I wasn’t really aware of just how enduringly popular the Occult Detective is in literature and other art forms until recently. It was through fellow writer and aficionado of weird fiction and long dogs, John Linwood Grant, that I had my initiation into the genre. John, with Sam Gafford, edits a new publication that promises…
Tag: short story
New anthology of tales featuring strange beasts
The Random Writers’ new anthology Stalking Leviathan, a Bestiary of Tales was released last week, and speaking as one of the three editors, I think the ‘Randoms’ have surpassed themselves with invention, style and creativity. We’re conducting a Book Blast on Friday 7 October, so come and have a chat to the authors and editors…
New book of short stories released
The second Random Writers anthology of short stories, which I have co-edited with J.A. Ironside, is to be released soon – ‘Something Rich And Strange: The Past Is Prologue’ will be available for download on 12 December, and as a paperback shortly afterwards. ‘It started with the Zhar-ptitsa, the Firebird, as these things must. No,…
Shortlisted for the Bridport Prize
I am delighted to announce that my short story ‘Energy’ has been shortlisted for the prestigious Bridport Prize – I can be found somewhere here! Godinheaven. The car’s assaulting your senses, taking them over, torrent of colour, noise, it grips you and shakes you. Brake and your brain tries to escape through your eyesockets. You’re…
Eighteen-eighty – Fiction
Last night I dreamt of 1880. I know why. They’d been taking pieces of me away. 1880 was when I lost the biggest piece. Not mast, or keel, or frame – they can be replaced. 1880 was when I lost my Captain. In truth I don’t know where I end or they begin. I feel…
The Once And Future Arthur
It wasn’t a conscious decision that both my stories in the anthology A Seeming Glass were based on reworkings of Arthurian legend. Neither could it said to be entirely coincidental. When it comes to new visions of old stories, King Arthur and the ‘Matter of Britain’ has been at it longer than most. Almost everything…
Stealing the editor’s chair
My co-editor JA Ironside has already given a fascinating account of the process of editing the anthology A Seeming Glass on her blog here, so I shan’t go over ground she has so ably covered. That said, I thought it might be interesting to add my perspective on how this collection of stories came into…
New anthology – A Seeming Glass
The anthology of short stories I have co-edited with J.A. Ironside will be published on 7 August A Seeming Glass – A Collection of Reflected Tales ‘How can I read the futures if I cannot see your skin?’ Six mysterious swans glide on a holographic pond in a totalitarian capital city. A terrified girl awaits…
A longlisting, and a new collection
A project I have been working on for some time with a group of very talented writers is nearing readiness, and the time has arrived where we can come out of the closet. A Seeming Glass – A collection of Reflected Tales, by the Random Writers, will soon be available. I think, even though I…
Stories for Homes anthology – supporting Shelter
Several very good friends of mine have stories in this very exciting anthology, just released today. Stories for Homes is a collection of stories inspired by the theme of ‘home’, and all the proceeds will go to the charity Shelter. If that weren’t reason enough, early feedback suggests that this is an amazingly good collection…
The chase – a story of a spy in the sky
Since he arrived in Malta, it had been drummed into Pilot Officer Peter Ross that using your radio in the air was “a wonderful way to commit suicide.” Air Commodore Frank had snapped that at him on his first day. “The enemy has stations only a handful of miles away. They’ll have a fix on…
Shipping forecast stories
The short series of stories about the shipping forecast were originally written for the monthly competition on the Word Cloud writing community. There are three so far, but another is on its way. The first, ‘German Bight’ is based around the Battle of Heligoland Bight, one of a series of clashes between German and British…
Air and Sea Stories 
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