Bewildering Stories Annual Review 2022

 The Mariner Awards are named for one of the first successful interplanetary missions.

The 35 titles listed — out of 245 for the year — are the ones that the Review Editors have rated most highly in 2022. They have earned Bewildering Stories’ most signal honor.

I have four works appearing in this year's Annual Review (Mariner Award winners). Two short stories ("A Stained Carpet"; "Her Reflection") and two poems ("A Broken Vessel"; "The Gerontius Trilogy").

If you have a moment, please check out the Annual Review on the Bewildering Stories website.

Best wishes to all my readers, friends and followers for a happy, safe and healthy New Year!

Happy 200th Anniversary, Frankenstein!

Happy 200th Anniversary, Frankenstein! 

The current Historical Novels Review (HNR Issue 85) features Bethany Latham’s cover story, Happy 200th Anniversary, Frankenstein. In her tribute to Mary Shelley’s classic horror novel, first published in 1818, Ms. Latham references several novels based on Shelley’s original, including my Confessions of the Creature. Here’s an excerpt from the article:
“The struggle to achieve or keep humanity, even the very definition of what it means to be human, fascinates authors who tackle Shelley’s work. In Confessions of the Creature(Fireship, 2012) by Gary Inbinder, the creature is given the opportunity for normalcy, starting with his outward appearance. Inbinder notes that it is first “Frankenstein [who] denies the creature’s humanity. As their hatred for each other grows, both creator and creature become less human, more monstrous.” Rejected by his creator from the outset, Shelley’s poor creature was never offered the empathy he perhaps deserved; Inbinder chose to be kinder: “In my sequel, the creature is given the chance of becoming truly human, the person he was meant to be. No longer hideous, the transformed creature sets out on a quest for redemption through love, the love that was denied him in Shelley’s novel.”’

I was honored to have my novel chosen for reference in this fine tribute to a classic. My thanks to Ms. Latham and the HNR!

Confessions of the Creature is currently available in both paperback and e-book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other retailers. 

The Man Upon the Stair: Excerpt

This week's issue of Bewildering Stories features an excerpt from my third Inspector Lefebvre historical mystery, The Man Upon the Stair. Here's a link to the excerpt.

http://bewilderingstories.com/issue747/man_stair_ex.html

The Man Upon the Stair will be out February 6, and is currently available for pre-order at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other retailers.

“A dizzying number of details recreate the nineteenth-century Paris of artists, prostitutes, aristocrats, gamblers, and spies. Achille continues to endear, with his mashed flowers and good heart, much like Louise Penny’s Armand Gamache.”
- Booklist

“The third of Inbinder’s lush, leisurely period procedurals favors the journey over the destination, with back stories and period touches in nearly every chapter.”
- Kirkus Reviews

“Inbinder’s solid third mystery set in fin-de-siecle Paris finds the capable Achille Lefebvre dealing with blowback from the arrest and execution of terrorist bomber Laurent Moreau. An intriguing plot. ”
- Publishers Weekly

“A wonderfully atmospheric period policiere.”
- The Wall Street Journal (Praise for the Achille Lefebvre series)

“Inbinder's tale is an enjoyable romp through a vibrant time in history with great artists, Can Can dancers, and underworld mobsters set against a pleasingly tawdry Parisian backdrop.”
- The Cleveland Plain Dealer (Praise for the Achille Lefebvre series)

“Inbinder weaves a wonderful tale and his plotting and pacing are right on the money. ”
- Crimespree Magazine (Praise for the Achille Lefebvre series)

The Man Upon The Stair

I'm thrilled to announce the upcoming publication of the third installment in my Inspector Lefebvre: Mystery in Fin de Siecle Paris series. The Man Upon The Stair will be out from Pegasus Books, expected publication February 2018. Many thanks to the growing number of Achille Lefebvre fans who have kept the series going!

"In The Man Upon the Stair, Gary Inbinder’s brilliant detective Achille Lefebvre returns to solve the mystery of a disappeared millionaire in the sensational, atmospheric world of fin-de-siecle Paris.

At the public execution of the anarchist assassin Laurent Moreau, the outgoing Chief Inspector warns his protégé, the newly promoted Lefebvre: “I’ve heard that some of Moreau’s cronies have sworn revenge. You don’t want to get killed your first week as chief.”

