Saturday, January 5, 2019

Book Tour and Giveaway: Thirteen Nocturnes by Oliver Sheppard

Thirteen Nocturnes
by
Oliver Sheppard

Genre:
Gothic, Dark Poetry
Combining lush Gothic lyricism with postmodern experimentation, Oliver Sheppard's second collection of verse, Thirteen Nocturnes, presents a nightmare vision of a world in the grip of apocalypse and shadow--a world where "a nighttime of years never-ending" becomes "a darkness severe and unbending," and where life is relentlessly "gathered up against the towering shadow of decay." Taking cues from the dark Romanticism of Poe, the decadent Symbolism of Baudelaire, and the apocalyptic tradition of William Blake--as well as the existential doominess of 20th century cosmic horror--Oliver Sheppard's Thirteen Nocturnes presents a verse vision of collapse, announcing a cold poetics of disintegration in the new dark age of the Anthropocene.

"Reading Sheppard's poetry is a little like listening to a conversation between Nietzsche and William Blake during a showing of Peckinpah's Cross of Iron. Using a wide range of forms and cultural references, Sheppard illustrates the human condition in ways that take as much account of its absence as its presence... Given the chance, Sheppard will lead you down dark and unfamiliar paths, to moments of weird beauty." --from the foreword by John Foster

Oliver Sheppard was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and lives in Texas. Critical reviews of his poetry collections have been kind: "Like listening to a conversation between Nietzsche and William Blake while watching Peckinpah's 'Cross of Iron'," reviews of his first book, Destruction: Text I, claimed. Garnering accolades from academia and punk zines alike, Sheppard's work takes cues from the cosmic fatalism of Lovecraft and Thomas Ligotti, and combines that with the lush, Gothic lyricism of the Dark Romanticist tradition.

"Sheppard's THIRTEEN NOCTURNES is gothic in every sense of the word; from the writing style, the themes, to Oliver's own influences. Without a doubt, this bountiful collection raises the bar for contemporary gothic poetry. It's rare in this day and age to find poetry written in a manner as sophisticated and profound as this. But here, Sheppard combines a down-to-earth modernism with older styles that make for a fanciful and unique experience for the reader."--Sar Blackthorn, CVLT Nation

$50 Amazon gift card!

Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, teasers and a giveaway!

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66 comments:

  1. Stephanie AnnJanuary 5, 2019 at 10:03 AM

    I like the cover a lot. It looks awesome.

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    1. Oliver SheppardJanuary 7, 2019 at 9:03 PM

      Thanks, Stefanie. I've gotten a lot of great feedback on the cover and interior design and layout of the book, which I handled all myself. The cover illustration is a modified version of George Clark Stanton's watercolor "Death and the Maiden," which is from around 1880 or so. I hope you're able to pick up a copy and enjoy it.

      -0liver

      Delete
  2. lildevilgirl22January 5, 2019 at 11:30 AM

    I think the cover is beautiful.

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    1. Oliver SheppardJanuary 7, 2019 at 9:06 PM

      Thank you! The cover illustration is a modified watercolor from George Clark Stanton from the 1870s or 1880s called "Death and the Maiden." I hope you're able to pick up a copy of Thirteen Nocturnes. Cheers!

      Delete
  3. PaulaJanuary 5, 2019 at 3:22 PM

    The cover art seems appropriate for the book. Good job.

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    1. Oliver SheppardJanuary 7, 2019 at 9:08 PM

      Thank you! The cover illustration is a modified watercolor from George Clark Stanton from the 1870s or 1880s called "Death and the Maiden." I hope you're able to pick up a copy of Thirteen Nocturnes. Cheers!

      Delete
  4. Bea LaRoccaJanuary 5, 2019 at 6:06 PM

    Love the cover!

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  5. jean602January 5, 2019 at 6:06 PM

    Amazing cover and the book sounds good.

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  6. DarleneJanuary 5, 2019 at 6:09 PM

    The cover looks very interesting. My question for the author is where do you get your ideas.

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    1. Oliver SheppardJanuary 7, 2019 at 9:11 PM

      Thanks, Darlene.

      There are 85 poems in Thirteen Nocturnes, and to be honest each one has a different, originating idea. The core thirteen poems, or nocturnes, of the book were in some way inspired by night time. They're either meditations on, or were inspired by, the night. Reading others poets or reading well-written prose gives me ideas. A lot of my best ideas come while I'm trying to fall asleep, which can be frustrating. I wish I knew the secret to getting "eureka" moments of inspiration -- sometimes they just fly out at me at random, and I can't explain it.

      Do you write?

      Delete
  7. whitearcticwolffieJanuary 5, 2019 at 6:09 PM

    Looks great and creepy!

