A word on Tessaracts...

The TESSERACTS series of anthologies is uniquely Canadian — that is to say it's one of the few speculative fiction anthologies that only showcase Canadian talent, and endeavours to do so from across this giant country of ours. There have been twelve volumes of the thing so far, and each is a bit different from the last. Number twelve, for instance, contained only novellas, a first for the series. Each volume is also edited by different person (or persons) and usually carry some sort of introduction.

Wait, did I say "twelve" volumes? I of course meant "thirteen". TESSERACTS THIRTEEN is just seeing print now, edited by Nancy Kilpatrick and David Morrell. As a first for the series, this one is focused strictly on Horror. Before you wonder: no, I do not have a tale in the book (though my friend Mike Kelly does). In truth, I didn't send anything in for consideration. I was too busy, you see, with other projects. From what I understand, there were a lot of great entries, though, and I can only imagine the competition was fierce.

That said, the introduction to this volume was written by Robert Knowlton, an expert in the field of Canadian Horror, and he's taken the time to generate a history of the genre here. His essay is called "Out of the Barrens: Two Centuries of Canadian Dark Fantasy & Horror" and is quite excellent. I'm proud to say that my own work has been mentioned by Mr Knowlton in the piece, where he summarises my first collection and says of my fiction:

The aforementioned Simon Strantzas is more reminiscent of Ligotti and his antecedents, but with a fascination for permutations of the flesh closer perhaps to Cronenberg.

(A description I must admit doesn't feel wholly accurate when taking all my work into account, but based on what is contained in BENEATH THE SURFACE is certainly not one I can reject.)

For any New Madness readers unfamiliar with the great work being done currently in the Great White North, I'd suggest picking up a copy of TESSERACTS THIRTEEN posthaste. Look, I'll even provide a link for you (but rather than to Amazon, instead to Indigo, a wholly Canadian-owned retail chain, of course)

Tesseracts Thirteen: Chilling Tales of the Great White North

(I wonder how many of those stories are about Wendigos...)