[GNS News] Newsletter No. 8
[GNS News] Newsletter No. 8
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Official Newsletter No. 8
Celebrating the Life and Works of Guy N Smith 1939-2020
Greetings Fans, Friends and Fiends!
Welcome to another packed issue of the GNS newsletter!
Inside, you'll find highlights from the recent GNS Fan
Convention 2024, updates on new and upcoming projects
from Black Hill Books and GNS author-fans, plus an
introduction to our new Patreon membership, created to
help expand Guy N. Smith’s legacy to loyal fans and new
readers alike.
We've also got details on the Halloween release for the
latest book Werewolf by Moonlight, a Halloween Sabat
Special from the Breakfast in the Ruins podcast,
the current Big Cats series on Occultaria of
Albion, and plans for the Great Scribbler
podcast, hosted by Tara Paulsson and launching with Guy’s
fanzine Graveyard Rendezvous. Plus, get a sneak peek at a new
competition with the film and audio platform Dread Sanctum,
and, as always, a further look into Guy’s teenage Mystery Man
Diary. Dive in and enjoy!
More Crabs Are Coming!
You’ll remember that the last newsletter featured the
republication of Night of the Crabs, Killer Crabs and Origin
of the Crabs, and indeed these three books in Guy’s Crabs
series were launched in ebook and paperback formats in time
for the GNS fan con on September 1st (with an audiobook of
Night of the Crabs still in production, due out imminently).
There’s an intention to release the next three (books 4-6) in
these formats by Christmas/New Year, possibly with some themed
slipcases available, and perhaps both boxset and hardback
versions of all 6 books to come out next year, the latter
featuring some colourful Rick Melton artwork. Watch this
space!
Amazon Author Page
It’s been nearly four years since we lost Guy and there have
been many changes and upheavals along the way, not the least
of which was making Black Hill Books into a limited company,
gaining access to BHB company accounts and assets, and
assigning the GNS book rights to Black Hill Books Ltd.
One thing we hadn’t managed to do until the republication of
the first books was to regain – and update – the Amazon Author
Page, without which it would have been impossible to obtain
sales reports/stats and promote the books effectively on
Amazon. Well, now we have it! It took a few weeks,
corresponding with Amazon Author Central’s help centre and
sending them the relevant documents proving we were his family
and had the right to own the page, but now it’s done, we are
relieved and proud to show it to you:
Guy N Smith on Amazon
If you use Amazon, please follow Guy’s page. He has 892
followers at the time of writing.
Let’s see if we can get to 1000 by Christmas!
Guy N. Smith Patreon Membership
In October, we set up a Patreon membership account to allow
fans who wish to support the ongoing GNS project to donate on
a monthly basis. By subscribing to the Patreon membership you
can help Black Hill Books deliver ongoing GNS content to keep
the great Scribbler’s legacy alive and keep you entertained!
To find out more, visit
patreon.com/greatscribbler.
We have opted to postpone a switch to Apple
subscription billing until November 2025, which means new
members can’t join via the app just now (existing app
members are unaffected) but you can join via the website. It
shouldn’t affect anyone negatively but if you have any
questions, do contact Patreon directly as a first step.
Werewolf By Moonlight
Exciting and slightly surprising news (even to us) is that we
have put out a new edition of Werewolf by Moonlight (Guy’s
first published novel, originally released in September 1974)
on Amazon in ebook and paperback formats at
lightning-speed, thanks to fast work by foreword writer Mickey
Lewis (see the previous newsletter) and artist Mike McGee (see
below). We are super happy with it, especially as its release
date just about coincides with the 50-year anniversary
of its first publication by NEL, and we now hope to wheel out
books 2 and 3 of the series equally quickly. Lewis’s foreword,
snappily entitled ‘Nice N’ Sleazy: lust and lycanthropy on
a farm boy’s wages’ is pure cheeky joy from start to
finish, and McGee’s artistry is… well, judge for yourselves!
We adore it.
Mike McGee
Mike McGee is our artist of choice for the Werewolf series
cover art. Here’s a bit about him in his own words:
“I’m Mike, a pop culture illustrator whose work is heavily
influenced by the masters of the macabre Bernie Wrightson and
Kelley Jones. The majority of my work has been poster-based
but a few years ago I was approached by a good friend of mine,
Justin Park, who offered me the chance to work on the cover
for the next book in the Sabat series. I obviously jumped at
the chance! Since then I have produced covers for From the
Dark Hours, Satanic Armageddon, The Casebook of Raymond Odell
and Beheaded which was co-written by Guy and Justin. Werewolf
by Moonlight is my latest cover for Guy’s books and I am
honoured once again to be a small part of an iconic series
from such a true master of his craft.”
“Where do I buy?”, we hear you cry!
Amazon UK links:
Paperback:
https://amzn.eu/d/aIDIobd
Kindle:
https://amzn.eu/d/fk03UtU
Amazon US links:
Paperback:
https://a.co/d/gBOJfmb
Kindle:
https://a.co/d/hr8tPQH
There are Amazon links for DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, JP, BR, CA,
MX, AU and IN too, so if you can’t find it on your country’s
Amazon page, contact us. And if Amazon isn’t your bag, we’ll
be launching on Kobo, Barnes & Noble, iBooks and selling
direct digital books via the website, too.
There’s also our Official UK Seller Paul Evans for
hardcopies and rare copies, on Abe Books website
What a Wicked World Wide Web we Weave…
A few words from Reverend Doom.
The shadows have shifted, and so too has our online realm. I
bid you, devoted disciples, to gaze upon the Guy N.
Smith website, now transformed into a sanctuary for the
peculiar, the curious, and the fanatical. Within its dark
corridors, you shall find:
Unsettlingly fresh news from beyond the veil
Past editions of the revered newsletter, preserved like
relics in a tomb
The cryptic instalments of the *Mystery Man Diary*
A complete inventory of Guy N. Smith’s immortal works
A biography of the man himself, an homage to his mortal
coil
Yet, beneath this, a darker engine roars—the Blackhill
Books website, the commercial heart of our empire. This
is the vault of e-commerce, the guarded gate where coin
changes hands, and the faithful may acquire relics with utmost
security.
