Valancourt Books discussion

Valancourt Books wrote: "Maxine wrote: "Just ran across mention of The Twenty-Fifth Hour by Herbert Best, which sounded amazing but is out of print. Post-apocalypse themed."

This one has me intrigued! It only took me abou..."

I saw a quote at the beginning of The Night of the Long Knives by Fritz Leiber.

Nightmare Jack by John Metcalfe.
Subtle supernatural stories in the vein of Aickman, Hartley and de la Mare. Woefully out of print hardback from Ash Tree Press, though it is available for kindle.

I'll check into it. Thanks, Ross!

Now that The Mysteries of London have been fully published, have you given any thought about working through more of the City Mysteries?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_my...

I imagine they'd be a real challenge to compile and translate, but I for one would happily pay a pretty penny to own any (or all) of the other titles in this list, and I suspect others would, too!

James wrote: "Now that The Mysteries of London have been fully published, have you given any thought about working through more of the City Mysteries?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_my...

I imagine the..."

You're trying to kill me, aren't you? ;)

It's nothing personal, I swear! ;)

Yeah, I figured it was an outrageous suggestion, but I just had to try. I finally got around to shelving the two London volumes side by side and a vision of a 'complete set' of the City Mysteries all on one shelf flashed before my eyes. I can't imagine how much work it would be, though, unfathomable!

James wrote: "It's nothing personal, I swear! ;)

Yeah, I figured it was an outrageous suggestion, but I just had to try. I finally got around to shelving the two London volumes side by side and a vision of a 'c..."

Anything written in English is a possibility but we haven't taken any more into consideration as of of this point.

Original translations require grant money because they are so costly and time consuming. We've only been eligible for a grant once in twelve years because we're not a registered non-profit.

Did you see the new edition of The Mysteries of Paris?

Yes indeed, I picked up the new Mysteries of Paris edition a month or two ago and it looks like a real page-turner, just like the Mysteries of London! I can definitely understand the high cost (in terms of money and time) of an original translation, especially considering the size of these books. I might just start hunting down some of these titles myself, but if you ever chose to publish any of them (including those written in English) please know that I'd be eternally grateful - thanks!

Thanks, great suggestions! We're looking into two of them now.

You folks ever tried to look into short fiction of A.E. Coppard?
It would be right up your alley, I think, and it is certainly in need of reprints and wider attention.

Caleb.Lives wrote: "You folks ever tried to look into short fiction of A.E. Coppard?
It would be right up your alley, I think, and it is certainly in need of reprints and wider attention."

We were very interested in reprinting Coppard but could never get the agents to respond to us via email or phone. That may be why it's out of print. I may try again, though. Thanks!

Probably being redundant here but wills filed for probate are a matter of public record ( a bit of digging). Perhaps contacting heirs would be useful.

I just saw that Weird Fiction Review interview of yours, I'm pretty happy to hear that you guys are going to republish L. P. Hartley's weird fiction. I saw him favourably compared to Aickman and de la Mare on some occasions, even though I never had a chance to read any of his stories. So, excellent news.

Thanks Caleb! We were excited to finally work something out with Hartley's agents. We've been trying for years.

If you "do" Medusa, try to make it as close to the Cenetipede press edition as you can. That one has an intro by Colin Wilson as well as all his short terror tales.

We're still looking into most of what was mentioned previously.

Keep the recommendations coming! :)

Did you look into David Case's THE THIRD GRAVE???? (I did buy Fengriffin in paperback, but admit that I haven't read my copy yet!!)

Now that you've got Matheson and Beaumont in your catalogue, how about some Bloch? I find it astounding that, apart from Psycho and a couple public domain pieces, his catalogue is completely out of print.

MR Doyle: We have Travelling Grave coming out later this year, I believe in October. I'll get copies of the other two books and check them out. Thanks!

Kimberly: Still looking into it but we're interested in doing it if it's available. :)

Sean: We'd love to do some Bloch. We've been trying to get the rights to a few of his. Most of his stuff is out-of-print because there are issues with the copyrights. I believe the agents are trying to sort them out. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Another - In a Lonely Place, by Karl Edward Wagner. I went to pick up a copy of this book and the paperback was in the four-digit range. Starting price: $1251 and some change.

Nancy wrote: "Another - In a Lonely Place, by Karl Edward Wagner. I went to pick up a copy of this book and the paperback was in the four-digit range. Starting price: $1251 and some change."

Wagner is incredible! (Bloch, too). :)

Nancy wrote: "Another - In a Lonely Place, by Karl Edward Wagner. I went to pick up a copy of this book and the paperback was in the four-digit range. Starting price: $1251 and some change."

I'll look at that one too. Thanks!!

M.R. Doyle wrote: "Here are some more titles to consider:

Edward Lucas White “The Song of the Sirens” & “Lukundoo and Other Stories”
Hubert Crackanthorpe “Wreckage: Seven Studies ”
Walter Owen “The Cross of Carl”
Th..."

re Edward Lucas White: Lukundoo and Other Stories is a good choice. Just so you know, I recently finished a Dover collection of White's stories called The Stuff of Dreams: The Weird Stories of Edward Lucas White, which is pretty much Lukundoo and Other Stories minus two stories: "Floki's Blade" and "Alfandega."

Valancourt Books wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Another - In a Lonely Place, by Karl Edward Wagner. I went to pick up a copy of this book and the paperback was in the four-digit range. Starting price: $1251 and some c..."

