tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838786953228642732024-03-18T03:03:55.870+00:00James Everington - Scattershot Writing"The triumph of Everington’s first novel is that, while hinting at lofty literary precedents, it cumulatively takes on an unsettling voice all of its own." The GuardianJames Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.comBlogger571125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-41265525032023320572024-03-02T12:08:00.003+00:002024-03-02T12:08:29.844+00:00For Tomorrow<p>I'm sure we all remember where we were when we heard the news about <a href="http://wellbrookhigh.co.uk" target="_blank">Wellbrook High</a>; I know I do, much as I might want to forget some of the images from the TV news that night.</p><p>Now, over 30 years later, Dan Coxon has put together an anthology of stories about what happened <i>after</i>.</p><p>My story, 'Comments On This Video Have Been Disabled' is one of them, and I'm very proud of it, and that its alongside pieces from many other fine writers. But, given the situation, this isn't one I'll boast about too much; that doesn't feel proper. </p><p><em style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Alegreya; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">“We all live in the shadow of Wellbrook High – it’s been called the tragedy that defined a generation… That’s why this book feels so important, and so long overdue – as we go back to Wellbrook, and pay witness to those who had the courage and the strength and, yes, the simple luck to pull through. A timely work, and an urgent one.”</em><br style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Alegreya; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Alegreya; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">—Robert Shearman</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKVQ8LCrEZxTWbg9evOgcBNGO-V2D6wv1TrobwxmKcYN60Od0znnwhJXKeytr1mKY9-d_b_UgJH-J9QCdgl_SaAbPDMcVvGzf2gJejWBTX7a0fTvaHn3POp8FOAsuv8jhkHtIf0T14gcBScECAJzifdt50yUrRDvQR9spAxYaOZ0JD04QJ1P22bLdYtPo/s399/School.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="399" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKVQ8LCrEZxTWbg9evOgcBNGO-V2D6wv1TrobwxmKcYN60Od0znnwhJXKeytr1mKY9-d_b_UgJH-J9QCdgl_SaAbPDMcVvGzf2gJejWBTX7a0fTvaHn3POp8FOAsuv8jhkHtIf0T14gcBScECAJzifdt50yUrRDvQR9spAxYaOZ0JD04QJ1P22bLdYtPo/s320/School.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>You can pre-order <i>For Tomorrow</i> from Black Shuck Books <a href="https://blackshuckbooks.co.uk/for-tomorrow/?fbclid=IwAR2AW8iTSO5n6MaM-uAVn2dkWEw2uBSFxQrvOFIGl3ob3ZC_T0U_p6hAkhE" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>Also features stories by C.C. Adams, Charlotte Bond, Phil Sloman, Lucie McKnight Hardy, Malcolm Devlin & Helen Marshall, Verity Holloway, Ray Cluley, Polis Loizou, Ashley Stokes, Daniel Carpenter & Penny Jones.</p><p><br /></p><div class="x1e56ztr x1xmf6yo" style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-top: 8px;"><h1 class="x1heor9g x1qlqyl8 x1pd3egz x1a2a7pz x193iq5w xeuugli" dir="auto" style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xtoi2st xw06pyt x1q74xe4 xyesn5m x1xlr1w8 xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: var(--primary-text); display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.75rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.1429; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">#wewillremember93</span><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xtoi2st xw06pyt x1q74xe4 xyesn5m x1xlr1w8 xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: var(--primary-text); display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.75rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.1429; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></span><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xtoi2st xw06pyt x1q74xe4 xyesn5m x1xlr1w8 xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: var(--primary-text); display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.75rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.1429; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></span></h1></div><div class="x1e56ztr x1xmf6yo" style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-top: 8px;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-56325220347938078982023-12-28T14:40:00.000+00:002023-12-28T14:40:25.021+00:00Favourite Short Stories 2023<p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;">Another year done, another of my annual favourite short stories of the year posts. Same 'rules' as before</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;"> (you can find links to lists from previous years </span><a href="https://jameseverington.blogspot.com/p/other-authors-are-available.html" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #771100; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.859999656677246px; text-decoration: none;">here</a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;">). For each story, I've linked to the publication where I read the story, which isn't always where they were first published.</span></p><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Ruth Barber: </b><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><i>Unfinished Business </i>(<a href="https://swanriverpress.ie/srp-title/uncertainties-6/#:~:text=Availability%3A%20In%20Print%20–%20Hardback&text=Uncertainties%20is%20an%20anthology%20series,increasingly%20fragmented%20senses%20of%20reality." target="_blank">Uncertainties 6</a>, Swan River Press)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>James Bennett: </b><i>The Changing Dust </i>(<a href="https://www.thedarkmagazine.com/the-changing-dust/" target="_blank">The Dark #99</a>)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Simon Bestwick: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">And Ashes In Her Hair </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Something-Remains-Joel-Lane-ebook/dp/B01LLLUSZ8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1RCB05QKMR5IA&keywords=something+remains&qid=1703688048&sprefix=something+remains%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Something Remains</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Alchemy Press)</span></div><div><b>Méabh de Brún: </b><i>This House Is Haunted </i>(<a href="https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/this-house-is-haunted-by-meabh-de-brun/41936124.html" target="_blank">Irish Independent</a>)</div><div><b>Méabh de Brún: </b><i>Consumed As In Obsessed </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://swanriverpress.ie/srp-title/uncertainties-6/#:~:text=Availability%3A%20In%20Print%20–%20Hardback&text=Uncertainties%20is%20an%20anthology%20series,increasingly%20fragmented%20senses%20of%20reality." style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">Uncertainties 6</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Swan River Press)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Ramsey Campbell:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">The Render Of The Veils </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inhabitant-Lake-Other-Unwelcome-Tenants/dp/1786363224/ref=sr_1_1?crid=S76C5T3L6A6S&keywords=The+Inhabitant+Of+The+Lake&qid=1703769575&sprefix=the+inhabitant+of+the+lake%2Caps%2C205&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white;">The Inhabitant Of The Lake & Other Unwelcome Tenants</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">, Drugstore Indian Press)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Ramsey Campbell:</b> <i>The Plain Of Sound </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inhabitant-Lake-Other-Unwelcome-Tenants/dp/1786363224/ref=sr_1_1?crid=S76C5T3L6A6S&keywords=The+Inhabitant+Of+The+Lake&qid=1703769575&sprefix=the+inhabitant+of+the+lake%2Caps%2C205&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow">The Inhabitant Of The Lake & Other Unwelcome Tenants</a>, Drugstore Indian Press)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Truman Capote: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">A Diamond Guitar </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Breakfast-at-Tiffanys-Truman-Capote/dp/0141182792/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1CBYNKRHVZR6W&keywords=breakfast+at+tiffany%27s&qid=1703689846&sprefix=breakfast+at+tiffanies%2Caps%2C183&sr=8-2" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">Breakfast At Tiffany's & Three Stories</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Penguin)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Ray Cluley: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Sideways </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://blackshuckbooks.co.uk/all-thats-lost/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">All That's Lost</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Black Shuck Books)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Ray Cluley: </b><i>The</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Final Girl's Daughter </i>(<a href="https://blackshuckbooks.co.uk/all-thats-lost/" rel="nofollow" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">All That's Lost</a>, Black Shuck Books)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Dan Coxon: </b><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Far From Home</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nox-Pareidolia-Robert-S-Wilson-ebook/dp/B07XHS5WGR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=VSA31119RTK0&keywords=Nox+Pareidolia&qid=1703688340&sprefix=nox+pareidolia+%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Nox Pareidolia</a>, Nightscape Press) </span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Libby Cudmore:</b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> The Rituals Of Bathing </i><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.thedarkmagazine.com/the-rituals-of-bathing/" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">The Dark #99</a><span style="background-color: white;">)</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Kayleigh Dobbs: </b><i>The Last Word </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfectly-Fine-Neighborhood-Stephen-Kozeniewski-ebook/dp/B0CJ2G1K7R/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2RMENF6LDSZA6&keywords=the+perfectly+fine+neighborhood&qid=1703770373&sprefix=perfectly+fine+neig%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Perfectly Fine Neighbourhood</a>, French Press)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">S.L. Edwards: </b><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">In The Vastness Of The </i><i>Sovereign</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Sky</i><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nox-Pareidolia-Robert-S-Wilson-ebook/dp/B07XHS5WGR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=VSA31119RTK0&keywords=Nox+Pareidolia&qid=1703688340&sprefix=nox+pareidolia+%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Nox Pareidolia</a>, Nightscape Press) </span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Brian Evenson: </b><i>The Room Above</i><span style="color: #333333;"> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nox-Pareidolia-Robert-S-Wilson-ebook/dp/B07XHS5WGR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=VSA31119RTK0&keywords=Nox+Pareidolia&qid=1703688340&sprefix=nox+pareidolia+%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Nox Pareidolia</a>, Nightscape Press) </span></span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Kurt Fawver: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Merge Now</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nox-Pareidolia-Robert-S-Wilson-ebook/dp/B07XHS5WGR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=VSA31119RTK0&keywords=Nox+Pareidolia&qid=1703688340&sprefix=nox+pareidolia+%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Nox Pareidolia</a>, Nightscape Press) </span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Neil Gaiman:</b><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> Goliath </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fragile-Things-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0755334140/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1703689052&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Fragile Things</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">, Headline Review)</span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Neil Gaiman:</b><i> How To Talk To Girls At Parties </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fragile-Things-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0755334140/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1703689052&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Fragile Things</a>, Headline Review)</span></div></div><div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Neil Gaiman:</b><i> Pages From A Journal Found In A Shoebox Left In A Greyhound Bus Somewhere Between Tulsa, Oklahoma & Louisville, Kentucky </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fragile-Things-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0755334140/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1703689052&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Fragile Things</a>, Headline Review)</span></div></div><div><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">J.L. George: </b><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Water, Word, Flesh </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://kaleidotrope.net/archives/spring-2023/water-word-and-flesh-by-jl-george/" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Kaleidotrope</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>William Gibson:</b><i> New Rose Hotel </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Burning-Chrome-William-Gibson-ebook/dp/B01BKS2X2S/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TO90S117TA6S&keywords=burning+chrome&qid=1703770254&sprefix=burning+chrome%2Caps%2C111&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Burning Chrome</a>, Gateway)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>William Gibson:</b><i> Johnny Mnemonic </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Burning-Chrome-William-Gibson-ebook/dp/B01BKS2X2S/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TO90S117TA6S&keywords=burning+chrome&qid=1703770254&sprefix=burning+chrome%2Caps%2C111&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Burning Chrome</a>, Gateway)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>William Gibson:</b><i> The Winter Market </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Burning-Chrome-William-Gibson-ebook/dp/B01BKS2X2S/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TO90S117TA6S&keywords=burning+chrome&qid=1703770254&sprefix=burning+chrome%2Caps%2C111&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Burning Chrome</a>, Gateway)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Adam Golaski: </b><i>(Rabbit) </i>(Strange Little Stories Newsletter, <a href="https://www.davidsurface.net/welcome.html" target="_blank">David Surface</a>)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">LC von Hessen: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Herr Scheintod</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nox-Pareidolia-Robert-S-Wilson-ebook/dp/B07XHS5WGR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=VSA31119RTK0&keywords=Nox+Pareidolia&qid=1703688340&sprefix=nox+pareidolia+%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Nox Pareidolia</a>, Nightscape Press)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Timothy J. Jarvis: </b><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">We Recognise Our Own </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://swanriverpress.ie/srp-title/treatises-on-dust/" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Treatises On Dust</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">, Swan River Press)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Timothy J. Jarvis: </b><i>And Yet Speaketh </i>(<a href="https://swanriverpress.ie/srp-title/treatises-on-dust/" target="_blank">Treatises On Dust</a>, Swan River Press)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Timothy J. Jarvis: </b><i>The Yellow Book<b> </b></i>(<a href="https://swanriverpress.ie/srp-title/treatises-on-dust/" target="_blank">Treatises On Dust</a>, Swan River Press)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Brian Keene: </b><i>Where The Heart Is </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfectly-Fine-Neighborhood-Stephen-Kozeniewski-ebook/dp/B0CJ2G1K7R/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2RMENF6LDSZA6&keywords=the+perfectly+fine+neighborhood&qid=1703770373&sprefix=perfectly+fine+neig%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Perfectly Fine Neighbourhood</a>, French Press)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Micheal Kelly:</b> <i>The Devils Curve </i>(<a href="https://interzone.digital/the-devils-curve/" target="_blank">IZ Digital</a>)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Garry Kilworth: </b><i>Fata Morgana </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/BLOOD-MOON-Novella-Eight-Stories-ebook/dp/B08Z2S46N9/ref=sr_1_5?crid=26J16POEHLWAT&keywords=garry+kilworth&qid=1703690152&sprefix=garry+kilworth%2Caps%2C91&sr=8-5" target="_blank">Bloodmoon & Other Stories</a>, Infinity Plus)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Gwendolyn Kiste: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">When The Nightingale Devours The Stars</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nox-Pareidolia-Robert-S-Wilson-ebook/dp/B07XHS5WGR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=VSA31119RTK0&keywords=Nox+Pareidolia&qid=1703688340&sprefix=nox+pareidolia+%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Nox Pareidolia</a>, Nightscape Press) </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Annie Knox: </b><i>Incorporeal Tax </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfectly-Fine-Neighborhood-Stephen-Kozeniewski-ebook/dp/B0CJ2G1K7R/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2RMENF6LDSZA6&keywords=the+perfectly+fine+neighborhood&qid=1703770373&sprefix=perfectly+fine+neig%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Perfectly Fine Neighbourhood</a>, French Press)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Thomas Ligotti: </b></span><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Les Fleurs</i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> (</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Songs-Dreamer-Grimscribe-Thomas-Ligotti-ebook/dp/B00TY3ZOLE/ref=sr_1_3?crid=YJJJ95VWH6LC&keywords=thomas+ligotti&qid=1703687591&sprefix=thomas+ligotti%2Caps%2C129&sr=8-3" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">Songs