Do you have any plans this Saturday? If not, I’d encourage you to drop by Petaluma’s Copperfield’s Books, where I will be doing a meet-and-greet in support of my latest anthology, Tales of Jack the Ripper. This is your best chance to get a signed copy of the anthology. Plus, it makes a great gift for the ghoul in your life.
As you may know, 2013 is the 125th anniversary of perhaps the most famous cold case in history, the legendary Whitechapel slayings. Over the past century and a quarter, countless stories, books, and movies have explored the sanguine legacy of the first serial killer to achieve rock star status. Today, we are still drawn to tales of heinous killers and their prey. But before Hannibal Lector, Patrick Bateman, and Dexter Morgan, there was Jack the Ripper. The difference? Jack was real. Tales of Jack the Ripper contains seventeen stories and two poems from many of the most distinct voices in dark fantasy and horror, including Laird Barron, Ramsey Campbell, Ennis Drake, Orrin Grey, Joe R. Lansdale, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, E. Catherine Tobler, and Mercedes M. Yardley.
And if you’re not able to make it by Copperfield’s Books in Petaluma this Saturday, October 5 (I’ll be there between 1:30 and 3:30), please do drop by and check out the Tales of Jack the Ripper window display. It may be just the thing to put you in a Halloween mood.
Here’s just some of the critical praise Tales of Jack the Ripper has received so far:
“Tales of Jack the Ripper manages to walk that fine line between entertainment and exploitation with real finesse. It’s a gripping group of stories about one of our most enduring mysteries, and well worth your time.” —FEARnet.com
“Editor Ross Lockhart (Book of Cthulhu and Book of Cthulhu 2, Chick Bassist) has done a stand-out job with Tales of Jack the Ripper. This one’s going out to certain names on my Christmas list, that’s for sure. You know the ones. With their ‘funny little games’. Recommended.” –Martian Migraine Press
“There is a definite ‘weird tale’ edge to many of the stories (and poems) in the anthology, which in this reader’s opinion is a GREAT thing. It might even be expected from Lockhart, who also brought you The Book of Cthulhu and its follow-up, The Book of Cthulhu 2. This doesn’t mean you can pigeonhole Tales of Jack the Ripper. […] You need to get up off your lazy duff and buy this collection.” —Shock Totem
“Tales of Jack the Ripper marks a strong debut for Word Horde. Lockhart, in usual fashion, has managed to put together a strong, multifaceted anthology that explores the Ripper legend at length. If this book is indicative of what’s to be expected from his new press, than readers have much to look forward to.” —The Arkham Digest
“…there’s enough variation of theme and style here to interest almost any crime or horror reader…” —The Big Click
“Readers interested in Jack the Ripper will love this anthology. Horror fans in general should be quite pleased.” —Tangent
“The bottom line is these are all excellent stories, all about Jack.” —Hellnotes