All the latest Shadow Writer news and announcements.       April Photo Credit: Dr Laura Varnam   We start off this month with anthology news, and congratulations are in order. Firstly, to Juliet Marillier whose story ‘The Reeds Remember’ from Paul and Marie’s book The Other Side of Never released by Titan last year has been shortlisted for the Aurealis Award in the ‘Best Fantasy Short Story’ category! You can find a full list of all the nominees here.     The #1 bestselling anthology was also reviewed by Ksenia Shcherbino at the BSFA who said, ‘A good story is always like an onion – it opens new layers of meaning each time you approach it. Even more so, if the book in question is Peter Pan – less than a book and more a mythology, a way of seeing the world, an identity. The protean nature of the original has its impact on its literary progeny: The Other Side of Never is a collection of short stories engaging with Peter Pan, spin-offs and palimpsests, sidequels and crossovers, re-tellings and re-imaginings…Barrie’s own text is highly intertextual as it has multiple genre versions (novel, play, story that refers to other stories). Moreover, many people nowadays know Peter Pan through the lens of interpretative media (animated Disney film or live action movies, Spielberg’s Hook (1991) with a star cast of Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, and Maggie Smith or even this year’s Peter Pan & Wendy which I haven’t seen yet). In a similar way, The Other Side of Never brings together different ways of reading Peter Pan, you just have to find yours!’ You can read the full thing here.     But that’s not all, Angela Slatter’s tale ‘The Tissot Family Circus’, which first appeared in Twice Cursed, has been picked up for inclusion in The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror V, edited by Paula Guran. At the same time, Paul was sent a photo of that anthology spotted in a bookstore in Barcelona (below, thank you to DK Sellers).     You can grab your copy of The Other Side of Never here. And Twice Cursed here. -----------------------------------------------     Also from last year, Paul and Marie’s hardback anthology In These Hallowed Halls – again from Titan – was included in the list of ‘25 Best Dark Academia Books’ by the prestigious Town & Country magazine (above). You can find the article here.     The book received a couple more shoutouts on Istagram last month as well, the first from @blackcoffeegreycharacters (above) who said: ‘Four and a half stars seems a pretty solid average to reflect this one – since it’s an anthology of unconnected stories, there were some I liked more than others. Personal favorites included “1000 Ships,” “The Hare and the Hound,” “The Ravages,” and “Phobos.” This collection does a wonderful job of pulling together the pieces that make #darkacademia what it is and I had a grand old time with it – it’s also a very digestible book given that you can read just 20-page stories at a time.’     And @kat.with.a.book (above) had this to say: ‘If you love a good #darkacademia story, then this collection is full of them. Flowed well and kept you turning pages. Definitely give this one a go.’     An earlier anthology now, and the Shirley Jackson Award-nominated Wonderland was included as a ‘Staff Pick’ by Smokey over at ShelfLife Books.   You can order In These Hallowed Halls here. And your copy of Wonderland here. --------------------------------------------     Our Guest Writer for April is another contributor to one of Paul & Marie’s anthologies, the forthcoming Beyond & Within: Folk Horror (available to pre-order here and here). Benjamin Spada is the author of the Black Spear novels FNG (above) and most recently The Warmaker (below), which we have an exclusive extract from right here.       -------------------------------------------------     Paul received another 5* recommendation of his latest collection Dark Reflections on Amazon, with the reviewer saying: ‘Like Rumpelstiltskin, Paul Kane takes the straw and spins it into gold, giving us new perspectives on the human experience. A truly wonderful read!’ To find out more information about this one, including the full ToC click here. ------------------------------------------------         Paul received his contributor copy of the Phantasmagoria Hellraiser Special (above) which contains his article about the Hellraiser Theatrical Sequels, as well as an extract from his novel Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell.     The weighty tome also included some reviews of Paul’s books, kicking off with Servants itself. Christopher Gray said: ‘Call to mind the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Unpopular Quality Street left alone, Granny sleeping for hours on the sofa after lunch, and television offering a multitude of detectives to snuggle up to: Poirot... Miss Marple... and the ever-famous Sherlock Holmes. Could there be a more scrumptious pleasure in life? Paul Kane suspects there could be… For Hellraiser fans, Servants of Hell adds an exciting texture to the already extensive history of the Cenobites. Arguably it contains everything a Hellraiser fan could want. A Francis Cotton appears to be an early victim, kick-starting what fans of the original three Hellraiser films will be relishing – new Cenobites, a visit to Hellbound: Hellraiser II’s vast otherworld, and continued cameos of the franchise’s visions – such sights that Kane sprinkles, rather than crowbars, in to show you. Both Holmes and Hellraiser fans will be pleased. However, Holmes fans may become befuddled in the book’s third act. With the mystery leading their heroes to such a new setting, Holmes and Watson are thrown into an all-out action fest of nightmarish concoctions. If Hellraiser fans were pleased before, they may find their pleasure become even more legendary. For anyone else, Kane’s plot takes a direction with the pace of a roller-coaster – readers may need it to be paused, but they certainly won’t want off. Servants of Hell shows Kane to be enjoying the ghostly atmosphere of Holmes and Hellraiser. It’s gory, elegant and wild. It even beckons the thought that from the time we read of the ghostly blue light streaming in through the brickwork, these two classics were destined to cross. Yet, if ever an adaptation is created, best leave Granny asleep when it’s on during the festive period.’ You can buy the novel here.     