Telos News

TELOS PUBLISHING NEWSLETTER - 6 August 2013

Welcome to another newsletter from Telos Publishing.

There's lots to cover off here ... lots of new titles, some old titles being brought back into print, and news of titles yet to come ...

Remember, all titles can be ordered direct from our website at www.telos.co.uk, and keep an eye on the Telos Moonrise site too: www.telosmoonrise.com

We hope to be at several conventions and events this Autumn, so please come and say hello if we're there, and see what special offers and discounts we have available for convention attendees - we usually have something special to tempt you!


NEW ARRIVALS

Still The Beast Is Feeding: Forty Years of Rocky Horror
by Rob Bagnall & Phil Barden

'The stage show is a theatrical phenomenon, and the movie adaptation a cult classic,' says Stephen James
Walker,  'and we at Telos Publishing are proud to add this title to our roster. We are known for our books on cult television and film, and this seems like a logical subject for us to be covering.'

Born in a tiny attic theatre on a dark and stormy night in the Summer of 1973, The Rocky Horror Show was an immediate hit with audiences and critics alike, and a much-needed shot in the arm for London’s jaded theatre-scene.

Four decades on, Richard O’Brien’s hilarious cross-dressing tribute to trashy B-movies, ’50s sci-fi, sexual liberation, gothic horror and rock ’n’ roll has been seen in over 30 countries and translated into more than 20 languages, and it continues to pull in the crowds and attract legions of new fans, while the 1975 film version - now the longest continually playing theatrical release in cinema history - generated an unparalleled cult following which took the concept of audience participation to unheard of levels of immersive enthusiasm.

Exhaustively researched, this book chronicles the extraordinary history, continued evolution and enduring legacy of this immortal tale of a sex-crazed transvestite scientist, extra-terrestrial subterfuge, corruption of the innocent and the creation of life.
Incorporating a wealth of archival material, personal memories and new interviews with contributors and participants from every era of Rocky Horror history, the authors explore the show’s origins and influences; the creation of the original London stage production; the numerous national and international revivals; the making of the movie; and the fanatical fishnet following which continues to define the Rocky Horror experience.

So, ‘throw open the switches on the Sonic Oscillator’, and celebrate a monstrous musical milestone as The Rocky Horror Show turns forty.

500pp approx. A5 paperback book. ISBN 978-1-84583-082-3 (pb) £15.99

For ordering details: http://www.telos.co.uk/category.php?id=2#142

Now On The Big Screen: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Doctor Who at the Cinema
by Charles Norton

'Now you can see them in colour on the big screen,
 closer than ever before.
 So close, you can feel their fire.
 So thrilling, you must be there...'
 (Dr Who and the Daleks - original theatrical trailer)

In 1965, two American filmmakers took the BBC's Doctor Who television series to the cinema. Starring Peter Cushing, Dr Who and the Daleks and Daleks - Invasion Earth: 2150AD brought a colourful world of Dalek invaders and a time-travelling Police Box to the big screen for the very first time.

In the decades since, many other filmmakers have tried and failed to replicate the success of those two movies. Barely a year has gone by without someone, somewhere, trying to make a new motion picture based around Doctor Who.

Through new interviews with those involved and never before published paperwork from the British Board of Film Censors, the story of Doctor Who's difficult relationship with the cinema can now be told.

This is the complete story of the few Doctor Who films that were made and the many more that were not. It is an exciting adventure of Scarecrows, Yeti and the deadly game of Cricket. It is also a cautionary tale of a hopeless place called 'development hell' and the souls of the many lost motion-pictures that have ended up there.

320pp. A5 format book.  978-1-84583-084-7 (pb) £15.99 pb;  978-1-84583-085-4 (hb) £30.00 hb

For ordering details: http://www.telos.co.uk/category.php?id=6#143
This title is also available on Kindle.


The first titles in our MOONRISE imprint are also now available to order:

ABSINTHE & ARSENIC: TALES OF VICTORIAN HORROR
by Raven Dane

In rural England, zombies attack a sleepy Yorkshire village - a Thames-side urchin falls foul of a vengeful spirit - a plot to mix arsenic and absinthe goes horribly wrong - ghostly spectres haunt the streets of gaslit London - and a clockmaker becomes obsessed with the passing of time.

