Black Quill Award Winners Announced
FLYNN, SIMMONS TAKE TOP HONORS IN BLACK QUILL AWARDS

LONG ISLAND, NY, February 9, 2010 — A master of otherworldly suspense and a literary fiction darling have taken top honors in the 3rd Annual Black Quill Awards, as winners were announced today by DARK SCRIBE MAGAZINE, the virtual magazine “dedicated to the books that keep readers up at night.”

Chicago-based author Gillian Flynn snagged the coveted Editor’s Choice award for DARK GENRE NOVEL OF THE YEAR for her sophomore effort, DARK PLACES, while veteran dark scribe Dan Simmons took Readers’ Choice honors in the same category for DROOD, his historical reimagining of the last years of Charles Dickens’ life. Simmons was nominated in the same category in 2007 for THE TERROR.

The Black Quill Awards were handed out in (8) categories honoring works of dark genre literature – horror, suspense, and thrillers – from both mainstream and small press publishers. While six of the awards recognized literary efforts, two of the awards recognized important aspects of book publishing and promotion: cover design and artwork and book trailer production — a growing marketing aspect of dark genre publishing. Peter Mahaichuk and César Puch dominated the BEST COVER ART AND DESIGN category for their work on Michael Louis Calvillo’s AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT for Bad Moon Books, while Calvillo himself took Readers’ Choice for BEST SMALL PRESS CHILL. Filmmaker JT Petty won Editors’ Choice for BEST DARK GENRE BOOK TRAILER for his work on the book trailer for real-life wife Sarah Langan’s AUDREY’S DOOR, while up-and-coming trailer producer John Palisano took Readers’ Choice in that same category for Gary Braunbeck’s FAR DARK FIELDS.

First-time nominees fared well in this year’s Black Quills, with Paul G. Bens Jr. taking top honors in the BEST SMALL PRESS CHILL category (Editor’s Choice) and Stoker Award-winner Lisa Morton scoring an Editors’ Choice nod for her editing work on MIDNIGHT WALK in the BEST DARK GENRE ANTHOLOGY category. Jameson Currier snagged an Editors’ Choice award for BEST DARK GENRE FICTION COLLECTION for THE HAUNTED HEART AND OTHER TALES, while David Nickle picked up the Readers’ Choice award in that same category for MONSTROUS AFFECTIONS. Editor Michael Knost took Editors’ Choice honors in the BEST DARK GENRE BOOK OF NON-FICTION category for the how-to compilation WRITERS WORKSHOP OF HORROR, while frequent Stephen King chronicler Bev Vincent earned Readers’ Choice honors in the same category for his THE ILLUSTRATED STEPHEN KING COMPANION. Elsewhere, Sarah Totton and Harry Shannon earned Editors’ Choice and Readers’ Choice nods, respectively, in the BEST DARK SCRIBBLE category. Totton’s short story “Flatrock Sunners” appeared in the UK print magazine BLACK STATIC, while Shannon’s “The Night Nurse” ran on the webzine Horror Drive-In.

Prolific genre editor Ellen Datlow – a double nominee this year – added a Black Quill Award to her lengthy list of honors for her editing work on POE: 19 NEW TALES INSPIRED BY EDGAR ALLAN POE. This was Datlow’s third nomination, following last year’s nomination for INFERNO: NEW TALES OF TERROR AND THE SUPERNATURAL and a second nomination this year for her work on the LOVECRAFT UNBOUND collection.

Nominations for the Black Quills are editorial-based, with both the editors and active contributing writers submitting nominations in each of the (8) categories. Once nominations are announced, readers of DSM cast their votes for their picks in each category. For this year’s outing, more than 3,300 votes were cast by the magazine’s readers. In a unique spin intended to celebrate both critical and popular success, two winners are traditionally announced in each category – Reader’s Choice and Editor’s Choice. Winners receive recognition in DSM, inclusion in press release materials announcing nominations and winners, a virtual icon to be used on their own website, and a handsome award certificate.

A complete list of all the nominees and winners follows:

DARK GENRE NOVEL OF THE YEAR: (Novel-length work of horror, suspense, or thriller from mainstream publisher; awarded to the author)

• AUDREY'S DOOR by Sarah Langan (Harper)
• CASTAWAYS by Brian Keene (Leisure Books)
• DARK PLACES by Gillian Flynn (Shaye Areheart Books) WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE
• DROOD by Dan Simmons (Little, Brown and Company) WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• THE LITTLE STRANGER by Sarah Waters (Riverhead Hardcover)
• THE UNSEEN by Alexandra Sokoloff (St. Martin's Press)

BEST SMALL PRESS CHILL: (Novel or novella published by small press publisher; awarded to the author)

• AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT by Michael Louis Calvillo (Bad Moon Books) WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• FROZEN BLOOD by Joel Sutherland (Lachesis Publishing)
• KELLAND by Paul G. Bens Jr. (Casperian Books) WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE
• LAST DAYS by Brian Evenson (Underland Press)
• THE HARLEQUIN AND THE TRAIN by Paul G. Tremblay (Necropolitan Press)
• VALLEY OF THE DEAD by Kim Paffenroth (Cargo Cult Press)