What awaits in the Shadows? The online shop is in its
final rites. Soon, you shall be able to purchase:
Forbidden digital tomes
Merchandise woven with the essence of the macabre
And for the brave few… mummified remains of eldritch lore
A secure payment system, woven through the dark enchantments
of the Stripe on line banking system, stands ready to process
your offerings. Past newsletter editions are already available
in ebook format. Yet we await the final protective wards upon
the policy documents before unleashing the shop upon the
world. Dare to reach out if you wish to be among the first to
test this sacred ground.
Into the Future… A prophecy looms: The Great
Scribbler website shall rise, heralding Great
Scribbler Podcast, where the dark tales and arcane
voices of Tara Paulsson will echo through the void.
TLDR: We did a lot. We're going to do more. Cool websites.
Check 'em out.
Buddy Plugs!
Plugging our buddies… (Why, what did you think we meant…?)
YouTube Interview – Blast from the Past
We recently connected with writer Gary Dobbs, an author
contact of Guy’s, about his vintage interview with Guy for
Scary Motherfucker magazine. The interview is pure gold and is
available to listen to on The Tainted Tavern YouTube channel.
Here’s the link:
The Tainted Tavern on
YouTube
Tripping the Light Zine-tastic
After the roaring success of his first GNS zine, writer and
photographer Chris Elphick is planning another one next year,
featuring GNS-inspired fan fiction. Fans have until March to
submit to the zine a short story inspired by one of Guy’s
books or characters, to be published exclusively in Elphick’s
zine with Black Hill Books’ permission. For more details,
contact Chris via his blog
pixie-led.co.uk
Winter Tales ‘The Final’ by Joseph Freeman
Author and photographer Joseph Freeman was a long-time friend
and fan of Guy and is putting out his last-ever Winter Tales
this December. The popular online horror reading show boasts
an impressive line up and features title music by Guy’s
daughter Tara Paulsson. The stories are always of the highest
quality and past shows can be found on YouTube and via his
website. Joseph Freeman’s is a life lived amongst
ghosts; both fictional and otherwise. His ancestors had
various castles and mansions in Ireland – most of which were
haunted and most of which were sold off before he had a chance
of inheriting any. His own parents told him tales of ancestral
banshees. A childhood interest in the gruesome and the
ghoulish developed into a lifelong passion for horror, and
after having dozens of short stories published in magazines
and anthologies both in the UK and USA, his first book, 'Love
Stories of the Undead' was published to great acclaim and
popularity when he was still a teenager. He has now published
17 books, including the collections ‘They Come At Dusk’ and
‘Elsewhere & Otherwise’, and the novels ‘The Cold Heart of
Summer’ and ‘Arcadia Lodge’.
Much of his work is based upon his own experiences of, and
research into, the supernatural. In his writing, Freeman
concentrates upon a vivid atmosphere, rising tension and
glimpses of visionary terrors. He is highly praised for his
use of subtlety, psychological techniques and mood to create
an unsettling atmosphere. In 2020, Freeman created the
‘Midsummer Macabre’ and ‘Winter Tales’ series of events. At
first held live, the COVID pandemic forced a shift into the
online format – but this meant exposure to a much larger
audience, and also the chance to work with some of the
greatest living names in horror fiction.
All previous online shows can be found on his Youtube
channel.
Joseph
Freeman's personal web site.
Joseph Freeman's Facebook page.
Joseph Freeman's Youtube
channel.
Fiends with Benefits (well, blogs…)
There are many excellent review/blog sites featuring Guy’s
work. Here are a few:
Gavin Kendall
Paul Ebbs on
Facebook
Chris Hall
"Mike Howlett
Hal C. F. Astell's The Nameless
Zine
Hal C. F. Astell's Apocalypse
Later
Empire
The Monster Librarian Interview
With Guy N. Smith
Lord Sampers Library (@lordsamper on x.com) - Thanks,
Your Lordship!
Meet Guy N. Smith on Boing Boing
If you know of a site featuring horror, including Guy N.
Smith’s work, please let us know and we’ll try to add it to
the list!
Find Your Inner (Dread) Sanctum!
We are hoping to team up again with the people at Shortly.film
next year to run a short film competition via their new
horror/fantasy streaming outfit Dread Sanctum. The
run-up to the deadline will be longer and the choice of theme
broader than the previously-proposed short film competition we
wanted to run in August, so let us know what you think! What
or who is your favourite GNS novel or character? Could you
turn make a winning short film of it/them?
GNS Fan Convention September 2024
This year’s fan convention was held at Knighton Community
Centre in Powys, Wales, on Sunday 1st September. Guy always
held his fan cons on the first Sunday in September – and we
aren’t about to break with that tradition any time soon!
The room was kitted out with an auction table, merch table,
buffet table, hot and cold drinks station and, of course, the
all-important book table, which groaned under the weight of
the new Black Hill Books paperback editions of the Crabs
books 1-3, all signed by Guy’s widow Jean Smith and
daughter/editor Tara Paulsson. In the corridor, there
was a full savoury buffet spread of sumptuous food provided by
the Little Black Sheep Café (Knighton). We didn’t go hungry or
thirsty, at least!
There was a great turn-out of fans who were treated to
readings from Crabs books 1-3 – two of them were ‘live,’ by
Tara, and the third was a pre-recorded ‘pre-listen’ from the forthcoming
audiobook of Night of the Crabs, expertly read by
seasoned voiceover artist Pete Gold.
Our IT wizard Reverend Doom had digitised Guy’s super 1990s
VHS film ‘Wain House Rendezvous’ and he was able to
screen a 15-minute clip on the venue’s projector for the
gathered company. We watched and listened in hushed awe to a
lively, enthusiastic Guy (wearing what looked like a green
alien-patterned shirt!) proudly showing off his beloved
vintage book collection. It was both heartwarming and a little
heart-aching to see Guy immortalised in his element. We miss
him - but in many ways, we still have so much of him.
Everyone was a winner by virtue of being there that day -
but some winners were more ‘winny’ than others as they
garnered trinkets and honours in a Crabs-themed quiz and a
raffle. We all drew the top prize, however, through our
immense collective enjoyment of the guest appearance of
successful author Mark Morris, who read from his
latest folk horror book, That Which Stands Outside - highly
recommended! Morris has kindly written the foreword
‘Confessions of a Convert’ for Origin of the Crabs (Book 3),
all fan con copies of which he duly signed on the day, and had
driven all the way from York that morning (after undergoing
some surgery above his eye, the day before) and stopped off
with us for a few hours before making his way elsewhere for a
book festival the next day. What a star!
