As Penelope Hill's new novel demonstrates, authenticity is all well and good but sometimes it sucks!

DARTFORD, U.K. - March 6, 2020 - PRLog -- Elsewhen Press, an independent UK publisher specialising in Speculative Fiction, is delighted to announce the publication of Working Weekend, the first fantasy novel from Penelope Hill.  What at first appears to be a behind-the-scenes look at the running of a fan convention, from the perspective of the Guest of Honour, soon becomes a supernatural thriller.

Penelope Hill has been enjoying conventions since the 1970s when she first attended a Star Trek convention.  She has made many friends at conventions, encountered many authors, and met her late husband Robin at an early Terracon. She says that her mother took her to her first convention, and dealt with her fannish tendencies by teaching her ancient Greek at an early age, and drawing dragons whenever asked.  "She was an inspiring woman, an artist, a writer and a wonderful needlewoman.  She gave me much to live up to, and I think she'd be pleased to finally see my name in print."

Peter Buck, Editorial Director at Elsewhen Press says, "Anyone who has been to a genre convention, whether it's science fiction, alt history, fantasy, horror or something else, knows that there is plenty going on invisibly to make it an enjoyable experience for all the attendees.  The committee, particularly for a smaller convention, is always on the lookout for the perfect venue and a special attraction to encourage more fans.  So the offer of a gothic mansion-turned-hotel, especially one that has been used as a location in classic horror films, would be too good to pass up.  When the owner of the hotel offers to play the role of a real vampire for the weekend to 'add authenticity', it is a dream come true.  Of course, what starts out as a dream can often turn into a nightmare.  That is the setting for this entertaining tale from Penelope Hill, at the fictional horror convention, CoffinCon VII.  Good versus evil, ancient powers in conflict; all the while trying to make sure that the rest of the attendees are safe and none-the-wiser as to what is really happening. If you've ever been to a fan convention you will recognise many of the characters – the ever-cheerful volunteer gophers, the committee looking forward to finally getting some sleep when it's all over, the chair-person who's regretting volunteering and trying to keep everything looking smooth and on plan – but hopefully not an actual vampire!"

Working Weekend is available from today on all popular eBook platforms.  The paperback edition will be available from 13^thApril, having been launched, of course, at a convention (Eastercon)!

Notes for Editors

About Penelope Hill

Penelope Hill has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember, and her fascination with both futuristic and fantastic worlds has fuelled that ambition ever since. She is an avid reader, a long time role-player and games-master, and loves world-building: designing exotic places, writing mythic histories, and crafting cultures. She's been a costumer and is busy developing her skills as a textile artist, so when she's not writing, she can usually be found stitching, knitting, knotting, or exercising other creative skills.
During her working life, she spent many years supporting services in local government, and eventually found herself contributing to the development of both local and national policy, particularly around privacy and confidentiality. The research for her PhD helped influence some of that work, but has also brought new perspectives to both her writing and her world-building. While she has published academically, she prefers creative writing, and retirement has given her the opportunity to pursue her long-standing ambition to become a professional author.

 She currently lives in Gloucestershire with five cats, a huge library of books, a treasure hoard of fabric and thread, and far too many dice.

Visit bit.ly/WorkingWeekend

About the book

Title: Working Weekend

Sometimes authenticity sucks!

Marcus Holland, European Folklore expert and award-winning writer of Horror and Fantasy fiction, is Guest of Honour at the CoffinCon convention being held in an old gothic mansion-turned-hotel. He's looking forward to the weekend, as he's hoping for a break from the pressures of work, the enthusiasm of his agent and the demands of his ex-wife. There's to be a midnight masque, a Real Ale bar, and the convention committee have even arranged to have a 'real' vampire wandering the halls, to help add to the atmosphere.
 From the moment Marcus arrives, he starts to feel uneasy, but can't quite put his finger on the reason why. Although he soon comes to realise what is wrong, he knows that he can't broadcast his concerns without being thought insane. Far from having a relaxing break, he will be working harder than ever in order to safeguard his friends and fans.

Cover by Alison and Sofia Buck

Fiction/ Fantasy / Urban; Fiction/ Thrillers / Supernatural; Fiction/ Occult & Supernatural

Print edition: ISBN 978-1-911409-61-8, 240pp, Demy; RRP £10 / €13 / US$20 (13 Apr 2020)

Electronic edition: ISBN 978-1-911409-71-7, EPUB / Kindle; RRP £2.99 / €3.49 / US$3.99 (06 Mar 2020)

About Elsewhen Press

Elsewhen Press is an independent publisher of Speculative Fiction. Based in the UK, in the South East of England, Elsewhen Press publishes titles in English, in digital and print editions, adopting a digital-first policy for most titles.  Elsewhen Press is an imprint of Alnpete Limited.

Contact details:

Elsewhen Press contact:          Al Murray

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