Call for Submissions: Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories, volume 2

We are now accepting submissions for The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories, volume 2. 

Volume 1 has been receiving excellent reviews from readers and from publications like the Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Rue Morgue, Library Journal, and more. These books are a great opportunity for horror writers who write in languages other than English (or who write in English in countries with small publishing markets) to gain wide notice and readership for their work. 

The story must be a "horror" story; however, we define this term as broadly as possible to include stories of the occult and/or supernatural, weird fiction, tales of the unsettling, uncanny or macabre, ghost stories, etc.  Stories in adjacent genres, such as dark crime, dark fantasy, or black humor, may also be considered.

Submission Guidelines:

(1) The story must have previously been published (print, ebook, or online) in a language other than English.* We are not looking for self-published material at this time.

(2) In addition, the story must not have previously been published in English.*

* Stories written in English by writers from countries other than US/CA/UK/IRL/AU/NZ will be considered, as long as the story has not previously been published in the United States. (e.g., an English-language writer from Nigeria, India, or Singapore would be eligible).

(3) The story should be 8000 words or fewer. 

(4) If the story is written in one of the following languages, please submit it in its original language (these are all languages we read): French, Spanish, Italian, Catalan, Romanian, Portuguese, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Afrikaans, or any language substantially similar to these.

(5) If the story is written in some language not listed above, it must be accompanied by a summary/description or translation into English. It is OK if the translation is not of professional/publishable quality: it is only for us to get an idea of what the story is about so that we can decide whether we would like to have a professional translation done.

(6) The deadline for submissions is April 30, 2021, but the earlier a submission is received, the more likely it will be to be chosen.

(7) Preference will be given to stories from countries not already featured in Volume 1, but writers from those countries are still invited to submit and will be considered.

(8) We are committed to diversity in all its forms. Women writers, writers of color, LGBT writers, writers whose work is in a minority indigenous language, writers from countries traditionally under-represented in American publishing, and all other diverse writers are all encouraged to submit.

(9) A fee will be paid for all stories selected. The writer will also receive a copy of the finished book.

(10) The estimated publication date of the book is December 2021.

Submissions should be sent to the editors, James D. Jenkins and Ryan Cagle, at info@valancourtbooks.com. Hard copy materials can be mailed to Valancourt Books, P.O. Box 17642, Richmond, VA 23226, USA. Please note that materials sent to us by post will not be returned.

The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories limited edition

Our forthcoming The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories, volume 1 is probably the most ambitious thing we've ever done. We read literally hundreds of stories originally written in close to 20 languages, from around 40 different countries. We chose our favorites, 21 of them, from 18 different countries, originally written in 13 languages. Twenty of the stories are translated into English for the first time ever, while the remaining story was published in English in the Philippines but has never been available in the U.S. or U.K. There's never been an anthology like this one (and that's not just marketing hype!)

For the first time ever, we are producing a deluxe limited edition hardcover. The book will be printed by the same printer used by Centipede Press for their limited hardcovers and will be a high-quality book.

The hardcover edition will be printed on 60# heavyweight paper and bound traditionally (like books used to be) in cloth and Smyth-sewn for durability. The cloth will feature decorative foil stamping, and the book will be dust jacketed. There will be a ribbon bookmark and decorative head and tail bands on the spine. Other bells and whistles may be announced later.

The book will be limited to 300 copies for sale.  Because it's expensive to print small runs of high-quality books, the price will be $60.  However, we are offering them at a special preorder price of $50.

Q.: I live in the U.K. Why is shipping $35, when shipping for one book on your site is normally $3.99 to the U.K.?

All our other books can be printed to order in the U.K. and shipped from there, which makes the shipping cheaper. These books will be printed in the U.S. and shipped from our office in Virginia. The book, plus packing materials, will weigh about 3 lbs (1.5 kg), and the U.S. Postal Service offers no options for economy, surface, or book rate mail -- the books have to be sent Global Priority Rate, and it is expensive. 

