Horrors! 'Fungi' Contributing Authors to Appear at A Novel Cafe

Four local authors will be holding a book signing tomorrow, Saturday, May 14, at 2 p.m., at in Tewksbury, promoting the release of a new edition of the science fiction/horror anthology Fungi.

“It’s a magazine of horror and the supernatural,” said Pierre Comtois, freelance writer, editor and publisher of Fungi. He added that he started printing quarterly issues of Fungi about 25 years ago. Comtois said that the quarterly issues ran for three or four years consistently before fading into periodic issues, and finally a stand-alone issue a decade ago.

“This is the first new issue in 10 years,” Comtois said. "This issue is better than all the others because of the new kinds of publishing available (which is) publishing through the internet.”

Comtois noted that the publishing industry has taken a turn from traditional publishing to electronic publishing.

“You can do a whole magazine and have it look fantastic for (a lot cheaper than) sending all the pages to a publisher and having them print it, fold it, staple it and all that stuff. You can lay out the magazine all electronically. People can submit articles and stories electronically. There’s no more snail mail, everything is done by e-mail and internet so it’s so much easier. There’s no backlogs, you don’t have a hundred copies sitting in your basement that you’re trying to sell. It’s all on the computer.”

Among other works, Comtois has also authored Marvel Comics in the 1960’s and Marvel Comics in the 1970’s. You can view his website at www.pierrevcomtois.com.

Sitting alongside Comtois tomorrow will be Dale Phillips, who will also be promoting the release of his novel, A Memory of Grief. Phillips spoke with Patch correspondents as well, noting that electronic publishing is a great way for new authors to get themselves established within the publishing world.

“(With electronic publishing),” Phillips said, “the writer does not necessary have to wait years to get traditionally published like they did in the past. Nowadays people can establish themselves as independent, self-published authors, draw feedback, (and) get critiques on (their work), all electronically without having to leave home.”

Phillips is the author of numerous short stories, poems and jokes. You can view his website at www.daletphillips.com.

Local authors David Daniel and Josh Shapiro, who have also contributed to this latest issue (Issue #20) of Fungi, will be in attendance tomorrow. Daniel is the author of over 100 short stories and numerous novels. Shapiro could not be contacted.

Also included in this issue of Fungi is work by Ray Bradbury, which has not been printed for 45 years.