The Black Beacon Book of Pirate Tales

Black Beacon Books is now open to submissions for a pirate anthology! Our Patreon patrons voted for this theme during a recent poll. The usual submissions guidelines apply to this anthology, but read on for the specific details.

The Black Beacon Book of Pirate Tales

What are we looking for?

For this anthology, we're looking for pirate tales, preferably about pirates and buccaneers from the 16th to 18th centuries. Stories set in completely fictional/fantasy worlds will be considered but are likely to be a hard sell. That said, we're interested in stories belonging to various genres just so long as the central characters and setting are pirates or centred on the theme of piracy, even if the story is set in the present. For example, a ghost story featuring a legendary pirate or a mystery about a lost treasure. We're not looking for sci-fi or futuristic stories. As usual, if you have any questions, just get in touch.

The submissions window will remain open until December the 31st. Now, raise that black flag and get back to your writing desk!

Submissions Window: The Black Beacon Book of Ghost Stories

Our next submissions window will be for The Black Beacon Book of Ghost Stories from Halloween to Christmas Eve, 2023. We'll be looking for atmospheric ghost stories that give the reader a chill. Those familiar with our anthologies (this should mean you!) will know that we prefer subtlety over overstatement and creepiness over shock. We want the slow turn of the screw, perhaps with a twist at the end. If you make the editor shiver or shed a tear, you're in with a shot. 

Read the full submission details on the submissions page and don't submit outside of the window.

The Black Beacon Book of Horror: Release Date and Table of Contents

We're proud to announce the contributing authors and stories for The Black Beacon Book of Horror. This is going to be huge! The anthology will be published on Friday the 13th of October so everyone can grab an ebook or print copy in the lead-up to Halloween.

Now, are you ready to discover the line-up?

Drum roll...

The Guisers by David Turnbull
The House on the Bluff by Edward Lodi
The Choir by Kev Harrison
Ruby's Syzygy by Matthew R. Davis
Humus by Sam Dawson
Questions a Man Ought Not to Ask by Elizabeth Broadbent
Marjorie by Meg Belviso
Children of Blood by Greg Chapman
Quiver by Angelique Fawns
Cameo by Deborah Sheldon
The Great Invocation by David Schembri
Dominion by Jeff Wood
Divine Liquor by C.C. Adams
Landslide by Harris Coverley
Holiday Home by Cameron Trost
Her Mother's Lullaby by Micah Castle

For the first time ever, this anthology includes stories by both the cover artist, Greg Chapman, and the man behind our logo, David Schembri.

A Post-Apocalyptic Interview with Claire Davon

Our next anthology, Tales from the Ruins, is going to be a cataclysmic one! It will be released on the 25th of February but the Kindle version is available for pre-order today at just 99c instead of $3.99. To celebrate the imminent publication of the first Black Beacon Books anthology exclusively dedicated to post-apocalyptic fiction, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Behold the maniacal workings of their troubled minds!

Hi Claire,

Let’s make the first question a lighthearted one...hmm...okay, got it! Is your story simply an entertaining piece of fiction or are you giving us a peek at the terrifying fate tomorrow will unleash upon us?

My story actually stems from a dream I had back as a wee lass when we were always afraid that Russia was going to drop the "big one" on the US, or vice versa. It felt like a terrifyingly possible reality then, and it’s little different now—only perhaps the method of our demise as told in my story has been somewhat—altered.

What is it that makes post-apocalyptic fiction so appealing? Would the world be better off if more people read this genre?

We live in a world where disaster hangs over our head with every news story, so how can people not think about it? Post-apocalyptic fiction takes us to that natural conclusion. As for being better off if everyone read it? Depends on whether you like your sleep at night !

Do you have a favourite post-apocalyptic author?

Perhaps not an author per se, but I grew up reading all manner of SF and Fantasy, including John Wyndham and Richard Matheson. However, my favorite novel in the genre is The Stand by Stephen King.

Some people like to listen to music while reading. Which song can you imagine providing the soundtrack to your story? 

A heartbeat.

If you woke up in your story tomorrow, what would you do?

Probably the same thing my main character did! 

There are no firearms or ammunition. You have to choose an everyday object from the home or garden as your weapon of choice—what’s in your hands?

A shovel with a long handle.

Time to get more personal. Tell us three interesting facts about yourself. 

1. I live in Southern California and work at a movie studio
2. I used to party on the Sunset Strip in the 1980s/1990s
3. I tend to live life as though I have a soundtrack behind me and have been known to break out into song (to suit the occasion, of course)

What do you aim to give your readers?

A little bit of everything. I write in many genres so someone reading all of my stories will be in for a ride!

What are you working on now?

Edits for a contemporary romance, a PNR shifter novella, a superhero romance series and the final book in one of my self-pubbed PNR series.

Where can we find you online?

I’m lots of places, but here are three of my most active! Thanks for reading!
Website: www.clairedavon.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClaireDavonindieauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClaireDavon

Thanks for playing along. Good luck in the wastelands!

A Post-Apocalyptic Interview with Joseph S. Walker

Our next anthology, Tales from the Ruins, is going to be a cataclysmic one! It will be released on the 25th of February but the Kindle version is available for pre-order today at just 99c instead of $3.99. To celebrate the imminent publication of the first Black Beacon Books anthology exclusively dedicated to post-apocalyptic fiction, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Behold the maniacal workings of their troubled minds!

Hi Joseph,

Let’s make the first question a lighthearted one...hmm...okay, got it! Is your story simply an entertaining piece of fiction or are you giving us a peek at the terrifying fate tomorrow will unleash upon us?