The greatly-anticipated GNS auction was, in turns, jovial,
lively and tense as a few ‘hot’ items generated bidding
battles and Tara bumbled her way through her first experience
as an auctioneer with a large helping of (unintentional)
comedy! Donated to the auction were were signed copies of
short story anthology Short Cuts from Steve Lockley, several
signed titles from David Owain Hughes, some Graveyard
Rendezvous spares, an editor-annotated manuscript of Night of
the Crabs, signed proof copies of Crabs 1-3 and much much
more. The big ticket item was a one-off handmade leather-bound
parchment copy of Night of the Crabs, complete with embedded
claw, which went to bidding behemoth Nick Caton! Guy’s snug I
Bought a Vampire Motorbike t-shirt (merch from that quirky
short film starring Neil Morrissey) went to writer David Owain
Hughes.
There was an array of old and new merch, ranging from mugs
and t-shirts to pens, fridge magnets and keyrings, and the
event raised around £1200 (before costs) for Black Hill Books
Ltd, which should go some way towards furthering the Great
Republication Project, helping us pay for book cover and audio
artists, and spread some Great Scribbler love!
For an attendee’s eye view of the event, why not visit Chris
Elphick’s excellent write-up?
pixie-led, A Gathering for Guy.
All in all, a tremendous day (and weekend in some cases!) was
had by everyone in this exceptionally tight-knit and friendly
horror community, which is precisely what Guy loved about his
fan cons.
“It’s all in the best poddable taste!”
Great Scribbler Podcast hosted by Tara Paulsson (and a
fridgedoorfull of haunted magnets)
Thoughts, prayers and curses are underway as we ponder a
podcast format that will summon the spirit of the Great
Scribbler and resurrect the ghosts and ghouls of Graveyard
Rendezvous without taking too much time away from book
production! There are visual and audio options, public or
Patreon subscriber-only options and even sponsorship ideas to
consider! But we think that using a Graveyard Rendezvous
fanzine edition-by-edition approach will give us focus and
making the episodes publicly available will raise visibility
(or should that be audibility?), so we might need to accept
advertising as a way of funding ourselves. The launch is
likely to be announced by the host Tara Paulsson on social
media, so keep your eyes on the various platforms and we’ll
try to spread the word when the time is right.
Sabat: The Graveyard Vultures - Breakfast in the Ruins
Podcast Special
A Halloween Treat! Breakfast in the Ruins is
broadcasting a Halloween episode on Sabat: The
Graveyard Vultures. In his podcast, creator and host
Andy Stimbot has previously featured the novels Night of the
Crabs, Crabs’ Moon and Crabs on the Rampage and also
interviewed his daughter (and BHB editor) Tara Paulsson. In
the following passage, we meet Graham Holden, who has
deservedly appeared on the podcast as a ‘Guy N. Smith expert’,
and will appear in the Sabat episode. Here, he describes how
he first chanced upon the Great Scribbler’s work.
Graham Holden - How I came across Guy N. Smith
It must have been when I was around 15 or so. There was a
monthly book fair in the Assembly Rooms in Chichester. A
rather grand building, and I often felt quite out of place
initially walking into this building – but felt right at home
once I was in the hall with all the book stalls. On one of my
visits, whilst scanning along the bindings of some paperbacks
I spotted one called Throwback by an author that I’d not heard
of, a Guy N. Smith. The cover was of a grizzly-looking ape
like creature gnawing on some unidentified bloody sinewy like
thing. Underneath the title was “PRIMITIVE, PRE-HUMAN, THEY
SWARMED ACROSS THE FACE OF THE LAND”. I couldn’t resist. I
purchased it straight away. This was my gateway book into the
fantastical horror world of Guy N. Smith. I devoured this book
rapidly, and my teenage mind couldn’t quite comprehend what I
was reading. Brutal, but compelling. I was instantly hooked.
The next month I returned to the book fair and I couldn’t
quite believe my luck. The same stall had a whole bunch of Guy
N. Smith books – mostly of the “Crab” series. I bought them
all. And for a period in my mid-teens, I’d pick up any GNS
book I spotted and had a modest collection. As I “grew up,” my
interests moved on and I sold my collection.
Fast forward 30 odd years. There I was, wasting some time
before a physiotherapy session at the local hospital, so I
decided to pop into a charity shop for a look at what they had
on offer in the book section. I stopped in my tracks. On the
rotating wire rack nestled between some Mills & Boon was a
cover that was so out of place it was perverse. Crabs: The
Human Sacrifice. For 50p, I found myself right back into the
world of BIG GIANT CRABS, animal liberation, wildfowling and
more Click click clickety-click. I was again hooked, but this
time I had the internet, some disposable income and a wealth
of information for me to research on Guy and the discovery of
his works outside of his horror writing – who knew I had an
interest in Moles and their Control! After picking up Writing
Horror Fiction (Writing Handbooks), I’ve now been inspired to
give it a go myself with the guidance from Guy himself.
This renewed discovery of Guy N. Smith also coincided with
the discovery of a podcast called Breakfast in the Ruins,
which is primarily a Michael Moorcock inspired podcast, but
Andy also covered other genre fiction. And there was an
episode of Night of the Crabs. I got in contact, as a Moorcock
fan and a GNS fan – how could I not. Over the past few years,
Andy has kindly invited me as a guest to cover GNS-related
books, along with some other pulp horror. It’s been a blast.
Coming up for this Halloween special is Sabat 1: The Graveyard
Vultures – which should be a sordid affair!
You can find out more about the podcast at *Breakfast in the Ruins
* Content warning for sexual violence and exasperated
hosts.
Rather Catty!
If you want to delve into another fascinating area of Guy’s
many interests, you can follow the current Lincolnshire Big
Cat Investigation series on the Occultaria of Albion
podcast and listen to various people’s experiences of big cat
sightings, including (in episode 3) a sighting of a probable
caracal on Black Hill by Guy’s daughter Tara and her husband.
Podcast creator and host Richards Daniels has
recently written an article for Phantasmagoria magazine
celebrating 50 years of Guy N. Smith pulp horror novels, which
began with his first published book, Werewolf By Moonlight.
Daniels is currently touring with his show The Filing Cabinet of Fear and
his podcast is available on all major platforms.
And Last But Not Least - “Mystery Man” Diary 1957
Here is the sixth instalment of Guy’s secret teenage diary,
originally handwritten and published in the GNS newsletters
for the first time. Guy would have been just 18 years old when
he wrote it and was already working in the Midland Bank.