Welcome to the dark and fantastical world of Raven Dane, where a curse brings with it a fatal chill and an aging relative is a demon in disguise.

16 TALES OF VICTORIAN HORROR, STEAMPUNK ADVENTURES AND DARK, DEADLY, OBSESSION.

245pp approx. B Format Paperback.  ISBN: 978-1-84583-858-4 (pb) £12.99

For ordering details: http://www.telos.co.uk/category.php?id=3#144
This title is also available on Kindle.


DOCTOR TRIPPS: KAIJU COCKTAIL
by Kit Cox

After dropping a devastating bomb on London Docklands, Dr Tripps goes underground for twelve years while he formulates an evil plan to destroy diesel technology. With the help of a mermaid and a fly-monkey butler he devises a mysterious cocktail.

Meanwhile a young engineer, mistaken for his master and drawn into a mysterious, old and very secret society becomes an unlikely hero.

In London, the NANI agency sends out their newest recruit, Nanny Honey, to protect the children of the Russian Tsar.

As Tripps' Kaiju Cocktail is fed out into the world, weird and devastating mutations begin to occur that threaten the very fabric of society.

A NEOVICTORIAN WORLD WHERE STEAM IS PITTED AGAINST DIESEL, BUT WHICH SIDE WILL WIN?

145pp approx. B Format Paperback Novella.  ISBN: 978-1-84583-867-6 (pb) £9.99

For ordering details: http://www.telos.co.uk/category.php?id=3#145
This title is also available on Kindle.


COMING SOON

Available now to pre-order on the Telos site are the following titles. Please note that payment is taken at the time of ordering, but that if the prices subsequently rise, then you will not be asked for more money. If the price of the final book is less than you paid, you will be offered a refund.

River's Run: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Doctor Who 2011
by Stephen James Walker
PUBLISHED: end August 2013

River's Run is the comprehensive guide to Series Six of Doctor Who - the second to feature Matt Smith as the eleventh Doctor, with his companions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill).

All 13 episodes plus the Christmas special, 'The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe', are discussed in depth. Also covered are all the associated major news stories, press releases, casting announcements and public response to the episodes. The menace of the Silence; the shock of Amy's pregnancy; the revelation of the true identity of River Song (Alex Kingston); the mystery of the Doctor's 'death' - all these things and more are recalled within the pages of this exhaustive guide.

The book also details all other significant events that occurred in the Doctor Who world during 2011, presenting all the facts and figures, behind-the-scenes notes, press reaction and detailed and insightful analysis.

River's Run is an essential read for all fans of the show, and continues Telos's critically-acclaimed, unrivalled coverage of Doctor Who.

300pp approx. A5 format book.
ISBN 978-1-84583-078-6 (pb) £15.99
ISBN 978-1-84583-079-3 (hb) £30.00

For ordering details: http://www.telos.co.uk/category.php?id=6#139


The Television Companion: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Doctor Who
by David J Howe and Stephen James Walker
PUBLISHED: end September 2013

Everything you ever wanted to know about the cult BBC Television series Doctor Who (1963-1996).

On its first publication in 2002, The Television Companion was hailed as possibly the best guide ever to the BBC's cult science fiction show Doctor Who. Now Telos re-issues their own edition of the book in a revised and updated version spanning two volumes, which remains the definitive guide to the television worlds and adventures of the Doctor and his companions.

Every story from 1963 to 1996 is covered in depth in all aspects of production, including plot details, cast and crew lists, episode endings, transmission dates, memorable quotes and popular myths. In addition there is a comprehensive analysis of every adventure, utilising reviews both contemporary and retrospective from a wide variety of sources.

This is the essential companion for every trip you will ever take into the TV universe of classic Doctor Who.

'The bible ...' SFX Magazine

'Another superior effort from what I consider to be the finest Doctor Who historians around. It is quite a hefty and involved read, and contains (almost) everything you'd want to know about the best SF Tv series ever.' Reviewer on Amazon.co.uk.