Meanwhile, Lefebvre is charged with investigating the disappearance of the Baron de Livet, a brash millionaire with connections to Russian spies and a history of gambling, womanizing, and fighting in duels. The case is more complicated than it seems, of course, and Lefebvre and his team must make sense of a poisoned maid, an unidentifiable stage coach, and a missing briefcase full of cash. The Baron’s connection to the world of international espionage means that if the Inspector isn’t fast enough, the Baron’s disappearance might trigger a war.

And Lefebvre mustn’t forget those stalking anarchists who are out for his blood, as he searches for the man who wasn’t there…"

The Hanged Man

My second Inspector Lefebvre mystery, The Hanged Man:A Mystery in Fin de Siecle Paris, is coming from Pegasus Books (Distributed in the U.S. by W.W. Norton Co. Inc.) , expected publication August, 2016.

Like many fin de siècle Parisians, Inspector Achille Lefebvre is looking forward to a pleasant summer holiday at a seaside resort with his wife, Adele—but a body found hanging from a bridge in a public park interferes with the inspector's plans.

Paris: July, 1890. Inspector Achille Lefebvre and his wife Adele are enjoying their stay at a seaside resort—until a body found hanging from a bridge in a public park demands the Inspector's attention.

Is it suicide or murder? A twisted trail of evidence draws Inspector Lefebvre into a shadowy underworld of international intrigue, espionage, and terrorism. Time is of the essence; pressure mounts on the Sureté to get results. Achille's chief orders him to work with his former partner, Inspector Rousseau, now in charge of a special unit in the newly formed political brigade. But can Achille trust the detective who let him down in another case?

Inspector Lefebvre uses innovative forensics and a network of police spies to uncover a secret alliance, a scheme involving the sale of a cutting-edge high explosive, and an assassination plot that threatens to ignite a world war.

http://www.amazon.com/Hanged-Man-Mystery-Siecle-Paris/dp/1681771640/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

The Devil in Montmartre

My new historical murder mystery, The Devil in Montmartre: A Mystery in Fin de Siècle Paris, will be out this year in hardcover edition from Pegasus Books (Distributed in the U.S. by W.W. Norton, & Co) with an expected December 15, 2014 publication date.

Amid the bustle of Paris’s 1889 Universal Exposition, workers
discover the mutilated corpse of a popular model and Moulin
Rouge Can-Can dancer in a Montmartre cesspit. Hysterical 
rumors swirl that Jack the Ripper has crossed the Channel, 
and Inspector Achille Lefebvre enters the Parisian underworld 
to track down the brutal killer. His suspects are the artist
Toulouse-Lautrec; Jojo, an acrobat at the Circus Fernando; and
Sir Henry Collingwood, a mysterious English gynecologist and 
amateur artist.

Pioneering the new system of fingerprint detection
and using cutting-edge forensics, including crime-scene
photography, pathology, and laboratory analysis, Inspector 
Lefebvre attempts to separate the innocent from the guilty.
But he must work quickly before the “Paris Ripper” strikes
again.

“Fin-de-siecle Paris comes brilliantly alive in The Devil in Montmarte. With an insidious conspiracy against Toulouse-Lautrec and a cast of characters including artists, writers, Can-Can dancers, and an evil circus clown, Gary Inbinder lays a plot as fascinating as the midnight streets of the Parisian Right Bank.” (Michael Wiley, Shamus Award-winning author of A Bad Night’s Sleep)

“Has Jack the Ripper reemerged in Paris? Or did Toulouse-Lautrec, or any number of colorful suspects, dismember a beautiful young woman? With vivid historical detail, Inbinder takes us on a twisted journey through gaudy, gritty fin-de-siecle Paris to a shocking denouement.” (Barbara Corrado Pope, author of The Missing Italian Girl)

http://www.amazon.com/The-Devil-Montmartre-Mystery-Si%C3%A8cle/dp/160598647X

 

Maupassant's Bel Ami

In Whit Stillman's film, Metropolitan, one character describes his rival as follows in a funny scene at a Debutante Ball after-party:

"Rick Von Slonecker is tall, rich, good-looking, stupid, dishonest, conceited, a bully, liar, drunk and thief, an egomaniac, and probably psychotic. In short, highly attractive to women."