Enjoy!
Wednesday March 20th
Feeling much better today. In the lunch hour I went after a
record - tried 8 shops but couldn’t get it. I had to take the
registered letters again tonight. I got the 5.5 bus home. Did
not go down to the hospital tonight. Just had a quiet evening
- did a bit of study & played some records.
Thursday March 21st
Best day yet on States. I got the 4.42 train home. Today I got
a record of Billy Thorburn’s “Ricochet.” I got home & went
in the wood with the gun. I had a couple of shots at jays but
got nothing. Helen Brewster came and taught me book-keeping.
She is suffering from rheumatism in her back. She went at 9pm
then I played records & went to bed.
Friday March 22nd
Quite a good day. I had a surprise. I was told I was wanted
down in Securities & who should be there but Hugh
Montgomery. We went out together in the lunch hour. I shall
see him again next week. Got the 4.42 train home. Put in two
more rows of parsnips, and another row of peas. I did some
more digging. I went out with the gun in Hopwas wood but
didn’t get a shot. I watched ‘Dragnet’ & then played some
records. I then wrote an article on records for the
‘Tettenhall Observer.’
Saturday March 23rd
I went early this morning so I could get away early. I got
home and finished off digging the centre patch. Dad came home
from hospital today. He looks O.K. again now. I went shooting
with Fred Cole on our own shoot. The hunt had been across
& things were rather tame. I had a shot at a pigeon which
began to ‘tower’ over Swinnerton’s. I didn’t pick it up. Mum
took me down to Watson’s to fetch a football paper tonight. I
amused myself this evening by wrapping up an April Fool
parcel. I don’t know who I’m going to send it to.
Sunday March 24th
Went to church in the morning. Came back and did some
gardening. I went round to see Billy and Nellie. He told me
the story of how he told Kitely that it was Fred Cole’s job to
climb up the T.V. mast & light the lamp at night &
Kitely believed him. I came back from Billy’s and dug both
banks by the wood hedge & set seeds in them & mowed
the lawn. I went down to Grandma’s in the evening to exchange
the Sunday papers. Quite a good day’s work all round.
Monday March 25th
A disappointing day. I am back on Remittance. We had a bit of
trouble balancing & I got the 5.40 bus home. I was annoyed
because I was unable to get to do any gardening. Lance has
been ‘ill’ all day & Mum had put him in my room & he’d
turned it into a bear garden. The old man was a bit grumpy
too, on about this & that. When I took the dog for his
last walk down the road I met a fellow who said he was booking
appointments for the 11 plus exam. We rang the police but he
was genuine.
Tuesday March 26th
Went on the bus to Longbridge this morning to fetch the Austin
credit. Quite a good day. I was the only one to fly balance. I
got the 5.5 bus. Walked up from Tamworth. I went up to Mrs
Winfield’s tonight. A very good night apart from the fact that
that girl was not there. Sam Loughead enjoyed it too. We gave
the fat lady a lift home. I’ll get off with someone somehow!!!
Wednesday March 27th
Today I was given the job of helping to clear the stationery
room. It was filthy! I had to take the registered letters to
post. I got the 5.25pm train home & got home at 6.20pm. I
did some gardening. I tidied up the steps into the wood, put
in a row of spring onions, set the rest of the wood bank &
put some fertiliser on the garden. I did some studying also.
Thursday March 28th
Just a normal routine day today. I got a couple of records,
“Feet Up” and “Quicksilver” from the secondhand shop on Snow
Hill. I got the 5.15 train & got home at 6.20. I gardened
until 7.20pm. I put in 2 rows of turnips & my marrows. I
dug the flowerbed beneath the rustic work. I also did some
studying.
Friday March 29th
A normal day. I went to Batt’s for a haircut. I fly-balanced
today. Mr Price the head messenger is retiring and at 4.30
today a presentation was made to him. Mr Iley made a speech.
They gave him a spade and a fork, and electric razor & a
pipe & a pouch of tobacco. I got the 5.15 train home. Home
at 6.20. I finished planting the woodbank & dug the bed in
front of the kitchen.
Saturday March 30th
The batches wouldn’t balance at the office today. I got the
1.35 bus home. Home at 3 0/c. I dug the flowerbed under the
kitchen window and put the potatoes (ninety folds) in. Went
shooting in Hopwas Wood with Fred Cole. Had one shot - got
nothing. I came back and dug half that patch by the shelter.
Mum ran me down to Watson’s to get a football paper and a card
for Billy.
Sunday March 31st
Gardened practically all day, except for a 2 hour break in the
afternoon which I spent with Bill and Nellie. I have now got
practically everything done except the paths. Bill complained
about Fred tipping his rubbish in front of Bill’s house so as
the Coles were out this afternoon, I tipped my rubbish in
front of their gate!!
Monday April 1st
I had a laugh thinking of Sid Faulkner’s face when he got the
parcel this morning. A very busy day today. I was told there
was someone to see me by the messages box & when I got
down who should be there but Morris, Walter & Blackwall.
We had a chat for 10 mins. We had a bit of a job balancing
& what with being busy I didn’t get home till 8 o’clock.
Tuesday April 2nd
Very busy again today. I got the 5.50 train home & just
missed my connection in Tamworth. I tried to ring home &
couldn’t get through. After about a quarter of an hour I
discovered that you now have to put 4d in the box instead of
3d. I went dancing with Sam Loughead. The girl I had hoped to
see wasn’t up there but we had a good time all the same.
Wednesday April 3rd
Had a pretty big London Clearing today - didn’t finish listing
it until quarter to eleven. We were busy today & I got the
6.5 bus home. I was very moody this evening. It’s all this
social standard (snobbery) business that gets on my nerves.
Much more of it & I shall be properly up the wall. I shall
make a move next Tuesday.
Newsletter written and compiled by Tara Paulsson. Black
Hill Books would like to say a big thank you to all our guest
contributors.
©️2024 Black Hill Books Ltd.
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Official Newsletter No. 8
Celebrating the Life and Works of Guy N Smith 1939-2020
Greetings Fans, Friends and Fiends!
Welcome to another packed issue of the GNS newsletter!
Inside, you'll find highlights from the recent GNS Fan
Convention 2024, updates on new and upcoming projects
from Black Hill Books and GNS author-fans, plus an
introduction to our new Patreon membership, created to
help expand Guy N. Smith’s legacy to loyal fans and new
readers alike.
