Because 2 giveaways this week wasn't enough, I am sneaking in a 3rd!!! It is October, and if ever there is a time for the #HorrorForLibraries giveaway to go big or go home, it is now.
I will be pulling 1 lucky winner of a prize pack courtesy of Tenebrous press on Monday at 5pm central. Please use the general #HorrorForLibraies rules to enter, just note the changed due date. Enter by Monday 10/17 at 5pm.
But this post is more than a giveaway. I wanted to spotlight Tenebrous Press so I invited them to introduce themselves to you.
Tenebrous Press is a publisher of contemporary New Weird Horror. “Inspired” by a particularly treacherous incident while escaping the Pacific Northwest forest fires of 2020, indie comics creator/writer Matt Blairstone reached out to fellow writers and artists around the world for their own personal takes on the increasingly relevant Eco-Horror genre. Titled Green Inferno, this anthology of Climate Fiction, combining prose and comics from creators as far-flung as Japan, Italy and Canada, became the opening salvo for the newly christened Tenebrous Press.
One relationship in particular clicked during the publication of Green Inferno. Editor, writer, and Romanian native, Alex Woodroe, joined Blairstone on the next Tenebrous Press project: In Somnio: A Collection of Modern Gothic Horror. In Somnio would see a focus on Women and Femme-identifying creators in the Horror realm dragging the tropes of Gothic literature into modern, subversive settings.
In Somnio’s success helped to refine the type of work that Blairstone and Woodroe were eager to unleash upon the world: intelligent, speculative fiction that refused to be restrained by sub-genre; delivered by voices from off the beaten path; and run through with an unmistakable element of Horror. Inspired by the rebirth of Weird Fiction in the 90’s and 00’s that had been spearheaded by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer, China Mieville and Caitlin R. Kiernan, Tenebrous Press dubbed their style New Weird Horror.
2021 saw Tenebrous contribute to the long-overdue resurgence of the novella as a viable commercial form, releasing One Hand to Hold, One Hand to Carve by M.Shaw; Lure by Tim McGregor; and the forthcoming Crom Cruach by Valkyrie Loughcrewe.
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In addition, Tenebrous opted to move their future anthology releases toward philanthropic causes, releasing the New Weird Body Horror compilation, Your Body is Not Your Body, in retaliation to the Texas government’s appalling attempts to criminalize Trans and Queer youth and their families. Conceived, announced, edited, and released in a whirlwind 45 days, proceeds from Your Body is Not Your Body have gone to Equality Texas and Trevor Project. So far over $8,000 has been raised for the organizations; it is Tenebrous Press’ most successful release to date.
Every release by Tenebrous Press stands separate and unique on crowded bookshelves, but there are a few hallmarks that help distinguish our peculiar voice:
Impeccable attention to cover design and lavish interior artwork from a broad swath of illustrators and artists;
Subject matter that is incisive, provocative and unapologetically intelligent;
A controlled number of titles, ensuring that every release sees the full support and attention of both of the Tenebrous founders;
A devotion to push the malleable Horror genre into Newer, Weirder territory, from voices diverse and under-recognized.
2023 will see Tenebrous Press continue to expand their publishing calendar, beginning with Brave New Weird, the first in an annual tradition celebrating the best Weird Fiction released in the previous calendar year, curated by Woodroe.
Other forthcoming releases include a collection of short fiction from M.Shaw; five novellas from a selection of creators both emergent and preparing to take the next step in their careers; and a soon-to-be-announced Weird composite novel from writers Jolie Toomajan and Carson Winter.
Tenebrous Press is:
Matt Blairstone - Publisher & Founder
Alex Woodroe - Editor
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