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  8. sfzphdJanuary 5, 2019 at 6:11 PM

    This sounds like a great book and the cover is so eyecatching!

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  9. Judy ThomasJanuary 5, 2019 at 6:27 PM

    I love the cover, very artistic and it looks like something that I would enjoy reading.

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  10. Nancy PayetteJanuary 5, 2019 at 6:36 PM

    Sounds like an intriguing read.

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  11. Lacey WatersJanuary 5, 2019 at 7:00 PM

    love this cover, it drew me right in even before i knew what the book was about

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  12. DebbyJanuary 5, 2019 at 7:11 PM

    The cover is very captivating.

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  13. TreshaJanuary 5, 2019 at 7:41 PM

    Sounds good!

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  14. nickieisis3January 5, 2019 at 9:48 PM

    Sounds like a good read

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  15. E (E Kay)January 5, 2019 at 10:43 PM

    I like the cover and is the photo of Theda Bara on the back?

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    1. Oliver SheppardJanuary 7, 2019 at 9:24 PM

      E,

      Thanks for the comment about the cover. You've got a good eye! That's Theda Bara indeed, although that isn't a picture of the back of the book. It's just a "promo image" I made. But, funny you should mention, I have had a lifelong fascination with Theda Bara, and there are two poems in Thirteen Nocturnes, "Theda Bara I" and "Theda Bara II," that are about her! There's another photo inside the book near these poems.

      Thank you for your comments. I hope you're able to pick up a copy of Thirteen Nocturnes :))) <3

      -0liver

      Delete
  16. LauraleighJanuary 5, 2019 at 11:43 PM

    I'm intrigued! As a Ghosthunter and lover of all things dark who was born on Friday the 13th, I am drawn books with a twisted or dark side. The cover does match Foster's description "..strange beauty",and of course it was the "thirteen" that caught my eye first! :)

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    1. Oliver SheppardJanuary 7, 2019 at 9:28 PM

      Great! This is, of course, a poetry collection -- 85 poems, with thirteen "nocturnes" as the core, and many of them are, indeed, about phantoms, spirits, and demons, living and dead, or undead. I hope you're able to pick up a copy, Laura. :)

      -0liver

      Delete
  17. Katrina DehartJanuary 6, 2019 at 12:42 AM

    I'm looking forward to reading this! Sounds great!

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  18. Beyond CompsJanuary 6, 2019 at 3:04 AM

    Great looking cover!

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    1. Oliver SheppardJanuary 7, 2019 at 9:35 PM

      Gracias. It's a modified and grayscaled, edited version of a 19th century watercolor by George Clark Stanton. I've gotten a lot of comments on it, as well as the layout and interior design of the book. I hope you're able to pick up a copy. :)

      -0liver

      Delete
  19. Veronica LeeJanuary 6, 2019 at 6:36 AM

    Love the title, cover and blurb. Sounds like a page-turner!

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  20. Cindy MerrillJanuary 6, 2019 at 8:32 AM

    The cover confuses me- where do the main events occur- in a bunker? Underground? Space station?

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    1. Oliver Sheppard, author of Thirteen NocturnesJanuary 8, 2019 at 4:06 AM

      Cindy, thanks for the comment. Thirteen Nocturnes is a collection of poetry. 85 poems, to be precise, with a lot of black and white illustrations. The cover is meant to be evocative; it does not depict a literal event inside the pages of the poetry collection. I hope you're able to pick up a copy!

      -0liver

      Delete
  21. katieoscarletJanuary 6, 2019 at 9:47 AM

    I don't usually go for poetry but this gothic genre has me intrigued.

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    1. Oliver SheppardJanuary 7, 2019 at 9:36 PM

      Katie,

      I think and hope you might like this. There are some previews floating around online.... It's a pretty meaty book. 85 poems, and a lot of black and white illustrations. I wanted to try to design a book whose looks would intrigue folks and make it something seem desirable to own.

      -0liver

      Delete
  22. kaylaJanuary 6, 2019 at 10:34 AM

    love the cover

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  23. Michele S.January 6, 2019 at 11:02 AM

    What a cover.. it is so intriguing.. makes you want to buy this book....

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    1. Oliver SheppardJanuary 7, 2019 at 9:45 PM

      Cindy, thanks for the comment. Thirteen Nocturnes is a collection of poetry. 85 poems, to be precise, with a lot of black and white illustrations. The cover is meant to be evocative; it does not depict a literal event inside the pages of the poetry collection. I hope you're able to pick up a copy!

      -0liver

      Delete
  24. Sandy KlocinskiJanuary 6, 2019 at 12:25 PM

    The cover is awesome! Fantastic job. "Strange beauty" indeed

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  25. Julie WaldronJanuary 6, 2019 at 6:00 PM

    The cover is haunting. Thanks for the chance!

