| Author | Message | ||
     Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Well, my bad mood today has been lifted slightly by the unveiling of the lovely cover for Pretty Little Dead Things: http://angryrobotbooks.com/our-authors/gary-mcmahon/pretty-little-dead-things/ The novel will be published in November by Angry Robot. Just to really annoy those who don't approve of writer's publicising their own work, here are some tasty blurbs: “Gary McMahon’s vision is as bleak as a Yorkshire moor, but it glows with a wintry light that illuminates the dark we live in. His prose and his sense of place are precise and evocative, and his characters are as real as you and me. He’s one of the darkest – which is to say brightest – new stars in the firmament of horror fiction.” - Ramsey Campbell ” ‘Pretty Little Dead Things’ is a very disturbing read. Gary McMahon seems intent on taking readers through the looking glass and tearing down the walls between the living and the dead. He creates dark, hallucinatory images that burn in your brain forever. One very creepy dude, and this is his creepiest to date.” - Christopher Fowler “Thomas Usher is a great character treading a twilight world between Manhunter and Most Haunted; conflicted by grief, haunted by blame, a ‘magnet for ghosts’ who sees the skull beneath the skin. In Pretty Little Dead Things, Gary McMahon nails genuine horror as few British writers can – or dare. He gets under your skin, then burrows even deeper. Terrifyingly, dangerously, hauntingly so.” - Stephen Volk, creator of TV’s Afterlife “Gary McMahon’s horror is heartfelt, his characters flawed and desperate, and this book is a rich feast of loss, guilt, and redemption. His vivid ideas are given life in beautiful prose, and the book leaves you staring into shadows that weren’t there before. His talent shines, and is set to burn brighter still.” - Tim Lebbon | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
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| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Whhops! here's a smaller version (as the scream queen said to the masked killer):  | ||
| Stu (Stu) Username: Stu Registered: 04-2008 Posted From: 82.11.91.176 |
Nice cover. | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.184.226.144 |
Lookin' good. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Thanks, chaps. | ||
| Gcw (Gcw) Username: Gcw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.158.238.131 |
Good stuff Zed!  gcw | ||
| Steve Bacon (Stevebacon) Username: Stevebacon Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 90.210.209.136 |
Fantastic, Gary. Can't wait for it. | ||
| Mark West (Mark_west) Username: Mark_west Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.171.253.12 |
Great cover, Gary, looking forward to seeing this in the shops! | ||
| Steve Bacon (Stevebacon) Username: Stevebacon Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 90.210.209.136 |
I love that Chris Fowler quote. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.240.106 |
Cheers, fellas. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.253.174.81 |
Oh that's lovely - another one for the library at Probert Towers | ||
| Kate (Kathleen) Username: Kathleen Registered: 09-2009 Posted From: 213.122.209.76 |
But I get to read it first!  | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Bless you both... | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 82.26.154.208 |
Buy two copies! (Some salesman you are, Zed . . . ) | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.37.199.45 |
Well done, Gary. Great to see your work reaching a bigger audience. | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 88.104.140.73 |
Congrats, Zed! | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Thanks, y'all. | ||
| Ramsey Campbell (Ramsey) Username: Ramsey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.93.21.74 |
Hurrah! | ||
| Darren O. Godfrey (Darren_o_godfrey) Username: Darren_o_godfrey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 207.200.116.133 |
Oh so cool... | ||
| Simon Bestwick (Simon_b) Username: Simon_b Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 86.24.209.217 |
Fandabidozi. | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.72 |
Congrats, mate. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
The novel isn't out until November, but I've just come across this nice little advance review of Pretty Little Dead Things: http://gillpolack.livejournal.com/674337.html It's short, but the reviewer seems to get what I was trying to do - create a memento mori wrapped up in a tight plot and with decent characterisation. | ||
| Huw (Huw) Username: Huw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 220.138.163.131 |
Nice, Gary! I was at the local bookshop with my friend recently and, noticing a book called Pretty Dead Things, I thought of impressing her with how I knew the author, but then I saw the book was missing a 'Little' and was by a Barbara someone... unless this is a new pseudonym of yours, Zed?! | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
Ha! No, Huw, it's another author. When Angry Robot were still part of HarperCollins their release of that book delayed mine. Now that Angry Robot have been taken over by Osprey, the delay is simply because of the corporate buy-out. It feels like I've been waiting forever to see this novel on in the shops.  | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 82.31.8.83 |
My heart bleeds for you. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
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| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
Forgive the plug, but here's another little teaser review - this time from our own Mark West: http://markwestwriter.blogspot.com/2010/08/pretty-little-dead-things-by-gary.htm l | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
Huzzah! Over the last 3 nights I've been reviewing and commenting on the proofs for Pretty Little Dead Things and I've finally finished - just emailed my corrections to the publisher, and it feels bloody great.  I also just had a rather lovely email from one of the publisher's proof-readers saying that he absolutely loved the novel. Happy days. Now, on to the next novel... | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
The first reviews are in, and they're uniformly postive: http://angryrobotbooks.com/2010/10/by-far-the-best-horror-novel-release-of-2010/ Bit overwhelming, all this, but it's also very exciting. The book is out in the UK on November 4th, and December in the US/Canada. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
Congrats, Zed, must be a great feeling! | ||
| Mark West (Mark_west) Username: Mark_west Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.39.177.173 |
Excellent, Gary - bloody fantastic, even - I'm really pleased for you. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