Q.: I ordered the paperback edition already but want to switch to the hardcover. How do I do that?

Just send us an email, and we'll be happy to apply the price you already paid for the paperback towards the hardcover edition and send you a Paypal invoice for the difference.

Q.: When will the hardcovers ship?  

The official publication date for the book is Dec. 8, so they will ship by that date, though we hope to have them in the mail sometime in October.

Q.: Will the books be signed?

Sadly, no. It's just not logistically feasible to get twenty authors in eighteen countries to sign them. It wouldn't be easy at any time, and in this age of coronavirus, it might be well nigh impossible. However, they will be individually numbered.

Quarantine Relief Package (updated Apr 1 2020)

While world governments dawdle and fumble in their response to this pandemic, we've got our own relief package to help beat the quarantine blues! (We don't know about you, but the crisis finally hit home for us when they closed the libraries and bookstores.... Empty supermarket shelves we can deal with, but empty bookshelves? Gasp!)

But while we can't cure the coronavirus, we can cure quarantine-induced boredom! 

1) FREE Audiobook Downloads

We've made thousands of FREE audiobook codes available over the past few days. As of this morning, 21 books still had downloads available for U.S. Audible users, while there are over 50 titles available to U.K. Audible users. And our authors still get paid a royalty on your free download, so you're getting great free entertainment AND helping an author! 

See the list here: http://valancourtbooksblog.blogspot.com/2020/02/free-audiobook-downloads.html

2) FREE U.S. Shipping

Even if there is a bookstore out there still open, trust us, you don't want to venture there and risk getting sick. Stay safe inside and let the books come to you instead.  From now through the end of this epidemic, we'll pay the shipping costs to get you the reading material you need.  Applies to U.S. website orders over $15 (does not apply to the 20% off preorder titles).

3) FREE Digital Copy with Order of Print Copy

So far we've not heard of virus-related shipping delays, but it's always a possibility. So, if you order a print copy from our website, you are welcome to email us and request a free MOBI (Kindle) or EPUB version to be emailed to you as well. That way, even if the mail is delayed, you can start reading immediately! (These are sent out manually and we're pretty fast, but there are delays if you order when we're sleeping, for example.)

4) CHEAP E-Books

Every Friday during this pandemic, we'll slash one of our favorite ebook titles to $2.99 for one week only. Applies to orders placed on Amazon or on our website (if ordering on our website, please note that we have to email you the files manually, so there may be a lag time of a couple hours sometimes in receiving them.)

This week's title is Michael McDowell's Southern Gothic classic COLD MOON OVER BABYLON (1980), a chilling supernatural revenge tale recently filmed in a movie version starring Christopher Lloyd. Grab it here: http://www.valancourtbooks.com/cold-moon-over-babylon-1980.html

We also have our regular March monthly $2.99 ebook specials, Gillian Freeman's eerily prescient 1965 novel of the rise to power of a far-right nationalist leader in Britain, THE LEADER, and Paul Binding's moving story of gay love in Spain, HARMONICA'S BRIDEGROOM (which has one of our all-time favorite covers):

5) BOGO Paperbacks

For a limited time, if you purchase the paperback of our first International Series title, Hubert Lampo's eerie Belgian magical realist novel THE COMING OF JOACHIM STILLER (1960), we'll automatically send you Felix Timmerman's collection of macabre Flemish tales INTIMATIONS OF DEATH totally FREE.  Offer available worldwide.

6) A Peek Ahead

And because it's important to have bright things to look forward to in dark times, here's a sneak peek at something we're working hard on. It's difficult to believe, but six months from now this whole mess will likely have blown over, and you'll be able to get your hands on this beauty, which will feature over 20 horror tales from all over the world, from Spain and Italy to Senegal and Ecuador, with all the foreign-language tales appearing in English for the first time. A preorder option and more details are here.

