Tuesday, 31 December 2024
Monday, 23 December 2024
Tuesday, 17 December 2024
Cover art for Elak, Sea Hawks of Atlantis by Jim Pitts, tales by Adrian Cole
Award-winning artist Jim Pitts has now sent in his fabulous cover artwork for Adrian Cole's third Atlantis collection, Elak, Sea Hawks of Atlantis, which will be published in January next year.
The tales included in this 323-page collection are:
THE SWALLOWER OF ISLANDS Published here for the first time
JEWELS OF THE SEA HAG First published in Tales from the Magician’s Skull, Special #2 (USA) 2022
PRISONERS OF DEVIL DOG CITY First published in Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 5, edited by David A. Riley, Parallel Universe Publications (UK) 2022
THE CURSE OF BLOODBONE ISLAND First published in Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, (USA) 2023
GOD OF THE DREAMING ISLES First published in Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 6, edited by David A. Riley, Parallel Universe Publications (UK) 2023
WHEN THE SEA GODS RISE Published here for the first time
All three volumes will be available as uniform edition paperbacks and as kindle ebooks.
Contributor to Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 8 R. K. Olson
Contributor R.K. Olson, whose story For the Heart of a Spearslayer appeared in Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 8, had an article all about him and his other fantasy stories in CNI Briefing this month,
Tuesday, 10 December 2024
Phantasmagoria - New issue includes review of Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 9 and an article about our Elak of Atlantis trilogy by Adrian Cole
The latest issue of Phantasmagoria magazine is now out and includes a review of Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 9, plus an artcle by David A. Riley on Adrian Cole's Elak of Atlantis Trilogy.
The issue also includes a reprint of a science fiction horror story by David A. Riley: Help-Plants, which was first published in Aboriginal Science Fiction. It's also included in the collection from Shadow Publishing, The Lurkers in the Abyss and Other Tales of Terror.
Sunday, 17 November 2024
Dead Thieves in the Night - my latest Horbeck sword and sorcery tale
I have now finished Dead Thieves in the Night, my latest sword and sorcery story involving the mercenaries Horbeck, Brud and Asnar. This finished at 10,000 words, a novelette.
As soon as I completed this, though, I found myself embarking on yet another yarn of this trio, though no title as yet.
The list of Horbeck & Co stories so far are:
The Unhappy Inquisitor
The Demon from Another World (Anthology of the Damned: Necromoirrium)
Lies and Treachery
The Mummified Demi-God
Dead Thieves in the Night
Thursday, 14 November 2024
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 9 is now available as a paperback and a kindle eBook
Sunday, 10 November 2024
Kindle version of Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 9 is now available
Unfortunately, at the moment the image of the book cover on amazon is a negative. I don't know why, but this should be corrected soon.
Wednesday, 6 November 2024
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 9 - update
Received my proof copy of Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 9 yesterday but I wasn't 100% happy with the spine. A strip of the white encroached into the front cover, so I have made corrections and ordered a second proof copy. I know, I'm a bit of a perfectionist, but I can't go ahead until I am at least 90% happy. I've also made a couple of other minor alterations. The second proof should reach me by Monday at the latest. By then it should be ready for publishing. Hopefully paperbacks and kindle copies will be available to order by Wednesday the 13th.
In the meantime I have formatted the collection for kindle and that looks absolutely fine to me. This task seems to get easier the more often I do it.
Hope everyone likes the book when it's out there!
Friday, 1 November 2024
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 9
The Cold Maiden by Eli Freysson
Assassin Eternal: The Memory Eaters by Andrew Darlington
To Raise the Shining Walls of Irem Once More by Tais Teng
Fulgin the Grim: Retribution by Ken Lizzi
Snow in Kadhal by Jaap Boekestein
Voyage to Vancienne by Gavin Chappell
A Pathway Forward by Lyndon Perry & David Bakke
The Left Eye of Phun Margat by Scott McCloskey
Sorcery in Nekharet by Steve Dilks
The artwork in the book and on the covers is, of course, by Jim Pitts.
Our plan is for the paperback and kindle ebook to be available before the end of the month, hopefully by mid-November.
The Submissions Period for Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 9 has now closed
We will annouce when the next submissions period opens both here and online.
Tuesday, 1 October 2024
Submissions now open for Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 9
THE SUBMISSIONS PERIOD FOR VOLUME 9
OPENS ON THE 1ST OCTOBER TILL THE 31ST
Payment
is £25 per story regardless of length plus one contributor's copy of
the paperback. The book will be published as a paperback and ebook. If a
hardcover version is published we will pay an additional £25. Please send your submissions as attachments (doc, docx or rtf) headed
"Submission - Swords & Sorceries 9"
to:
paralleluniversepublications@gmx.co.uk
Please send only one submission - the one you consider the best fit for us.