It's an odd feeling...quite emotional knowing the book is out in three weeks. Btw, I still haven't posted Rain Dogs. I need to actually go into a post office to find the cheapest method (it's as expensive as posting abroad sending something to N. Ireland!). Keep watching that letterbox... | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.21 |
Great stuff, mate. Gonna be a big day for ya. Well done, mate, it's well deserved. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
I just received the first copy off the press from the publisher...like, wow. It's really real now.  | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.21 |
Do you ever sometimes (when nobody's looking) have a little try at mastering your signature? You do, don't you | ||
| Simon Bestwick (Simon_b) Username: Simon_b Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 86.24.209.217 |
Congrats, Gary. Well-deserved. | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 88.111.132.33 |
Congrats! It is a good feeling when you have in hands what you've put so much hard work into writing. | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.21 |
Hey Zed, great to see you'd love Paddy Considine to play TU if there was a movie adaptation. That lad's a great actor. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
Thanks again, folks. I just received the first ever copy from the publisher, and here are a few snaps: | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
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| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
Try again...  | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
 | ||
| Jamie Rosen (Jamie) Username: Jamie Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 99.241.48.210 |
I see those upstarts King and Straub are trying to piggyback on the McMahon momentum. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 82.17.252.126 |
Thank you so much, Gary. Just home and there was a package waiting for me. I can't get over how beautiful the book is! It really is far more than I expected and has cheered me up no end, you're a great guy!! | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
No problem, Stevie - Rain Dogs was the first novel I ever wrote, but I'm still very fond of it and think it has a lot of good things going on. Hope you enjoy the book. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
Some times I even scare myself...  | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.31.194.128 |
He was a hale and hearty youth when he started reading it. | ||
| Mark_lynch (Mark_lynch) Username: Mark_lynch Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.171.129.74 |
Zed, that's abso-fookin-lutely brilliant! Top banana in all departments. Well done, sir! | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Cheers, Mark, you little royster-doyster.  | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
People have already started receiving copies ordered through Amazon, and it'll be in real-world bookshops like Watersones this Thursday (4th November). Ecxited, me? Well, just a bit. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
So excited, in fact, that I was unable to spell it. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
It's in the shops today - and well represented, too. Tonight I drink wine and celebrate! | ||
| Darren O. Godfrey (Darren_o_godfrey) Username: Darren_o_godfrey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 207.200.116.133 |
Too cool, Gary. Mucho congratulations! | ||
| Richard_gavin (Richard_gavin) Username: Richard_gavin Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 65.110.174.71 |
Fantastic, Zed. Congratulations. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Thanks, fellas... | ||
| Matthew Fryer (Matthew_fryer) Username: Matthew_fryer Registered: 08-2009 Posted From: 90.195.182.42 |
Mine arrived this morning. In a terribly un-British fashion, it seems to have rudely barged right to the front of my enormous and eternally patient TBR pile. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Ah...that's music to my ears, mate. | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 88.111.132.33 |
When I go into bookshops I'll spread the copies over the table and turn the cover face outwards on the shelf. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.29.126.12 |
And I'll be right behind you, placing Hutson books on top of each one. | ||
| Matthew Fryer (Matthew_fryer) Username: Matthew_fryer Registered: 08-2009 Posted From: 90.195.182.42 |
That would be like trying to push polar magnets together. | ||
| Steve Bacon (Stevebacon) Username: Stevebacon Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 90.204.111.238 |
I bought this from Doncaster Waterstones yesterday, after searching for it for quite a while. They had filed it in the crime section. I read the first part while I sat in Costa Coffee. It looks supberb. Congratulations, Gary. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
Thanks, folks - you all rock. Except Gary Fry, who rolls. Like a donut pushed down a slight incline. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.29.126.12 |
Come and take a flying fuck at me, then. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
Shudder  | ||
| Rosswarren (Rosswarren) Username: Rosswarren Registered: 11-2009 Posted From: 86.160.83.13 |
Spotted an error at the start of chapter 19, thought you'd like to know in case the US edition hasn't gone to print yet. The scene in chapter 23 with Trevor Dove is immense, nearly bought me to tears, Damn you! lol | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Thanks, Mr. Pedro Dantic.  | ||
| Rosswarren (Rosswarren) Username: Rosswarren Registered: 11-2009 Posted From: 86.160.83.13 |
I'll get my coat | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.132.93.28 |
Shouldn't that be Pedro Antic, Zed? Yes, well done, you energetic bugger. The book looks lovely. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 82.33.242.34 |
This should be on its way to us now my dear boy, but I expect you to personalise it in your own *special* way when we next meet | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Oh, but of course...  Tony - I don't feel too energetic at the minute, mate (just burnt out). But, ta! | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.176.178.44 |
Picked up my copy today in Basingstoke Waterstone's! Hurrah! | ||
| Rosswarren (Rosswarren) Username: Rosswarren Registered: 11-2009 Posted From: 86.160.83.13 |
Finished this last night. An absolutely stunning piece of work. I look forward to the follow up. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Thanks, ross...much appreciated. | ||
| Kate (Kathleen) Username: Kathleen Registered: 09-2009 Posted From: 86.131.0.116 |
And I've just finished it, Gary. It's beautifully written, scary and moving in that gut-wrenching way you do so well. You deserve all the praise you've had and then some. And I'm looking forward to the next one! |