I am very sad to have to tell you that my editorship at Weird Tales, which has included one Hugo Award win and three Hugo Award nominations, is about to come to an end. The publisher, John Betancourt of Wildside Press, is selling the magazine to Marvin Kaye. Kaye is buying the magazine because he wants to edit it himself. He will not be retaining the staff from my tenure. I wish him the best with the different direction he wants to pursue, including his first, Cthulhu-themed issue. The current issue of Weird Tales is #358, just published. My last issue will be #359, which Kaye plans to publish in February of next year. Other stories I bought will be published in various issues thereafter.

The past five years reading fiction for Weird Tales magazine has been an honor for me. I had a blast doing this but I have also contributed to the canon of “the weird tale”—a responsibility I take seriously, not only for the readers of today, but for the readers of tomorrow. This iconic magazine originally blazed a trail for new approaches to dark fantastical fiction, and I did my best to return to that legacy. In addition to bringing home the first Hugo Award win in the history of Weird Tales, I was also only the second female editor of the magazine, and presided over the only all-female staff ever for the magazine.

My current plans include final work on THE WEIRD: A Compendium of Dark and Strange Stories out from Atlantic in October. This huge reprint anthology, perhaps the largest ever published for this kind of fiction, includes 116 stories from the last one hundred years and totals 750,000 words. I will also be shepherding the anthology ODD? to completion through my and my husband’s e-book imprint Cheeky Frawg, along with completing several other anthology projects. In addition, I will continue to talk about and promote weird fiction through a new blog associated with THE WEIRD that will act as a repository of information and features, as well as providing a home for a new slate of “one-minute Weird Tales,” although they will of course be called something else. Beyond that I am considering this a chance to explore new and exciting opportunities.

If you have questions about this announcement, or interview requests, please direct them to my publicist, Matt Staggs, at mattormeg@gmail.com. Thank you for your support.

Because I will not have the opportunity to write a final editorial for the magazine, I would like to say a few additional things as part of this announcement.

First, I would like to thank all my readers for coming along on this adventure at Weird Tales with me, and trusting me to find the kind of stories that you love. Thanks also to the writers and artists for trusting me to take good care of your work and to present that work to the world. I had the opportunity to bring to your attention some great short fiction while also helping further the careers of a lot of up-and-coming writers.

I also want to thank the talented people I’ve worked with: Stephen Segal, Paula Guran, Mary Robinette Kowal, Tessa Kum, Dominik Parisien and Alan Swirsky. You all are the best.

I am proud of what I have accomplished these past five years. I worked hard to publish a wide variety of weird fiction. In addition to work from Weird Tales’ stalwarts like Tanith Lee and Darrell Schweitzer, I published a new Elric novella by Michael Moorcock, and new fiction from brilliant writers like Kathe Koja, Jeffrey Ford, Michael Bishop, Norman Spinrad, J. Robert Lennon, Ian MacLeod, Felix Gilman, Sarah Monette, along with forthcoming work by Conrad Williams, Joel Lane, and Stephen Graham Jones.

With the aid of Weird Tales creative director Stephen Segal during my first couple of years, we ran many memorable theme issues, including the “85 Weirdest Storytellers” issue to celebrate 85 years of publication, an Uncanny Beauty issue, a steampunk issue and an International Fiction issue. In fact I published work by contributors from 21 countries during my five years with the magazine, more than any prior editor—including from New Zealand, Canada, Spain, Bulgaria, Philippines, Israel, Serbia, Italy, Slovakia, Czech Republic, France, The Netherlands, Brazil, Finland, Singapore, and Sweden.

I also published many, many new or up-and-coming writers, including: Ramsey Shehadeh, Jeff Johnson, Matthew Pridham, Karin Tidbeck, Leena Likitalo, Tamsyn Muir, Tom Underberg, Rachel Swirsky, Peter Atwood, L.L. Hannett, Alistair Rennie, Kelly Barnhill, Micaela Morrissette, Jonathan Wood, Gio Clairval, Rochita Loenen-Ruiz, Amanda Downum, Catherine Cheek, and N.K. Jemisin.

During my tenure, Weird Tales also truly entered the twenty-first century, by establishing a submissions portal and regularly producing the One-Minute Weird Tales videos, in the context of a newly revamped website.

It was a great ride, but now it’s over. I am still dedicated to seeking out the best of weird fiction wherever it is and bringing it to you. I just won’t be doing that under the Weird Tales masthead anymore.

So, Universal won’t let Guillermo del Toro make At the Mountains of Madness, but you can’t keep a Lovecraftian down: del Toro game (with THQ and Volition Inc.) inSANE has moved forward has a “Lovecraftian” quality to it. Little is none aboutthe game except that it is supposed to be scary but (according to Geeks of Doom del Toro shared more in a recent chat with MTV: it’s to be a huge, sandbox-style game, and is is still a couple of years away from launch.