Paperbacks from Hell: Second Wave

Our five Paperbacks from Hell reprints have been one of the most popular things we've ever done, so we couldn't resist doing a sequel! Here's everything you need to know about our second wave of PFH reissues.

Which books will be featured in the second wave?

Black Ambrosia (1988) by Elizabeth Engstrom

This super-rare novel (there's literally not a single copy for sale online anywhere, at any price) by Engstrom, whose When Darkness Loves Us was part of the first set of PFH, can be read as a straightforward horror novel about a teenage vampire and her string of male victims, or as a story of madness. Is Angelina really a vampire? Can we trust the story she's telling us? You'll have to read the novel to find out. Features a new introduction by Grady Hendrix and the original cover painting by Bob Eggleton.

Nightblood (1990) by T. Chris Martindale

Martindale's sought-after book (it sports a 4.12 rating on Goodreads and the cheapest secondhand copies are $32+) also takes vampires as its theme, but there the similarities with Engstrom's book end. In Nightblood, a Vietnam War vet whose brother was killed by a vampire is out for revenge on the undead, with the help of his brother's ghost and an arsenal of high-powered weaponry. When an army of the undead descends on an Indiana town, our hero goes into action in this wild vampire shoot-'em-up romp. Features a Grady Hendrix introduction and the original cover by Greg Winters.

A Nest of Nightmares (1986) by Lisa Tuttle

One of the books we've had the most requests for over the years, Tuttle's book appeared as a paperback original in the UK and was never published in the US or subsequently reprinted anywhere. Copies regularly sell for $100 or more. This volume collects 13 of the author's best early horror tales, originally published in various magazines. Will Errickson of Too Much Horror Fiction, who will contribute an introduction, says these are tales "with chilling moments of helpless creeping terror" and calls the collection "brilliant". Features the original Nick Bantock cover painting.

Let's Go Play at the Adams' (1974) by Mendal W. Johnson

I don't think we've ever gotten as many requests for any book as for this rare '70s shocker by Johnson, who published only this one novel. This notorious bestseller about the terrible things that happen after a group of children chloroform and tie up their babysitter is highly sought-after on the secondhand market, and copies go for lofty sums. Read this chilling novel and find out what all the hype is about and why so many readers have requested a reprint of this book. Features a new introduction by Grady Hendrix. Cover art to be determined (the cover to the left is included for illustrative purposes only.)

The Pack (1976) by David Fisher

And last, but definitely not least, is this classic killer dog novel from David Fisher, author of more than 20 best-selling books; this one was the basis for a 1977 film entitled The Long Dark Night.  Animal attack books were hugely popular during the 1970s paperback horror boom, and Fisher's is among the best. This new edition will feature a new introduction by Will Errickson and cover art to be determined (the image to the left is for illustrative purposes only).

When will the second wave be published?

The first title, Black Ambrosia, will ship sometime in October. The remaining books will follow at a rate of about one book every 6-8 weeks, with the series wrapping up around March of 2020.

Are they available worldwide?

Four of the books will be available worldwide. Lisa Tuttle's A Nest of Nightmares, because of rights restrictions outside our control, will be available only in the U.S., Canada, and certain other countries worldwide (it will not be available in the U.K. or the current/former Commonwealth countries, although readers in those countries can import it with free shipping from Book Depository).

How much do they cost?

The paperbacks will retail at $16.99 each, except for Nightblood, which will be $17.99. The ebooks will retail at $7.99. However, we will be offering a package deal to receive the paperbacks at a 20% discount, and the ebooks at a discount as well.

Will there be a monthly subscription option?

For the first wave, we offered a subscription where we sent out one book per month.  This time, things will be done a little differently. 

Instead of publishing a new book on the first of each month, the books will be spaced out a little bit more, with no releases in December (because of the Christmas holidays). Thus, you may receive one book in October, one in November, and then receive your third in January. It is possible you will receive more than one book in a given month, since we will be sending the books as soon as we have them from the printers -- we won't hold on to them and make you wait for them!

