About Jessica Burke

ABOUT

THE MYTH INK BOOKS FOUNDERS



Jessica Burke and Anthony Burdge have been writing and editing for the past 13 years. Their work as Independent Scholars, in the realm of Tolkien and Mythopoeic Studies began with articles, essays, and critical work that earned them The Beyond Bree Award for outstanding contribution to Tolkien study. For the better part of 10 years, we ran Heren Istarion: The Northeast Tolkien Society, and during that time coordinated conferences, gave lectures, and enjoyed some success with their critical work. But consider them selves, first and foremost, writers of weird and eclectic tales, especially those in what would be called a Lovecraftian vein. While writing academic work, they were trying to get squirrelling away fiction.



In 2010, their first collection of academic essays, edited with Kristine Larsen, published by Kitsune Books: The Mythological Dimensions of Doctor Who. The success of that spawned a second volume in 2012, The Mythological Dimensions of Neil Gaiman. Jessica, Kristine and Anthony, along with editor Anne Petty, had envisioned what was to be a series of academic work written by fans for fans. Unfortunately, Kitsune Books closed their doors at the end of 2012. After many years of being a bright point in the world of independent publishing, after bringing work to print that would have never seen print in the conventional mass-market publishing world, it was heart-breaking to see the close of Kitsune.



Jessica and Anthony decided to create Myth Ink Books in the months that followed Kitsune’s closing, predominantly with the inspiration to keep the independent publishing spirit alive. They reissued both titles in the Mythological Dimensions series, and released their collection of weird fiction, The Friendly Horror and Other Weird Tales. It is their hope that Myth Ink Books can help those who’ve written work that others may find just a bit too weird, eclectic or profound for print.



Myth Ink Books has several future volumes planned, both fiction and critical work. Myth Ink Books seeks to publish what would be deemed Weird Fiction, Horror, Fantasy, and similar styles of fiction, as well as the related critical non-fiction, academic work.