Ah, Guy N. Smith, the pulp horror master. Author of countless short, action-packed horror books – much like an adult-fiction equivalent of R. L. Stine. When you’re just not in the mood for something particularly deep – when you want a light, immensely fun thrill, why not give Smith a go? For those not familiar with Smith or his work, he’s an English writer with a rather large and loyal fanbase. Smith even hosts an annual convention at his home for his fan club! That is pretty cool, if you ask me.
A Guy N. Smith fanzine, ‘Graveyard Rendezvous’ was independently produced by Andy Hurst from 1999 until (I believe around) 2010. From that point, Smith’s publishing house ‘Black Hill Books’ took up production until 2012 [1]. While the zine generally contained various articles, stories and reviews from the fans, Smith himself also contributed fiction. However, I do not know if this was purely during the ‘Black Hill Books’ period, or also prior to that. I have personally not been able to actually obtain any copies of the old zine, so I don’t have too much to go on.
In any case, Smith has just published his newest collection of short stories – ‘Tales from the Graveyard’, which collects his stories previously available in the fanzine. This is especially significant for those (like myself) who only became aware of Smith after Graveyard Rendezvous ceased publication and it became near impossible to obtain old issues. This may be one of the only ways to read that old material, if you are so interested.
The stories are said to “feature mayhem and murder, cannibals, zombies and spectral beings which lurk in deserted graveyards during the hours of darkness, and numerous other blood curdling stories.” The book runs at 184 pages and is available now in paperback, as well as a limited-run hardback, available until October 31st, 2020 [2]. It can be ordered direct through Guy N. Smith’s website, as well as many other online retailers.
Much Love,
