Author Charles Beaumont
Ray Bradbury once called Charles Beaumont a pomegranate. This wasn’t due to the fact that Beaumont had a fruity disposition, but rather because the seeds of his labor had gone all over. Despite the fact that Beaumont (1929–1967) died much too young, he remains one of the most influential American authors in the subgenres of horror and science fiction.
The team at Skyboat has been in love with his short stories for many, many years, though most will remember him for his work in TV and film, particularly for his success in penning several beloved episodes of The Twilight Zone.
Skyboat is thrilled to publish not one, not two, but three of Beaumont’s works on audio… Actually, make that four.
Listen to audiobook samples of each title on Skyboat’s SoundCloud!
How about starting with his first published novel, written with John Tomerlin?
A classic “wrong man” suspense novel, RUN FROM THE HUNTER is a fast-paced, tightly plotted thriller about a man convicted of a crime he did not commit. En route to prison, there is a train crash, giving him the perfect opportunity to escape – and set out to prove his innocence.
Sound a bit familiar? This novel inspired The Fugitive! Stefan Rudnicki narrates Beaumont’s thrilling debut.
Here’s what’s been said about Beaumont and this gripping classic:
“In his first published novel, Charles Beaumont demonstrates all the hallmarks of his future writings: a love for language, the mix of tense societal situations leading to an explosion of rage, in-depth character analyses, the use of vivid imagery, dramatic dialogue, sensitivity, a keen sense for societal commentary coupled with an eclectic style, and a vivid visual imagination.” —Harold Lee Prossner, The Life and Works of Charles Beaumont
And all of those hallmarks are on clear display in THE INTRUDER, Beaumont’s portrait of mid-1950s America.
THE INTRUDER by Charles Beaumont
Read by Stefan Rudnicki
He was a leader of men, but he was evil. He was a stranger, but he brought lust and love, rape and hate to this quiet southern town. He was … the intruder. It was a sleepy southern town with nice folks and good schools. Then the intruder arrived from the North. With him came trouble, fear, and hate so vicious it could turn neighbor against neighbor, child against child, white against black—and destroy them all.
And now, on to the stories!
Originally published in 1960, NIGHT RIDE AND OTHER JOURNEYS was Beaumont’s third collection of stories.
It includes one of his most famous tales, “The Howling Man,” which Beaumont later
adapted into an equally famous Twilight Zone episode. This collection is narrated by Stefan Rudnicki, Paul Boehmer, and the one and only Harlan Ellison, who met Beaumont back in Chicago many years ago and shared a great friendship with him. The savvy Susan Hanfield directed.
Beaumont is also the subject of a fact-packed documentary: “Charles Beaumont: The Short Life of Twilight Zone’s Magic Man” by writer and filmmaker Jason Brock. This two-hour tale pieces together the man Beaumont was through the countless writers he influenced: see icons such as Ray Bradbury, our very own narrator Harlan Ellison, and many more, share stories of Beaumont, his writing and his life, not to mention some excellent Twilight Zone clips. Catch the extended trailer below:
And since one collection of Beaumont’s stories simply isn’t enough, we are pleased to add the THE HUNGER, AND OTHER STORIES to our Charles Beaumont lineup, recorded by some killer narrators.
“Extraordinary … gives Mr. Beaumont undeniable stature as an artist.” — N.Y. Herald Tribune
Published in 1957, THE HUNGER, AND OTHER STORIES is Beaumont’s first collection. August Derleth praised it as “A memorable first book of fiction, one which belongs on any shelf of the best contemporary weird tales” in the Chicago Tribune.
THE HUNGER, AND OTHER STORIES by Charles Beaumont
Read by Paul Boehmer, Gabrielle de Cuir, and Stefan Rudnicki
Ranging in tone from the chilling gothic horror of “Miss Gentilbelle,” where an insane mother dresses her son up as a girl and slaughters his pets, to deliciously dark humor in tales like “Open House” and “The Infernal Bouillabaisse,” where murderers’ plans go disastrously awry, these seventeen stories demonstrate Beaumont’s remarkable talent and versatility.
THE HUNGER, AND OTHER STORIES SkyCast:
Miss Gentilbelle – read by Stefan Rudnicki
The Vanishing American – read by Paul Boehmer
A Point of Honor – read by Stefan Rudnicki
Fair Lady – read by Gabrielle de Cuir
Free Dirt – read by Stefan Rudnicki
Open House – read by Paul Boehmer
The Train – read by Stefan Rudnicki
The Dark Music – read by Gabrielle de Cuir
The Customers – read by Paul Boehmer
Last Night the Rain – read by Stefan Rudnicki
The Crooked Man – read by Paul Boehmer
Nursery Rhyme – read by Stefan Rudnicki
The Murderers – read by Stefan Rudnicki
The Hunger – read by Gabrielle de Cuir
Tears of the Madonna – read by Stefan Rudnicki
The Infernal Bouillabaisse – read by Paul Boehmer
Black Country – read by Stefan Rudnicki
