The Giant Book Of Fantasy & The Supernatural

Stephen Jones & David Sutton  (eds) –  The Giant Book Of Fantasy & The Supernatural (Parragon, 1996: originally Tiger Books 1994 as The Anthology Of Fantasy & The Supernatural)

Stephen Jones & David Sutton  – Introduction: A Bazaar of the Bizarre

Tad Williams – Child of an Ancient City
Thomas F. Monteleone  – The Cutty Black Sow
Adrian Cole – Treason in Zagadar
Nancy Holder  – Fatal Age
Ramsey Campbell  – The Mouths of Light
David J. Schow  – [scribble]
Brian M. Stableford  – The Storyteller’s Tale
Nicholas Royle  – The Big Game
Alex Stewart  – The Cat in the Wall
Anne Goring – The Shadow Queen
Brian Mooney  – The Waldteufel Affair
Parke Godwin – Up Yours, Federico
Andrew Darlington – Foul Moon Over Sticklespine Lane
Mike Chandler  – The Star Weave of Snorgrud Sunbreath
Melanie Tem  – Pele
William Thomas Webb  – Alchemist’s Gold
Allen Ashley  – The Horror Writer
Laurence Staig – The Healing Game
Josepha Sherman  – The Love-Gift
David Riley – A New Lease
H. J. Cording  – A Fly on the Wall
William F. Nolan – At Diamond Lake
Randall D. Larson – Satan Claws
Dallas Clive Goffin – The Maiden & the Minstrel
Jean-Daniel Brèque – Sight Unseen (Droit de Regard).
David Andreas – The Malspar Sigil
Steve Green  – Cracking
Steve Rasnic Tem – Angel Combs
S. M. Stirling – The Waters of Knowing
Charles Wagner – Just a Visitor at Twilight
Joel Lane – And Make Me Whole
Darrell Schweitzer & John Gregory Betancourt- The Last Child of Masferigon
Samantha Lee  – Silent Scream
Garry Kilworth  – Store Wars
Earl Godwin – Daddy
Adam Nichols – The Dark Fantastic
Michael Marshall Smith  – The View
C. Bruce Hunter  – The Salesman and the Travelling Farmer’s Daughter
Peter Dennis Pautz – And the Spirit That Stands by the Naked Man

illustrations by Allen Koszowski,  Dave Carson, Randy Broeker, Alan Hunter, Dallas Goffin, Harry O. Morris, Russ Nicholson, Russell Morgan, Jim Pitts, Mark Dunn, Charles Dougherty, Martin McKenna, John Stewart, Alfred R. Klosterman.

It’s not unlikely the original stories were intended for Fantasy Tales before it went to the wall. As a non-fantasy man i’m not sure i will ever be able to get along with something called The Star Weave of Snorgrud Sunbreath but delighted to find stories i’ve not previously read from Michael Marshall Smith, David Riley, Brian Mooney and Ramsey Campbell among others.

see also the Giant Book Of Fantasy & The Supernatural thread on the Vault forum.

Stephen Jones – Basil Copper: A Life In Books

Stephen Jones (ed.) – Basil Copper: A Life In Books (PS Publishing, Feb. 2008)

Stephen Jones – Introduction: Recollections Of Basil Copper
Basil Copper – Foreword
Richard Dalby – Basil Copper, Crime Writer And Master Of The Macabre
Stephen Jones – Basil Copper: A Working Bibliography. A. Macabre And Supernatural Novels
Basil Copper – Remembering August Derleth And Arkham House
Stephen Jones – Basil Copper: A Working Bibliography. B. Macabre And Supernatural Collections
Basil Copper – The Game’s Afoot! August Derleth And Solar Pons
Stephen Jones – Basil Copper: A Working Bibliography. C. The ‘Solar Pons’ Series
Basil Copper – August Derleth: A Giant Remembered
Stephen Jones – Basil Copper: A Working Bibliography. D. The ‘Mike Faraday’ Series
Basil Copper – Rap Sheet
Basil Copper – Diamonds Are For Never
Stephen Jones – Basil Copper: A Working Bibliography. E. Other Books
Basil Copper – In The Footsteps Of Dracula
Stephen Jones – Basil Copper: A Working Bibliography. F. Non-Fiction
Basil Copper – The Curse
Basil Copper – Professor Mahmoud
Stephen Jones – Basil Copper: A Working Bibliography. G. Short Stories And Novellas
Basil Copper – Peter Haining: A Tribute
Basil Copper – The Black Coffin
Stephen Jones – Basil Copper: A Working Bibliography. H. Media Adaptations
Basil Copper – Count Magnus
Stephen Jones – Basil Copper: A Working Bibliography. I. Unpublished Works
Basil Copper – Darkness, Mist And Shadow: The Landscape Of Fear

Illustrations by Randy Broeker and Les Edwards

“the basil copper book is a model in bibliography, and the articles are a fascinating read. my only minor quibble is that the proofing suddenly goes to pot on the short stories, which i found most bizarre. but it only stood out as the rest of the text was immaculate, i guess. mr c’s screenplay is a cracker, btw, and really should have been made. i’d recommend anyone who, like me, has only ever read his macabre stuff to look out for the hardboiled novels; on the strength of the short story included in this volume, i certainly intend to!”

– pulphack on Vault of Evil

After the excitement and excesses of the launch, maybe it’s time to turn our attention to the book – and what a splendid effort by all concerned. First impressions (i’ve barely dipped into it yet) are pulphack’s “model in bibliography”-cum- big Basil scrapbook with several photo’s of the great man in action taken at various stages of his career and much fine illustrative work. Some of it – like the Peter Haining tribute – is snippet-size, but Stephen Jones’ biblio is an all-encompassing thing which speaks of several hours devoted study.

As with the event, it’s a celebratory thing that will have you wishing your own favourite authors had studies like this devoted to them. Be warned, i’m planning to return to A Life In Books when i’ve given it a super-scrutiny, but now that pesky perve The Handyman beckons ….

Basil Copper ‘A Life in books’ launch this saturday

sorry it’s such short notice. it’s looking like there will be a decent vault presence at this. i’m the guy rat-tail hair, wild staring eyes and broken arm and you are very welcome to say hi and get me incredibly drunk! see olde cock tavern thread on vault site for latest news/ arrangements for night so you’ll know how best to avoid us.

and thanks to Mark Samuels for tipping us off and typing this out!

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).