Hopefully “Cast Upon The Water” is more of an entertainment than a prophecy. I don’t actually specify in my story exactly what caused the evident catastrophe, but it involves devastated land and rising waters. I don’t think you can read the story without thinking of climate change, and if it leads to a single reader taking that problem more seriously, great. For the most part, though, I just wanted to put a few characters in a terrible situation and see how they dealt with it.

What is it that makes post-apocalyptic fiction so appealing? Would the world be better off if more people read this genre?

The world would be better off if more people read, period. What they read is obviously important, but secondary. Unfortunately, post-apocalyptic fiction probably is popular right now because so many people do have an impending sense of doom. This is nothing new—Mary Shelley wrote a novel about a global plague that wipes out humanity hundreds of years ago. The most important moment for the genre, though, was certainly the introduction of nuclear weapons, which suddenly made the end of the world something more than hypothetical. Now we have to worry about the bomb, about pandemics, and about the climate. These are all, by the way, problems made much worse by widespread, determined stupidity, which brings us back to people needing to read more.

Do you have a favourite post-apocalyptic author? 

He obviously doesn’t always write in this genre, but I think the single greatest post-apocalyptic book I’ve read is “The Road,” by Cormac McCarthy. It’s probably the text that was most influential on how I wrote my story.

Some people like to listen to music while reading. Which song can you imagine providing the soundtrack to your story? 

Is Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water” too obvious?

If you woke up in your story tomorrow, what would you do? 

Cry some, I imagine, then try to find a library or someplace else with a stash of books where I could read away my remaining time. I’m not delusional enough to think I’d suddenly develop survival skills!

There are no firearms or ammunition. You have to choose an everyday object from the home or garden as your weapon of choice—what’s in your hands? 

The obvious choice is a kitchen knife, but truthfully my preference would be a baseball bat.

Time to get more personal. Tell us three interesting facts about yourself. 

-I didn’t begin publishing fiction until I was in my 40s.
-I’ve been to games in 21 Major League Baseball parks and hope to see all of them in my lifetime.
-During the pandemic I became obsessive about building Lego sets.

What do you aim to give your readers? 

Hopefully, a diverting and entertaining experience that will stick with them for a while. I hope most of my stories include a line, or an image, or a character that the reader will find themselves thinking about days later.

What are you working on now?

I write exclusively short stories, and almost all of them are in the mystery/crime genre. I usually have a few stories in different stages of development at any one time. By my count, I’ve had 85 stories published. I’m hoping to get to 100 by the end of the year! 

Where can we find you online? 

I have a website (https://jswalkerauthor.com/) and I’m on Twitter @JSWalkerAuthor. Among other things, the website has links to several of my stories that can be read online for free, so it’s a great way to get a taste of my work.

Thanks for playing along. Good luck in the wastelands!

Thanks. I’m honored to be part of Tales from the Ruins!

A Post-Apocalyptic Interview with Adam Breckenridge

Our next anthology, Tales from the Ruins, is going to be a cataclysmic one! It will be released on the 25th of February but the Kindle version is available for pre-order today at just 99c instead of $3.99. To celebrate the imminent publication of the first Black Beacon Books anthology exclusively dedicated to post-apocalyptic fiction, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Behold the maniacal workings of their troubled minds!

Hi Adam,

Let’s make the first question a lighthearted one...hmm...okay, got it! Is your story simply an entertaining piece of fiction or are you giving us a peek at the terrifying fate tomorrow will unleash upon us? 

Well I certainly didn’t hope to bore anyone with it but I think I was trying to get at a particular angle of the apocalypse in the story by considering the way a certain small slice of the population would be little affected by it, though of course only for so long.

What is it that makes post-apocalyptic fiction so appealing? Would the world be better off if more people read this genre?

There can be something cathartic about apocalyptic fiction, especially in the times we live in, where apocalyptic scenarios feel all too imminent. It’s worth remembering that Greek tragedy often served the function of helping Athenians cope with their own struggles and uncertanties and I think this genre can do the same for us. It can even be optimistic in its way, since it’s a genre that is pretty much always about survivors it shows us how people can always endure even through the worst. That’s something I think most people could benefit from.

Do you have a favourite post-apocalyptic author? 

I don’t know if I can single out a particular author who I see as excelling specifically at this genre, though of course there are many superb works that have been produced. Samuel R. Delaney’s Dhalgren (sort of a mild apocalyptic novel) left a profound impression on me, as did Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. And of course we can’t discount all the great apocalyptic cinema out there, especially the Mad Max films.

Some people like to listen to music while reading. Which song can you imagine providing the soundtrack to your story?

Given its natural surroundings, I’d say no soundtrack at all, or perhaps nature sounds if you’re into that sort of thing.

If you woke up in your story tomorrow, what would you do? 

Probably die. I don’t have the survival skills my hero does.

There are no firearms or ammunition. You have to choose an everyday object from the home or garden as your weapon of choice—what’s in your hands?

A hammer. It’s lightweight and easily concealed but packs a deadly punch and might also come in handy if I needed to find some way to drive some nails into a piece of wood.

What do you aim to give your readers? 

I hope my readers come away from my work with something to think about. I’m not interested in just entertaining, I always try to go for something deeper.

What are you working on now?

I just finished up a smattering of short stories to start sending out. While I’m doing that I’ll be revisiting a novel project I had to put on the back burner for a bit because I hit a wall on it, but I think I see my way past it now. There is plenty more coming from me though, believe you me.

Where can we find you online?

I recently quit Twitter for reasons that probably don’t need to be stated (rhymes with Schmelon Schmusk) so unfortunately I don’t have much of a social media presence at the moment, but keep an eye out. I’m sure I’ll pop up again somewhere.

Thanks for playing along. Good luck in the wastelands!