Of A Dead Dreamer</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Penguin)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Thomas Ligotti: </b><i>The Greater Festival Of Masks</i> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Songs-Dreamer-Grimscribe-Thomas-Ligotti-ebook/dp/B00TY3ZOLE/ref=sr_1_3?crid=YJJJ95VWH6LC&keywords=thomas+ligotti&qid=1703687591&sprefix=thomas+ligotti%2Caps%2C129&sr=8-3" target="_blank">Songs Of A Dead Dreamer</a>, Penguin)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">J.A.W. McCarthy:</b><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">No Baggage</i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> (Hungry Shadow Press)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Gary McMahon: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Broken Eye </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Something-Remains-Joel-Lane-ebook/dp/B01LLLUSZ8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1RCB05QKMR5IA&keywords=something+remains&qid=1703688048&sprefix=something+remains%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Something Remains</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Alchemy Press)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Avra Margariti: </b><i>Pulmonary </i>(<a href="https://therumpus.net/2023/12/18/pulmonary/" target="_blank">The Rumpus</a>)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Alison Moore: </b><i>Where Are They Now? </i>(<a href="https://swanriverpress.ie/srp-title/uncertainties-6/#:~:text=Availability%3A%20In%20Print%20–%20Hardback&text=Uncertainties%20is%20an%20anthology%20series,increasingly%20fragmented%20senses%20of%20reality." target="_blank">Uncertainties 6</a>, Swan River Press)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Thana Niveau: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Bad Faith </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Something-Remains-Joel-Lane-ebook/dp/B01LLLUSZ8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1RCB05QKMR5IA&keywords=something+remains&qid=1703688048&sprefix=something+remains%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">Something Remains</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Alchemy Press)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Joyce Carol Oates:</b><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Mr. Stickum</i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, (</span><a href="https://ui-origin.playboyengineering.com/read/mr-stickum" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">Playboy</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Joyce Carol Oates:</b> <i>Sign Of The Beast </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Night-Gaunts-Other-Tales-Suspense-Joyce/dp/178854370X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=31YCK9DLSMMBA&keywords=night+gaunts&qid=1703689989&sprefix=night+gaunts%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Night-Gaunts & Other Tales Of Suspense</a>, Head Of Zeus) </span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Joyce Carol Oates:</b> <i>Night Gaunts </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Night-Gaunts-Other-Tales-Suspense-Joyce/dp/178854370X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=31YCK9DLSMMBA&keywords=night+gaunts&qid=1703689989&sprefix=night+gaunts%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Night-Gaunts & Other Tales Of Suspense</a>, Head Of Zeus) </span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Kate Orman:</b><i> Saltier </i><a href="https://interzone.digital/saltier/" target="_blank">(IZ Digital)</a></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Jorja Osha: </b><i>The Fish's Wife</i> (<a href="https://www.thedarkmagazine.com/the-fishs-wife/" target="_blank">The Dark #103</a>)</span></div></span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">John Llewellyn Probert: </b><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">The Missing </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Something-Remains-Joel-Lane-ebook/dp/B01LLLUSZ8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1RCB05QKMR5IA&keywords=something+remains&qid=1703688048&sprefix=something+remains%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Something Remains</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">, Alchemy Press)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Sarah Royston:</b> <i>She Walks In Fields Of Light </i>(<a href="https://therumpus.net/2023/10/02/rumpus-original-fiction-she-walks-in-fields-of-light/" target="_blank">The Rumpus</a>)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Sarah Royston:</b><i> </i></span><i>In the Shrine there stood a Statue with a Stone set in its Foot, which was called Lady of the Spring </i>(<a href="https://www.fullhouseliterary.com/prose-script/in-the-shrine-there-stood-a-statue-with-a-stone-set-in-its-foot-which-was-called-lady-of-the-spring-by-sarah-royston" target="_blank">Full House Literary</a>)</div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Lynda E. Rucker: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Knots</i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> (</span><a href="https://swanriverpress.ie/srp-title/now-its-dark/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Now It's Dark</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Swan River Press)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Lynda E. Rucker: </b><i>The Vestige</i> (<a href="https://swanriverpress.ie/srp-title/now-its-dark/" rel="nofollow">Now It's Dark</a>, Swan River Press)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Lynda E. Rucker: </b><i>The Unknown Chamber</i> (<a href="https://swanriverpress.ie/srp-title/now-its-dark/" rel="nofollow">Now It's Dark</a>, Swan River Press)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Robert Shearman:</b><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Jason Zerrilo Is An Annoying Prick </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hear-Stories-Dark-Trade-Paperback/dp/178636462X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1UU4W6D7AEL0M&keywords=we+all+hear+stories+in+the+dark&qid=1703687310&sprefix=we+all+hea%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">We All Hear Stories In The Dark</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, PS Publishing)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Robert Shearman: </b><i>The Censor's Report</i></span><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hear-Stories-Dark-Trade-Paperback/dp/178636462X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1UU4W6D7AEL0M&keywords=we+all+hear+stories+in+the+dark&qid=1703687310&sprefix=we+all+hea%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">We All Hear Stories In The Dark</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, PS Publishing)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Robert Shearman: </b><i>The Beast At World's End </i></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hear-Stories-Dark-Trade-Paperback/dp/178636462X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1UU4W6D7AEL0M&keywords=we+all+hear+stories+in+the+dark&qid=1703687310&sprefix=we+all+hea%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">We All Hear Stories In The Dark</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, PS Publishing)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Alan Sillitoe: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Noah's Ark </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Loneliness-Long-Distance-Runner/dp/0007255608/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1AUPIIKGUUF4T&keywords=alan+sillitoe&qid=1703689509&sprefix=alan+sillitoe%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-2" target="_blank">The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner</a>, Harper Perennial)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Alan Sillitoe: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Uncle Ernest </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Loneliness-Long-Distance-Runner/dp/0007255608/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1AUPIIKGUUF4T&keywords=alan+sillitoe&qid=1703689509&sprefix=alan+sillitoe%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-2" target="_blank">The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner</a>, Harper Perennial)</span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Teika Marija Smits: </b><i>The November Room Or Leaving The Labyrinth </i>(<a href="https://interzone.digital/the-november-room-or-leaving-the-labyrinth/" target="_blank">IZ Digital</a>)</span></span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">David Surface: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Strange Little Story #22 </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.davidsurface.net/welcome.html" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">author's newsletter</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Steve Toase:: </b><i>Uprooted </i>(<a href="https://interzone.digital/uprooted/" target="_blank">IZ Digital</a>)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Steve Toase: </b><i>Safe </i>(<a href="https://stevetoase.wordpress.com" target="_blank">author's website</a>)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Lisa Tuttle: </b><i>Closet Dreams </i>(<a href="https://pseudopod.org/2021/11/19/pseudopod-785-closet-dreams/" target="_blank">Pseudopod</a>)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Peter Watts: </b><i>The Things </i>(<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwid-qqpoLKDAxW6gf0HHSkjDVYQFnoECBgQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fclarkesworldmagazine.com%2Fwatts_01_10%2F&usg=AOvVaw3tPa1_gAI9z0cHKDxRIhfi&opi=89978449" target="_blank">Clarkesworld #40</a>)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Michael Wehunt: </b><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Hello</i><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nox-Pareidolia-Robert-S-Wilson-ebook/dp/B07XHS5WGR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=VSA31119RTK0&keywords=Nox+Pareidolia&qid=1703688340&sprefix=nox+pareidolia+%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Nox Pareidolia</a>, Nightscape Press) </span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Michael Wehunt: </b><span><i>It Takes Slow Sips </i>(<a href="https://pseudopod.org/2023/12/22/pseudopod-898-it-takes-slow-sips/" target="_blank">Pseudopod</a>)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Neil Williamson: </b><i>A Moment Of Zugzwang </i>(<a href="https://neilwilliamson.blog/2023/03/04/bsfa-award-2023-shortlist/" target="_blank">author's website</a>)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Neil Williamson: </b><i>Thirty-Two Tumbling Teeth </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Static-Double-Issue-Spring-ebook/dp/B0987X1NPS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3DT8JVAXNWNWR&keywords=black+static+78&qid=1703769952&sprefix=black+static+7%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Black Static 78/79</a>)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></div>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-12223385248548702292023-11-25T11:30:00.001+00:002023-11-25T11:30:54.876+00:00"The Sinister Horror Company"<p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Some years back, while leading up to <i>Trying To Be So Quiet</i> being published by The Sinister Horror Company, I for some reason wrote a story <i>called </i></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">'The Sinister Horror Company'. It was a small piece with a tone different to most of what I write, and it was about, well, a sinister horror company taking over the world... </span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">It's been homeless since then, not really fitting anywhere, but with the recent sad news that the real Sinister Horror Company is winding up shop, I'm pleased to say that this fictional* 'Sinister Horror Company' has now been published over at the brilliant yet sinister <a href="https://happygoathorror.com/2023/11/24/special-feature-the-sinister-horror-company-by-james-everington/" target="_blank">HAPPY GOAT HORROR</a> run by the also brilliant/sinister </span><span class="xv78j7m" spellcheck="false" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Kayleigh Dobbs</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. Anyway, <a href="https://happygoathorror.com/2023/11/24/special-feature-the-sinister-horror-company-by-james-everington/" target="_blank">here</a> it is.</span></p><br /><br /><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">* honest, fictional. **</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">** THEY MADE ME SAY THAT</span>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-53675582794702414972023-10-12T09:15:00.005+01:002023-10-12T09:17:45.899+01:00Darkest Nights<p>Pleased to say I'll be be taking part in <i>Darkest Nights </i>writing school, running one of the online sessions along with some fantastic authors, as you can see below:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixo8zsn-j_-iYF0hZ3XPECj3tKSkdGIv6OZryZQU-cNYTKCsuB1DeYM5dBRR4vwJyvllXtAyzkSYAFcEPKxJnjY4dX8KifNMZuWFI-TizxLvDjFt6weDgoTWagr-k0iyzLE6HVHdLPt9w9S00uR-FDNaibh72ofztJapuYbkjpVmEtse1PPbYxtENZHps/s2000/F8KUV19WUAAfzh9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2000" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixo8zsn-j_-iYF0hZ3XPECj3tKSkdGIv6OZryZQU-cNYTKCsuB1DeYM5dBRR4vwJyvllXtAyzkSYAFcEPKxJnjY4dX8KifNMZuWFI-TizxLvDjFt6weDgoTWagr-k0iyzLE6HVHdLPt9w9S00uR-FDNaibh72ofztJapuYbkjpVmEtse1PPbYxtENZHps/w400-h283/F8KUV19WUAAfzh9.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Details & tickets <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/darkest-nights-6-week-horror-writing-school-tickets-672187881047" target="_blank">here</a></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-66927439110932117232023-05-26T09:10:00.005+01:002023-05-26T09:10:49.423+01:00'The Switch' to appear in Uncertainties 6<p>I'm pleased as punch to say my story 'The Switch' is to be appear in the forthcoming anthology <i>Uncertainties 6</i> from the mighty <a href="https://swanriverpress.ie" target="_blank">Swan River Press</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3WyXV_364b5tucu1EHWkDOZajmM7WwMDzq02ufdP8z7Hc02oBx6P6-hLSlaWvmKWCSobQXMoDc9kYVbY_V8pi6uXyDzk8MT-ctNOrPPXM1FG3mN5iGQ8MRgw6FSKIM38OJ-m0e9SxjOc7fMmTF0D4Jo4NpAxW-YfG67d_sz5sbEV_nPENhhvYPWg/s414/Uncertainties-6-wpv_270x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="270" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3WyXV_364b5tucu1EHWkDOZajmM7WwMDzq02ufdP8z7Hc02oBx6P6-hLSlaWvmKWCSobQXMoDc9kYVbY_V8pi6uXyDzk8MT-ctNOrPPXM1FG3mN5iGQ8MRgw6FSKIM38OJ-m0e9SxjOc7fMmTF0D4Jo4NpAxW-YfG67d_sz5sbEV_nPENhhvYPWg/s320/Uncertainties-6-wpv_270x.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(80, 80, 80); color: #505050; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times, "times new roman", serif;"><i>“Ghost stories,” as Elizabeth Bowen observed, “are not easy to write—least easy now, for they involve more than they did.” But these eleven writers take up the challenge, each in their own way, with expert awareness of the genre’s limitless possibilities.</i></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(80, 80, 80); color: #505050; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times, "times new roman", serif;"><i>Uncertainties is an anthology series—featuring authors from Ireland, France, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom—each exploring the concept of increasingly fragmented senses of reality. These types of short stories were termed “strange tales” by Robert Aickman, called “tales of the unexpected” by Roald Dahl, and known to Shakespeare’s ill-fated Prince Mamillius as “winter’s tales”. But these are no mere ghost stories. These tales of the uncanny grapple with existential epiphanies of the modern day, when otherwise familiar landscapes become sinister and something decidedly less than certain . . .</i></span></p><p><br /></p><p>Readers of my fiction, or of this blog in general, will no doubt recognise why this chimes with me so, and why I'm excited to have a story in this latest volume, alongside some absolutely fantastic authors. </p><p>You should never trust a writer's own opinion of their work, but I've always considered 'The Switch' to be a very <i>me</i> story, a very <i>Everington</i> story. A writer friend who read a draft of it said "only send this one to the <i>best</i> places" and, with <i>Uncertainties 6</i>, I certainly obeyed.</p><p>You can read more about the anthology and pre-ordered it <a href="https://swanriverpress.ie/srp-title/uncertainties-6/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><br /></p>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-54113430886165504152023-01-01T21:53:00.002+00:002023-01-01T21:53:22.261+00:00Favourite Short Stories: 2022<p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;">A bit delayed posting this due to Covid, but here's my annual favourite short stories of the year' post. Same 'rules' as before</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;"> (you can find links to lists from previous years </span><a href="https://jameseverington.blogspot.com/p/other-authors-are-available.html" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #771100; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.859999656677246px; text-decoration: none;">here</a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;">). For each story, I've linked to the publication where I read the story, which isn't always where they were first published.