Chris A. Masters Chris A. Masters i(A141802 works by) (birth name: Chris Anagnostopoulos)
Born: Established: ca. 1965 Melbourne, Victoria, ;
Gender: Male
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Works By

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1 y separately published work icon Slaughter Creek and Other Stories Chris A. Masters , Melbourne : Fiendish Press , 2012 Z1921601 2012 selected work short story horror 'Slaughter Creek and Other Stories is Chris A. Masters' first collection of short stories. These stories range from classic horror, Cthulhu mythos and science fiction. Slaughter Creek is a small town in Tasmania that you won't find on any map or tour guide, and there is a good reason why the residents of Slaughter Creek like it that way. 'Cone Island' tells the story of what happens when a group of people get shipwrecked on an undiscovered island with some strange vegetation. 'Reawakening' tells the story of a man waking up from a coma to find all is not what he expected. 'Something's Out There' is a sea monster story inspired by William Hope Hodgson's stories of the sea. 'Cthulhu Reborn', 'The Dark Window' and 'The Sphere,' are all Cthulhu mythos tales ranging from space opera to black magic' (www.amazon.com).
1 y separately published work icon The Sleeping City Chris A. Masters , Melbourne : Fiendish Press , 2012 Z1921598 2012 single work novel horror 'Melbourne, Australia has often been described as the World's Most Liveable City. Zakk's Melbourne is far different, as he writes about it from his perspective in a weekly column titled, The Sleeping City, for one of the city's major newspapers. The Melbourne Zakk lives in is one of late night tram rides, sleazy brothels, street hookers, junkies, and the strange assortment of eccentrics that inhabit this noiresque landscape. Things begin to get really strange when frozen animal heads begin turning up in rubbish bins all over the city. Why are these mysterious government-agent types that claim to work for the Department of the Environment trying to cover it all up?' (www.amazon.com)
1 Zines from Hell Chris A. Masters , 1995 single work essay
— Appears in: Bloodsongs , Winter no. 5 1995; (p. 59-62)
1 Zines from Hell Chris A. Masters , 1995 single work essay
— Appears in: Bloodsongs , Autumn no. 4 1995; (p. 59-62)
1 y separately published work icon Bloodsongs no. 4 Autumn Chris A. Masters (editor), Steve Proposch (editor), 1995 Z1920507 1995 periodical issue horror
1 Zines from Hell Chris A. Masters , 1994 single work essay
— Appears in: Bloodsongs , December no. 3 1994; (p. 61-64)
1 Zines from Hell Chris A. Masters , 1994 single work essay
— Appears in: Bloodsongs , June no. 2 1994; (p. 86-88)
1 Leigh Blackmore, the Man Behind Terror Australis Chris A. Masters (interviewer), 1994 single work interview
— Appears in: Bloodsongs , January no. 1 1994; (p. 48-51)
1 y separately published work icon Bloodsongs no. 3 December Chris A. Masters (editor), Steve Proposch (editor), 1994 Z1920505 1994 periodical issue horror
1 y separately published work icon Bloodsongs no. 2 June Chris A. Masters (editor), Steve Proposch (editor), 1994 Z1920503 1994 periodical issue horror
1 y separately published work icon Bloodsongs no. 1 January Chris A. Masters (editor), Steve Proposch (editor), 1994 Z1233417 1994 periodical issue horror
1 1 y separately published work icon Bloodsongs Blood Songs Steve Proposch (editor), Chris A. Masters (editor), Steve Proposch (editor), Cynthia Ariel Conlin (editor), 1994 Melbourne : Bambada Press , 1994-1996 Z519829 1994 periodical (11 issues) While running a second hand bookstore for a friend in 1993, and editing and publishing two horror fiction zines (EOD and Shoggoth), Chris Masters conceived the idea of publishing a professional horror magazine. Initially to be called Severed Head, Masters shut down production of the zines and convinced another friend, Steve Proposch, to take on the role of co-editor. In his account of the history of Bloodsongs, Masters recalls that at the time horror publishing in Australia, 'apart from a couple small press publications, was non-existent. Major publishers were just not interested in publishing local horror writers; this, despite the fact, that overseas names like Stephen King, Anne Rice, Dean Koontz and Clive Barker consistently made the top of the best-seller list' ('Bloodsongs').

Unable to find support from the Federal Government or from banks the magazine, renamed Bloodsongs, eventually went ahead through a small loan from Proposch's father. Operating out of an office in Commerce House, located in Melbourne's CBD, Masters and Proposch put the first issue out in January 1994 through Bambada Press. They were joined six months later by Bryce Stevens who was engaged as assistant editor. Kyla Ward acted as NSW agent and advertising manager for the magazine. The content comprised a mix of articles and stories, including fiction, poetry, non-fiction, artwork and interviews.

In their William Atheling Jr award-winning essay, 'A History of Australian Horror,' Bill Congreve, Sean McMullen and Steve Paulsen note that vthe first issue 'received some criticism for tending towards the splatter end of the genre... A Category One Restricted rating [from] the Attorney General's department saw it restricted to readers 18 years and older, and banned altogether in the state of Queensland" (ctd. Bonescribes: Year's Best Australian Horror 1995, p. 135)

Masters admits that by the time the third issue had been published they were aware the magazine was costing them far more to produce than it was making and had already putt us both several thousand dollars in debt. After some discussion Proposch opted to continue Bloodsongs on his own for a couple more issues in the hope that the situation might improve.
After the release of issue No 6 Proposch started negotiations with American publishers Dave Bauer and Cynthia Conlin (Implosion Publishing) to buy the magazine. Conlin took over as Editor-in-Chief from Bloodsongs No 8 with Steve Proposch remaining on board as fiction editor. Implosion went on to publish three more issues in the USA before folding the magazine down in 1998 after issue No 11.

Bloodsongs holds a unique place in the history of Australian horror publishing as it was the first real professional horror magazine in Australia. The Melbourne University Press's Encyclopaedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy (1998) considers Bloodsongs to be 'Australia's first professional horror and dark fantasy magazine' (p. 143). The entry also proposes that issues 4 to 7 reflect an insightful move away from 'graphic horror to a more balanced approach' (p.143).

Australian writers whose work was published in the magazine included Robert Hood, Sean Williams, Richard Harland, Kyla Ward, Steve Paulsen, Kaaron Warren, Kirstyn McDermott, Bill Congreve, and Sean McMullen. Issue No 1 also contained an interview with Leigh Blackmore.
1 y separately published work icon EOD no. 9 Chris A. Masters (editor), 1994 7476950 1994 periodical issue
1 y separately published work icon EOD no. 8 Chris A. Masters (editor), 1992 7476623 1992 periodical issue
1 y separately published work icon EOD no. 7 Chris A. Masters (editor), 1992 7474867 1992 periodical issue
1 y separately published work icon EOD no. 6 Chris A. Masters (editor), 1992 7473190 1992 periodical issue
1 y separately published work icon EOD no. 5 Chris A. Masters (editor), 1991 Z1053410 1991 periodical issue horror fantasy
1 y separately published work icon EOD no. 3 Chris A. Masters (editor), 1991 Z1053396 1991 periodical issue horror fantasy
1 y separately published work icon EOD no. 2 Chris A. Masters (editor), 1991 Z1053392 1991 periodical issue horror fantasy
1 What's for Dinner? Chris A. Masters , 1991 single work short story
— Appears in: EOD , no. 2 (p. 23-24)
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