LOCAL HORROR AUTHOR TO MEET FANS

Listen to the songs of the spiders, if you are brave enough...

International author Mark Howard Jones, from Cardiff, will be signing copies of his latest book Songs from Spider Street at The Comic Guru, Cardiff on Saturday October 29^th from 12pm onwards.

Reading like a warped episode of ‘The Twilight Zone’, the stories in this book range from fantastical steam-punk to modern tales of the macabre.

Mark Howard Jones has had dozens of short stories published on both sides of the Atlantic. His 2007 novella, 'The Garden of Doubt On The Island Of Shadows' drew praise from respected American science fiction legend Ray Bradbury, among others.

Steve Upham, friend of Candy Jar and publisher at Screaming Dreams, said: “I got an adrenaline rush when I first read this book. The quality of Mark’s storytelling really shines through; the characters are well-drawn, and despite some of the scenarios seeming hopeless, the book is impossible to put down.”

Kristian Barry, owner of The Comic Guru, is excited to be introducing the Cardiff public to such an outstanding author. He said: “Songs from Spider Street is a cornucopia of cool creepiness. It has always been our mission to introduce new fiction to our audience. Mark has proved very popular in the past and we are excited that he will be celebrating Halloween with us on Saturday.”

Songs from Spider Street takes the audience on a disturbing journey: to an apocalyptic Paris, giant prisons made of ice, trains journeys with unexpected destinations, hospitals that cure the unknown, and a spider-haunted future, for the chilling climax.

Stephen King once wrote that every person, no matter how normal, has a dark side, and that this inherent dark side needs to be fed. The 25 short stories in this new book all draw on that attraction to the unsettling.

The Comic Guru has also announced that popular comic illustrator Simon Wyatt will be in store on November 5th to sign copies of his new graphic novel 'Unbelievable: The Man Who Ate Daffodils'.

CANDY JAR TITLES FOR 2011

Candy Jar is working hard on two titles due to be launched in 2011.

One Woman's War is a memoir by Eileen Younghusband who worked in the top secret Filter Rooms during the Second World War. Her story is one of love, loss, courage and humour. It reads like a novel, but every word is true.

Release date: July 2011.

Beware of the Mirror Man is a fantasy novel for children. It tells the story of Sophie and her brother who discover strange little creatures – whose only aim in life is to entertain – living in the television in the attic. But what are the mysterious notes they keep getting? And who is the terrifying Mirror Man?

Release date: October 2011

We are also working on various other, exciting projects - watch this space!