</span></p><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><br /></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Robert Aickman:</b><i> Hand In Glove </i>(<a href="http://www.tartaruspress.com/aickman-intrusions.html">Intrusions</a>, Tartarus Press)<br /></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Joey Baglio: </b><i>The Jackal </i>(<a href="https://www.conjunctions.com/online/article/joy-baglio-10-06-2021" target="_blank">Conjunctions</a>)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Laird Barron: </b><i>Joren Falls </i></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Come-Join-Us-Fire-Season-ebook/dp/B08W42NSMY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=30O8IT013BX9&keywords=Come+Join+Us+By+The+Fire&qid=1672608306&s=books&sprefix=come+join+us+by+the+fire%2Cstripbooks%2C175&sr=1-1" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Come Join Us By The Fire #2</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Tor</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>James Bennett: </b><i>Sulta </i>(<a href="https://www.thedarkmagazine.com/sulta/" target="_blank">The Dark #91</a>)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Desirina Boskovich: </b><i>The Great Dying Of The Holocene </i></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tomorrows-Cthulhu-Stories-Dawn-Posthumanity-ebook/dp/B01A97NC5I/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3CECMBMX575S4&keywords=Tomorrow%27s+Cthulhu%2C&qid=1672609505&s=books&sprefix=tomorrow+s+cthulhu+%2Cstripbooks%2C281&sr=1-1" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Tomorrow's Cthulhu,</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> Broken Eye Books)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Richard Lee Byers: </b><i>Advanced Placement </i></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tomorrows-Cthulhu-Stories-Dawn-Posthumanity-ebook/dp/B01A97NC5I/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3CECMBMX575S4&keywords=Tomorrow%27s+Cthulhu%2C&qid=1672609505&s=books&sprefix=tomorrow+s+cthulhu+%2Cstripbooks%2C281&sr=1-1" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Tomorrow's Cthulhu,</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> Broken Eye Books)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Ramsey Campbell: </b><i>The Devil In The Details </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Dreaming-Isle-Dan-Coxon/dp/1907389598/ref=sr_1_1?crid=20E7JS41FJW62&keywords=This+Dreaming+Isle&qid=1672608878&s=books&sprefix=this+dreaming+isle%2Cstripbooks%2C126&sr=1-1" target="_blank">This Dreaming Isle</a>, Unsung)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">David Carpenter: </b><i>There</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Goes The City </i><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">(<a href="https://cloisterfox.com" target="_blank">Cloister Fox #1</a>)</span></span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Eliza Chan: </b><i>The Tails That Make You</i> (<a href="https://www.fantasy-magazine.com/fm/fiction/the-tails-that-make-you/" target="_blank">Fantasy Magazine #82</a>)</span></span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Kay Chronister:</b><i> Linden In Effigy </i>(<a href="https://www.thedarkmagazine.com/linden-in-effigy/" target="_blank">The Dark #85</a>)</span></span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Chloe N. Clark: </b><i>A Map For Stars We Haven't Yet Marked </i>(<a href="https://counterclock.org/chloe-n-clark" target="_blank">Counterclock #14</a>)</span></span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Indrapramit Das: </b><i>You Will Survive The Night </i></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Come-Join-Us-Fire-Season-ebook/dp/B08W42NSMY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=30O8IT013BX9&keywords=Come+Join+Us+By+The+Fire&qid=1672608306&s=books&sprefix=come+join+us+by+the+fire%2Cstripbooks%2C175&sr=1-1" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Come Join Us By The Fire #2</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Tor</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Sarina Dorie: </b><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Arachnids In Your Bed: An Interactive Bedtime </i><i>Story</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> For Children—And Adults </i></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://undertowpublications.com/issue-4" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">Weird Horror #4</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Undertow)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Steve Duffy:</b><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> <i>The</i></span></span><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"> Woofle Dust </i><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Supernatural-Tales-49-Spring-2022-ebook/dp/B09VCXLPSM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3PFNKRT3H72DQ&keywords=supernatural+tales+49&qid=1672497516&s=books&sprefix=supernatural+tales+49%2Cstripbooks%2C99&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Supernatural Tales #49</a>)</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Brian Evenson: </b><i>The</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Cabin </i></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Come-Join-Us-Fire-Season-ebook/dp/B08W42NSMY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=30O8IT013BX9&keywords=Come+Join+Us+By+The+Fire&qid=1672608306&s=books&sprefix=come+join+us+by+the+fire%2Cstripbooks%2C175&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Come Join Us By The Fire #2</a><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Tor</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">)</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Brian Evenson: </b><i>The Rider </i>(<a href="https://undertowpublications.com/issue-5" target="_blank">Weird Horror #5</a>, Undertow)</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Charles L. Grant: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Out There </i><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cutting-Edge-Horror-Stories-Strieber/dp/B001YHVAZ2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38TEYBT1OYGV9&keywords=cutting+edge+peter+straub&qid=1672496187&s=books&sprefix=cutting+edge+peter+stra%2Cstripbooks%2C353&sr=1-1" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Cutting Edge</a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Guild)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Graham Greene: </b><i>When Greek Meets Greek </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Twenty-One-Stories-Vintage-Classics-Graham-ebook/dp/B0044XV5W6/ref=sr_1_2?crid=E1S0QFLN1N6T&keywords=21+stories&qid=1672609915&s=books&sprefix=21+stories%2Cstripbooks%2C148&sr=1-2" target="_blank">21 Stories</a>, Penguin)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Graham Greene: </b><i>A Drive In The Country<b> </b></i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Twenty-One-Stories-Vintage-Classics-Graham-ebook/dp/B0044XV5W6/ref=sr_1_2?crid=E1S0QFLN1N6T&keywords=21+stories&qid=1672609915&s=books&sprefix=21+stories%2Cstripbooks%2C148&sr=1-2" target="_blank">21 Stories</a>, Penguin)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Lucie McKnight Hardy: </b><i>Cavities</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> (</i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Relatives-Lucie-McKnight-Hardy/dp/1911585827/ref=sr_1_1?crid=14UMLWLI4U8GV&keywords=dead+relatives&qid=1672607395&sprefix=dead+relative%2Caps%2C135&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Dead Relatives</a>, Dead Ink)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Lucie McKnight Hardy: </b><i>Dead Relatives</i><i> (</i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Relatives-Lucie-McKnight-Hardy/dp/1911585827/ref=sr_1_1?crid=14UMLWLI4U8GV&keywords=dead+relatives&qid=1672607395&sprefix=dead+relative%2Caps%2C135&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Dead Relatives</a>, Dead Ink)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Lucie McKnight Hardy: </b><i>The Pickling Jar (</i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Relatives-Lucie-McKnight-Hardy/dp/1911585827/ref=sr_1_1?crid=14UMLWLI4U8GV&keywords=dead+relatives&qid=1672607395&sprefix=dead+relative%2Caps%2C135&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Dead Relatives</a>, Dead Ink)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>William Hope Hodgson: </b><i>The Gateway Monster </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weird-William-Hodgson-British-Library/dp/0712352333/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=william+hope+hodgson&qid=1672607839&sprefix=william+hope+hod%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Weird Tales of William Hope Hodgson</a>, British Library Tales Of The Weird)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>William Hope Hodgson: </b><i>The Derelict </i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weird-William-Hodgson-British-Library/dp/0712352333/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=william+hope+hodgson&qid=1672607839&sprefix=william+hope+hod%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Weird Tales of William Hope Hodgson</a>, British Library Tales Of The Weird)<br /></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Andrew Hook: </b><i>Beyond Each Blue Horizon </i></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?340667" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Never Again</a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Grey Friar Press)</span></div><div><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Dan Howarth: </b><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">Aperture </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://undertowpublications.com/issue-5" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">Weird Horror #5</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Undertow)</span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Andrew Humphrey: </b><i>Hurled Against Rocks </i>(<a href="https://undertowpublications.com/issue-4" target="_blank">Weird Horror #4</a>, Undertow)</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Stephen Graham Jones: </b><i>How To Break Into A Hotel Room </i>(<a href="https://www.nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/how-to-break-into-a-hotel-room/" target="_blank">Nightmare #112</a>)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Carole Johnstone: </b><i>Machine</i> </span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?340667" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Never Again</a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Grey Friar Press)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>R.J. Krijnen-Kemp: </b><i>Volk</i> (<a href="https://isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?340667" target="_blank">Never Again</a>, Grey Friar Press)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Eleanor Kirk: </b><i>The No Sex </i></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><i>Thing </i>(<a href="https://www.addastories.org/no-sex-thing/" target="_blank">Adda Stories</a>)</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Joel Lane: </b><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><i>The</i></span></span><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"> Clearing </i><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Earth-Wire-Joel-Lane/dp/1910312576/ref=sr_1_3?crid=KLSGPKU0GOGP&keywords=the+earth+wire&qid=1672497751&s=books&sprefix=the+earth+wir%2Cstripbooks%2C105&sr=1-3" target="_blank">The Earth Wire</a>, Influx Press)</span></span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Joel Lane: </b><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><i>And Some Are Missing</i></span><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"> </i><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Earth-Wire-Joel-Lane/dp/1910312576/ref=sr_1_3?crid=KLSGPKU0GOGP&keywords=the+earth+wire&qid=1672497751&s=books&sprefix=the+earth+wir%2Cstripbooks%2C105&sr=1-3" target="_blank">The Earth Wire</a>, Influx Press)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Patricia Lillie: </b><i>Mother Sylvia </i></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nightscript-5-C-M-Muller-ebook/dp/B07WZW69Y9/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3KMY9DDPUZ9AT&keywords=nightscript+v&qid=1672608051&sprefix=nightscript+v%2Caps%2C105&sr=8-7" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">Nightscript V</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Jack Lothian: </b><i>Susan & The Most Popular Girl In School</i> (<a href="https://undertowpublications.com/issue-3" target="_blank">Weird Horror #3</a>, Undertow)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Kathryn E. McGee: </b><i>Saving Face </i>(<a href="https://www.kelpjournal.com/post/fiction-saving-face" target="_blank">Kelp Journal</a>)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Gary McMahon: </b><i>Not A Place I Recognise </i>(<a href="http://www.garymcmahon.com/2022/09/white-rabbit-story-september.html" target="_blank">author's website</a>)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Alison Moore: </b><i>The</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Stone Dead</i></span><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Dreaming-Isle-Dan-Coxon/dp/1907389598/ref=sr_1_1?crid=20E7JS41FJW62&keywords=This+Dreaming+Isle&qid=1672608878&s=books&sprefix=this+dreaming+isle%2Cstripbooks%2C126&sr=1-1" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">This Dreaming Isle</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Unsung)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Sunny Moraine: </b><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">If Living Is </i><i>Seeing I'm Holding My Breath </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Come-Join-Us-Fire-Season-ebook/dp/B08W42NSMY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=30O8IT013BX9&keywords=Come+Join+Us+By+The+Fire&qid=1672608306&s=books&sprefix=come+join+us+by+the+fire%2Cstripbooks%2C175&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Come Join Us By The Fire #2</a>, Tor)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Jeannette Ng:</b><i> We Regret To Inform You </i></span><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Dreaming-Isle-Dan-Coxon/dp/1907389598/ref=sr_1_1?crid=20E7JS41FJW62&keywords=This+Dreaming+Isle&qid=1672608878&s=books&sprefix=this+dreaming+isle%2Cstripbooks%2C126&sr=1-1" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">This Dreaming Isle</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Unsung)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Joyce Carol Oates: </b><i>Strip Poker </i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Give-Me-Your-Heart-Suspense-ebook/dp/B004IK8M9O/ref=sr_1_1?crid=BZKX63ZW7MOH&keywords=joyce+carol+oates+give+me&qid=1672608621&s=books&sprefix=joyrce+carol+oates+giv%2Cstripbooks%2C94&sr=1-1" target="_blank">(Give Me Your Heart</a>, Corvus)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Daria Patrie: </b><i>Tangles </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tomorrows-Cthulhu-Stories-Dawn-Posthumanity-ebook/dp/B01A97NC5I/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3CECMBMX575S4&keywords=Tomorrow%27s+Cthulhu%2C&qid=1672609505&s=books&sprefix=tomorrow+s+cthulhu+%2Cstripbooks%2C281&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Tomorrow's Cthulhu,</a> Broken Eye Books)<br /></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Miyuki Jane Pinckard: </b><i>A House Full of Voices Is Never Empty </i>(<a href="https://www.uncannymagazine.com/article/a-house-full-of-voices-is-never-empty/" target="_blank">Uncanny #38</a>)</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Eric Raglin:</b> <i>Dead Rain </i>(<a href="https://dreadstonepress.com/2022/04/01/dead-rain/" target="_blank">Dreadstone Press</a> online)</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Lauren Ring: </b><i>Sunrise, Sunrise, Sunrise </i>(<a href="https://apparitionlit.com/sunrise-sunrise-sunrise/" target="_blank">Apparition Lit</a>)</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Gareth E. Rees: </b><i>The Knucker </i></span></span><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Dreaming-Isle-Dan-Coxon/dp/1907389598/ref=sr_1_1?crid=20E7JS41FJW62&keywords=This+Dreaming+Isle&qid=1672608878&s=books&sprefix=this+dreaming+isle%2Cstripbooks%2C126&sr=1-1" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">This Dreaming Isle</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Unsung)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>C.D. Rose: </b><i>Sister </i></span></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-British-Short-Stories-2018-ebook/dp/B07FCSGDGN/ref=sr_1_3?crid=32RXA3XR4Z7JD&keywords=Best+British+Short+Stories+2018&qid=1672498485&s=books&sprefix=best+british+short+stories+2018%2Cstripbooks%2C688&sr=1-3" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Best British Short Stories 2018</a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Salt)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Nicholas Royle: </b><i>The</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Other Man </i><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">(<a href="https://swanriverpress.ie/srp-title/the-dummy/" target="_blank">The Dummy & Other Stories</a>, Swan River Press)</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Nicholas Royle: </b><i>Cuckoo </i>(<a href="https://swanriverpress.ie/srp-title/the-dummy/" target="_blank">The Dummy & Other Stories</a>, Swan River Press)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Nicholas Royle: </b><i>Moving Out </i>(<a href="https://swanriverpress.ie/srp-title/the-dummy/" target="_blank">The Dummy & Other Stories</a>, Swan River Press)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Salman Rushdie: </b><i>The</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Shelter Of The World </i><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">(<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/02/25/the-shelter-of-the-world" target="_blank">The New Yorker </a>Feb 08)</span></span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Robert Shearman: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Damned If You Don't</i><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"> (</span><a href="https://isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?340667" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Never Again</a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Grey Friar Press)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Robert Shearman: </b><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Sounding Brass Tinkling </i><i>Cymbal</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hear-Stories-Dark-Trade-Paperback/dp/178636462X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=VLYK0KX8P746&keywords=We+All+Hear+Stories+In+The+Dark&qid=1672608749&s=books&sprefix=we+all+hear+stories+in+the+dark%2Cstripbooks%2C183&sr=1-1" target="_blank">We All Hear Stories In The Dark</a>, PS Publishing)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Robert Shearman: </b><i>The Wait </i></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://cloisterfox.com" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Cloister Fox #1</a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Zadie Smith: </b><i>Blocked </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grand-Union-Zadie-Smith-ebook/dp/B07N45KZ77/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3EUC9VSNIHG18&keywords=grand+union&qid=1672497667&s=books&sprefix=grand+union%2Cstripbooks%2C103&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Grand Union</a>, Penguin)</span></span></span></div><div><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Zadie Smith: </b><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Meet The President! </i><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grand-Union-Zadie-Smith-ebook/dp/B07N45KZ77/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3EUC9VSNIHG18&keywords=grand+union&qid=1672497667&s=books&sprefix=grand+union%2Cstripbooks%2C103&sr=1-1" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Grand Union</a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Penguin)</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Teika Marija Smits: </b><i>Absinthiana</i> (<a href="https://www.fairlightbooks.co.uk/absinthiana/" target="_blank">Fairlight Stories</a>)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Jo Mazelis: </b><i>Skin</i> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-British-Short-Stories-2018-ebook/dp/B07FCSGDGN/ref=sr_1_3?crid=32RXA3XR4Z7JD&keywords=Best+British+Short+Stories+2018&qid=1672498485&s=books&sprefix=best+british+short+stories+2018%2Cstripbooks%2C688&sr=1-3" target="_blank">Best British Short Stories 2018</a>, Salt)<br /></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Peter Straub: </b><i>Blue Rose </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cutting-Edge-Horror-Stories-Strieber/dp/B001YHVAZ2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38TEYBT1OYGV9&keywords=cutting+edge+peter+straub&qid=1672496187&s=books&sprefix=cutting+edge+peter+stra%2Cstripbooks%2C353&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Cutting Edge</a>, Guild)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Dan Stintzi: </b><i>The Border </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nightscript-5-C-M-Muller-ebook/dp/B07WZW69Y9/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3KMY9DDPUZ9AT&keywords=nightscript+v&qid=1672608051&sprefix=nightscript+v%2Caps%2C105&sr=8-7" target="_blank">Nightscript V</a>)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Simon Strantzas: </b><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Jason's In The </i><i>Garden</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </i></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nightscript-5-C-M-Muller-ebook/dp/B07WZW69Y9/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3KMY9DDPUZ9AT&keywords=nightscript+v&qid=1672608051&sprefix=nightscript+v%2Caps%2C105&sr=8-7" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">Nightscript V</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Don Tumasonis: </b><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">What Goes Down </i><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">(<a href="http://www.pardoes.info/roanddarroll/StoryDon.html" target="_blank">Ghosts & Scholars</a>)</span></span><br /></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Charlotte Turnbull: </b><i>Eventually, The Body Will Reject A Hostile Object Of Its Own Accord </i>(<a href="https://splonk.ie/2021/11/21/eventually-the-body-will-reject-a-hostile-object-of-its-own-accord-charlotte-turnbull/" target="_blank">Splonk #6</a>)</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Lisa Tuttle: </b><i>The Horse Lord </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nest-Nightmares-Lisa-Tuttle-ebook/dp/B00DOZ6I0O/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=a+nest+of+nightmares&qid=1672607499&sprefix=a+nest+of+nightm%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-1" target="_blank">A Nest Of Nightmares</a>, Jo Fletcher Books)</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Lisa Tuttle: </b><i>A Friend In Need </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nest-Nightmares-Lisa-Tuttle-ebook/dp/B00DOZ6I0O/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=a+nest+of+nightmares&qid=1672607499&sprefix=a+nest+of+nightm%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-1" target="_blank">A Nest Of Nightmares</a>, Jo Fletcher Books)</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Emily Ruth Verona:</b><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> I </i><i>Wrote</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </i><i>Your</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Name </i><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">(<a href="https://coffinbell.com/i-wrote-your-name/" target="_blank">Coffin Bell</a>)</span> <br /></span></span><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Catriana Ward: </b><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><i>Once We Lived Beside A Lake</i> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rawblood-Catriona-Ward-ebook/dp/B00U67GLR8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=338T4MINP9GC6&keywords=rawblood&qid=1672496735&s=books&sprefix=rawblood%2Cstripbooks%2C91&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Rawblood</a> bonus content, Gollancz)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Kaaron Warren: </b><i>68 Days</i><i> </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tomorrows-Cthulhu-Stories-Dawn-Posthumanity-ebook/dp/B01A97NC5I/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3CECMBMX575S4&keywords=Tomorrow%27s+Cthulhu%2C&qid=1672609505&s=books&sprefix=tomorrow+s+cthulhu+%2Cstripbooks%2C281&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Tomorrow's Cthulhu,</a> Broken Eye Books)<br /></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>Gordon B. White: </b><i>The Roast</i> (</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><a href="https://www.gordonbwhite.com/stories" target="_blank">author's website</a>)</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Zachariah Claypole White: </b><i>The Eighth Room </i></span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://undertowpublications.com/issue-5" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_blank">Weird Horror #5</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Undertow)</span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Aliya Whitely: </b><i>Plans For Expansion </i>(<a href="https://www.drabblecast.org/2022/07/10/drabblecast-458-plans-for-expansion/" target="_blank">Drabblecast #458</a>)</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>Conrad Williams: </b><i>Cwtch </i></span></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-British-Short-Stories-2018-ebook/dp/B07FCSGDGN/ref=sr_1_3?crid=32RXA3XR4Z7JD&keywords=Best+British+Short+Stories+2018&qid=1672498485&s=books&sprefix=best+british+short+stories+2018%2Cstripbooks%2C688&sr=1-3" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Best British Short Stories 2018</a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Salt)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>A.C. Wise: </b><i>How The Trick Is Done </i>(<a href="https://undertowpublications.com/shop/the-ghost-sequences" target="_blank">The Ghost Sequences</a>, Undertow)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><b>A.C. Wise: </b><i>Tekeli-Li They Cry </i>(<a href="https://undertowpublications.com/shop/the-ghost-sequences" target="_blank">The Ghost Sequences</a>, Undertow)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><b>John Wiswell:</b> <i>The Coward Who Stole God's Name </i>(<a href="https://www.uncannymagazine.com/article/the-coward-who-stole-gods-name/" target="_blank">Uncanny #46</a>)<br /></span></span><b style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Chelsea Quinn Yarbro: </b><i style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Lapses </i><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cutting-Edge-Horror-Stories-Strieber/dp/B001YHVAZ2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38TEYBT1OYGV9&keywords=cutting+edge+peter+straub&qid=1672496187&s=books&sprefix=cutting+edge+peter+stra%2Cstripbooks%2C353&sr=1-1" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Cutting Edge</a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;">, Guild)</span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><br /></span></div>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-24029110846502492742022-12-03T10:22:00.005+00:002022-12-31T14:11:40.433+00:00UK Ghost Story Festival 23<p> <span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pleased to say I'll be haunting the good people of Derby as part of the UK Ghost Story Festival...</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, .SFNSText-Regular, sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-saXJkCmDtPD6w9qKth_a-7J0KprPAm30WrBxaqh6qrEiyOR1Ke61TcrZl1UBhzpUIqxLeU5rQgA2USXsxbeXwYl1VI08PephQf9S2zXQcCax8zGhj8pf-LGXnIKlefDHUumsrPUvaoxRcAIx8bFZpD4IbqyKlTBu5HCRi8kfGNH4bynlcCCRAl8F/s4096/FjCsYfXXgAA8Bs9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="4096" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-saXJkCmDtPD6w9qKth_a-7J0KprPAm30WrBxaqh6qrEiyOR1Ke61TcrZl1UBhzpUIqxLeU5rQgA2USXsxbeXwYl1VI08PephQf9S2zXQcCax8zGhj8pf-LGXnIKlefDHUumsrPUvaoxRcAIx8bFZpD4IbqyKlTBu5HCRi8kfGNH4bynlcCCRAl8F/w400-h200/FjCsYfXXgAA8Bs9.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-84605356350174087652022-11-12T10:39:00.005+00:002022-11-12T10:39:54.657+00:00Night Time Logic: Interview with Cemetery Dance<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7weyflKyjW6PDFuY0Hmfzn6m8orH7x9LtIWkigz4RXgXFF0Y4hIVejWxu2JGsFqyoUDrBcJjg4H41h_NKlFEFDX88uRKY8grmPgDFv30VlEwo5BvLzuGVxvrj67urcMzFQHBztvNkquskZByuad94vgVnYiPaHpos1wXn_xmD473qOg1bzid03uk/s1024/308947600_1178928983021719_193918999264332704_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="672" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7weyflKyjW6PDFuY0Hmfzn6m8orH7x9LtIWkigz4RXgXFF0Y4hIVejWxu2JGsFqyoUDrBcJjg4H41h_NKlFEFDX88uRKY8grmPgDFv30VlEwo5BvLzuGVxvrj67urcMzFQHBztvNkquskZByuad94vgVnYiPaHpos1wXn_xmD473qOg1bzid03uk/w131-h200/308947600_1178928983021719_193918999264332704_n.png" width="131" /></a></div>I've been interviewed by the weird fiction author Daniel Baum as part of his <i>Night Time Logic</i> column over on <a href="https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/night-time-logic-james-everington/?fbclid=IwAR0zZMw6ae_BleXnJfh16BRaqNQNNaFczX5s1kMlgIXXHRJG1uybmunNe08">Cemetery Dance</a>. Daniel and I share a love of Robert Aickman, so the interview inevitably touches on that, strange stories in general, and my recent anthology from Hersham Horror, <i>Ebb Tides<br /></i><p></p><p><br /></p><p>You can read it <a href="https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/night-time-logic-james-everington/?fbclid=IwAR0zZMw6ae_BleXnJfh16BRaqNQNNaFczX5s1kMlgIXXHRJG1uybmunNe08">here</a>.</p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>Ebb Tides</i>:<i> </i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BBD2K12R/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UNKCVLN3DUYJ&keywords=ebb%20tides%20everington&qid=1661120099&s=books&sprefix=ebb%20tides%20everington%2Cstripbooks%2C57&sr=1-1&fbclid=IwAR0RwnVY22h4IicJEgn0Egv4Pr6SQNtSneJZxylfj2x1Dxh5i511sfdEYi8" style="color: #771100; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.859999656677246px; text-decoration: none;">UK</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;"> | </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BBD2K12R/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UNKCVLN3DUYJ&keywords=ebb%20tides%20everington&qid=1661120099&s=books&sprefix=ebb%20tides%20everington%2Cstripbooks%2C57&sr=1-1&fbclid=IwAR0RwnVY22h4IicJEgn0Egv4Pr6SQNtSneJZxylfj2x1Dxh5i511sfdEYi8" style="color: #771100; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.859999656677246px; text-decoration: none;">US</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-73523127095838068922022-08-24T22:03:00.005+01:002022-08-24T22:03:59.680+01:00The Tide Is Coming In Soon...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIyL0U-g5329n_IctMvQ0Hcgu4a_GJo4yslrCuBW5VIl5FvOPnCwoXgO351ptLbaEnh_02oLexYqEkRlEAgFg7iyLuokh_SgklNnoAtOYQbMTDtfQ_ULB6xOatB1fRSjgQwn0t4-3MmqRX8uOrUP6pXitB5UjPkxVaJlGGEEWN0opnEstXQrXvbBD/s500/41A8e7WbIZL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="329" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIyL0U-g5329n_IctMvQ0Hcgu4a_GJo4yslrCuBW5VIl5FvOPnCwoXgO351ptLbaEnh_02oLexYqEkRlEAgFg7iyLuokh_SgklNnoAtOYQbMTDtfQ_ULB6xOatB1fRSjgQwn0t4-3MmqRX8uOrUP6pXitB5UjPkxVaJlGGEEWN0opnEstXQrXvbBD/w264-h400/41A8e7WbIZL.jpg" width="264" /></a></div> <i>Ebb Tides</i> is a forthcoming anthology from Hersham Horror, edited by myself, which takes as its theme those creepy hinterlands between land and sea: dunes, salt-marshes, sea caves, estuaries. It features frankly brilliant stories from V.H. Leslie, Iain Rowan, J.L George, Kit Power, and Tracy Fahey. <p></p><p><br /></p><p>I've had the pleasure of reading these stories before anyone else - but soon you can too: <i>Ebb Tides</i> is released early September, and you can preorder now: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BBD2K12R/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UNKCVLN3DUYJ&keywords=ebb%20tides%20everington&qid=1661120099&s=books&sprefix=ebb%20tides%20everington%2Cstripbooks%2C57&sr=1-1&fbclid=IwAR0RwnVY22h4IicJEgn0Egv4Pr6SQNtSneJZxylfj2x1Dxh5i511sfdEYi8">UK</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BBD2K12R/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UNKCVLN3DUYJ&keywords=ebb%20tides%20everington&qid=1661120099&s=books&sprefix=ebb%20tides%20everington%2Cstripbooks%2C57&sr=1-1&fbclid=IwAR0RwnVY22h4IicJEgn0Egv4Pr6SQNtSneJZxylfj2x1Dxh5i511sfdEYi8">US<br /></a></p>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-86235083825398533442022-07-09T11:48:00.005+01:002022-07-09T11:49:42.871+01:00Author Interview: Cristina Mîrzoi<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvQojLuvqucWFL3rMLc4D3Ll_s9uLEdeUfxC5MnAQ7VIHTfRvuIfGmed1Z83NlXzEdxMMXWRWuFMcio-K-8x6yIajVYCiQ0bEVfhg4vKvsMijF_cee-2gHETui8JniPZfEGOs-q0FY26xMkeaIRCBKTPEzV-8nWo4AjzkZYRGih42UkFRHiPRcV1A/s500/41hqNxnZdQL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvQojLuvqucWFL3rMLc4D3Ll_s9uLEdeUfxC5MnAQ7VIHTfRvuIfGmed1Z83NlXzEdxMMXWRWuFMcio-K-8x6yIajVYCiQ0bEVfhg4vKvsMijF_cee-2gHETui8JniPZfEGOs-q0FY26xMkeaIRCBKTPEzV-8nWo4AjzkZYRGih42UkFRHiPRcV1A/s320/41hqNxnZdQL.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I recently <a href="http://jameseverington.blogspot.com/2022/03/recommendation-headsman-by-cristina.html">reviewed</a> the short-story collection <i>The Headsman</i> by author <a href="https://linktr.ee/cristina.mirzoi" target="_blank">Cristina Mîrzoi</a>, and it impressed me a hell of a lot. If you've not read it, do yourself a favour and pick it up here: <i style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;">The Headsman </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Headsman-Cristina-M%C3%AErzoi-ebook/dp/B09QJ2LFNK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1FB4GWAC45OZK&keywords=the+headsman&qid=1646255614&sprefix=the+headsman%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-1" style="color: #771100; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.859999656677246px; text-decoration: none;">UK</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;"> | </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Headsman-Cristina-M%C3%AErzoi-ebook/dp/B09QJ2LFNK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1FB4GWAC45OZK&keywords=the+headsman&qid=1646255614&sprefix=the+headsman%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-1" style="color: #771100; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.859999656677246px; text-decoration: none;">US</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;">)</span><p></p><p>After reading it, I reached out to her to ask her a bit more about <i>The Headsman, </i>writing in a second-language, her future writing plans, and the fun-filled topic of death as a theme in fiction... After some delays on my part, you can read the interview below.</p><p>Take it away, Cristina:<br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p> <br /><span style="color: #073763;"><i>So firstly, congratulations on </i>The Headsman <i>- it’s a fantastic piece of work. Could you explain something about what the book means to you and where your inspiration for it came from? <br /></i></span><br />Thank you so much! It means a lot to receive peer feedback and I’m over the moon about the positive ones, as you can imagine.<br /><br /><div>During the pandemic, I made a habit of going to the nearby park to find a quiet spot for reading or writing flash fiction ideas. During one of those outings, I took Terry Pratchett’s <i>Night Watch</i> book with me. It was late April, almost May. The lilac trees smelled nice, the weather was lovely, and it brought up a vivid memory of a funeral that I attended years ago, during a warm April day in a cemetery filled with blooming lilac trees. That same day, as I was reading, I came upon a chapter where Vimes was visiting the Cemetery of Small Gods, where lilac trees were growing. I don’t believe much in fate or strange occurrences, but I took it as a good omen and brainstormed a few ideas. I wrote the 1st chapter as a standalone piece, then continued with the rest. For one chapter I even adapted a rejected flash story. <br /><br />I have a lot of affection for <i>The Headsman</i>, since it’s my first lengthier piece in English and I am thrilled with how it turned out. <br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #073763;"><i>I understand you’ve written in Romanian prior to </i>The Headsman<i>, so I wondered what made you decide to write this book in English? Is it something you plan to do again in your writing? (I personally hope so, as I can’t read Romanian…) </i><br /></span><br />Yes, indeed. I have written a children’s fantasy novel in Romanian, which is my native language. It was recently published by a local press. Working on this novel was very enjoyable and it’s very dear to me, however, I enjoy writing in English more. I believe writing in English gives me more flexibility as it has a richer vocabulary than Romanian. It’s also easier to find my crowd, since the international reading community is so diverse and more open-minded. Obviously, I was self-conscious at first, English not being my 1st language, but I got lucky in finding Dion (<a href="https://thefinetoothed.com" target="_blank">The FineToothed Comb</a>) who helped with the editing part, and everything came together really well.<br /><br />I have just finished the first draft for a novella, so hopefully it will come out soon.