Lady of the Shades is a new dark fantasy book for adults from best-selling YA novelist, Darren Shan. Available in hardback and ebook formats published by Orion Books it’s available for order now from Amazon.

About the book:
“Ed, an American author on the hunt for a story for his next supernatural novel, arrives in London looking for inspiration. A stranger in a strange city and followed by ghosts intent on driving him insane, he’s haunted by a deadly secret that refuses to stay buried, and no matter how hard he tries he cannot escape the manifest sins of his past.

What Ed wants is answers, what he finds is something he definitely didn’t bargain for: the beautiful and untouchable Andeanna Menderes. Andenna is a woman who is dangerously bound to one of London’s most notorious crime lords, and if they are caught together it could mean death for them both.

Ensnared in an illicit affair that can only be conducted in the shadows, Ed’s world is turned upside down as a series of shattering revelations blurs the line between what’s real and what’s not…”

Dark Regions Press are currently having a summer sale with up to 50% off a wide range of publications. For information go HERE

Following the launch of their first anthology, a volume of dark fiction entitled Wolf-Girls: Dark Tales of Teeth, Claws and Lycogyny (seventeen new stories of female werewolves), Hic Dragones are seeking submissions for a new anthology of short stories set in impossible spaces. Impossible Spaces … and the Things we Find There will be edited by Hannah Kate.

They state: “From the conceptual impossibilities of China Mièville’s worlds, to the illogicality of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland, the retro-futurism of steampunk and the Kafka-esque repetitions and restrictions of dystopia – we love fiction set in places that could not (or should not) be. We’re looking for new and established writers to contribute dark and weird fiction for a new collection of stories set in places that bend the mind.”

They are seeking “edgy, dark and weird fiction. While setting is very important, we’re also looking for compelling characters and original plots. Any interpretation of the theme is welcome – and we have no preconceptions about what ‘place’ and ‘space’ might mean. Any genre considered: dark fantasy, urban fantasy, horror, SF, steampunk, cyberpunk, biopunk, dystopian, slipstream. We’re looking for original and fresh voices that challenge and unsettle.”

The required word count is between 3,000 and 7,000 words, and the submission deadline is Thursday 13 December 2012. Since Hic Dragones is a new press they regret they are unable to pay contributors, but one contributor copy will be supplied. Full submission guidelines can be found HERE

In recognition of the legacy of Shirley Jackson’s writing (which includes the classic The Haunting of Hill House), The Shirley Jackson Awards “recognise outstanding achievement in the literature of psychological suspense, horror, and the dark fantastic”. The Awards are given for the best work published in the preceding calendar year, and the nominees for the 2011 Shirley Jackson Awards have now been announced.

Nominees include: two nominations for Reggie Oliver (Best Novel and Best Novella), three nominations for Stephen Jones‘ A Book of Horrors from Jo Fletcher Books (nominations for two of its stories in the Novella category, along with a nomination for Best Edited Anthology), and two nominations for PS Publishing titles in the Single-Author category.

The Awards will be presented on 15 July 2012 at Readercon 23, the Conference on Imaginative Literature, in Burlington, Massachusetts, US, hosted by Guests of Honour, Peter Straub and Caitlin R. Kiernan.

‘Zeno Agency is now representing US author Ian Tregillis in the UK, Commonwealth and translation markets on behalf of his head agent Kay McCauley at  Pimlico/Aureous Inc in New York.

Rights to Ian’s Milkweed Trilogy – comprising of Bitter Seeds, The Coldest War and Necessary Evil – have been acquired by Orbit in a deal negotiated by John Berlyne.

This alternative version of 20th-century events sees Nazis engineering scientifically-enhanced supermen with powers of telekinesis, invisibility and fire-manipulation, whilst British troops resort to dark magic and even darker tactics to hold back the German invasion. The novel has received widespread praise since its release in the US last year, being described by Cory Doctorow as having “a white-knuckle plot, beautiful descriptions, and complex characters” and leading George R. R. Martin to dub Tregillis “a major talent.”

Orbit Commissioning Editor Anna Gregson says “We’re delighted to have acquired this thrillingly sinister, clever and compelling tale that melds real-life events with occult forces and weird science. Its vivid atmosphere and supernatural twist make this a deeply mesmerising and entertaining novel, with great appeal for any fans of alternate histories, dark fantasy and superhero comics. Think Inglourious Basterds crossed with X-Men!”.

Bitter Seeds is scheduled for publication in December 2012, with the second and third titles following respectively in February and April 2013.’