Monday, September 19, 2016

New story online - Sometime You're the Windscreen, Sometimes You're the Fly - Outlook Springs

My fantasy flash 'Sometimes You're the Windscreen, Sometimes You're the Fly,' published in Outlook Springs issue 1, is now available to read online --  along with some fabulous other stories and poems (I loved 'Mephistopheles Never Said he Told the Truth by Chloe Clark)


On Monday evening, my sister got decapitated by a tube on the Northern Line at King’s Cross. We’d heard a story about that happening to some poor unfortunate a few years ago; apparently, the head rolled around the tunnel, shot through the open window, and ended up on the driver’s lap. It was exactly the kind of flourish that appealed to Viola, but I think it might have been a bit of an urban legend. As far as I could tell, her head was more or less vaporised on impact.

Read the rest of the story at the Outlook Springs website now!

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

New anthology - Murder Mayhem from Flame Tree Publishing

My 3,798 word crime/horror story 'Getting Shot in the Face Still Stings' has been reprinted in a wonderful anthology, Murder Mayhem, from Flame Tree Publishing -- available from their site here or from Amazon

I always think there’s great fun to be had with characters who think they’re the Big Bad, only to run into someone worse. This story a kind of horror take on Groundhog Day, without the possibility of the escape-through-self-improvement ending. I think it's no wonder my villain here has gone homicidally insane, but at least she kept her sense of humour. I think you have to admire that.

Getting Shot in the Face Still Stings - 3,708 words

On the floor, Jimmy groans. He’s pulled into a foetal position so Dom can’t tell the full extent of the damage, but his clothes are soaked in just about every bodily fluid there is. At first guess, Dom would say the kid’s lost his teeth, his fingernails, his bollocks and at least a couple of internal organs. ‘Fuck,’ he says, and pinches his nostrils shut. The whole place is going to have to be hosed down.


Read the story in Murder Mayhem: Hardback Deluxe edition, printed on silver, matt laminated, gold and silver foil stamped, embossed.: 280,000 words, 480 pages, 25 illustrations


Thursday, September 1, 2016

New story at Solarcide - Good, Fine, No

I have a new horror story, Good, Fine, No out now at Solarcide. I absolutely love the way they've used little illustrations to break up the sections instead of the usual blank line or asterisks -- it looks great, and goes so well with the text. I think my favourite is the blood-drenched Barbie doll, but it's not easy to choose :)

Good, Fine, No - Horror - 2,308 words

When it’s over — which is a ridiculous thing to say, she knows, because it’s never going to be over — Gina runs. She shaves her head, changes her name and tries to disappear into the anonymous concrete rat runs of a dozen different cities. Tries to forget any of it ever happened. She doesn’t succeed on either count.

Read the rest at Solarcide