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAB3siVXr3ucpUXNGgg2KXcd71YVto3lQMrWqQdvfDAZUXo5cUQQOaca0syx_GrrIZbVhjLi_n3FAFpWRdsbKwIVWW6Nw0utglFiv2l0zw5sagiH9kRVDRn4ydSlZnn9W1Gsiq-ktBbmUgWTWzqFdumNxy1Xy67m7ObKfIFNFN9qLVq4wKB2cJouzg/s1000/20220508_134133-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAB3siVXr3ucpUXNGgg2KXcd71YVto3lQMrWqQdvfDAZUXo5cUQQOaca0syx_GrrIZbVhjLi_n3FAFpWRdsbKwIVWW6Nw0utglFiv2l0zw5sagiH9kRVDRn4ydSlZnn9W1Gsiq-ktBbmUgWTWzqFdumNxy1Xy67m7ObKfIFNFN9qLVq4wKB2cJouzg/s320/20220508_134133-3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><i><span style="color: #073763;">One thing I loved about the book was its structure: an interconnected narrative not quite a novel, not quite a short story collection. Did you have this structure in mind for the book from the start, or was it something that came as you were writing? <br /></span></i><br />The 1st chapter was meant to be a standalone flash piece; it was as published in <i>The Siren’s Call Publications</i> e-zine’s Halloween edition of 2021. What drew me back to the story was the need to explore the backstory of the characters. Having the witch/duchess as the main character felt a bit overused, so the headsman’s POV seemed more intriguing. In the beginning, I thought of writing a bunch of separate stories where the headsman would be the only common thread. But this format of tales that focused on the people he was supposed to execute felt too impersonal; I wanted to get to know him better and explore the emotional side of the story.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #073763;"><i>Another thing I loved about </i>The Headsman<i> was how each story made me reconsider the ones I’d already read. It’s definitely a book that benefits from being read more than once - was this an effect you were deliberately going for? How did you go about weaving in all the cross-references and allusions to other tales in the book? </i><br /></span><br />I am surprised at how many people have mentioned this. It wasn’t really my intention. At first, I thought it would be interesting to have all these different characters connected in some way; one’s actions to influence another’s, a bit like a domino effect. Soon after, I started adding hints and clues because it felt more challenging and fun for the reader (at least that’s what I hoped). As I child I was a Sherlock fan, so I like mysteries and puzzles. Some people have appreciated this, saying it was an engaging storytelling choice, while for others it felt a bit confusing.<br /><br /><br /><i><span style="color: #073763;">Maybe I’ve got a dark and maudlin mind, but to me the main theme of the book seemed to be death, and how no one escapes from it, not even the Headsman. But enough about me—what do you think the themes of the book are? <br /></span></i><br />You got it right. Death is one of the themes since the idea of the story came from the memory of a funeral. I also thought a lot about moral loss. Each character has this sort of tragic background that makes them act in a certain way, and I wanted for the story to work as a character study. There are many layers to one’s personality, and I didn’t want the characters to come across as one dimensional. All of them have a breaking point. It was important for me to explore how they got to that certain point.<br /><br /><br /><i><span style="color: #073763;">How has the book been received? Marketing an indie book is pretty tough, and I imagine it’s even tougher when you’re written a book in a different language. <br /></span></i><br />Well, to be honest, it hasn’t been easy, but I enjoyed it very much. In the beginning, I thought about using a pen name, something catchier and more marketable. Although I am Romanian; I haven’t been using local/Eastern European elements in my stories, so I didn’t feel the need to emphasize on my background. In the end, I decided against it, since I’m not interested in building a persona. Writing is a very liberating activity for me, so I wanted to keep it this way in all aspects.<br /><br />The great part about this entire process has been the networking; being able to connect with a lot of readers, especially on Instagram, which were very supportive and provided me with great feedback and some indie authors that made me aware of how many outstanding books I had overlooked. The amount of interest surprised me; I didn’t think people would give a lot of chances to an unknown newbie with a weird surname. 😊<br /><br /><i><br /></i></div><br /><div><i><span style="color: #073763;">And finally, what next for you on the writing front? Can we expect another Cristina Mîrzoi book soon? <br /></span></i><br />I mentioned earlier about finishing the 1st draft of a novella I had been working on. Deciding on a genre is tricky, but it’s somewhere between dark fantasy and magic realism. Characters from the classical fairy tale Hansel and Gretel have served as archetypes for creating my own characters, but this is not a retelling. It’s a story about a woman that is forced to face her past as she tries to gain closure on her childhood traumas. She’s an unreliable narrator, so the events occur at the crossroad between reality, delusion, and magic, at times turning into nightmarish situations.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;">The Headsman </i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Headsman-Cristina-M%C3%AErzoi-ebook/dp/B09QJ2LFNK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1FB4GWAC45OZK&keywords=the+headsman&qid=1646255614&sprefix=the+headsman%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-1" style="color: #771100; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.859999656677246px; text-decoration: none;">UK</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;"> | </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Headsman-Cristina-M%C3%AErzoi-ebook/dp/B09QJ2LFNK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1FB4GWAC45OZK&keywords=the+headsman&qid=1646255614&sprefix=the+headsman%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-1" style="color: #771100; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.859999656677246px; text-decoration: none;">US</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.859999656677246px;">)</span></div><div><div><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div></div>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-10521842501401622732022-06-29T10:32:00.003+01:002022-06-29T10:32:55.907+01:00"...the style is so delicate and beautiful..."<p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 20, 25); color: #0f1419; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 20, 25); color: #0f1419; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nice to see my book, <i><a href="https://jameseverington.blogspot.com/p/trying-to-be-so-quiet.html">Trying To Be So Quiet</a></i> (published by The Sinister Horror Company)</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 20, 25); color: #0f1419; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on this great list of recommendations from author </span><a href="https://jameseverington.blogspot.com/2022/03/recommendation-headsman-by-cristina.html">Cristina Mîrzoi</a> on the <i>Armed With A Book </i>site.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><i><a href="https://armedwithabook.com/indie-recommends-indie-cristina-mirzoi/">"...the style is so delicate and beautiful..."</a></i></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">In terms of kind words about my stories, doesn't get much better than that, really.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-89919473461012350172022-03-21T09:22:00.001+00:002022-03-21T09:22:00.173+00:00Coming Soon...<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJhkpeKU75oFgo0XQoam9pu0wvhvD6edCXiAXvhjwUNd2yzCrsiT75unBiNJuuF-VAPenLp5QWrM6DOKygvoJl7gtaLxwIRzHq6vom-3H997mZttHfxS9X368YkkR75j3egbAehFus3CkMASkCE9GMS2PnJ6Sj9rDPuPORBM08Qt7Mh_GSE8D3_vk2=s1968" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="1296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJhkpeKU75oFgo0XQoam9pu0wvhvD6edCXiAXvhjwUNd2yzCrsiT75unBiNJuuF-VAPenLp5QWrM6DOKygvoJl7gtaLxwIRzHq6vom-3H997mZttHfxS9X368YkkR75j3egbAehFus3CkMASkCE9GMS2PnJ6Sj9rDPuPORBM08Qt7Mh_GSE8D3_vk2=w422-h640" width="422" /></a></div><br /><p></p>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-46166149041377963722022-03-19T09:17:00.004+00:002022-03-19T09:17:56.780+00:00New Story: 'Not That Kind Of Place'<p>Very pleased to be back in print in the pages of <i><a href="http://suptales.blogspot.com">Supernatural Tales</a>. </i>My tale 'Not That Kind Of Place' appears in the latest issue (#49) alongside stories from Rosalie Parker, Steve Duffy and others. It's my third time appearing in ST - always a pleasure.</p><i>Supernatural Tales #49</i> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Supernatural-Tales-49-Spring-2022-ebook/dp/B09VCXLPSM/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=supernatural+tales+49&qid=1647681120&sprefix=supernatural+tales+%2Caps%2C118&sr=8-3" target="_blank">UK</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Supernatural-Tales-49-Spring-2022-ebook/dp/B09VCXLPSM/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=supernatural+tales+49&qid=1647681120&sprefix=supernatural+tales+%2Caps%2C118&sr=8-3" target="_blank">US</a>)James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-6929773145654654132022-03-02T21:50:00.000+00:002022-03-02T21:50:41.876+00:00Recommendation: The Headsman by Cristina Mîrzoi<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41hqNxnZdQL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41hqNxnZdQL.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">There's a real pleasure, I think, in stumbling across a piece of art - a book, a film, an album - that's obviously special but which no one really knows about yet, and which you weren't even expecting yourself. And it's a vanishing pleasure in our increasingly homogenised and instant world. I used to discover new bands by listening to the radio or going to record shops; I used to find new authors by browsing the secondhand shelves in Blackwells Oxford and taking a chance on something that I had little idea what it was but which looked interesting...</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Maybe times have changed, or maybe I'm just old now, but such serendipitous stumbling into something unknown but exciting happens less and less for me nowadays. But when it <i>does</i> happen, I'm still thrilled. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">My friend and<a href="https://thefinetoothed.com/?fbclid=IwAR0-0o8dDTdyrQvhbEDwf4ggiFXJcd4XD4HMDX2uP8N0P5vwbI5IngTdP2M"> editor-supreme</a> Dion Winton-Polak posted he'd recently edited a new book, <i>The Headsman</i> by </span></span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Cristina Mîrzoi. If I'd not been looking at Facebook on my phone at that exact moment, I probably would have missed it, something special lost amidst the horrendous world news, the Wordle scores, the shit-posting and endless adverts. But I <i>did</i> see Dion's post, and thought the book looked interesting, so I picked up a copy.</span></p><div><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Having read it, I can say it's far more than 'interesting'. It's really, genuinely, fantastically good. The real deal.</span></div><div><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><i>The Headsman </i>is a story told via series of interconnecting chapters, each titled after a figure in the same village (time and place deliberately and pleasingly </span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial;">unspecified): 'The Duke', 'The Maid' etc. Each piece is told from one perspective but together they form a single, whole narrative, the reader realising each is a different pieces of the same jigsaw. Once you work out how the book works, there's an almost addictive feeling starting each new section of the story, trying to work out how it's going to fit into the overall picture. The sections in <i style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5);">The Headsman </i><span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5);">jump around in time as well as perspective, but regardless it's clear the story is heading in one direction only, and towards one ending: death. The titular Headsman is the village's executioner (he uses an axe, hence his name) and it's no real spoiler to say more than one of the characters in the story meet a swift and inevitable end at his hands...</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial;">I read <i style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5);">The Headsman </i>in a single day and loved every minute of this dark and accomplished narrative. Formally inventive but fable-like in its tale of archetypes, I highly recommend it, and I'm definitely looking forward to future works by Mîrzoi. <span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5);">And</span> if, like me, you're getting older and miss that feeling of stumbling across something new and exciting and unexpected that no one else knows about yet, use this blog post as a catalyst to go out and buy <i>The Headsman </i>now:<br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial;"><i>The Headsman </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Headsman-Cristina-Mîrzoi-ebook/dp/B09QJ2LFNK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1FB4GWAC45OZK&keywords=the+headsman&qid=1646255614&sprefix=the+headsman%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-1">UK</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Headsman-Cristina-Mîrzoi-ebook/dp/B09QJ2LFNK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1FB4GWAC45OZK&keywords=the+headsman&qid=1646255614&sprefix=the+headsman%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-1">US</a>)</span></div><div><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial;"> </span></div>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-14579587388692568042022-02-28T12:37:00.000+00:002022-02-28T12:37:05.230+00:00Link: Authors and Artists for the Ukraine<p> I'm sure all readers of my blog are appalled and disgusted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. My friend and all-round horror supremo Johnny Mains is currently running an <a href="https://willyousendadinghyplease.blogspot.com/2022/02/ukraine-genre-auction.html#comment-form">online auction</a> on his site, to raise money for Red Cross Ukraine. And there's some amazing rarities to bid on - a super-rare Ramsey Campbell novel; a signed shooting script for Inside No. 9; signed copies of loads of books.</p><p>I'd encourage you to go and have a look, make a <a href="https://willyousendadinghyplease.blogspot.com/2022/02/ukraine-genre-auction.html#comment-form">bid</a> (even if you outbid me, you bastards), share the auction around social media, and we can do some good despite the awful news.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-45544298520510008542022-02-20T11:30:00.000+00:002022-02-20T11:30:21.305+00:00Recommendation: And So The Night Did Claim Them by Duncan P. Bradshaw<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blackshuckbooks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/And-the-Night-Did-Claim-Them-500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://blackshuckbooks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/And-the-Night-Did-Claim-Them-500.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><p>I've known Duncan Bradshaw for a few years, mainly for two things: his love of good beers and his fiction, a very distinctive blend of humour and over the top horror. His readings at conventions are always laugh-out-loud funny/groan-out-loud disgusting (check out <i><a href="https://www.sinisterhorrorcompany.com/summoned" target="_blank">Congratulations! You've Accidentally Summoned A World-Ending Monster. What Now?</a></i>, a riff on the 'Choose Your Own Adventure' series, for an example). Fair to say, although we're both writing horror, our approaches our worlds apart...</p><p></p><p>So I was more than intrigued when Duncan approached me for a blurb for a forthcoming release which he said was... <i>serious</i>. I think he even used the 'literature' word. But even if he didn't, I will: <i>And The Night Did Claim Them</i>, from Black Shuck Books is a masterful piece of serious horror literature. It's still got moments of trademark Bradshaw humour, but now part of a story which is a dark and unrelenting slide towards doom. I genuinely loved it, and after some thought I had this to say about it:</p><p><br /></p><p><i>“A creepy, absorbing novella about loss, regret, and the blackness awaiting us all. Bleak as hell; dark and silky as a pint of Guinness - I loved it.”</i></p><div>And I stand by every word.</div><p>(<i>Disclaimer:</i> I received some beer from the author as a thank-you for this blurb, which was 8% and gave me a mild headache and some grumpiness the next morning. What a bastard. Don't buy his books.)</p><p><i>And The Night Did Claim Them </i>(<a href="https://blackshuckbooks.co.uk/and-the-night-did-claim-them/" target="_blank">Pre-Order</a>)</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFt-1jQYQsQfj8iVW366tVVtm2Jy2OjzeB6u1jlMCuJo_S2RGsW6drS4k_Bp46X8X_tZUS0UPYOPRxAqxJ8PetzqYll3IiTbtyu7r9CFfIUkeO7k2c7siABEhUaOm2_rqPg8WkVzFI1s1UoxVI-grniqdR1m7iT6OY57-bZwJRVGATIRKVraL8Q_85=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFt-1jQYQsQfj8iVW366tVVtm2Jy2OjzeB6u1jlMCuJo_S2RGsW6drS4k_Bp46X8X_tZUS0UPYOPRxAqxJ8PetzqYll3IiTbtyu7r9CFfIUkeO7k2c7siABEhUaOm2_rqPg8WkVzFI1s1UoxVI-grniqdR1m7iT6OY57-bZwJRVGATIRKVraL8Q_85=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-11860577830553884602022-02-04T10:56:00.006+00:002022-02-04T10:56:00.162+00:00A Re-Recommendation: Probably Monsters by Ray Cluley<p>Ray Cluley's debut collection is being rereleased - today, if I've got my timing right. So I thought I'd repost my original recommendation for the book, which was originally posted October 2015. As you can tell, I liked it very much and I stand by every word of what I said about it back then.