Check it out – a great list of speculative fiction opportunities
February open calls for short stories (repost from the fabulous Cosy Catastrophes)
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Book lovers give the best Christmas gifts!
Looking for a special present for a special someone? These “December specials” might suit you. While stocks last, you can get three fabulous deals:
DEAL #1 — How to Survive Your Magical Family
A sweet magical coming-of-age novel for ages 11+ and all cat lovers
One signed paperback and a small cat-themed gift, plus free standard postage, for only $22.95 (Australia only). Order it by December 12th for pre-Christmas delivery.
DEAL #2 — The Stars in the Night
My historical novel of the Great War. Buy one signed paperback plus free standard postage for only $19.95 (Australia only). Order it by December 12th for pre-Christmas delivery.***
DEAL #3 — The Chronicles of the Pale Box Set
A stunning dystopian world with heart, soul, and hope. For ages 15+.
The complete Chronicles, with one copy of all three novels, signed, plus standard postage for only $45.95. Order the box set by December 12th for pre-Christmas delivery.
“Progressing through the series, I was in awe of the author’s ability to handle grief and intense drama, yet bring hope, faith, loyalty and kindness into such abysmal chaos.”
Thank you for reading and sharing my books.
And please remember how awesome it is if you ask your local library to order one of my books. It helps me to reach readers and adds it mite to the upkeep of the writing attic, all at no cost to you. Thanks!!
Halloween: Special Price on magic cats and scary adventures
This Halloween, there’s a special price on signed copies of How to Survive Your Magical Family!
Order here before MIDNIGHT on OCTOBER 31st for your copy at the spooktacular price of $22.95 including postage! Australia only.
Grab your copy now!
Here’s what readers are saying:
What an incredibly sweet story about a boy, friends, family and a loveable group of cats! — Megs, on Goodreads
This is a fun magical story! Really really cool worldbuilding here. I love in general that cats are the “good guys” even though this is a story about cool, sometimes spooky, magic. — Julia, on Goodreads
“Waiting is the hardest thing ever.” Heart, soul, and adventure; this one has it all. Absolutely a light, fun read. — MyBookNest7
I really liked how cute the story was, where it went, the cats, and how they colored the whole story. I feel like there’s a second book in the future. There is not really a cliffhanger, or any thing to indicate that specifically, but I was left with some questions I could see wrapping a second story around and I would absolutely be there to read it. — Steph Bauer
♥️If you like books featuring cats…ESPECIALLY magical cats….this is your next book to pick up♥️
— ShortBookThyme on Instagram
My cat fever is getting spooky
I have cat fever. It’s like hay fever but much more furry. Can it have anything to do with How to Survive Your Magical Family?
Everywhere I look, there’s a cat. It’s quite spooky now that my cat book is here. Seems the neighbourhood cats know something.
Maybe they sense me spending too much time on cat memes and images like these.
My page of cat links is live with cat-loving video games, movie recommendations and more. Can you suggest any more links for me to feature?
In the meantime, here’s a little snippet of the action:
While Helen drew the sedan over to the side of the carriageway, I walked slowly along the wet verge, scanning the asphalt where the cat was struck, listening for any mewing. There was no sound other than the slick swishing of tyres on rainy road as the traffic sorted itself back into its usual pattern. There wasn’t even any blood. In the gutter, though, was a silver bracelet.
The bracelet was pretty battered and bent, but it looked like solid silver. I considered picking it up. It had a charm clipped on it, in a kind of round shape. But I was searching for something alive, so I walked right on, scanning the verge. Nothing. I turned back toward the car.
Passing that shining bit of silver again, I could see that the round charm was actually in the form of a cat, and the bracelet was more of a bangle and not so battered as I first thought. When I turned to look at it a third time, the round cat charm was seated upright on top of the bangle, looking directly at me.
I gave in. I’m not my father’s son for nothing. Okay, cat plus charm plus silver equals magic. Though why the street cat thought this was a kitten …
I picked up the bangle…
***
Can’t wait to read on? How to Survive Your Magical Family is available now at these online stores:
Odyssey Books
Booktopia
Amazon Australia
Barnes & Noble
But wait – there’s more!
Watch out for more news – a Halloween special is coming.
With a book featuring magic cats and clever crows, it’s only right.
Spook you soon – I mean, speak to you soon!
How to Survive Your Magical Family
How to Survive Your Magical Family is here.
I have actual paperback copies in hand and I’m thrilled.
Here’s the blurb of my new book:
Toby’s family is no ordinary family.
They are magical, talented, and special.
Toby’s father is a surgeon and his older sister is a lawyer. But Toby’s dad is also a renowned wizard, and so is his uncle, and his sister can influence people. His mum was special too, but she had to leave…
Toby isn’t any of those things. The only special thing he can do is pretty useless. Toby can talk with cats.
When Toby and his sister rescue a family of abandoned cats on the side of the road and Toby spots a mysterious silver bangle in the gutter, everything changes.
Mia is Toby’s best friend. She’s not magical either – she doesn’t even know magic exists! But when she watches Toby get on the wrong bus to school and a ferocious bus driver screams away with Toby on board, Mia’s world is about to change too.
