Vale Crossed Genres

Farewell Crossed Genres Magazine! This month sees its last issue, and I am sorry to see it go. I made my first professional sale to CG, of one of my personal favourite stories, ‘My Life as a Lizard’. (Left click on the link on the left to read it for free. You’ll feel better for doing […]

Billy Ocean knew the Truth

Billy Ocean knew the Truth, that Love Really Hurts … don’t worry about the “without you” bit, no qualifier is required. And to prove it, the speculative fiction anthology ‘Love Hurts‘ (left click on the title to be taken elsewhere) is now available for purchase and your reading pleasure. Marvel at the fools love makes […]

What are we, after all?

“I’m pondering is what I’m doing.” “Hell about?” About being a sober adult making up my mind, he replied truculently in his head. About having a centre and a will instead of a bunch of stupid impulses and bad memories … . The Tailor of Panama by John le Carre He is so good and […]

Love Hurts

Love stories aren’t usually my thing, so I am thrilled to have a story – The Boulevardier –  appearing in this forthcoming anthology, out on December 1st. Love the cover. Luvity luv luv luv.

Affirmation

I’m fluctuating somewhere between ‘well, I must be some sort of author if I’m on an author page‘ and ‘don’t be so needy, Stevens’. I am however looking forward to the book coming out, and to ‘The Boulevardier’ and his bad French seeing the light of day.

Insert Smiley Face Here

Write what you know is the most common writing tip you’ll find anywhere. It’s nonsense, really, because if we all did that we’d end up with terribly boring novels about writers staring out of windows waiting for inspiration to hit. (If you like those, incidentally, head straight for the literary fiction section of your nearest […]

I am an addict

Is there a voluntary exclusion program for The Book Depository? Its not my fault … its right there, on my PC … the books, the books … you just press the buttons – yes, just like a poker machine, yes … a package comes in the post … like CHRISTMAS! For years my wife has […]

Lullaby

The day finally stops. Dad’s taxi is parked in the garage – the almost not a teenager managed to miss the last bus of the night and faced a two hour walk home. “Time just disappeared.” I flashed a glance at his wrist – the watch we bought him is there. Oh well. I suppose […]

Long listed

My alter-ego Lloyd Connor is very pleased that his story, Some Corner of a Dorset Field that is Forever Arabia, appears in the long list of recommended horror stories of 2014 from Ellen Datlow. I eagerly await her yearly anthology of horrible goodies, so it is a big massive thrill for me to make that long […]