S.J.Budd

In the tale of Pseudotooth we find Aisling Selkirk,a young girl stuck in that strange period of our lives where we all endure the transition from adolescence to adulthood. It's something we've all been through, being deeply unsure of what it is we're supposed to do with our lives and just what is laying in wait around the corner. But Aisling is what you would call - extremely farsighted - and can see beyond the sphere that everyone sees. As a result she suffers mental trauma which presents itself in the physical manifestations of strange blackouts and seizures which no doctor can explain. Beverly, her mother soon tires of her daughter's condition being deeply embarrassed that her daughter is a social pariah and hampering her own efforts with fitting in. After a brief stint in a psychiatric ward which has done nothing to sort out her condition, Aisling is sent to deep rural Suffolk to stay in a grand old house with her great aunt Edythe. Aisling's mother mo...

For any of you budding writers out there this is quite literally a fairy tale of success to keep your dreams alive. The Copper Promise started off as a serialisation and was self published on the mighty internet when along came an editor who saw it and the rest was history. So it just goes to show that dreams can and do come true. So back to the story itself. I was convinced to buy this book after hearing it described as a " character driven sword and sorcery novel with plenty of banter and magic."  This is the first novel of The Copper Cat Trilogy and is followed by The Iron Ghost and The Silver Tide. It's really refreshing to see a female author stand out in such a male dominated genre of sword and sorcery and The Copper Promise has some great female protagonists such as Wydrin - The Copper Cat of Crosshaven. She's definitely one of the lads whilst also retaining her femininity. The premise of the story is that two sellswords Wydrin and Sir Sebastian hav...

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...

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...

Mary Williams was Cornwall's leading ghost writer who wrote 17 volumes of superb ghost stories which are mostly set in Cornwall. She remains as mysterious as her stories. There is very little information about her despite her incredibly sucessful writing career which also includes novels such as the Dark God. It is such a shame that she is not more well known.What is clear is that writing was her passion in life, she passed away at the grand age of 97  in 2000 and was apparently working on a new collection of ghostly tales. Her tales are dark yet cheery and full of charm. This collection, They Walk at Twilight was first published in 1977. It's deeply atmospheric with dark undertones reminscent of a Daphne Du Maurier novel. Mary Williams is a master with invoking dark and foreboding atmosphere in which anything seems possible. Most of her tales are set in Cornwall where she draws upon it's ancient mysteries and celtic magic for crafting her wonderful evocative stories. ...

Inner Sins is a free webzine of all things dark and features many great dark tales from new writers and those more established on the  writing scene. I was lucky enough to be published in Issue 21  with my story Madam Spizak's Home for Little Boys and Girls which you can read for free here You can read Inner Sins # Issue 22 here Issue 22 is packed with great stories by  Jim Musgrave, Alexsander Cosic and Katie Palmer-Stevens. Plus great dark poetry from Milenko Zupanovic, Michael Lee Johnson and D.B.Heath. Issue 22 also features part 10 of the Black Desert Sagas, you can read each installment here The Sunset Unlimited by Jim Musgrave Bill has a life long love for trains and is devasted with the ending of the Sunset Limited a train that has travelled across America for thirty years. Along with his darling wife Arlene they take a trip on the  last ever Sunset Limited  voyage to discuss their future together. They long for a child of their ow...

Coraline is a dark children's story that's not for the faint of heart. It centres around a remarkable little girl, Coraline Jones who moves with her parents to a new home which holds a secret door. Coraline has gone on to win the 2002 Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young readers, the 2003 Hugo Award for Best Novella  as well as the 2003 Nebula Award for Best Novella. This is the third book I have read by Neil Gaiman and as usual I have not been left disappointed. Neil Gaiman possesses an extraordinary ability to take one of his unique characters and just leave them all alone in a most ridiculous situation facing the most dire circumstances. I have to admit when I read his books I always think this character will never find their way out of this hell hole. The plot seems too preposterous, Gaiman will never get out of this alive. But each time he creates these fantastic stories. His stories are so strange believable. They seem to write themselves. I am incredibly je...

To me Cornwall is a wild and magical landscape still deeply in touch with its celtic roots and influences. A little corner of the British Isles where pixies and other fey creatures still roam. There's magic in the air. If you've never been to Cornwall you're missing out on a wonderful experience. This little book is one of those books that just mysteriously appear in your life. The short ghostly tales within capture beautifully the raw undiluted Cornish landscape and its  lingering aura of forgotten arcane history. This is not the Cornwall that the tourists know and love but of the older primal Cornwall. The author, Mary Williams is just as mysterious as her wonderful tales. She has written dozens of books yet there is very little information about her. She was born in 1928 and lived in Cornwall from 1947 until she died at the grand age of 97. She has published an impressive 17 volumes of ghost stories as well as romantic novels, all set in Cornwall. It's a shame...

