An Explosive Relationship Published

SF Twitter tale An Explosive Relationship is published over on Trapeze today. Ah, the trials of young love ...

Write1Sub1 Week #21 Check-In

Sunday is Write1Sub1 Weekly check-in day. I'm posting updates on my short fiction output here as well as over on the main Write1Sub1 blog.

The edits on the 100K novel are finished! Short stories should start getting more of a look-in now. Some good progress on the microfiction and poetry front to report this week too ...

Written :

• Slieau Whallian (fantasy, short story)
• Rubies and Pearls (Twitter)

Submitted :

• The Cat's Tale (SF, Flash)
• Rubies and Pearls (Twitter) 

Accepted :

• Many Happy Returns (Twitter) by One Forty Fiction 
• Small Steps (Twitter) by One Forty Fiction
• Up In Smoke (Twitter) by One Forty Fiction
• First Contact (poem) by Microcosms
• Shadow Beings (poem) by Microcosms 
• "At Night When He Sleeps" (poem) by Microcosms
• (Non-W1S1) Dan Quixote by Inkspill

Published :

• Human Statue (Twitter) by One Forty Fiction

Flash Fiction : Light Years (90/100)

... is ...








Light Years is a work of flash fiction. In fact it is the slowest piece of flash-fiction ever written. In real-time its one hundred words would take exactly 10,000 years to recount. Because of the limitations of a normal human life-span, it has been specially accelerated to the speed of one word per week. It will therefore take just under two years to tell from start to finish.

For a full history of the transmissions, click here.

Inkspill to publish Dan Quixote

Just heard the wonderful news that Inkspill Magazine are to publish my flash fiction story Dan Quixote in their next issue.

A short tale about a man tilting at windmills in the 21st century. I'll let you know when it's out there ...

Journal of Unlikely Entomology Interview

A brief interview with me is published over on the Journal of Unlikely Entomology blog today. In it I chat a bit about the inspiration behind my story Museum Beetles and where it fits in with my other fiction. Just so as you know ...

Hedge Witch Edits Completed!

So I've finished working on the new draft of YA fantasy novel Hedge Witch. The new version is leaner, meaner and cleaner. One character has vanished permanently, as have 7000 words or so (many of them "was"). It was daunting at times, but I actually found I enjoyed the process a lot. The strange thing is I thought the book was finished before, but I like the new version even more. Is it possible for that process to go on indefinitely?

Anyway, the interested publisher has the new version. Please cross fingers, toes, tentacles or whatever appendages you happen to have evolved with ...

Meanwhile, apologies for not being around much on the blogs of late. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible ...

Write1Sub1 Week #20 Check-In

Sunday is Write1Sub1 Weekly check-in day. I'm posting updates on my short fiction output here as well as over on the main Write1Sub1 blog.

Coming to the end of editing the 100,000 words or so of Hedge Witch now! Hopefully the short fiction will start getting more of a look in soon. But there is some short fiction/poetry progress to report this week ...

Written :

• Sixties Survivor (Twitter)
• Mementos (Twitter)
• Small Steps (Twitter)
• Many Happy Returns (Twitter)
• Anax Britannica (flash)

 Submitted :

• Mementos (Twitter) 
• Small Steps (Twitter)
• Many Happy Returns (Twitter)

Accepted :

• Second War of the Worlds (Twitter) by One Forty Fiction

Published :

• (Non-W1S1) Metal Recycling Here by Diagonal Proof
• (Non-W1S1) Museum Beetles by The Journal of Unlikely Entomology 

Flash Fiction : Light Years (89/100)

... life-span ...








Light Years is a work of flash fiction. In fact it is the slowest piece of flash-fiction ever written. In real-time its one hundred words would take exactly 10,000 years to recount. Because of the limitations of a normal human life-span, it has been specially accelerated to the speed of one word per week. It will therefore take just under two years to tell from start to finish.

For a full history of the transmissions, click here.

Museum Beetles Published in The Journal of Unlikely Entomology

I'm delighted to report that my short story Museum Beetles is reprinted over in The Journal of Unlikely Entomology Issue #1 today. As I've said before, if there's a magazine out there with a finer name, I've yet to see it!


Lots of fun things in this issue :

Here you will find Arachne, weaving for her lost love; a group of school children who are among the last witnesses to a dying world; an immortal cowboy, his most unusual horse, and the scorpion he tries to befriend; a world devoid of both mosquitoes and love; a museum, slowly being devoured from within; the rise of a new kind of humanity, triggered by an earworm of a song; and a terrifying childhood nightmare, made horribly real.

I do hope you scuttle on over for a read. My story has been illustrated (by Seth Fitts) which is a real thrill, too ...

Second War of the Worlds Published

Twitter story Second War of the Worlds is published over on One Forty Fiction today. It's here if you fancy a quick read ...

Metal Recycling Here Published by Diagonal Proof

Whimsical flash fiction story Metal Recycling Here is published in Diagonal Proof Issue 2 today. You can download it is a PDF from here should you fancy a read.

As it happens it's my birthday today too, so that makes for a nice present!

Write1Sub1 Week #19 Check-In

Sunday is Write1Sub1 Weekly check-in day. I'm posting updates on my short fiction output here as well as over on the main Write1Sub1 blog.

Not too much activity to report on the short fiction/poetry this week, but enough to keep my W1S1 head above water!