We've also got details on the Halloween release for the
latest book Werewolf by Moonlight, a Halloween Sabat
Special from the Breakfast in the Ruins podcast,
the current Big Cats series on Occultaria of
Albion, and plans for the Great Scribbler
podcast, hosted by Tara Paulsson and launching with Guy’s
fanzine Graveyard Rendezvous. Plus, get a sneak peek at a new
competition with the film and audio platform Dread Sanctum,
and, as always, a further look into Guy’s teenage Mystery Man
Diary. Dive in and enjoy!
More Crabs Are Coming!
You’ll remember that the last newsletter featured the
republication of Night of the Crabs, Killer Crabs and Origin
of the Crabs, and indeed these three books in Guy’s Crabs
series were launched in ebook and paperback formats in time
for the GNS fan con on September 1st (with an audiobook of
Night of the Crabs still in production, due out imminently).
There’s an intention to release the next three (books 4-6) in
these formats by Christmas/New Year, possibly with some themed
slipcases available, and perhaps both boxset and hardback
versions of all 6 books to come out next year, the latter
featuring some colourful Rick Melton artwork. Watch this
space!
Amazon Author Page
It’s been nearly four years since we lost Guy and there have
been many changes and upheavals along the way, not the least
of which was making Black Hill Books into a limited company,
gaining access to BHB company accounts and assets, and
assigning the GNS book rights to Black Hill Books Ltd.
One thing we hadn’t managed to do until the republication of
the first books was to regain – and update – the Amazon Author
Page, without which it would have been impossible to obtain
sales reports/stats and promote the books effectively on
Amazon. Well, now we have it! It took a few weeks,
corresponding with Amazon Author Central’s help centre and
sending them the relevant documents proving we were his family
and had the right to own the page, but now it’s done, we are
relieved and proud to show it to you:
Guy N Smith on Amazon
If you use Amazon, please follow Guy’s page. He has 892
followers at the time of writing.
Let’s see if we can get to 1000 by Christmas!
Guy N. Smith Patreon Membership
In October, we set up a Patreon membership account to allow
fans who wish to support the ongoing GNS project to donate on
a monthly basis. By subscribing to the Patreon membership you
can help Black Hill Books deliver ongoing GNS content to keep
the great Scribbler’s legacy alive and keep you entertained!
To find out more, visit
patreon.com/greatscribbler.
We have opted to postpone a switch to Apple
subscription billing until November 2025, which means new
members can’t join via the app just now (existing app
members are unaffected) but you can join via the website. It
shouldn’t affect anyone negatively but if you have any
questions, do contact Patreon directly as a first step.
Werewolf By Moonlight
Exciting and slightly surprising news (even to us) is that we
have put out a new edition of Werewolf by Moonlight (Guy’s
first published novel, originally released in September 1974)
on Amazon in ebook and paperback formats at
lightning-speed, thanks to fast work by foreword writer Mickey
Lewis (see the previous newsletter) and artist Mike McGee (see
below). We are super happy with it, especially as its release
date just about coincides with the 50-year anniversary
of its first publication by NEL, and we now hope to wheel out
books 2 and 3 of the series equally quickly. Lewis’s foreword,
snappily entitled ‘Nice N’ Sleazy: lust and lycanthropy on
a farm boy’s wages’ is pure cheeky joy from start to
finish, and McGee’s artistry is… well, judge for yourselves!
We adore it.
Mike McGee
Mike McGee is our artist of choice for the Werewolf series
cover art. Here’s a bit about him in his own words:
“I’m Mike, a pop culture illustrator whose work is heavily
influenced by the masters of the macabre Bernie Wrightson and
Kelley Jones. The majority of my work has been poster-based
but a few years ago I was approached by a good friend of mine,
Justin Park, who offered me the chance to work on the cover
for the next book in the Sabat series. I obviously jumped at
the chance! Since then I have produced covers for From the
Dark Hours, Satanic Armageddon, The Casebook of Raymond Odell
and Beheaded which was co-written by Guy and Justin. Werewolf
by Moonlight is my latest cover for Guy’s books and I am
honoured once again to be a small part of an iconic series
from such a true master of his craft.”
“Where do I buy?”, we hear you cry!
Amazon UK links:
Paperback:
https://amzn.eu/d/aIDIobd
Kindle:
https://amzn.eu/d/fk03UtU
Amazon US links:
Paperback:
https://a.co/d/gBOJfmb
Kindle:
https://a.co/d/hr8tPQH
There are Amazon links for DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, JP, BR, CA,
MX, AU and IN too, so if you can’t find it on your country’s
Amazon page, contact us. And if Amazon isn’t your bag, we’ll
be launching on Kobo, Barnes & Noble, iBooks and selling
direct digital books via the website, too.
There’s also our Official UK Seller Paul Evans for
hardcopies and rare copies, on Abe Books website
What a Wicked World Wide Web we Weave…
A few words from Reverend Doom.
The shadows have shifted, and so too has our online realm. I
bid you, devoted disciples, to gaze upon the Guy N.
Smith website, now transformed into a sanctuary for the
peculiar, the curious, and the fanatical. Within its dark
corridors, you shall find:
Unsettlingly fresh news from beyond the veil
Past editions of the revered newsletter, preserved like
relics in a tomb
The cryptic instalments of the *Mystery Man Diary*
A complete inventory of Guy N. Smith’s immortal works
A biography of the man himself, an homage to his mortal
coil
Yet, beneath this, a darker engine roars—the Blackhill
Books website, the commercial heart of our empire. This
is the vault of e-commerce, the guarded gate where coin
changes hands, and the faithful may acquire relics with utmost
security.
What awaits in the Shadows? The online shop is in its
final rites. Soon, you shall be able to purchase:
Forbidden digital tomes
Merchandise woven with the essence of the macabre
And for the brave few… mummified remains of eldritch lore
A secure payment system, woven through the dark enchantments
of the Stripe on line banking system, stands ready to process
your offerings. Past newsletter editions are already available
in ebook format. Yet we await the final protective wards upon
the policy documents before unleashing the shop upon the
world. Dare to reach out if you wish to be among the first to
test this sacred ground.
Into the Future… A prophecy looms: The Great
Scribbler website shall rise, heralding Great
Scribbler Podcast, where the dark tales and arcane
voices of Tara Paulsson will echo through the void.
