| Author | Message | ||
     Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.0.112.152 |
Just thought you all might like to know that I've just accepted a collection of short fiction by a certain Mr Bestwick. Some of these tales are genuine classics and date back to the glorious days of early independent press horror. Delighted to be able to give them the renewed life they deserve. | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
Who? Never heard of him. Seriously this is great news. Simon is a very good writer indeed. | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.70.33.227 |
Yayy!! Congrats Simon!! Any title yet? | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 06-2008 Posted From: 86.145.39.131 |
Great news. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.253.174.81 |
Jolly good. I like Simon's stuff a lot - this should be a cracker | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 85.158.137.195 |
Good show - hope you're paying Simon enough to get his boiler fixed. | ||
| Mark West (Mark_west) Username: Mark_west Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.39.177.173 |
Excellent news - I hope this includes material from 'Nasty Piece Of Work' and Sackcloth & Ashes! | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.0.112.152 |
It does, it does. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.219.8.243 |
I truly can't wait for this. Simon is one of my favourite genre writers, and this should be a stunning collection. | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.37.199.45 |
"Good show - hope you're paying Simon enough to get his boiler fixed." I didn't know... oh, don't tempt me. Congrats, Simon. Gary, we'll forgive your temporary disappearance from this message board while you work like fuck to make this a huge success. However, I'd be surprised if any of the stories "date back to the glorious days of early independent press horror". Even if we're only talking in the UK, Simon wasn't born then. If we're talking worldwide, his parents weren't born then. Bring it on. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.0.112.152 |
Another name for ped-ants is insects underfoot.  | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.0.112.152 |
I didn't even know there was an independent press scene in horror until I joined the circus in 2002-ish. | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.37.199.45 |
It started in the late sixties, Gary. As documented in David Sutton's book 'Thirty Years on the Edge: A history of British small press horror'. And in the USA it started in the thirties, if not before. I was writing for the UK horror small press in the early 1980s. It were all green fields around here then. The last sentence is not true. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.0.112.152 |
In the early 1980s I was "burning off" Paul Biggs on my BMX. | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.37.199.45 |
But if Simon B. had been around then, his stories would have been as much loved as they are now. And he would be as close to the glue factory as me. Simon has been bringing his own brand of passion and sorrow to the UK small press for more than a decade, and this collection will do much to strengthen his reputation in the field. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.0.112.152 |
In the late sixties I was the vague star by which my parents steered their burgeoning lives together. | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.37.199.45 |
OK Gary, you win. I'm OLDER THAN YOU. Are you happy now? Let's get back on topic. This book is great news. When can we expect it? Can you tell us anything about its size, contents, range or forensic profile? | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.0.112.152 |
Thanks. Feel better now. It's all relative, you know. The book will be out in April-ish, I hope. It will be a paperback the size of all the other GFP titles. Contents yet to be confirmed, but all good stuff, natch. The author photo will be of Simon wearing a tutu. For this project he wishes to be known as Simone. | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.37.199.45 |
You guys are mad. You should be looking at six months to decide on the contents and another six months for editing, typesetting and cover design. Launch at Fantasycon 2010. April? There isn't time to sneeze between now and April. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.0.112.152 |
I'd be as old as you by then. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.0.112.152 |
Seriously, I've had the proposal and stories for over a year. | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.37.199.45 |
OK, no more queries. Make it happen. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.0.112.152 |
Yep, I certainly will. And what's more...huh? Ugh! ...heart attack... arghhhh... | ||
| Niki Flynn (Niki) Username: Niki Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 78.32.69.29 |
Well done Simon! (whose conspicuous absence from this thread reminds me of my own welcome thread on the original RCMB, which managed to bring together Reanimator, Valentine's Day and haemorrhoids all in one thread.) | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.37.199.45 |
Get Herbert West on the phone, quick. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.0.112.152 |
The line's dead, too. Can he fix that? | ||
| Mark_lynch (Mark_lynch) Username: Mark_lynch Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 212.74.96.200 |
Good luck with it all, Simon and Gary! | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.70.33.227 |
Am I going to have to email Simon for a title then :>) | ||
| Steve Bacon (Stevebacon) Username: Stevebacon Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 90.213.27.228 |
Looking forward to this collection. 'The Narrows' was the best short story published in 2008, in my opinion. | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.70.33.227 |
I agree with you there Stephen! | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.242.126 |
THE NARROWS was a fine example of a quite brilliant (although modest; and very handsome) editor cajoling a writer into producing a superb tale.  | ||
| Simon Bestwick (Simon_b) Username: Simon_b Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 86.24.165.182 |
Um, thanks, everyone... don't know what to say really. Other than thanks again to everyone for the very kind words. I'm actually blushing a little, I think. Seriously. Title is to be confirmed... There's a few things I have to thrash out with Gary. Or 'thrash out of him' if he's serious about trying to make me wear a tutu. I mean, I know he wants the book to scare people, but... there are standards, you know?  | ||
| Simon Bestwick (Simon_b) Username: Simon_b Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 86.24.165.182 |
Zed- I know, mate; what would I do without you? | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.70.33.227 |
An - ahh moment! Proud of you all! Out for Alt.Fiction then? Whenever that is - April/May? Alex has left and there is someone new organising it. | ||
| Huw (Huw) Username: Huw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 218.168.180.216 |
Congratulations, Simon! | ||
| Simon Bestwick (Simon_b) Username: Simon_b Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 86.24.165.182 |
Huw- thanks! | ||
| Karim Ghahwagi (Karim) Username: Karim Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 80.167.124.223 |
'In the early 1980s I was "burning off" Paul Biggs on my BMX.' I think I came to consciousness during the 1986 world cup, but there might have been glimmers before then- involving turtles me thinks. Cool news Mr.Bestwick :-) | ||
| Richard_gavin (Richard_gavin) Username: Richard_gavin Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 67.71.38.237 |
Nicely done, Simon! Congratulations. I'm also happy to see that Gray Friar Press is alive and well. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.0.112.152 |
Well, every other UK horror publisher seems to have died, so I might as well keep at it... |