Editor Trevor Kennedy had this to say about the anthology Hellbound Hearts: ‘Since the release of the original film in 1987, the mythology of the Hellraiser universe has shot its blood-stained hooks, chains and more into several other forms of popular culture and media, including video games, comic books, jigsaws, Funko Pop! dolls and, as you would naturally expect, prose. In fact, Clive Barker himself discusses the whole concept of “mythos” in his Foreword (Doug Bradley also provides an Afterword) to this spin-off anthology edited by Paul Kane and Marie O’Regan…Truth is, there are no bad stories included here – certainly not from a technical point of view – although each individual reader will obviously have their own personal favourites, and, as you would expect from an anthology based around Clive Barker’s The Hellbound Heart and its screen incarnations, there’s some brutal, twisted stuff on display, but if you’re a fan of the series you wouldn’t really have it any other way, of course.’   Pick up a copy of that anthology here.     Nat Whiston reviewed The Hellraiser Films and Their Legacy, saying: ‘This book does not just cover the thought process and behind-the-scenes of Hellraiser, but it also takes a deep dive into Clive Barker’s life, and how each of his previous projects and works led to Hellraiser’s birth. A movie that piqued my interest in writing horror and also encouraged my exploration of writing body horror… This is a fascinating read. As a fan of Clive Barker I knew some things about the films and The Hellbound Heart, but Kane takes an amazing psychological approach to this, sharing thoughts on the make-up of the characters, their relationships, and how the story’s visuals made it a cult classic. Kane doesn’t just focus on Hellraiser though, he also focuses on the external influences that led to Hellraiser’s rise to success. With an immense overview of the Cenobites’ construction and concept art that would make any horror fan drool, Kane shares his expert opinion and also shares with the reader the complex research he did to find answers for fans of the franchise. Plus, we get some unique viewpoints and first-hand accounts from the cast and crew involved, from make-up artist Bob Keen about creating the look for the Cenobites to Doug Bradley’s experiences on set as well as during production. All make for an engrossing read, as we traverse the darkness and become one with Leviathan, journeying through each film and projects linked to Hellraiser. This profound dissection of each film and how each one contributes to the world-building style of Barker gives the fans and lovers of the series everything they could want in terms of creation, visuals, and the decisions made behind each part, crossing through time to modern-day literature and film where we see how it still holds massive sway over how horror has evolved and changed through the ages. But it is not just fascinating from a fan standpoint, it is also invaluable research material. You learn so much about the process of writing, storyline creation, character design, and all the other aspects of making a good story, one that sticks with an audience. For a writer, it shows the breakdown of creating a series and keeping a strong relationship with readers. From a film standpoint, it gives a bird’s-eye view of making a story into a movie and brings it to life visually from paper to the big screen, the difference between creating your work and then producing and directing it. Incorporating everything that shows deep love and respect for the author and his work, Paul Kane also shows dedication as he showcases his collaborations to match the same amazing creative energy. Honestly, I adored this book and every chapter as I traced Clive Barker’s journey. It encourages writers of horror and shares important history with the fans.’ The book can be bought here.     Finally, Sarah Graven Weir reviewed: ‘Hellraisers by Paul Kane was published in 2018 and is an accompaniment to The Hellraiser Films and Their Legacy from 2006. It is one of the most extensive recollections of accounts you will find for the series, comprising of interviews with the creators and the cast, and rare artwork and photographs from private collections. We open with an introduction on how the book started to take shape, leading the reader straight to the “Hellbound Heart” of the source: its creator Clive Barker and how his nightmarish dreams took to the stage. Barker provides an in-depth explanation into everything that encompasses the mythology of Hellraiser and where his inspirations are drawn from, describing the Cenobites as the Priests from Hell! It’s an extremely fascinating read of its progression. This brings us to Doug Bradley – who played the Lead Cenobite “Pinhead” – and where we are treated to a three-part interview that is spread out over the book. The list of people interviewed is phenomenal, and the connection Kane makes with every creative person genuinely stands out. You are taken right back to the start of the Hellraiser films with Ashley Laurence, who played Kirsty Cotton, and how she found working with the amazing Clare Higgins as Julia Cotton, and Andrew Robinson as Larry Cotton. This takes us to a gripping interview with Higgins herself, concerning her involvement in Hellraiser and how the script, upon first impressions, terrified the living daylights out of her! Next is Nicholas Vince, known as the Chatterer Cenobite in the first two Hellraiser films, and this is where we learn about the thought processes behind the creation of one of the most unsettling Cenobites, which takes the reader then to Bob Keen who did the effects for the first three Hellraiser films. What draws you into this unique set of interviews is how multi-talented everybody is, how their connections to Hellraiser came about, their enthusiasm, and how highly they speak of Clive Barker. You have the exceptional actor, writer and director Simon Bamford, who made the “Butterball” Cenobite his own with the framed iconic sunglasses, and Peter Atkins who wrote the screenplay for Hellbound: Hellraiser II (and the third and fourth entries in the series), created the god Leviathan, and so much more! Other significant interviews include the composer Christopher Young, director Tony Randel, Barbie Wilde who played the Female Cenobite, actor Kenneth Cranham about his double role as Doctor Channard and the Cenobite version of him, Anthony Hickox, Ken Carpenter, Kevin Yagher and Gary J. Tunnicliffe. There is a real feel for the time and how ground-breaking it was. The subject matter ranges from questions of sexuality, the advancement of technology, and how horror as a genre evolved into the modern world. Many of the interviewees explain about their achievements with the Hellraiser series, but also the tribulations they faced behind the scenes. There are plenty of hidden rumours uncovered and gems for the fans to sink their pins into. This book is an anatomy of references, enticing you further with links to websites, other books, films and merchandise to fulfil to your Cenobitic amusement.’ You can pick that one up here. Plus you’ll find more details about Phantasmagoria magazine and this special on its website here. -----------------------------------------------       To end with, a great book post last month, when Paul received his contributor copies of the paperback of The RED Trilogy from Hellbound Books. How stunning they look! (above) To get your own copies, visit here. -----------------------------------------------------   March   The full Table of Contents for Beyond and Within: Folk Horror, Paul and Marie’s anthology for Flame Tree releasing over the summer, has been released. They are: ‘The White Road’ by Neil Gaiman; ‘The Well’ by John Connolly; ‘Rabbitheart’ by Jen Williams; ‘The Original Occupant’ by Adam L.G. Nevill; ‘Summer Bonus’ by Lee Murray; ‘The Druid Stone’ by Katie Young; ‘Blessed Mary’ by Stephen Volk; ‘The Great White’ by Benjamin Spada; ‘The Marsh-Widow’s Bargain’ by H.R. Laurence; ‘Good Boy’ by Alison Littlewood; ‘The Finest Creation of an Artful God’ by B. Zelkovich; ‘The Third Curse’ by Helen Grant; ‘The Lights Under Rachel’ by Kathryn Healy; ‘Pilgrimage of the Hummingbird’ by V. Castro; ‘The Grim’ by Cavan Scott; ‘Pontianak: An Origin Story’ by Christina Sng; ‘Ghost Land of Giants’ by Linda D. Addison. You can see more about the book and read an exclusive extract from the introduction here. ------------------------------------------     Last month Nat Whiston Reviews followed up her report on The Gemini Factor (see previous news section last year for details) with one on its sequel, The Gemini Effect published by Encyclopocalypse. She said, ‘So, we go into the second book in the Gemini series. I finished The Gemini Factor, if you’ve seen the review you know how much I frickin’ love Paul Kane. He is king! Obviously I have now had the chance to sit and absorb and devour this book. This is The Gemini Effect, which is the second part in the series… I honestly believe that this is my favourite now, out of all of Paul Kane’s books, and that’s hard – try topping, just trying to top Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell… The fact that it topped that, in creativity, emotional connection, in pace, in action, in gore – in sheer detail alone and character development, as well as world-building. He’s on point. I’m jealous! The world-building and the development of the story, the way that he interconnects everything so seamlessly… I’m freaking jealous. He. Is. Brilliant! Hands down, my favourite book of Paul’s. And now… making me wait for book three!’ But to hear the full review, just click on the video below:     The 10th anniversary edition of the original novel was also given the audio treatment, read by Harry Singers (below).     You can check this out on Audible (below) simply by clicking here.     ----------------------------------------     Paul is delighted to say that he has an article about the Hellraiser Theatrical Sequels in the forthcoming Phantasmagoria Hellraiser Special (above, available as a paperback and limited-edition hardback). As well as lots of other cool material, including fiction by Peter Atkins and Nicholas Vince, there will be a review and extract from Paul’s novel Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell, and a review of his interview book Hellraisers.     To mark the release there will also be a launch in London on 23rd March (above). Sadly, Paul can’t attend, but if you’re a fan of the franchise then be sure to pop along. You can find more details about the magazine on its website here. ----------------------------------------     Our Guest Writer for the spring month of March is the wonderful Kelly Andrew, author of The Whispering Dark. You’ll find an extract from her excellent new novel Your Blood, My Bones here.     --------------------------------------     Kelly is, of course, one of the contributors to Paul and Marie’s Dark Academia anthology In These Hallowed Halls, which was just reviewed by @thebalancedbookshelf over on Instagram (above). Here’s what they had to say: ‘As a lover of Dark Academia I was so excited when this was published last fall. I’m happy that some of my favorite Dark Academia authors were featured and that is definitely reflected in my rating. While some, of course, are always better than others I liked the mix of concepts and storytelling ability. Overall, I gave this collection of stories 4 stars but my individual story rating is: “1000 ships” – 4 Stars; “Pythia” – 4.5 stars; “Sabbatical” – 3 stars; “The Hare and the Hound” – 5 stars; “X House” – 3.5 stars; “The Ravages” – 3 stars; “Four Funerals” – 4 Stars; “The Unknowable Pleasures” – 5 Stars; “Weekend at Bertie’s” – 4 stars; “The Professor of Ontography” – 4.5 stars; “Phobos” – 5 stars; “Playing” – 3 stars.’ To buy the hardback click here. --------------------------------------------     Finally, Paul was saddened to hear of the passing of two genre legends that he knew last month. First of all, Brian Lumley, author of the Necroscope series. His books were definitely an influence on Paul growing up, and although he only met Brian a few times – the first at World Horror 2010 – he found him to be a terrific guy with a great sense of humour.     The second was Christopher Priest, author of books such as The Prestige and more recently Airside (above is a photo of Paul with another late legend, Brian Aldiss, and Chris). His heart goes out to the families of both. -------------------------------------   February   As promised, more Death Comes at Christmas news – with the release of this gorgeous ad featuring the equally gorgeous cover for Paul and Marie’s anthology. Coming in October from Titan Books, it features contributions from the likes of CL Taylor, Vaseem Khan, Alexandra Benedict, Angela Clarke, David Bell, Helen Fields, Tina Baker and others. Paul’s been hard at work on this throughout January and will continue working on it in the coming month.  