Origins Award Nomination

I'm quite pleased to announce that Frontier Cthulhu: Ancient Horrors in the New World. has been nominated for an Origins Award. Yes, it was in the semi-finals, but now it has made it to the nomination stage.

The anthology is a collection of Lovecraftian tales that move from the east to the west, exploring early North America to the days of the Wild West. Below is a table of contents, and related information:

The Long Road Home by Paul Melniczek
In Waters Black the Lost Ones Sleep by Angeline Hawkes
Where Men Had Seldom Trod by Lee Clark Zumpe
Something to Hold the Door Closed by Lon Prater
Terror from Middle Island by Stephen Mark Rainey & Durant Haire
Children of the Mountain by Stewart Sternberg
They Who Dwell Below by William Jones
Wagon Train for the Star by Scott Lette
Incident at Dagon Wells by Ron Shiflet
Ahiga and the Machine by Robert J. Santa
The Dead Man’s Hand by Jason Andrew
Jedediah Smith and the Undying Chinaman by Charles P. Zaglanis
Snake Oil by Matthew Baugh
Cemetery, Nevada by Tim Curran
The Rider of the Dark by Darrell Schweitzer

William Jones ed., cover art by Steven Gilberts. 272 pages. Trade Paperback.

ISBN 1-56882-219-7

For those interested in reading about how the authors devised their devious stories, click on the colorful words Frontier Cthulhu and read the comments.

Here is a list of the final 5 nominees:

• Astounding Hero Tales
  Published by Hero Games
  Edited by James Lowder

• Dragons of the Highlord Skies
  Published by Wizards of the Coast
  Written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

• Frontier Cthulhu
  Published by Chaosium
  Edited by William Jones

• The Orc King
  Published by Wizards of the Coast
  Written by R.A. Salvatore

• The Time Curse
  Published by Margaret Weis Productions
  Written by James M. Ward

Origins Award Semi-Finalist: Frontier Cthulhu

It was announced this week that the Chaosium anthology, Frontier Cthulhu: Ancient Horrors in the New World is on the semi-finalist list for the Origins award. This is an award that spans the gaming industry and fiction publishing. Having the anthology make the semi-finals is quite an honor and a tribute to all of the authors and the artist involved. For a table of contents and some of the author's thoughts on their stories, click here.

I'm also pleased to be a part of Hobby Games: The 100 Best, edited by James Lowder. This book is on the non-fiction semi-finals list. My part in the book was an essay on the WWII miniatures rules system Flames of War.

Below is a list of all semi-finalists. This group will be reduced to 5, and from those five a winner will be selection. The award ceremony is held at the Origins convention in Columbus, Ohio - June 26th - 29th:

PUBLICATION, FICTION
Astounding Hero Tales
Hero Games
Edited by James Lowder

Dragons of the Highlord Skies
Wizards of the Coast
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

Duty Calls
Games Workshop
Sandy Mitchell

Fire at Will
Roc
Blaine Lee Pardoe

Flight From the Dark
Mongoose Publishing
Joe Dever

Frontier Cthulhu
Chaosium
Edited by William Jones

The Orc King
Wizards of the Coast
R.A. Salvatore

Ravenor Rogue
Games Workshop
Dan Abnett

“The Shae Mutiny,” (from No Quarter #11)
Privateer Press
Doug Seacat

The Time Curse
Margaret Weis Productions
James M. Ward

Frontier Cthulhu

Ancient Horrors in the New World

Chaosium has announced the release date for Fronter Chtulhu -- October 26. This means it is just in time for Halloween. And really, what better than a book about places, people, and things that appear to be one thing, but are another.

There has been much speculation about the contents of the book, even though the table of contents are available. Yes, there are weird westerns to be certain, but there are many other frontiers explored. Perhaps it is best described as Lewis and Clark's untold journey through the cosmic horrors of the New World (add in the the Newfoundland sagas of the Vikings, tales of John Smith, and the legends of Native American Indians with a few other variations). With some luck, the authors might drop by to offer a few answers about the setting of their stories (without giving away to details). And speculation is always welcome.

The book is available from Amazon for pre-order and from Chaosium directly (click on the names to follow the links). Also, the cover here is the final.

Below are all of the important details:

It is only within the last few years that most people have stopped thinking of the West as a new land. I suppose the idea gained ground because our own especial civilisation happens to be new there; but nowadays explorers are digging beneath the surface and bringing up whole chapters of life that rose and fell among these plains and mountains before recorded history began.

—H.P. Lovecraft, “The Mound”

As explorers conquered the frontiers of North America, they disturbed sleeping terrors and things long forgotten by humanity. Journey into the undiscovered country where fierce Vikings struggle against monstrous abominations. Travel with explorers as they learn of buried secrets and the creatures guarding ancient knowledge. Go west across the plains, into the territories were sorcerers dwell in demon-haunted lands, and cowboys confront cosmic horrors.

The Long Road Home by Paul Melniczek
In Waters Black the Lost Ones Sleep by Angeline Hawkes
Where Men Had Seldom Trod by Lee Clark Zumpe
Something to Hold the Door Closed by Lon Prater
Terror from Middle Island by Stephen Mark Rainey & Durant Haire
Children of the Mountain by Stewart Sternberg
They Who Dwell Below by William Jones
Wagon Train for the Star by Scott Lette
Incident at Dagon Wells by Ron Shiflet
Ahiga and the Machine by Robert J. Santa
The Dead Man’s Hand by Jason Andrew
Jedediah Smith and the Undying Chinaman by Charles P. Zaglanis
Snake Oil by Matthew Baugh
Cemetery, Nevada by Tim Curran
The Rider of the Dark by Darrell Schweitzer

William Jones ed., cover art by Steven Gilberts. 272 pages. Trade Paperback.

ISBN 1-56882-219-7