How did one publishing house change the course of the Gothic novel and, in fact, of novels in general? And why haven’t you heard of it? This week, I’d like to give you a brief history lesson on one of England’s most influential—and yet least talked about—publishers, Minerva Press. Founded by William Lane in 1780, though it didn’t adopt the name “Minerva” until 1790, Minerva Press was the largest publisher of fiction for three decades around the turn of the 19th century. And its specialty? The Gothic novel. Minerva press churned out Gothics by the dozens, usually written by female authors. Yet few of these works ever make it into literary discourse, and the press itself is usually dismissed as a low-brow publisher of cheap nonsense. Only in recent years have scholars really started to examine the influence of this remarkable press and question whether that reputation might be undeserved.
Continue reading The Underestimated Importance of Minerva Press
When the dead start to rise on the battlefield at Gettysburg, the American Civil War is taken in a whole new direction. This is the premise of Justina Ireland’s unique new zombie tale, Dread Nation. This book has been on my radar since the beginning of the year, so as soon as it came out last month, I hopped on the waiting list to get the audiobook from the library. I love the idea of combining zombie horror with alternative history. Add in a badass teenage heroine who takes on zombies and institutionalized racism alike with her sharp-edged sickles, and I’m 100% sold! 