A Post-Apocalyptic Interview with Stuart Olver

Our next anthology, Tales from the Ruins, is going to be a cataclysmic one! It will be released on the 25th of February but the Kindle version is available for pre-order today at just 99c instead of $3.99. To celebrate the imminent publication of the first Black Beacon Books anthology exclusively dedicated to post-apocalyptic fiction, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Behold the maniacal workings of their troubled minds!

Hi Stuart,

Let’s make the first question a lighthearted one...hmm...okay, got it! Is your story simply an entertaining piece of fiction or are you giving us a peek at the terrifying fate tomorrow will unleash upon us?

Maybe things won’t get quite as bad as my story depicts, but one thing I can be sure of is that humanity will always be treading the thin edge that separates darkness from light.

What is it that makes post-apocalyptic fiction so appealing? Would the world be better off if more people read this genre? 

Who doesn’t love reading about horrible people doing horrible things? Because we know that the future could never really turn out that bad, could it ? Because humans learn from their past mistakes, don’t they?

Do you have a favourite post-apocalyptic author?

I’ve always loved The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Its portrayal of the relationship between a father and son is breathtaking.

Some people like to listen to music while reading. Which song can you imagine providing the soundtrack to your story? 

Slipknot’s ‘People=Shit’ mixed in with Sparks’ ‘Left Out in the Cold’.

If you woke up in your story tomorrow, what would you do?

Given that I’m a big coward, I’d probably ingratiate myself with the nearest powerful warlord.

There are no firearms or ammunition. You have to choose an everyday object from the home or garden as your weapon of choice—what’s in your hands? 

Does a border collie count?

Time to get more personal. Tell us three interesting facts about yourself. 

I used to have a private pilot’s licence.
I played bass in some pretty average garage bands.
I’ve skied in Africa.

What do you aim to give your readers? 

Hopefully they’ll enjoy a good adventure story with some interesting plot twists.

What are you working on now? 

A killer opening for my first novel. Maybe involving a killer.

Where can we find you online? 

I’m on Instagram at olver.stuart. My brother and I maintain a website for our ‘Dawn to Dusk Publishing’ imprint (coffee-table books): robolver.com 

Thanks for playing along. Good luck in the wastelands!

A Post-Apocalyptic Interview with L.P. Ring

Our next anthology, Tales from the Ruins, is going to be a cataclysmic one! It will be released on the 25th of February but the Kindle version is available for pre-order today at just 99c instead of $3.99. To celebrate the imminent publication of the first Black Beacon Books anthology exclusively dedicated to post-apocalyptic fiction, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Behold the maniacal workings of their troubled minds!

Hi Liam,

Let’s make the first question a lighthearted one...hmm...okay, got it! Is your story simply an entertaining piece of fiction or are you giving us a peek at the terrifying fate tomorrow will unleash upon us?

It doesn’t seem like the rich and powerful have our best interests at heart, does it ? I’m getting a very ‘Russia, 1917’ vibe about the world right now.

What is it that makes post-apocalyptic fiction so appealing? Would the world be better off if more people read this genre?

Conflict is an almost essential part of narrative, especially in genre fiction. The post-apocalyptic element allows readers to see conflict in a setting separate from day-to-day life – same as with a lot of horror. That offers us the thrills but also the escapism.

Do you have a favourite post-apocalyptic author?

The classics by John Wyndham (The Chrysalids) and J.G. Ballard (Concrete Island) offer interesting takes on the stripping away of buttoned-down, English sensibilities after everything goes to hell. I reference Ray Bradbury in my story as well. More recently, Emily St. John Mandel (Station Eleven) and Chuck Wendig (The Wanderers) have been great reads. Utopias don’t seem as much fun, do they?

Some people like to listen to music while reading. Which song can you imagine providing the soundtrack to your story?

Mogwai with their builds from quiet to loud would be wonderful. Otherwise, Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

If you woke up in your story tomorrow, what would you do? 

I’m afraid I’m more a Greg than an Elizabeth. I’ll leave it there.

There are no firearms or ammunition. You have to choose an everyday object from the home or garden as your weapon of choice—what’s in your hands?

That’s a cool question because firearms remove the need and threat of proximity. If I was at The Deep End, I might go with a hammer. Or I’d pick up a bible, start ranting, and see if I could just become part of the furniture. That gives me a story idea…

Time to get more personal. Tell us three interesting facts about yourself.

Eeek! ‘Interesting facts’ are so subjective.
i. I’ve lived overseas for almost half my life.
ii. I love horror movies but generally hate true crime (unless David Fincher is
somehow involved).
iii. I once went to seven countries on three different continents in six weeks. I
don’t recommend it.

What do you aim to give your readers?

I hope to put my protagonists in situations where they have an inner as well as outer journey. I also enjoy exploring power dynamics a lot. I also hope to provide a fair amount of mayhem.

What are you working on now? 

I have a post-apocalyptic novel that I’m sending out at the moment. And a zombie novel, an Agatha Christie/Lovecraft mash-up, lots of stuff…

Where can we find you online?

I’m on twitter for now at @l_p_ring and on mastodon at @lpring@writing.exchange .

Thanks for playing along. Good luck in the wastelands!

Cheers! I hope they still serve good beer.

A Post-Apocalyptic Interview with Cameron Trost

Our next anthology, Tales from the Ruins, is going to be a cataclysmic one! It will be released on the 25th of February but the Kindle version is available for pre-order today at just 99c instead of $3.99. To celebrate the imminent publication of the first Black Beacon Books anthology exclusively dedicated to post-apocalyptic fiction, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Behold the maniacal workings of their troubled minds!

Hi Cameron,

Let’s make the first question a lighthearted one...hmm...okay, got it! Is your story simply an entertaining piece of fiction or are you giving us a peek at the terrifying fate tomorrow will unleash upon us?

