A new magazine was just launched in the UK, and I’m mighty pleased to say it includes one of my short stories. Published by Chris Wade, Peculiar Tales is sci-fi/horror magazine aimed at those who love weird stories.

But I’d better let Chris introduce his magazine. Over to you, Chris!

Chris Wade on Peculiar Tales

I’ve been an obsessive reader, music listener, and film geek for decades now — for as long as I can remember, in fact.

Since my childhood and the angsty days of being a spotty Herbert in my teens, I’ve found peace and contentment in these three areas of the arts, and my interest — no, obsession — has not dimmed over time. If anything, it’s become more intense, if that’s an appropriate word to use.

When I’m not enjoying movies, reading books, or listening to my favourite music, I’ve spent the past decade or so dividing my time between making art films, writing books, and creating my own music. In the most recent few years, though, I have found writing fiction more and more of a solace to me.

My love of literature has also grown. As well as obsessively reading as much as I could of such people as Paul Auster, Charles Dickens, George Orwell, and Haruki Murakami (plus many others), I have been increasingly hooked on sci-fi and horror books, mostly of a vintage variety. I have stacks of these books at home; dozens of Isaac Asimov volumes of all kinds (both fiction and nonfiction, sf and other genres); rows of dog-eared Stephen King paperbacks; large quantities of Robert Heinlein, Harlan Ellison, Michael Moorcock, James Herbert, Poul Anderson, Michael Moorcock, and Robert Silverberg books; lavish Lovecraft and Clive Barker hardbacks; all these and many more. It’s become fetishistic, I admit.

Peculiar Tales

Now, I’ll get to the point of this article. One of my biggest current passions is reading and collecting horror and sci-fi anthologies, as well as classic genre fiction magazines. Publications like 2000AD, Asimov’s, and Analog are now causing much distress to my increasingly creaky bookshelves.

One day when I was leafing through one of them (which one exactly I do not know, so please don’t ask), it suddenly occurred to me that it might be a good idea to put together a fiction journal of my own, where I could publish my stories, tales from other authors, as well as interviews with writers and articles on sci-fi and horror. After realising it “might” be a good idea, I then upgraded the concept to “definitely” a good idea.

And so, issue one of Peculiar Tales was published this April. Though it’s in its very earliest stages, I am excited about where it might go and how it might develop. I am grateful to Keith R. Robinson for his help and the content he has contributed so far, as well as Nicholas Rossis for letting me use one of his stories. It’s been a lot of fun so far, immersing myself in the weird and the macabre. I look forward to more of the same.

In a standard week, my working time is spent recording music under the name Dodson and Fogg, writing about films, music, art, and literature, as well as putting together films and writing stories. So adding Peculiar Tales to my work schedule seemed to make sense. I might end up collapsing from exhaustion, but at least I will do so while reading demented tales of horror and science fiction. I could well be discovered passed out by my desk, clutching a manuscript of great morbidity. There’s a story in that…

So, if you’re a sci-fi or horror author (or fan), do get in touch or click here to get your copy!