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shortstories

What Are You Afraid Of?

image found at http://terrencemccauley.blogspot.com/

I’ve now had a whole lot of horror story suggestions which are all fermenting away in the back of my brain (although I still don’t have 31 so am happy to take more – just leave a comment) and last night I decided to put a little bit of research in to speed that process along a bit.  Whilst some story ideas spring to mind fully formed without provocation, others need more help.

The first comment I had was from the enigmatic stranger behind 1 Story A Week, who fears being infected with a virus that makes his own flesh the only thing he can eat.  I think that’s a pretty logical thing to be afraid of, if a bit unlikely.  Anyhoo, the first search term I put into Google was ‘infected with a flesh eating virus’ and most of the results discussed a condition called necrotizing fasciitis.

Continue reading “What Are You Afraid Of?” →

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Glempy’s Pictonaut Challenge: Grenade in the Rain

Not so very long ago I brought a thing to your attention, namely the intentions of writer, scientician and internet user The Rogue Verbumancer to begin a monthly writing challenge via his blog.  Every month he will post a picture, and every month The People of The Internet are invited to do a piece of writing around it, 1000 words or so in length.  My one for September will follow momentarily; but you should read the other entries too.  Only today Lord Verbumancer has linked to them all on his page.

Also before I post this, a disclaimer: I am so out of practice with short stories after all the novelling I’ve sort of forgotten how to do them – they generally read like a chapter from a book now.  I don’t think this one does, but I’ve been wrong before.  Captain Tact is the only other human to read it so far, and he pronounced it ‘weird’.  I’m not sure whether that is good, bad or indifferent.  If anyone has any further feedback, you know where the comments box is. 

Anyway, here is my take on Grenade in the Rain. Continue reading “Glempy’s Pictonaut Challenge: Grenade in the Rain” →

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Getting Published

So you know how I spent yesterday banging on about how I don’t have any immediate publication plans, on account of nothing being  polished enough for human consumption? 

Well, last night I got an email saying a book I submitted a short story to, Beyond the Horizon, has now been printed and can be purchased from Amazon by discerning readers as of NOW.  Well, Monday past actually.  Sorry if that was misleading in any way, but in my defense short stories take a bit less re-writing than novels.

Continue reading “Getting Published” →

1

Keep Short Stories on Radio 4

Those of you who are on Twitter may already have heard about the campaign to stop Radio 4 from culling their short story output from 3 per week to just 1.  It was brought to my attention by Susie Maguire, an author who tweets (very fittingly in this instance!) as @wrathofgod and has been getting people to sign a petition, here.  There are 3746 names on there at the time of writing, including lots of authors and actors and culturally important types.  And me…

Continue reading “Keep Short Stories on Radio 4” →

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A Pretty Picture

Further to my news that a short story I wrote is to be featured in Beyond the Horizon, a collection by Bamboccioni Books due out towards the end of July, I’ve been given permission to share the front cover with you. I think it’s rather lovely.  Makes me feel a little fraudulent though – my story is a bit silly and would probably be more in tune with a raggedy illustration by Quentin Blake.  Still, it makes me look good, so I’m not complaining!

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Bamboccioni Books

Sometimes when I’m not writing novels, I do short stories and flash fiction as well.  I’ve been doing this for as long as I can remember, not for any particular purpose or audience, and the stories pop up on my personal blog when you least expect it.

Anyway a few months ago, I got an email from a friend of a friend, asking if I’d write one for him.

“I’m part of a team of recent graduates who have interned at various UK publishers, but are struggling to break into the industry due to shortage of jobs and high number of applicants for few junior positions,” he explained.  That’s a story we all know by now…

Rather than give up, they decided to try their hand at small-scale publishing. The result is a company called Bamboccioni Books, and their first short story collection should be coming out next month.  And my story is going to be in it, in print and everything, which is rather exciting, although since OKing the proof I’ve thought of several changes I’d make if I was writing it again…  But such is life.

I’m not sure of the exact release date but will keep you posted.  In the meantime you should probably check out their website.

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