Unearthing author John Kern

A recent trip to the New York Public Library revealed some interesting finds in the archives of Canadian author Robin Hardy (1952-1995). He was a prolific author of men's adventure novels and YA books, all of which were published under pseudonyms or house names when he worked as a writer-for-hire. 

These archives include a number of cover flats that are typically sent to authors for them to approve the final design and text elements. Of great interest were two proofs for books attributed to John Kern, both published in 1988 by Lynx Books: The Falstaff Cross and Outside Man. Could this be yet another pen name used by Hardy?

2023 Bram Stoker Awards Final Ballot Announced

The Horror Writers Association (HWA) has announced the Final Ballot for the 2023 Bram Stoker Awards®. The HWA (see http://www.horror.org/) is the premier writers organization in the horror and dark fiction genre, with more than 2,000 members. They have presented the Bram Stoker Awards in various categories since 1987 (see http://www.thebramstokerawards.com/).

Unearthing author Joseph Trainor

While researching possible pseudonyms that Canadian author Robin Hardy (1952-1995) had used, "Joseph Trainor" stood out as a potential match, primarily because there's little to no information about him. 

For those who were preteens in the early 1980s, the name may seem familiar: he was attributed as the author of two books in the popular series Twilight: Where Darkness Begins, published by Cloverdale Press--which is where Hardy got his start after moving to New York City, becoming the executive editor from 1987-1991.

CFP: Global Horror-Local Perspectives, May 2022

From Renfield's newswire: Horror pervades our lives. The emotional experiences based on fear and dread it provides affect us both individually and collectively, and the fascination it exerts is undeniable and ancient, as evidenced by its lurking recurrence in mythologies, folklore, literature, cinema, historical narratives, and virtually every other field of human knowledge and realm of storytelling. 

Growing awareness and appreciation of the rich horror traditions of other countries around the world, including Japan, Korea, India, Brazil, Sudan, and Thailand, has highlighted the importance of considering horror in a global context. 

Inside FANGORIA 138 (November, 1994)

In November, 1994, I watched Neil Jordan's Interview with the Vampire for the first time, at a theatre in North Vancouver. Having been a fan of Anne Rice's books since the late 1980s, I eagerly anticipated this film adaptation--and was not disappointed. That is why I pretty much bought any magazine with an article about that movie, such as Fangoria 138, so many of these "inside look" posts will likely feature a few magazines from that time. 

This one has an excellent preview of the film, plus a great article about renowned artist Basil Gogos. And there are ads--many, many ads--for a lengthy trip down memory lane. 

Inside HAUNT OF HORROR 3 (September, 1974)

The first two issues of this short-lived magazine were more prose-oriented, while the subsequent three issues were random horror stories. Published by Curtis Magazines, an imprint of Marvel, these black and white tales did not have to follow the restrictions imposed by the Comics Code Authority. 

This issue ran no third-party ads, but there were some ads specific to Marvel titles, which appear below.