Feature in Weird Tales magazine
by Alex CF on March 5th, 2010
I have a two page spread in fall 2009 issue of weird tales. I wasn’t made aware of it until last week, so a belated “hey, i’m in a magazine that is probably sold out..” I shall post some scans at some point. Thanks to Amanda Gannon for this! means a lot being in a magazine that once featured original works by Lovecraft himself.
Alex
updates part 2
by Alex CF on March 2nd, 2010
So…
Whats in store, why so quiet Alex? Well the five commissions became six and now include a (drum roll…) six foot tall adult male werewolf. Yes, the largest specimen in the Edward Harrell collection. So, things will be a little quiet for a few weeks. If my client doesn’t mind, I shall post images of the finished works once they are complete.
BOOK REPRINT – word from my printer is that they are delayed by another week… but this is one of those things. There is printing process, and the binding process, and the binding is not “in house”..again, I am very sorry, but this is how the world works when you are the little guy with the small print run..
alex
The Pocket “holy order” wraith dispatching kit circa 1869
by Alex CF on January 14th, 2010
Status: SOLD!
email me at skinned_bunnies (at) yahoo.co.uk
measurements: 20 cm x 12 cm x 4 cm
“The delightfully tiny relic of the ghoul hunting age, pocket size, perfect for a discreet individual who values style as well as substance”
1869 saw Ulysses S. Grant become President of the United States, it was also the year of the Silent Flood. A new and threatening migrant species had appeared, stowing away on the lower decks of ships birthing in New york Harbor. These unseen creatures spooked the dock workers, who lost both shipments of livestock and workmates in the night time hours. It was not until the harbor master, a Mr. Thomas Marsh disappeared whilst on duty that the police were finally cajoled into investigating these illusive criminals.
On the 20th September, an individual by the name of Abramo, an aging Italian priest of some notoriety within more arcane circles of catholicism arrived to offer a little assistance. He had been charged by unseen parties with the task of tracing a new strain of the virus responsible for Lycanthropy and Vampyrism in Humans, yet had spread to various other mammalian species. He hypothesized that these crimes had been carried out by Canis Lupus Wampyrus, a crossbred pathogen containing the attributes of both original strains within a new host – feral dogs, now spreading the virus throughout the cities strays. Attacks on workers was also contributing to this, with frightening results. The Canis virus now carried genetic material, both human and canine, which in some cases killed the host or inserted new genetic material into human cells. This lead to violent and horrific pain, but also cellular mutations, creating a monstrous half breed humanoid, skin sallow and lifeless, a distended malformed jaw and violent elongated digits on its taught limbs. The police nicknamed the creatures Wraiths.
In the days that followed a group of ex Union soldiers, intrigued doctors and paid assassins were brought together with the objective of eradicating this threat to the stability of the United States. Known as the “Holy Order”, a name coined by Abramo in jest, this ragtag team followed the path of the virus north. By now the President was made aware of this situation, a further blow to the fragile economy caused by nefarious individuals trying to corner the gold market. On the 24th september these two threats converged, as the Wraith plague reached Washington, carving a stained shadow over the poor and destitute. This day became known as Black Friday, as swathes of Wraith fed upon the weak.
Those with money invested in trinkets and token weapons to defend themselves against these vile creatures. It appeared a simple shot to the head or a decent knife wound could end the average wraith, a species varying in size from a small dog to a human. The violence was eventually stemmed through martial law, and hastily white washed with tales of bubonic plague and the maddening infected causing the chaos.
Abramo collected a series of specimens of the Wraith and returned to his wards in the Far East. The Holy Order became an established Ghoul slaying outfit who gained a fair deal of media attention after accusing Susan B. Anthony of being a Vampyr.
A relic of this disconcerting affair, the Holy Order Wraith dispatching kit was released a month or so into the plague,by a small fire arms dealer based in washington. The case is very small, holding the popular derringer pocket pistol, a stake, bottles of holy water and a syringe for injecting said water into your infected victim. It also carries various ecoutrment for warding off these night ghouls.
The Wraith plague continued to raise its ugly head in the years that followed.