A. J. Blakemont

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Griffen, cover reveal!

November 7, 2016 by AJ Leave a Comment

Ladies and gentlemen, here it is, the final cover for my novel Griffen! Just received my paperback copies. The book is gorgeous! Many thanks to Damonza and his team! THE best cover designer.

Griffen is available for pre-order on Amazon. Book reviewers are welcome to request Griffen on NetGalley.

Griffen by A.J. Blakemont, book cover

Filed Under: Fantasy, Science fiction Tagged With: fantasy, mirror souls, paranormal, sci-fi, science fiction, urban fantasy

Mirror Souls, A Prelude, cover reveal!

September 20, 2016 by AJ Leave a Comment

I’m so excited to share the new book cover for my novella Mirror Souls, A Prelude! I hope you like it as much as I do!

Mirror Souls: A Prelude paperback cover
Mirror Souls: A Prelude book cover, paperback. Paranormal thriller/dark urban fantasy

Filed Under: Books, Fantasy, Science fiction Tagged With: book cover, fantasy, mirror souls, paranormal, sci-fi, science fiction, urban fantasy

MCM London Comic Con October 2015

November 4, 2015 by AJ 1 Comment

The MCM London Comic Con that took place on 23-25 October 2015 was a huge success with more than 130,000 people attending. Although the place was overcrowded, I much enjoyed the event. I met interesting people, learned a few things, and cosplay was fabulous!

Cosplay - photo from MCM London Comic Con October 2015

Steampunk is increasingly popular with cosplayers.

Cosplay - photo from MCM London Comic Con October 2015

The steampunk tent was strategically located near one of the entrances and drew thousands of visitors.

Cosplay - photo from MCM London Comic Con October 2015

Fantasy was not forgotten: both the light and the dark sides of fantasy were represented.

Cosplay - photo from MCM London Comic Con October 2015

Cosplay - photo from MCM London Comic Con October 2015

Cosplay - photo from MCM London Comic Con October 2015
Fantasy queens at MCM London Comic Con

Last but not least, Halloween celebrations were in full swing. Fun and spooky!

Cosplay - photo from MCM London Comic Con October 2015

Filed Under: Alternative cultures, Events, Fantasy, Science fiction Tagged With: Comic con, event, fantasy, fashion, photos, sci-fi, science fiction

Win a copy of The Gothic: 250 Years of Success!

October 25, 2015 by AJ Leave a Comment

A perfect gift for Halloween: win a copy of The Gothic: 250 Years of Success, Your Guide to Gothic Literature and Culture! My publisher gives away 3 copies of the book, no strings attached. Unfortunately only US residents can participate in the draw.

To participate click here: The Gothic: 250 Years of Success giveaway

The Gothic: 250 Years of Success. Your Guide to Gothic Literature and Culture.

The draw ends on Oct 30, 2015 11:59 PM PDT, or when all prizes are claimed. See Official Rules .

Good luck and Happy Halloween!

 

Filed Under: Books, giveaways Tagged With: giveaway, Gothic, history, horror

Embrace the Darkness! Part 1.

October 4, 2015 by AJ 2 Comments

Whether you enjoy books, comic books, movies or TV series, you can’t escape this—“darkness” is everywhere. “Dark”, “darkness”, the words that evoked fear in our ancestors are used nowadays as marketing tools. But what do we mean by “dark” when referring to a work of fiction?

Dark fantasy, horror, dark science fiction

Historically, it was the 18th-century Gothic novel that transformed negative emotions such as fear or melancholy into a source of pleasure (see the Gothic Novel and The Gothic: 250 Years of Success). However, the success of this initial wave of terrifying stories was short-lived, and in the 1820s this genre gave way to a more sophisticated kind of aesthetics—the Romantic movement was on the rise.

During the 19th and the 20th centuries—roughly until the 1970s—horror fiction was little more than an underground culture, although some horror books and movies managed to achieve long-lasting popularity. For example, classic adaptations of Frankenstein by James Whale and Dracula by Tod Browning were successful in the 1930s and remain influential to the present day.

The situation changed dramatically toward the end of the 1970s, when a tsunami of darkness swept away the naïve enthusiasm of the post-war period. This impressive attack of the “dark side” operated on several fronts. In 1974 appeared the first novel by Stephen King, Carrie, and two years later Anne Rice published the first book of her famous Vampire Chronicles (Interview with the Vampire, 1976). In the 80s and the 90s, Stephen King’s popularity was nothing less than phenomenal, and some other authors writing horror fiction enjoyed considerable success.