TLDR: We did a lot. We're going to do more. Cool websites.
Check 'em out.
Buddy Plugs!
Plugging our buddies… (Why, what did you think we meant…?)
YouTube Interview – Blast from the Past
We recently connected with writer Gary Dobbs, an author
contact of Guy’s, about his vintage interview with Guy for
Scary Motherfucker magazine. The interview is pure gold and is
available to listen to on The Tainted Tavern YouTube channel.
Here’s the link:
The Tainted Tavern on
YouTube
Tripping the Light Zine-tastic
After the roaring success of his first GNS zine, writer and
photographer Chris Elphick is planning another one next year,
featuring GNS-inspired fan fiction. Fans have until March to
submit to the zine a short story inspired by one of Guy’s
books or characters, to be published exclusively in Elphick’s
zine with Black Hill Books’ permission. For more details,
contact Chris via his blog
pixie-led.co.uk
Winter Tales ‘The Final’ by Joseph Freeman
Author and photographer Joseph Freeman was a long-time friend
and fan of Guy and is putting out his last-ever Winter Tales
this December. The popular online horror reading show boasts
an impressive line up and features title music by Guy’s
daughter Tara Paulsson. The stories are always of the highest
quality and past shows can be found on YouTube and via his
website. Joseph Freeman’s is a life lived amongst
ghosts; both fictional and otherwise. His ancestors had
various castles and mansions in Ireland – most of which were
haunted and most of which were sold off before he had a chance
of inheriting any. His own parents told him tales of ancestral
banshees. A childhood interest in the gruesome and the
ghoulish developed into a lifelong passion for horror, and
after having dozens of short stories published in magazines
and anthologies both in the UK and USA, his first book, 'Love
Stories of the Undead' was published to great acclaim and
popularity when he was still a teenager. He has now published
17 books, including the collections ‘They Come At Dusk’ and
‘Elsewhere & Otherwise’, and the novels ‘The Cold Heart of
Summer’ and ‘Arcadia Lodge’.
Much of his work is based upon his own experiences of, and
research into, the supernatural. In his writing, Freeman
concentrates upon a vivid atmosphere, rising tension and
glimpses of visionary terrors. He is highly praised for his
use of subtlety, psychological techniques and mood to create
an unsettling atmosphere. In 2020, Freeman created the
‘Midsummer Macabre’ and ‘Winter Tales’ series of events. At
first held live, the COVID pandemic forced a shift into the
online format – but this meant exposure to a much larger
audience, and also the chance to work with some of the
greatest living names in horror fiction.
All previous online shows can be found on his Youtube
channel.
Joseph
Freeman's personal web site.
Joseph Freeman's Facebook page.
Joseph Freeman's Youtube
channel.
Fiends with Benefits (well, blogs…)
There are many excellent review/blog sites featuring Guy’s
work. Here are a few:
Gavin Kendall
Paul Ebbs on
Chris Hall
"Mike Howlett
Hal C. F. Astell's The Nameless
Zine
Hal C. F. Astell's Apocalypse
Later
Empire
The Monster Librarian Interview
With Guy N. Smith
Lord Sampers Library (@lordsamper on x.com) - Thanks,
Your Lordship!
Meet Guy N. Smith on Boing Boing
If you know of a site featuring horror, including Guy N.
Smith’s work, please let us know and we’ll try to add it to
the list!
Find Your Inner (Dread) Sanctum!
We are hoping to team up again with the people at Shortly.film
next year to run a short film competition via their new
horror/fantasy streaming outfit Dread Sanctum. The
run-up to the deadline will be longer and the choice of theme
broader than the previously-proposed short film competition we
wanted to run in August, so let us know what you think! What
or who is your favourite GNS novel or character? Could you
turn make a winning short film of it/them?
GNS Fan Convention September 2024
This year’s fan convention was held at Knighton Community
Centre in Powys, Wales, on Sunday 1st September. Guy always
held his fan cons on the first Sunday in September – and we
aren’t about to break with that tradition any time soon!
The room was kitted out with an auction table, merch table,
buffet table, hot and cold drinks station and, of course, the
all-important book table, which groaned under the weight of
the new Black Hill Books paperback editions of the Crabs
books 1-3, all signed by Guy’s widow Jean Smith and
daughter/editor Tara Paulsson. In the corridor, there
was a full savoury buffet spread of sumptuous food provided by
the Little Black Sheep Café (Knighton). We didn’t go hungry or
thirsty, at least!
There was a great turn-out of fans who were treated to
readings from Crabs books 1-3 – two of them were ‘live,’ by
Tara, and the third was a pre-recorded ‘pre-listen’ from the forthcoming
audiobook of Night of the Crabs, expertly read by
seasoned voiceover artist Pete Gold.
Our IT wizard Reverend Doom had digitised Guy’s super 1990s
VHS film ‘Wain House Rendezvous’ and he was able to
screen a 15-minute clip on the venue’s projector for the
gathered company. We watched and listened in hushed awe to a
lively, enthusiastic Guy (wearing what looked like a green
alien-patterned shirt!) proudly showing off his beloved
vintage book collection. It was both heartwarming and a little
heart-aching to see Guy immortalised in his element. We miss
him - but in many ways, we still have so much of him.
Everyone was a winner by virtue of being there that day -
but some winners were more ‘winny’ than others as they
garnered trinkets and honours in a Crabs-themed quiz and a
raffle. We all drew the top prize, however, through our
immense collective enjoyment of the guest appearance of
successful author Mark Morris, who read from his
latest folk horror book, That Which Stands Outside - highly
recommended! Morris has kindly written the foreword
‘Confessions of a Convert’ for Origin of the Crabs (Book 3),
all fan con copies of which he duly signed on the day, and had
driven all the way from York that morning (after undergoing
some surgery above his eye, the day before) and stopped off
with us for a few hours before making his way elsewhere for a
book festival the next day. What a star!
The greatly-anticipated GNS auction was, in turns, jovial,
lively and tense as a few ‘hot’ items generated bidding
battles and Tara bumbled her way through her first experience
as an auctioneer with a large helping of (unintentional)
comedy! Donated to the auction were were signed copies of
short story anthology Short Cuts from Steve Lockley, several
signed titles from David Owain Hughes, some Graveyard
Rendezvous spares, an editor-annotated manuscript of Night of
the Crabs, signed proof copies of Crabs 1-3 and much much
more. The big ticket item was a one-off handmade leather-bound
parchment copy of Night of the Crabs, complete with embedded
claw, which went to bidding behemoth Nick Caton! Guy’s snug I
Bought a Vampire Motorbike t-shirt (merch from that quirky
short film starring Neil Morrissey) went to writer David Owain
Hughes.
