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Showing posts from February, 2016

The Lady of the Helm by T.O.Munro

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Did you know that J.K.Rowling's first book, Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone, was rejected by every major publisher in the UK before it was picked up by Bloomsbury? The Harry Potter series are possibly one of the most loved book series ever, and it almost wasn't published. So how many more writers are out there waiting to be discovered and plucked from obscurity? Are there more J.K.Rolwings out there floating around in the void of anonyminity? Since deciding to take my writing a lot more seriously through writing and publishing short stories I have learnt that there are so many great authors out there. You can easily find them through short story magazines such as Sanitarium, Lamplight, Nightmare Magazine and Apex to name just a few. For every literally superstar there are ten others that have yet to receive their much deserved recognition. The good news now with the ability for us writers to self publish is that it's not that hard to find them. The world

Shadows at the Door

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I'm very proud to announce that my latest short story, Earthly Joy , is appearing on a brand new site Shadows at the Door Shadows at the door is a new site that publishes original horror fiction on their site as well as audio productions. Their stories are also accompanied by beautifully macabre illustrations by London artist Barney Bodoano . I thoroughly recommend taking a look at this great site and all their stories, podcasts and articles are free to read online. One of Barney Bodoano's wonderful illustrations My latest story, Earthly Joy , is about a man who comes to in the middle of nowhere, he has no idea how he got there or where he's going but inside there's a desperate instinct for survival. He comes across a house which stirs his memory, he knows it is a bad place but he must enter if he is to save himself. You can read Earthly Joy here 

Aphelion Magazine Issue 203 Volume 20 - February 2016

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Aphelion is a webzine that brings you the latest tales of science fiction and fantasy. It has been running since 1997 and now celebrates it's 20th year. Aphelion produces a monthly webzine that is packed with short stories, long fiction, poetry, features and flash fiction. You can read all the issues including this one for free here! Initiation by Stephen Faulkner "It's just the way of things," Joe explained to me, whispering close to my ear. "When I came here for my 'nitiation 'bout five years ago, this place was crawlin' with guards and we  had  to be careful. Now that the place is closed and they're all gone, well... We just keep it up as a sort of remembrance to back then when it was really dangerous t'learn the secret.' " At half-five they always come for Janie and because it's a Wednesday she heeds their call and follows. This great story is dark from the offset and foreboding with a conjured atmosphere of

A Happy Reminder That Spring Has Sprung

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I'm very happy to announce that one of my short stories, The Tail of the Sea Upon the Thief's Path,  has been published in Aphelion Magazine - The Webzine of Science Fiction and Fantasy . This is my first story to be published in 2016 and I hope it signals more sucess to come in the following months. With my darling daughter turning one last month things have certainly calmed down, the sleep has returned and with that my sanity! Now I have more time to do what I love- writing! Aphelion is a great magazine and if you've never read it before I suggest you give it a go, issues are free to read online and are packed with top quality stories and poetry. If you like to read my short story - The Tail of the Sea Upon the Thief's Path - click here Jack once made a solemn and binding promise, except now he can't remember his pact, he'll say anything to get what he wants.  But when he arrives back in the lawless town of Torrpoint there's the  constant soun

The Inn of the Seven Blessings by Matthew Hughes

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The Inn of the Seven Blessings by Matthew Hughes Raffalon is a young thief down on his luck with dismal  prospects. Hiding out in the forest near the border of Vandaayoland he witnesses a savage band of Vandaayo warriors steal away with their intended human sacrifice. There he sees an opportunity and rummages through the victims scattered posessions that had been left behind. To his amazement he finds, amongst the usual rubbish, a small wooden box that he can sell on at the bazaar in Port Thayes, but it gets even better, it's a puzzle box and then on even further closer inspection it's a magic puzzle box. Raffalon is a clever thief and figures out how to open the magical box leading him on a mad escapade through the forest that borders with the notorious Vandaayoland; a land inhabited with savage beasts who fear nothing. Along his way he meets with funny characters that through Mathew Hughes writing skills are quickly brought to life. This is a great tale which is r

Sprig by Alex Bledsoe

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As I mother I firmly beleive that children have just as much knowledge to teach adults as we have to impart to them.Children are magical creatures in themselves their views have not been manipulated and moulded by our society, logic and adults. Still they retain a sense of magic that sadly most adults lose as they grow. There is more magic in the world than we realise and this charming and delightful story captures that perfectly. It recounts the tale of a little boy,Cyrus who has lost his parents at Bristol Renaissance Faire. For those who don't live in the U.S these are outdoor festivals where people come together to celebrate a time and way of life  long since passed in the mortal world, such as vikings, folklore, medieval etc. There he meets a beautiful young girl, Sprig Petalbotom, who is not as she seems. Is she a fairy or just a college kid dressed like one? Sprig by Alex Bledsoe was first published in issue 42 of Apex Magazine which also features an interview with h

Sea Magic by Mary Williams

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Mary Williams was Cornwall's leading ghost writers and during her career produced 17 volumes of amazing ghost stories most of which were set in Cornwall. Before she turned her hand to writing these ghostly tales she was a romance writer and had several novels published. What's clear in her writing is that she loved Cornwall where she lived from 1947 until her death in 2000 at the grand age of 97. It was reported that she carried on writing right up to her death. What I really love about Mary Williams is that she has the ability to both amuse and disturb, her stories are not horrific or gore infested but light and creepy. She is able to plunge her readers into a totally immersive atmosphere that is both haunting and beautiful and shows you the ancient hidden depths of Cornwall which was once a savage and powerful land deeply associated with ancient Celtic folklore and legends. Sea Magic which was originally published in The Dark Land - A Book of Cornish Ghost Stories