Thank you! It would certainly be appreciated, and by more people than myself.

Has anyone mentioned Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz? All of his work should be re-published, especially 'Insatiability'. I know Twisted Spoon is in the process of releasing some new material; I'd also love to see Denton Welch become a household name.

I'm reading about Beddoes right now and his gift to humanity concerning his nitrous oxide experiments, awesome book~

I'm not familiar with those so I'll get copies and check them out.

Actually, I do have Manhood's Cracks and Whips but I haven't read it yet.

Feesters in the Lake ad Other Stories by Bob Leman. Used copies go for at least $250.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/097...

I read Bob Leman's superb science fiction-horror story "Window" in the Vandermeer's anthology _The Weird_.

I second that...but to anyone "on the fence": Bob Leman's stories are worth the eBay asking price, so just get it.

Ronald wrote (in part):

Feesters in the Lake ad Other Stories by Bob Leman. Used copies go for at least $250.

It’s too bad John Pelan’s Midnight House Press went under. John’s tastes were more pulpish than mine, but even so he managed to resurrect what I thought was a lot of interesting stuff. Feesters in the Lake was probably the best book he brought out, but he also published some worthwhile collections containing stories by Fritz Leiber, Charles Birkin, etc. And he started a series of volumes bringing together the stories of Joseph Payne Brennan, an author previously mentioned in this thread.

Dancing Tuatara is waay more pulpish than Midnight House ever was. You are right: Leman = best MH book, Clive Pemberton = poorest MH book--really I couldn't even stand keeping that thing on the shelf with my other M-House books...lowered the whole tone, if you understand me.

I'll see if I can find a copy but it may take a while. There aren't any listed in university libraries in the US and the Library of Congress doesn't have one.

Contact information for the literary estate of Robert Leman (and other writers) can be found here: http://www.sfwa.org/member-links/proj...

Leman is more than deserving of wider availability, if you people can pull it out.

Anyway, Mary Elizabeth Counselman's "Half in Shadow" might be relevant to your interests:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

Paul wrote (in part):

Anyway, Mary Elizabeth Counselman's "Half in Shadow" might be relevant to your interests

Isn’t this book still available from Arkham House?

Axolotl wrote (in part):

Dancing Tuatara is waay more pulpish than Midnight House ever was.

I’ve picked up a couple of them out of curiosity. Your assessment of their “pulp content” is on the money.

They indeed have some copies of Counselman collection on stock. Same seems to be true of The Third Grave, mentioned earlier in this thread.

Though, I haven't ordered anything directly from them for ages, so it is possible that they weren't very diligent about updating their site.

Anyway, Mary Elizabeth Counselman's "Half in Shadow" might be relevant to your interests:
https://www.goodreads.c..."

We've looked into that one but haven't heard anything back yet.

Thanks for the rec! :)

Randolph wrote: "Is there some deal where Centipede releases an overpriced edition of all Valancourt books six months later?"

Ha! There are some we couldn't get to first. ;)

_Polyphemus_ by the late Michael Shea. Used copies on Amazon go for over $50.

The book contains "The Autopsy" which some of us think is a classic horror story.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Randolph wrote: "Ronald wrote: "_Polyphemus_ by the late Michael Shea. Used copies on Amazon go for over $50.

The book contains "The Autopsy" which some of us think is a classic horror story.

https://www.goodread..."
I loved the AUTOPSY! It was collected in CD's 2 Volume Horror Collection (spanning 1900-2000). One author, one story was the criteria. If a collection by him is able to be reprinted by Valancourt, I'd definitely be in for a couple of copies!! (Have to get one for mom, so mine stay ON MY SHELVES) ;).

It's kinda passé to mention releases by other publishers in a thread like this, but Michael Shea's collected Cthulhu Mythos fiction should soon appear in ebook and paperback form via Dark Regions Press. That collection won't include his non Mythos horror, but The Autopsy at least is regularly reprinted. It would be great if Valancourt could get more of his fiction back in print though.
BTW, are William H. Hallahan or Children Of The Black Sabbath by Anne Hébert within the realm of possibility for reprinting?

I'm reading through Paperbacks from Hell, and there's so much in here that needs reprinting. But my number one choice right now is "Satan Sublets" -- I know nothing about it; it doesn't even have a Goodreads entry; but that title is too good to pass up.

I have a copies of Michael Shea and Anne Hébert so I'll give them a look.

We've been trying to get William H. Hallahan for years and nothing has ever happened with it. :-/

The Dark Chamber by Leonard Cline is worth looking into. Would be great if his short stories could be included...

Sean wrote: "I'm reading through Paperbacks from Hell, and there's so much in here that needs reprinting. But my number one choice right now is "Satan Sublets" -- I know nothing about it; it doe..."

That booked kicked the shit out of my TBR. It's so beautiful and enticing and all those book covers brought back many memories.

Char wrote: "Sean wrote: "I'm reading through Paperbacks from Hell, and there's so much in here that needs reprinting. But my number one choice right now is "Satan Sublets" -- I know nothing abo..."
My copy should be here tomorrow.... Because, of course, I need more books....

Neutrino wrote: "The Dark Chamber by Leonard Cline is worth looking into. Would be great if his short stories could be included..."

We looked into that one but it seems someone else was interested in doing it.

Neutrino wrote: "The Dark Chamber by Leonard Cline is worth looking into. Would be great if his short stories could be included..."

We looked into that one but it seems someone else was interested in doing it.