Happy Wednesday!

Here are a few links of possible interest:

• Alt Hist is a new magazine dedicated to readers and writers of historical fiction and also alternate history.



• From The New York Times: "The Kids' Books Are All Right," on the phenomenon of adults reading young adult literature. Beth Kephart responds here and Finding Wonderland responds here.



• In honor of H.P. Lovecraft's upcoming 120th birthday, StarShipSofa is running my unabridged narration of F. Paul Wilson's Lovecraft homage, the novella The Barrens, in three parts. The first part is now available to stream or download on the latest episode of StarShipSofa. If you listen, I hope you enjoy! (A full list of links to my unabridged dramatic readings is here.)



• Just a reminder: you can sign up to win a copy of my new The Magic Ring: The Deluxe Illustrated Edition here on Goodreads through the end of the month.

Happy birthday to two wonderful people, janissa11 and gamgeefest! May you both enjoy many happy returns of the day.


I just finished reading J. Sheridan Le Fanu's classic novel Uncle Silas (which I recommend, if you like Gothic fiction), and I just had to share these evocative lines:

"I did go, you will wonder, as well you may -- as you may wonder at the docility with which strong men walk through the press-room to the drop, and thank the people of the prison for their civility when they bid them good-bye, and facilitate the fixing of the rope and adjusting of the cap. Have you never wondered that they don't make a last battle for life, with the unscrupulous energy of terror, instead of surrendering it so gently in cold blood, on a silent calculation, the arithmetic of despair?

"... I went and stood, a phantom, at the window, looking into the dark quadrangle. A thin glimmering crescent hung in the frosty sky, and all heaven was strewn with stars. Over the steep roof at the other side spread on the dark azure of the night this glorious blazonry of the unfathomable Creator. To me a dreadful scroll -- inexorable eyes. The cloud of cruel witnesses looking down in freezing brightness on my prayers and agonies."