Still alive...

...just working on longer-term schtuff :)

And melting. Seriously summer, we're over. I warned you last year, but no...

Twenty-Eleven and all that

Happy New Year!

As with every January 1st I spent tonight a little drunk and thinking I was on the verge of some great realization that would change my life forever. As with every January 1st it didn't happen and I'm left with a short list of resolutions that will do well to make it to Valentines Day and all of the bad habits I had 24 hours ago. At least they are lesser in number than they were 365 days ago.

2010 did have some powerful personal moments - both myself and Mrs-me kicked the cigarettes and exist purely on robotic vaping sticks. On top of turning away from the evil vices Traci also got to grips with her newly-discovered gluten allergy and reinvented her diet, which is huge. Having tasted the gluten-free versions of pizza crust, pancakes and chocolate chip cookies I can honestly say I wouldn't have known the difference if someone hadn't told me - I'm happy to get on board and eat the same brands she has to. Thank God coffee is immune from the gluten thing. That might be pushing it.

Traci is probably my person of 2010. There's a few others up on the pedestal with her, though. My mum - the happiest person I know, whatever occurs, and finally finding some clear blue skies after years of turbulence. My sister - coming out of something horrible into something we all hope is very, very good. My brother - extending the family name for at least one more generation and shooting above his designated target! :) I have yet to meet my first ever (EVER!) niece (or nephew) and I cannot, cannot wait to look into the eyes of Zara Lily and be an uncle. My three uncles were/are all very important people in my life and I hope I can live up to that, even from a distance. I can list times where they all did something huge for me - first ever football match, help with an enormous school project, numerous pints in North Wales pubs - and I want to be on Zara's list when she looks back.

So here's to you all - may this year exceed your last year - whether you want to move, stay, rise or step to the side - and if I can help in any way, just ask.

The Man Who Killed a Whale

The wonderful Fix It Broken have put up an interview they conducted with me last week
Thanks to Greg for the cool questions and general good times!

The short story Red Ice (formerly Last of the Kjett) now has a home on Smashwords after the awful experience earlier this year with a certain crooked publisher. Back to it's original title and available for less than a dollar! (#onlyjustmind)

I think all outstanding matters are now resolved, onwards into new waters!

A big and very sincere thank-you to anyone who has read any of my stories this year - that should be me done on here until 2011 :)

December is for Lovers

Hey all - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, whatever you do and wherever you are I hope you are with loved ones this festive season
Been a while but a few updates to post!
First - check out this new literary blog, follow it and enjoy the daily updates from creator Abe -

aobibliosphere

He was kind enough to review my very short story Terminal Sunday and followed this up with a very fun interview last week - thanks Abe!


Next up - another new site you should bookmark and pay attention to - an online literary magazine named Fix It Broken
Issue 1 just went up yesterday and showcases 10 diverse and wonderful pieces of fiction. Every issue FIB is doing something very cool and different - picking one story to be turned into a t-shirt which is then sold in a limited quantity from the site. I was delighted to find out my story 'The Comfort of Dead Whales' was the winner for issue 1 and is now a wearable piece of fashionable fiction !
Thanks to all the cool cats at FIB for making me extremely giddy with that, and such a sweet idea, I look forward to future issues!



The newest edition of 52 Stitches has been released - flash horror stories, originally published online at a weekly rate throughout 2010 - and I have one in there. All proceeds go to the Jamie Eyberg fund - you may remember, writer Jamie and his wife were killed in a horrible freak accident earlier this year leaving behind 2 young children. Jamie actually has a piece in this book, one of the last things he wrote.

Finally, a link to one of the best collections I've read in a while - Terminal Earth! - stories from the end of the world. A lot of my favourite new writers are present in this one and it really is a great read from start to finish - recommended very highly!

The Concrete Dead and Other Myths

The October release of legendary quarterly magazine Bards & Sages is now available and includes my story about strange goings on in post-WW2 East Berlin called The Concrete Dead. Check out the Queen inspired cover too! (#ref for oldies)

No more Penny Dreadful

Angry and sad about this - I'm not going to go into great detail or make personal attacks, but I will be removing all traces of the 'Last of the Kjett' chapbook from my websites and bio. All I will say is that I suffered the same fate that, apparently, many writers' who get involved with Penny Dreadful/Ghostwriter Publications have suffered and continue to suffer. I can fight my own battles just fine but when paying members of the public get shafted supporting me, that's it.
If you were one of the unfortunate, please contact me immediately.

Non-genre Goodness

I've had a couple of literary shorts (literary in the broadest sense of the world, you understand!) accepted into the debut issues of 2 new and potentially exciting American magazines.

The first, titled Fragility, will be appearing in .insidious. mag in the near future.

The second, snappily titled The Comfort of Dead Whales, will make an appearance in Fix It Broken magazine

I love writing straight fiction and hope to do more in the future along with the best genre pieces I can think up and express.