Archive for June, 2013

Jurassic London Unearths The Book of the Dead!

 Mummy

Jurassic London is delighted to announce The Book of the Dead, a collection of new short stories, all themed around the most mysterious, versatile and under-appreciated of the undead: the mummy.

The Book of the Dead will be published in collaboration with the Egypt Exploration Society, the UK’s oldest independent funder of archaeological fieldwork and research in Egypt, dedicated to the promotion and understanding of ancient Egyptian history and culture.

John J Johnston

The Society’s Vice Chair, John J. Johnston, who provides the volume’s introduction, explains:

“The mummified remains of Egypt’s ancient dead have fascinated travellers, scholars and museum visitors for millennia and for around the last 180 years, they have provided a potent source of inspiration for authors, artists, and film makers. As an Egyptologist who studies the reception of ancient Egypt in the modern world, I view the fictional mummy as a compelling figure, lurking in the dark recesses of our collective imagination, having been resurrected and refashioned as the object of exotic fantasy; the tragic paramour, tortured by long-lost loves and, most frequently, as the terrifying instrument of ancient vengeance. As such, I am delighted to see this grand literary tradition continue in Jurassic London’s impressive and original collection of new, mummy-inspired short fiction, The Book of the Dead.”

The anthology collects 19 original stories, ranging freely across time periods, genres and styles. Paul Cornell takes an Egyptian monarch on an unusual—and contemporary – journey to redemption in “Ramesses on the Frontier”. Gail Carriger gives readers a peek into the history of the Parasol Protectorate series and the Tarabotti family in “The Curious Case of the Werewolf that Wasn’t, The Mummy that Was and the Cat in the Jar.” Maria Dahvana Headley raises discomfiting new questions about the candy industry in “Bit-U-Men” and Jesse Bullington features a young man who finds an unlikely role model in “Escape from the Mummy’s Tomb.”

The Book of the Dead also contains new stories from David Thomas Moore, David Bryher, Molly Tanzer, Sarah Newton, Lou Morgan, Maurice Broaddus, Adam Roberts, Michael West, Den Patrick, Roger Luckhurst, Jenni Hill, Glen Mehn, Jonathan Green, Louis Greenberg and Will Hill.

The Rainbow Orchard

The stories are illustrated by Garen Ewing, the creator of The Adventures of Julius Chancer, the acclaimed ligne claire adventure nominated for two UK National Comic Awards and currently serialized in The Phoenix.

The Book of the Dead will be released this October as a limited edition hardcover as well as in paperback and digital formats.

You want more? How about an early look at the entire Table of Contents?

  • Maurice Broaddus—“Cerulean Memories”
  • David Bryher—“She is Cleopatra”
  • Jesse Bullington—“Escape from the Mummy’s Tomb”
  • Gail Carriger—“The Curious Case of the Werewolf that Wasn’t, The Mummy that Was and the Cat in the Jar”
  • Paul Cornell—“Ramesses on the Frontier”
  • Maria Dahvana Headley—“Bit-U-Men”
  • Jonathan Green—“Egyptian death and the afterlife: mummies (Rooms 62-3)”
  • Louis Greenberg—“Akhenaten Goes to Paris”
  • Jenni Hill—“The Cats of Beni Hasan”
  • Will Hill—“Three Memories of Death”
  • Roger Luckhurst—“The Thing of Wrath”
  • Glen Mehn—“Henry”
  • David Moore—“Old Souls”
  • Lou Morgan—“Her Heartbeat, An Echo”
  • Sarah Newton—“The Roof of the World”
  • Den Patrick—“All is Dust”
  • Adam Roberts—“Tollund”
  • Molly Tanzer—“Mysterium Tremendum”
  • Michael West—“Inner Goddess”

Read the full official post on Tor.com!

Vampires Don’t Sparkle! Doesn’t Disappoint!

anthologyextravaganza

The Witchy Contessa has just posted a great new review of my first anthology as editor, Vampires Don’t Sparkle!  Here is an excerpt:

“This is a collection of real vampire stories. Not the sparkly ones from Twilight or the Sexy ones from Vampire Diaries!  But REAL EVIL WICKED AND BLOODY VAMPIRES!  And it so doesn’t disappoint!  With 15 stories to sink your teeth into, you are sure to suck this one dry!”

VDS_standing book

Read the full review here!

And order your very own copy of Vampires Don’t Sparkle! here!

“Vampires the Way They were Meant to Be Written!”

 anthologyextravaganza

Bee’s Knees Reviews just posted a great new 5-Star review of my first anthology as editor, Vampires Don’t Sparkle!  Here is an excerpt:

“This is a throwback to old school vampires as they should be. They are evil, scary and bloody. I knew Michael West would pick awesome tales and he did not disappoint. All the stories were very readable and enjoyable. My favorites from the group were ‘Vampire Nation’ by Jerry Gordon, ‘The Excavation’ by Stephen Zimmer, ‘A Soldier’s Story’ by Maurice Broaddus and ‘Robot Vampire’ by R. J. Sullivan. This book is not for the Twilight fans this is for fans of horror and of Vampires the way they were meant to be written.”

VDS_standing book

Read the full review here!

And get your very own copy of Vampires Don’t Sparkle!

Strange Amusements

Strange Amusements has just posted a wonderful new review of my first anthology as editor, Vampires Don’t Sparkle!  Here is an excerpt:

“This is a collection of real blood suckers who will thrill, amuse, and frighten you, fifteen tales of terror ranging from an unstoppable Viking vampire lord to a robot vampire from Japan. Each story is different and original, such as a vampire that feeds on other vamps or an apocalyptic future overrun by skraelings. The stories are entertaining and well written by some well-known authors such as J.F. Gonzalez and Tim Waggoner and some that I am just being introduced to. I will definitely be looking for more of their works on my favorite subject and other horror. It’s good to know that the true vampire legend has not been completely destroyed for profit and hopefully the evil creatures of the night are making a comeback. So get out your garlic and crucifix and try to sleep tight. Muhahaha.”

VDS_standing book

Read the full review here!

And get your very own copy of Vampires Don’t Sparkle! here!

Vampires Don’t Sparkle! “Is, Well, Awesome!”

anthologyextravaganza

Book in a Bag just posted a great new 5-Star review of my first anthology as editor, Vampires Don’t Sparkle!  Here is an excerpt:

“In Vampires Don’t Sparkle!, editor Michael West has managed to take the vampire and make it awesome again. He got rid of the current trend of sexy, sparkly, undead love interests that make teenage girls swoon, and instead has replaced it with something dark, something unique. Gone are the cheezy ‘I want to suck your blood’ types that 1950s B-level horror flicks brought us. Gone are the neauveau un-scary un-dead. What he’s left us with is, well, awesome.”

VDS_standing book

Read the full review here!

And get your very own copy of Vampires Don’t Sparkle! here!