About our Contributors.

Andrew McGuigan

Creator of Cumbrian Cthulhu

Author of ‘The chamber in the hillside,’ ‘Ashness bloody bridge,’ ‘A fell faith,’ ‘The elusive valley,’ ‘The treasure of the Moresby swan.’ Co Author of ‘Return to the Grange.’

It has been an interesting few years watching Cumbrian Cthulhu grow from one story to (at the time of writing) two books! It is my intention to produce four books of stories and also a contest leading to a full colour Cumbrian Cthulhu art book. More on that another time. If the writers and stories keep coming in, and the sales and donations keep going out, there is no reason why Cumbrian Cthulhu could not be a much longer series of volumes. So keep buying them!

A big thank you to the following people who helped smooth the evolution of the Cumbrian Cthulhu project.  Thank you David Stewart and Northumbria University for helping us recruit the talents of Kate and Lucy. Thanks to Allan Mitchell for additional proof reading, and to those who have kindly listened to me babble on, specifically Pete Stocker, Maggie Fraser and Louise Stals. Thanks to my parents Stephen and Jennifer McGuigan for the Cumbrian history books and the image for the back of volume two. Thanks to Dick Preston of Kemplerigg for accent assistance in ‘Ashness bloody bridge.’

The stunning Wastwater sunset featured on our first cover was photographed by
Żaneta Miderska, who was born in the seaside town of Gdansk and has been living in London since 2005. See more of her beautiful images at: miderska.digart.pl

My biggest thanks goes to my lovely wife Suzanne who was mostly patient with my constant requests for help with the endless technical problems I was unable to overcome myself, such as correctly sending emails and using page-break.

Andy Paciorek

Cumbrian Cthulhu illustrator

Author of ‘House of dark lanterns,’ ‘The stones of pestilence,’ A quiet place,’ ‘The bells of Blencathra’  and ‘The echo of echoes.’

Andy Paciorek is a graphic artist, drawn mainly to the worlds of myth, folklore, symbolism, decadence, curiosa, anomaly, dark romanticism and otherworldly experience, and fascinated both by the beautiful and the grotesque and the twilight threshold consciousness where these boundaries blur. The mist-gates, edges and liminal zones where nature borders supernature and daydreams and nightmares cross paths are of great inspiration.

Andy was the first to join the Cumbrian Cthulhu project alongside Andrew McGuigan, and has been an enthusiastic partner throughout, eager to discuss and assist with its evolution. Apart from occasions when a writer specifically wishes to provide accompanying art, Andy is the official illustrator for Cumbrian Cthulhu.

Andy has found a great deal of artistic inspiration during trips to the Lake District, capturing images through photography and sketching, to manipulate later.

Andy also expresses a different part of his creative psyche by working with other varied creative souls, most notably and very differently through the Balcan~Paciorek Symbiosis and as part of the Stegorek mongrel art collaborative.

To see more artwork by Andy Paciorek please visit www.batcow.co.uk/strangelands

Lucy Elizabeth Collier

Editor

I live in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. I am a recent graduate from Northumbria University, where I studied English Literature and Creative Writing. I am currently undertaking an internship as an Editorial Assistant at Mslexia Publication in Newcastle, where I hope to further my interest in publishing. I'm a keen badminton player having competed for my University and town and I am an unashamed Zumba-bopper. Aside from Cthulhu, I am currently editing a couple of previously unpublished author's novels whilst also, determinedly slogging over my own.

I was made aware of CC through a mass-circulated email within uni. Editing has always been a pleasure for me, as I am lucky to behold a meticulous eye, so the opportunity for involvement was a snap-up from the start. CC boasts a manic amount of writing talent in what can only be described as an exciting niche of genre and very different to your usual reads. It's the unusual aspect of CC that will appeal to readers and writers who want to extend an arm out to the wild and whacky. It's wonderful to be a part of something that genuinely delivers on effort and quality for the purposes of the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association charity. (Also, it's hard not to appreciate the irony of this when you read some of the stories!)

