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...)

Read more...

Inside tape outside film

You don't see it much on television anymore (or, at least, I don't) but back in the 70s television programmes would use two different style: indoor shooting, usually on a stage, would be shot on video-tape; outdoor scenes would be shot on film. For me, the difference was startling, and it always surprised me when others couldn't see it. Video had a cheap cold and claustrophobic look to it, whereas film was rich and warm and expansive. Two completely different looks, and I've never been able to forget the contrast between them.

Sometimes, I see writing the same way. When I'm writing a story it never seems to be what I initially envision — the act of trying to capture the dreamlike idea with concrete words always diminishes the tale. I always feel as though every word I write further simplifies my idea, makes the secrets trite, the themes bare and boring. The story, when I'm done, is cheap and cold and claustrophobic.

But a strange thing happens over time. Maybe once the story is done and sent off on its own into the world, the distance allows me to forget what I've written, or at least forget the parts that aren't as strong as i wanted them to be. Or, perhaps, time away from the story provides me with a clarity I couldn't have had before being so close to the thing, and only after a while and in hindsight, does the story unravel its bindings and open up its true worth. It becomes — well, it may not become what I imagined initially, I suspect, but it becomes something else, something I hope just as grand.

It's strange fall in love with a story after it's been written and left behind. I remember my tale "Pinholes in Black Muslin" being one I was particularly down on at the time, and yet over the two years since I wrote it I've grown to feel quite strongly about it. Does other reactions to a tale help? I think so, to some degree; I think I can be swayed. Maybe that's not right to feel, let alone admit, but I write in a vacuum, and sometimes I can't see what works on my own. All I can do is write the best thing I can write and I hope somehow it connects with people.

Read more...

Reflection in First Person

In Des Lewis's review of my latest collection, he writes of the first story, "Under the Overpass":

"[A story] from the point of view of a protagonist who tells us the story unfolding in the past even as we read it..."

Which makes me think about the way in which we tell stories, especially those in first person. One must assume when reading a first-person narrative written in past tense that the person relating the tale is doing so from some unspecified time in the future. Thus, the narrator cannot die at the end of the story, or become in some way unable to tell the story but I don't necessarily believe that we must assume the narrator is writing the story down, or related it to another in anyway. As long as he or she can tell the story to him- or herself, I don't believe anything has been violated. But another question is raised: if the narrator has lived through the events, must the story be written as though the narrator has that knowledge? Is it fair to have the narrator for instance see a woman at a dance club and explain how beautiful he found her, making no reference to later in the tale when he'll become irrevocably repulsed by her appearance?

I don't think so. It's a fuzzy line, to be sure, but I think it's legitimate for the narrator to tell the events of a tale as he or she experienced it at the time and not worry about what might happen later. Part of the story is the discovery of the truth, and since that can only be done linearly, the narrator must present the facts linearly.

That said, there must be times when the narrator can't be too ignorant of the truths he discovers by the story's end, times when it's unfair to withhold information, or rather impossible that the narrator wouldn't mention it. Of course, i can't think of any off the top of my head. Perhaps you, dear New Madness reader, could think of an example for me?

Lastly, I should point out this has little to do with first-person present-tense, which doesn't suffer these same problems. No, instead it introduces a flurry more...

Read more...

"Poor Stephanie" reviewed

Critic Mario Guslandi has published a review of SUPERNATURAL TALES 14, which includes my story "Poor Stephanie". He writes:

"First of all let me give inconditionate praise to “Poor Stephanie” by Simon Strantzas ... the tale [is] quite disturbing, leaving a lingering sense of disquiet in the reader’s mind. A truly excellent piece where every phrase is perfectly balanced and extremely effective."

This tale may also be found in my current collection, COLD TO THE TOUCH, for those who find themselves intrigued.

Read more...

Because I'm a narcissist...

It's no secret: the reason this blog exists is so I have a place to go on the internet that talks about the sort of things I find interesting. Thus, tonight I took an hour's break from real work to read through the archives a bit, and you know what? I miss the way the blog used to be. About a year ago there was a long discussion here about whether writers ought to aim for the mainstream or not, and it was full of interesting goodness. Nowadays, it feels like nothing happens here. It's my fault, of course — I write the damn thing — but my break from trying to write on different topics each week has slowed the fun down to a crawl. This is unfortunate, because in the past few months I've spread this blog's presence on the web even further, having it copy itself to Facebook, GoodReads, and LiveJournal. Now is the time to step up to the plate and be interesting, and yet all I'm doing is being lazy.

So, perhaps it's time for the more in-depth musings to return. It's something to think about, at least.

Does anyone out there have a preference?

Read more...

CTTT: Reviewed

The first review is in for COLD TO THE TOUCH, this one from author/editor D.F. Lewis. His opinions on the book seem very strong, and I'm fairly confident he liked it. Des is experimenting with what he calls "real-time reviewing", which is essentially a story-by-story review, but as he reads each he tries to find the themes and patterns in the work. Fascinating stuff!

Cold to the Touch - by Simon Strantzas

Do give it a read, but perhaps you ought to wait until after your read the book yourself.

Read more...

Introducing Undertow Books

I'd consider it wise, were I you, to investigate the following:

Undertow Books

Why? Well, not only is it run by the estimable writer/editor Michael Kelly, but the cover to the first book, APPARITIONS, will no doubt knock your socks off.

I want you to all to buy a copy of this book so Mike can live his dream of producing a whole series of these things. Maybe I'll get a chance at being in next year's volume if he does!

Read more...

The future, near and distant

With COLD TO THE TOUCH now shipping people have already started asking me "what's next?"

What's next? It took me six years to get this into print. How about enjoying it for a bit everyone?

That said, I'm working on another short collection and then, if the Fates are willing, that novel everyone is urging me to write. I'm still not convinced I'll ever want to be a novelist, but it seems like it's a wise thing, career-wise, to attempt to write one. There's been a little behind-the-scenes interest in seeing something from me in that regard.

Read more...