Two new books launched tonight

Tonight at 7.00 p.m. (UK time) we launch two new books, Talking to Strangers and Other Warnings by Tina Rath and The Alchemy Press Book of Horrors 2 edited by Peter Coleborn and Jan Edwards. Because of the covid-19 lock-down it is an online launch on Facebook.

Tina Rath’s twenty-plus tales exhibit an innate sense of structure that allows for a satisfying conclusion – and often a sting in the tail. These are unashamedly entertaining stories, dark fantasy with a touch of humour, that display a deftness of touch inviting us to enjoy the words on the page. They don’t outstay their welcome or labour their points because they don’t need to – Tina Rath knows how a story works. And they work well. Very well indeed. With an introduction by Gail-Nina Anderson.

Strange stories and weird tales and all of the creeping horrors in between. Horrors 2 features seventeen fabulous writers, including Sarah Ash, Paul Finch, John Grant, Nancy Kilpatrick, Garry Kilworth, Samantha Lee … to lead you on a spine-tingling tour from seaside towns to grimy cities, to the lonely and secret places, from the fourteenth precinct to Namibia … and so many places in between.

We’ll also be showcasing two novellas due at the end of April: Les Vacances by Phil Sloman and A Small Thing for Yolanda by Jan Edwards.

Join us on Facebook here for the event and quiz — there will be prizes!

 

eLaunch for Alchemy Press books

Talking to Strangers and Other Warnings by Tina Rath

The Alchemy Press Book of Horrors 2 edited by Peter Coleborn and Jan Edwards

The Alchemy Press was intending to launch a couple of titles at this year’s Stokercon later this month. But it is not to be. Alas, Stokercon has been postponed — it’s that cursed covid-19 virus to blame.

And so it’s IT to the rescue. If you are on Facebook pop along to the online launch event and say hello to some of the books’ contributors. There will even be a prize or two…

Visit the Facebook events page for details.

Les Vacances

The Alchemy Press is delighted to publish Les Vacances by Phil Sloman, as a stand-alone novella. Due at the end of April.

Monasteries rising and falling. Heretics and stakes and fire. There were rebellions and revolution and tales of abundance and happiness and new beginnings. Within the book there were also lies and omissions and fallacies all designed to gloss over a dark past many had long forgotten. Many but not all. The vacation of a lifetime.

Talking to Strangers

Talking to Strangers and Other Warnings

The new collection from Tina Rath due on 16th April.

Tina Rath’s twenty-plus tales exhibit an innate sense of structure that allows for a satisfying conclusion – and often a sting in the tail. These are unashamedly entertaining stories, dark fantasy with a touch of humour, that display a deftness of touch inviting us to enjoy the words on the page. They don’t outstay their welcome or labour their points because they don’t need to – Tina Rath knows how a story works. And they work well. Very well indeed.

With an introduction by Gail-Nina Anderson

Available for pre-order from Amazon.co.uk and other stores.

Horrors 2 ready to pre-order

Now available to pre-order from Amazon and other book dealers. The book will be launched at this year’s Stokercon horror convention, held in Scarborough, UK, in April.

The Alchemy Press Book of Horrors volume 2

Strange Stories & Weird Tales

Edited by Peter Coleborn & Jan Edwards

Strange stories and weird tales and all of the creeping horrors in between. Horrors 2 features seventeen fabulous writers, including Sarah Ash, Paul Finch, John Grant, Nancy Kilpatrick, Garry Kilworth, Samantha Lee … to lead you on a spine-tingling tour from seaside towns to grimy cities, to the lonely and secret places, from the fourteenth precinct to Namibia … and so many places in between.

 

Best Horror of the Year

Every year sees a new volume in the Ellen Datlow-edited Best Horror of the Year series. The 2019 edition (volume 11), with a terrific cover by Audrey Benjaminsen, features work first published in 2018.