In the meantime you can pre-order the hardback here or here. ------------------------------------------     Paul received the stunning author copies of his latest collection Dark Reflections from publisher Black Beacon last month (photos above and below).           The owner of Black Beacon, Cameron Trost, went online himself to suggest an irresistible combination – Guinness and the collection (below)!     Plus Paul was interviewed by Runalong the Shelves about the process of putting this one together. You can read that here. And you’ll find a dedicated ordering page for Dark Reflections right here. ---------------------------------------------------     The RED Trilogy from Hellbound was the subject of a book tour last month (above). Bunny’s Reviews had this to say in their 5* write-up: ‘Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Well, you might be after reading this trilogy. The RED Trilogy by Paul Kane is a gripping, jaw-dropping trilogy set that is going to have you coming back for more. Before you even get past the prologue of book one your jaw is going to be on the floor, eyes bugging out of your head, and your mind is going to absolutely be whirring. Brace yourself, because you’ve been warned! RED kicks things off with a jaw-dropping prologue that is literally going to have you thinking “WTH did I just read?!” Of course, you will hardly be deterred from delving deeper into this story as you eagerly dig deeper to find out what happens next.  It would seem that Paul Kane is an expert at making things appear to be one thing instead of what they truly are, because this book is packed with them. Ready to meet the FMC? Well, Rachael is a young woman who helps care for people in their homes. She’s good at her job, she’s just really forgetful of things. That’s going to land her in some bad situations in this book – which you’ll see. However, it won’t be entirely her fault. When you’re being hunted... well, simply doing anything in this case is going to land you in trouble! This book and the entire series are a collection of insane page-turners. At first, you’ll think...where does the “fairy tale tie in?” Wait for it, my friend! Wait. For. It!! We thought the same thing when we started reading this book, but it’s coming! The wonderful thing of it is that it continues to be tied into the story in book two. You start getting flashbacks, memories, and so much more. So, think that you’re going to be putting this book down for a minute? Taking a breather for a minute? Ha! Guess again! The RED Trilogy is packed with horrific goodness and we absolutely ate it up. Yes, we’re a horror fan, and all you have to say is “I have a horror book... wanna check it out?” And we will come running! This dark and deliciously evil twist on Little Red Riding Hood is to die for. You’ll be trying to devour this book before it devours you. So many excellent twists, tons of surprises, and drama that won’t let you down. Readers who are horror fans? This one’s for you!’ You can read the full thing here.     Gemma’s Bookshelf said: ‘The RED Trilogy offers readers a horror-filled, twisted take on the Red Riding Hood fairy tale with a lot more blood, gore and fear. The first book is a short novella that begins with Rachael Daniels, a carer who is looking after an old lady. One day when she is on her way to work, weird things start to happen. Rachael is attacked by... a human? A big dog? A wolf? These wolves are a lot different as they are able to shapeshift into humans and change faces which makes their prey a lot more vulnerable and there are a lot more surprises to come! There is a lot of killing and gory blood imagery throughout as Kane sets a new and updated lore of wolves that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. The second book introduces four new characters who are a group of wolf hunters trying to save the human race and stop the wolves from taking over, and the third book offers us an apocalyptic setting which brings the surviving characters all together for one last battle with a climactic ending! Each book adds new characters to the series but they are all connected in some way which really adds to the complexity of the books. The chapters are also shared between many of the characters’ POV which adds yet another layer to the series and gives the reader more backstory and insight to the motives and thoughts of certain characters. There are also flashbacks which tie in to the fairy tale and all these aspects come together to create a brilliant trilogy that you won’t want to put down. RED is an exciting, gruesome trilogy that turns the fairy tale on its head and provides readers with a dark and scary series that will leave you hungry for another bite.’ And you can read that here.     Over at Sly Fox Reviews, they wrote: ‘I said yes to this book based solely on the cover, and I’ll say a few things about the first book/part so I’m not spoiling too much. As expected, it does have some nudity, sexual scenes, and violence. To put it in perspective in the first 6 pages we read a love scene go horribly wrong; this sets the tone for the book. What I appreciate is if this is off-putting, it’s early on and lets the reader decide if they want to continue. After this, like any good slasher-esque media, the reader recognizes the high tension but it takes a while for the characters to catch up. We jump perspectives throughout the first part. We get to see through the eyes of the killer. “He imagined what it would be like to run his tongue up and down her back, slavering down it, panting as he grew more and more excited – until he could stand it no more and had to see the red. Always the red.” pg 50 I like the fact that Rachael makes mental lists, it makes her stand out as a character. “If it had been one of her mental lists it would have read: 1) tackle the lad with the knife and get the bag or 2) run – get to Tilly’s place as fast as you can, calling the police along the way.” pg 93’ You can read that one here.     Over on Instagram @bookshelf_wonders (above) had this to say in their 5 * review: ‘Well I really enjoyed this book, I’ve never read anything to do with a Werewolf/shifter before so this was new to me. Anyway I really liked this book, it’s fast-paced and I was hooked. As the name suggests this is a trilogy of books and if you are a horror fan you will love this, or if you fancy trying something new this new year have a go at this, you won’t be disappointed. Think of this as a twisted version of Little Red Riding Hood, but with blood – lots and lots of blood!’ While @rav.ingbooks commented: ‘This was a quick read. I was reminded of The Thing and Red Riding Hood as I read this. Fast-paced and the writing style reminded me of Clive Barker’s. I would recommend to any of his fans.’     @free_the_bookshelf said: ‘It’s mother**king werewolves baby!!! I love werewolves. I need more werewolves in my life. Paul Kane is an amazing author and I couldn’t recommend this more.’ @vickies_book_obsession also gave it 5*, saying ‘For those of you not afraid of the big bad wolf, you should be! This dark reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood will have you gripped from the beginning. No slow build here, just hit with an instant shovel to the face! Rachael has moved to the city to become an actress. While waiting for her big break she takes on a role as a carer. After a big night out with her friend, she wakes up with the hangover from hell, and a nagging feeling she has forgotten something. She realises she forgot to drop her favourite patient’s medication off, and despite her living in a rough part of town, Rachael decides to make the trip to deliver the meds. Remember, no good deed goes unpunished! From here on in, Rachael finds herself in the middle of a terrifying hunt, as the hunter or the hunted? Not only is this concept great, but the story between all three is so coherent and executed really well. The writing is brilliant, not only did I feel Rachael’s hangover, but I actually felt sorry for one of the “mutts” at one point. Imaginative, great characters, and absolutely impossible to work out what is coming next. Trust no one, doubt everything and always carry a mirror!!!’     @alyssas_book_obsession (above), said: ‘This is not the Little Red Riding Hood we grew up with. This is a lot gorier and scarier. Rachael is a good and believable female protagonist. I enjoyed seeing her evolve throughout all three books. The writing was beautifully dark and emotional. Violent. The world-building was perfect. The plot was darker than the original story. I definitely enjoyed Paul Kane’s take on this fairytale.’ Meanwhile @whatyoutolkienabout said in their 5* review, ‘Oh my god. What a book! I have always been a werewolf/shifter fan. I’m not talking about those romance books (although I have read a couple) but I’m talking Dog Soldiers werewolves and I have been dying to find a brilliant, heck even good, werewolf tale. There’s been a few but this one was amazing! If you like your creature features bloody, violent and well written you have come to the right place. Now we know I don’t like spoilers of the plot overall so I am going to focus more on the characters, writing and a little sprinkle of the plot. First of all the characters. I loved Rachael, she was such a good character, not necessarily morally but she was believable and I loved seeing her evolve through the novels. In fact all the characters were brilliant but Rachael was just, well I wish a lot of female protagonists were like her. The writing was just perfection. Equally gritty and emotional, beautiful but dark and oh so violent. Like I’ve said previously I adore tales of werewolves and the like and this one did not disappoint. If you are a bit squeamish this might not be the one for you but it is certainly worth it. But beyond the viscera the writing in general is just top tier. From descriptions of the surroundings and scenery to the characters and their interactions it was just perfect and suited the plot brilliantly. Finally the plot or plots. Well they are brilliant too. I loved the reworking of a classic fairy tale we all know and love and how Kane managed to turn this even darker than the original. I adored the world and lore he built up around it. The pacing and tension of each book was just perfect and kept me on the edge of my seat so that I had to know what happened next. If you are a fan of werewolves or dark retellings this one is one you will devour. I am not sure how I haven’t read more of Kane before now but I will definitely be reading more going forward! And @bookaholic_reviews offered, ‘Not the Little Red Riding Hood of our childhood! This is fast-paced, blood dripping horror. I loved Kane’s twist on a very classic horror trope. Book 1 definitely gave Red Riding Hood vibes, but as the series progressed, he offered us end of the world, apocalypse, and werewolf vibes. I absolutely loved reading this series!’     @quiet.im.reading (above) said next in their 5* review: ‘Think of the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Now think of it written in a much darker, violent, bloodier, gorier way…but still somehow also beautiful and emotional at the same time. That… is The RED Trilogy. In this trilogy you’ll follow the main character, Rachael, through three novels as she interacts with werewolves (Dog Soldiers) in an amazingly built world. The mental scenery and character development were great! I believe this is the first I’ve read of Paul Kane’s work, and I admit, I’m impressed! It’s a very well written retelling of the classic fairytale but in a way that really suits fans of darker fiction, like myself.’ While over on Goodreads, Kelly Marie Purdy said in her 4* review: ‘This book consisted of three horror stories. I thought the individual stories were an ideal length, that meant this book would be a good choice for readers who like to read in chunks or segments. I enjoyed the “red” theme, and how it intensified as the book progressed; I thought that was quite clever. While I was reading this book, I felt an odd combination of fascination and fear. I found the antagonist’s behaviour distasteful, and yet, I couldn’t stop turning the pages. I felt emotionally involved, as though I was running away from this antagonist, this creature that the author created and brought to life on the pages.’ Stacy Kraut also gave 4* and said: ‘This dark version of Red Riding Hood gripped my attention from the very first pages and didn’t let go. I loved the main character, Rachael and I found myself really invested in her story. This book was dark and gory… just as a werewolf tale should be! This was my first book by Paul Kane and I’m looking forward to reading more! If you’re looking for a horror spin on a classic fairytale, check this one out!’     Finally, Chelsea Warren (above) gave it 5* and said: ‘This book was absolutely amazing! I’m into werewolves and this book brought a fresh take on werewolf stories. Some points played on my anxiety (in all the best ways), and I think I audibly screamed a couple times. This was a fun and wild ride. Paul Kane’s storytelling is great. This man can weave a terrifying story, and I loved every second!’ You can visit The RED Trilogy homepage and order your copy here. ---------------------------------------------     Our Guest Writer for the month of February is bestselling author of books like All the Pretty Girls (above) and The Wolves Come at Night (below) JT Ellison. We’re delighted to present an extract from her story for In These Hallowed Halls – edited by Paul and Marie – called ‘X House’, and you can read that here.      -----------------------------------------------     Sticking with that Dark Academia anthology, more shoutouts and reviews have appeared, including @skelebooks on Instagram (above) who said: ‘I just finished reading In These Hallowed Halls, a collection of academia themed tales. It was a Christmas gift from my fiancé and I loved it. I find short story collections difficult to review, especially when the stories are by different authors and written in different styles, but overall this was a great collection. I have also read Vampires Never Get Old by the same publisher. I think I might end up picking up more of their themed short story collections.’   Credit: @valenarrigunaga   On Netgalley, Nicole L wrote in her 4* review: ‘I always love collections of short stories, there’s just something so fun about jumping into different tales all within one publication! The authors of this one truly peaked my interest, Olivie Blake was my main reason for picking this up as well as my love of dark academia. I think this definitely bridges into themes of horror, lgbtq+, mystery, thriller and so much more! I think there’s definitely something for everyone and this would be the perfect start to someone’s dark academia reading journey. My favourite stories were: “Pythia” by Olivie Blake (I don’t think I was surprised by this as Olivie’s writing wows me every time); “1000 Ships” by Kate Weinberg – what a way to make me feel a strong NEED to pick up The Truants to see more of this character; “The Ravages” by Layne Fargo – tapping into that horror/revenge element that I LOVE… That’s just the top three, there were only a select few I didn’t really enjoy which is amazing out of a book containing so many new authors for myself. I will definitely be looking into many of these authors now.’ Then Sophie L said: ‘This was a wonderful dark academia anthology, with some fantastic authors on board! A great starting point for anyone who’s new to Dark Academia and wants to get a feel of what it entails and the kind of vibe to expect. I particularly enjoyed “1000 ships” – felt familiar, a little like My Dark Vanessa.’  And Allison V added: ‘I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed some of these stories as much as I did! The Layne Fargo story blew me away. I really liked Susie Yang’s as well. There were a few others that were excellent.’ Both were 4* reviews…     In her 4* review, Erin M said: ‘A brilliant collection of perfectly gothic short stories that not only introduced me to some new authors but also made for great reading throughout the week. A great starting point into the world of dark academia. “The Ravages” and “Pythia” were particular favourites of mine from this collection. I highly recommend picking this up!’ While Livia C’s 5* review said: ‘In These Hallowed Halls: A Dark Academia Anthology is everything I could have hoped for from a short story collection and more. I was absolutely drawn by names like Olivie Blake and Tori Bovalino, who I love with all my heart and this anthology let me discover more and more magnificent new authors and I’m gonna be forever grateful. I love Dark Academia and everything surrounding it and this anthology is absolutely perfect. In these 12 short stories the reader will be able to follow these complex and magnificent, often morally gray, characters in their adventures and stories. From revealing sinister truths about missing professors, deadly rituals, seances for revenge, obsessions, lies, secrets and death… I loved every single story. Deliciously sinister and creepy, intense and beguiling. 10/10’     One final 4* Netgalley review, with Patridge P offering: ‘This is an absolutely wonderful collection. I am a huge dark academia fan, so it is no surprise that I loved reading this. I read one short story a week because I didn’t want to fly through the book. There are a range of authors here that I have read, and some that I had not had the pleasure of reading yet. That is what I love about collections – they introduce you to new authors but with a short burst so you can get a taste of what they are writing. Sometimes with short stories, I struggle to connect to the story and characters but this was not the case here. Every story was written with such great care and love that I was able to really get into the writing.’ To pick the anthology up, simply click here. --------------------------------------------     Czech copies of Paul and Marie’s earlier anthology, Cursed, arrived last month courtesy of Titan Books and publisher Vydala EuroMedia Group and were also sent out to authors. A stunning publication, you can see photos above and below.         There’s also a Cursed audio sample up on YouTube (below) which you can listen to by clicking here.       Lastly, but never leastly, February is of course Paul’s birthday month and we’re sure you’ll join us all in wishing him Many Happy Returns! ----------------------------------------------- January   A very Happy New Year to you! The Festive Season may well be over, but we kick off 2024’s news with the announcement of a related mass market hardback anthology coming out from Paul and Marie: Death Comes at Christmas (above), published by Titan Books, releasing in October, and featuring the likes of CL Taylor, Vaseem Khan, Alexandra Benedict, Angela Clarke, David Bell, Helen Fields, Tina Baker and other stars of the genre. Look out for more about this as the year goes on. ------------------------------------------------       But before that, we have the anthology Beyond & Within: Folk Horror from Flame Tree, coming out over the summer and featuring the likes of Neil Gaiman, John Connolly, Jen Williams, Adam LG Nevill and Alison Littlewood. The cover for this hardback has now been released (above) and it’s available to pre-order here and here. --------------------------------------------     The promos for Paul’s brand new collection, Dark Reflections continued to drop in the run-up to release last month, with extracts from some of the stories (above and below) and an exclusive interview with Paul himself which you can read here.     