'If you're looking for a Doctor Who episode guide, then you can stop looking as this is by far the best book you can buy about the television series.' Sean Brady on Amazon.co.uk

'What is most memorable about The Television Companion is the fact that every story is given a balanced analysis - it's not decreed that 'Timelash' is bad, for example, rather the authors draw upon a wide variety of opposing reviews spanning the years to present a genuinely interesting study of every story - which is altogether far more interesting than cut-and-dried opinions. The Television Companion is indispensable to all fans of the television series, especially because of the detail in which the Hartnell and Troughton stories are studied. The emphasis is no more in-depth than any other era of the show, but seeing as many of their stories no longer exist, it's highly rewarding and an admirable asset to a potentially video-biased read.' Brad Schmidt in TSV (#56, October 1998)

VOLUME ONE (Doctors 1-3): 400pp approx A5 paperback. ISBN 978-1-84583-076-2. £15.99
VOLUME TWO (Doctors 4-8): 400pp approx A5 paperback. ISBN 978-1-84583-077-9. £15.99
SPECIAL OFFER: Volumes One and Two: Paperback @ £25.00

For ordering details: http://www.telos.co.uk/category.php?id=6#140


KAT ON A HOT TIN AIRSHIP
by Sam Stone
PUBLISHED: End August 2013

It is 1865 and the American Civil War has come to an end. Now Kat Lightfoot finds herself in the middle of another kind of war: a family feud involving her brother Henry and his new wife. But what is behind the strange behaviour of this affluent Southern family?

Caught in the crossfire of an implacable spirit's attempt to wreak vengeance on the Pollitt family, Kat must once again enlist the help of journalist George Pepper and the inventor Martin Crewe to find out what really haunts the family's past.

In order to learn what devastating secrets the Pollitts are hiding she must first explore her own feelings for Maggie's brother Orlando, who is one of the seductive Nephilim.

A GHOSTLY STEAMPUNKED TALE OF FAMILY SECRETS, VOODOO AND VENGEANCE FROM THE AUTHOR OF ZOMBIES AT TIFFANY'S.

240pp. B Format paperback Novel.  ISBN 978-1-84583-086-1 (pb) £12.99

For ordering details: http://www.telos.co.uk/category.php?id=3#146


BOOTLEGGED ANGEL
by Mike Ripley
PUBLISHED: End August 2013

When inept private eye Veronica Blugden offers streetwise Fitzroy Maclean Angel a job, he is instantly suspicious. Until, that is, he learns that it involves working undercover for a brewery in darkest Kent, where bootlegging cheap beer from France is a growth industry. With his usual skill for being in the wrong place at the right time, Angel manages to infiltrate one gang of imaginative but amateur smugglers and comes up against another that is anything but amateur - especially when it comes to violence. And to top it all, he finds himself put in charge of a run-down country pub, where boosting the turnover should be dead easy - as long as he can press-gang a trio of fashion models into acting as barmaids ... Telos Publishing is proud to present another in its range of reissues of Mike Ripley's acclaimed series of comic crime novels - complete with a new, specially-written introduction by the author. This edition, published to celebrate the Angel series' 25th Anniversary in August 2013, also included the bonus short story 'Calling Cards', unseen in print since its sole previous publication in 1992.

'Mike Ripley's Angel series is back and taking no prisoners, with one of the best hangover scenes in crime fiction.' Ian Rankin

'Like fine malt whisky, Angel is high proof and totally addictive.' Time Out

'The outrageous, rip-roarious Mr Ripley is an abiding delight ...' Colin Dexter

262pp approx. A5 format Novel.  ISBN 978-1-84583-087-8 (pb) £12.99

For ordering details: http://www.telos.co.uk/category.php?id=4#147


THAT ANGEL LOOK
by Mike Ripley
PUBLISHED: End August 2013

A chance encounter - in a pub, of course - lands streetwise, cab-driving Angel the ideal job as an all-purpose assistant to a trio of sexy young women running their own fashion business. But things are nowhere near as straightforward as they should be, and it soon becomes apparent that no-one is telling the truth - least of all Angel! Double-cross turns to triple-cross, and Angel finds himself set up by friend and enemy alike. This time, Angel could really have met his match ...
    
Telos Publishing is proud to present another in its range of reissues of Mike Ripley's acclaimed series of comic crime novels - complete with a new, specially-written introduction by the author.
    
This edition, published to celebrate the Angel series’ 25th Anniversary in August 2013, also includes the bonus short story ‘Lord Peter and the Butterboy’, unseen in print since its sole previous publication in 1991.
   