Darkness does not necessarily equal horror, however. Science fiction and fantasy also grew darker in the 70s and the 80s. Those ugly and often ridiculous monsters who terrorized beautiful girls on the covers of pulp magazines were history—a new breed of monstrosities was about to transform science fiction. In Alien (1979), Ridley Scott created a shocking, futuristic aesthetic of fear. Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982) blended science fiction with film noir, and challenged our perception of human condition in the process. The Terminator (James Cameron, 1984) and Predator (John McTiernan, 1987) introduced us to new, disturbingly realistic sorts of killing machines.

Fantasy also grew darker during that period. Far from innocent fairytales for kids, fantasy drew inspiration from its roots: myths, medieval ballads, and history itself. And God knows human history is a bloody business. Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melniboné, for example, is not your average sword & sorcery hero. He is a sorcerer and a necromancer capable of both heroism and cruelty. Knights in shining armor are no longer fashionable. Readers crave for a different kind of protagonists: anti-heroes (Stephan R. Donaldson’s Lord Foul’s Bane, 1977), torturers (Gene Wolfe’s The Shadow of the Torturer, 1980), assassins (Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice, 1995), and others.

Fantasy grew gritty, brutal, sometimes bleak and pessimistic. No need to insist on the influence of the Game of Thrones (this book had enough publicity already). Let’s mention a few noteworthy authors such as Steven Erikson (Malazan Book of the Fallen), Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series), Joe Abercrombie (The First Law Trilogy), Patrick Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicle), and Mark Lawrence (The Broken Empire trilogy).

Urban fantasy was not immune to the overwhelming rise of darkness neither. Although the very first urban fantasy stories were relatively light in tone (War for the Oaks by Emma Bull, Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint), horror quickly found its way into this subgenre, starting with Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton, and followed by The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. Those stories are teaming with vampires, ghouls, zombies, necromancers, and the nastiest sorts of black magic.

In your opinion, why are we craving for this sort of terrifying stories? What makes them so appealing to science fiction and fantasy readers?

Filed Under: Books, Fantasy, History, Horror, Literature, Science fiction Tagged With: Anita Blake, Anne Rice, Brandon Sanderson, dark fantasy, fantasy, Game of Thrones, Gene Wolfe, Gothic, history, horror, Jim Butcher, Joe Abercrombie, Laurell K. Hamilton, Mark Lawrence, Michael Moorcock, Patrick Rothfuss, Robin Hobb, sci-fi, science fiction, Stephan R. Donaldson, Stephen King, Steven Erikson, The Dresden Files, vampires

Fantasy and science fiction best sellers: June 2015

July 9, 2015 by AJ Leave a Comment

New York Times Best Seller List

Drought-11277294-800pxIn June, one science fiction book and two fantasy books made it to the New York Times best seller list (adult fiction, hardcover):

THE WATER KNIFE, by Paolo Bacigalupi (Knopf) (science fiction)

The author of The Windup Girl delivers a near-future thriller that casts new light on how we live today—and what may be in store for us tomorrow. This book made a brief appearance in 15th position on the NYT best seller list.

DEAD ICE, by Laurell K. Hamilton (Berkley) (fantasy)

The vampire hunter Anita Blake helps the F.B.I. investigate zombie porn.

WICKED CHARMS, by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton (Bantam) (fantasy)

Lizzy Tucker and her partner, Diesel, join a hunt for buried treasure.

B&N Bookseller’s Picks for June 2015

The Fold, by Peter Clines (Crown)

A science-fiction thriller about the dangers of teleportation devices.

Briar Queen: A Night and Nothing Novel, by Katherine Harbour (Harper Voyager)

In this installment of The Night and Nothing series, Finn Sullivan discovers that her town, Fair Hollow, borders a dangerous otherworld.

A comment, if I may. I had a bit of fun listing the adjectives and other qualifiers used in the blurb for this book: “dark, moody, mystical, bewitching, intriguing, dangerous, painful, bohemian, terrifying, placid, picture-perfect, eerie, supernatural, wealthy, beautiful, terrifying (again!), striking, mysterious, powerful, brave, malevolent, diabolical, comfortable, magical, shocking, lush, gorgeously written, star-crossed, bestselling.” Whoever wrote this blurb should be nominated for the Purple Prose Award.