That description from a 1990's Indie comedy of manners could apply to Georges Duroy, aka Bel Ami, the quintessential unlikeable protagonist of Maupassant's 1885 masterpiece. Granted Duroy is neither alcoholic nor stupid, and he doesn't start out rich. Otherwise, the description suits him to a tee.

After serving a hitch as a junior officer in Algeria, Duroy, the son of peasant innkeepers, tries his luck in Paris. A fortuitous meeting with an old friend launches a career in journalism. Soon, Georges is climbing the social ladder over the bodies of several influential society women, including his friend's wife. Dubbed Bel-Ami by one of his mistresses' daughters, he conquers with a charm reminiscent of the amorous cartoon skunk, Pepé Le Pew. The rags to riches story incorporates a clever sub-plot in which a cadre of unscrupulous politicians and their journalist cronies profit from a colonial power grab in North Africa.

Duroy reminded me of Edith Wharton's predatory social climber, Undine Spragg (The Custom of the Country). The fictional adventures of such amoral scoundrels are often more engaging than those of worthy protagonists. That's especially true when a great storyteller such as Maupassant or Wharton tells the tale. I highly recommend "Bel Ami" to anyone interested in the Belle Époque, and especially to those who prefer an acerbic alternative to a sugarcoated Cinderella story like the musical "Gigi."

Confessions of the Creature - Historical Novels Review

Arleigh Johnson reviewed Confessions of the Creature for HNR Issue 61 (August 2012). You can read the review online at the link below.

historicalnovelsociety.org/magazines/hnr-issue-61-august-2012/

A Strange Relationship--Mary Shelley and Frankenstein's Monster

My guest post, A Strange Relationship--Mary Shelley and Frankenstein's Monster--is featured today on the English Historical Fiction Authors' Blog.

http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com/

The Victorian Technological Revolution

I've guest-posted on the above referenced topic: The Victorian Technological Revolution. You can read the post at the English History Authors blogspot. Comments are welcome and encouraged!

Gary

http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com/

Confessions of the Creature Back In Print

My first novel, Confessions of the Creature, is back in print in a new Fireship Press edition. The new edition looks great, and I've corrected some minor errors, including a couple of issues of historical fact, that appeared in the first edition. I'm very grateful to the folks at Fireship Press for helping bring my creature back to life.

The story of Frankenstein's monster continues... In the Arctic waters of the Barents Sea, the creature has taken the ultimate revenge on his creator, Frankenstein. He travels south, where a chance meeting with a witch gives him the opportunity to overcome what he is, and perhaps become who he was meant to be. Transformed into a normal-looking man, but retaining his superhuman strength, the creature journeys to Moscow, where he becomes the protégé of a wealthy natural philosopher and the lover of his daughter, Sabrina. Taking the name Viktor Suvorin, the creature wins acclaim as a military hero while Napoleon rages across Europe. Following the wars, Viktor and Sabrina travel to Switzerland, where they meet Byron, Percy Shelley, and Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, who bases her novel on Viktor's memoirs. Viktor faces a final challenge to his hard-won humanity when tragedy strikes his family and he returns to the Arctic. There, on a frozen sea under the shimmering Northern Lights, the creature must confront the meaning of his creation and his life. "... a compelling, thought-provoking novel with an undercurrent that made me always a little anxious about what will happen next to the characters." Camellia, Long and Short Reviews "This wonderfully written novel will have any reader hooked right from the beginning. It is an enjoyable and extraordinary story! I hope this will not be the last we see of this author, who obviously has a wonderful talent." Ann Marie Chalmers, Front Street Reviews

Confessions of the Creature is now available in paperback and e-book formats from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and other retailers.
http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Creature-Gary-Inbinder/dp/1611792096/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1328660419&sr=1-3

The Flower to the Painter Reviewed in The Copperfield Review

Jessica Garamondi wrote a very favorable (4 Quills) review of The Flower to the Painter for The Copperfield Review, an online journal devoted to Historical Fiction and Non-Fiction.

"This book is recommended for art fans and for anyone who wants to look at the art world from a woman’s point of view."