‘The coppers’ badinage is truly priceless, and, with Angel as a guide, lowlife London has never been a more seductive proposition.’ Publishers’ Weekly
   
‘I never read Ripley on trains, planes or buses. He makes me laugh, and it annoys the other passengers.’ Minette Walters

Note: Please do not query non-receipt of orders until 28 working days after the publication date (see bar on right hand side) or the date the order was placed, whichever is the later.

254pp approx. A5 format Novel. ISBN 978-1-84583-088-5 (pb) £12.99


BACK IN PRINT

The following titles are now available or being prepared as new editions. The earlier paperbacks had sold out, and now we have them available again!  In a new size and new production.  For the most part, the text is the same as the earlier editions, though in some cases some errors and typos have been corrected. All these editions have new ISBNs to the old ones, and these are (hopefully) all noted correctly on the Telos site.

GUIDES - all 6x9" format
LIBERATION - Guide to Blake's 7 - NOW AVAILABLE
FALL OUT - Guide to The Prisoner - NOW AVAILABLE
ASSIGNED - Guide to Sapphire and Steel - IN PREPARATION
BEAUTIFUL MONSTERS - Guide to Alien and Predator Films - IN PREPARATION - Being updated by the author to include films released since the first edition

FICTION - all B format paperback format
BREATHE  by Christopher Fowler - NOW AVAILABLE
THE DJINN by Graham Masterton - NOW AVAILABLE
SPECTRE by Stephen Laws - IN PREPARATION
TORMENT by Hank Janson - IN PREPARATION
LILIES FOR MY LOVELY by Hank Janson - IN PREPARATION

More titles are being prepared for new editions, and hopefully I'll be able to bring you more information in later newsletters.


PLANNED TITLES

We have a slew of new titles coming in 2013, and while we don't have firm dates or ordering details for them as yet, we wanted to let people know what was coming. Some of these were announced at the 2013 Galaxyfest convention in Colorado Springs, and at the 2013 Gallifrey convention in LA. So in no particular order:

THE RAYMOND P CUSICK SIGNATURE COLLECTION: The same format as our celebration of the Doctor Who design work of Barry Newbery, this title features an extensive selection of Doctor Who photographs from BBC designer Raymond P Cusick's extensive collection. Paul Smith is again handling all the layout and digital clean-up of the images. The book should be available in limited, signed hardback, and paperback editions.

ROBERT HOLMES: A WORKING LIFE by Richard Molesworth: The first ever biography of one of Doctor Who's most acclaimed writers and script editors.

CELTIC SPELLS by Allison Beldon-Smith and Mary Baker: a small gift book in A6 format, featuring a spell every week to keep your mind clear and good fortune coming your way.

SONGS FOR EUROPE: THE UNITED KINGDOM AT THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: VOLUME 2: THE SEVENTIES by Gordon Roxburgh. Volume 2 of this acclaimed work which chronicles everything you need to know about the United Kingdom's involvement in the Eurovision Song Contest.

THIS WOMAN IS DEATH: This is another in the Hank Janson series of pulp crime novels, reprinted with its original Reginald Heade cover. We hope to prepare more of Janson's work in the future.

THE LADY HAS A SCAR: This is another in the Hank Janson series of pulp crime novels, reprinted with its original Reginald Heade cover. We hope to prepare more of Janson's work in the future.

BY YOUR COMMAND Vol 2: The second volume in Alan Stevens and Fiona Moore's comprehensive guide to Battlestar Galactica.

And finally, an update on MERVYN HAISMAN'S THE INTELLIGENCE: A script book of writer Mervyn Haisman's film script, The Intelligence, covered in our Doctor Who Films book, and being a reworking of the script for the television story 'The Abominable Snowmen' for the big screen. Regrettably, we were not able to proceed with this title due to rights issues.


NOW SOLD OUT

The following titles and editions have now unfortunately sold out. There are no current plans to reprint them:

THE BARRY NEWBERY SIGNATURE COLLECTION hardback
THE TARGET BOOK


OTHER NEWS

NEW ROBERT RANKIN NOVEL TO TELOS

Stephen James Walker and David J Howe, Editorial Directors of Telos Publishing have acquired world rights in a new fantasy novel by bestselling author Robert Rankin. The novel, entitled The Abominable Showman, will be published in 2014.