BEST DARK GENRE FICTION COLLECTION: (Single author collection, any publisher; awarded to the author)

• MARTYRS & MONSTERS by Robert Dunbar (DarkHart Press)
• MONSTROUS AFFECTIONS by David Nickle (ChiZine Publications) WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• PUMPKIN TEETH by Tom Cardamone (Lethe Press)
• THE HAUNTED HEART AND OTHER TALES by Jameson Currier (Lethe Press) WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE
• UGLY MAN by Dennis Cooper (Harper Perennial)

BEST DARK GENRE ANTHOLOGY: (Multi-author collection, any publisher; awarded to the editor)

• DARK DELICACIES III: HAUNTED edited by Del Howison and Jeff Gelb (Running Press)
• HE IS LEGEND: AN ANTHOLOGY CELEBRATING RICHARD MATHESON edited by Christopher Conlon (Gauntlet Press)
• LOVECRAFT UNBOUND edited by Ellen Datlow (Dark Horse Comics)
• MIDNIGHT WALK edited by Lisa Morton (Darkhouse Publishing) WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE
• POE: 19 NEW TALES INSPIRED BY EDGAR ALLAN POE edited by Ellen Datlow (Solaris) WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• SHIVERS V edited by Richard Chizmar (Cemetery Dance Publications)

BEST DARK GENRE BOOK OF NON-FICTION: (Any dark genre non-fiction subject, any publisher; awarded to the author[s] or editor[s])

• MORBID CURIOSITY CURES THE BLUES edited by Loren Rhodes (Scribner)
• STEPHEN KING: THE NON-FICTION by Rocky Wood and Justin Brooks (Cemetery Dance Publications)
• THE STEPHEN KING ILLUSTRATED COMPANION by Bev Vincent (Fall River Press) WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• WRITER'S WORKSHOP OF HORROR edited by Michael Knost (Woodland Press) WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE

BEST DARK SCRIBBLE: (Single work, non-anthology short fiction appearing in a print or virtual magazine; awarded to the author)

• “Flatrock Sunners” by Sarah Totton (Black Static #12 / Print) WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE
• “Following Marla” by John R. Little (Horror World, February 2009 / Virtual)
• “Night Nurse” by Harry Shannon (Horror Drive-In, July 2009 / Virtual) WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• “The Loyalty of Birds” by Rachel Sobel (Clarkesworld #30 / Virtual)
• “The Man in the Mirror” by Jameson Currier (Icarus #1 / Print)
• “The Mind of a Pig” by Ekaterina Sedia (Apex Magazine, March 2009 / Virtual)

BEST COVER ART & DESIGN: (From any dark genre work of fiction, novel, novella, or anthology; awarded to artist and/or cover designer)

• AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT / Artwork: Peter Mahaichuk; Cover Design: César Puch [by Michael Louis Calvillo from Bad Moon Books] WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE / WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• THE ESTUARY / Artwork: Johann Bodin; Cover Design: Jacob Kier [by Derek Gunn from Permuted Press]
• THE HAUNTED HEART AND OTHER TALES / Artwork by: Richard Taddei; Cover Design: John Molloy [by Jameson Currier from Lethe Press]
• THE PILO FAMILY CIRCUS / Cover Design by: Heidi Whitcomb [by Will Elliot from Underland Press]

BEST DARK GENRE BOOK TRAILER: (Book video promoting any work of fiction or non-fiction; awarded to the video producer or publisher)
• AUDREY'S DOOR / Production by JT Petty (Author: Sarah Langan) WINNER – EDITORS’ CHOICE
• FAR DARK FIELDS / Production by John Palisano (Author: Gary Braunbeck) WINNER – READERS’ CHOICE
• ISIS / Production by Circle of Seven (Author: Douglas Clegg)
• THE LIFELESS / Production by Coscom Entertainment (Author: Lorne Dixon)
• SENSE AND SENSIBILITY AND SEA MONSTERS / Production by Seth Dalton and Ransom Riggs (Author: Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters)

Mondadori has picked up the rights for their Epix, mass market series. Hooray...

I'm Editor GOH at Aggiecon this weekend and here is my schedule (although I'll also be signing, but that time hasn't yet been set). I hope everyone in the neighborhood (College Station, Texas) will drop by:
http://aggiecon.tamu.edu/

My schedule has changed substantially but here it is updated:

Friday 5pm:
The Laboratory: "Paper or Plastic: The Great E-Reader Debate" - The Kindle, Nook, and e-Books are quickly gaining popularity. Will the written word no longer be written, but typed? Will all our media be read from a screen rather than a page in the future? [Clement-Moore, Sullivan, Rosen, Knowles, Gould*, Datlow]
Friday 7pm: Opening Ceremonies

Friday 8pm:
The Laboratory: "What Would Bram Stoker Say?" - What would the master of horror literature think of vampires that sparkle? This panel will also be called "The Book That Shall Not Be Named Again". You know what I'm talking about. [Datlow, Montz, Bowers*, Turner]