You can read the entire review in the current (Winter) issue of The Copperfield Review.
Gary

http://www.copperfieldreview.com/reviews/The%20Flower%20to%20the%20Painter.htm

The Flower to the Painter Reviewed in Neo-Victorian Studies

Marie Luise Kohlke has written a scholarly critique of The Flower to the Painter for Neo-Victorian Studies, a peer-reviewed academic e-journal published at Swansea University, Wales, UK. You can read the entire review online in pdf format.


http://www.neovictorianstudies.com/

Guest Post - English History Authors

Debra Brown, author of the fine Victorian Historical Novel, The Companion of Lady Holmeshire, has invited me to guest post on the English History Authors' Blog. The subject is: Writing Another Gender, Another Time.


http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com/

Character's the Thing

I write character driven fiction, trying to create interesting, psychologically complex, believably human characters, placing them in situations where they must deal with problems. For dramatic effect these problems ought to be bigger than deciding between coffee or tea for breakfast—although such mundane choices can precipitate a dramatic scene, such as an emotional flare-up having little to do with what to drink for breakfast—but they don’t have to involve life or death alternatives. I think of such choices as forks in the narrative road; the characters needn’t make the “right” choices, at least not according to the reader’s idea of right or wrong. There are many ways to get from L.A. to Chicago. For example, after having been instructed by his father’s ghost, Hamlet’s “right” choice, with twenty-twenty hindsight, might have been to kill his treacherous uncle in the first act, but that would have made for a very short play.

Much popular fiction follows a predictable pattern of character development that many readers have come to expect. The typical “character arc” can be worked out over a canned outline and a skillful writer can use mechanical plotting to produce a satisfying and marketable result. Character driven fiction is riskier, but when successful the literary rewards (though not necessarily the monetary ones) can be great.

In his preface to “The Portrait of a Lady,” Henry James referenced Ivan Turgenev concerning “the fictive picture.” According to James, Turgenev’s fiction almost always began “…with the vision of some person or persons who hovered before him, soliciting him, as the active or passive figure, interesting him and appealing to him just as they were and by what they were.” Those characters were “available” to the writer “…subject to the chances, the complications of existence, (Turgenev) saw them vividly, but then had to find for them the right relations, those that would most bring them out; to imagine, to invent and select and piece together the situations most useful and favorable to the sense of the creatures themselves, the complications they would be most likely to produce and feel.” I don’t think you can do that with a canned outline, although a writer might give the semblance of having done so, though it’s rather like painting the Sistine Chapel by the numbers.

For more than a century readers have asked, “Why did Isabel Archer make the choices she made?” as though they could have chosen better under similar circumstances. That’s like asking, “Why didn’t Hamlet kill Claudius in the first Act?” I think the better question is whether or not those characters acted plausibly, and most important “humanly” within the context of the story, even though the outcome is not the one the reader might have wished for, or in the end found most satisfying.

Turner - Three Masterpieces

I've always admired the art of Joseph  Mallord William Turner (1775-1851), so it was only natural that I had my artist-heroine, Marcia Brownlow, admire him too. I recently guest posted a brief excerpt from The Flower to the Painter on Rachael De Vienne's blog. The three paragraphs describe Marcia's impressions upon first viewing three great Turners at London's National Gallery.

The year is 1877, a time of transition in the art world, with the Impressionists gaining recognition in Paris, while  London looks more to the works of the Academic Neo-Classicists, the Romantic Neo-Gothicists, the Pre-Raphaelites and their newer offshoot, The Aesthetic Movement. Marcia is torn between the old and the new. She ponders the present and future of art as she contemplates the work of one of the greatest painters of the recent past. Her reflections are accompanied by pictures of three Turner masterpieces.

http://wardancingpixie.blogspot.com/

Welcome to My New Blog!

I created this blog to replace garyinbinder.com, a website that had been designed and hosted by my former publisher, Drollerie Press. Drollerie closed shop 10/21/11 and, sadly, my old website went with it. I'm going to try to re-publish some of my old posts, but going forward I'll be blogging about my new novel now available in paperback and e-book, The Flower to the Painter (Fireship Press, 2011), as well as new stories and other things related to my writing.

Welcome!