The Maynard Sims Library presents the finest in traditional English ghost stories and unsettling tales of quiet fear. Incantations is a book of horror stories. Previously published more than twelve years ago it is now available in the digital age. "Economical nightmares of atmospheric subtlety and stark physical horror, Incantations is appropriately titled, suggesting a raw sense of occult power and the process of summoning demonic energies into another plane of existence. Maynard and Sims conjure horrors by first establishing the believability of natural, objective places and people. Their characters are people we know and see everyday: men and women struggling through bad relationships, going to work and plodding along the best they can until, quite suddenly, their worlds are invaded by suggestions of evil, manipulative powers just outside the rim of understanding, or worse, by evils answering the summons of their minds." Incantations, by Maynard and Sims is an impressive collec¬tion of short stories with a variety of settings and characters: tales ranging from sin¬ister and disturb¬ing to the downright nasty. This is good modern gothic writing and the two authors achieve a graceful literary style with effective descriptions and a realistic sense of place, all written with an eloquent turn of phrase. BRITISH FANTASY SOCIETY From the ambitiously menacing novella "The Business Of Barbarians," to the calculating fright of "The Nice House," Maynard and Sims revitalize the traditional thrills of haunted houses, ghosts, and witches by emphasizing the psychological turmoil of character's minds. The result is a collection that works on several levels, appealing every bit as much to primal fears of the unknown as they do to our contemporary distrust of our neighbors, families, and ourselves. CEMETERY DANCE The promotional text on the back cover of the latest collection from the writing team of Maynard & Sims claims that "If you think of these two writers simply in terms of traditional ghost stories-then think again-these are nightmares from a cracked modern landscape." The contents of the book tend to bear out this claim. Although many of the tales are about ghosts, they aren't what you necessarily call "traditional". GARRETT PECK One more thing. Varied as they may be, all the stories in this collection show a common under theme, loneliness. Some of the main characters are downright loners, others are just forsaken people, and all are lonesome individuals. This seems to be another lesson that Maynard & Sims want to impart: that loneliness is the true, scariest horror in our lives. HORRORWORLD Released in the wake of their gutsy novella The Hidden Language Of Demons, the latest collection of fifteen stories, many of which are previously unpublished, from this talented duo has a somewhat harder edge than the 'quiet' stories of supernatural terror on which their reputation has previously rested. The qualities you expect from Maynard & Sims are still in evidence; deft characterisation, the assured manipulation of atmosphere and mood, plots that slow burn to a chilling crescendo. Yet things have changed; the power of suggestion is no longer sufficient. The bad guys still want your soul; it's just that they're a lot more willing than previously to go through your flesh to get at it. THE THIRD ALTERNATIVE
The Maynard Sims Library presents the finest in traditional English ghost stories and unsettling tales of quiet fear. Falling Into Heaven is a collection of short stories. Ghosts, demons and the fears and dreads that cannot be explained. Originally published in limited edition hardback it is now available as e-book and paperback. CONTENTS Introduction by William P Simmons 1.IMAGES 2.DEAD MEN'S SHOES 3.A VICTORIAN POT DRESSER 4.SAND CASTLES 5.CALLING DOWN THE LIGHTNING 6.SOAKING WET WITHOUT A BOAT 7.SALVATION 8.SHORTCUTS 9.CAVISO GAMO 10.OCTOBER CRIES 11.DANCERS 12.FLOUR WHITE AND SPINDLE THIN 13.GLIMPSES 14.SLIDING DOWN THE SLIPPERY SLIP "After experimenting with different ways of producing shivers in their previous collection Incantations, the authors have reached a new equilibrium in their writing style, cleverly manipulating hard material with a delicate touch and effectively blending different shades of terror into a deliciously frightening potion. Drink up, dear reader, you won't regret it " THE ALIENONLINE "Maynard & Sims. The names are now inseparable and it cannot be too long before they are a permanent fixture on the shelves of the more discerning bookshops...this collection shows that they have really come of age. Maynard & Sims may write traditional horror stores but that is no mean feat; they are restrained when others attempt to achieve the shock factor." BRITISH FANTASY SOCIETY It could be that the best thing to do would be to give as little information about this amazing collection as possible. Hints of plot and glimpses of setting are unnecessary once this book is in your hands. Even if your intention is only to dip into a few brief stories or just to get a taste of it, Falling Into Heaven will have you, ever so gently, by the throat; what started as a quick skim will find you hours later, eyes glued to the page, fingernails gouging into the magnificent cover. Maynard and Sims will have you and it is useless to struggle. LISA DUMOND Maynard & Sims are seasoned entertainers, and like all such they know how to bring down the curtain. The last story in the book, 'Sliding Down the Slippery Slip', is a showstopper and one of the finest horror stories I've read recently. The first person narration of a disturbed soul, its obliqueness brings to mind the rituals and ceremonies of Machen's classic tale The White People, but tainted with a perverse sexuality that is thoroughly modern, the story made all the more effective by the narrator's unreliability, with the hint that much of what happens could just be in her mind. It is a virtuoso performance, insidiously suggestive and rich in ambiguity, the ideal note on which to close this collection and proof of what these much underrated writers are capable of producing when at their best. PETER TENNANT See the Author Page at Amazon for Maynard Sims. See the author website at www.maynard-sims.com