There was an array of old and new merch, ranging from mugs
and t-shirts to pens, fridge magnets and keyrings, and the
event raised around £1200 (before costs) for Black Hill Books
Ltd, which should go some way towards furthering the Great
Republication Project, helping us pay for book cover and audio
artists, and spread some Great Scribbler love!
For an attendee’s eye view of the event, why not visit Chris
Elphick’s excellent write-up?
pixie-led, A Gathering for Guy.
All in all, a tremendous day (and weekend in some cases!) was
had by everyone in this exceptionally tight-knit and friendly
horror community, which is precisely what Guy loved about his
fan cons.
“It’s all in the best poddable taste!”
Great Scribbler Podcast hosted by Tara Paulsson (and a
fridgedoorfull of haunted magnets)
Thoughts, prayers and curses are underway as we ponder a
podcast format that will summon the spirit of the Great
Scribbler and resurrect the ghosts and ghouls of Graveyard
Rendezvous without taking too much time away from book
production! There are visual and audio options, public or
Patreon subscriber-only options and even sponsorship ideas to
consider! But we think that using a Graveyard Rendezvous
fanzine edition-by-edition approach will give us focus and
making the episodes publicly available will raise visibility
(or should that be audibility?), so we might need to accept
advertising as a way of funding ourselves. The launch is
likely to be announced by the host Tara Paulsson on social
media, so keep your eyes on the various platforms and we’ll
try to spread the word when the time is right.
Sabat: The Graveyard Vultures - Breakfast in the Ruins
Podcast Special
A Halloween Treat! Breakfast in the Ruins is
broadcasting a Halloween episode on Sabat: The
Graveyard Vultures. In his podcast, creator and host
Andy Stimbot has previously featured the novels Night of the
Crabs, Crabs’ Moon and Crabs on the Rampage and also
interviewed his daughter (and BHB editor) Tara Paulsson. In
the following passage, we meet Graham Holden, who has
deservedly appeared on the podcast as a ‘Guy N. Smith expert’,
and will appear in the Sabat episode. Here, he describes how
he first chanced upon the Great Scribbler’s work.
Graham Holden - How I came across Guy N. Smith
It must have been when I was around 15 or so. There was a
monthly book fair in the Assembly Rooms in Chichester. A
rather grand building, and I often felt quite out of place
initially walking into this building – but felt right at home
once I was in the hall with all the book stalls. On one of my
visits, whilst scanning along the bindings of some paperbacks
I spotted one called Throwback by an author that I’d not heard
of, a Guy N. Smith. The cover was of a grizzly-looking ape
like creature gnawing on some unidentified bloody sinewy like
thing. Underneath the title was “PRIMITIVE, PRE-HUMAN, THEY
SWARMED ACROSS THE FACE OF THE LAND”. I couldn’t resist. I
purchased it straight away. This was my gateway book into the
fantastical horror world of Guy N. Smith. I devoured this book
rapidly, and my teenage mind couldn’t quite comprehend what I
was reading. Brutal, but compelling. I was instantly hooked.
The next month I returned to the book fair and I couldn’t
quite believe my luck. The same stall had a whole bunch of Guy
N. Smith books – mostly of the “Crab” series. I bought them
all. And for a period in my mid-teens, I’d pick up any GNS
book I spotted and had a modest collection. As I “grew up,” my
interests moved on and I sold my collection.
Fast forward 30 odd years. There I was, wasting some time
before a physiotherapy session at the local hospital, so I
decided to pop into a charity shop for a look at what they had
on offer in the book section. I stopped in my tracks. On the
rotating wire rack nestled between some Mills & Boon was a
cover that was so out of place it was perverse. Crabs: The
Human Sacrifice. For 50p, I found myself right back into the
world of BIG GIANT CRABS, animal liberation, wildfowling and
more Click click clickety-click. I was again hooked, but this
time I had the internet, some disposable income and a wealth
of information for me to research on Guy and the discovery of
his works outside of his horror writing – who knew I had an
interest in Moles and their Control! After picking up Writing
Horror Fiction (Writing Handbooks), I’ve now been inspired to
give it a go myself with the guidance from Guy himself.
This renewed discovery of Guy N. Smith also coincided with
the discovery of a podcast called Breakfast in the Ruins,
which is primarily a Michael Moorcock inspired podcast, but
Andy also covered other genre fiction. And there was an
episode of Night of the Crabs. I got in contact, as a Moorcock
fan and a GNS fan – how could I not. Over the past few years,
Andy has kindly invited me as a guest to cover GNS-related
books, along with some other pulp horror. It’s been a blast.
Coming up for this Halloween special is Sabat 1: The Graveyard
Vultures – which should be a sordid affair!
You can find out more about the podcast at *Breakfast in the Ruins
* Content warning for sexual violence and exasperated
hosts.
Rather Catty!
If you want to delve into another fascinating area of Guy’s
many interests, you can follow the current Lincolnshire Big
Cat Investigation series on the Occultaria of Albion
podcast and listen to various people’s experiences of big cat
sightings, including (in episode 3) a sighting of a probable
caracal on Black Hill by Guy’s daughter Tara and her husband.
Podcast creator and host Richards Daniels has
recently written an article for Phantasmagoria magazine
celebrating 50 years of Guy N. Smith pulp horror novels, which
began with his first published book, Werewolf By Moonlight.
Daniels is currently touring with his show The Filing Cabinet of Fear and
his podcast is available on all major platforms.
And Last But Not Least - “Mystery Man” Diary 1957
Here is the sixth instalment of Guy’s secret teenage diary,
originally handwritten and published in the GNS newsletters
for the first time. Guy would have been just 18 years old when
he wrote it and was already working in the Midland Bank.
Enjoy!
Wednesday March 20th
Feeling much better today. In the lunch hour I went after a
record - tried 8 shops but couldn’t get it. I had to take the
registered letters again tonight. I got the 5.5 bus home. Did
not go down to the hospital tonight. Just had a quiet evening
- did a bit of study & played some records.
