bones said:

Mar 23, 2021 19:38:44 GMT The Lurker In The Shadows said:

Hmmm... no sign of my contributor copy yet. Hopefully tomorrow or not long after.

Hope it's turned up, Lurkio?

It arrived safe and well on Friday. Thoroughly enjoying dipping into the contents.

[ropardoe]

Mar 29, 2021 13:18:46 GMT dem bones said:

A reminder: Couldn't resist giving this a plug. If ever there was an intriguing idea for a themed-anthology of ghost stories this, surely, is among the most appealing.

Rosemary Pardoe's next book for Sarob Press, The Ghosts & Scholars Book of Follies and Grottoes, is now open for submission. Supernatural (not necessarily Jamesian) short stories are welcome, that feature any sort of folly or grotto, for example (but not exclusively), folly temples, belvederes, pyramids and other odd garden buildings, obelisks and towers, sham castles and ruins, eye-catchers, faux druid circles and hermitages (with or without hermit!), shell and rock grottoes. The deadline is 30 September, and the book will be published in 2022. Submissions (and enquiries) to Ro.

Thanks for this mention, Kev.  I’ve got the reprint section of the book sorted now, so can concentrate on the new stories.  Several good ones submitted already, but I’m not going to be making a decision on which to include until the deadline - so more submissions are very welcome.  Just one point which I don’t seem to have made clear in my request for submissions: the grottoes in question are those which also qualify as follies.  Genuinely ancient grottoes don’t come within the scope of the book (fictional versions of the Margate Grotto which might or might not be a folly - though it probably is! - would qualify).  On G&S, Mark Valentine and (next guest editor) John Howard like my suggestion for an extra booklet to ride along with the Autumn issue, so I’m very excited about that (no more info for now though!).

[dem bones]

Ro Pardoe - Lady Wardrop's Notes: Musings on possible James influence on MacKenzie Crook's delightful Detectorists and speculation as to whether MRJ actually encountered any of his admirer, H. P. Lovecraft's supernatural fiction and, if so, where? Most promising candidates are Pickman's Model and The Horror at Red Hook via early volumes of Christine Campbell Thomson's glorious/ appalling [delete as you see fit] Not at Night series. Added bonus for we in the former camp, Ro's own opinions on certain of CCT's selections.

Jamesian News is restricted to the announcement re Ro's Ghosts & Scholars Book of Follies and Grottoes - as reproduced above - and, sadly, an acknowledgement of the death on Christmas Eve of the exceptionally gifted author and G&S regular, Ron Weighell.