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  26. bison61January 6, 2019 at 6:02 PM

    I like the cover-thanks for the giveaway

    tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

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  27. books4meJanuary 6, 2019 at 9:19 PM

    The book cover is very interesting. How did it come to be?

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    1. Oliver SheppardJanuary 7, 2019 at 9:40 PM

      Thanks for your comment.

      This was not the original cover design of Thirteen Nocturnes. I was all set to go with a much different cover and I ran it by a few people whose response was essentially "meh." I went back to the drawing board and found a 19th century painting by George Clark Stanton called "Death and the Maiden" that I liked a lot. I made some mockups of the cover design and asked a trusted friend if he had any ideas for a cover. A weird coincidence ensued when he recommended the exact painting I had decided upon, without known I had already considered Stanton's "Death and the Maiden." That is, he coincidentally recommended the exact same cover I was already planning on using at that point. I took that as a "sign" and went with it. I'm a fan of 19th century Symbolist, Pre-Raphaelite, and Gothic or Romanticist artwork and am constantly looking through books of the stuff.

      Thank you for your comment.

      -0liver

      Delete
  28. UnknownJanuary 6, 2019 at 10:04 PM

    RE: the cover is splendid & grand. Thank you for the kindness, the contest, and generosity.

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  29. LauraJanuary 6, 2019 at 10:23 PM

    This sounds like an amazing read!

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  30. Jessy YarrellJanuary 7, 2019 at 2:18 AM

    I look forward to reading this book.

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  31. Cecilia R RodriguezJanuary 7, 2019 at 8:17 AM

    The cover has a mysterious, Gothic appearance.

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    1. Oliver SheppardJanuary 7, 2019 at 9:41 PM

      Cecilia,

      Thank you for your comment. Yes, that was what I was going for with this cover design! I'm glad you like it. Or ar at least intrigued by it! I hope you're able to pick up a copy! :)

      -0liver

      Delete
  32. daveJanuary 7, 2019 at 11:57 AM

    looks cool

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  33. sherry fundinJanuary 7, 2019 at 1:09 PM

    I like the cover. It makes me look and look again.
    sherry @ fundinmental

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  34. Terri.January 7, 2019 at 3:58 PM

    I love, Love, LOVE the cover art!

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  35. Jodi HunterJanuary 7, 2019 at 7:32 PM

    the cover is quite beautiful.

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  36. Renee CollinsJanuary 7, 2019 at 8:40 PM

    I love this cover. Can’t wait to see and read book

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    1. Oliver SheppardJanuary 7, 2019 at 9:42 PM

      Thank you, Renee. I hope you're able to get a copy! :)

      -0liver

      Delete
  37. cherry251January 8, 2019 at 7:58 PM

    it is cool

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  38. Deb PelletierCJanuary 8, 2019 at 10:20 PM

    The book cover is wonderful and the book sounds interesting.

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  39. juliemurphyJanuary 9, 2019 at 10:21 AM

    The cover is spooky.

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  40. MarilynJanuary 10, 2019 at 2:52 PM

    Cover looks interesting - looking forward to reading this book

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  41. linsleoJanuary 10, 2019 at 8:09 PM

    Cover does look very gothic - dark. I like it!

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  42. Rhonda PlattsJanuary 11, 2019 at 4:17 PM

    I like the cover and the book sounds intriguing.

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  43. Maria KatieJanuary 14, 2019 at 8:45 AM

    Book cover looks very interesting, it for sure is inviting me to read this book

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  44. jeanette sheetsJanuary 16, 2019 at 11:39 PM

    mysterious looking cover,cant wait to read

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  45. Wendy JensenJanuary 20, 2019 at 1:08 PM

    I love the whimsical look of the book cover.

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  46. AnonymousJanuary 25, 2019 at 1:18 AM

    Just curious if you are a fan of Stephen King or not. If so, what is your favorite book from his works?

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  47. UnknownJanuary 26, 2019 at 8:21 AM

    Thank you for this giveaway

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  48. tiago rosadoJanuary 29, 2019 at 1:33 PM

    What do you think of the book or the cover?

    its an amazing piece of art,i like it alot

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  49. JuanaFebruary 3, 2019 at 8:50 PM

    I liked both the book description, and the cover.

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  50. Brandon SparksFebruary 4, 2019 at 7:47 AM

    The cover is awesome. Can't wait to read this..

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  51. donna G.February 4, 2019 at 2:26 PM

    Poems inspired by the night and darkness sound very interesting.

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  52. Stacey SmithFebruary 4, 2019 at 8:35 PM

    I love the cover it looks Haunting.

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