</p><p>The new edition from Vulpine Press <i>Probably Monsters </i>can be found here: (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Probably-Monsters-Collection-Short-Stories-ebook/dp/B09N782X2L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3J88DFE683OS0&keywords=ray+cluley&qid=1643885763&sprefix=ray+cluley%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-1">UK</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Probably-Monsters-Collection-Short-Stories-ebook/dp/B09N782X2L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3J88DFE683OS0&keywords=ray+cluley&qid=1643885763&sprefix=ray+cluley%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-1">US</a>)</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGn3V9U5wc77LFCiW9yCmAiY3-DMCUfqjgO_wEVJQFfTxZnZaSTYqvwekISSycKy1QGYH6Ervu58sqoxaKDT1-QBpI6zSMASgVDPe4WHToeFgRak1aEJDPEYF2C9ZY5oM3YurOK5QdyYMwQhBNXR6_VuSlGdYodg6CCAaZfyoCgFzZnBLWT05nqBD_=s588" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGn3V9U5wc77LFCiW9yCmAiY3-DMCUfqjgO_wEVJQFfTxZnZaSTYqvwekISSycKy1QGYH6Ervu58sqoxaKDT1-QBpI6zSMASgVDPe4WHToeFgRak1aEJDPEYF2C9ZY5oM3YurOK5QdyYMwQhBNXR6_VuSlGdYodg6CCAaZfyoCgFzZnBLWT05nqBD_=s320" width="218" /></a></div><i>Recommendation: Probably Monsters by Ray Cluley</i></h3><div><i><br /></i></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-677658926731830999" itemprop="description articleBody" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.859999656677246px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 578px;">A few words of recommendation from me for the debut collection from Ray Cluley, <i>Probably Monsters</i>. Cluley is a writer I've liked for awhile; I'd read a number of the stories in this book before, in <i>Black Static </i>and the like, but it was a real pleasure to read so many all in one go. (Not always the case with single author collections, I find, sometimes a lack of variety can make a collection a real slog.)<br /><br />But there's enough variety here to mean that's not a concern, even over the course of twenty stories. The settings range from rundown British housing estates (<i>The Festering) </i>to pristine Russian wilderness (<i>Where The Salmon Run</i>); the style varies from the dark as hell <i>Knock Knock, </i>through<i> </i>weird Westerns, to the Hollywood cliche parodying <i>Shark! Shark! </i>The latter in particular is a joy, a magic trick where you can't see how it's done: fourth wall breaking narration and overt cinematic references somehow coming together to make a superbly scary story. Other highlights include<i> Beachcombing, Night Fishing </i>and my own personal favourite, <i><a href="http://www.bartleby.com/198/1.html" style="color: #771100; text-decoration: none;">I Have Heard The Mermaids Singing </a></i>(I'm a sucker for a TS Eliot reference), a story about decompression sickness and human corruption and possibly even mermaids themselves that, upon finishing (and picking my jaw up from the floor) I immediately turned back and read again.<br /><br />I'm purposely avoiding saying to much about the plots of these stories because they're so well constructed; everything dovetails so neatly together that if I started to describe the opening of one of the stories here I wouldn't know where to stop. So rather than risk saying too much, I won't start.<br /><br />Accomplished, atmospheric and an admirable showcase for Cluley's undoubted talents, <i>Probably Monsters</i> is likely to be up there with the best collections of the year.</div><br />James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-4309609362312300522021-12-29T22:10:00.000+00:002021-12-29T22:10:23.087+00:00Favourite Short Stories: 2021<p><span style="background-color: white;">Here we go, my favourite post of the year...</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">This is the ninth time I've done this (you can find links to lists from previous years </span><a href="https://jameseverington.blogspot.com/p/other-authors-are-available.html" style="background-color: white;">here</a><span style="background-color: white;">) so I won't bore you with too much preamble. Suffice to say, these stories (and the odd poem) really worked for me and I hope you find some which work for you too. (For each, I've linked to the publication where I read the story, which isn't always where they were first published.)</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>G.V. Anderson: </b><i>Shuck</i> (<a href="https://thedeadlands.com/issue-02/shuck/">The Deadlands #2</a>)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Kelly Armstong: </b><i>Drunk Physics </i></span><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/YearS-Best-Dark-Fantasy-Horror/dp/1645060322/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1YRLJ2OPQA8ML&keywords=The+Year%27s+Best+Dark+Fantasy+%26+Horror+2&qid=1640814917&sprefix=the+year+s+best+dark+fantasy+%26+horror+2%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-3" style="background-color: white;">The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Pyr)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Jen Ashworth: </b><i>The Note </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Darkness-Dan-Coxon-ebook/dp/B09FGXSGKK/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2DVFQS34124JU&keywords=out+of+darkness&qid=1640813909&sprefix=out+of+darkness+%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-7">Out Of The Darkness</a>, Unsung Stories)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Elizabeth Bear: </b><i>On Safari In R'lyeh & Carcosa With Gun & Camera </i></span><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/YearS-Best-Dark-Fantasy-Horror/dp/1645060322/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1YRLJ2OPQA8ML&keywords=The+Year%27s+Best+Dark+Fantasy+%26+Horror+2&qid=1640814917&sprefix=the+year+s+best+dark+fantasy+%26+horror+2%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-3" style="background-color: white;">The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Pyr)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Simon Bestwick: </b><i>The Hungry Dark </i></span><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Darkness-Dan-Coxon-ebook/dp/B09FGXSGKK/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2DVFQS34124JU&keywords=out+of+darkness&qid=1640813909&sprefix=out+of+darkness+%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-7" style="background-color: white;">Out Of The Darkness</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Unsung Stories)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Gary Budden: </b><i>Collector Of Games </i></span>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Booth-Vol-4-ebook/dp/B07ZQK3L84/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2UDS2TWN1OJRE&keywords=shadow+booth+4&qid=1640558771&sprefix=shadow+booth+4%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1">Tales From The Shadow Booth #4</a>)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Nadia Bulkin: </b><i>Someday You Will Regret Not Replying </i>(<a href="http://southwestreview.com/volume-106-number-3/someday-you-will-regret-not-replying/">Southwest Review #106</a>)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>A.S. Byatt: </b><i>The July Ghost</i> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sugar-Other-Stories-S-Byatt-ebook/dp/B07HXMHR1C/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=sugar+and+other+stories&qid=1640641797&sprefix=sugar+and+other+%2Caps%2C102&sr=8-1">Sugar & Other Stories</a>, Penguin)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>A.S. Byatt: </b><i>The Changling</i> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sugar-Other-Stories-S-Byatt-ebook/dp/B07HXMHR1C/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=sugar+and+other+stories&qid=1640641797&sprefix=sugar+and+other+%2Caps%2C102&sr=8-1">Sugar & Other Stories</a>, Penguin)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Ramsey Campbell: </b><i>The Page</i> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Light-My-Skull-Ramsey-Campbell/dp/1786363305/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2FXRY9LKJQ3WA&keywords=By+The+Light+Of+My+Skull&qid=1640558489&sprefix=by+the+light+of+my+skull%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-1">By The Light Of My Skull</a>, PS Publishing)</div><div><b>Ramsey Campbell: </b><i>The Watched </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Light-My-Skull-Ramsey-Campbell/dp/1786363305/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2FXRY9LKJQ3WA&keywords=By+The+Light+Of+My+Skull&qid=1640558489&sprefix=by+the+light+of+my+skull%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-1">By The Light Of My Skull</a>, PS Publishing)</div><div><b>Ramsey Campbell: </b><i>The Wrong Game</i> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Light-My-Skull-Ramsey-Campbell/dp/1786363305/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2FXRY9LKJQ3WA&keywords=By+The+Light+Of+My+Skull&qid=1640558489&sprefix=by+the+light+of+my+skull%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-1">By The Light Of My Skull</a>, PS Publishing)</div><div><b>Eliza Chan:</b><i> The Making Of Broken Embers</i> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooties-Shot-Required-There-Things-ebook/dp/B098PQG8RD/ref=sr_1_1?crid=10MPRETJZCZAW&keywords=Cooties+Shot+Required%3A+There+Are+Things+You+Must+Know&qid=1640558136&sprefix=cooties+shot+required+there+are+things+you+must+know%2Caps%2C63&sr=8-1">Cooties Shot Required</a>, Broken Eye Books<b>)</b></div><div><b>Autumn Christian: </b><i>A Human Rupture </i>(<a href="https://teachrobotslove.medium.com/a-human-rupture-593c5790721e">author's website</a>)<i> </i> </div><div><b>Chloe N. Clark: </b><i>Swingman </i>(<a href="http://monkeybicycle.net/swingman/?fbclid=IwAR2UxIyHPC6ngbJ6yaUWN5MhQvGgZZjWpBwQ5gCoxKPSZvcKekvoxH7oqc8">Monkeybicycle</a>) </div><div><b>Aislinn Clarke:</b><i> Skeleton Day </i>(<a href="http://www.swanriverpress.ie/title_uncertainties5.html">Uncertainties V,</a> Swan River Press)</div><div><b>Georgia Cook: </b><i>Ghost Light </i>(<a href="https://wearethequietones.com/current-issue/">The Quiet Ones #1</a>)</div><div><b>Georgia Cook: </b><i>Haunted </i>(<a href="https://www.reflexfiction.com/haunted-flash-fiction-by-georgia-cook/">Reflex Action</a>)</div><div><b>M.R. Cosby:</b> <i>The Bells Line Of Road </i><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oculus-Sinister-Anthology-Ocular-Horror-ebook/dp/B08LC1YFVG/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3G8D85RTSHKG5&keywords=oculus+horror&qid=1640557618&sprefix=oculus+horror%2Caps%2C250&sr=8-2" style="background-color: white;">Oculus Sinister</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Cthonic Matter)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>M.R. Cosby: </b><i>The Trains Don't Stop Here </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trains-Dont-Stop-Here-ebook/dp/B091ZJPR1Y/ref=sr_1_1?crid=27GDQG7ZL48T7&keywords=the+trains+don%27t+stop+here&qid=1640643797&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+trains+don+t+stop+her%2Cdigital-text%2C74&sr=1-1">The Trains Don't Stop Here,</a> Dark Lane Books)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>M.R. Cosby:</b> <i>Not So Much Pride, More Perseverance </i></span><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trains-Dont-Stop-Here-ebook/dp/B091ZJPR1Y/ref=sr_1_1?crid=27GDQG7ZL48T7&keywords=the+trains+don%27t+stop+here&qid=1640643797&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+trains+don+t+stop+her%2Cdigital-text%2C74&sr=1-1" style="background-color: white;">The Trains Don't Stop Here,</a><span style="background-color: white;"> Dark Lane Books)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Steve Duffy: </b><i>White Noise In A White Room </i></span>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weird-Horror-1-John-Langan/dp/1988964253/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2K0JW8UY7RQS8&keywords=weird+horror+1&qid=1640558377&sprefix=weird+horror+1%2Caps%2C93&sr=8-1">Weird Horror #1</a>, Undertow Publications)</div><div><b style="background-color: white;">Brian Evenson: </b><i style="background-color: white;">Mother </i><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://thebaffler.com/fiction/mother-evenson" style="background-color: white;">The Baffler July 21</a><span style="background-color: white;">)</span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Brian Evenson: </b><i>The Other Floor </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oculus-Sinister-Anthology-Ocular-Horror-ebook/dp/B08LC1YFVG/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3G8D85RTSHKG5&keywords=oculus+horror&qid=1640557618&sprefix=oculus+horror%2Caps%2C250&sr=8-2">Oculus Sinister</a>, Cthonic Matter)</span></div></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Brian Evenson: </b><i>The Shimmering Wall </i>(<a href="https://electricliterature.com/the-shimmering-wall-by-brian-evenson/#article-main-170186">Electric Lit</a>)</span></div><div><b>Tracy Fahey:</b><i> I Write Your Name </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spit-Myself-Out-Tracy-Fahey-ebook/dp/B08QFN2BFR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=B4455ACPPWOH&keywords=tracy+fahey&qid=1640642994&s=books&sprefix=tracy+fahey%2Cstripbooks%2C99&sr=1-1">I Spit Myself Out</a>, Sinister Horror Company)</div><div><div><b>Tracy Fahey:</b><i> Ghost In The Machine </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spit-Myself-Out-Tracy-Fahey-ebook/dp/B08QFN2BFR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=B4455ACPPWOH&keywords=tracy+fahey&qid=1640642994&s=books&sprefix=tracy+fahey%2Cstripbooks%2C99&sr=1-1">I Spit Myself Out</a>, Sinister Horror Company)</div></div><div><b>Corey Farrenkopf:</b><i> The Burnt Floor </i>(<a href="https://floridareview.cah.ucf.edu/article/the-burnt-floor/">Florida Review</a>)</div><div><b>Emily Faulkes: </b><i>Feeling Watched </i>(<a href="https://theantihumanists.com/2021/10/13/2nd-edition/">The Antihumanist 2nd Ed.</a>)</div><div><b>Kurt Fawver: </b><i>Introduction To The Horror Story, Day 1</i> (<a href="https://www.nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/introduction-to-the-horror-story-day-1/">Nightmare #98</a>)</div><div><b>Kathy Fish: </b><i>Collective Names For Humans In The Wild </i>(<a href="https://jellyfishreview.wordpress.com/2017/10/13/collective-nouns-for-humans-in-the-wild-by-kathy-fish/">Jellyfish Review</a>)</div><div><b>Laur A. Freymiller: </b><i>The Mothers </i>(<a href="https://www.nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/the-mothers/">Nightmare #111</a>)</div><div><b>Gary Fry: </b><i>The Careless Companion</i> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shades-Nothingness-hc-Gary-Fry/dp/1848636466">Shades Of Nothingness</a>, PS Publishing)</div><div><b>Gary Fry: </b><i>Abolisher Of Roses</i> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shades-Nothingness-hc-Gary-Fry/dp/1848636466">Shades Of Nothingness</a>, PS Publishing)</div><div><b>A.T. Greenblatt:</b><i> The Family In The Adit </i>(<a href="https://www.nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/the-family-in-the-adit/">Nightmare #103</a>)</div><div><b>Thomas Ha: </b><i>Where The Old Neighbours Go </i><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/YearS-Best-Dark-Fantasy-Horror/dp/1645060322/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1YRLJ2OPQA8ML&keywords=The+Year%27s+Best+Dark+Fantasy+%26+Horror+2&qid=1640814917&sprefix=the+year+s+best+dark+fantasy+%26+horror+2%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-3" style="background-color: white;">The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Pyr)</span></div><div><b>Sarah Hans: </b><i>Chorus Of Whispers </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stitched-Lips-Anthology-Horror-Silenced/dp/173512334X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3B3PKL5W4P9K8&keywords=stitched+lips&qid=1640643328&s=books&sprefix=stitched+lips%2Cstripbooks%2C87&sr=1-1">Stitched Lips</a>, Dragon's Roost Press)</div><div><b>Lucie McKnight Hardy: </b><i>The Devil Of Timanfaya </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Booth-Vol-4-ebook/dp/B07ZQK3L84/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2UDS2TWN1OJRE&keywords=shadow+booth+4&qid=1640558771&sprefix=shadow+booth+4%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1">Tales From The Shadow Booth #4</a>)</div><div><b>Sean Hogan: </b><i>To See The Sea </i>(<a href="http://www.swanriverpress.ie/title_uncertainties5.html">Uncertainties V,</a> Swan River Press)</div><div><b>Jess Hyslop:</b><i> Food Of The Gods </i>(New Myths #54)</div><div><b>Jess Hyslop: </b><i>The Last Scribe Of Tazarhal </i>(<a href="https://translunartravelerslounge.com/2021/08/15/the-last-scribe-of-tazarhal-by-jess-hyslop/">Translunar Travelling Lounge #5</a>)</div><div><b>Gabino Iglesias: </b><i>Bad Green, Quiet Black </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stitched-Lips-Anthology-Horror-Silenced/dp/173512334X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3B3PKL5W4P9K8&keywords=stitched+lips&qid=1640643328&s=books&sprefix=stitched+lips%2Cstripbooks%2C87&sr=1-1">Stitched Lips</a>, Dragon's Roost Press)</div><div><b>Michael Kelly:</b><i> That Which Crawls From Dark Soil</i> (<a href="http://www.nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/that-which-crawls-from-dark-soil/">Nightmare #102</a>)</div><div><b>Michael Kelly: </b><i>In The Blue Hour </i>(<a href="https://theantihumanists.com/2021/10/13/2nd-edition/">The Antihumanist 2nd Ed.