Some children's books are too good to be only enjoyed by children, Fablehaven is one such example. It's like reading the Chronicles of Narnia for the first time, when I first read Fablehaven it was like being a kid again and seeing the world with innocent wonder and curiosity. Had I read this book as a child my life would have been different. I would have been on the first plane, armed with a packed lunch and my trusty cereal box, to Connecticut to look for Fablehaven. I most definitely would have drank a lot more milk. Fablehaven, written by Brandon Mull is a remarkable debut. It's the first of a series which includes; Rise of the Evening Star, Grip of the Shadow Plague, Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary and Keys to the Demon Prison. In 2012 Schaffer Studios announced it had bought the rights and Fablehaven the movie is currently in production. It starts off with siblings Kendra and Seth being forced to stay with their mysterious grandparents whilst their parents ...

I'm not a gamer but I was intrigued about this book. It is the source of inspiration for The Witcher , an incredibly popular computer game. Written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski it is the first of two books which are a series of short stories linked cleverly together. The Last Wish is the first book in the series. The Witcher is a fighter, Geralt from Rivia, who earns his crust by ridding the world of monsters. The Last Wish is certainly fast paced and packed full with tales of many wondrous and macabre creatures such as strigas, vampires, evil genies and tempestuous sorcerers. Inside this delightful book you'll recognise many of the fairy tales but they won't be as you remember them from your childhood. The people and monsters in this book are not what they seem. Sometimes it is the humans that are the worst creatures of all. You'll be surprised at where your sympathies lay. You would expect Geralt to be a cold blooded killer intent on bloodshed and anni...

The Last Unicorn is one of those books I'd heard so much about and has often been hailed as a classic. Many of my writing heroes, including Patrick Rothfuss, have declared it a masterpiece. He even said it was one of his favourite books, he's probably my favourite writer, so I had to see what it was about. I wasn't sure if it could live up to my expectations. I was completely wrong. When you read this book you feel like you are in a dream, its beautifully poetic and resonant. It's easy to see that this mighty classic, originally published in 1968, has inspired authors such as Neil Gaiman. The imagery is luxurious and bewitching. Each sentence is a treasure to read, this book is like a fine wine it should be enjoyed sip by precious sip. This book takes us on a journey but not your typical cliché journey you so often find in fantasy fiction. It's a delightful children's tale that is intelligent and charming much the amazing 'His Dark Materials'...

I'm a big fan of Sanitarium Magazine, I had my short story, The Little Orphan Girl, published in issue 28. My first published short story,ever! Ever since I've been buying this magazine as the stories featured are really great, all killers, no fillers. The magazine features established authors, this issue features Ken Goldman whose stories have appeared in over 700, (yes 700!) independent publications worldwide. Also featured are some great up and coming writers like Brooke Warra who has appeared in Sanitarium before, alongside yours truly, in issue 28  with Spineless As stated on the back cover it is the perfect length for your in between reading. It's great to dip into on a boring commute into work. There's also some great articles on witches, zombies and the horror genre. There's an interview with author Josh Malerman and dark verse from Ian Sputnik, Austin Muratori and Layla Cummins. Here's why you should be reading Sanitarium Magazine   The P...

Sanitarium Magazine is published by Eye Trauma Press and if you like dark and macabre tales you'll love this monthly magazine which is available to buy in print and e-format. I've been incredibly fortunate in having one of my short stories published in issue 28 of Sanitarium and have since become hooked. This magazine also features great poetry from Terry Miller, James Michael Shoberg and Andrew Fortunato. There's some great articles on everything horror related such as zombies, splatterpunk  and interviews with Wayne Simmons and Dark Pond Creations. This magazine is out on the 20th of each month, you can buy your copy from Amazon. It's available in print and epub. Some Notes on the Reproductive Cycles of Arachnids by Nick Kimbro This amazing story starts off like any other story, a multi millionaire, Lucas Franklin Westhaven has gone missing and Skip Thompson, a insurance claims investigator has picked up his case. Shortly after this the story descends into...

