FCon, The Asylum Novel and Killer Bees From Outer Space!

In a week that saw me stalking attendants of FantasyCon 2014 from afar (Twitter), I managed a couple of achievements that I'm pretty proud of, thank you very much!

FantasyCon 2014

Firstly though, on the FCon front, despite not being able to rub shoulders this year with the likes of Phil Sloman, Steven Chapman, James Everington, Mark West, Jan Edwards, Simon Marshall-Jones, Gary McMahon and (sniff) Joanne Harris it was great to keep up with all the news and awards.

In particular, a huge congratulations to Jan Edwards and her team, as The Alchemy Press won the British Fantasy Society Award for Best Independent Press 2014. Well deserved.

• Find out about The Alchemy Press
• Discover all the BFS award winners

The 'Asylum' Novel

I've been needling away at the currently untitled 'asylum' novel for a while now. And THE END is nigh!

The milestone word count of 80,000 words has now been tipped and I'm on the final run towards the last 15k or so words of the first draft.

Thank you to so many of you for your support - and patience. More news soon, and fingers crossed it'll be good news.

Killer Bees From Outer Space!

I'm thrilled to announce that my B-movie story BITE OF THE HORRORCANE has been selected from over sixty submissions to be included in KILLER BEES FROM OUTER SPACE. 

This is a new anthology from Knightwatch Press and is due for publication in 2015. KWP's inspiring owner and MD, Theresa Derwin is the editor of this antho. I'm really looking forward to finally working with her.

• Read more about KnightWatch Press
• Read the table of contents for Killer Bees

Plans... and a little piece of horror

Yesterday, the first day of 2012 I discovered I'd won a monthly writing challenge on Talkback, the online forum of the UK's Writing Magazine. Not only was that a great start to the year, but the piece I'd written was adapted from the novel I put to one side early last year. I'd been toying with picking it back up again, and winning the comp has given me the kick up the backside to finish it during 2012.

Wish me luck!

To celebrate this positive plan, I wrote the following horror drabble this morning. I hope you enjoy it...

Silence of a Bloody Drum

“Once you sign up you can’t back out.”

Boyd didn’t hesitate.

“Where’s the contract?”

“Nod three times and we have an agreement. Un, deux, trois...”

Pain seared through Boyd’s skull. Ear wax melted and dripped like water as the creature held him to its mouth and sucked the molten liquid onto its pointed tongue. It spat the clod onto a mound and immediately attacked the other side to repeat the process.

Boyd screamed.

As he left the room the demon added a further squat tentacle to its sculpture.

“Same time next week,” it whispered.

The words rang in Boyd’s ears.

____________________________________

A word from Madge

There are planes out there, the like of which you've never seen, could never imagine in your wildest dreams.

There are places you couldn't even begin to conceive of.

Next time you meditate, drift away, lose yourself in reverie - do your damndest to remember it afterwards. Write it down. Don't say 'it ain't so'. It is - I saw you there.

Magenta Shaman

March 4th 2010

Milestone looming

Only 5,000 words to go until I'm at the halfway stage. Am aiming for 100,000 words which I'll then rabidly edit and crop once the first draft is typed up. I know I then need to elaborate in many areas, which will bring the word count back up again. I also need to do some final research, and interview local police - offers, anyone?

I typed up a diabolical little number today, which is coming together nicely. He's such a show off.

I had a bit of an epiphany on my original novel today. It's been sitting in the drawer for years now, waiting for the next step. Think I've got it (which will please certain people). Something to move onto once the current one is finished.

The Book

The past is coming back to haunt Alex and the residents of a little Sussex village. Will she go the way of her forebears?

Alex has had the fright of her life but STILL she manages to carry on, and shut it out. She's a freak.

The police have more clues, as a victim remembers a key fact - one that saved their life.

Do you want more...?

40,000 words

Hit the 40,000 mark on the novel today. Perfect for Friday 13th with lots of spooky teasers and a teeny weeny conspiracy going on.

Had a chat with resident spirit this evening. She's feeling a bit shy.

I'm fancying the film 'Paranormal Activity'. Is anyone planning to go see it?

Feardom in Alex's house

All hell has broken loose. Last night's writing episode had me quaking in my (brand-new kinky) boots.

My own house was trembling; knocking. I felt like I was being watched - I'm sure I am.

The novel - happenings

Alex is getting pestered. Her nasty side's getting a good knock on the head. But we're learning who she is and where she came from, the whys and the wherefores.

The police are onto her, but not in a way you might think.

Others are hovering, waiting to be noticed. Some are in the book; some are over my shoulder - vying for space.

More soon...

Fairy Things

There are fairies in my house. I've seen them. They keep peeking at me. They're a lot taller than I expected - maybe that's the domestic fairy. The ones in the wild are definitely diddy.

I wondered today - if I could shape-shift, what would I become? And if I was a good enough shaman to become one creature, then why not another?

*>*>*>*>*>*>>*<<*<*<*<*<*<

Slightly related to the above; although I am 23,000 words into the main novel - oh dear - I now have another on the go. It was meant to be a 5000 word short story but I couldn't get it down to less than 6200. And it ended with a beginning - so it's crying out to be a series.

If you like fantasy horror, bitter revenge and terrifying beasts with deadly, suppurating wounds - then this might appeal. It's called Magenta Shaman.