A cover of Lord Satan which I obtained via Absinthe's Gloomy Sunday blog, at her invitation [thank you!]. Can see the "Satanic Gothic" logo in the upper left-hand [how appropriate!] corner.I also have three other novels in this Avon line [the covers of which I cannot find]: The Twisted Tree by Lynn Benedict; Red Wine of Rapture by Margaret Worth [the latter is on its way from a Canadian bookstore]; and Mark of the Rope by Miriam Lynch [I previously posted its image above, but it's not a good scan (obtained via Ebay)].
Here's a list of Avon "Satanic Gothic" editions:
http://tinyurl.com/6zl4cu [and like usual the Link feature doesn't work!]
I've wondered for a while why Avon books? A few minutes' search yielded up the result of Avon having been the publisher of Anton LaVey's "The Satanic Bible." And at the time, of course, "Rosemary's Baby" had been a runaway novel/film hit. Attempting to cash in on the "Satanic Panic" craze I presume. I tried to discover if LaVey himself might have given his "blessing" on the Avon Satanic Gothic line, but to no avail.
2 comments:
The satanic Gothics have been a fascination of mine for awhile now. I've been able to find pretty much zippo about them. I have most of the books you referenced and can scan them in for you if you want. Lord Satan was already featured on my blog so you can snatch a scan from there. Red Wine of Rapture is one I've been wanting to get my hands on but haven't managed to as yet. I'll try and collect all mine up and do a little post on them also!
"I have most of the books you referenced and can scan them in for you if you want."
Yeah -- wow; that'd be great. Thanks!
"Lord Satan was already featured on my blog so you can snatch a scan from there."
I appreciate the offer; thank you.
"The satanic Gothics have been a fascination of mine for awhile now. I've been able to find pretty much zippo about them."
I remember first pulling "Mark of the Rope" by Miriam Lynch off the shelf and being surprised by the goat's head logo and "A Satanic Gothic." That was rather gutsy for the time! I doubt anyone in my hometown would have had the courage to stock and sale such a book, much less buy one on Main Street. ;-P I wondered how many other Satanic Gothics had been published. A few months later the spine of "The Twisted Tree" interested me; pulled it out and yet another Satanic Gothic.
As for "Red Wine of Rapture," I'd placed an order at a Canadian bookstore for a Signet double Gothic. I then browsed their entire Gothic section and found "Red Wine of Rapture" which is listed as a Satanic Gothic. Snatched it up.
As for any direct connection to Anton LaVey [Avon published his "The Satanic Bible"]...on 2nd thought I rather doubt it. The "Satanism" in these novels is what a LaVeyan Satanist would consider "Hollywood Satanism" -- pure sensationalism and based on a real/literal/living Prince of Darkness. LaVey and his fellows didn't/don't believe in a literal Satan; they're hedonistic atheists [by their own admission].
If I turn up any info on this line, I'll definitely post it. It's darkly humorous to me that Avon books published these, considering the *Avon* perfume/cosmetics line, lol. {Ding-dong}...HELLo; I'm your neighborhood Avon lady, here to ask if you'd like to buy a Satanic Gothic...{door slams in face} Lol!
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