Been rereading some of Dennis Etchison's early collections. I've always been a big fan of his short fiction, especially those pieces found in THE DARK
COUNTRY, all of which blows me away. It's been a while since he's had any books out. Just wondering if anybody got a chance to talk with him at WHC.
What's he been up to recently?
Dennis Etchison
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 Tom Piccirilli |
Dennis Etchison |
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Posts: 4004 (07/03/08 18:33:37) Shocklineraholic |
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 Norman Partridge |
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Posts: 729 (07/03/08 18:47:02) Master Shockliner |
I've only had a nodding acquaintance with Etchison (mostly at conventions), so I can't help out with info on what he's up to. Just wanted to say I
agree with you on THE DARK COUNTRY, Tom. That's a great collection, and I remember it being a big influence when I was starting out. (I was especially
struck--and still am--by the way Etchison framed his scenes.)
Actually, THE DARK COUNTRY was the first small press book I ever bought. I think I saw a review of it in the old TWILIGHT ZONE mag and went looking. Found it (and a whole lot of other stuff) at the original Dark Carnival store down in Berzerkley. In those days, hunting for books was half the fun. Norm |
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JamesRobertSmith |
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Posts: 1049 (07/03/08 19:52:43) Master Shockliner |
William Nolan knows him. I think they stay in touch. So if you talk to Bill Nolan you can ask him. I haven't talked to Bill in a while, but if I do
I'll ask him about Etchison.
The fact that a believer is happier than a sceptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of
credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality. - George Bernard Shaw
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tems |
Dennis Etchison | ||
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Posts: 226 (07/03/08 20:09:37) Veteran Shockliner |
We chatted a little while at WHC. He's been doing a ton radio scripts the last few years.
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tems |
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Posts: 227 (07/03/08 20:13:00) Veteran Shockliner |
I should have been more specific. He's been doing radio dramas based on the Twilight Zone scripts. Here's a link:
http://www.twilightzoneradio.com/ |
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Tom Piccirilli |
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Posts: 4005 (07/03/08 20:35:40) Shocklineraholic |
How bizarre, Steve, I wasn't aware of those TZ radio plays at all. And hosted by Stacy Keach, that's pretty damn cool. Thanks for letting us know.
Norm, I think The Dark Country was the first small press horror book I ever saw. I picked it up in my local library nearly, what, 25 years ago? More? I remember being amazed at the quality of the printing and the artwork. Scream Press did some mighty fine work back in the day. |
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Shocklines |
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Posts: 28504 (07/03/08 20:37:23) Administrator |
I came to the small press limited edition market late in the game. My first one? VOICES IN THE NIGHT from Maclay & Associates, with Norman Partridge's
BAD INTENTIONS right after that. I was hooked.
Shocklines.com -- your one-stop shop for hell on earth
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sfkdiva |
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Posts: 1124 (07/03/08 20:54:38) Shocklineraholic |
Last I ran into him, There was some wrestling mag that Dennis writes for and he and his wife Kris (who was one of the top people at Flynt Pubs for years) were
planning to start a business - dog walking I think, from some settlement money. I think he was editing a magazine too. I used to see him now and again at Dark
Del's, but being out of the country and preoccupied with new baby before I left, I'm out of the loop. Lisa Morton might have a better clue.
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Lisa Morton |
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Posts: 987 (07/04/08 08:35:58) Master Shockliner |
He spent most of last year moving and straightening out (boring) business situations. I think he's still teaching the weekly workshop at Mystery and
Imagination.
But sadly he's not very productive these days (I think due to a combination of elements that include being overworked and disillusioned). I'd certainly be thrilled to see a fistful of new Etchison... |
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Horror Drive In |
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Posts: 1115 (07/04/08 08:51:51) Shocklineraholic |
He has a new collection coming from CD. It will have both
reprints and new fiction.
I'm hardcore Etchison fan. The Dark Country is one of the best collections I've ever read. And while he's primarily known as a short story writer whose novels are less effective, Darkside is flat brilliant. Forget that old paperback and get this edition, which is the author's preferred text. I fucking love this novel.
http://www.horrordrive-in.com/
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Tom Piccirilli |
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Posts: 4007 (07/04/08 09:31:42) Shocklineraholic |
His novels never did much for me, but I've reread SHADOW MAN a couple of times and it grows on me each time.