How to Survive Your Magical Family is an exciting adventure filled with mystery, cats, friendship, and of course, magic!
If you love cats, or magic – and especially both! – this is your book. For confident readers 10+, and cat lovers of all ages. It’s a book with a dual point of view (‘dual POV’ in book-speak), with half of the story told by Toby and half told by Mia.
I’ve made a page all about this new book, including a variety of buy links, and I’m also putting together a page of CAT LINKS!
If you love cats, you might want to check it out.
And if you have any great cat sites that should be included, please let me know!
Miaow for now, my friends.
From the Waste Land – sharpening your appetite
Hey everyone! I’m re-blogging this fab post about From the Waste Land by one of the amazing contributors. I’m sure you’ll agree that reading just a little of this will sharpen your appetite for the entire anthology.
We can’t wait to share it with you!
In the meantime, try this:
From the Waste Land – a new anthology by contributor BP Marshall*
*and a reminder about his wonderful novel The Last Circus on Earth
And also admire the fab graphic created by multi-talented contributor Cat Sparks!
Fantasy on Four Feet: out NOW!
Look below for your link to a wonderful collaboration of nine original fantasy tales all about animals.
Check out the list of fantastic authors and their wonderful stories. Then read them! You’ll love them all!
I’m thrilled to be involved in this project, as a story-teller and the editor, and I’m very grateful to Black Ink Fiction for ushering this precious cub into the real world.
PS: Let me know if you’d like a signed paperback – they are on the way!
From the Waste Land: announcing the stories!
One hundred years ago…
TS Eliot’s The Waste Land, a masterpiece of modernism, reaches back into legend and forward into dystopia. First published in October 1922, the poem resonates with the grief of the Great War.
You know, ‘the war to end all wars’…
A hundred years later, we can easily empathise with that mood. But we also know that, despite our fears, humanity continues its struggle to find the goodness and the light.
Autumn 2022
I’m thrilled to announce that later this year PS Publishing UK will release our anthology From the Waste Land: stories inspired by TS Eliot (edited by Clare Rhoden), marking the centenary of publication!
Meet the stories
With a mix of ghost stories, sci-fi, fantasy and apocalyptic tales, these original stories conjure wastelands from the 1500s to many centuries ahead.
You’ll also find hope for humanity and a belief in our shared future.
You’ve already met the wonderful team of authors; now let me introduce the contents.
Delightful, shocking, unique, extraordinary… you’re sure to find something amazing in these gems of speculative fiction.
From the Waste Land: contents
Death by Water, by Grace Chan
A Winter Respite, by Clare Rhoden
She Who Walks Behind You, by Leanbh Pearson
The Watcher of Greenwich, by Laura E. Goodin
Exhausted Wells, by Tee Linden
Rats Alley, by Jeff Clulow
Fragments of Ruin, by B.P. Marshall
Dead Men, by Cat Sparks
A Dusty Handful, by Aveline Perez de Vera
Lidless Eyes That See, by Geneve Flynn
A Witch’s Bargain, by Rebecca Dale
And Fiddled Whisper Music on Those Strings, by Eugen Bacon
Mountain of Death, by Austin P. Sheehan
Fawdaze, by Rebecca Fraser
Over the Mountains, by Tim Law
A Shadow in This Red Rock, by Louise Zedda Sampson
Dry Bones, by Robert Hood
April, by Francesca Bussey
The Violet Hour, by Nikky Lee
Keep an eye out for more news as this exciting project nears completion.
Personally, I can’t wait for the cover reveal!
Where The Weird Things Are, edited by Clare Rhoden and Austin P Sheehan
I’m delighted to announce a new member of the family: Where The Weird Things Are Volume 1 is here!
A collection of strange and sometimes spooky stories, Where The Weird Things Are Volume 1 is your guide to travelling Australia and Aotearoa … but with fantastic and freaky adventures.
My story ‘A Beechy Boy’ was inspired by the little bush block we had for a long time at Gellibrand River in Victoria’s Otway Ranges. Some of you have visited me there! My, it was beautiful.
But that persistent fog. Those strange noises in the night. That creeping cold. That monstrous king wallaby. That sense of remoteness in the night.
They all come together in a story that riffs off the old ‘Little Boy Lost’ tale. I hope you enjoy it!
Available now as an e book at the Zon: Weird Things Vol 1 e book
And as a paperback on Booktopia: Weird Things Vol 1 PB
And I’ll have my own paperback copies coming soon, for anyone who wants it signed.
Where the Weird Things Are Volume 1 is published by Deadset Press, one of Australia’s foremost independent publishers of awesome speculative fiction (PS, check out their site for new story calls!)
Open submission calls: March 2022
Re-blog with thanks, from Cosy Catastrophes
Tim Major says: Since I started out writing a decade ago, I’ve treated the submission (and rejection!) process for short stories as an important part of the gig. I still find myself scouring submissions calls almost daily, even though I respond to fewer of them each year (mainly because I’m writing fewer short stories and more novels). I […]