Quoting del Toro: “We’ve been designing the creatures, which are obscenely fun and unique….It’s Lovecraftian, it’s really weird, but it’s Lovecraftian in a very sick way…”

Here’s a promo trailer for the game:

A Wellington, New Zealand library patron recently returned a copy of The Dunwich Horror and Others by H. P. Lovecraft 23 years past due. The original due date was February 12, 1988.

If the 80 cent per day fine was applied to The Dunwich Horror and Others, the borrower would owe $6851.20, but the Wellington system considers items overdue by 28 days or more “as long-term overdue” and a maximum of $NZ 22.40 (about $19.06 in US dollars) is incurred.

The library does not offer amnesty days for the free return of books. Wellington Libraries manager Jane Hill explained, “We have found in the past that books returned are largely very old and not ones we want.”

However, if the book is indeed the one pictured here from the news account, the library may want to check the copyright page. If it is a first edition as originally published in 1963 by Arkham House in an edition of 3,133 copies, it might be worth more than $20. Since one assumes it is marred by library stamps and markings and there’s no indication of the book’s condition, it probably isn’t worth a great deal. Still, with the dust jacket intact and in fair condition, it might bring in a few bucks more if sold.

On September 16 and 17, 2011, the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival® returns to the historic Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro for its second year. Sponsored by Bowen’s Spirits, this film festival celebrates the works of famed American science fiction and horror writer H.P. Lovecraft through screenings of cinematic adaptations of his work by professional and amateur filmmakers from around the world.

This year’s festival will feature legendary film icon Roger Corman, who will receive the “Howie” award for his contributions to Lovecraft cinema. There will also be a short film contest that will be judged by celebrated filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy, Pan’s Labryinth). In addition to the films there will be literary discussions and readings by Lovecraft-inspired authors Cody Goodfellow, Jenna Pitman, Micheal Shea, Ted E. Grau, Michael Tice and screenwriter C. Courtney Joyner.

The festival marks the 80th anniversary of the Warner Grand Theatre and The H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival® has partnered with the Grand Vision Foundation to preserve and promote the historic theater. It is also the 80th anniversary of the publication of Lovecraft’s story “The Whisperer in Darkness” in Weird Tales magazine. In celebration, the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society is planning a special exhibit of the props, miniatures, set pieces and costumes from their first feature film The Whisperer In Darkness as well as a special screening of the film which will close out the 2011 festival.
Films include:
The Haunted Palace (1963) – Directed by Roger Corman and starring Vincent Price, this is the first Lovecraft adaptation to appear on the silver screen. It is based on Lovecraft’s short story “The Case of Charles Dexter Ward.” Following the film will be a Q&A with film legend Roger Corman.
Berkeley Square (1933) – A rare screening of a film that Lovecraft watched four times and inspired him to write “The Shadow Out of Time.”
Cast A Deadly Spell (1991) – (20th Anniversary screening) An HBO original movie that takes place in neo-noir Los Angeles featuring Fred Ward as H.P. Lovecraft, who is hired to investigate a mysterious missing book. Screenwriter Joseph Dougherty will host a Q&A after the film.
La Sombra Prohibidia (The Forbidden Shadow) (2010) – This Spanish film is the second part of The Valdemar Legacy directed by Jose Luis Aleman. This is an action film with cameos from Lovecraft and one of his most famous creations, the Great Cthulhu.
The Whisperer in Darkness (2011) – The first feature film from the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society, The Whisperer in Darkness follows folklore professor Albert Wilmarth as he investigates legends of strange creatures in the remote hills of Vermont. Filmed in the style of classic 1930s horror films such as Frankenstein, Dracula and King Kong, The Whisperer in Darkness returns audiences to the golden age of movies for a thrilling adventure of supernatural horror.
This festival is presented courtesy of the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival® and Lurker Films (www.lurkerfilms.com).

More information available at: http://www.hplfilmfestival.com

IDW & LANSDALE TEAM FOR “DUNWICH HORROR” LOVECRAFT ADAPTATION

IDW Publishing announced H.P. LOVECRAFT’S THE DUNWICH HORROR, a comic series with a modern take on Lovecraft’s timeless short story of terror The Dunwich Horror. Starting in October, Joe R. Lansdale will write and artist Peter Bergting will illustrate. “It’s flattering to be working on a Lovecraft project, one of the most influential horror writers of all time,” said Lansdale, a seveneight-time Bram Stoker Award winner. (Yo. Check your facts IDS, Lansdale just won another!)

Lovecraftian fan Cthulhu Chick (from the DC area) attended San Diego ComicCon and brought her hand-sized knits of Cthulhu. with her. She sells her crochets and engages with fellow Lovecraftian admirers in discussion on her blog. Here’s an interview with her on her adventures at SDCC.

SUPERNATURAL returns to the CW on September 23rd for a seventh season. A Lovecraftian storyline started last season and and it looks like Sam and Dean are going to tangle with Cthulhu…check out this trailer

There was also an HPL panel …but have received no reports on it.