News from ChiZine, Damnation Books, and Dark Scribe Magazine

ChiZine Publications Announces New Contest

TORONTO, Ontario (February 18, 2010) – In honour of Valentine’s Day, ChiZine Publications (CZP) has announced a new contest to match its first thirteen titles to holidays. As an example, the theme of love—twisted, painful and unnatural as it may be—present throughout the stories of Monstrous Affections make it a natural match with Valentine’s Day.

Entrants have two weeks to submit their stories by the February 28th deadline. The grand prize win must match eleven of the thirteen titles. However, if no one wins the most common correctly-guessed matches will be posted online and there will be a second two-week round of submission with the threshold increasing to twelve correct answers. If again there is no winner, a third two-week round will follow, but then all titles must be correctly matched.

The grand prize winner receives either a free trade paperback or a short story critique by CZP Assistant Editor Helen Marshall.

However, there are other prizes. Secondary prizes of a free eBook will be award to those who guess a high number of correct matches (but not enough to win the grand prize) or who match titles with amusing, but incorrect, holidays.

“This is about having some fun,” says CZP Co-Publisher Brett Alexander Savory. “Some of the matches we’ve come up with are pretty funny. And if someone can make us laugh with their submission, they should get something. And you don’t need to have read all the books and clues to the matches might be in the book’s title, the titles of short stories within it, the cover art or its description on the website.”

Full contest details can be found at:
http://www.chizine.com/chizinepub/contests/holidays.php

Contact
Brett Alexander Savory, Publisher
ChiZine Publications
http://chizinepub.com
brett@chizinepub.com

About ChiZine Publications
ChiZine Publications (CZP) is an independent publisher of weird, subtle, surreal and disturbing dark fiction. It is the book-length, print outgrowth of ChiZine (www.chizine.com), an online professional market in operation since 1997 focused on the same type of story material. All of CZP's publications are hand-picked by co-Publishers and Bram Stoker Award-winners Brett Alexander Savory and Sandra Kasturi. Other staff includes Designer Extraordinaire Erik Mohr, Marketing Director Matt Moore, Editor Helen Marshall and Marketing Assistant Laura Marshall.

Damnation Books TO ATTEND WOMEN IN HORROR CONVENTION

santa Rosa, CA, FEBRUARY 9, 2010: Damnation Books, a start up e-publishing company specializing in paranormal and dark fiction will attend the Women In Horror Convention in San Francisco, California on February 27, 2010.

This is the first time the company will be represented at the event.

“We are very excited to be able to recognize the achievements of women in this genre,” said Gilchrist. “And will further celebrate by putting all horror titles by women authors on sale for 25% off through the month of February at our sister company Eternal Press. www.eternalpress.ca.

Damnation Books will give away complimentary tote bags filled with gifts for those in attendance.

More information can be obtained from Kim Richards Gilchrist at (707) 543-6227 or online at http://www.lastdoorwayproductions.com/events/home.html

Damnation Books TO CO-SPONSOR PRETTY SCARY BLOOD BATH FILM FESTIVAL

santa Rosa, CA, FEBRUARY 9, 2010: The Pretty Scary Blood Bath Film Festival, presented by Damnation Books, will showcase a selection of independent feature and short horror films written and directed by women. The films were selected by Dione and Andrew Rose and announced in January of 2010.

Eve Blaack, owner and editor-in-chief of Hacker's Source: The Guide to Independent Horror, will serve as the Pretty Scary Blood Bath Film Festival's Mistress of Ceremonies.

Selections as of 1/27/2010:

SHORT FILM SELECTIONS:

DEATH IN CHARGE - Devi Snively

http://www.deathincharge.com/

SIDE EFFECT - Liz Adams

http://www.sideeffectthemovie.net/Home.html

THE MIS-ADVENTURES OF MCT & A - Kimberly Amato, Michelle Tomlinson, Amy

Lyndon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcImoZVeS6U

THE FARM - Holly Reece

SWITCH - Melanie Light

FEATURE FILM SELECTION:

World Premiere - THE RETELLING - Emily Hagins

http://www.cheesynuggets.com

DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK - Jen & Sylvia Soska

http://www.deadhookerinatrunk.com

FAMILY DEMONS - Ursula Dabrowsky

http://www.familydemons.com

Damnation Books will give away complimentary tote bags filled with gifts for those in attendance at the event.

More information can be obtained from Kim Richards Gilchrist at (707) 543-6227.

