Time Passes: New Work & Other News

Since my last post on May 14th I have been rushed off my little feet. So where to begin? First up is Reflections 19 which features my short story 'A Matter of Life For Death.' In a review of the issue (dated 5th June) Robert Bellisio wrote of my story: "Grabbing an unsuspecting reader and forcing him or her to read on is another example and Matthew Banks is a master of the art. A Matter of Life For Death should be approached with caution and expectation of the shivers. I will tell no more. Read it, but not at bedtime." I have had confirmed that issue 20 should be out in August featuring my story 'A Ghost Story.' With that one I have gone back to basics ... with a chilling ending ;-D

Now on to the magnificent The Spectral Times. As I said previously issue 6 may have two pieces by myself in it and indeed it does. Not only does it have my article on Pengersick Castle -

which concludes my three piece cycle of 'The Ghosts of ...'        it also carries my feature on Montague Rhodes James: A Morbid Curiosity - The Art of M R James.

I again am absolutely thrilled to be a part of this magazine. You can read and download via this link: http://en.calameo.com/read/002938563beb2cd23d044

For the next issue I am working on a piece titled 'The Haunting of Bela Lugosi' and have already submitted 'M R James' The Tractate Middoth - Just Who was Dr Rant.'

 


This shall be followed by 'A Rain of Stones,' 'The Ghost of Wheel Alfred' and 'The Ghost of Gas Hill' which make up my 19th century Cornish ghost story trilogy. After that ... well I have a couple of pieces in mind :-)

Another fantastic magazine that I am proud to be a part of is We Belong Dead & the wonderful Eric McNaughton who keeps me on my toes In the new issue (Issue #13) my re-examination of the Karloff / Lugosi 1935 classic The Raven is published in FULL. I am so thrilled that it was not split as it reads better as a whole :-)      

Eric still has three pieces awaiting publication and on top of that I have finally completed Dracula's Daughter 'There are Bats in her Belfry, a monster in a closet and the Death of Universal
Dracula’s Daughter: Re-Examining a Horror Classic'and submitted that. It runs for just over fourteen thousand words and I believe is my best work yet. Yes, it was a struggle as it was only meant to run for about 5,000 words, but as the most influential, if neglected vampire film ever, I needed to do it justice ... And I believe I have 

Something else that I have been working on is a completely revised and up-dated informal portrait on Anne Rice. I have previously written about Anne Rice in 1995's 'Anne Rice - Queen of the Damned.' That was published in 'Flickers'n'Frames' magazine. This new informal portrait is titled 'Daughter of Darkness - Anne Rice, An Informal Portrait' runs for 6,404 words and has been especially done for possible inclusion in a critical book on Rice, tentatively titled 'Coven of the Articulate: Critical Essay Compendium About Anne Rice' edited by Justin Boyer, who hopes to have the book out around the same time as Prince Lestat is released (28/10/14). Though my piece is not critical as I explained to Justin, it is a good look at her life and influences upon her writing. I am currently awaiting news to see if it has been accepted.

(C) Anne Rice 2014

There is other news, but I shall do that in a later post .... Until next time ....