Announced at PulpFest 2026 - Shudder Stories 2 with an Astar short story!

I'm thrilled that Jim Beard, publisher of Becky Books, announced at PulpFest 2026 the forthcoming publication of Shudder Stories 2!

The book features a novella by Jim, "Green Ghost," as well as short stories by Laura C. Perez, John C. Bruening, and me...and a fabulous cover by Jeffrey R. Hayes of Plasmafire Graphics!

My story is "Corpse Reviver No. 9," the third in a cycle featuring femme fatale mastermind Astar, takes place in 1901 London, and guest-stars Madame Sara from L.T. Meade and Robert Eustace's The Sorceress of the Strand.

The first Astar/Astarte tale, "Dame Sinestre," took place in 1948 Los Angeles and appeared in The Green Ghost: Declassified (no relation to Jim Beard's "Green Ghost") and in Gentlemen Prefer Domino Lady.

The second Astarte story, "She-Devil of Paris," took place in 1923 Paris, appearing in Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2025 (and featured Irma Vep from the 1915 French serial Les Vampires).

Thanks to Jim for giving "Corpse Reviver No. 9" a home!

Look for it forthcoming this Spooky Season 2026! (I'll share ordering information when it becomes available.) 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New review of "She-Devil of Paris"

Look... when William Patrick Maynard, the renowned authorized continuation author of the Fu Manchu novels, has this to say... all I can say in response is that I am deeply honored and humbled. Thank you, Bill.

5.0 out of 5 stars SHE-DEVIL OF PARIS by Win Scott Eckert
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2025

"She-Devil of Paris" by Win Scott Eckert brought me to this collection. It pains me to give Mr. Eckert a poor review on Amazon, but there are two glaring flaws that I cannot look past: 1.) The story is far too short. This needs to be a novel. 2.) Time and again, the quality of Mr. Eckert's prose sets the bar far too high for other continuation authors to reasonably compete. In all sincerity, this story has given me tremendous pleasure. I have read it several times over the last few days. This is a wonderful tribute to Louis Feuillade, Sax Rohmer, Pierre Benoit, and H. Rider Haggard. There may be more references, of course. As one has come to expect from the finest Wold Newtonian fiction, the easter eggs are many and the rewards for the knowledgeable reader are plentiful. Well done and thank you, many times, for capturing the feel of the source material so well.

"Shed-Devil of Paris" can be found in the anthology Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2025, edited by Robert Greenberger at Crazy 8 Press, and available on Amazon.