I'm afraid it's a double whammy. In fact, the scenario faced in The Deep End happens - perhaps to a slightly less dramatic extent - in the world around us every day. Nowadays, we talk about the apocalypse in terms of a world-ending event, but apocalypses have happened over and over again throughout history...Pompeii and Stalingrad anyone? In my story, lines of communication have been cut for years. There's no longer any formal government or infrastructure, but the characters don't know whether it's the same all around the world, or just in their neck of the woods. This seems a likely "post-apocalyptic fog" to me. Entertaining, yes - in a brutal, primitive way - and so terribly plausible at the same time.

What is it that makes post-apocalyptic fiction so appealing? Would the world be better off if more people read this genre?

It's appealing as a writer, and likewise as a reader, because it provides a clean slate. All the rules have gone out the window. It's like writing fantasy set in your own street. Can post-apocalyptic fiction change the world? Let's be realistic here. There's no doubt the world would be better off if those in power listened to artists and philosophers, but that's not how the game works. Read post-apocalyptic fiction, but don't start thinking you're an armchair revolutionary by doing so. By the same token, don't feel guilty about enjoying it, but be thankful...because things could be worse.

Do you have a favourite post-apocalyptic author?

I have a confession to make...I don't actually read all that much post-apocalyptic fiction, or at least, not books that fit neatly into the genre. I would argue though that several of my favourite novels are essentially post-apocalyptic in nature; "High-Rise" by J.G. Ballard is the perfect example of "civilised society" falling apart, and it's heavily influenced by "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding...just swap that island for the microcosm of a block of flats. "The Children of Men" by P.D. James, although far from her best work, is also an original and entertaining novel, and in many ways "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess hits the nail on the head. Reading the stories in Tales from the Ruins, the genre clearly has plenty of fresh talent and just as many troubling new takes on the end of days.

Some people like to listen to music while reading. Which song can you imagine providing the soundtrack to your story?

I listen to post-punk and industrial music every day and it plays a big role in my creative process. There are so many answers I could give here, including just about everything by NIN and KMFDM, but I'm going to go with a really cold and hopeless post-apocalyptic sound; Exercise One by Joy Division...there are Ballardian influences in there if you listen to the lyrics.

If you woke up in your story tomorrow, what would you do?

I'd do what my protagonist does...and that somehow both reassures and scares me.

There are no firearms or ammunition. You have to choose an everyday object from the home or garden as your weapon of choice—what’s in your hands?

My carpenter's hammer. No question about it. I prefer crushing to cutting.

Time to get more personal. Tell us three interesting facts about yourself.

I'm an immigrant, having moved from Australia to France...well, Brittany to be precise. Let's stick to the theme...ah, so I grew up in Australia but have never surfed...shock, horror! Three things? Okay...I speak French fluently, of course, but I also speak enough Breton to say hello, order a beer, and talk about the weather.

What do you aim to give your readers?

I want to make them feel and I aim to do it with an original and unpredictable story.

What are you working on now?

Too much...that's the simplest answer. There's a post-apocalyptic novel in the works, as well as my first Oscar Tremont novel.

Where can we find you online?

Almost everywhere, including TikTok...even though I don't know why yet!

Full links: https://linktr.ee/camerontrost 

Website: https://camerontrost.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camerontrostauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camerontrost_author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/camerontrost
Twitter: https://twitter.com/trost_cameron

Thanks for playing along. Good luck in the wastelands!

A Post-Apocalyptic Interview with Karen Bayly

Our next anthology, Tales from the Ruins, is going to be a cataclysmic one! It will be released on the 25th of February but the Kindle version is available for pre-order today at just 99c instead of $3.99. To celebrate the imminent publication of the first Black Beacon Books anthology exclusively dedicated to post-apocalyptic fiction, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Behold the maniacal workings of their troubled minds!

Photo credit: Kathy Luu

Hi Karen,

Let’s make the first question a lighthearted one...hmm...okay, got it! Is your story simply an entertaining piece of fiction or are you giving us a peek at the terrifying fate tomorrow will unleash upon us?

It leans more toward the latter. It relies on the unlikely event of an alien invasion, but the message is relevant to our tomorrow. No matter how hard-won, many of our freedoms can disappear overnight. This can happen after a catastrophic event or because of complacency over time.

What is it that makes post-apocalyptic fiction so appealing? Would the world be better off if more people read this genre?

It’s appealing because it is shocking. We recognise ourselves in the characters and realise just how fragile our society is. If reading this genre meant that people did not grow complacent, then yes, more people reading post-apocalyptic fiction would be a good thing.

Do you have a favourite post-apocalyptic author? 

Not really. There are several books I love – “The Children of Men” by P.D. James, “The Crysalids” by John Wyndham, “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy, and “Oryx and Crake” by Margaret Atwood. If pressed to pick an author, I’d say Margaret Atwood. She does a disturbing line in post-apocalyptic and dystopian stories simply because the worlds she creates feel a breath away from becoming real. I also love Octavia E. Butler. Some may argue that her Parable novels are more dystopian than post-apocalyptic as there is no single catastrophic event. However, these books paint a frightening picture of the USA, where the apocalypse is a slow burn of evangelical Christianity and neoliberalism. Like Atwood, it’s all too easy to imagine that world becoming real.

Some people like to listen to music while reading. Which song can you imagine providing the soundtrack to your story?

Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones. It’s about war, but many of the lyrics resonate with my characters.

If you woke up in your story tomorrow, what would you do?

Cry. One of the characters in my story says, “I used to love sci-fi and fantasy. Before I started living it.” I think that is true for all post-apocalyptic tales. And then, because I would be an outcast, I’d find somewhere safe to sleep at night and locate possible food sources.