Book blurbs are becoming little more than a collection of clichés loaded with empty qualifiers (well, the same can often be said about the books themselves). That makes me sad, unhappy, depressed, downcast, miserable, downhearted, despondent, despairing, disconsolate, dispirited, wretched, broody, glum, gloomy, doleful, dismal, blue, melancholic, low-spirited, woeful, woebegone, forlorn, unsatisfied, and so on.

From a High Tower, by Mercedes Lackey (DAW)

The newest adventure in Mercedes Lackey’s Elemental Masters series, featuring a retelling of Rapunzel’s not-so-happily-ever-after ending.

Nemesis Games, by James S.A. Corey (Orbit)

The fifth novel in James S.A. Corey’s Expanse series—now being produced for television by the SyFy Channel.

Nova, by Margaret Fortune (DAW)

Young adult space opera novel about a genetically engineered human bomb.

The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth, by S.M. Stirling (Roc)

In this anthology, S. M. Stirling invites more than a dozen other writers to join him in expanding his rich Emberverse canvas. The Emberverse is a long-running series of novels set in a post-apocalyptic world where technology failed and magic re-emerged.

The Darkling Child: The Defenders of Shannara, by Terry Brooks (Del Rey)

A stand-alone novel set in the legendary Shannara universe by the NYT bestselling author Terry Brooks.

The Shadow Revolution: Crown & Key, by Clay & Susan Griffith (Del Rey)

A new Victorian-era urban fantasy novel about werewolf hunters.

Trailer Park Fae, by Lilith Saintcrow (Orbit)

Lilith Saintcrow returns to dark urban fantasy with a new series where the faery world inhabits diners, dive bars and trailer parks.

Virtues of War, by Bennett R. Coles (Titan Books)

A military space opera novel praised by Steven Erikson as “top-notch military SF.”

Note: this is a selection, not the complete list.

Filed Under: Books, Fantasy, Science fiction Tagged With: best sellers, fantasy, sci-fi, science fiction

Whitby, in the footsteps of Dracula (Part 2)

July 5, 2015 by AJ 2 Comments

Read the first part here: Whitby, in the footsteps of Dracula (Part 1)

Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey
Ruins of Whitby Abbey

“Perched high on a cliff, it’s easy to see why the haunting remains of Whitby Abbey were inspiration for Bram Stoker’s gothic tale of Dracula,” states the English Heritage website.

The story of Whitby Abbey in itself could be the subject of a book. This story begins in 657 with the foundation of a monastery by Hilda of Whitby. This monastery became one of the most important religious centers in the Anglo-Saxon world. Following the withdrawal of Roman legions from Britain, Northumbria emerged as a powerful independent kingdom. Members of the Northumbrian royal family were buried at the Whitby monastery, which shows the symbolic importance this monastery had at that time. The layman Cædmon, the earliest English poet whose name is known, lived and died in Whitby in the 7th century. The memorial to Cædmon has been preserved and can be seen in St Mary’s Churchyard.

Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey in the fog
Ruins of Whitby Abbey in the fog

Whitby monastery was abandoned in the 9th century, probably because Viking raids. In 1078, when Viking invasions were already history, a monk named Reinfrid founded a new monastic community at Whitby. Initially the monastery was built of wood, but in the 12th century it was rebuilt in stone in the Romanesque style. Later, in the 13th century, the monastery was rebuilt again, this time in the Gothic style. As many Gothic buildings, Whitby Abbey was built in stages, and the work continued with interruptions until the 15th century.

Following the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, the abbey was abandoned and its buildings sold to Sir Richard Cholmley (1578). During the Civil War (1642–51), the Parliamentarian troops captured Whitby and looted the Abbey House. After the war Sir Hugh Cholmley II restored it and added a new wing, known as the Banqueting House.

Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey in the sunrise
Ruins of Whitby Abbey in the sunrise

The Cholmleys abandoned the place in the 18th century. The Abbey House suffered from storms and part of its roof was removed. Weakened by erosion, the shell of the abbey church also started to collapse. The south transept collapsed in 1736, the nave in 1763, the central tower in 1830, and the south side of the presbytery in 1839.

