Finding Skeletons

Well another year is coming to an end and here at Zittaw Press we have been a lot to be thankful for...We are excited by the recently released Varney the Vampire which is selling quite well. Thank you for all the support! Clearly it was time for a scholarly edition of that sensational work. By the end of the year we hope to have the two volume collection of chapbooks, Literary Mushrooms, at the printers with a new edition of Matthew Lewis's The Bravo of Venice following in early January.

As for 2008 we have some great novels in the pipeline including several by Sheridan Le Fanu, Mrs. Yorke's The Haunted Palace, George Walker's The Three Spaniards and Sarah Wilkinson's The Fugitive Countess. We also have several surprises up our sleeve which we are working diligently on.
I would personally like to thank everyone for their continued support of Zittaw Press. We could not have done anything without you.
best,
Franz Potter

After the fires

We are back from evacuations and working hard to get out Mrs. Yorke's The Haunted Palace and fine tuning Varney the Vampire. It was unexpected and difficult being away from the house, work and Zittaw for a week, but we are back. Thank you for all the support.

Lake Arrowhead Fire

Zittaw Press has been evacuated as a fire descends down a ridge above our house. Varney the Vampire may be delayed as we cannot retrive the proof...hopefully everything will be saved and the Vampire will rise soon.
Best,
Franz Potter

Horrors and More: Zittaw News

In celebration of Halloween next month Zittaw Press is planning a special release of Mrs. R. M. P. Yorke's 1801 Gothic masterpiece The Haunted Palace; or, The Horrors of Ventoliene. Fred Frank calls this novel the "highest of high Gothics...[this] is nothing more nor less than an encyclopedia of horror."

This week has been a busy week for us all. Curt Herr's brilliant scholarly edition of Varney the Vampire is almost ready for the printers and is on track for a Halloween release. Curt has worked tirelessly on this edition and it is stocked full of useful information and will be perfect for classroom use.

Varney the Vampire

The first ever scholarly edition of Varney the Vampire, tirelessly edited by Curt Herr will hopefully be ready by Halloween. This MASSIVE 824 page 8.5x11 tome will be a wonderful (and hopefully affordable) addition to vampire studies. Curt has worked incredible hard on this volume and we would encourage all scholars to get this volume for their school's libraries and private collections.

The Abbot of Montserrat

We are pleased to announce the forthcoming edition of William Child Green's The Abbot of Montserrat (1826). Coming this late Fall or early Winter!

New Podcast: Vampires before Dracula

After a long pause and many angry emails we have finally resumed our podcasts. Find our new episode at http://readingthegothic.libsyn.com/

The Castle of Tynemouth

Jane Harvey's 1806 Gothic tale The Castle of Tynemouth is now available on Amazon.com.

A harrowing tale of the beautiful Rossetta de Norton who suffers at the hands of her evil stepmother Lady Wooler, the lecherous O'Bryen adn the manipulative Major Shipperdson. But beneath the castle in the dark winding caverns a secret lies buried that will either set Rossetta free or condemn her to a living hell.

The Spectre of Lanmere Abbey

Sarah Wilkinson's The Spectre of Lanmere Abbey and The Child of Mystery are now available! This Zittaw edition brings together two of Sarah Wilkinson's forgotten novels: The Spectre of Lanmere Abbey and The Child of Mystery. Though long forgotten and marginalized as a purveyor of literary rubbish, Sarah Wilkinson's work nevertheless belongs to that body of work which is representative of female authors in the 19th century. The Spectre of Lanmere Abbey and The Child of Mystery illustrate the versatility of Wilkinson's pen: one a Gothic novel with decaying buildings and terrifying spectres, and the other, a domestic novel of high fashion based on recent events in London. This edition includes an introduction by Franz J Potter, Wilkinson's letters to the Royal Literary Fund and a complete list of her works.

Before the Count

Before the Count, a collection of pre-Dracula tales, is now available, edited by Margo Collins. Good read, I suggest you purchase it!

Zittaw Press is back...

After a prolonged absence Zittaw Press has finally returned. This break allowed me to re-evaluate Zittaw in light of my full time commitment to academia. The balance, needless to say, has at times been precarious as my commitment to my students (who want a timely response to their papers) and our readers (who expect good quality Gothic reproductions) pull me in two directions. After careful consideration we decided to continue Zittaw Press and keep the commitment we made to our readers to offer scholarly (and affordable) editions of rare Gothic novels. While we will never be able to offer the same number of novels as Valancourt Press, we do hope that we can contribute to this growing body of Gothic reproductions.

