A collection of strange contemporary stories featuring outsiders and their tormentors – from the paper based life forms of Alan, to the ghosts of migrants haunting The International Hotel; from the bizarre Two Way Man accused of shocking crimes in 19th Century America, to the teenage bullies of Electricity. These stories include horror, humour, historical fiction, and fantasy. They highlight our capacity for good and for evil – for terrible acts, and for generosity of spirit. And they force us to ask, ‘Who are the real monsters here?’
I am lucky enough to have one of my stories in this rather wonderful collection published by Mantel Lane Press. Check it out here… you might like it!
So EXCITED to have one of my stories in this most excellent anthology by NewCon Press…
“Have you ever wondered what the fairy tales of alien cultures are like? For hundreds of years scholars and writers have collected and retold folk and fairy stories from around our world. They are not alone. On distant planets alien chroniclers have done the same. For just as our world is steeped in legends and half-remembered truths of the mystic and the magical, so are theirs.”
I attended Milford shortly after my first publication came out in John Klima’s now legendary “Electric Velocipede”. This was in 2006, a year when things, in writing terms, started happening for me.
Foremost among these was Milford. I submitted the two requisite pieces of work – a surrealist fantasy piece called “A Doom of My Own” (later published in John Klima’s “EV”) and a short story called “BleakWarrior Meets the Sons of Brawl”, now the first chapter of a recently released novel entitled BleakWarrior.
When I look back, it seems to me that “A Doom of My Own” gained the most favour in terms of its reception by the Milford group. But it didn’t cause as much of a reaction as the other piece, which is the basis for a very important and inspiring lesson for me.
I was nervous about submitting “BleakWarrior Meets the Sons of Brawl” because…
One Step Beyond is an anthology that came into being in the minds of a group of SFF writers–more specifically writers that have survived the gauntlet of the Milford experience (and clamoured for more)–who are also members of the ‘One Step Beyond’ writing and critiquing group.
It was decided that each member would donate a story (a reprint) and that all proceeds from sales (bar minimum admin costs) would go to the charity English PEN, which supports writers facing legal problems around the world.
The anthology contains stories written by: Jaine Fenn, Vaughan Stanger, Mike Lewis, Heather Lindsley, Alys Sterling, Mark Bilsborough, Liz Holliday, and there’s one in there from yours truly.
Many thanks go to Vaughan Stanger, who has done all the hard work of organising and editing the anthology; and to Jaine Fenn who is publishing the ebook via her Tower of Chaos imprint. The excellent cover art was created by Tony Hughes.
The official launch of the anthology is on 17th November, but you can get hold of a discounted copy if you pre-order now. Support English PEN and enjoy a raft of great stories!
Published by New American Press, MAYDAY Magazine presents new poetry, fiction, nonfiction, translations, commentary, and visual art to an international community of readers. And this issue has one of my stories in it! Hurrah! Not SFF though. But hey, I’m allowed to write other stuff. Hope you enjoy reading.
OK, so this isn’t an SFF story. Who said I could only write in one genre? This story was inspired by an emotionally charged moment, the subtle reaction of a crowd that both surprised and disappointed me. It stayed with me. And then found expression as a story:
Make sure you take advantage of the opportunity to nominate a short story from your favourite podcast. I admit to a vested interest as I have a short story on the Cast of Wonders podcast entitled ‘Patterns’.
All the stories are great. Have a read/listen and remember to nominate!
There comes a time when I just can’t look at it any more–and by ‘it’ I mean my dissertation. So, I took a break and wrote a fun (but interesting!) article for Astronaut.com. I found my self decidedly cheered up by their return email and the posting of ‘On The Coat-Tails of Science Fiction’ to their site that very morning.
Around this time last year I participated in a series of workshops that explored ways of engaging with the city of London via writing. Entitled ‘Write Around Town’ and facilitated by writer Shaun Levin, each workshop took place in a different venue. I found myself writing in galleries and museums, department stores and cafes. All fun, and more importantly, great prompts for creativity.
As a primarily science fiction writer, I surprised myself by writing a couple of pieces of fairly decent ‘general’ fiction. The work generated during the adventure of ‘writing around town’ has now appeared in an anthology, published by Tree House Press and edited by Shaun Levin. The anthology is entitled ‘Writers in the Crowd’ and can be found both on Amazon, and more pertinently on the Tree House Press website.
My story: Junction 13: There and Back Again is, believe it or not, about driving on the M25. Sounds dry, huh? Well, to my surprise the piece really took hold of me; it wasn’t exactly a pleasure to write, but the damned thing wouldn’t let me go until I’d finished it.
Fortunately for me, I am within spitting distance of completing my MA in Creative Writing. This means that I am at liberty to sign up for the next ‘Write Around Town’ course, which starts in October this year. I’m looking forward to meeting new people, and writing for fun in interesting places. And you never know, some of the work may well appear in print.
I attended Milford shortly after my first publication came out in John Klima’s now legendary “Electric Velocipede”. This was in 2006, a year when things, in writing terms, started happening for me.
It was decided that each member would donate a story (a reprint) and that all proceeds from sales (bar minimum admin costs) would go to the charity 
Loving Life in the Rain 