It's a book proposal I sent to Lester del Rey in 1979, right after he bought The Drawing of the Dark, and, since I didn't know any better in those days, it's three chapters and an insanely detailed outline. Del Rey rejected it, of course, and twenty years ago I gave the manuscript to Joe Stefko, and he recently dug it out and decided that the (my rough guess) 20,000 word outline was so insanely detailed that it adequately continued and finished the story begun in the first three chapters. Altogether the thing is probably about 35,000 words.

Recently PS Publishing very kindly agreed to produce advanced reading copies - forty were printed up a few weeks ago, in glorious, rich full colour and on glossy 130gsm stock and, even though I say so myself, they look quite stunning. They've now been distributed to the trade and review community and we can only sit back and await the verdict.

Of course, now this thing is actually "out there" as it were, I'm officially crapping it! But, if this first review is anything to go by, it's just possible that I may not have just wasted the last eight years of my life!

Jonathan Strahan Reviews Secret Histories on his blog, Notes from the Other Side of the World.

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If this little movie piques your interest, Secret Histories is now available for pre-order at the PS Publishing web site so scoot on over there now and get your order in before all copies are spoken for. And of course, the book will be officially launched at this year's Eastercon, where Powers is to be guest of honour. As April approaches, there'll be further news on Secret Histories, so do check back regularly for further updates.

Secret Histories, my book about Tim Powers (yes, that book! the one I've been writing for about a hundred years!), which is being (aptly) described as a "bibliographic cornucopia" is at long last available for pre-order direct from the PS Publishing web site. Hoorah! The book is available in three states - but hurry, because availability is very limited indeed...

• Ultra Deluxe three volume edition - Limited to only twenty six copies.
• Slipcased two volume edition - Limited to only two hundred copies.
• Numbered signed single volume edition - Limited to 1000 copies.

So, you've followed those links and ordered, right? No? Well, if you need any further persuasion, here's the official marketing blurb on the project...

A book that essentially redefines the term 'bibliography', Secret Histories has been nearly ten years in the making and brings together an astonishing range of Powers ephemera - a huge treat and a remarkable resource for both fans and collectors alike.

As well as a complete, illustrated reference of every Tim Powers book published to date, Secret Histories offers an extraordinary insight into the stories behind the stories, collecting together in a single volume Powers material previously seen only in private collections.

Here - in print for the very first time - you'll find poetry, drawings, research and plotting notes, novel outlines, early drafts, out-takes and an excerpt from the author's unpublished 1974 novel, To Serve in Hell.

Supporting these riches are story notes and commentary by Powers himself and you'll also find articles and essays from collaborators, friends and renowned Powers aficionados including Dean Koontz, Jim Blaylock, China Miéville, Karen Joy Fowler, John Bierer, John Berlyne and William Ashless. Powers: Secret Histories is an unprecedented bibliographic tribute celebrating the work of a truly extraordinary writer.

This deluxe, slipcased, lettered edition includes two additional volumes and is a package to rival any lettered Powers edition released thus far...

The first is an incomplete and previously unpublished novel written by Powers in the early seventies entitled The Waters Deep, Deep, Deep. Only available as part of this package, The Waters, Deep, Deep, Deep will be signed by Powers and will feature unique cover art and internal illustrations by him, as well as both an introduction and afterword.

The second - and this is a doozy!!! - is a full colour facsimile edition of the original handwritten manuscript of The Anubis Gates, complete with doodles, crossings out, dog-eared corners and even coffee stains! Only twenty-six copies of this facsimile, signed by Powers and individually lettered, will be available as part of this deluxe three book, specially slipcased edition... and if you're after one of these , you need to get in there quickly at the PS Publishing web site!

So, there you have it - I'll post more news on this project over the next few months - possibly including preview downloads and sneak peaks at some of the incredible artwork both by Powers and Dirk Berger, specially commissioned for the project. Watch this space!