'We're absolutely delighted to welcome Robert Rankin to Telos Publishing,' said Howe. 'I have admired and been a fan of his work for many years, and we intend to bring Telos' commitment to quality and enthusiasm for good writing to bear, and to make the release of The Abominable Showman one of the most talked-about fantasy books of 2014.'

The novel concerns the celebration of Queen Victoria's 90th year on the throne - and is set on a vast steampunk space liner in the year 1927. 'The book embodies all that is loved and celebrated about Rob's writing,' said Howe. 'It has a magnificent sense of the absurd, combined with characters which leap off the page. Rob's fans are in for a real treat!'

'I was delighted when we agreed that Telos Publishing would take this novel,' explained Rankin. 'I have long been an admirer of their catalogue of authors and books, and the enthusiasm and excitement that they bring to the publishing process. It's something of an honour to join them in this adventure, with a novel of which I am very proud, and had a great deal of fun writing.'


KINDLE EDITIONS

Due to popular request, we have been making some of our backlist - and some new titles - available on the Kindle e-reader platform.

Most of the Telos titles on the UK store can be found on this link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_5?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=telos%20publishing&sprefix=Telos%2Cdigital-text%2C267&rh=i%3Adigital-text%2Ck%3Atelos%20publishing

And those on the US store are here: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_5?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=telos%20publishing&sprefix=Telos%2Cdigital-text%2C343

Going forward we hope to get more titles onto this format, as well as adding new titles as they are published.


FRAZER HINES

Fifty Shades of Frazer and is available to order now. Copies are expected very soon.

The second item is a new audio drama for Frazer called The Piper's Lament. This is not a Doctor Who item, but the story of a Highlander who has lost a part of his memory.

Both the book and the CD are available to buy now from www.frazerhines.co.uk.


WHITE WITCH OF DEVIL'S END

David and Sam have been involved with Keith Barnfather from Reeltime Pictures in the scripting of a new Doctor Who spin-off DVD starring Damaris Hayman, who played Olive Hawthorne in the Jon Pertwee story 'The Daemons'. Damaris reprises her role of Olive, and performs a series of monologues telling the story of her life as protector of Devil's End. The DVD is in production at the moment, and Reeltime Pictures hope to have it on release some time in 2013.

For ordering, please visit the Galaxy 4 specialist dealer: https://www.galaxy4.co.uk/product.thtml?id=3556

HORROR ON AUDIO

Sam Stone's acclaimed Horror collection

As well as running Telos Publishing, David J Howe has been helping actor Frazer Hines prepare two items for release this year. The first is a photo book covering all of Frazer's life and career. It's called ZOMBIES IN NEW YORK AND OTHER BLOODY JOTTINGS is now available to buy as an audio book. The stories in the collection are available individually or as a bundle, and are available on download from the AudioGo website (www.audiogo.com), Audible.com, and everywhere else that AudioGo's products can be obtained from.

The link to all Sam's stories on the AudioGo website is: http://www.audiogo.com/uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=Sam+Stone


TIME HUNTER ON AUDIO

Fantom Films have now released the final three audio-books in the Time Hunter range, and the entire series is now available to listen to.  These audios are tremendous, and the readers bring great life and vitality to the adventures in time and space of Honore Lechasseur and Emily Blandish.

They can be ordered from the Telos site here: http://www.telos.me.uk/category.php?id=1

Or there are download and multiple order discount offers available from the Fantom Films website here: http://www.fantomfilms.co.uk


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TELOS ON FACEBOOK

If you're on Facebook then please 'Like' Telos Publishing's page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Telos-Publishing/22343509719

Please join and let us know what you think of the books, chat about the covers ... anything that takes your fancy really.  Often new covers are premiered on the Facebook group, and news and details of reviews and other items of interest across the Web are also shared there.

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Finally, we'd like to say a massive THANK YOU to Antony Forth, who has been running the Telos website for many years now. Regrettably, Antony has decided to stand down, and so we offer him all our thanks for the help and advice he has provided over the years. The Website has now been taken across to new servers, and the webmaster is now the very capable Del Lakin-Smith. So welcome Del to the Telos family.


Until next time,

David, Steve and the Telos Team.

Posted by David @ 5:22 pm