For reasons good and bad, I’m awfully behind in promoting my latest writing and publishing hijinx. So, belatedly but enthusiastically, more than three weeks after the fact, I’m thrilled to announce that my second short story collection, the ultra-ultraweird The Spider Tapestries: Seven Strange Stories, is loose in the world!   I had been planning on Book Day to share the full text of the wonderful blurb that World Fantasy Award winner Scott Nicolay wrote for The Spider Tapestries—except I

The first review of Clockwork Phoenix 5 has appeared, and we’re proud to report that it’s a coveted starred review from Publishers Weekly! We could not have hoped for better.   Allen’s strange and lovely fifth genre-melding fantasy anthology selects 20 new short stories of unusual variety, texture, compassion, and perception. . . . The common denominator seems to be love in many unusual incarnations: two fathers’ devotion to their lost children in Barbara Krasnoff’s ghost story “Sabbath Wine,” a

This post first appeared at Descent into Light.   I’m hugely honored that Jeffrey Thomas, author of the cult classic genre mashup Punktown, took time away from his busy writing schedule to craft a blurb for my forthcoming collection The Spider Tapestries.   And I’m doubly honored by what he had to say:   “We think of science fiction, fantasy, and horror as genres of the imagination, but someone like Mike Allen shows us how lacking in daring and vision

This past week, Publishers Weekly reviewed my new short story collection, The Spider Tapestries, and I feel like one lucky author, because whoever wrote the review seems to have understood my super-strange little book on every level.   The gist of the review:   “Elegant language and surrealistic themes defy genre and moral expectations in the weird and transgressive stories found in this collection . . . Allen’s pairing of individualistic suffering and cosmic hugeness evokes a lyrical friction between

Here’s a notice to those in driving or train-riding distance of New York City this coming Wednesday: C.S.E. Cooney will be reading from her short story collection Bone Swans as part of the monthly Fantastic Fiction at KGB reading series that takes place inside Manhattan’s KGB Bar. She’s paired with YA punk fairy tale author Sarah McCarry (aka The Rejectionist). The reading starts at 7 p.m.; Cooney’s a terrific reader, you really don’t want to miss this.   Bone Swans

Another praise-filled review has appeared for C.S.E. Cooney’s debut fiction collection Bone Swans, this one from prolific book blogger Little Red Reviewer:   Claire Cooney’s writing style is lyrical, playful, poetic, and gleeful. It reflects the pure joy she gets from the act of storytelling. You know that look on a child’s face when they’re telling you a new joke they’ve learned? they get this “boy are you gonna love this!” look on their face? You almost don’t want to

September is here, and this means that we have gifts to share, a new story and two new poems, to help you prepare for fall.   • In “Sophia’s Legacy,” Barbara Krasnoff shares a sorcerous tale of a chess game played across time, with more at stake than any of the players realize. • “Four Chambers” by Shira Lipkin examines a torn yet resilient heart, and • “Dorothy Before Oz” by Jane Yolen both extends and subverts that classic tale.

We’re one day out from the official release of Bone Swans by C.S.E. Cooney (though, truth be told, it’s already available at Amazon, Nook, iTunes, Kobo and a bunch of other places).   The book has already accumulated a number of accolades. However, in the short, small scale-history of Mythic Delirium Books, I’ve never seen anything like what happened July 1, when three enthusiastic reviews appeared on the same day in different venues:   • From Tor.com short fiction reviewer

The dust is starting to settle from our successful Kickstarter to launch Clockwork Phoenix 5. What an intense May.   During that frantic time a wonderful thing happened that I want to make sure folks didn’t miss. The first official review appeared of C.S.E. Cooney’s debut collection of fantasy stories, Bone Swans, and it was a starred review from Publishers Weekly!   Cooney’s brilliantly executed collection of five stories is a delicious stew of science fiction, horror, and fantasy, marked

C.S.E. Cooney‘s debut collection Bone Swans keeps accumulating accolades, the latest coming from fantasy author Nicole Kornher-Stace:   If your familiarity begins and ends with C.S.E. Cooney’s poetry, do yourself a favor and stick around for these novellas. If you aren’t new to her stories, know that you will find her here at the top of her not inconsiderable game. Highly original, mythic in scope, lyrically told, just plain fun.   Don’t forget that we plan to debut Cooney’s book