There is a little-known, unfinished story that Poe wrote
towards the end of his life, called for all intents and purposes The Lighthouse. It is arguably the last thing he wrote before he died. Never having had a chance to finish this story,
two-dozen contemporary authors assist Poe in realizing his vision for the
story. Each author was given a task by the editor in Poe’s Lighthouse: take the story fragment and turn it into a complete story – in any way they wished! The only rule was to use Poe’s
language, his images, his ideas; the story had to truly work together with the
master. They are designed to be genuine collaborations. The result is a
riveting collection of all-new tales by Edgar Allan Poe, the first in 162
years!
The story behind the tale The Lighthouse is as mysterious as anything Poe ever wrote himself.
Poe died in 1849. Three pages of the narrative were owned by Poe’s literary
executor, Rufus Griswold. They were written in ink on pale blue paper. The
story fragment appeared for the first time in print in 1909 in George Edward
Woodberry’s Life of Poe. It wasn’t for another 33 years that another scholar, Thomas O. Mabbott, editor of The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe (Cambridge: Belknap
Press, 1969), would uncover a stray page of the story that had been sold at
auction in 1896. Mabbott put the pieces of the story together, and published
the entire fragment it in the British journal Notes and Queries on April 25, 1942. And the world had a “new” Poe story. It is this version that appears in Poe’s Lighthouse.
There have been some attempts by writers over the years to
complete Poe’s fragment (most notably, see The
Lighthouse in Robert Bloch’s collection The
Early Fears). There have undoubtedly been others, but it is striking how
little attention this key fragment has received over the years. Indeed, since
the piece rarely appears in standard editions of Poe’s writings most readers
have no idea it exists.
This anthology sets out to change that.
Contemporary writers such as Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Carole
Nelson Douglas, John Shirley, and Mike Resnick have been invited to collaborate
with Poe on his lighthouse story. While some of the writers produce straightforward
completions of the story itself, others use Poe’s words and ideas to spur their
own visions and imaginings. Readers of these stories will be impressed by the
breath and variety of tales represented here. Just what was Poe’s intention
with this story? The Poe fragment excites the imagination with possibilities.
Would the prevailing mood be melancholy, as in Annabel Lee, or horrific, in keeping with many Poe tales? Would this have been an essentially realistic narrative, or would have fantastic
elements come into play?
Poe took the answers to these questions to his grave.
Published for the first time in paperback, Booklist calls this book “must reading
for Poe enthusiasts.”
Editor Christopher Conlon is best known as editor of the
Bram Stoker Award-winning Richard Matheson tribute anthology He Is Legend. He has written two novels, including the Stoker Award finalist Midnight on Mourn Street, and several collections of stories and poems. He lives in Silver Spring, MD, not far from Poe-haunted Baltimore. Visit him onhis web site http://christopherconlon.com
Advance Book Information
Poe’s Lighthouse
All-New Collaborations with Edgar Allan Poe
Edited by Christopher Conlon
ISBN: 978-1-936679-03-4
Trade Paperback
278 pages
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Price: $18.95
Publication Date: June 5, 2012
Publisher: Wicker Park Press Ltd PO Box 5318 River Forest, IL 60305-5318
Web Site: http://www.wickerpark-3ibooks.com/
towards the end of his life, called for all intents and purposes The Lighthouse. It is arguably the last thing he wrote before he died. Never having had a chance to finish this story,
two-dozen contemporary authors assist Poe in realizing his vision for the
story. Each author was given a task by the editor in Poe’s Lighthouse: take the story fragment and turn it into a complete story – in any way they wished! The only rule was to use Poe’s
language, his images, his ideas; the story had to truly work together with the
master. They are designed to be genuine collaborations. The result is a
riveting collection of all-new tales by Edgar Allan Poe, the first in 162
years!
The story behind the tale The Lighthouse is as mysterious as anything Poe ever wrote himself.
Poe died in 1849. Three pages of the narrative were owned by Poe’s literary
executor, Rufus Griswold. They were written in ink on pale blue paper. The
story fragment appeared for the first time in print in 1909 in George Edward
Woodberry’s Life of Poe. It wasn’t for another 33 years that another scholar, Thomas O. Mabbott, editor of The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe (Cambridge: Belknap
Press, 1969), would uncover a stray page of the story that had been sold at
auction in 1896. Mabbott put the pieces of the story together, and published
the entire fragment it in the British journal Notes and Queries on April 25, 1942. And the world had a “new” Poe story. It is this version that appears in Poe’s Lighthouse.
There have been some attempts by writers over the years to
complete Poe’s fragment (most notably, see The
Lighthouse in Robert Bloch’s collection The
Early Fears). There have undoubtedly been others, but it is striking how
little attention this key fragment has received over the years. Indeed, since
the piece rarely appears in standard editions of Poe’s writings most readers
have no idea it exists.
This anthology sets out to change that.
Contemporary writers such as Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Carole
Nelson Douglas, John Shirley, and Mike Resnick have been invited to collaborate
with Poe on his lighthouse story. While some of the writers produce straightforward
completions of the story itself, others use Poe’s words and ideas to spur their
own visions and imaginings. Readers of these stories will be impressed by the
breath and variety of tales represented here. Just what was Poe’s intention
with this story? The Poe fragment excites the imagination with possibilities.
Would the prevailing mood be melancholy, as in Annabel Lee, or horrific, in keeping with many Poe tales? Would this have been an essentially realistic narrative, or would have fantastic
elements come into play?
Poe took the answers to these questions to his grave.
Published for the first time in paperback, Booklist calls this book “must reading
for Poe enthusiasts.”
Editor Christopher Conlon is best known as editor of the
Bram Stoker Award-winning Richard Matheson tribute anthology He Is Legend. He has written two novels, including the Stoker Award finalist Midnight on Mourn Street, and several collections of stories and poems. He lives in Silver Spring, MD, not far from Poe-haunted Baltimore. Visit him onhis web site http://christopherconlon.com
Advance Book Information
Poe’s Lighthouse
All-New Collaborations with Edgar Allan Poe
Edited by Christopher Conlon
ISBN: 978-1-936679-03-4
Trade Paperback
278 pages
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Price: $18.95
Publication Date: June 5, 2012
Publisher: Wicker Park Press Ltd PO Box 5318 River Forest, IL 60305-5318
Web Site: http://www.wickerpark-3ibooks.com/
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