Although we like original stories we will also consider reprints. Just let us know where and when it was previously published.
You can send in simultaneous submissions, but let us know if your story is accepted elsewhere as soon as you possibly can. Bear in mind you will only have to wait a maximum of one month and a week in which to receive a decision from us.
There is no limit on the size of submissions.
There
is absolutely no need to tell us anything about yourself because the
only thing that matters is the story. Everything else is irrelevant.
All rejections and acceptances will be sent by email by the end of the first week in November. Please don't enquire about your submission before then.
And good luck!
In the past we have received a number of stories that may be fantasy but are not swords and sorcery. If you are unsure what swords and sorcery is, you could get a better idea by checking out volumes 1 - 8. Saying that, swords and sorcery is a broad genre and we are more than willing to consider stories that stretch its limits, as we have in the past.
Also check our dedicated facebook group:
The contents of Volume One are:
THE MIRROR OF TORJAN SUL - Steve Lines
THE HORROR FROM THE STARS - Steve Dilks
TROLLS ARE DIFFERENT - Susan Murrie Macdonald
CHAIN OF COMMAND - Geoff Hart
DISRUPTION OF DESTINY - Gerri Leen
THE CITY OF SILENCE - Eric Ian Steele
RED - Chadwick Ginther
THE RECONSTRUCTED GOD - Adrian Cole
The cover and all the interior artwork is by Jim Pitts.
amazon.co.uk
The contents of Volume 2 are:
The Essence of Dust by Mike Chinn
Highjacking the Lord of Light by Tais Teng
Out in the Wildlands by Martin Owton
Zale and Zedril by Susan Murrie Macdonald
The Amulet and the Shadow by Steve Dilks
Antediluvia: Seasons of the World by Andrew Darlington
A Thousand Words for Death by Pedro Iniguez
Stone Snake by Dev Agarwal
Seven Thrones by Phil Emery
The Eater of Gods by Adrian Cole
Illustrations by Jim Pitts.
The contents of Volume 3 are:
Sorcerous Vengeance by Lorenzo D. Lopez
Seal Snatchers of Jorsaleem by Tais Teng
When the Gods Send You Rats by Chadwick Ginther
Mother's Bones by Carson Ray
In the Lair of the Snake-Witch by Darin Hlavaz
The Rains of Barofonn by Mike Chinn
Wardark by Craig Herbertson
The Foliage by Rab Foster
In the Lair of the Moonmen by Jon Hansen
Sailing on the Thieves' Tide by Adrian Cole
Illustrations by Jim Pitts.
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of
Heroic Fantasy Volume 4 contains
eleven tales:
In the Iron Woods by Dev Agarwal
My People Were Fair and Wore Stars in Their Hair by Andrew Darlington
At Sea by Geoff Hart
The Flesh of Man by Frank Sawielijew
City at the Mouth of Chaos by Adrian Cole
In the Belly of the Beast by Edward Ahern
The Tracks of the Pi Nereske by Wendy Nikel
Slaves of the Monolith by Paul D. Batteiger
The Green Wood by David Dubrow
Demonic by Phil Emery
The Whips of Malmac by H. R. Laurence
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of
Heroic Fantasy Volume 5 contains
eleven tales:
The contents are:
The Rotted Land by Charles Gramlich
Skulls for Silver by Harry Elliott
For the Light by Gustavo Bondoni
People of the Lake by Lorenzo D. Lopez
Free Diving for Leviathan Eggs by Tais Teng
The Black Well by Darin Hlavaz
Degg and the Undead by Susan Murrie Macdonald
The Mistress of the Marsh by David Dubrow
Silver and Gold by Earl W. Parrish
Bridge of Sorrows by Dev Agarwal
Prisoners of Devil Dog City by Adrian Cole
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 6 is available as a paperback and ebook (kindle)
LAND OF THE DEAD by Dev Agarwal
THE HOUSE OF BONES by Carson Ray
THRENODY OF GHOSTS by Phil Emery
WARDARK AND THE SIREN QUEEN by Craig Herbertson
OTRIM by Lyndon Perry
GODS, MEN, AND NEPHILIM by David Dubrow
GOLDEN WITCH OF ADZELGAR by Scott McCloskey
RAIDING THE GRAVEYARD OF LOST SHIPS by Tais Teng
A PLACE OF GHOSTS by Andrew Darlington
THOSE WHO WEAR THEIR WHITE HAIR PROUDLY by Lauren C. Teffeau
TRIALS FOR TREASURE by Harry Elliott
GOD OF THE DREAMING ISLES by Adrian Cole
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 7 is available as a paperback and ebook (kindle)
The stories and authors included are:
PITILESS by Stephen Frame
UNHALLOWED TOMBS by Paul Batteiger
SORCERIES IN ASSABARR by Andrew GrahamSCHISM OF SPECTRES by Phil Emery
THE CROSSROADS IN THE FOREST by Gavin Chappell
WISPS by Jason M Waltz
DARK THE SKY, RADIANT THE ROAD by Jalyn Renae Fiske
THE BLOOD OF KHALID AL'TAHIR by Craig Comer
THE DARK KNIGHT OF THE SOUL by eric Ian SteelePROHAIRESIS by Jon Zaremba
The stories and authors included are:
TO WAKE THE HUNTER
by Tais Teng &
Jaap Boekestein
MOONFINGER AND
GIFT by Andrew Darlington
THE QUALITY OF
MERCY by Geoff Hart
EMPLOYMENT FOR
MAGICAL PEOPLE by Monica Goertzen Hertlein
THE HERO’S PATH by
Jeffery A. Sergent
LITTLE LIVES ROUNDED BY SLEEP by Matt McHugh
WARDARK
AND THE PIRATE KING by Craig
Herbertson
FOR THE HEART OF A SPEARSLAYER by R.