Anyone who's been walloped by Wordsworth will appreciate just how spectacular this area of England is. As a frequent Holiday goer to the lakes

I am continuously amazed by its sights. My best friend has a little cottage in Keswick, which will always freeze the memory of my boyfriend attempting to 'plank' on the bonnet of our 4 man boat on Derwent Water Lake... Water: Unharmed. Matthew: Slightly less so

Ben Powell-Jones

Cover artist

Ben is originally from the North East but now resides in London which flips between feeling like a divine blessing and a horrifying curse, depending on the mornings commute. He works in TV, devising Entertainment shows and preparing graphics for pitch documents.
His main interests are practicing Muay Thai and freestyle wrestling and reading comic books. He realises this is not what his parents wanted his interests to be at 31.
He also enjoys writing about himself in the third person.

I think the CC project is an excellent initiative and was most pleased to be invited to be a part of it. I was also most pleased at Andrew McGuigan's patience as I consistently missed deadlines. I think the proceeds are going to an excellent and worthy cause, and one that deserves more exposure.

Growing up in the North East, with a grandmother that lived in Kendal, I have many memories and a strong feeling of attachment to the Lake District. I remember as a child feeling that the old, stony houses and dark, unlit lanes were a different world from where I was growing up. A special place, certainly. After reading the stories included, I'll probably never un-terrified walking after dark there anymore, so thanks for that, writers!

Matt Walby

Social network promotion

I live and work in Newcastle Upon Tyne as a call centre advisor. Outside of work I am a martial artist training in jun fan and kali. I have helped with the promotion of Cumbrian Cthulhu by running the Twitter account (@CumbrianCthulhu), building relationships with other Cumbrian, Lovecraft or Cthulhu related Twitter users in order to spread the updates and promotional material to as many people as possible and by association, hopefully promoting the work of the Lake District Search And Mountain Rescue Association in some small way.

I heard about the project through my friend Andrew McGuigan and wanted to join as I am a big fan of horror. I will be spending quite a bit of time in the Lake District in 2013 in preparation for the Pen-Y-Fan Fan Dance in May and The Wall Run along the route of Hadrian's Wall in June. I very much approve of the profits going to LDSAMRA. They do fantastic work which they could never receive enough credit for. They provide a great service to all Lake District visitors and help keep the Lakes the great tourist attraction it is.

Kate Taylor

Cumbrian Cthulhu advertising and promotion

I live just outside the popular Cumbrian tourist town of Keswick on the shores of Derwentwater but study at the University of Northumbria in Newcastle. I have recently completed a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing and have been awarded a studentship to study an MRes in Creative Writing.

When I'm not writing for my tutors I'm writing my own brand of fantasy and/or magical realism: currently I'm working on a fantasy trilogy, a web drama set during the apocalypse and a detective noir reimagining of Greek mythology. You can find a weekly blog about my life and writing on blogspot under the name a.k.a Kate.

LDSAMRA is close to my heart because my family are big walkers. It's good to know that the proceeds from this anthology will be keeping them and others safe on the fells.

Glen Colling

Author of ‘That is not dead which can eternal lie.’

I was born in Sunderland in the North East of England. I currently live in Seaham with my wife Veronica, my son Phillip and two gerbils Thomas and Blackbird.

I have been a great fan of H.P. Lovecraft for thirty years and have read, and re-read, his books many times. I based my story under Lake Windermere and I have, on a number of occasions, looked into its waters and wondered what may lie beneath.

My family and I have often holidayed at the Lakes, usually a B&B at Windermere or a cottage at Kendal. The area is so striking it takes the breath away, especially on a dark, foggy, damp day when the clouds hang low over the hills. Great material for books!

Tony Paulazzo

Author of ‘The Overlords.’

I now live in West Yorkshire but originally hail from London. My main source of income (and second love) is working with and repairing computers. I keep a dream diary which should probably tell you more than you need to know about me. Many of my stories, or at least the seeds of them, come from my unconscious dreams, and I love the blurred boundaries that dreams create.

I loved the ruggedness of Cumbria, and thought about surviving here in end of the world stories, you know the sort, unexplained plague, nuclear war, but then someone took me to White Scar Cave (my first ever cave, slight claustrophobia, not somewhere I would willingly go), and Cthulhu whispered into my ear and from that visit the story pretty much wrote itself. Now I love the Cthulhu mythos, but I’d never read what happened when they finally reclaimed the Earth as their birthright, what happened to us, humanity, when Gods truly walked amongst us, so here is my attempt. I hope you like it.