Before the Count: British Vampire Tales, 1732-1897 is at the printers as we speak and Sarah Wilkinson's The Spectre of Lanmere Abbey and The Child of Mystery are on their way next week.

Lastly, we have just relocated from Thousand Oaks/Camarillo to Crestline California (next to Lake Arrowhead), much to the distress of our kids, but are settling in nicely. Please note the new address if you have any correspondence with us: Zittaw Press PO Box 3157 Crestline CA 92325.

Forthcoming Titles

Zittaw Press is pleased to announce the following forthcoming publications: Romance Readers and Romance Writers by Sarah Green and The Child of Mystery by Sarah Wilkinson.

Chapbook Reproductions

Today is the last day to get your chapbook reproduction, get them while you can. Zittaw Press is in the process of gathering these tales into a collection which will appear later this spring.

But for the reproductions, they are coming to an end!

The Fugitive Countess

Zittaw Press is pleased to announce that we will be publishing Sarah Wilkinson's The Fugitive Countess; or The Convent of St. Ursula in a special 200th anniversary edition.

Review of Bungay Castle in Dark Realms Magazine

Bungay Castle by Elizabeth Bonhote Edited by Curt Herr Zittaw Press ($14.95) Trade Paperback

Editor Curt Herr invites readers to rediscover a 200-year-old treasure, as he guides us on an exploration of a lesser-known but no less classic tale of gothic romance and mystery in Bungay Castle. Herr, a teacher of gothic literature, explains in his eloquent introduction that this novel, like the castle for which it was named, was "built to last." Herr points out that author Elizabeth Bonhote's reversal of gender stereotypes concept for an 18th century female writer contemporary feminist roles. Herr also footnotes the text throughout for more academic study of its importance since the novel was first published in 1796. The lovely heroine of Bungay Castle is Roseline, a young woman who seeks more to life than what is expected of her. Accompanied by her brother Edwin, she sets out to investigate ghostly sounds emanating from the castle's ancient dungeons. There they discover a true horror from their family's past tragedy, and despair. A must-read for students and fans of gothic literature, Bungay Castle is a prime example of the subtle unease and suspense of the genre.

Christine Filipak
Dark Realms Magazine
http://www.monolithgraphics.com/darkrealms.html

The End of Gothic Chapbook Reproductions

Zittaw Press sadly announces the end of the series of Gothic chapbook reproductions. For almost four years we have thoroughly enjoyed make reproductions of these rare tales of terror, but as interest in these little productions has waned, we must face reality and cease production. As of February 1st these handmade chapbooks will no longer be made.

There is no doubt that these tales of terror, though, are an important aspect of literary history and Zittaw Press is committed to ensuring that these chapbooks are preserved. Consequently we are looking into offering some of the titles as ebooks available for downloading, as well as the possibility of anthologies or collections, but at this time we are looking into all options.

We have appreciated all your support, patronage and insights. Zittaw Press will continue to publish rare 18th and 19th century Gothic fiction and hope to enable scholars and students of the Gothic access to these rare texts.

Best,
Franz and Serena Potter
Zittaw Press

The Abbess Now Available

William Henry Ireland's The Abbess is now available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. Enjoy the Gothic!

Edith Birkhead's The Tale of Terror

Zittaw Press is pleased to announce that a new edition of Edith Birkhead's The Tale of Terror: A Study of the Gothic Romance will be published in spring 2007. With an updated introduction and notes, Birkhead's 1921 groundbeaking study will be available to all readers of the Gothic.

New Titles available

The Horrors of Oakendale Abbey and Rayland Hall are both now available at online booksellers. Get them while they are hot and start enjoying the holloween buildup.

The demise of some bluebooks

Effective October 31st, the following Gothic chapbook reproductions will NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE:

Albert of Werdendorf; or, The Midnight Embrace
The Bloody Hand; or, The Fatal Cup
Black Forest or the Cavern of Death
The Horrible Revenge
Maid of Lochlin
The Spectres
Chateau de Montville
The Wandering Spirit