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Mamatas |
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Posts: 1417 (07/04/08 09:32:01) Shocklineraholic |
Big fan as well. Sad what the decline in readership for the short story means for writers such as Etchison.
I do think it's pretty funny, given "The Dog Park", that he may be opening a dog-walking service. |
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Lisa Morton |
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Posts: 989 (07/04/08 09:49:36) Master Shockliner |
I thought the same thing, Nick. In fact, I'm wondering if that might have been a little joke on his part...
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Norman Partridge |
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Posts: 730 (07/04/08 11:00:06) Master Shockliner |
Norm P.S. And, Matt... BAD INTENTIONS was one of your first buys? That's great! |
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Mamatas |
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Posts: 1418 (07/04/08 11:30:55) Shocklineraholic |
Are there significant differences in the text between the paperback and American Fantasy editions of DARKSIDE?
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james beach |
Dennis Etchison | ||
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Posts: 798 (07/04/08 12:06:29) Master Shockliner |
I'm a big fan of Dennis Etchison as well! His collection THE DARK COUNTRY is still one of my all-time favorites and every time someone mentions favorite
stories, I always pick something like "The Dead Line", "The Late Shift" or "It Only Comes Out At Night". I think that collection
was pretty revolutionary as far as breaking new ground in the Horror genre and still holds up very well.
I would love to have him in Dark Discoveries at some point! Bill Nolan gave me his number and encouraged me to call him, but I admit I haven't gotten up the courage to yet (although I have called another one of my all-time favorite writers recently and he agreed to contribute something to DD. So you never know. More on that in another post very soon!). - James www.darkdiscoveries.com |
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Horror Drive In |
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Posts: 1116 (07/04/08 12:22:35) Shocklineraholic |
Nick, the editors at Berkeley thought that 'nothing happened' in the first 150 pages of Darkside and they insisted that Etchison add in a subplot to
liven it up. They also wanted it to be more like a Stephen King book. I couldn't tell you exactly how much was changed. I read the paperback way back when
it was originally published and later read the hardcover in '02 or '03. To tell you the truth, I'd like to read the hardcover again.
http://www.horrordrive-in.com/
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Tom Piccirilli |
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Posts: 4009 (07/04/08 12:27:15) Shocklineraholic |
So far as I know, the only real change between the two editions of DARKSIDE is that the first chapter, which is a stand-alone piece not part of the story
proper, was apparently welded onto the opening of the Berkley edition. Dennis never wanted it there and I don't recall the story as to why his editor asked
him to make it a part of the book. It was dropped from the subsequent edition.
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Mamatas |
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Posts: 1419 (07/04/08 12:27:44) Shocklineraholic |
Hmm, I actually dislike subplots and was pleased with Darkside for not having any major ones. Maybe I'll pick up the HC.
I do remember the first chapter, which is also in one of the collections as a short story (there's a story that does similar double duty in CALIFORNIA GOTHIC as well). I always liked the idea of novel chapters as self-contained stories, though the deja vu that comes from reading one in the novel context is always a little disconcerting. |
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Tom Piccirilli |
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Posts: 4010 (07/04/08 12:32:25) Shocklineraholic |
Yeah, the piece was called "Deadtime" and was originally published in Night Cry.
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marksamuels |
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Posts: 921 (07/04/08 13:52:04) Master Shockliner |
I have a story about Dennis Etchison. It's not very long so bear with me . . .
About twelve years ago I went to a convention in Swansea, Wales called "Welcome to my Nightmare" and wound up in the audience of a panel in which D.E. featured. Towards the end of the panel Q&As came up and someone asked whether the panellists felt that any of their horror tales matched those of their literary heroes. D.E. said that he couldn't think of any of his stories surviving in the same way as, say, Blackwood's "The Willows" etc etc. I nervously and yet admiringly raised my hand from the audience and insisted he was mistaken and that his tale "Midnight Shift" qualified, the one about zombies being used as cheap labour. D.E. cut me down. "I have not written a story called Midnight Shift" he replied, very succinctly, "you're thinking of Stephen King". He was right. I meant "Late Shift", not "Midnight Shift". I got the title wrong. Afterwards, I cornered D.E. and made my apologies. He was quite nice about it all. But I still had the feeling he knew damn well that I'd made a mistake and decided, in front of an audience, to let it ride anyway. Butt-hurt? Not really. But I learnt something that day. And it wasn't "get the story title right". Go figure. Mark S. |
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