S&S Roundup #62

The Latest in Contemporary Sword & Sorcery

Happy Summer! As always, if you have more S&S links or projects to share, add them to the comments at the end or send me a note and I’ll try to remember to include it next time… which will probably be in July because in 2 weeks I’ll be traveling and we’ll skip the roundup normally set for the end of June. For now, on with the show!

What’s New in S&S and Adjacent

+ New this month! Black Dust and Other Stories by Steve Dilks. Classic Paperback Size Edition (4.25 x 6.75 inches) “From the far flung edges of the universe to the forbidden crypt of a deathless god... Unspeakable horrors await an outlaw swordsman in a city of death... Seven thrilling journeys into the dark heart of fantasy and adventure!”

+ Brethren of the Sword: The Maiden Quest by Roz King. “A kingdom lost in war. A brotherhood summoned to fight. A relic that could restore it all.”

+ Queen of the Unwritten: Thorns of the Forgotten Queen – Book One of The Hollow Crown Paperback by Elyra Vane. “Her name was erased. Her memory—stolen. But fire remembers.”

+ Irons (2 book series) by Eric Turowski. “Following a narrow escape from the Federales, Irons flees across the Mexican border—and straight into a new dark adventure.” (Note: Book 2 arrives tomorrow. Both novelets are only 99 cents.)

Coming Soon…

+ Arriving Next Week: Cirsova Magazine of Thrilling Adventure and Daring Suspense Issue #23 (Summer 2025) - 345 pages, including stories by Jim Breyfogle, Michael Tierney, J. L. Royce, Paul Lucas, Ken Lizzi, Mark Mellon, Michael Ray, Rodica Bretin, and Matthew Pungitore.

+ Next Month from DMR: Celtic Adventures. “A collection of overlooked stories from the pulp and pre-pulp eras. The tales in this collection all take place in either Ireland or Scotland.” Cover art by Jim FitzPatrick. Stories include:

• “The Druids” (poem) by Kenneth Morris

• “The Devil’s Dagger” by Farnham Bishop and Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur

• “People of the Dark” by Robert E. Howard

• “The Harping of Cravetheen” by Fiona Macleod

• “A Claymore for the Clan” by Donald Barr Chidsey

• “The Horror in the Glen” by Clyde Irvine

• “Grana, Queen of Battle” by John Barnett

• “Feach Air Muir Lionadhi Gealach Buidhe Mar Or” (poem) by Robert E. Howard

+ Announcing a New Project from Parallel Universe Publications: Swords & Rockets - Tales of Futures Past. Arriving February, 2026, with a submissions period starting January 1, 2026, for the full calendar month. Guidelines at PUP.

+ Special Early Access: Old Moon Quarterly: The Illuminated Magazine - sign up to follow the project at Backerkit.

Recent News:

+ Peter David, Eisner Award-Winning Hulk Writer, Dies at 68

+ Gustavo Bondoni of Buenos Aires, Argentina has been named first place winner of this year’s Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award Contest for his story ”Space Monkeys.”

+ TRIAPA Mailing #21 (June 2025) - Includes 9 contributions plus a cover with art by William McAusland. You can download the free PDF here.

+ Catch up on all the Robert E. Howard Days information here. June 13-15, 2025. Along with the Silver Key’s remanences.

Conan, Pulps, and Classic S&S

+ Sensor Sweep at Castalia House: Weird Tales, Lin Carter, Pin Ball Machines. If you missed last week’s roundup, click here for more.

+ Lin Carter: A Proud Legacy As an Editor from Deuce Richardson at DMR Blog. Also check out the Goodman Games post, Adventures in Fiction: Lin Carter.

+ Paperback Warrior reviews: Conan the Usurper (published in 1967 by Lancer with a painted cover by Frank Frazetta).