The French edition of Three Days to Never will be published on January 17th. This is the first foreign language translation of this most recent Tim Powers novel to appear and it has been issued as a smart trade paperback by Denoël, the same publisher who brought out the French edition of Declare. As with that previous title, Denoël have once again commissioned cover art from Manchu. I really like this artwork, and I recommend following the link to the artists' web site where both Powers covers are on display as well as many other wonderful works. The ISBN of À Deux Pas Du Néant is 978-2-20725947-4 and the cover price 25 Euros. Here's a link to the ordering page at Amazon.Fr. My thanks to Gilles Dumay at Denoël for sending along a copy for the site archive.

In other news, further to this previous entry, Subterranean Press have announced that they will be using James Gurney's original cover art for their forthcoming trade and limited reissue of On Stranger Tides, due in the spring. Each of the Subterranean states will feature a different cover layout and Gurney will apparently be signing the limitation sheet. You can pre-order this book via this link to Amazon.com.

Subterranean have also announced that they are to reissue Ubik: the Screenplay by Philip K. Dick. This release is to include the introduction Powers wrote for the original Corroboree Press edition, released way back in 1985. This new edition will feature cover art by Dave McKean and will have a new Afterword written by Tad Williams. The release will be a cloth bound hard cover of 1500 copies and there will be a further 26 lettered, tray-cased copies signed by Powers and Williams. The book is scheduled to appear in August. You can pre-order this title via this direct link to Amazon.com.

Scheduled for release in April 2008, the SubPress edition (ISBN 9781596061675) is due to be issued in three separate states - a trade hard cover priced at $18.95, "250 signed numbered hard covers, bound in a premium cloth and a different dust jacket design, with an exclusive portfolio section of piratical illustrations by Powers," and 26 leather-bound tray-cased, lettered copies, which will include one further drawing not included in the limited. The two signed states are priced at $75.00 and $250.00 respectively.

You can pre-order the trade edition via this link to Amazon.com - you'll be helping this site in the process.

A new edition of On Stranger Tides is to be published - described as an "...limited and ultra-affordable trade hard cover edition." This is set to be limited to 250 numbered and 26 lettered copies signed by Powers, plus an unsigned trade edition. On Stranger Tides has only recently been reissued by Babbage Press, and, of course, previously appeared as a signed limited edition from Ultramarine Press back in the eighties. However, this new Subterranean edition is certain to eclipse that previous limited state, which was notorious for using the poor quality printed pages from the original Ace edition.

Also announced is a new limited set of the three books in Powers's Fisher King Trilogy - sometimes known as the Last Call Trilogy or the California Trilogy. Comprising Last Call, Expiration Date and Earthquake Weather, Subterranean will be issuing the three novels together, as a matching limited set (of 1000 numbered and 26 lettered), with artwork by J.K. Potter. Though Last Call has previously been published as a limited edition by Charnel House - indeed, undoubtedly the most beautiful and lavish limited edition of any Powers book to date - the two other novels have never been released thus. Additionally, due to corporate complications Expiration Date and Earthquake Weather ended being published by a different company than Last Call, making a mismatched mish-mash of collector's book shelves. I applaud both Powers and Subterranean for seeking to put this right and, frankly can't wait to get hold of a set!

Further details, including news of any other contributors, on both these exciting projects will follow when I can gather more information.

According to their web site, the book was apparently too slim - below the 64 page limit required by SubPress's printer. To bring the piece up to the required page count, Subterranean are to include the original Ashbless interview - previously destined only to appear in the 250 signed limited copies - in all copies of their trade edition too. This is good news for most Powers/Blaylock/Ashbless fans who will, I am sure, be glad to get the chance to see this piece, but those collectors who paid extra for the more expensive, limited edition thinking they were getting an exclusive, might well feel out of sorts. The Subterranean announcement adds "The limited edition will still be the only signed edition of this book."

You can order a copy of the trade edition via this direct link to Amazon.com.

"Tim Powers and Charnel House are putting together a very special edition celebrating Charnel House's Twentieth Anniversary in 2008. We will be revisiting our old friends Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley for the occasion."

Powers add the following nugget of information to further wet our appetites...

"I've agreed to do a novella for Joe Stefko, to involve Shelley and probably Byron, and I'm to have it done by the end of the year. There's no title yet, and I don't have any idea what it'll be about -- probably it'll be in the same world as Stress of Her R, like a 'missing chapter.'"

More news on this as soon as I have it.