There are no firearms or ammunition. You have to choose an everyday object from the home or garden as your weapon of choice—what’s in your hands? 

I’d say an axe, except I don’t have one. {Makes a note to buy one asap.} I have a mattock, so that would have to do.

Time to get more personal. Tell us three interesting facts about yourself. 

I have a PhD in Ethology (the study of animal behaviour), but as there are few jobs in science, I work in IT testing software. I used to be an actor. I can dance, sing, and play the guitar and ukulele, but I’m out of practice for all four.

What do you aim to give your readers? 

Entertainment and something to think about after they have finished being entertained.

What are you working on now?

I am rewriting and editing two novels. I started plotting out a new novel and accidentally wrote the first two chapters. But that’s now on hold until the mammoth editing project is done.

Where can we find you online?

Website: https://karenbayly.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenBaylyAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/here.be.karen.bayly/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6596968.Karen_Bayly
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Karen_Bayly

Thanks for playing along. Good luck in the wastelands!

SAILORS' DELIGHT: A Post-Apocalyptic Teaser

Tales from the Ruins will be released on the 25th of February, and the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just 99c instead of $3.99. You'd be mad to miss out on that deal, ebook readers! We've been posting short teasers on social media, particularly on the Facebook event page, but it's time to really plunge you into story...to really tease you! Below are the first few paragraphs of Claire Fitzpatrick's scary contribution to the anthology.

SAILORS' DELIGHT - Teaser!

The sand was littered with the holes of polychaete worms and ghost crabs. The scratchy footprints of the crabs ran to the water’s edge as the worms wove their way in and out of the holes, their thin bodies more like red string than something that lived and breathed. Olive snails with great cylindrical shells ploughed through the sand searching for other small animals to smother and eat. Woven in and around the crab and worm holes were ant-lion tunnels, some of them larger than the others, almost the size of a saucer. Lydia adjusted the straps of her pack and stepped around them, treading lightly so as not to draw them out.

She’d been walking for hours, with no sign of a path leading to the caves or an ending to the beach. She’d followed the crudely drawn map and was sure of her internal navigational skills. But it kept going, on and on, as far as the eye could see. She ran her tongue over her dry and cracked lips and concentrated on sidestepping the sand critters. One foot after the other, she told herself. You’ll make it. You will. You must.

Lydia hadn’t seen anyone else on the trail for several days, ever since she was separated from the group. They’d entered a part of the track where the mist was so thick, and they’d stumbled through it blindly, knowing it was too dangerous to head back the way they’d come. At first, they’d used the climbing ropes from their packs to tie themselves together. But then the mist came, and when it finally thinned, Lydia’s rope was slack, and everyone was gone. They shouldn’t have left so much space between them. They should have done many things. But it was fruitless to dwell on the past.

Lydia kept one eye on the ocean as she walked; the frothy blue-green water stopped as it reached the tide line and slowly rolled back. Clumps of seaweed had washed up on the sand, and she picked some up as she walked, stopping to put them in her pack when her hands grew too full. She’d mix it into her stew later on.

In the beginning, the ten of them had made the decision to stick together as a group. ‘A wolf without its pack is just a wild dog barking at the moon,’ Jodie said. They’d found safety in a community centre, and took turns patrolling the fence at night, Kate often volunteering in case Joel came back. Lydia often wondered what she’d do if he did. Would he be the same wisecracking man as he’d always been, or would he be like them? Some people went mad when their loved ones returned. It didn’t make sense. How could the world do such a thing to them? For the religious, it was worse. How could God allow it to happen? Soon they realised all the tables and chairs they piled against the windows and doors weren’t enough to keep them out, and the group had moved on, searching for somewhere higher to reside...

TO BE CONTINUED HERE!

A Post-Apocalyptic Interview with Mark Towse

Our next anthology, Tales from the Ruins, is going to be a cataclysmic one! It will be released on the 25th of February but the Kindle version is available for pre-order today at just 99c instead of $3.99. To celebrate the imminent publication of the first Black Beacon Books anthology exclusively dedicated to post-apocalyptic fiction, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Behold the maniacal workings of their troubled minds!

Hi Mark,

Let’s make the first question a lighthearted one...hmm...okay, got it! Is your story simply an entertaining piece of fiction or are you giving us a peek at the terrifying fate tomorrow will unleash upon us?

"The Fields" is the only piece of post-apocalyptic fiction I've written. I wanted to make the work more emotional than overloaded with events, as I feel the best examples of this genre do just that.

What is it that makes post-apocalyptic fiction so appealing? Would the world be better off if more people read this genre?

To feed into the dark side of the mind, I believe some people, including myself, have a romantic attachment to the apocalypse. That might sound morose and twisted, and who knows, I might even be out on my own with this one, but mixed with the fear and desperation, I imagine there's a part of me that would appreciate the haunting serenity of the situation.

Do you have a favourite post-apocalyptic author? 

To be candid, I haven't read a lot of post-apocalyptic fiction. Based on the explanation above, I feel I need to put that right. Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" stayed with me for a long time after reading, but I love all Cormac's work. I guess I need to spread my wings and pick up some more work in this genre. The Stand (Stephen King) was another book that I couldn't read quickly enough, so I guess the appetite is there...

Some people like to listen to music while reading. Which song can you imagine providing the soundtrack to your story?

Good question. Something that tugs at the heartstrings, simultaneously painting a picture of a desperate landscape. A coming-of-age/futuristic mish-mash of emotion... but I can't think of one right now.

If you woke up in your story tomorrow, what would you do?

Well, I wouldn’t trust a soul. Probably go off on my own and enjoy the haunting serenity while listening to my favourite post-apocalyptic music (whatever that might be).

There are no firearms or ammunition. You have to choose an everyday object from the home or garden as your weapon of choice—what’s in your hands? 