From Dark Scribe Magazine

FLYNN, SIMMONS TAKE TOP HONORS IN BLACK QUILL AWARDS

LONG ISLAND, NY, February 9, 2010 — A master of otherworldly suspense and a literary fiction darling have taken top honors in the 3rd Annual Black Quill Awards, as winners were announced today by DARK SCRIBE MAGAZINE, the virtual magazine “dedicated to the books that keep readers up at night.”

Chicago-based author Gillian Flynn snagged the coveted Editor’s Choice award for DARK GENRE NOVEL OF THE YEAR for her sophomore effort, DARK PLACES, while veteran dark scribe Dan Simmons took Readers’ Choice honors in the same category for DROOD, his historical reimagining of the last years of Charles Dickens’ life. Simmons was nominated in the same category in 2007 for THE TERROR.

The Black Quill Awards were handed out in (8) categories honoring works of dark genre literature – horror, suspense, and thrillers – from both mainstream and small press publishers. While six of the awards recognized literary efforts, two of the awards recognized important aspects of book publishing and promotion: cover design and artwork and book trailer production — a growing marketing aspect of dark genre publishing. Peter Mahaichuk and César Puch dominated the BEST COVER ART AND DESIGN category for their work on Michael Louis Calvillo’s AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT for Bad Moon Books, while Calvillo himself took Readers’ Choice for BEST SMALL PRESS CHILL. Filmmaker JT Petty won Editors’ Choice for BEST DARK GENRE BOOK TRAILER for his work on the book trailer for real-life wife Sarah Langan’s AUDREY’S DOOR, while up-and-coming trailer producer John Palisano took Readers’ Choice in that same category for Gary Braunbeck’s FAR DARK FIELDS.

First-time nominees fared well in this year’s Black Quills, with Paul G. Bens Jr. taking top honors in the BEST SMALL PRESS CHILL category (Editor’s Choice) and Stoker Award-winner Lisa Morton scoring an Editors’ Choice nod for her editing work on MIDNIGHT WALK in the BEST DARK GENRE ANTHOLOGY category. Jameson Currier snagged an Editors’ Choice award for BEST DARK GENRE FICTION COLLECTION for THE HAUNTED HEART AND OTHER TALES, while David Nickle picked up the Readers’ Choice award in that same category for MONSTROUS AFFECTIONS. Editor Michael Knost took Editors’ Choice honors in the BEST DARK GENRE BOOK OF NON-FICTION category for the how-to compilation WRITERS WORKSHOP OF HORROR, while frequent Stephen King chronicler Bev Vincent earned Readers’ Choice honors in the same category for his THE ILLUSTRATED STEPHEN KING COMPANION. Elsewhere, Sarah Totton and Harry Shannon earned Editors’ Choice and Readers’ Choice nods, respectively, in the BEST DARK SCRIBBLE category. Totton’s short story “Flatrock Sunners” appeared in the UK print magazine BLACK STATIC, while Shannon’s “The Night Nurse” ran on the webzine Horror Drive-In.

Prolific genre editor Ellen Datlow – a double nominee this year – added a Black Quill Award to her lengthy list of honors for her editing work on POE: 19 NEW TALES INSPIRED BY EDGAR ALLAN POE. This was Datlow’s third nomination, following last year’s nomination for INFERNO: NEW TALES OF TERROR AND THE SUPERNATURAL and a second nomination this year for her work on the LOVECRAFT UNBOUND collection.

Nominations for the Black Quills are editorial-based, with both the editors and active contributing writers submitting nominations in each of the (8) categories. Once nominations are announced, readers of DSM cast their votes for their picks in each category. For this year’s outing, more than 3,300 votes were cast by the magazine’s readers. In a unique spin intended to celebrate both critical and popular success, two winners are traditionally announced in each category – Reader’s Choice and Editor’s Choice. Winners receive recognition in DSM, inclusion in press release materials announcing nominations and winners, a virtual icon to be used on their own website, and a handsome award certificate.