In the 19th century, the Strickland family, descendants of the Cholmleys, entered in possession of Whitby Abbey. At that time, the abbey ruins became a popular tourist destination.

In 1914 Whitby was shelled by a German fleet. The abbey ruins were hit and the west front was damaged. In 1920 the Strickland family handed the abbey over to the Ministry of Works. English Heritage carried out archaeological excavations and surveys at this site between 1993 and 2008. The visitor centre was built during that period.

Such is the story of Whitby Abbey. The symbolic importance of this building changed constantly over the centuries. Place of spirituality and knowledge, place of power, place of violence and tragedy, place of hope, place of leisure, place of artistic inspiration.

Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey
Ruins of Whitby Abbey

Why did Bram Stoker find inspiration here, among the ruins of Whitby Abbey? The past haunting the present—such has always been the main motif in Gothic fiction. Medieval ruins remind us that we cannot break from our history, at least not completely. Dracula is an intruder from our past; he brings with him the memories of troubled times and the ways of our ancestors. Yet we cannot ignore our medieval heritage. Whether it causes awe or fear, the medieval culture is still an important part of our civilization, and it will remain part of our culture for the decades to come.

Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey
Ruins of Whitby Abbey

Read also: Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015 (Part 1) and Part 2.

Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey in the fog
Ruins of Whitby Abbey in the fog

Filed Under: Fantasy, History, Horror, Literature, Travel, UK Tagged With: Bram Stoker, Dracula, Gothic, history, horror, photos, vampires, Whitby

Fantasy and science fiction best sellers: May 2015

June 15, 2015 by AJ Leave a Comment

New York Times Best Seller List

Female vampire
Female vampire

In May, one science fiction, one fantasy, and one horror book made it to the New York Times best seller list (adult fiction, hardcover):

DAY SHIFT by Charlaine Harris (Ace) (paranormal/urban fantasy)

A psychic mired in scandal turns to a mysterious woman for help.

SEVENEVES by Neal Stephenson (Morrow/HarperCollins) (science fiction)

Five thousand years after a small number of survivors of the moon’s explosion took refuge on an international space station, their descendants contemplate a return to Earth.

THE SCARLET GOSPELS by Clive Barker (St. Martin’s) (horror)

Harry D’Amour, the detective of the supernatural from Barker’s Books of Blood, faces off against Pinhead, the sadistic Cenobite from the Hellraiser series.

B&N Bookseller’s Picks for May 2015

Blood Sisters: Vampire Stories by Women, edited by Paula Guran (Night Shade Books)

A tantalizing selection of stories from some of the best female authors who’ve helped define the modern vampire.

Straits of Hell (Destroyermen Series #10) by Taylor Anderson (Roc)

Taylor Anderson’s alternate history Destroyermen series continues as a game-changing conspiracy throws the hope of honor, trust, and survival into chaos.

The Book of Phoenix by Nnedi Okorafor (DAW)

The Book of Phoenix is a work of magical futurism, a prequel to the World Fantasy Award-winning novel Who Fears Death.

Leviathan (Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier Series #5) by Jack Campbell (Ace, Penguin)

Jack Campbell’s latest action-packed military space opera novel.

The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi (Knopf Doubleday)

The author of The Windup Girl delivers a near-future thriller that casts new light on how we live today—and what may be in store for us tomorrow.

Trial of Intentions by Peter Orullian (Tor)

The gods who created this world have abandoned it. In their mercy, however, they chained the rogue god—and the monstrous creatures he created to plague mortalkind—in the vast and inhospitable wasteland of the Bourne.

Uprooted by Naomi Novik (Del Rey, Random House)

The author of the Temeraire novels introduces a bold new world rooted in folk stories and legends.

Note: this is a selection, not the complete list.

Filed Under: Books, Fantasy, Horror, Science fiction

Whitby Goth Weekend: April 2015 (Part 2)

May 25, 2015 by AJ 2 Comments

Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. Photo.
Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. WGW turns 21!

Read the first part here: Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015 (Part 1)

Okay, so now we climbed the 199 steps leading to the Church of Saint Mary and the cemetery surrounding it. Photographers huddle around the entrance of the church—the show is on!

Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. Photo, Gothic fantasy model
Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. Gothic fantasy model.