Saturday noon: autographing

Saturday 2pm:
Ellen Datlow Q&A, [MC is Julia Mandala]

Saturday 5pm:
"All the Sci Fi Ladies" - Our panelists discuss strong women characters and women writers in science fiction and fantasy literature. How were women portrayed in the past? Has that changed any with modern literature? [Fletcher, Sarath*, Rosen, Datlow, Bowers, Montz, Wells, Mixon]

Sunday 10am:
"Publishing Dealbreakers" - What you should NOT do if you want your manuscript to get out of the slush pile. Our editors talk about horror stories and give practical advice for sending out your work. [Knowles*, Mandala, Datlow, Rosen]

Rich Horton, who regularly reviews short fiction for Locus, does a wrap up at the beginning of the next year, covering the last year in short fiction. A couple of days ago he posted his wrap up of my anthologies on his blog The Elephant Forgets

I just got word from Jeremy at Night Shade that we're going to do another volume so here's my call for submissions. Please pass it around.
Thanks
Ellen
Call for Submissions

I am editing the anthology series Best Horror of the Year (Night Shade Books) and am currently reading for the third volume, which will include all material published in 2010.

I am looking for stories from all branches of horror: from the traditional-supernatural to the borderline, including high-tech sf horror, supernatural stories, psychological horror, dark thrillers, or anything else that might qualify. If in doubt, send it. This is a reprint anthology so I am only reading material published in or about to be published in 2010. Submission deadline for stories is November 15th 2010. Anything sent after this deadline will reach me too late. If a magazine, anthology, or collection you’re in or you publish is coming out in December, you can send me galleys or manuscripts so that I can judge the stories in time. No email submissions. I strongly suggest that authors check with their publishers that they are sending review copies to me as I don’t have time or energy to nag publishers to get me material. I request it once (maybe twice) and that’s it.

There will be a summation of "the year in horror" in the front of the volume. This will include novels, nonfiction, art books, and "odds and ends"-- material that doesn't fit elsewhere but that I feel might interest the horror reader. But I must be aware of this material in order to mention it. The deadline for this section is December 31st, 2010.
Ellen Datlow
Best Horror of the Year Volume Three
PMB 391
511 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10011-8436

****I do not want to receive manuscripts from authors of stories from venues that it’s likely I already receive (like Interzone, Black Static, Crimewave, Cemetery Dance, Realms of Fantasy, Postscripts, Weird Tales, F&SF, etc) or from anthologies and collections, unless I don't have or can’t get that anthology or collection. Please contact your publisher and ask him/her to send me the magazine or book.

Please do not send a SASE. If I choose a story you will be informed. If you want to confirm that I‘ve received something, enclose a self-addressed-stamped postcard and I will let you know the date it arrived. For stories that appear on the web, please send me (or have the publisher send me) print-outs of your story.
thanks

But first, I'm home and so happy to be here. Of course, I'm going off for the next two weekends to be Guest of Honor at Aggiecon in College Station, TX and then Radcon in Pasco Washington but still. The weather when I returned Friday afternoon was a shock, even though it was cooler than usual down in Florida.

A bit of excitement taking off from West Palm Beach airport. We were on the runway, in the process of speeding up to take off when the plane slowed down and stopped. We were told by the Captain that he'd aborted takeoff because a flock of birds to the right side of the plane (I was on the left) took off and one flew into the nose of the plane. So... just to make sure dead birdie didn't get into the engines, we had to return to the gate for said engines to be checked out. While we waited the Captain said he's come down the aisle to ask questions. He got to me (2/3 of the way back) and I asked what kind of bird it was but he didn't know. I'm guessing egrets or something. After a mere half hour delay we were on our way.

( Read more... )

YES. It's done done done. And I'm very relieved. I handed in everything but the summary before I left for Florida Saturday afternoon and then cranked out the rest of the summary (and edited it) and emailed it to Ross at Night Shade when I finished it at 2a.m.

I didn't have time to post the TOC before Ross got to it so I know it's all over the web but...here it is anyway. As usual in the past few years, there were many more stories that I'd have loved to have taken, but didn't have room.


Summation 2009 Ellen Datlow
Lowland Sea Suzy McKee Charnas
The End of Everything Steve Eller
Mrs Midnight Reggie Oliver
each thing I show you is a piece of my death Gemma Files and Stephen J. Barringer
The Nimble Men Glen Hirshberg
What Happens when you wake up in the night Michael Marshall Smith
Wendigo Micaela Morrissette
In the Porches of My Ears Norman Prentiss
Lonegan’s Luck Stephen Graham Jones
The Crevasse Dale Bailey and Nathan Ballingrud
The Lion’s Den Steve Duffy
Lotophagi Edward Morris
The Gaze Dogs of Nine Waterfall Kaaron Warren
Dead Loss Carole Johnstone
Strappado Laird Barron
The Lammas Worm Nina Allen
Technicolor John Langan

Terri and my editor at Viking, Sharyn November just alerted us:

http://tinyurl.com/46pebp

This is excellent news!