We will regularly update our Facebook and Twitter pages to announce when books are shipping, and if you have a question or concern, you can contact us at any time.

How much for the set?

Customers can preorder all 5 books and receive a 20% discount ($13.50 per book, plus s&h, instead of $16.99).  

U.S. customers: The total cost to U.S. customers will be $85 (this works out to $13.50 per book, plus $3.50 per book s&h.)  


U.K. customers: U.K. customers can order a 'PFH lite' subscription, which will include all the books except A Nest of Nightmares, for $70 ($13.50 per book + $4 per book s&h).

Important (non-U.S./U.K. customers): Shipping costs outside the U.S. are expensive! Customers in Canada, the EU, and elsewhere can still preorder the entire set for $85; however, the five books will all ship together via UPS in one box once they are all available (Feb./Mar. 2020), rather than five separate shipments.

Ebook discount: The ebook package will be $29.99 (a discount of about $10 off the anticipated retail price of $39.95).

To order, visit our Paperbacks from Hell: Wave Two page

If you are outside the U.S. and have questions about how to order, or shipping costs, feel free to email us using the contact form on our website, or send us a message on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram accounts.

What are the benefits to preordering the entire set instead of just buying the books individually on Amazon?

• No long waits. Books will generally ship to you 3-4 weeks before their Amazon release date. So you'll have them before anybody else. Plus, you'll be supporting an independent small press instead of a giant corporate monstrosity.
• Free ebook versions. Yep, that's right. If you preorder the paperback set and would like to receive the ebook versions of each title as well, just contact us when placing your order and tell us whether you want the MOBI or EPUB versions. You must request them, however -- we don't want to fill up your inbox with ebook files you don't want.
• First dibs on audiobook download codes.  We are anticipating audiobook versions of several of the PFH titles, and for each of them we will have around 100 free Audible download codes to distribute. These will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis, and first priority will be given to those who preordered the set from us.
• Unparalleled customer service.  Something wrong with a book you received?  Wondering where your shipment is?  Just shoot us an email or a message and a real, live person (there are two of us here to choose from) will respond quickly and fix any problem.

Thanks for visiting, and welcome back to Hell! Happy reading!

Call for Submissions: The Valancourt Book of International Horror Stories

Following the success of our three volumes of the Valancourt Book of Horror Stories series and the inauguration of our new Valancourt International series, we are currently open for submissions for our forthcoming Valancourt Book of International Horror Stories. Submissions are welcome from authors or publishers.  (If you are not an author or publisher but would like to recommend a favorite author or story, please feel free to do so!)

Guidelines and Requirements:

1.  The story must have been previously published by a professional publisher in either a print or electronic publication. (We are not looking for unpublished or self-published work at this time.)  Stories must be no longer than 8000 words.

2.   The story must originally have been written in a language other than English.*  Submissions of stories in regional or minority languages or in languages traditionally under-represented in American publishing are especially welcome.  *Exception: English-language submissions are acceptable if the author is from a country other than the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa. 

3.   The story must be a "horror" story; however, we define this term as broadly as possible to include stories of the occult and/or supernatural, weird fiction, tales of the unsettling, uncanny or macabre, ghost stories, etc.  Stories in adjacent genres, such as dark crime, dark fantasy, or black humor, may also be considered.

4.   Here at Valancourt Books, we read quite a few languages.  If your story is written in one of the following languages, please submit it in the original language; an English translation or other accompanying material in English is optional, but not required:

• Afrikaans
• Bulgarian
• Catalan
• Danish
• Dutch (including Frisian, Low Saxon, and other regional languages)
• French (including Occitan and other Romance languages)
• Icelandic
• Italian
• Norwegian
• Portuguese
• Romanian
• Scots
• Spanish (including Galician and other regional languages other than Basque)
• Swedish

If the story is written in another language that we cannot read, the story must be accompanied by either a translation (which may be rough; it need not be a professional translation) or a synopsis/summary of the story that will enable us to form an opinion as to whether the story may be right for the book before going to the expense of having it translated. If in any doubt, feel free to contact us.