K. Olson
THE STONE HEADS by Scott McCloskey
THE TROUPE by Andrew Graham
LAIR OF THE MUTANT
KING by Adrian Cole
Thursday, 26 September 2024
Kickstarter Project - Anthologies of the Damned
I have an interest in this kickstarter project as I have a 8000 word sword and sorcery yarn in Anthology of the Damned - Necromoirrium called The Demon from Another World.
I have been struck by the sheer enthusuasm and energy of those behind this project and wish them well.
Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Adrian Cole - Weirdbook, Phantasmagoria magazine and the Elak of Atlantis Trilogy
Not only is the current issue of Weirdbook an Adrian Cole Special, but the next issue of Phantasmagoria magazine will have an article about Adrian Cole's Elak of Atlantis Trilogy by David A. Riley, plus all three collections of Elak books by Adrian will be reviewed. These will appear together with a plethora of illustrations from the books by Jim Pitts.
Monday, 2 September 2024
Childe Rolande by Samantha Lee
One of our most original books: Childe Rolande by veteran horror and fantasy author Samantha Lee.
Sunday, 1 September 2024
Thursday, 29 August 2024
Weirdbook Adrian Cole Special
Congratulations on this special edition of Weirdbook, Adrian!
Thursday, 22 August 2024
Essayan's Terrible Machineries of War accepted for publication
My ninth story accepted this year for publication is Essayan's Terrible Machineries of War, a sword and sorcery story. This will be published in January next year.
This features in a minor role my recurring character Nadrain the Storyteller.
More details later.
Wednesday, 21 August 2024
Tuesday, 20 August 2024
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 9 - cover reveal
Monday, 19 August 2024
Thirty Years of Parallel Universe Publications
Thirty years ago Parallel Universe Publications was born. Using money from my redundancy at British Aerospace, where I'd worked for twenty years, I planned on bringing out a bi-monthly science fiction/fantasy magazine called Beyond. By now I had already accepted all the stories that would go into the first issue, to be published in 1995, and announced its forthcoming launch at 1994's Fantasycon, where I was to meet for the last time one of our most prominent contributors, Karl Edward Wagner, who died soon after.
Beyond only lasted three issues, and for a few years afterwards Parallel Universe Publications went into abeyance till 2012 when we published the first of many ensuing books. This started with Craig Herbertson's The Heaven Maker & Other Gruesome Tales, and over 50 books have followed it, including our successful anthology series Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy, which will be up to volume 9 in November.
Tuesday, 30 July 2024
Childe Rolande and Elak, King of Atlantis
 |
| Published by Futura 1989 |
It's curious how Fate sometimes works in small ways. There are two
books I reviewed some years ago which had been published by other
imprints than my own - Futura Books and Pulp Hero Press respectively -
which I never thought at the time I would eventually reprint as Parallel
Universe Publications books.
The first was Samantha Lee's
Childe Rolande, which Futura published in 1989 and which I reviewed on
amazon in March 2022, not realising I would be reprinting this later
that year. This is a link to my original review on https://www.amazon.com/Childe.../dp/1739832655/ref=sr_1_1....
The other, of course, is Adrian Cole's
Elak, King of Atlantis, which I reviewed for Phantasmagoria magazine
not long after the book was first brought out by Pulp Hero Press. https://davidandrewriley.blogspot.com/.../my-review-of...
I don't know whether this will ever happen again, but twice, I'm sure, is strange enough.
 |
| Published by Pulp Hero Press 2020 |
.jpg) |
| Published by Parallel Universe Publications 2022 |
 |
| Published by Parallel Universe Publications 2024 |
|
| Published by Futura 1989 |
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