More fine savings, perfectly suited to, say, a worldwide recession. Shroud Publishing have shaved a couple of bucks off the cover price of the Beneath The Surface anthology. Currently shortlisted for a Bram Stoker award (we’ll find out how it does in the not too distant future), the book is the only place to see my short story ‘Secrets (Never Told)’.

And just look at that cover. Surely you need to touch it?

I did have another blog planned, about how the current writing project is going (painfully, if you’re asking), but better news has arrived. Beneath the Surface, the anthology published by Shroud last year, has stumbled onto the shortlist for the Bram Stoker award. This pleases me, because it has my short story ‘Secrets (Never Told)’ in it. The winners will be announced June 14th, and I wish the book all the best.

In particular, well done to Tim Deal, the editor. An anthology has lots of writers (and congratulations to them too!), but only one editor, pulling disparate pieces together, and making us all look good.

So, are you a voting member of the Horror Writers Association? Please do try to pick up a copy before you put your tick in the box, and may the (subjectively) better book win. Of course, if you don’t have voting rights on the Stokers, there are plenty of reasons to buy the book anyway. ‘Secrets (Never Told)’ is just one of them. Linky goodness for Americans and Brits.

With all the recent Doctor Whoity round these parts, it nearly slipped my notice that Beneath the Surface, the paperback from Shroud Publishing featuring my story ‘Secrets, Never Told’, has finally emerged on Amazon.co.uk. British readers rejoice! And while you’re rejoicing, put it in your basket next to a copy of Short Trips – Transmissions!

Good times!

A new review and an interview, just in…

Issue 31 of the print magazine Dark Realms carries a review of Beneath the Surface which says several nice things, included among them “Beneath the Surface is a first-rate horror anthology that delivers a thoroughly enjoyable collection of fiendishly fun tales.” Don’t take their word for it though. Find out for yourself by grabbing a copy here.

Over at Unreality SF you can check out an interview with Richard Salter, who talks in detail about Short Trips: Transmissions, the Doctor Who anthology I’ll have a story in next month (indeed, he gives you a flavour of that story, among others…). It’s interesting reading, and should fuel your curiosity. With the 2008 series of Doctor Who fast approaching what looks to be a ballistic conclusion, which will no doubt involve a cliffhanger for Tennant’s Doctor number 10 that won’t be resolved until the Xmas special, you’re going to be in the perfect mood to time travel the other way, and distract yourself with previously unseen adventures from his past lives. You can, of course, pre-order the book right now if you choose.

The above is a Wordle cloud generated from my short story ‘Secrets (Never Told)’, and if it intrigues you, you can read the whole thing in Shroud’s anthology Beneath the Surface. I think it’s worth a punt (though I would). Shroud are a very new publisher, but they seem to be doing everything right, and have a very cool line up of projects (including the Hiram Grange Chronicles, one of which I’m writing for them). I’m not the only one who thinks so either, as this comprehensive and unusual review (unusual as it reviews the publisher as much as the publications – Beneath the Surface is mentioned in the last third or so) shows.

Give them a try, why don’t you? Grab the anthology as a taster, and see if the impression of ‘Secrets (Never Told)’ that you get from the above bears any resemblance to the actual story (and if you do that, let me know how close you came!).

Beneath the Surface

Still no official reviews for this rather splendid recent anthology from Shroud Publishing, which features my story ‘Secrets (Never Told), though customer reviews at Amazon.com have been pretty good. Have you bought it? What do you think?

Short Trips: Transmissions

I heard the other day that the final edits of the stories in the books, including my own ‘Lonely’, have been approved by the BBC, so the book is good to go in July. A huge sigh of relief (the BBC own the character in absolute terms, and would have no hesitation in asking for stories to be removed if they clashed with the ethos or history of the character and the series), and a little thrill inside, as there is nothing to do now but wait for the book, my first hardback as well as, dammit, a Doctor Who book, heads to the printer. Why not pre-order the book from Big Finish, and be among the first to read it?

A pleasant surprise when I got home tonight – my contributor copies of Beneath The Surface were waiting on my doorstep. It looks very nice indeed, and I’m looking forward to firing into it when I get the chance. You should be too. Why not grab your copy right now?

Word came through today that Beneath The Surface, Shroud Publishing’s new anthology, is officially shipping. Being the wrong side of the Atlantic, it will be a few days yet before I actually see a copy, but it’s happy news nonetheless. It has my story ‘Secrets (Never Told)’ inside, nestled among thirteen other lovely tales, and right now you can get hold of it from the publisher, or from Amazon.com, as takes your fancy.

Second bit of news is a brand new review of Tattered Souls over at Horrorworld (scroll to the bottom of the page), courtesy of regular reviewer Patricia Snodgrass. It’s a very good one, and concludes with “All of these stories are top quality, guaranteed to give you a shudder or two. Certainly, after reading Other People, you’ll never look at your dishwasher in the same way again. I loved Tattered Souls, and I think you will too. It’s a great winter read.” It’s the sort of review that might very well tempt the discerning reader to purchase a copy to enjoy for their very own. Those curious readers should follow this link. At the far end, they will be able to gratify themselves entirely.

The title of my tale refers to an age-old superstition about magpies (encapsulated by a rhyme beginning ‘One for sorrow…’ – does this exist outside of the UK?) that still makes even the most rationally minded feel a bit paranoid when they see a single bird. The story is about fate, and how heroes are born, and you should check it out.

At the moment, you can pre-order the book direct from the publisher, and they’ll pop it in the post as soon as it’s ready.  I suggest you do. Not only are you ponying up for my latest fiction alongside twelve other discoveries (some of who may be new to you, some may not), you’re supporting a new publisher who is trying to get a foot on the ladder. So far, Shroud Publishing have been a pleasure to deal with, and I’m glad to be a part of thier first book venture (they have more in the offing, as well as promising looking magazine).

Oh, and while it’s a little early for reviews, author Tom Piccirilli, himself a Bram Stoker Award winner who knows a thing or two about this sort of thing, has paged through and offers the following: An anthology of old school tales containing stories which are, by turns, spooky, gripping, insightful, pulpish, and just downright fun. A first offering from Shroud Publishing that will hopefully be followed by plenty more in the same vein.

So there. Now go forth. Spend a penny, and tell them I sent you.