Written :

• The Cat's Tale (SF, flash). 
• Beneath a Sky of Leaves (poem)
• Beams (poem)

 Submitted :

• A Good Drying Day (Flash)
• Second War of the Worlds (SF, Twitter)

Accepted :

• The Library at the Centre of the World (fantasy, short story) by FaePublishing.
• The Rose Glow of Dawn (haiku) by Three Line Poetry.

Published :

• None. Nada. Zilch. Meh.

Flash Fiction : Light Years (88/100)

... My ...








Light Years is a work of flash fiction. In fact it is the slowest piece of flash-fiction ever written. In real-time its one hundred words would take exactly 10,000 years to recount. Because of the limitations of a normal human life-span, it has been specially accelerated to the speed of one word per week. It will therefore take just under two years to tell from start to finish.

For a full history of the transmissions, click here.

Fantasy Short Story Sold to FaePublishing

Wonderful news on a Monday morning : FaePublishing have bought my fantasy short story The Library at the Centre of the World, which I penned back in March as my Write1Sub1 piece for week #10. This is my second pro sale (paying 5c/word), following on from the Daily Science Fiction sale of last month. So, the short fiction is going well. That said, I do seem to be doing a fantastic job of picking out the markets that pay pro rates but that don't (yet?) qualify for SFWA membership ...

In other news, Trapeze have published my latest time-travel SF microstory here. It's called The Grandfather Paradox, which may help explain things ...

Write1Sub1 Week #18 Check-In

Sunday is Write1Sub1 Weekly check-in day. I'm posting updates on my short fiction output here as well as over on the main Write1Sub1 blog.

Once again, longer fiction has been my main focus this week. Still finding time to work on shorter fiction/poetry too, though ...

Written :

• Fantasy short story : The War King's Last War (probably just a working title).
• Flash fiction story A Good Drying Day.
• Twitter fiction : Wildlife Conservation, Straight to Hull, Planting Plans and Second War of the Worlds.

Submitted :

• Haiku : The Rose Glow of Dawn, The Still Heat of Day and Dusk Gathers Shadows.
• Twitter fiction : Cycles, The Flamingo Dancer, Last Days of Summer, Wildlife Conservation, Straight to Hull, Second War of the Worlds and Keep Your Eyes Peeled.

Accepted :

• The Flamingo Dancer and Straight to Hull by Seven by Twenty.
• Last Days of Summer by Cuento.
• The Number Six, 3rd place in Rebecca Emin's It's Only a Number flash fiction competition. 
• (Non-W1S1)  Their Song by Cuento.

Published :

• The Number Six, 3rd place in Rebecca Emin's It's Only a Number flash fiction competition.
• The Grandfather Paradox  by Trapeze.

So, quite a constructive week, all told.

Flash Fiction : Light Years (87/100)

... years. ...








Light Years is a work of flash fiction. In fact it is the slowest piece of flash-fiction ever written. In real-time its one hundred words would take exactly 10,000 years to recount. Because of the limitations of a normal human life-span, it has been specially accelerated to the speed of one word per week. It will therefore take just under two years to tell from start to finish.

For a full history of the transmissions, click here.

An English Bluebell Wood

It's been a glorious spring so far here in the UK, and the bluebells are currently carpeting our woodlands in spectacular fashion. Here's a picture I took today, which really doesn't do the scene justice at all.

I mention all this not only as an excuse to show you this picture. Because, as it happens, I've also been editing a chapter of Hedge Wytch today ("Tanglewood") in which some of my characters travel through a wood very much like this, the same bluebells and dappled shade, the same trees. I love it when that happens : I know it's coincidence but it feels like synchronicity. We didn't get attacked by any undead horrors though, which always spoils a family picnic I find ...

I think there's a lot to be said for letting research "come to you" : to just keeping your mind open to what's around you. It's surprising how often material relevant to what you are writing jumps out at you. Do you find that too?

3rd Place Prize in the It's Only a Number Competition

Delighted to report that my flash story The Number Six has ranked third in Rebecca Emin's It's Only a Number competition today. Rebecca is a fellow Ether author and prolific flash/short story/novel writer. Thanks Rebecca!

My prize is to be a copy of the Yesterday anthology of short stories, which includes Rebecca's own story Ben. Very much looking forward to reading it ...

Write1Sub1 Week #17 Check-In

Sunday is Write1Sub1 Weekly check-in day. I'm posting updates on my short fiction output here as well as over on the main Write1Sub1 blog.

Once again, longer fiction has been my main focus this week. That combined with holidays and trying to avoid the horrors of the R***l W**d**g have kept me pretty busy, but short fiction/poetry has also been written and submitted ...

Written :

• Twitter stories The Flamingo Dancer, On the Edge and Cycles.
• Haiku The Still Heat of Day and Dusk Gathers Shadows.
  

Submitted :

• Fantasy flash story CryptQuest.

Accepted :

• Fantasy short story The Standing Stones of Erelong by Daily Science Fiction.
• Twitter story Pounce (renamed Empathetic) by PicFic.
• (Non-W1S1) Flash story Metal Recycling Here by Diagonal Proof.

Published :

• Electrolarynx by PicFic.

Happy with that! Pretty good haul for the week ...

Flash Fiction : Light Years (86/100)

... thousand ...








Light Years is a work of flash fiction. In fact it is the slowest piece of flash-fiction ever written. In real-time its one hundred words would take exactly 10,000 years to recount. Because of the limitations of a normal human life-span, it has been specially accelerated to the speed of one word per week. It will therefore take just under two years to tell from start to finish.

For a full history of the transmissions, click here.