Here is a video advert for Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasdy Volume 2 created by my very talented daught, Cassandra.
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Friday, 18 June 2021
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 2 - Video
Thursday, 17 June 2021
David Whitlam artbook is now available: Grotesque Illuminations - the Art of David Whitlam
Though not published by Parallel Universe Publications, we are proud to see that this book is now available. David's work has graced two PUP books in the past: A Little Light Screaming and A Distasteful Horror Story, both by Johnny Mains.
Grotesque Illuminations is a 143 page hardcover book, 8.5 by 11 inches in size. £35 per copy.
In David's own words: "My new book Grotesque Illuminations - the Art of David Whitlam is now available. This 143 page full colour hardback book spans over 20 years of my artwork. From early experiments with automatic drawing, to oil paintings and digital art, it's the complete document of my journey into Surrealism"
Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Fishhead: The Darker Tales of Irvin S. Cobb
The Introduction
"During his lifetime Irvin S. Cobb was one of the most celebrated writers in American literature, though nowadays he is almost forgotten, apart perhaps from his Lovecraft connection. Irvin Shrewsbury Cobb was born in Paducah, Kentucky on the 23rd June, 1876. His father, unable to cope with the death of his own father, succumbed to alcoholism when Cobb was only sixteen. As a result, Cobb’s education came to an end and he started work, first on the Paducah Daily News, then the Louisville Evening Post. By 1904 Cobb’s career in journalism was doing so well that he moved to New York, where he would go on to spend the rest of his life, starting work at the Evening Sun, though it wasn’t long before an assignment to cover the Russian-Japanese peace conference in Portsmouth, New Hampshire so impressed Joseph Pulitzer that he offered Cobb a job at the New York World, where he became the highest-paid staff reporter in the United States. In 1911 Cobb moved to the Saturday Evening Post. Three years later he was asked to cover the Great War. Amongst the many stories he wrote while there were the exploits of the Harlem Hellfighters, a unit of black American soldiers who had gone on to earn distinction for their courage and discipline, which Cobb celebrated in his book The Glory of the Coming.
Besides his prolific work as a journalist, Cobb’s fame largely came from his humorous stories, which were published in the leading magazines of his day, and collected in numerous books during his lifetime. But, though he was best known as a humourist, he did have a darker side, exemplified by the tales collected in this volume. Two of the most famous succeeded in catching the attention of H. P. Lovecraft. It is claimed that Fishhead influenced Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth. And there is certainly no doubt that Lovecraft was favourably impressed with this tale. In his groundbreaking essay, Supernatural Horror in Literature, Lovecraft wrote: “Fishhead, an early achievement, is banefully effective in its portrayal of unnatural affinities between a hybrid idiot and the strange fish of an isolated lake…” The Unbroken Chain gave Lovecraft the key idea behind The Rats in the Walls, though in all other respects the two tales are totally different.
Besides writing and journalism, Cobb’s career extended to Hollywood, where legendary director, John Ford, made two films based on his books: Judge Priest (1934) and The Sun Shines Bright (1953). Other films included Peck’s Bad Boy (1921), starring Jackie Coogan, and The Woman Accused (1933), with a young Cary Grant. Cobb also did a stint at acting himself, appearing in ten movies altogether, including Pepper, Everybody’s Old Man (1936), Steamboat Round the Bend (1935) and Hawaii Calls (1938). It’s a sign of the prominence he had achieved that in 1935 he was invited to host the 7th Academy Awards.
Other than the tales that inspired Lovecraft, Cobb also wrote some brilliantly dark stories that culminate in a kind of sadistic irony. They are some of the finest conte cruel ever written. Amongst the best of these is the final story in this collection: Faith, Hope, and Charity, whose protagonists, as is often the case in Cobb’s stories, struggle against fates that are not only pre-ordained but are horrendously appropriate! It must be added his hapless victims are far from blameless. What fates await them under Cobb’s pen have most definitely been brought upon them by themselves! Through most of the tales there is a wry sense of humour, so wry, in fact, that it never detracts from the impact at the end; indeed, it often adds to and embellishes it! I hope you enjoy reading these stories as much as I did and share with me the conviction that it is high time they were revived."
Contents are:
Fishhead
The Escape of Mr. Trimm
The Gallowsmith
Mr. Lobel's Apoplexy
The Unbroken Chain
The Second Coming of the First Husband
Masterpiece
January Thaw
Cabbages and Kings
We Can't All Be Thoroughbreds
Queer Creek
Ace, Deuce, Ten Spot, Joker
Balm of Gilead
Faith, Hope, and Charity
Hardback, paperback and kindle:
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.com
Fishhead
The Escape of Mr. Trimm
The Gallowsmith
Mr. Lobel's Apoplexy
The Unbroken Chain
The Second Coming of the First Husband
Masterpiece
January Thaw
Cabbages and Kings
We Can't All Be Thoroughbreds
Queer Creek
Ace, Deuce, Ten Spot, Joker
Balm of Gilead
Faith, Hope, and Charity
Hardback, paperback and kindle:
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.com
You can order the paperback version direct from us on this link, post free.