Paul Musgrave

Author of ‘A mist friend.’

I live in Staithes, a picturesque village in North Yorkshire just 10 miles north of Whitby. I work for Revenue and Customs at Stockton and deal with work involving individual tax returns. In my spare time, I like running and do a lot of the local 5K to 10k runs and also play 5 aside football in the evening. My favourite hobby though, is drawing and doing caricatures for friends and family. When doing a few cartoon strips, I have enjoyed the writing part and that is why I was interested in writing a story on one on my favourite subjects. I visit Keswick (the place where I set my story) regularly for walks and to enjoy the scenery of one of the most beautiful places in Britain, if not the whole world.

Richard E Straw

Author of ‘Thy deep and dreaming sleep,’ ‘Langdale and pike investigate.’

Co Author of ‘Return to the Grange’

These stories represent Richard's first actual completed prose since he wrote a story about an exploding rocket for a school exam. Yet another member of the contingent from the North-East of England, he spends most of his time in the world of amateur musical theatre, and enjoys playing old men for shows with his local Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Most of his recent writing involves editing the scripts of short Victorian Operettas. He is however working on a sequel to 'Langdale and Pike Investigate', entitled 'Langdale and Pike Strike Back' (any rumours of a third part, 'Langdale and Pike's Last Stand', are completely without foundation).

Rich Blackett

Author and illustrator of 'Invisible'

Rich lives with his family in the North East of England. He has written for online and print based music magazines as well as stories in the Steampunk Compilations

"Tales from the Asylum" and it's follow-up "Beyond the Asylum."

He also contributed to the ebook anthology "Like a Corset Undone” and as part of The Nothing Machine has released a download only dark ambient album.

The story was inspired by a blend of true and (hopefully) fictional events, and was partly influenced by a an archive newspaper article of a figure leading a car through dangerous fog in Langdale. It should also be noted that the excellent Townend library does not contain any books of dark knowledge, at least not anymore...

Rich has been a visitor to The Lake District and Cumbria nearly every year of his life and is now introducing the next generation of his family to the beauty and tranquillity of the area. He and his family stay in Ambleside often twice a year and relish the chance to unwind and explore the ancient hills. When he saw the article asking for contributions in the internal Civil Service publication Pulse, he immediately responded to the chance of giving something back to the area and to such an important charity as LDSAMRA

Richard Gore

Author and illustrator of ‘Odd sausage.’

Painter of volume two’s Cumbrian Cthulhu flag.

Richard Gore grew up in the north east of England, gaining his degree in Illustration in 2006 before heading off to travel around the world for a year, visiting every continent, excluding Antarctica , on route. He currently combines working in an office with as many creative external projects as he can muster. Some of his recent endeavours include writing an illustrated children’s novel which he aims to get published in the near future, showing artwork at regional and national galleries and producing wildlife artwork for an international agent, recently getting to the finals of the BBC wildlife artist of the year for his work.

Richard heard about the Cumbrian Cthulhu project through friend and colleague Andrew McGuigan, who was looking for writers to contribute to the project. Richard being interested in both writing and illustration offered his services in both fields, writing a short Cthulhu piece and helping add to the illustration of the novel.

Richard has visited the Lake District on numerous occasions, sampling the culinary delights, whiling away time in second hand book shops and hiking in the hills and mountains, most notably getting to the top of Scafell Pike last year.

Through travelling the world Richard has visited many wonderful natural sights and believes that the beauty of the Lake District is not outshone by such sights as Northern Italy, Southern New Zealand or The Andes of South America. He is delighted that profits from the sale of this book will be donated to the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association allowing others the explore the beauty of this area of the world in increased confidence and safety.

Casey Rae-Hunter

Author of ‘The Cove.’
He is a musician, recording engineer, author and editor from Washington, DC. In addition to his work in political communications, he is the founder and CEO of The Contrarian Media, a popular online hub for writings on music, media and metaphysics. His 2009 album, Eldritch Musicks, is based on the weird fiction of HP Lovecraft, Arthur Machen and Algernon Blackwood.