Screwdriver.

Time to get more personal. Tell us three interesting facts about yourself. 

Why am I struggling with this? Damn, maybe because I’m not that interesting. I can work out sums quicker than a calculator. Hands down, I would win any grape-eating contest. I can do the Rubik’s Cube in thirty-four seconds. (Kill me now.)

What do you aim to give your readers?

Escapism.

What are you working on now? 

My debut novel, a hybrid of crime, horror, comedy, called "Chasing The Dragon". It’s based
on a short story I wrote called "Watch Me Fly".

Where can we find you online? (Editor's comment: Everywhere! Mark is very active online. Go and join him!)

https://twitter.com/MarkTowsey12
https://www.instagram.com/towseywrites/
https://marktowsedarkfiction.wordpress.com/

Thanks for playing along. Good luck in the wastelands!

The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery: Release Date and Table of Contents

If you enjoyed the first volume of The Black Beacon Books of Mystery, you're going to absolutely love the second. It's even more puzzling!

The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July, 2023. This leaves all you armchair detectives out there enough time to find your magnifying glasses, binoculars, notebooks...and to train your little grey cells!

We have a great mix of well-known authors and new talent, and both reprints and original fiction. This anthology will be almost exclusively traditional fair-play detective puzzles, so readers will need to be on the lookout for clues!

Alexander's Nose by Dave Duncan
Bread Pudding by Karen Keeley
Christmas Funeral Potatoes by E. E. King
Lost at Sea by F. K. Restrepo
Lurking in the Shadows by Edward Lodi
The Impossible Theft by Cameron Trost
If It's Tuesday, This Must be Murder by Josh Pachter
Justice for Jaynie by Yvonne Ventresca
Keep Your Friends Close by Maggie King
Too Many Sherlocks by Paulene Turner
Villainy in the Vertical Village by Joseph S. Walker
Screen Shot by Teel James Glenn
Spanner in the Works by Alan Barker
The Murderer's Vade Mecum by Erica Obey
There is a Tide by Elizabeth Elwood

Please note that the order of appearance is subject to change.

Submissions Window: The Black Beacon Book of Horror

Our next submissions window will be for "The Black Beacon Book of Horror".

The submissions window will be from the 1st of January to the 28th of February, 2023.

Patreon patrons are invited to submit effective immediately.

 

Oh, the horror! But what kind of horror do we want? 

We want your very best horror stories in keeping with the themes and styles that make Black Beacon Books stand out from the pack. If you don't know what that means, you probably haven't read any of our previous titles...we strongly suggest you do so. In short, our passion is for great plots, evocative settings, suspense and atmosphere, and clever twists. We want that creeping feeling of unease that grows to a spine-chilling climax. In terms of horror subgenres, these are what are most likely to tickle our fancies:

 

- Folk Horror (Black Beacon Books is based in Brittany and your editor loves all things Celtic and mystical, so folk horror from all around the world is likely to attract his attention)

- Psychological Horror (We are the monsters)

 

- Gothic Horror (Can you channel Shelley, Poe, Stoker, Gaskell or Le Fanu?)

- Weird Fiction / Lovecraftian (But it had better be original)

- Post-Apocalyptic (Make us fear the future)

 

We regularly post news on our Facebook page. You can also get a feel for what we like by buying our previously published titles. Publishing quality fiction is an expensive passion, so the more we sell, the more we can publish. It's that simple. Our cherished Patreon patrons also provide us with the means to keep producing quality books.

 

Cover Reveal: Tales from the Ruins

You've been so wonderfully patient, and for that we thank you! But the wait is now over...

Black Beacon Books is proud to present the cover art for Tales from the Ruins, our next anthology and our first specifically post-apocalyptic one. It will be released late February next year, and as always, we'll be setting up a Facebook launch page and you'll be able to pre-order the anthology at a bargain price. For now, however, let's take a moment to appreciate the formidable cover. We hope you're as thrilled as we are! Don't hesitate to send a message of congratulations to the darkly delightful, Greg Chapman.

 

 

Tales from the Ruins: Our Post-Apocalyptic Authors

Black Beacon Books is proud to announce the table of contents for Tales from the Ruins, our post-apocalyptic anthology set to be released next February. Please note that the order of appearance is not necessarily final. This is going be a wild ride through ruined cities and landscapes with a host of hardy characters struggling to survive after the apocalypse. 

The cover art will be supplied by the darkly delightful, Greg Chapman...but we're going to tease you a little longer!

 

The Aftermath - Claire Davon

Hell Takes All Prisoners - Karen Bayly

Chasing the White Limousine - Kurt Newton

An Interlude in the English Civil War - David Turnbull

A Kissidougou Christmas - Michael Picco

The Fields - Mark Towse

Cast Upon the Water - Joseph S. Walker

Help, Scotland - Malcolm Timperley

The Deep End - Cameron Trost

End of the Line - Louise Zedda-Sampson

The Death of a Raccoon - Adam Breckenridge

Darkness at the Edge of Men - Stuart Olver

Sailors' Delight - Claire Fitzpatrick

Homecoming - L.P. Ring

More cataclysmic news soon...

An Interview with Mark Blackham

Our next edge-of-your-seat anthology, A Hint of Hitchcock, will be released in time for Halloween, and is available for Kindle pre-order today for just $1.99 instead of $3.99. While the suspense is building, we're interviewing the contributing authors so you know a little more about what makes them tick... 

Hi Mark, thanks for agreeing to be interviewed. Let’s get started! 

The first question is inevitable...which Hitchcock film is your personal favourite, and why? 