The collection was also mentioned on This is Horror’s News Roundup (below) here.       In addition, Paul received ARCs of the gorgeous paperback (below), which is now out!             The book also started to get reviews, including a 5* one from Jim Dodge on Goodreads and Amazon: ‘In this collection Paul Kane takes tales from some of literature’s finest and most respected writers and turns them on their heads. Some are sequels, some told from a different viewpoint and all of them are equal to or better than the original stories. For those, like me, who like their fiction darkly delightful, you will absolutely adore Dark Reflections.’ Another Goodreads review came next, this time a 4* one from Zane Pinner: ‘I enjoyed most of these stories which extend, elaborate or explore some of the classics of horror and suspense. Kane does a great job of mimicking the styles and tones of these well-known works, the majority of which I was familiar with. For the most part, it was fun to revisit these established worlds through a different author’s lens. By far, the stand-out piece for me was “Masques”, followed by “The Grey Room” and “Signals”. I’ve never read any Kane before this collection, but he has a long and impressive publishing history. I’m keen to read some of his standalone original novels as his writing is accessible, visual and well-paced. If you're a fan of horror and suspense classics, you’ll have fun with these stories!’     It was also reviewed by Alister Davison over at Starburst (above) who gave it 5* and said: ‘Dark Reflections collects twelve stories from Paul Kane, all of which are based on pre-existing works within the horror genre. By asking the questions “what if?” or “what happened next?”, each of them finds an answer that can be comfortingly familiar or entirely unexpected, but always delivered by Kane’s usual skill and respect for the original texts as he takes readers beyond their final pages and into unexplored territory. They are not only tributes but – as Kim Newman states in his introduction – love letters from the author, showing why such classics are read again and again, their characters remaining a part of popular culture for so long. The sources of some stories can be initially obscure, while others are obvious from their titles, but both types make for a good read. There’s delight in guessing correctly, while prior knowledge of what’s being referenced helps the author twist expectations to provide memorable moments and satisfying surprises. Kane’s a prolific writer, and he’s one who doesn’t stand still, imbuing this collection with a variety of styles; the darkness is always there, of course, but it’s tempered with a modern approach and humour that catches the reader off-guard to provide a superb experience. As such, there isn’t a weak tale among them. Picking a favourite would depend on the mood at the time, but for this reviewer, “Dracula in Love” stands out; it manages to be laugh-out-loud-funny while making the titular character both sympathetic and terrifying… A triumph for its author. Kane thanks the publisher, Black Beacon Books, for being willing to release the book and we should too, as this dark dozen are perfect accompaniments to the works that inspired them.’ You can read the full thing here.     Finally, Runalong the Shelves reviewed the collection, saying: ‘All the stories are in conversation with each other. It’s a delight to see how influences, themes and authors cross paths with each other sometimes separated by many years. It’s usually my unofficial rule to avoid comparing a book with another book. Or author. I like to make you see a book as it is and not carry any expectations of other reads but I’ll make an exception in this case as Paul Kane in their new collection Dark Reflections has assembled a great collection of tales honouring their favourite pieces of fiction. Inventive and respectful it creates a highly enjoyable reading experience: In this collection we get… “In Hyding” – a refreshing, different take on the case of Doctor Jekyll. In this we get Hyde’s view of events and it has the interesting angle of suggesting Hyde is a lot more than a simple experiment gone wrong. A menacing, coaxing voice that uses the original tale in different ways. “Signals” – a tragic ghost story as a young woman haunted by past incidents watches TV traffic cameras in her job. This story is a modern take on a classic ghost story and for me actually gives the lead character a past and presence beyond simply the unlucky person in the story. Beautifully delivered. “Life Sentence” –  a world where death is impossible yet some still crave it. This story has an SF feel and uses another classic tale to create the world we visit but the interesting angle Kane has is why would someone still want to die? The final scenes are haunting in a very different way to most horror tales. “Humbuggered” – Eric, one of the kindest men alive who would likely give you his own coat, is haunted by his inspirational mentor and told he will have three visits this Christmas Night. Yes it’s a spin on A Christmas Carol but here about not doing good! There is a rationale to all of this and it is both cheeky and yet still linking to the earlier days in unexpected ways. Tempting fun! “The Greatest Mystery” – a supernatural Holmesian tale that captures the feel of a classic case but here where random murders without motive are everywhere. I like tales that remind us Holmes is not simply an arrogant robot and the reveal as to the cause of events is surprising. “Dracula in Love” – a comedic tale of Dracula meeting a therapist to discuss the potential first ever time he is in love. This story throws in lots of vampire jokes and references and is playful. Who gets a happy ending? I will let you decide! “Heartless” – one of my favourites with nods to a classic ghost story as a tough but passionate police woman tries to solve the brutal murders of two young children. It captures the grim feel of a procedural but slowly supernatural elements take over. It’s delivered really well and yet very faithful to its source tale. “Masques” – a brilliant doctor comes up against a truly horrible infection that kills within seconds. He is haunted by a party. Here Kane updates a classic Poe tale and offers an unusual link to the original story. It’s vivid, downbeat and unnerving horror. “Paw People” – a lovely piece of character narration as our tortured soul explains their obsessional hunt for one object that has caused so much pain. Kane explores the wicked side of getting your wishes granted and this one is very much for you to work out the object causing the trouble. “The Grey Room” – a fascinating ghost story within a tale of a supernatural investigator and his friends where he regales this latest weird case. Lots of references but this story is quite unnerving and yet satisfyingly solved and explained. I’ve had loads of fun reading this collection and as well as the joy of working out the inspirations, Kane is delivering good and highly enjoyable stories that stand on their own two feet even if the source material was taken away. A fine spooky collection for these dark nights!’ You can read that review here. And the dedicated ordering page for Dark Reflections is here. ----------------------------------------------     Our first Guest Writer this year is award-winning editor and author of Green Fingers, Isolation (above) and Only the Broken Remain (below), Dan Coxon. This story is taken from the latter and to read it, simply click here.     ---------------------------------------------         More shoutouts on Instagram for Paul and Marie’s Dark Academia anthology In These Hallowed Halls appeared in December like these from @one.cosy.girl, @jessicamap and @aimlessmel (all above).     And @up.too.late.reading (above) did a little write-up, saying: ‘Dark Academia is defined by a darkness that overshadows the students, creating a solemn tone and aesthetic. It is often a murder, over-powered professors or a difficult student life. Not long after joining Bookstagram I discovered dark academia was a thing and that I loved it! Give me a dark school or college setting and I’m there! So I was delighted to receive this gorgeous anthology for my birthday. In these Hallowed Halls is a collection of short stories by writers known for their dark academia. I am not really a fan of short stories but I was intrigued by this as there are authors included that I haven’t read before. I picked this as my last read of 2023 as thought it would be a good one to end the year on. My stand out favourite stories were from David Bell, Layne Fargo and JT Ellison…Whether you are a lover of dark academia or are intrigued and want to see what it all entails this is a good book to try.’         Plus @bubblegum_or_books are doing an interactive readalong, the dates of which you can find above. So head on over there if you want to take part!   There were also more glowing reviews, starting with Geek Girl Authority (above), who had this to say: ‘Overall, In These Hallowed Halls is an excellent addition to any dark academia collection. Every story is worth a read, and a handful are exceptional standouts. The imagery describing the schools in every story is beautifully done. Each writer has a unique way of transporting the reader to these various Universities. The descriptions of the campuses almost made me miss walking the halls of my alma mater (almost). I certainly miss perusing the dead, silent stacks of the always-empty library… The more disturbing stories are the ones that clung to me the most. The macabre tone resounds in every entry and carries the reader from one dark atmosphere to another. After reading these twisted tales, my dreams were dark, disturbing and, of course, took place in a library. This anthology is satisfying for fans of dark academia, horror or mystery genres. Make sure you have a warm blanket when you read because some of these stories will chill you to the bone.’ You can read the full thing here.   Credit: @PrisandherBooks     It appeared in SFF World’s Yearly Review where Mark Yon reiterated what he’d said previously: ‘This one is an anthology of all-new stories that deals with the current trend known as “dark academia”. I said that “In These Hallowed Halls delivers an eclectic range of stories from many of the newest and brightest genre writers. It is a book ideal for settling down with on a colder Autumnal night, or indeed dipping into as you start that new educational journey. (Cup of tea optional!) If you are a fan already, I think you’ll love it, or if you’re looking for somewhere to start, to try the subgenre, I can think of nowhere better at the moment.”’ To read the list click here.       And it also made @zubscovered’s list of the best Dark Academia of 2023 (above)   To pick the book up, just click here. ---------------------------------------------------------     Finally, a new review of Paul & Marie’s anthology Twice Cursed has dropped, this time from AU Review. Here’s what they had to say: ‘Twice Cursed is the second anthology from editors Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane on the theme of the curse. Authors such as Neil Gaiman, Angela Slatter, Laura Purcell, and A. C. Wise have each contributed short stories of dark and urban fantasy and fairy tale to explore the concept of a curse: of being cursed, of cursing another, of exacting a curse, of breaking a curse. The authors take the concept in numerous creative directions, and each story captures a different aspect of the idea. Snow White must come to terms with living a half-life after she is awoken from the dead, her beauty and her mother’s wickedness haunting her in a cursed mimicry of being alive. A support group for people living with a variety of curses is penetrated by an immortal with an unlikely story. And an archaeological dig slowly gets out of hand as petty academics seek vengeance against a woman succeeding, and she is succumbed by a witch’s buried curses. These stories are dark but imaginative, gory but redemptive. What drives someone to cast a curse? How does one live a life while cursed? And if you have the opportunity, would you pass your curse on to others to save yourself? These questions and others are explored by the authors in this collection, which is an excellent follow-up to the first collection. I’d recommend this anthology to lovers of dark fantasy and fairy tales, and short stories that take a concept to many different conclusions. Some stories are not for the faint of heart… but then neither is a curse!’   You can read the full thing here. And buy the book here or here.   -------------------------------------------------------------- ARCHIVE 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |

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