A complete list of all the nominees and winners follows:

DARK GENRE NOVEL OF THE YEAR: (Novel-length work of horror, suspense, or thriller from mainstream publisher; awarded to the author)

• Audrey's Door by Sarah Langan (Harper)
• Castaways by Brian Keene (Leisure Books)
• Dark Places by Gillian Flynn (Shaye Areheart Books) WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE
• Drood by Dan Simmons (Little, Brown and Company) WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (Riverhead Hardcover)
• The Unseen by Alexandra Sokoloff (St. Martin's Press)

BEST SMALL PRESS CHILL: (Novel or novella published by small press publisher; awarded to the author)

• As Fate Would Have It by Michael Louis Calvillo (Bad Moon Books) WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• Frozen Blood by Joel Sutherland (Lachesis Publishing)
• Kelland by Paul G. Bens Jr. (Casperian Books) WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE
• Last Days by Brian Evenson (Underland Press)
• The Harlequin and the Train by Paul G. Tremblay (Necropolitan Press)
• Valley of the Dead by Kim Paffenroth (Cargo Cult Press)

BEST DARK GENRE FICTION COLLECTION: (Single author collection, any publisher; awarded to the author)

• Martyrs & Monsters by Robert Dunbar (DarkHart Press)
• Monstrous Affections by David Nickle (ChiZine Publications) WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• Pumpkin Teeth by Tom Cardamone (Lethe Press)
• The Haunted Heart and Other Tales by Jameson Currier (Lethe Press) WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE
• Ugly Man by Dennis Cooper (Harper Perennial)

BEST DARK GENRE ANTHOLOGY: (Multi-author collection, any publisher; awarded to the editor)

• Dark Delicacies III: Haunted edited by Del Howison and Jeff Gelb (Running Press)
• He Is Legend: An Anthology Celebrating Richard Matheson edited by Christopher Conlon (Gauntlet Press)
• Lovecraft Unbound edited by Ellen Datlow (Dark Horse Comics)
• Midnight Walk edited by Lisa Morton (Darkhouse Publishing) WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE
• Poe: 19 New Tales Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe edited by Ellen Datlow (Solaris) WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• Shivers V edited by Richard Chizmar (Cemetery Dance Publications)

BEST DARK GENRE BOOK OF NON-FICTION: (Any dark genre non-fiction subject, any publisher; awarded to the author[s] or editor[s])

• Morbid Curiosity Cures the Blues edited by Loren Rhodes (Scribner)
• Stephen King: The Non-Fiction by Rocky Wood and Justin Brooks (Cemetery Dance Publications)
• The Stephen King Illustrated Companion by Bev Vincent (Fall River Press) WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• Writer's Workshop of Horror edited by Michael Knost (Woodland Press) WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE

BEST DARK SCRIBBLE: (Single work, non-anthology short fiction appearing in a print or virtual magazine; awarded to the author)

• “Flatrock Sunners” by Sarah Totton (Black Static #12 / Print) WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE
• “Following Marla” by John R. Little (Horror World, February 2009 / Virtual)
• “Night Nurse” by Harry Shannon (Horror Drive-In, July 2009 / Virtual) WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• “The Loyalty of Birds” by Rachel Sobel (Clarkesworld #30 / Virtual)
• “The Man in the Mirror” by Jameson Currier (Icarus #1 / Print)
• “The Mind of a Pig” by Ekaterina Sedia (Apex Magazine, March 2009 / Virtual)

BEST COVER ART & DESIGN: (From any dark genre work of fiction, novel, novella, or anthology; awarded to artist and/or cover designer)

• As Fate Would Have It / Artwork: Peter Mahaichuk; Cover Design: César Puch [by Michael Louis Calvillo from Bad Moon Books] WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE / WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• The Estuary / Artwork: Johann Bodin; Cover Design: Jacob Kier [by Derek Gunn from Permuted Press]
• The Haunted Heart and Other Tales / Artwork by: Richard Taddei; Cover Design: John Molloy [by Jameson Currier from Lethe Press]
• The Pilo Family Circus / Cover Design by: Heidi Whitcomb [by Will Elliot from Underland Press]

BEST DARK GENRE BOOK TRAILER: (Book video promoting any work of fiction or non-fiction; awarded to the video producer or publisher)

· Audrey's Door / Production by JT Petty (Author: Sarah Langan) WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE

· Far Dark Fields / Production by John Palisano (Author: Gary Braunbeck) WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE

· Isis / Production by Circle of Seven (Author: Douglas Clegg)

· The Lifeless / Production by Coscom Entertainment (Author: Lorne Dixon)

· Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters / Production by Seth Dalton and Ransom Riggs (Author: Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters)

Link: http://www.darkscribemagazine.com/3rd-annual-winners/

Attachment: Black Quill Awards Winners Logo