Rear Window. The story bangs together the emotional distance of close quarters apartment living, with our curiosity in the messy lives of others. These messy lives we watch are contrasted with the stable intimacy of James Stewart and Grace Kelly. The tension and frustration is almost unbearable in the final moments, when Kelly is discovered in the apartment of the murder suspect – and all we can do, along with Stewart, is watch.

Which actor or actress do you think was the best he worked with?

I’m not clever enough in my movie watching to always differentiate between actors I enjoy and those that are good. I like the on-screen presence of Cary Grant and James Stewart because they make a lot out of the small stuff of behaviour. Similarly, Doris Day portrayed the courage of everyday people in extraordinary circumstances.

What is it about Hitchcock's films that makes them so timeless, or is it just the opposite, that the appeal lies in that bygone era?

There’s a quirkiness to his presentation of twisty stories that lives well out of the time they were made in. In some cases it’s the extraordinarily small canvas that human relationships like Rope and Lifeboat, and even Vertigo at its most tense. In others, it’s the insightful portrayal of ordinary people and relationships when responding to extraordinary challenges, such as North by Northwest or The Man who Knew Too Much.

Do you have a favourite director, other than Hitchie himself, of course?

Ridley Scott for the physical dirt, sweat and grit he found in the real-life future of Alien and Blade Runner. Terry Gilliam for conceiving and presenting a future of inanity in Brazil. John Huston for his early flamboyant and rebellious film noir.

Without giving too much away, how did you come up with the idea for your story in A Hint of Hitchcock? 

I absolutely hate the thought of being watched; I would prefer to go moldy in my own home than live in a retirement village, and I give a joyous finger to security cameras. So I wrote a murder mystery about these things, inspired by Rear Window.

Time to get more personal. Tell us three interesting facts about yourself. 

1)      I raced my wife’s first car, a Nissan Sentra, in a demolition derby.

2)      I boxed competitively in midlife and now referee amateur boxing.

3)      I founded the world’s first natural burials organisation outside of the United Kingdom.

What do you aim to give your readers? 

Something rough, something sordid, something new.

What are you working on now? 

A novel about a jaded music journalist who finds love where it was all along, a short story about the person who writes the last words of humanity, and a novella about a teenager who saves the coddling of the Western world with the aid of an old computer.

Where can we find you online?

I’m at www.markblackham.com and my alter ego is at www.carlingtonblack.com

An Interview with H.K. Stubbs

Our next edge-of-your-seat anthology, A Hint of Hitchcock, will be released in time for Halloween, and is available for Kindle pre-order today for just $1.99 instead of $3.99. While the suspense is building, we're interviewing the contributing authors so you know a little more about what makes them tick... 

Hi Helen, thanks for agreeing to be interviewed. Let’s get started!

The first question is inevitable...which Hitchcock film is your personal favourite, and why? Which actor or actress do you think was the best he worked with?

My favourite Hitchcock film is North by Northwest, for all the twists and turns, the on-the-edge-of-my-seat confusion, and humour, as I tried to work out what was going on and marvelled at the storytelling, trusting that it would all make sense in the end. It’s a very immersive film. I really empathise with Roger Thornhill because Cary Grant plays the role superbly. Grant is definitely one of the best, there’s something special about him.

What is it about Hitchcock’s films that makes them so timeless, or is it just the opposite, that the appeal lies in that bygone era?

I think they’re timeless in that they’re well-written, powerfully executed and styled, but also, there’s something about that era which is captivating. There was a chance of getting away with things. Communication was more restricted (no mobile phones) and there was less surveillance. It makes it more exciting; there were knowledge gaps, and there was a better chance of getting away with crimes! 

Do you have a favourite director, other than Hitchie himself, of course?

I struggle to pick favourites, but I’m going to say Sophia Coppola for Marie Antoinette, it’s a very fun film with gorgeous sets, wardrobe, and cake.

Without giving too much away, how did you come up with the idea for your story in A Hint of Hitchcock?

I wanted a heroine in an occupation often taken for granted and underestimated; I wanted mystery, confusion, murder; I wanted the big American house, the noir feel, some super-feminine women. Shiny hair, fine coats, guns. I wanted adventure!

Time to get more personal. Tell us three interesting facts about yourself.

I’d love to get one of my novels into a publishable shape one day. I live with my partner, two kids, a French Bulldog, a cat, a quail, and some fish. Birds, lizards, and green frogs live in our yard. I recently escaped on a three-night rock-climbing trip to the Blue Mountains and am pretty sure I brought Covid home with me. The climbing was great, as was catching up with a school friend and seeing the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House for the first time in a while.

What do you aim to give your readers?

Entertainment and a page-turning good time. A story to remember. I definitely write with my reader in mind. I don’t want to bore them.

What are you working on now? 

Why, this interview, of course! Oh, you meant more generally…well I’m editing my climbing fantasy novel, called Starstone, or maybe Starcrags. It’s an adventure story aimed at adults/young adults. A bit of romance. A quest. A lot of climbing.

Where can we find you online?

Twitter: @superleni
Instagram: @helenstubbs
YouTube: Helen Stubbs
My blog: https://helenstubbs.wordpress.com

An Interview with Andy Rausch

Our next edge-of-your-seat anthology, A Hint of Hitchcock, will be released in time for Halloween, and is available for Kindle pre-order today for just $1.99 instead of $3.99. While the suspense is building, we're interviewing the contributing authors so you know a little more about what makes them tick... 

Hi Andy, thanks for agreeing to be interviewed. Let’s get started! 

The first question is inevitable...which Hitchcock film is your personal favourite, and why? Which actor or actress do you think was the best he worked with?