The lighting is perfect, making colors rich and vivid. We meet gorgeous models competing for the attention of numerous photographers and visitors.

Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. Photo, steampunk men and a woman
Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. Elegant Victorian steampunks!

All imaginary worlds meet here: medieval fantasy, steampunk, cyberpunk, science fiction, horror …

Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. Photo. Death and a witch

I saved my favorite image for the end. Amid grim tombstones, we meet a lovely fae straight from an urban fantasy novel! What a delightful encounter, isn’t it?

Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. Photo. Beautiful Gothic fantasy model
Whitby Goth Weekend, April 2015. A lovely fae straight from an urban fantasy novel!

I would like to thank all the lovely people who allowed me to take a picture of them. Very kind of you indeed!

Also read Whitby, in the footsteps of Dracula (Part 1)

 

Whitby Goth Weekend: April 2015 (Part 1)

Whitby Goth Weekend: April 2015 (Part 2)

Filed Under: Alternative cultures, Events, Fantasy, Science fiction Tagged With: fantasy, fashion, Gothic, horror, sci-fi, steampunk, Whitby

Whitby, in the footsteps of Dracula (Part 1)

May 7, 2015 by AJ 5 Comments

The adjective “amazing” was invented to describe the kind of experience I had in Whitby, a small town located in North Yorkshire, UK. This is where Bram Stoker found inspiration for his famous novel Dracula (1897). Now I understand what he felt when he visited this town – I felt it too.

Whitby, UK: Church of Saint Mary and Whitby Abbey
Whitby, UK: 199 steps (bottom right) leading to the Church of Saint Mary and the ruins of Whitby Abbey.

I arrived in Whiby on Wednesday 22 April after a 6-hour journey by train. Went to the B&B where I had made a reservation, checked in, then started my exploration of the famous vampire town. My first destination was Whitby Abbey, or, to be more precise, the ruins of Whitby Abbey. In the footsteps of Dracula, I climbed the 199 steps leading to the Church of Saint Mary and the top of the East Cliff.

Old tombstones surrounding the church greeted me solemnly. I turned to contemplate the setting sun that burned like a molten copper orb, bathing the cemetery in a warm orange glow.

Church of Saint Mary in the sunset
Whitby, UK: Church of Saint Mary in the sunset.

I continued my journey toward Whitby Abbey, its ruins silhouetted against the darkening sky.

Whitby Abbey in the sunset
Whitby, UK: Whitby Abbey in the sunset.
Ruins of Whitby Abbey in the sunset.
Ruins of Whitby Abbey in the sunset.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a cloud of fog appeared to shroud the town in semi-darkness. It hung oppressively – as Edgar Allan Poe would say – over the bay, the valley and the town, eclipsing the last rays of the dying sun.

Sunset over Whitby, East Cliff
Sunset over Whitby, East Cliff
Sunset over Whitby, East Cliff, panoramic view
Sunset over Whitby, East Cliff, panoramic view

The cloud swiftly slid over the ruins of the abbey, as if some malevolent power had cast a spell. Then the cold came, this humid, traitorous, creeping cold that sucks the warmth out of your body. The change in temperature was as swift as the change in luminosity. The warm glow of the setting sun was replaced by an icy semi-darkness. This sight was surreal, as if nature itself had staged it for my benefit. I felt a connection, an inexplicable bond with this place – the ruins, the church, the cemetery, the old stones.

ruins of Whitby Abbey shrouded in fog
Whitby, UK: ruins of Whitby Abbey shrouded in fog

After this moment of awe came the realization that I was freezing. I felt the need to send some hot drink down my throat to expel the cold tentacles of the night. Destination – the nearest café!

Church of Saint Mary in the evening
Whitby, UK: Church of Saint Mary in the evening.

* * *

Learn more about the history of this town in

Whitby, in the footsteps of Dracula (Part 2)

Filed Under: Books, History, Horror, Literature, Travel, UK Tagged With: Bram Stoker, Dracula, fantasy, Gothic, history, horror, photos, vampires, Whitby

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About the Author

A. J. Blakemont is a novelist and essayist interested in speculative and gothic fiction. He is also passionate about music, history and its mysteries. He grew up in Paris where he studied literature. He lives near London and he is a member of the Society of Authors.

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© A. J. Blakemont, 2014-2021.
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