John Jarrold

Steve Berman at acclaimed gay publisher Lethe Press has acquired World English rights in a new collection by UK fantasy author James Bennett, PREACHING TO THE PERVERTED.  The agent was John Jarrold.

The collection features thirteen weird, thrilling and fantastical stories, each one drawn from gay lived experience. Within these pages you’ll find a range of scenarios both romantic and grotesque, from the coming out of a ravenous inter-dimensional alien to meddling fairies to a gruesome fairy tale retelling to demonically possessed witch-hunters to queer folk horror to Lovecraftian transgender adventure to an ageing queen in a Satanic pact to fallen angels in love at the end of the world and other erotically charged and haunted tales in-between.

Each story comes from the heart, throbbing with the darkest, most visceral and juicy gay energy.

 

Reviews:

 

‘Bennett’s story is a Kafkaesque coming-of-age, the mood of which vacillates between predatory and paranoid, and its conclusion is simply delicious.’

Ginger Nuts of Horror on ‘Morta’ – The Book of Queer Saints

 

‘There is a touch of humour and humanity in the story… Smart, funny and human – Lovecraft would have hated it and that’s even better!’

Run Along the Shelves on ‘Morta’ – The Book of Queer Saints

 

‘Brutal and striking… and sported hands-down the greatest opening line I’ve ever read in my life.’

Bloody Bedroom on ‘Morta’ – The Book of Queer Saints

 

‘Bennett’s prose is gripping and the story wonderfully dark and unsavoury in the best of ways.’

Looking for a Rabbit Hole on ‘In Hades, He Lifted Up His Eyes’ – The Dark Magazine

 

‘A great mix of emotional exploration… it descends quickly into some Iberian folk horror for a powerful finale.’

Run Along the Shelves on ‘Ídolo’ – The Dark Magazine

 

‘‘End Times in Paris’… has got Bennett’s typically sharp eye, an absolutely killer ending and a heart of gold.’

The Full Lid on ‘End Times in Paris’ – The Fox Spirit Book of Love

 

‘My favourite tale in the collection… Beautiful romantic imagery in a landscape we are familiar with. The catastrophe and emotional punches really well delivered.’

Run Along the Shelves on ‘End Times in Paris’ – The Fox Spirit Book of Love

 

‘Changeling’ came third in the British Fantasy Society’s short story competition 2021 and appeared in BFS Horizons magazine in August 2022.

‘Ídolo’ was shortlisted for a Brave New Weird Award 2022

 

James Bennett is a British writer raised in Sussex and South Africa. His travels have furnished him with an abiding love of diverse cultures, history and mythology. His short fiction has appeared internationally and his debut novel ‘Chasing Embers’ was shortlisted for Best Newcomer at the British Fantasy Awards 2017 – it is the first book in the Ben Garston Fantasy series, published in the UK and US by Orbit Books. His latest fiction can be found in the well-received ‘The Book of Queer Saints’, BFS Horizons and The Dark magazine.

James lives in Spain where he’s currently working on a new Fantasy novel.

 

Founded in 2001 Lethe Press is one of the oldest gay publishers in America and specializes in queer speculative fiction. Numerous Lethe Press titles have been finalists for, or won, such awards as the Bram Stoker, Golden Crown, Lambda Literary, and Shirley Jackson awards.