5.   Anticipated publication date is October 2020.  We will accept submissions through April 30, 2020.  Stories received earlier have a higher chance of being read and chosen than stories received at or near the deadline. Stories not accepted for this volume may be resubmitted for consideration for future volumes.

6.    Authors whose stories are accepted for publication will be offered a fee as well as a contributor's copy of the published book.

Please submit materials via email (PDF, Word, EPUB are all acceptable) to jjenkins@valancourtbooks.com.  Submissions may also be mailed to: Valancourt Books, P. O. Box 17642, Richmond VA 23226 USA.  Please note that books and other materials mailed to this address will not be returned.

Amazon

Between print books, Kindle e-books, and Audible audiobooks, these days Amazon accounts for at least 90% of our sales. Although our books are available on plenty of other sites (including our own), the fact remains that if one of our books isn't available on Amazon, it doesn't sell. Which is why we've been frustrated at Amazon repeatedly delisting our books for sale for no reason that we can ascertain.

As a publisher mostly of horror books, October and Halloween-time is one of our busiest periods of the year. This month we put out four great new horror titles; however, one of these, Worms, was unavailable on Amazon US in paperback format for several weeks after its release date, and our new Valancourt Book of Horror Stories, Volume 3, as of this morning could not be ordered either in hardcover or Kindle format. We have no idea why. And we have no control over it. There is literally no way to get a response from a human being at Amazon regarding these problems.

These aren't isolated incidents. For years, our books have been disappearing from sale at random. Sometimes they come back after a few weeks; sometimes they never come back. Even when they are available for order, Amazon seems to do everything they can to discourage customers from ordering them, by listing them as "Temporary out of stock, order now and we'll deliver when available" or "Usually ships within 1-3 months". Both these statements are false: our books are all printed on demand through Ingram, the nation's largest book distributor. They're all available, all the time, and it takes on average a couple days to print and ship them, not 1-3 months.

It's no exaggeration to say that Valancourt Books' existence hinges mostly on the whims of Amazon's glitches and algorithms, not on how good or well-produced our books are.

Recently we've been encouraging people to order direct from us via our website.  We love the chance to interact with customers directly, and we think it's a plus for customers too.  E-books ordered direct from our website are DRM-free, and if you order a print book and have any questions or problems with the order, send us an email and you'll get a quick response from a real, live person (there's two of us here to choose from!) If you want to read them without purchasing them, our books are available in print and e-book to public libraries, and most libraries have a link on their website for you to request a title and are usually pretty responsive to these requests.

We offer shipping to the US and UK starting at $3.99 per order, with orders over $100 shipping free. And in the coming weeks we are going to be discounting books on our website, so that both print and e-books will be cheaper ordered direct from us than if purchased from Amazon. If you haven't already, we encourage you to sign up for our once-monthly email newsletter on the front page of our website so that you'll know about all new & upcoming releases, as well as details of deals and discounts.

Thanks for your support (and Happy Halloween from Ryan and Jay!)

Figures Unseen audiobook nominated for Voice Arts Awards!

Congratulations to narrator Matt Godfrey, whose performance on the Valancourt audiobook of Steve Rasnic Tem's Figures Unseen: Selected Stories, was just announced as a finalist for the Voice Arts Awards. The winners will be announced on Nov. 18 at a ceremony at the Warner Bros Studio in Burbank, CA, hosted by Sigourney Weaver!

If you haven't heard Matt's performance of these great stories, check it out on Audible.

And while you're at it, why not check out some of our other award-nominated audiobooks, including Michael McDowell's The Elementals, read by R. C. Bray, which was a finalist for the Audie Awards, or Matt Godfrey's reading of Fredric Brown's Nightmares and Geezenstacks, a finalist for last year's Voice Arts Awards?