Sunday, 13 June 2021
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volumes 1 & 2 are available on kindle
While showing images of the print versions of Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volumes 1 and 2, it's important for us to stress that both books are also available on kindle too, including the images printed inside.
Please check these out.
The kindle copies are only £2.99 each.
Volume 2:
Volume 1:
amazon.comSaturday, 12 June 2021
Our two volumes of Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy
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| Artwork: Jim Pitts |
We are pleased to see that sales have already begun to grow for our second volume of swords and sorcery stories, along with those for the first, which has gained some great reviews since it was published late last year.
These are just some extracts:
"This is an entertaining anthology of new sword and sorcery with a diverse range of unique tales."
"A varied collection of stories. Not to be overlooked. Available in paperback and e-book from Amazon. And be sure to keep an eye out for Volume Two out next year with more art by Jim Pitts. Recommended!"
"There is also a refreshing hint of the good old days in Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy spiced up with the approach of a new generation of fantasy writers."
"What an enjoyable book. Quality sword and sorcery stories and amazing art by Jim Pitts."
"Of all the anthologies put out featuring the works of contemporary S&S authors, I think this may be the best I’ve read to date."
To read the full text of these reviews click on this link.
Volume 2:
Volume 1:
Friday, 11 June 2021
A Little Light Screaming by Johnny Mains to go out of print at the end of June
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| Cover artwork: David Whitlam |
A Little Light Screaming by Johnny Mains will go out of print at the end of June, which gives you only another 19 days to snap up a copy before it's in the second hand market only.
Johnny Mains is the award winning editor of Back From the Dead. He is also the editor of Best British Horror and, along with Robin Ince, of Dead Funny, both from Salt Publishing. This is his third collection of short stories, which includes Resuscitation Andy, The Case of the Revenant, Blossom, The Girl on the Suicide Bridge, The Foul Mass at Tongue House, Paintings, A Forest of Lonely Deaths, Sticking Your Head Out is Dangerous, The Curse of the Monster, and The Gamekeeper.
Contents are:
Introduction by Alison Moore
Resucitation Andy
The Case of the Revenant
Blossom
The Girl on the Suicide Bridge
The Foul Mass at Tongue House
Paintings (with Simon Bestwick)
A Forest of Lonely Deaths
Sticking Your Head Out is Dangerous
The Curse of the Monster (with Bryn Fortey)
The Gamekeeper
The Case of the Revenant was first published in The Mammoth Book of Sherlock Holmes Abroad
Blossom was first published in Poor Souls' Light
The Girl on the Suicide Bridge was first published in Beside the Sea
The Foul Mass at Tongue House was first published in Terror Tales of the Scottish Highlands
Sticking Your Head Out is Dangerous was first published in The Vault of Evil
The Curse of the Monster was first published as a stand alone chapbook
The Gamekeeper was first published in Whispers in the Dark
You can order this book direct from us on this link, post free.
Thursday, 10 June 2021
Our copies of Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 2 arrived today
The contents of Volume 2 are:
Introduction by David A. Riley
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.
Amazon.co.uk £11.99 paperback/£2.99 kindle
Amazon.com $16.97 paperback/$4.23 kindleTuesday, 8 June 2021
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 2 is now available in paperback and kindle
We are excited to announce that Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 2 is now available as a paperback and ebook (kindle). The paperback is £11.99 and the kindle is just £2.99.
The contents of Volume 2 are:
Introduction by David A. Riley
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.
Amazon.co.uk £11.99 paperback/£2.99 kindle
Amazon.com $16.97 paperback/$4.23 kindle
Saturday, 5 June 2021
Not long to go now before Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 2 is published
We are really excited that the print and kindle versions are all but ready to be published. An announcement of the launch of Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 2 is imminent.
The contents of Volume 2 are:
Introduction by David A. Riley
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.
Volume 1 is still available:
Parallel Universe Publications
Tuesday, 1 June 2021
Another 5-star review for Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 1
The latest review on amazon for Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 1 has yet another 5 stars and some glowing comments: "Great sword and sorcery stories from the foremost writers of our time! Great variety, from the typical sword wielding barbarians to old witches, to non-human familiars. Swords and Sorceries has something for everyone."
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