Horror Classics Reimagined: Dead & Read Merges Literature with Heavy Metal Culture

The music industry really knows how to give their fans covetable and collectible memorabilia, which is just not something you usually associate with books.

Dead & Read launches a unique fusion of classic literature with a heavy metal twist.

Max Minerva’s Co-Founder, Sam Taylor, brings his expertise from both the music and book industries to the forefront.

Literature lovers can now express their passion with exclusive merchandise including posters, t-shirts, and collectibles.

Limited Edition Collections: Only 666 copies featuring classics like Frankenstein, The Turn Of The Screw, and In A Glass Darkly.

World-Renowned Artwork: Illustrations by Dan Mumford, known for his work with Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Queens Of The Stone Age.

Dead & Read, a trailblazing literary venture, is excited to announce its Kickstarter launch, aiming to revolutionise the world of classic literature. With the infusion of heavy metal aesthetics, Dead & Read bridges the gap between literary enthusiasts and rock culture, epitomising the innovative spirit of its founder, Sam Taylor.

Reviving the Classics with a Roaring Beat

Bookish fans have pondered over the absence of merchandise for classic literature in the same way the music industry celebrates its artists. Recognising this unfortunate void, Sam Taylor, whose career has crossed over from music to books, was inspired to provide literature fans with high quality, collectible art. With Dead & Read, Taylor seamlessly blends the reverence for classic literature with the edgy, rebellious spirit of heavy metal.

Merchandising the Classics 

Key Features of Dead & Read's offerings:

 Reimagined book covers combining the charm of classic tales with heavy metal designs.

Exclusive apparel including t-shirts showcasing iconic literary figures in heavy metal renditions.

“As a live music fan, I love the ability to collect posters and other merchandise that keeps the memory of the moment alive. The music industry really knows how to give their fans covetable and collectible memorabilia, which is just not something you find with books. So we’re launching our first collection of Classics - three Horror titles with a Heavy Metal twist,” says founder Sam Taylor.

Beyond The Books: Dead & Read’s Authentic Merchandise

The artistic elements extends beyond the pages. Every book is complemented by screen-printed t-shirts and signed posters, turning each piece into a collector's dream. The horror-heavy metal blend is visually represented by the spellbinding illustrations of Dan Mumford, who has a rich history of creating for rock legends like Metallica and Iron Maiden.

This is Dead & Read’s first Kickstarter, inviting readers and music lovers to wear their passions, quite literally, and proclaim their love for age-old tales with a contemporary twist.

Horror x Heavy Metal: An Unparalleled Edition

With just 666 copies of each horror classic, these collections are exclusive masterpieces. This iconic number pays homage to the horror genre and the brilliant imagery that goes with it.

Dead & Read’s collections are the future for literature and music lovers Dive into the tales, wear the stories, and embrace the rhythm. Visit Dead & Read's Kickstarter page to secure your limited edition collection.

About Dead & Read

Dead & Read is a literary initiative by Sam Taylor, co-founder of Max Minerva’s Books, an independent bookshop with locations in Bristol and Portishead. With a history in both the music industry and book trade, Taylor envisioned a platform where literature and music collide, resulting in collectibles that fans across both realms would treasure. Dead & Read is more than a brand; it's a revolution in the world of literature and music.

For press inquiries, please contact: Sam Taylor Founder, Dead & Read

Phone: +44 7901 042 165

Email: hello@deadandread.co

Website: Their Kickstarter Page is at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/deadandread/three-horror-classics-with-a-heavy-metal-twist

Social Media Handles: @deadandread on Instagram

The Gruffalo named Britain’s most popular first read as nation celebrates National Book Lovers Day

As book lovers rejoice and join together on Wednesday for National Book Lovers Day, a new study has learned that the most popular first reads parents are picking up for their children today.

Commissioned by The Works, (EDITOR My favourite bookshop!) the survey discovered one in five parents are picking up Julia Donaldson books to read to their children for the very first time, with The Gruffalo leading the way as the most popular first read.

