Independant Publishers of Horror

[The Vern]

Don't dismiss this as "spam", it's not. It's a viable subject for discusison.

I started writting horror and alternate fiction some years ago. I found there was a lack of places to house it so I started an online communuity.

Since then, I've spent probably hundreds of hours reading other underground writers works, people who get dismissed by the big publishers as their works are too obscure or "gross".

The problem with horror is trying to keep things fresh, reinventing the same thing over and over. Perhaps it's just me, but of late I've found most of the commercial printed works to be generic and boring.

Perhaps I'm blinded by the circles I walk in, perhaps not. Anyone have a view?

Vern.

I know that here in Australia it's almost impossible to get horror published under the 'horror' banner. Recently, a major publisher decided to take the plung and start a new line called 'Dark Suspense'. After a lengthy reading process, they accepted four manuscripts with a view to accepting and publishing two more each year; but, within a couple of months, the editor who had spearheaded the project was no longer with the company, and it has been stated that this new line - which, based upon disappointing pre-sales, the company believes isn't 'viable' in commercial terms - won't be continued. If this is the state of mainstream publishing, I think that the only hope for the true horror reader (and writer) could be to look to the independent presses.

By the way, I just checked out 'Purple Verse'. It looks great.

If you want it promoted in Australia, I'd recommend you contact ozhorrorscope.blogspot.com

'Horrorscope' is a terrific horror blog that's reviewed my first two novels. They tend to be very fair in their analysis.

Luke.