I hate to give such an obvious answer, but Psycho is my favorite Hitchcock film. Rear Window is probably my second fave. But I love Psycho. My favorite thing about Psycho is that the film switches POV midway through. That would be interesting enough, but the fact that the new POV is the killer of our original protagonist is pretty amazing. I have long considered trying that in a novel myself, but I'm not sure it would work. That it works in Psycho seems like one of those one-in-a-million things. Also, the audience members were pretty much stuck and invested by the middle of the movie, whereas they could just decide to DNF the book.

What is it about Hitchcock's films that makes them so timeless, or is it just the opposite, that the appeal lies in that bygone era?

I think the appeal, for me, is that Hitchcock was a first-rate director who generally worked with quality screenwriters and performers. He also had a keen eye for a good twist, and generally chose solid scripts and source material. I'm also a big fan of the TV series, Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Although Hitchcock was mostly dead when I was a child (he died when I was seven), there were still records with Hitchcock narrating scary stories on them available at our public library. There were also anthologies of short stories bearing the man's name, as well as a Hardy Boys-like mystery book series called Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators that I liked quite a bit. So, for better or worse, I have always been a fan of Hitch's work.

Do you have a favourite director, other than Hitchie himself, of course?

My favorite director is Quentin Tarantino. I have written three books about him (two published, a third forthcoming). I realize Tarantino has his detractors, but I don't care. Other people's opinions have nothing to do with my enjoyment for, and appreciation of, his work.

Without giving too much away, how did you come up with the idea for your story in A Hint of Hitchcock?

The story was inspired by Hitchcock's film, Lifeboat. I tried to come up with a story that was, on the surface, very different from the film but still maintained the film's essence and the core of what I felt made it work. I'm also a crime writer, so I thought, I want to make this a crime story. I thought hard about it for a couple of weeks before I finally came up with a combination that intrigued me and I thought would work.

Time to get more personal. Tell us three interesting facts about yourself.

1. I had a heart transplant in 2019.
2. I've interviewed more than 500 celebrities, including Quentin Tarantino, Ian McKellen, and Ethan Hawke.
3. I once spent the night in an adult film actress's home, which, weirdly enough, had originally been built for Clark Gable. (Nothing steamy happened, by the way. I was a guest there in a journalistic capacity.)

What do you aim to give your readers? 

I want the reader to be entertained. I also want to keep them on their toes, where they aren't sure what's going to happen next.

What are you working on now?

I'm working on several projects, including a sequel to my novel, Layla's Score, and a biography of crime writer Max Allan Collins.

Where can we find you online?

authorandyrausch.wordpress.com or on Twitter @writerrausch1

An Interview with Roger Johns

Our next edge-of-your-seat anthology, A Hint of Hitchcock, will be released in time for Halloween, and is available for Kindle pre-order today for just $1.99 instead of $3.99. While the suspense is building, we're interviewing the contributing authors so you know a little more about what makes them tick... 

Hi Roger, thanks for agreeing to be interviewed. Let’s get started!

The first question is inevitable...which Hitchcock film is your personal favourite, and why? Which actor or actress do you think was the best he worked with?

Narrowing it down to just one is too difficult, so I’m cheating and picking one along with a runner-up: The Man Who Knew Too Much (the 1956 Jimmy Stewart/Doris Day edition), and The Birds as runner-up. As to the actors, again it’s too difficult to name only one so I’m cheating again, and picking two: Jimmy Stewart and Tippi Hedren (her performances in The Birds and Marnie have stuck with me for decades). 

What is it about Hitchcock's films that makes them so timeless, or is it just the opposite, that the appeal lies in that bygone era?

Hitchcock’s ability to expose the disturbing potential lurking inside the ordinary makes it seem like his stories could plausibly happen to anyone in any era, which makes his themes universal and timeless. And his actors’ performances are so pitch-perfect they reinforce the sense that what’s happening on the screen could happen to me, in my house or my neighbourhood or my town.

Do you have a favourite director, other than Hitchie himself, of course?

Mark Romaneck, who did the near impossible by bringing Never Let Me Go to the screen in a beautifully understated fashion that nevertheless made the movie as powerful and affecting and haunting as the Kazuo Ishiguro book on which it was based. Coming in a close second are Oliver Stone, for most of his movies, and Ridley Scott for the astounding, chilling vision of the future he created for Bladerunner, which was based on Philip K. Dick’s novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Without giving too much away, how did you come up with the idea for your story in A Hint of Hitchcock?

Years ago, I read a news story about a man who’d engaged in what he believed was a legally justified act, but the authorities contended he’d committed a crime. The years-long court battle that followed destroyed the man’s marriage and his psychological well-being, and the legal fees practically bankrupted him. So, Ioften wondered whether there might not have been a cleverer way for the man to have dealt with the situation that prompted the act that got him into trouble in the first place—in a wrong-action-for-the-right-reason kind of way. Also, I’m fascinated with the idea of a character being outfoxed by the web of circumstances he’s woven to outfox others, and how the slow, steady, suffocating squeeze of consequences can drive a person to take increasingly desperate measures. The open submission call for this anthology seemed like a perfect opportunity to learn how this set of ideas would work itself out on the page.

Time to get more personal. Tell us three interesting facts about yourself. 

In late middle age, I studied medicine for three agonizing semesters, then promptly resumed my teaching career. I’ve been held at gunpoint, more than once. And, I’m a huge fan of old-time radio, especially the detective and adventure shows from the 40s and 50s.

What do you aim to give your readers? 

An immersive experience from inside the head and heart of my main character.

What are you working on now? 

I’m writing a stand-alone novel about a young man who disappears, utterly and forever, on his way home from college, as well as several short stories, some of which are crime fiction, some of which are science-fiction, and one of which is my first foray into writing fantasy.

Where can we find you online? 

My website is: www.rogerjohnsbooks.com, and, along with several other crime fiction writers, I co-author the Murder Books blog at: www.murder-books.com.