Niteblade News

I’ve decided to start doing short book reviews here in the blog — I get more review requests than we have space for in the ezine and I hate having to turn anyone away. My first review is of a chapbook by Brandy Schwan, published by Apex Book Company.

Catacombs and Photographs is, as far as I can tell, the second book from poet Brandy Schwan, and it is well worth reading. When I first saw my copy I thought ‘Oh, a portrait of the poet for the cover. Well, this is doing to be a self-indulgent pile of crap’ but I was wrong. SO wrong. The cover, an image of Brandy looking sweet and slightly mischeivious is actually the perfect juxtaposition for the poetry inside.

The pieces in Catacombs and Photographs alternate between being darkly erotic and eerily child-like. I know that sounds like it could make for a creepy combination, and it does, but only in the best possible way. My favorite poems, were I to chose, would be “Mary Jane” and “Illness of Alice”.

“Mary Jane” is a slow, sensual poem that gave me shivers. I love the atmosphere of it and each word fit in its place perfectly, like a pearl. There were echos, even here, in this hauntingly erotic poem of the child-like aspects I mentioned earlier; repetition much like in the children’s chant ‘Rain rain go away’, but it worked. It worked and is awesome.

“Illness of Alice” is one of those poems that sticks with you long after you’ve finished reading it. It is, quite simply, brilliant. When I first read it I liked it, its theme, its mood. Then I re-read it and caught things I’d somehow missed before. Things that seem completely obvious the second time through, things like the posies… I won’t say more lest I ruin the poem for you, but it is beautifully wrought and well worth reading again and again.

The way I understand it Catacombs and Photographs will be released on Halloween as a limited edition signed chapbooks (only 100 will be released). If I didn’t already have a copy I’d be the first in line to pre-order…but I do. You don’t though, do you?

Catacombs and Photographs

Calling all aspiring fantasy and horror artists! The Niteblade Art Blogger is now in the building.

Okay, perhaps that sounded a little hokey, but you get the idea. If you would like to receive exposure for your work, if you would like to have your work featured in the Niteblade Art Blog, then please send an e-mail containing examples of your work and a little bit about yourself to me, Richard H. Fay, at art@niteblade.com. I’m looking forward to showcasing some of the up-and-coming talent out there. You know who you are!

And I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Rhonda for choosing me to be the Niteblade Art Blogger. She’s too kind.

Cheers!

The art blogger position has been filled. I’d like to thank everyone who applied, every applicant was completely qualified for the position and it was not an easy choice for me to make. In the end, however, I had to chose someone and that someone is Richard H. Fay.

I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Richard a little bit over the past year as he submitted several poems to Niteblade, a couple of which were published. He’s a very prolific poet and a talented artist in his own right. I have no doubt he will be an awesome art blogger and that Niteblade will be better for his addition.

Welcome Richard! I look forward to working together with you in the months to come