The Name of the Star is the first book in a trilogy of books called Shades of London and is written by Maureen Johnson who so far has written ten highly successful novels. This is a book intended for young adults but it has a much wider appeal. The story centres around Aurora Deveaux, call me Rory, a US teen coming to study in London whilst her parents, two law professors from Benouville , Louisiana, have come over to lecture at Bristol University. I think the reason why I like this book so much is that I just love Rory. She's not a delicate girl who's insecure about how she looks, or how many friends she's making and whether she's just met the boy of her dreams. This girl is very refreshing, she's smart, down to earth, sure of herself and she's really funny. She's the sort of character any girl can relate to. When you start to read this book which is told by Rory in first person, you feel like you have been accepted by her as a close friend and t...

Even if you're not a big horror fan or even a keen reader, you probably familiar with Stephen King, unless you live in a cave, in another planet, in a different dimension. Stephen King has had the sort of  career that makes most aspiring writers weep. To date he has written and published more than 50( yes 50!) books, ALL of them have been WORLDWIDE bestsellers. If that doesn't make you slightly jealous as a aspiring author, many of these has also been made into incredibly successful films. It's enough to make me weep, but he's not a bad guy. What really strikes me about this book was his  touching motivation to write this. Of course he's been paid to do it, but I think it's really generous and kind hearted to write about the craft of writing. I can't think of any other hugely successful writer that has done this. With so many 'how to write' books out there, ask yourself this; how many have been written by a multiple best selling author? Wha...

"There was a silence on the tors that belonged to another age; an age that is past and vanished as though it has never been, an age when man did not exist, but pagan footsteps trod upon the hills. And there was a stillness in the air, and a stranger, older peace, that was not the peace of God." On the wild Bodmin Moors of Cornwall that have defeated man and where nature reigns triumphant, is an inn standing solitary against the ravaging winds and cold unforgiving days. But it is solitary inn for no desperate traveller dares to visit, there are secrets and malice in Jamaica Inn and Mary Yellan is about to discover them. It is incredible that Daphne Du Maurier wrote this modern day classic when she was just 29, it's truly a masterpiece. Du Maurier is probably better known for writing Rebecca, but for me, her masterpiece is Jamaica Inn. It is a beautifully haunting and gothic modern classic. The imagery is so alive, I read this and weep, hoping that I could have...

A collection of 12 brilliant short stories bought to you by Sirens Call Publications , that takes a fresh look at some infamous and dark myths and legends, and asks if they're myths or reality... But these are not the gentrified and harmless tales you could entertain children with. Delve inside and you will discover that things are not as they seem, old gods still walk amongst us and their powers prevail, riddles still need answering, and we can't escape our past. You can show your support for your fellow writers and independent publishers by buying this book, which is available through Sirens Call Publications or Amazon . They have a great selection of anthologies! It Lives In Us ~ Thomas James Brown In  the  picturesque village of Lynnewood in the New Forest, there's a terrible dark secret that hangs over this otherwise peaceful village. What are these things and where do they come from? What can be done to escape them? This deliciously dar...

I'm a Cornish expatriate exiled to London. But despite a change of scenery I love nothing more than spiriting myself back to my homeland through great works of fiction such as those written by Daphne Du Maurier, and after reading this; Poldark by Winston Graham. Surprisingly I'd never heard of these books until I began watching the current BBC adaptation which is marvellous. This may be due to Winston Graham not being Cornish himself, he moved down at the age of 17. Poldark is a series of novels, a family saga that spans 12 novels charting the highs and lows of the Poldarks. It is set in Cornwall in the 1780's onwards. The first novel centres around Captain Ross Poldark who returns from war to his home to find his fortune overturned, his father is dead and their estate is in ruins.Ross Poldark is a mysterious brooding character who is compelling throughout. He is dark yet a caring man, stern but soft. Winston Graham has remarkable skills and captures perfectly no...

Sanitarium Magazine is published by Eye Trauma Press and if you like dark and macabre tales you'll love this monthly magazine which is available to buy in print and e-format. I've been incredibly fortunate in having one of my short stories published in issue 28 of Sanitarium and have since become hooked. This magazine also features great poetry from Vince Rodriguez, James Michael Shoberg and H.H Bond. There's some great articles on everything horror related such as zombies, splatterpunk  and interviews with Wayne Simmons and Dark Pond Creations. This magazine is out on the 20th of each month, you can buy your copy from Amazon. The Vampyre - Charles Martin A tale that grips you from the first line and never lets go. Everyone loves a good vampire tale and this is one of them. Style is similar to Bram Stoker's epic Dracula, told via a diary mixed with a smattering of Lovecraft's impending doom. This is a great horror tale where Charles Martin creates fear ...