Clockwork Storybook

Clockwork Storybook (CWSB) was a writer's collective and independent book publisher based in Austin, Texas. It specialized in the fantasy, horror and adventure genres.

History

Clockwork Storybook was formed in the late 1990s by fellow Austin-based writers Mark Finn, Chris Roberson, Lilah Sturges, and Bill Willingham, beginning as a writing group which met weekly to critique its members' short stories and novels. Soon thereafter, the four began producing monthly content for an online shared world anthology of urban fantasy, revolving around the fictitious city of San Cibola, California, where magical inhabitants co-existed with normal citizens, at www.ClockworkStorybook.com. The website is no longer there, and is only partially accessible through th
Internet Archive Project
although content from it surfaces occasionally on the respective authors' website


Each issue featured a short story by each of the four founders, plus "an occasional story by guest authors invited to play in our fabricated realm", an editorial and intermittent reviews of various notable books, etc. (The second issue, for example, included contributions from artists Brian Hagen and Jeff Dee) In 1999, they were joined by their first 'Associate Member' - Harold Covey, described as an "artist/designer/renaissance man extraordinaire", who designed the ClockworkStorybook logo. (Above, left)

After a couple of years, the development and increasing popularity of print on demand technologies suggested to them that they could create their own imprint (also called ''Clockwork Storybook'') through which they would publish their own novels and short story collections. They launched with four print titles in spring 2001.

Ultimately, after continuing with the online anthology for a couple of years, and publishing a handful of books, the Clockwork Storybook collective fell apart, and the individual authors went their separate ways.

Publications

Several books/anthologies were printed by Clockwork Storybook, and mostly available through the website. Some reprinted online content, many featured new stories. A partial bibliography includes:

* ''Clockwork Storybook Offline, Volume I: Mythology'' by Finn, Roberson, Sturges & Willingham
* ''Clockwork Storybook Offline, Volume II: The Goblin Market'' by Finn, Roberson, Sturges & Willingham
* ''Voices of Thunder'' by Chris Roberson (February 2001)
* ''Beneath the Skin & Other Stories'' by Matthew Sturges (March 2001)
* ''Gods New & Used'' by Mark Finn (March 2001)
* ''Down the Mysterly River'' by Bill Willingham (April 2001)
* ''Road Trip'' by Mark Finn
* ''The Clockwork Reader Volume 1'' (Nov 2001) by Clockwork Storybook
* ''Set the Seas on Fire'' by Chris Roberson (December 2001) ''(reprinted by Solaris, 2007)''
* ''Cybermancy Incorporated'' by Chris Roberson (December 2001) (cover by Michael Lark)
* ''Year of the Hare'' by Mark Finn (December 2001)
* ''Midwinter'' by Matthew Sturges (February 2002)
* ''Hyde and Seek'' by Bill Willingham (May 2002)
* ''The Monster Maker'' by Bill Willingham (May 2002)
* ''Any Time at All: The Lives and Time of Roxanne Bonaventure'' by Chris Roberson (September 2002) (cover by John Picacio)

After Clockwork Storybook

Bill Willingham is known for his Vertigo Comics series ''Fables''. Matthew Sturges is probably best known as the co-writer (with Willingham) of ''Fables'' spin-off '' Jack of Fables''. Mark Finn is a noted Robert E. Howard scholar and playwright. Chris Roberson is author of several books, and publisher of MonkeyBrain Books.

References

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External links

Clockwork Storybook content, partially accessible through the Internet ArchiveChris Roberson's homepageMatthew Sturges' homepageClockwork Storybook at everything2.com

Book publishing companies based in Texas
Publishing companies established in the 1990s
Companies based in Austin, Texas