Tag: Flame Tree

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March 2020

Well, writing-wise so far 2020 has been very productive. I can now announce 2 professional level short story acceptances. Both will appear in publications later this year. And there is a third piece of news… that for now will have to remain under-wraps. But I hope to announce it soon.

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Image: Flame Tree Publishing

Firstly, though. After having to keep quiet for a few weeks, I can now gleefully announce that my original, contemporary, short horror ‘You Think You Are Safe’ will be appearing in Flame Tree’s ‘Footsteps in the Dark’ – one of the newest additions to their Gothic Fantasy range. And isn’t that cover just gorgeous? This will be my seventh appearance in their range, and it will be the second ‘second person’ horror story I’ve sold within a year. It’s a rather dark tale which revolves around a young couple in hiding: a researcher who is trying in vain to keep under control his lycanthrope girlfriend whilst feverishly searching for a cure. FT announcement link here. Amazon link here.

Image: Cossmass Infinities

My second short story sale is with Cosmass Infinities! A new SFF magazine. My story… deep breath… ‘A Study of Mesozoic ‘Schistosoma’ in the Late Cretaceous Period and their Abundance in Large Theropods’ will be appearing in the venue’s second issue, due out in May. I’m thrilled about this, especially seeing the table of contents… and because the editor hasn’t mentioned anything about cutting such a stupendously long title (Shh! I love him a little bit for that). This story proves I actually used my parasitology Master degree for something, although probably not what my folks expected. Amazon link here.

It’s a humorous SF loosely based on that time Robyn and I took that time travelling research course at uni, where I was stuck shovelling dino-dung while she went off to fight krackens… which may or may not have actually happened… (Thanks for the beta read, Robs).

Image: the current selection of Flame Tree’s Gothic Fantasy which include my work, beautifully showcased by my fabulous new bookends.
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December Summary 2018

Ho ho ho, it’s Christmas month! And it’s started out merry indeed, because Santa sent some early Christmas presents – these landed on the doorstep. Chicken Soup for the Soul‘s ‘The Wonder of Christmas’ contains my short real-life story, Solved, which is about my feisty feline, Cas, and how she gets herself into trouble during the holiday season. The book is chock full of feel-good stories that’ll make you smile, so it’s a good choice for a stocking filler. Royalties from sales go to support Toys for Tots too. A book trailer, featuring Editor and Publisher Amy Newmark, has also been released on Youtube which explains more about the book and is well worth a watch. ? #CSSTheWonderofChristmas

Image: Flame Tree Publishing
Continue reading “December Summary 2018”
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Spotted in the Wild

This was so awesome! Walked into Keele University’s Blackwell’s yesterday and released squeals of writerly joy. A WHOLE shelf given over to the four Flame Tree books I have short stories in, along with a lovely little note underneath. They’re sat up there with the likes of ‘The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe’, ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ and ‘The Complete Cthulhu Mythos Tales’. Although I’ve always known they were ‘out there’ this is the first time I’ve ever personally seen them in the wild (before now I’ve just seen other people’s photos from far and yonder, which, while wonderful, don’t quite compare to seeing the real thing yourself), so this has been a major highlight of the week. Big thanks to Cathrene Rowell who, I’m sure, played a pretty big role in bringing this about. Continue reading “Spotted in the Wild”

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September 2018

This has been a month for contributor copies! Three different selections arrived in the post. There’s nothing quite like that feeling when you rip open a parcel to find your words in print under such beautiful cover art. The words ‘My Precious…’ come to mind.

Anyway, here they are. First, and most recent, are my copies of Robots & Artificial Intelligence Short Stories, another in Flame Tree’s growing Gothic Fantasy series. This book contains the revised version of my short SF-romance story, GOD is in the Rain (which first appeared in A Bleak New World by Raven International Publishing). I’m thrilled to be a part of this collection, appearing alongside such esteemed company as: Continue reading “September 2018”

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April 2018

First Short Story Acceptance of the year! (And it’s pro-pay!)

My story, GOD is in the Rain, is going to appear in one of Flame Tree Publishing’s new anthologies, Robots & AI! I’m absolutely thrilled! 😀 The story is about a form of nanotechnology that runs rampant across the world, rewriting personalities, and it previously appeared in a Bleak New World by Raven International Publishing. The cover art Flame Tree has designed is absolutely gorgeous, as usual.

Photo credit: Flame Tree Publishing

Continue reading “April 2018”

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December 2017

Photo credit: Nemma Wollenfang

Huzzah! My contributor copies of Pirates & Ghosts arrived, which contain my salty sea yarn ‘Echo the Damned’. I’m honoured to be sharing the pages with such fabulous writer folks as: Erica Barnes, Adrian Chamberlin, Jennifer R. Povey, and Jeremy TeGrotenhuis, as well as old literary masters like: Arthur Conan Doyle, Homer, Rudyard Kipling, H.P. Lovecraft, Robert Louis Stevenson (of course) and H.G. Wells. Thanks to Flame Tree Publishing for including my tale in yet another awesome book in their bestselling Gothic Fantasy series.

A short story has also been accepted by Old Sins for their Beyond Steampunk anthology, and a poem has been accepted by FrostFire Worlds. It’s due to appear in the August issue.

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October 2017 – Author Q&As

I be getting tingles over this. Ya-har! ☠ My pirate story, ‘Echo the Damned’, is due to appear in Flame Tree’s Pirates & Ghosts Short Story Collection, and here be the first part of the authors’ Q&A about what inspired these swashbuckling yarns. Followed by the second part, in which we discuss our favourite works in the genre and give a glimpse into our writing processes.

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August 2017

STORY WIN! My tiny microfiction, ‘It Wasn’t There Yesterday’, has won the Great Eighty Challenge (for 80 word stories) run by Third Word Press. I wrote it at my last writers’ group meeting – so big thanks to Marian for providing the exercise prompt for that evening. It’s already up on the site so here’s a link if you’re interested. It’s a pretty cool project they’re running too, with copies sold helping the homeless. A first print copy of winning stories has already been released, and it’s tiny! Not much bigger than a fifty pence piece! Fingers crossed that another collection can go to print, because I’d be absolutely jazzed to see my story in one of these pocket-sized cuties. The contest runs every 2 weeks and is free to enter, so if anyone wants a go it’s always open. Go on, writer friends, go play…

Photo credit: Flame Tree Publishing

I can also reveal that my dark historical pirate story, ‘Echo the Damned’, is going to appear in Flame Tree Publishing’s Pirates & Ghosts Short Stories anthology! ☠☠☠ This gorgeous new addition to their notorious Gothic Fantasy series includes such names as Arthur Conan Doyle, Rudyard Kipling, H.P. Lovecraft, Robert Louis Stevenson and H.G. Wells, along with a host of new authors whose work I can’t wait to read. I’m absolutely thrilled!

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