</a>)</div><div><b>Chris Kelso & Brian Evenson: </b><i>Jenny Longlegs </i>(<a href="https://www.3lobedmag.com/issue34/3lbe34_story1.html">Three-Lobed Burning Eye #34</a>)</div><div><b>Alys Key: </b><i>Scratching </i><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weird-Horror-2-Mary-Berman/dp/198896430X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3BEKR03P0I222&keywords=weird+horror+2&qid=1640813441&sprefix=weird+horror+2%2Caps%2C95&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white;">Weird Horror #2</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Undertow Publications) </span></div><div><b>John Langan:</b><i> Where The Hollow Tree Waits </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weird-Horror-1-John-Langan/dp/1988964253/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2K0JW8UY7RQS8&keywords=weird+horror+1&qid=1640558377&sprefix=weird+horror+1%2Caps%2C93&sr=8-1">Weird Horror #1</a>, Undertow Publications)</div><div><b>John Langan:</b> <i>Vile Jellies </i><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oculus-Sinister-Anthology-Ocular-Horror-ebook/dp/B08LC1YFVG/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3G8D85RTSHKG5&keywords=oculus+horror&qid=1640557618&sprefix=oculus+horror%2Caps%2C250&sr=8-2" style="background-color: white;">Oculus Sinister</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Cthonic Matter)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>John Langan: </b><i>Washed In The Blood Of The Sun </i></span>(<a href="http://www.swanriverpress.ie/title_uncertainties5.html">Uncertainties V,</a> Swan River Press)</div><div><b style="background-color: white;">Eileen Gunnell Lee: </b><i style="background-color: white;">You Cannot Return To The Burning Glade </i><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://reckoning.press/you-cannot-return-to-the-burning-glade/" style="background-color: white;">Reckoning #5</a><span style="background-color: white;">)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white;">Tonya Liburd: </b><i style="background-color: white;">10 Steps To A New You</i><span style="background-color: white;"> (</span><a href="https://www.fantasy-magazine.com/fm/fiction/10-steps-to-a-whole-new-you/" style="background-color: white;">Fantasy Magazine</a><span style="background-color: white;">)</span></div><div><b>James Machin:</b><i> The Tribute </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Booth-Vol-4-ebook/dp/B07ZQK3L84/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2UDS2TWN1OJRE&keywords=shadow+booth+4&qid=1640558771&sprefix=shadow+booth+4%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1">Tales From The Shadow Booth #4</a>)</div><div><b>Tim Major: </b><i>Goodbye Jonathan Tumbledown </i><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Darkness-Dan-Coxon-ebook/dp/B09FGXSGKK/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2DVFQS34124JU&keywords=out+of+darkness&qid=1640813909&sprefix=out+of+darkness+%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-7" style="background-color: white;">Out Of The Darkness</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Unsung Stories)</span></div><div><b>Laura Mauro & Chris Kelso: </b><i>The Recidivist </i>(<a href="https://punknoirmagazine.wordpress.com/2021/09/14/the-recidivist-by-laura-mauro-and-chris-kelso/">Punk Noir</a>)</div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>J.A.W. McCarthy</b>: <i>Contrition </i></span><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oculus-Sinister-Anthology-Ocular-Horror-ebook/dp/B08LC1YFVG/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3G8D85RTSHKG5&keywords=oculus+horror&qid=1640557618&sprefix=oculus+horror%2Caps%2C250&sr=8-2" style="background-color: white;">Oculus Sinister</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Cthonic Matter)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>J.A.W. McCarthy</b>: <i>With You As My Anchor </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sometimes-Were-Cruel-Other-Stories/dp/B09CKFV5Q5/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP86TX43R95C&keywords=sometimes+we%27re+cruel&qid=1640813251&sprefix=sometimes+we+re+cruel%2Caps%2C82&sr=8-1">Sometimes We're Cruel</a>, Cemetery Gates)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>J.A.W. McCarthy</b>: <i>Black Doves</i> </span><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sometimes-Were-Cruel-Other-Stories/dp/B09CKFV5Q5/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP86TX43R95C&keywords=sometimes+we%27re+cruel&qid=1640813251&sprefix=sometimes+we+re+cruel%2Caps%2C82&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white;">Sometimes We're Cruel</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Cemetery Gates)</span></div><div><b>Victoria McCurdy: </b><i>This Is How You Fail To Ghost Him </i>(<a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Victoria+McCurdy:+This+Is+How+You+Fail+To+Ghost+Him&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8">Monkeybicycle</a>)</div><div><b>Gary McMahon:</b><i> On The Walls </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/At-Home-Shadows-Black-Shuck/dp/1913038157/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=gary+mcmahon&qid=1640815667&sprefix=gary+mcma%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-3">At Home In The Shadows</a>, Black Shuck Books)</div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>John McNee:</b><i> Midnight At The Doom Cabaret </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/John-McNees-Doom-Cabaret-McNee-ebook/dp/B084RSN7QB/ref=sr_1_2?crid=EKT68CVX5M73&keywords=john+mcnee&qid=1640643579&s=digital-text&sprefix=john+mcnee%2Cdigital-text%2C81&sr=1-2">Doom Cabaret</a>, Sinister Horror Company)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Alan Moore: </b><i>Not Even Legend </i></span>(<a href="http://www.swanriverpress.ie/title_uncertainties5.html">Uncertainties V,</a> Swan River Press)</div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Adam Nevill: </b><i>On All London Underground Lines </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hasty-Dark-Selected-Adam-Nevill-ebook/dp/B074PYNGZC/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hasty+for+the+dark&qid=1640642276&sprefix=hasty+for+the+%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-1">Hasty For The Dark</a>, Ritual Limited)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Aimee Ogden: </b><i>The Cold Calculations </i>(<a href="https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/ogden_12_21/">Clarkesworld #183</a>)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Jon Padgett: </b><i>Flight 389 </i>(<a href="https://www.nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/flight-389/">Nightmare #109</a>)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Hailey Piper:</b> <i>Why We Keep Exploding </i></span>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stitched-Lips-Anthology-Horror-Silenced/dp/173512334X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3B3PKL5W4P9K8&keywords=stitched+lips&qid=1640643328&s=books&sprefix=stitched+lips%2Cstripbooks%2C87&sr=1-1">Stitched Lips</a>, Dragon's Roost Press)</div><div><b>H. Pueyo: </b><i>Nobody Lives Here </i>(<a href="https://www.thedarkmagazine.com/nobody-lives-here/">The Dark #66</a>)</div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Gareth E. Rees: </b><i>Meet On The Edge </i></span><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Darkness-Dan-Coxon-ebook/dp/B09FGXSGKK/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2DVFQS34124JU&keywords=out+of+darkness&qid=1640813909&sprefix=out+of+darkness+%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-7" style="background-color: white;">Out Of The Darkness</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Unsung Stories)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Sally Rooney:</b><i> Mr Salary </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mr-Salary-Stories-Sally-Rooney-ebook/dp/B07LFKSLJ8/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=sally+rooney&qid=1640643879&s=digital-text&sprefix=sally+%2Cdigital-text%2C84&sr=1-4">Faber Stories</a>)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Iain Rowan: </b><i>Now, The Weather </i>(<a href="https://101words.org/now-the-weather/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=101words&utm_content=Now%2C%20the%20Weather">101 Words.Org</a>)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Robert Shearman: </b><i>Shaggy Dog Story </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hear-Stories-Dark-Trade-Paperback/dp/178636462X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WQOHLOM17AZB&keywords=robert+shearman&qid=1640815576&sprefix=robert+shearman%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-1">We All Hear Stories In The Dark</a>, PS Publishing)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Phil Sloman: </b><i>The Interview </i>(<a href="https://mhyden.blog/2021/10/12/short-story-the-interview-by-phil-sloman/">Meghan's Holiday House Of Books)</a></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Simon Strantzas: </b><i>That House </i>(<a href="https://www.bourbonpenn.com/issue/25/that-house-by-simon-strantzas">Bourbon Penn #25</a>)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Ashley Stokes:</b><i> Hardrada </i></span>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Booth-Vol-4-ebook/dp/B07ZQK3L84/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2UDS2TWN1OJRE&keywords=shadow+booth+4&qid=1640558771&sprefix=shadow+booth+4%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1">Tales From The Shadow Booth #4</a>)</div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Sonya Taaffe: </b><i>Every Night And All</i> (<a href="https://www.nightmare-magazine.com/poetry/every-night-and-all/">Nightmare #109</a>)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Sonya Taaffe:</b><i> Tea With The Earl Of Twilight </i></span><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/YearS-Best-Dark-Fantasy-Horror/dp/1645060322/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1YRLJ2OPQA8ML&keywords=The+Year%27s+Best+Dark+Fantasy+%26+Horror+2&qid=1640814917&sprefix=the+year+s+best+dark+fantasy+%26+horror+2%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-3" style="background-color: white;">The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Pyr)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Steve Rasnic Tem: </b><i>The Dead Outside My Door </i></span><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/YearS-Best-Dark-Fantasy-Horror/dp/1645060322/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1YRLJ2OPQA8ML&keywords=The+Year%27s+Best+Dark+Fantasy+%26+Horror+2&qid=1640814917&sprefix=the+year+s+best+dark+fantasy+%26+horror+2%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-3" style="background-color: white;">The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Pyr)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Patty Templeton: </b><i>Artown Correctional </i></span><i>Center </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stitched-Lips-Anthology-Horror-Silenced/dp/173512334X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3B3PKL5W4P9K8&keywords=stitched+lips&qid=1640643328&s=books&sprefix=stitched+lips%2Cstripbooks%2C87&sr=1-1">Stitched Lips</a>, Dragon's Roost Press)</div><div><b>Kristina Ten: </b><i>The Dreadful & Specific Monster Of Starosibirsk </i><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weird-Horror-2-Mary-Berman/dp/198896430X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3BEKR03P0I222&keywords=weird+horror+2&qid=1640813441&sprefix=weird+horror+2%2Caps%2C95&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white;">Weird Horror #2</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Undertow Publications) </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Ali Trotta:</b> <i>When The Wraith Smiles </i>(<a href="https://www.nightmare-magazine.com/poetry/when-the-wraith-smiles/">Nightmare #111</a>)</span></div><div><b style="background-color: white;">Cameron Ulam: </b><i style="background-color: white;">Propagate </i><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Calls-Forest-Terrifying-Tales-Woods-ebook/dp/B088TSW6QV/ref=sr_1_1?crid=149W7YMY8EKZT&keywords=It+Calls+From+The+Forest+2&qid=1640641909&sprefix=it+calls+from+the+forest+2%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white;">It Calls From The Forest 2</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Eerie River Publishing)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Stephen Volk:</b> <i>Adventurous </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weird-Horror-2-Mary-Berman/dp/198896430X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3BEKR03P0I222&keywords=weird+horror+2&qid=1640813441&sprefix=weird+horror+2%2Caps%2C95&sr=8-1">Weird Horror #2</a>, Undertow Publications) </span></div><div><b style="background-color: white;">Kelly White:</b><i style="background-color: white;"> When The Snow Falls </i><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://monkeypantz.net/when-the-snow-falls/" style="background-color: white;">Monkeypantz</a><span style="background-color: white;">)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Shaoni C. White:</b><i> Diamond Cuts </i>(<a href="https://uncannymagazine.com/article/diamond-cuts/">Uncanny #41</a>)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Aliya Whiteley: </b><i>Luisa Opines</i> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fearsome-Creatures-Black-Shuck-Shadows-ebook/dp/B08W3FBYM3/ref=sr_1_1?crid=33WYCH364AT4H&keywords=fearsome+creatures+aliya+whiteley&qid=1640641710&sprefix=fearsome+creatures+aliya+whiteley%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-1">Fearsome Creatures</a>, Black Shuck Books)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Aliya Whiteley: </b><i>Wrapped</i> (<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fearsome-Creatures-Black-Shuck-Shadows-ebook/dp/B08W3FBYM3/ref=sr_1_1?crid=33WYCH364AT4H&keywords=fearsome+creatures+aliya+whiteley&qid=1640641710&sprefix=fearsome+creatures+aliya+whiteley%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-1">Fearsome Creatures</a>, Black Shuck Books)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>A.C. Wise: </b><i>To Sail The Black </i></span><span style="background-color: white;">(</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/YearS-Best-Dark-Fantasy-Horror/dp/1645060322/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1YRLJ2OPQA8ML&keywords=The+Year%27s+Best+Dark+Fantasy+%26+Horror+2&qid=1640814917&sprefix=the+year+s+best+dark+fantasy+%26+horror+2%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-3" style="background-color: white;">The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Pyr)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b>John Wiswell: </b><i> Open House On Haunted Hill </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/YearS-Best-Dark-Fantasy-Horror/dp/1645060322/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1YRLJ2OPQA8ML&keywords=The+Year%27s+Best+Dark+Fantasy+%26+Horror+2&qid=1640814917&sprefix=the+year+s+best+dark+fantasy+%26+horror+2%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-3">The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2</a>, Pyr)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-62054602258308236182021-12-23T22:27:00.003+00:002021-12-24T10:37:57.814+00:00Favourite Books 2021<p>I'm not sure I've ever done the same format for my annual favourite books post, and so here's another way of doing it for 2021. Categories, winners and runners up. I'll no doubt do something different again next year. (By contrast, my annual short story post is a model of consistency, and will be coming soon...)</p><div><br /></div><div>So, here we go:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uQOIYvy6d1g/YW215wc7SOI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/N2pPBH0Ym6IQ9YcKcInrDFGQ-S9wsT4HgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/sometimes%2Bwere%2Bcruel3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="207" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uQOIYvy6d1g/YW215wc7SOI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/N2pPBH0Ym6IQ9YcKcInrDFGQ-S9wsT4HgCLcBGAsYHQ/w129-h200/sometimes%2Bwere%2Bcruel3.jpg" width="129" /></a></div><p><b>Best Collection:</b> <i>Sometimes We're Cruel</i>, J.A.W. McCarthy -<span style="color: #351c75;"> full write up</span> <a href="https://jameseverington.blogspot.com/2021/10/recommendation-sometimes-were-cruel-by.html">here</a></p><p><b>Runner Up:</b> <i>The Trains Don't Stop Here</i>, Martin Cosby - <span style="color: #351c75;">Aickmanesque strangeness, without being derivative or needlessly opaque (a hard trick to pull off)</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1625064590l/58460598.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="160" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1625064590l/58460598.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><p><b>Best Anthology:</b> <i>Uncertainties V</i>, ed. Brian J. Showers - <span style="color: #351c75;">has an intro that should be read by all authors & connoisseurs of creepy, unsettling fiction. And the stories that follow more than live up to its promise.</span></p><p><b>Runner Up:</b> <i>Stitched Lips: An Anthology Of Horror From Silenced Voices</i>, ed. Ken MacGregor <span style="color: #351c75;">- the anthology that introduced me to the most new authors this year</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1555411630l/43260175._SY475_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="303" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1555411630l/43260175._SY475_.jpg" width="128" /></a></div><p><b>Best Novel:</b> <i>Mistletoe</i>, Alison Littlewood - <span style="color: #351c75;">a wonderfully creepy, chilly winter ghost story, which still more than worked when I read it in the middle of summer</span></p><p><b>Runner Up:</b> <i>Crooked</i>, Austin Grossman - <span style="color: #351c75;">Richard Milhous Nixon + Lovecraftian beings & dark magic</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1609239385l/56450938.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="286" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1609239385l/56450938.jpg" width="143" /></a></div><p><b>Best Novella:</b> <i>John's Eye</i>s, Joanna Corrance - <span style="color: #351c75;">a brilliant concept (artificial eyes go HAL on their owner), brilliantly done</span></p><p><b>Runner Up:</b> <i>The Exercise</i>, Mark West - <span style="color: #351c75;">WW2 period horror, a page-turner which avoids all the usual triteness that phrase conjures up</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1628538932l/58472324._SY475_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1628538932l/58472324._SY475_.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><b><br /></b><p></p><p><b>Best Non-Fiction:</b> <i>Writing The Uncanny</i>, ed. Dan Coxon & Richard V. Hirst - <span style="color: #351c75;">the best book on writing I've bought since <i>Wonderbook</i>, which is saying something</span></p><p><b>Runner Up:</b> <i>Sinclair ZX Spectrum: A Visual Compendium</i>, Sam Dyer -<span style="color: #351c75;"> not exactly 'on brand' for this blog, but a pure hit of nostalgia and 8-bit creativity</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1422379908l/43070.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1422379908l/43070.jpg" width="155" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Best Misc:</b> <i>The Essential Calvin & Hobbes</i>, Bill Watterson - <span style="color: #351c75;">I'm a big softie really</span></p><p><b>Runner Up: </b><i>Casting The Runes RPG</i>, Paul St. John Mackintosh <span style="color: #351c75;">- full write up <a href="http://jameseverington.blogspot.com/2021/06/recommendation-casting-runes-rpg-by.html">here</a></span></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327891565l/11590.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="295" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327891565l/11590.jpg" width="124" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Best Reread:</b> <i>'Salem's Lot</i>, Stephen King - <span style="color: #351c75;">what more can I say about this one that I have't</span> <a href="http://jameseverington.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/my-dad-stephen-king-and-me.html">already?