Thursday March 21st
Best day yet on States. I got the 4.42 train home. Today I got
a record of Billy Thorburn’s “Ricochet.” I got home & went
in the wood with the gun. I had a couple of shots at jays but
got nothing. Helen Brewster came and taught me book-keeping.
She is suffering from rheumatism in her back. She went at 9pm
then I played records & went to bed.
Friday March 22nd
Quite a good day. I had a surprise. I was told I was wanted
down in Securities & who should be there but Hugh
Montgomery. We went out together in the lunch hour. I shall
see him again next week. Got the 4.42 train home. Put in two
more rows of parsnips, and another row of peas. I did some
more digging. I went out with the gun in Hopwas wood but
didn’t get a shot. I watched ‘Dragnet’ & then played some
records. I then wrote an article on records for the
‘Tettenhall Observer.’
Saturday March 23rd
I went early this morning so I could get away early. I got
home and finished off digging the centre patch. Dad came home
from hospital today. He looks O.K. again now. I went shooting
with Fred Cole on our own shoot. The hunt had been across
& things were rather tame. I had a shot at a pigeon which
began to ‘tower’ over Swinnerton’s. I didn’t pick it up. Mum
took me down to Watson’s to fetch a football paper tonight. I
amused myself this evening by wrapping up an April Fool
parcel. I don’t know who I’m going to send it to.
Sunday March 24th
Went to church in the morning. Came back and did some
gardening. I went round to see Billy and Nellie. He told me
the story of how he told Kitely that it was Fred Cole’s job to
climb up the T.V. mast & light the lamp at night &
Kitely believed him. I came back from Billy’s and dug both
banks by the wood hedge & set seeds in them & mowed
the lawn. I went down to Grandma’s in the evening to exchange
the Sunday papers. Quite a good day’s work all round.
Monday March 25th
A disappointing day. I am back on Remittance. We had a bit of
trouble balancing & I got the 5.40 bus home. I was annoyed
because I was unable to get to do any gardening. Lance has
been ‘ill’ all day & Mum had put him in my room & he’d
turned it into a bear garden. The old man was a bit grumpy
too, on about this & that. When I took the dog for his
last walk down the road I met a fellow who said he was booking
appointments for the 11 plus exam. We rang the police but he
was genuine.
Tuesday March 26th
Went on the bus to Longbridge this morning to fetch the Austin
credit. Quite a good day. I was the only one to fly balance. I
got the 5.5 bus. Walked up from Tamworth. I went up to Mrs
Winfield’s tonight. A very good night apart from the fact that
that girl was not there. Sam Loughead enjoyed it too. We gave
the fat lady a lift home. I’ll get off with someone somehow!!!
Wednesday March 27th
Today I was given the job of helping to clear the stationery
room. It was filthy! I had to take the registered letters to
post. I got the 5.25pm train home & got home at 6.20pm. I
did some gardening. I tidied up the steps into the wood, put
in a row of spring onions, set the rest of the wood bank &
put some fertiliser on the garden. I did some studying also.
Thursday March 28th
Just a normal routine day today. I got a couple of records,
“Feet Up” and “Quicksilver” from the secondhand shop on Snow
Hill. I got the 5.15 train & got home at 6.20. I gardened
until 7.20pm. I put in 2 rows of turnips & my marrows. I
dug the flowerbed beneath the rustic work. I also did some
studying.
Friday March 29th
A normal day. I went to Batt’s for a haircut. I fly-balanced
today. Mr Price the head messenger is retiring and at 4.30
today a presentation was made to him. Mr Iley made a speech.
They gave him a spade and a fork, and electric razor & a
pipe & a pouch of tobacco. I got the 5.15 train home. Home
at 6.20. I finished planting the woodbank & dug the bed in
front of the kitchen.
Saturday March 30th
The batches wouldn’t balance at the office today. I got the
1.35 bus home. Home at 3 0/c. I dug the flowerbed under the
kitchen window and put the potatoes (ninety folds) in. Went
shooting in Hopwas Wood with Fred Cole. Had one shot - got
nothing. I came back and dug half that patch by the shelter.
Mum ran me down to Watson’s to get a football paper and a card
for Billy.
Sunday March 31st
Gardened practically all day, except for a 2 hour break in the
afternoon which I spent with Bill and Nellie. I have now got
practically everything done except the paths. Bill complained
about Fred tipping his rubbish in front of Bill’s house so as
the Coles were out this afternoon, I tipped my rubbish in
front of their gate!!
Monday April 1st
I had a laugh thinking of Sid Faulkner’s face when he got the
parcel this morning. A very busy day today. I was told there
was someone to see me by the messages box & when I got
down who should be there but Morris, Walter & Blackwall.
We had a chat for 10 mins. We had a bit of a job balancing
& what with being busy I didn’t get home till 8 o’clock.
Tuesday April 2nd
Very busy again today. I got the 5.50 train home & just
missed my connection in Tamworth. I tried to ring home &
couldn’t get through. After about a quarter of an hour I
discovered that you now have to put 4d in the box instead of
3d. I went dancing with Sam Loughead. The girl I had hoped to
see wasn’t up there but we had a good time all the same.
Wednesday April 3rd
Had a pretty big London Clearing today - didn’t finish listing
it until quarter to eleven. We were busy today & I got the
6.5 bus home. I was very moody this evening. It’s all this
social standard (snobbery) business that gets on my nerves.
Much more of it & I shall be properly up the wall. I shall
make a move next Tuesday.
Newsletter written and compiled by Tara Paulsson. Black
Hill Books would like to say a big thank you to all our guest
contributors.
©️2024 Black Hill Books Ltd.
Links
- Guy N Smith on Amazon
- patreon.com/greatscribbler.
- Paperback: https://amzn.eu/d/aIDIobd
- Kindle: https://amzn.eu/d/fk03UtU
- Paperback: https://a.co/d/gBOJfmb
- Kindle: https://a.co/d/hr8tPQH
- Abe Books website
- Guy N. Smith
- Blackhill Books
- The Tainted Tavern on YouTube
- https://amzn.eu/d/023y6A8b
- pixie-led.co.uk
- Joseph Freeman's personal web site.
- Joseph Freeman's Facebook page.
- Joseph Freeman's Youtube channel.
- Gavin Kendall
- Paul Ebbs on Facebook
- Chris Hall
- "Mike Howlett
- Hal C. F. Astell's The Nameless Zine
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