There are over 20 stories in this volume including “Masks” by Peter Sutton, from the pages of The Alchemy Press Book of Horrors. In her introduction, this is what Ellen says of Horrors:

In addition, Ellen lists the full recommended reading list on her blog (it’s in four parts). It includes nine stories from Horrors!

 

Horrors Reviewed

There’s a rather wonderful review of The Alchemy Press Book of Horrors in the latest issue (number 9) of Phantasmagoria Magazine:

…It is definitely one of the best anthologies I have come across for quite some time and I would highly recommend it… If the stories weren’t enough, the book is also illustrated throughout with finely drawn headers for each of the stories by the talented Jim Pitts, adding that extra touch of quality to this book…

Read the full review here (scroll down the page to read it).

 

 

Best British Horror

 

We at Alchemy Academy are delighted that editor Johnny Mains has selected three stories from The Alchemy Press Book of Horrors for next year’s Best British Horror. Here’s the full line up:

CAVE VENUS ET STELLA – Anna Vaught
WORMCASTS – Thana Niveau
THEY TELL ME – Carly Holmes
DISAGREEABLY HITCHED – Gary Fry
PACK YOUR COAT – Aliya Whiteley
VOICES IN THE NIGHT – Lisa Tuttle
THE FULLNESS OF HER BELLY – Cate Gardner
MAW – Priya Sharma
TEUFELSBERG – Madhvi Ramani
THE OTHER TIGER – Helen Marshall
SENTINEL – Catriona Ward
THE WORM – Samantha Lee
THE ADJOINING ROOM – AK Benedict
THE GOLDEN HOUR – Rosanne Rabinowitz
THE PERFECT DAY TO BE AT SEA – Kayleigh Marie Edwards
THE HARDER IT GETS THE SOFTER WE SING – Steven Dines
THE DEMON L – Carly Holmes
BY SEVERN’S FLOOD – Jane Jakeman
FISH HOOKS – Kit Power
OLD TRASH – Jenn Ashworth
BOBBO – Robert Shearman

We’ve highlighted the stories from Horrors.

The Alchemy Press Book of Horrors is available in print form and for a variety of eBook platforms. And while you wait for the next volume of Best British Horror we suggest you read this year’s book (published by the excellent Newcon Press). The cover for BBH 2018 is by the extremely talented  Daniele Serra.

 

 

 

Horrors — mini review

Belated Hallowe’en wishes from The Alchemy Press. Hope things went with a satisfying bump last night.

John Llewellyn Probert  purchased a copy of The Alchemy Press Book of Horrors, read it, and says this on his Facebook page:

I love horror anthologies and FantasyCon has provided me with a delicious surfeit of them. First up is this, a truly impressive achievement by Peter Coleborn and Jan Edwards. I’m not going to cite individual stories, suffice to say there’s not a bad one in here, and a few are amongst the best horror stories I’ve read in ages. Full marks for that lovely cover as well, which is reminiscent of the old 1950s Four Square horror anthologies. A terrific book, highly recommended, and I would definitely buy a volume 2. Well done, guys.

Horrors is now available via Amazon and other online booksellers. A Kindle version will be available soon, followed by other eBook formats

 

 

Pulp Heroes soon to go OOP

The Alchemy Press Book of Pulp Heroes, edited by Mike Chinn, is soon to be out of print. If you haven’t bagged yourself a copy now is the time to do so. You never know, used copies may be worth £££ or $$$ in future days.

Stories in the tradition of The Shadow, The Bat, Doc Savage, The Spider; Dashiell Hammett’s Continental Detective Agency; Dusty Ayers & His Battle Birds; Sheena and K-Zar. Hard-boiled detectives, sinister vigilantes, bizarre villains: the staples of the Pulp tradition. Two-fisted heroes – and heroines – fighting for right and justice in the midnight city, foetid jungles or exotic, far-flung lands. Deranged villains for whom the world is never enough.

Pulp Heroes is available from Amazon and other online bookshops.