</a></p><p><b>Runner Up:</b> <i>The Master & Margarita</i>, Mikhail Bulgakov <span style="color: #351c75;">- a dark delight, even the second time around</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></p>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-70161158229964490292021-12-17T09:30:00.004+00:002021-12-17T09:30:00.178+00:00Fiction: 'Advent'<p>This story appeared online last year as part of a creepy advent calendar of stories for the wonderful <a href="https://www.sinisterhorrorcompany.com">Sinister Horror Company</a> (who publish <i><a href="https://www.sinisterhorrorcompany.com/trying-to-be-so-quiet-other-hauntin">Trying To Be So Quiet & Other Hauntings</a></i>, as well as much other sinister goodness).</p><p>When I originally got the invite to write a story for the project, I decided to be get all meta, and try and write a horror story <i>about</i> someone opening an advent calendar (because that's just the kind of twat I am). The piece was originally published on the 17th of December, which is when its set, and also my birthday. So I thought I'd republish it here, a year to the day later. Thanks to Justin Park at Sinister for asking me to write it in the first place.</p><p>Happy Christmas to all readers of this blog... if we get past the 17th December, that is.</p><br /><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">Advent</span></b></div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br />The next day, he opened the window on the advent calendar: 17th December. He cut himself on the cardboard doing so, sucked the pad of his finger. There was a chocolate wrapped in red foil inside; he looked around for his son but his son wasn’t there, so he ate it, dropped the foil to the ground. Tasted blood. <br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">***</span></b></div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br />The next day, he opened the window on the advent calendar: 17th December. He cut his finger on the cardboard doing so. There was a chocolate wrapped in yellow foil inside; he looked around for his son but he wasn’t there. He called his son’s name but there was no answer, so he yelled again, then ate the chocolate, dropped the foil to the ground. Tasted blood.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">***</span></b></div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br />The next day, he opened the window on the advent calendar: 17th December. He reopened a cut on his finger doing so. There was a chocolate wrapped in orange foil inside; he looked around for his son but his son wasn’t there. He called his wife’s name instead, but she wasn’t there either. He listened for the sounds of weeping in the house, then ate the chocolate, dropped the foil to the ground. He felt sick and at the same time hungry. Tasted blood.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">***</span></b></div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br />The next day, he opened the window on the advent calendar: 17th December. There was a callous on his finger that stopped him cutting himself. He looked around for his wife and son but they weren’t there. What were they so scared of? He’d slept it off now. He unclenched his fists. He ate the chocolate, dropped the red foil to the pile of it on the ground. He felt sick and at the same time hungry. Tasted blood, which couldn’t be right?<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">***</span></b></div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br />The next day, he opened the window on the advent calendar: 17th December. The thick callous on his finger stopped him cutting himself. He looked around for his wife and son but they weren’t there. What were they so scared of? He was sober now. He unclenched his fists. He ate the chocolate, dropped the orange foil to the pile on the ground. He felt sick like he’d eaten too much chocolate and at the same time hungry like he’d eaten nothing but. Tasted blood, but from where?<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">***</span></b></div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br />The next day, he opened the window on the advent calendar: 17th December. He didn’t cut himself. He looked around for his wife and son but they weren’t fucking there. What were they so scared of? He was sober now. He hit the wall, remembered her face. How she’s been slicing beetroot at the chopping board at the time. He ate the chocolate, dropped the yellow foil to the pile of it on the ground. His insides felt sick, emptied. Tasted blood, which when he spat it out was stained brown.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">***</span></b></div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br />The next day, he opened the window on the advent calendar: 17th December. He didn’t cut himself. He looked around for his wife and son but they weren’t fucking there. What was he so scared of? He’d kill for a drink. He hit the wall, remembered her face, how she’d said she wasn’t going to let him do it again. He ate the chocolate, dropped the foil to the pile of it on the ground. His insides felt sick, emptied, muddled. Tasted blood, like he always did.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">***</span></b></div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br />The next day, he opened the window on the advent calendar: 17th December. He didn’t cut himself. He looked around for his wife and son but couldn’t see them. What was he so scared of? He hit the wall, remembered her face, how she’d said she wasn’t going to let him do it again. Said she’d see him in hell first, and he’d said prove it you bitch. There were drifts of foil around his feet. He ate the chocolate. His insides felt sick, emptied, wounded. Tasted blood, like he always did when he got angry.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">***</span></b></div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br />The next day, he opened the window on the advent calendar: 17th December. He couldn’t feel his fingers. He looked around for his wife and son, for anyone, but everywhere was grey and misted in his sight. What was he so scared of? He touched the wall, saw the colour his hands left it. She’d said she’d see him in Hell, and he’d said prove it you bitch. How she’d been slicing at the chopping board at the time. He puked up chocolate even as he ate it. His insides felt sick, emptied, wounded. Tasted blood; his fingers had been clutched to his gut and he tasted blood off them.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">***</span></b></div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br />The next day, he opened the window on the advent calendar: 17th December. Tasted blood.<br /><br /></span><div><span style="color: #20124d;">The cold foil around his feet was red and orange and yellow, like flames.</span><div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span><div><br /></div></div></div>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-62376495057587360212021-12-03T10:20:00.000+00:002021-12-03T10:20:12.757+00:00The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror: Volume 2<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/517u3KN0QBS._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/517u3KN0QBS._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Very pleased to say my story 'The Sound Of The Sea, Too Close' has been reprinted in <i>The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror Volume 2, </i>edited by Paula Guran and out now for Pyr. The lineup selected for the book lives up to the title and I'm proud my story found a place in among such great authors. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The book is available here: <i>The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror Volume 2, Pyr 2021 </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Years-Best-Dark-Fantasy-Horror/dp/1645060322/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">UK</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Years-Best-Dark-Fantasy-Horror/dp/1645060322/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">US</a>)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The story was originally published by Micheal Kelly in the brilliant anthology <i><a href="https://undertowpublications.com/shop/shadows-amp-tall-trees-vol-8-paperback" target="_blank">Shadows & Tall Trees #8</a></i> (Undertow Publications).</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-36227127945930975832021-10-18T19:00:00.002+01:002021-10-18T19:00:42.527+01:00Recommendation: Sometime's We're Cruel by J.A.W. McCarthy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uQOIYvy6d1g/YW215wc7SOI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/N2pPBH0Ym6IQ9YcKcInrDFGQ-S9wsT4HgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1854/sometimes%2Bwere%2Bcruel3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1854" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uQOIYvy6d1g/YW215wc7SOI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/N2pPBH0Ym6IQ9YcKcInrDFGQ-S9wsT4HgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/sometimes%2Bwere%2Bcruel3.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br />This will be no surprise to any long-term readers of this site, but I read <i>a lot </i>of horror/weird/strange short-fiction. And I try to make sure I'm reading work not just by the established names but by newer authors - by which I mean those who've yet to release a first collection. Of course, a lot of these stories prove to be not so great, but when I <i>do</i> read a new author whose work seems promising I'm sure to make a note of their name - to include them in my <a href="https://jameseverington.blogspot.com/2020/12/favourite-short-stories-2020.html">end of year short story lists</a>; to keep them in mind for future books I might edit; and of course to remind me to buy their debut collection when it is released.<br /><div><br /></div><div>J.A.W. McCarthy's debut was definitely on my list to buy, and I'm here to tell you that her first collection <i>Sometimes We're Cruel</i> definitely doesn't disappoint. In fact it's one of the best debuts of the year.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are twelve stories here—six reprints, six original—and every one is original in conception and accomplished in execution. McCarthy takes varied and disparate horror tropes— including ghosts, psychic invasion, wicked (step)mothers, doppelgängers, body horror, Frankenstein-ish creations—and fuses them together with unifying themes and imagery. The stories speak to each other, echo each other, without ever becoming samey or indistinct. I get the sense that, as well as carefully crafting each of these individual stories, McCarthy has taken the time to order and structure this book as a collection as well. As someone who approaches the ordering of a collection in the same way I used to make mix-tapes for friends at university, I appreciated this very much.</div><div><br /></div><div>I talked above about this book in the context of a first collection, but that's not really fair: <i>Sometimes We're Cruel </i>isn't a 'promising' first book, it's a collection of fully realised brilliance by an author who, whatever she goes on to accomplish, has already created something very special. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Sometimes We're Cruel </i>(<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sometimes-Were-Cruel-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B09BD9FZJQ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=j.a.w.+mccarthy&qid=1634578807&sr=8-1">UK</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sometimes-Were-Cruel-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B09BD9FZJQ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=j.a.w.+mccarthy&qid=1634578807&sr=8-1">US</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-33078305205842451832021-09-15T18:13:00.004+01:002021-09-15T18:13:37.289+01:00Hallowe'en Horrors<p>I'll be appearing at the <i>Hallowe'en Horrors </i>event at the Derby Quad on October 30th, running a workshop on writing weird, strange, off-beat, and creepy fiction. Details and a link to get tickets are below:</p><br /><i><span style="color: #073763;">Join us for the first part of a very special day of horror writing, with five workshop sessions looking at a wide range of aspects of the genre! QUAD’s Literature Officer Alex Davis will be your host throughout, and will be joined by acclaimed authors Sophie Draper, James Everington and Angeline Trevena for an exciting day of dark inspiration, imagination and information!<br /><b><br />3:30pm-4:30pm: James Everington – The uncanny: making the everyday seem strange in fiction<br /></b><br />Anyone can make a werewolf or spectre sound scary, but how do writers approach more mundane horrors? This workshop will focus on picking out those details in apparently innocuous, everyday situations and making them seem just that little bit ‘off'. Perfect for making your readers uneasy without them knowing quite why….</span></i><div><i><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></i></div><div>Further details & tickets <a href="https://www.derbyquad.co.uk/HalloweenHorrors" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-82204193400191290302021-06-18T12:16:00.002+01:002021-06-18T12:16:50.860+01:00Recommendation: Casting The Runes RPG by Paul StJohn Mackintosh<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FHbxJNG0m0A/YD-4hp9yVkI/AAAAAAAAAwk/ZvnOfTBSJHw8pMWCXWzIDL_KN0gh-u6WgCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/pic5840915.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="459" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FHbxJNG0m0A/YD-4hp9yVkI/AAAAAAAAAwk/ZvnOfTBSJHw8pMWCXWzIDL_KN0gh-u6WgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/pic5840915.jpg" /></a></div>In my younger days, I used to regularly play RPGs, including <i>AD&D</i>, <i>Paranoia</i>, and most relevant here, <i>Call Of Cthulhu</i>, a role-playing game based on the writings of H.P. Lovecraft. It's a bit hazy in my memory, but I think I encountered Lovecraft's mythos via the game first, and then starting reading the fiction. So along with reading Campbell and King for the first time, <i>Call Of Cthulhu</i> was probably another formative stage on my journey to being a writer. (Although other than a tale in <i><a href="http://getbook.at/outsidersebook" target="_blank">The Outsiders</a></i>, I don't really write Lovecraftian mythos stuff.)<p></p><p>The new RPG <i>Casting The Runes</i> is based on the ghost stories of M.R. James (and mid-40s me much prefers M.R. James to Lovecraft). After getting the rulebook, I didn't know how I'd actually play the game, but via the wonders of Zoom, I revived the gaming group I'd played with 20 years previously, and ran a few sessions.</p><p>The rulebook for <i>Casting The Runes</i> is organised exactly as you might expect, with some introductory remarks followed by sections on character creation (characters here are called 'Investigators'), the game mechanics, monsters and magic, the historical time period, running games, and two sample adventures. The rules themselves are somewhat different to RPGs I've played before, especially when it comes to using 'Investigation Skills' which aim to avoid ludicrous, game-damaging situations where a highly trained investigator rolls a 1 and so misses a really obvious clue like a huge bloodstain right in front of their nose. As you might imagine, while combat features, players aren't super-heroes, and fighting the supernatural beings is likely to be more of a last resort than a significant feature of every play session. I thought the 'Stability' mechanic, allowing for the psychological impacts of player encounters with ghosts, black magic and like, was really well done, and adds a sense of tension and danger to even non-physical confrontations.</p><p>Where the book really shines is in the setting specific sections, both in giving the background for the Edwardian time-period, and information about running games in the style of M.R. James. The two example adventures in the book are excellent introductions to the game. The book itself is really nicely presented, with period B&W photographs and creepy illustrations throughout really helping to set the tone.</p><p>The only downside of the rulebook for me was that I could have done with a few more examples of character creation and the rules in play. (The rules are tweaked versions of a more generic ruleset called Gumshoe, which I looked into online to get a feel for it.)</p><p>But overall this was a really interesting game, and both me and my friends had great fun playing it. And it was really enjoyable to come back to RPGs after all these years. Hopefully, we'll keep playing.</p><p>In summary, if you're an experienced role-player and are interested in an investigation focussed supernatural game, I'd highly recommend this. If you're new to RPGs and intend to be the run the sessions, there are probably easier first games out there, but if the M.R. James connection appeals to you don't let that put you off, you just might need to do a bit of online reading before stating your first game. There's also an friendly Facebook group run by the author where you can ask questions & find character sheets etc.</p><p>You can purchase the game online, in physical or PDF formats, at <i><a href="http://thedesignmechanism.com/Casting-the-Runes.php" target="_blank">The Design Mechanism </a></i>or <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/334163/Casting-the-Runes-Occult-Investigation-in-the-World-of-M-R-James?term=casting%20the%20runes&fbclid=IwAR3A63idp2AxcluhXKFMKJ8w2cej9KrTNBVgWhusp_0zg2BPPryS5hRY7Ts" target="_blank">DriveThru RPG</a>.</p>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783878695322864273.post-15271315558641936152021-06-15T16:07:00.005+01:002021-06-15T16:08:19.718+01:00Sinister Horror Company Podcast<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vQsVN0VOZWc/YMi_I-NmqTI/AAAAAAAAAy8/h3spZrSU-bQjFbT1Cm2YtrxdAYULMvhJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1200/E327Sm7XMAU33rv.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vQsVN0VOZWc/YMi_I-NmqTI/AAAAAAAAAy8/h3spZrSU-bQjFbT1Cm2YtrxdAYULMvhJQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/E327Sm7XMAU33rv.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I had great fun recording this podcast with Justin Park, head honcho of The Sinister Horror Company. We talked about <i><a href="https://jameseverington.blogspot.com/p/trying-to-be-so-quiet.html">Trying To Be So Quiet & Other Hauntings</a></i>, the supernatural as a metaphor for grief, specific versus non-specific settings for fiction, Bob Dylan, and of course ghosts. </p><p>You can join TSHC Patreon and listen to the podcast <a href="https://www.patreon.com/SinisterHorrorCompany">here</a>.</p>James Everingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04717149514440381738noreply@blogger.com0