+ 10 Sword & Sorcery 1950s Firsts from G. W. Thomas at Dark Worlds. Also, check out: Sword & Sorcery Books From Pinnacle Books. If you’re a fan and want to sign up for Thomas’s mailing list, read more here.

+ Review from Brian Kunde: L. Sprague de Camp’s Rivers of Time at Sprague de Camp Fan.

+ About that Conan Power Records Album at Conan Chronology.

+ The Hidden Masters of Pulp Fantasy at Grognardia.

+ The Fundamentals of Sword & Planet, Part I: Don Wollheim, Edwin L. Arnold, and Otis Adelbert Kline - from reviewer Charles Gramlich at Black Gate.

AND SOME COMICS…

• + Also at Black Gate, a comic review - “By Crom: It’s Conan…I Mean, Starr the Slayer!” - from Bob Byrne.

• + New Kull Comics - a look at ThePulp.Net.

• + Comic Review: Medieval Spawn #1 Is a Boilerplate Swords and Sorcery Comic - Review by David Harth at ComicBook.com. “Medieval Spawn #1 is a fun story that’s nothing special, but does get the job done.” (3.3/5)

• + My own review of Zorann: Star-Warrior #1 - Co-created by artist Dell Barras and writer Craig A. Stormon first published in 1989 by Blue Comet and republished last year by SnowWorks.

Some Podcasts and Videos

• Monsters, Madness and Magic Podcast - EP#328: Weirdness in the Dark - An Interview with actor, musician and comedian Dave Ward.

• Paperback Warrior Podcast - Episode 120 - Eric explores the life and career of Lou Cameron, a comic book artist who became a prolific paperback writer.

• Strange Shadows - SS Reading 3 - A reading of Edgar Allen Poe's classic tale of underwater doom and decay, “The City in the Sea.”

• Baen Free Radio Hour - BFRH 2025 06 06: Jeremy Comeaux interviews Ryk Spoor on his collaboration with Eric Flint on Fenrir; and One Jump Ahead by Mark L. Van Name, Part 14.

• Dungeons & Damsels - “The Olde Code” ~ S5E1 of the Dungeons & Damsels fantasy adventure series.

And on YouTube…

• Erik Waag’s S&S Channel - Book haul 18 - Immortal Mystery Box.

• Rogue Blade Presents “24 in 42” - Latest interview with Alex Bledsoe.

• Blasters & Blades Podcast - Recent shows: Episode 581: Rise From Ruin by Melissa Olthoff and Episode 580: Welcome to the Multiverse by Sean Oswald and Episode 579: Turn on the lights, because we're talking dark fantasy!

• Michael K. Vaughan’s latest: Aquaman!

• Skallagrim’s latest: “Rating Sword Stances from Video Games.”

For Writers

+ This Week at Raconteur Press: June 9-14. Specifically, check out the new antho Jason M Waltz will edit - Blades & Black Magic - “Jason tells y’all what kind of Sword & Sorcery he’ll be accepting.” (Sub window closes July 13, 2025.) For more from Raconteur Press’s open calls, click here.

+ And new this fall: Call for Submissions: Walpurgis Witcheries at DMR Books, a follow-up to their popular anthology, Samhain Sorceries (2022).

• These markets seem to be always open: Swords & Sorcery Magazine // Savage Realms Monthly // BFS Horizons // Schlock! // Swords & Heroes // Peasant Magazine // Iron Age Media // Do you know of any others?

• Antho Calls from Three Ravens Publishing - It Came From the Trailer Park: Vol 5 (Due Date: July 1, 2025)

• FB page: Open Submission Calls for variety of genres. (Must join the group.)

• Become a Published Warhammer Author With Black Library’s Open Submissions

That’s a Wrap!

Hope this issue scratched an itch. If you’ve enjoyed this project and want to help support the cause, check out some of my offerings at www.TuleFogPress.com. And also read for free the latest Swords & Heroes Story #24 - “Demon Eye” by Greg Fewer.

Until next time, keep swinging!