"The future enters into us, in order to transform itself in us, long before it happens." -- Rainer Maria Rilke
As we run out the clock on 2022, it's time to look ahead at what 2023 has in store. Most people will agree that '22 beat the living hell out of '20 and '21. Things are going to continue getting better as we move further and further away from the pandemic. (Thanks, Science! You rock!)
I'm looking forward to seeing my work in three projects coming in early '23. Here's a rundown:
- WEIRDBOOK #46 - This issue features the final installment of the Magtone Saga, a series of fantasy tales that has been running for the last few years at WB. "Eye of Wisdom, Eye of Pain" is the ultimate tale of Magtone the Doomed and his groovy flying carpet. It's also the longest story of the saga--actually a novelette at nearly 14,000 words.
- SHADOWS OUT OF TIME - Darrell Schweitzer edits this PS Publishing anthology of all-new Lovecraftian tales that deal with deep time, time travel, and extratemporal horrors.
UPDATE 1/21/23: SHADOWS OUT OF TIME is now available in trade paperback AND in a limited edition of 100 signed hardcovers. Check out the superb cover by the legendary Bob Eggleton, depicting one of HPL's best beasties--a member of the Great Race of Yith from the very story that inspired the collection, Lovecraft's "The Shadow Out of Time" (1936).
As they used to say in Bronze Age comics: NOW ON SALE! Click here to preview/order.
My story in this one is basically a sequel to Clark Ashton Smith's "The Death of Malygris." It explores how a sorcerer of wicked potency can defy the laws of time and death to haunt the space/time continuum like an immortal phantom. It's called (fittingly enough) "Malygris Never Died." As of now this is the last piece of Lovecraftian fiction I plan to write. It's also one of the last tales I penned before retiring from short stories altogether to focus on novels.
- DARKER THAN WEIRD - Jackanapes Press will be publishing my first-ever collection of horror tales. I've been writing horror almost as long as I've been writing fantasy, so this book has been a long time coming. DTW collects a decade's worth of weird horror stories, some of which verge into dark fantasy territory.
A first-quarter release is in the works, and I'll post the cover here as soon as Dan Sauer works his art magic on it. Horror and fantasy are very close relatives, so it feels great to finally get the "other side" of my work out there.
So...what else am I looking forward to in 2023?
Also very much looking forward to:
- The UNTAMED REALMS comic
- WARRIOR Season 3
- THE MANDALORIAN Season 3
- PICARD Season 3
- Howard Andrew Jones'
- Getting out to see more CONCERTS and COMEDY SHOWS!
- The late Richard Corben's MURKY WORLD hardcover
- Finding the right publisher for my
SCALEBORN series (Working on it!)
BEST WISHES to everyone for a lovely holiday season and a fantastic New Year.
Peace!
John