A number of classics featured on the list, including The Very Hungry Caterpillar which is still being enjoyed as a first read over 50 years on from its release. 

Also, the study also explored reading trends, uncovering that those parents who were introduced to reading later in their own childhoods, significantly more likely to read to their own children at a later stage in their development.

44% of parents read to children from birth

However, those parents who were late to reading themselves could be stunting their own child’s progression

As the nation celebrates National Book Lovers Day on Wednesday (August 9), a new study has unveiled The Gruffalo as the go-to book when it comes to reading to our children for the very first time.

The Survey, commissioned by The Works, aimed to uncover reading habits among parents and children and whether our own experiences of reading influences how we read to our children, as well as the top books we read to children today.

And the results proved overwhelmingly favourable towards Julia Donaldson titles, with The Gruffalo not only taking the crown as the number one read book to children, but with titles such as Zog and Room on the Broom also popular, a total of one in five children have a Donaldson book read to them as their very first story.

Donaldson books were joined by some old favourites, including The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which is still the second most popular first book read to children, despite being over 50-years-old, while the That’s Not My… series, written by Fiona Watt is the third most common set of books read to children as their first reads.

The full top 10 first books parents read to their children:

The Gruffalo

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

That’s Not My… 

Guess How Much I Love You

Peppa Pig

Spot 

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Dear Zoo

Winnie the Pooh

Harry Potter

When it comes to the age in which we’re reading to our children, book lovers will be pleased to see 44% of parents pick up a book to engage their children in storytime from birth, with a further 27% of parents doing so from under the age of two.

But the study also revealed 10% of adults questioned for the survey don’t remember reading their first book until they were in secondary school, resulting in parents 20% less likely to read to their child under the age of two, while less than one in five parents that don’t recall reading until after the age of 12 will introduce reading to their own children from birth.

You can view the full study at: https://www.theworks.co.uk/theworks-blog/book-inspiration/the-first-book-we-remember.html

Britons Take to Books on National Reading Group Day

Reading groups celebrate first annual event today, Saturday 25th June.

Avid readers around the country will be flocking to their local independent bookshops for discussion groups, author events and lunches, to celebrate National Reading Group Day, (NRGD), today, Saturday 25th June.

The day is part of Independent Booksellers Week (IBW) and demonstrates what the ‘indies’ do best - creating and supporting their local community. Reading groups have enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, encouraged by local independent bookshops who host, and in many cases run, local reading groups. Many are well-established, while others are being launched on NRGD itself.

As well as author-led talks and discussion groups, activities include competitions and even a world record attempt.

A visit by Dawn French to a reading group is being offered as first prize in a major national competition, launched tomorrow, Saturday. The competition is open to all reading groups in the UK who are invited to enter by explaining, in 30 words or less, why Dawn should come to their reading group. The competition celebrates the paperback publication this month of Dawn’s No.1 bestseller, A Tiny Bit Marvellous. More information is available at www.readinggroups.org/dawnfrench.

More unusual initiatives include the launch of a world record attempt for the largest ever reading group. The attempt by The Big Green Bookshop, Wood Green, London, takes place on 30th July and will be made by joining people nationwide using social networking sites, a website forum, Skype and video links. An online discussion will take place from 4pm–8pm, with a central forum set up for people to share their views.

In addition, a new series of The TV Book Club Summer Read starts this weekend on More4, giving reading groups the opportunity to read along with the series. The programme is offering the chance for a reading group to watch filming on 19th July – more information is available at www.readinggroups.org/tvbookclub

FACTFILE:
• National Reading Group Day is part of Independent Booksellers Week, an annual celebration of the ‘the indies’ around the country, run by The Booksellers Association.

• The Booksellers Association is working in partnership with The Reading Agency’s Reading Groups for Everyone initiative, a central database and resource on reading groups.