Kickstarter Announcement – OUT OF THE DARKNESS edited by Dan Coxon

Today I’m spreading the word about a new Kickstarter from the wonderful folks at Unsung Stories in the UK, a horror and dark fantasy anthology called Out of the Darkness focusing on stories dealing with mental health. With billions of people around the world on lockdown because of COVID-19, this anthology couldn’t be more timely. Even better, all profits will be donated to Together for Mental Wellbeing, a UK mental health charity. Here’s more information from the publisher:

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Out of the Darkness Kickstarter launches: Mental health horror anthology in support of Together for Mental Wellbeing

Exclusive new stories by Jenn Ashworth, Alison Moore, Aliya Whiteley, Tim Major, & many more

Out of the Darkness, a brand new anthology from award-winning independent press Unsung Stories, challenges some of the most exciting voices in horror and dark fantasy to bring their worst fears out into the light. From the black dog of depression to acute anxiety and schizophrenia, these stories prove what fans of horror fiction have long known – that we must understand our demons to overcome them.

In 2019, it was estimated that one in four people in the UK will experience mental health issues every year, ranging from schizophrenia to mild depression. Since then, the Centre for Mental Health has estimated that 10 million people will need mental health support in the UK as a direct consequence of Covid-19, with a staggering 1.5 million of those being under eighteen.

Out of the Darkness will be funded by a Kickstarter campaign that launches on Tuesday, 9 March 2021. All royalties and fees from this anthology are being donated to the mental health charity Together for Mental Wellbeing.

Speaking about the anthology, Dan Coxon, Editor at Unsung Stories, said, “Britain was facing a mental health crisis before Covid-19 struck, but that trend has now become a tsunami. The coronavirus struck a blow not only to our physical health, but also to our mental wellbeing.

“People who had never before experienced anxiety attacks have found themselves nervous at the prospect of leaving the house; those who stayed at home have found themselves isolated and scared.

“By exploring the dark recesses of the human psyche, these stories help illuminate and make sense of the world for those suffering from mental health problems – a world of anxiety, and despair, and fear. Horror isn’t just about the chills – it’s also about the healing that comes after.”

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List of contributors:

Jenn Ashworth | Eugen Bacon | Simon Bestwick | Georgina Bruce | Gary Budden | Richard  V. Hirst | Verity Holloway | Tim Major | Laura Mauro | Alison Moore | Nicholas Royle | Ashley Stokes | Sam Thompson | Anna Vaught | Aliya Whiteley

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Interested? Click here to visit the Kickstarter page and find out how to back this campaign!

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About the Editor:

DAN COXON is an editor and writer based in London. His anthology This Dreaming Isle was shortlisted for both a Shirley Jackson Award and a British Fantasy Award, while his fiction has appeared in Black Static, Nightscript, The Lonely Crowd, Unthology, Not One of Us, Humanagerie and Bram Stoker Award-nominated anthology Nox Pareidolia, among others. His non-fiction has appeared everywhere from Salon to The Guardian, and a collection of his short fiction, Only The Broken Remain, was published by Black Shuck Books in November 2020.