Weird Cries From The Soul is a collection of stories that appeared between 1998 and the present day in anthologies and magazines. The first fifteen were collected, with much other material, in the two collections Selling Dark Miracles and The Secret Geography Of Nightmare in 2002. Many of these stories were written by request for anthologies. There are crime stories, weird stories, a William Hope Hodgson tribute, an Edward Lee tribute, ghost stories, and mainstream stories. Some of these were adapted and used as part of novels - the crime stories are a typical example of this method. Many have won Honourable Mentions. 1.KILLING ANONYMITY 2.BAD MOON 3.MAMA 4.THE RAG-DOLL WHO SYMPATHISED WITH MAHLER 5.WARM AS SNOW 6.THE OTHER SIDE OF SLEEP 7.GATEWAY 8.OPPOSITES 9.WIRED 10.THE ROUTE 11.BLOOD POSITIVE 12.ANOTHER SATURDAY NIGHT 13.THE COLONY 14.A WHINING 15.SILVER SISTERS 16.WARP 17.MARCUS 18.THE SITE OF THE FIRST REDOUBT 19.SLIGHTLY ALL THE TIME 20.BETWEEN THE DEAD MEN AND THE BLIND 21.ONION 22.FRACTURED SOULS 23.DEMONLEE DEVILISH 24.DRIVING IN MY CAR 25.COAT 26.SKINNY LATTE Visit the Amazon Maynard Sims Author Page. See the author website at www.maynard-sims.com
Shadows At Midnight - The Maynard Sims Library Volume 1 presents the finest in traditional English ghost stories and unsettling tales of quiet fear. Shadows At Midnight are ghost stories in the traditional English style. First published in hardback in 1979 from William Kimber & Co Limited of London who described the debut book as - "In this masterly collection of tales, the authors take us into that unquiet land, in the witching time of night, where malign presences seek to entwine the unwary in their web of evil. Their ghosts, or evil spirits, or gruesome influences - no one expression sums them all up - remain lingering in their chosen abodes, be it wardrobe, cradle or tomb, to threaten the existence of the innocent. But not all the spirits are terrifying. Some, like the laughing children of Border End, seek to enthral by cajolery, though their threat remains as great. The authors do not delve too far into explanations for their phantoms. Indeed how could they? For who can explain the midnight land?" There were ten stories and they were enjoyed by those that read them. "A really creepy collection, they conjure up gruesome influences to linger after the book is done." Southend & District Standard "All the tales are totally intriguing - whether they are about a boy visiting his aunt, or a man inheriting his aunt's house, a house purchaser, a vicar, a brass rubbings enthusiast, or a mother and her baby's cradle." Grimsby Evening Telegraph "Ten ghost stories for lovers of the supernatural. A book that will haunt you." Manchester Evening News "Present the uncanny in a civilised way."Yorkshire Evening Post In 1999 the book was revised and enlarged and published by Sarob Press in a limited edition hardback. "The two authors have been writing together for more than twenty-five years, and produce some of the finest examples of supernatural fiction seen today. These stories can be described as coming from the same mould as the masters of the genre, James, Wakefield, and Benson. They are a fine collection of traditional ghost stories". Sarob Press Readers agreed - "The authors have a grasp of craftsmanship which many a writer might envy, alongside an eye for detail and a knack for unobtrusive but telling characterisation."Zene "Truly none should miss out on 'Border End'. The authors affinity for the tumult of emotions that an adolescent experiences rivals the sympathetic hand of the great Robert Westall." Bill Barnett, All Hallows journal of the Ghost Story Society "This is another excellent book from Sarob. If ghost tales are your thing, get hold of this collection." David Howe, Shivers. "There is nothing wrong with the writing here, and this book is to be thoroughly recommended." Paul Brazier, Interzone "The stories are still all good examples of the understated." John Pelan, Midnight House "Sarob Press must be congratulated in producing this fine limited edition hardback which would be a welcome addition to any collection." Steve Lockley, Horror Writers Association "A welcome re-issue. (Shadows At Midnight 1999)." Steve Jones, Best New Horror, 2000
THE ODD GHOSTS & A HAUNTING OF GHOSTS by MAYNARD SIMS From The Maynard Sims Library Two collections of ghost stories and weird tales. THE ODD GHOSTS Contents 1.SLEEPING 2.MAGDALENE 3.STAR 4.PRICE 5.DIFFERENT 6.NIGHT 7.FACER 8.STORIES A HAUNTING OF GHOSTS Contents 1.THE MAN WHO WORE THE WRONG COAT 2.WHAT LAY HIDDEN BEHIND THE WHISPERING WALL 3.THE HOUSE WITH TOO MANY WINDOWS 4.LOVE LIES FLOATING ON THE WATER 5.THE CHURCH WITH THE TOWER THAT MOVED 6.THE HOUSE THAT WAS TOO GRAND FOR LAUGHTER As with any Maynard Sims work, the prose is delicately crafted and beautifully delivered. The whole book is a little treasure of pleasurable shivers and intriguing darkness. Why not visit the Maynard Sims Author Page at Amazon? And their website at www.maynard-sims.com
In a small village in Japan a thousand or so years ago, the Tashkai discovered how to steal any talent a person might possess. A singer would lose their voice - and at the same time a Tashkai villager would suddenly become an accomplished vocalist. This mysterious thievery continued for centuries, until the Tashkai ventured further afield for victims. Legend says that Buddha had enough of them and decided to punish the entire village - turning them into hideous creatures who survive to this day - relentlessly pursuing more prey.Department 18 - the secret government unit that fights supernatural forces - now attempts to save several people who have become ensnared by the modern Tashkai. Clues lead operatives Carter and Jane to a manor house in the English countryside, where serene surroundings mask the occupants' deadly secrets.
