Another year (almost) over and what have I done?
27 December 2023
Here’s my summary of how 2023 went on the writing front. In summary: it was a game of two halves.
From the standpoint of seeing my work published, 2023 was a strongly positive year. New stories appeared at Interzone Digital and in Shoreline of Infinity magazine – excellent venues both. Reprints appeared in Museum Piece: An Unusual Collection, Moon: The Lunar Book of Horror and Dark Fiction, at Spektrum.de (my first German translation), and in Androids and Dragons (no link for “Substink” reasons). Planet Raconteur podcast one of my old “Reeves” stories. But most notably – and wonderfully, as this was a milestone for me – my short story Those We Leave Behind appeared in Best of British Science Fiction 2022. My sincere thanks go to series editor Donna Scott and NewCon Press publisher Ian Whates. Those We Leave Behind was also longlisted for the BSFA Short Fiction award, so it’s been a hard worker for me.
From the standpoint of seeing my work published in the future, it’s been a slow year. My only acceptance from a 2023 submission was the aforementioned Androids and Dragon reprint. However, 2024 will see the publication of a new SF story in a themed anthology, so I’m looking forward to announcing that in due course. I also have a reprint coming soon, although that one was accepted years ago. In the meantime, I will continue to put my work out there and hope for the best.
Other bits and pieces: In 2023, I continued to serve as a first reader for Wyldblood Press, of late mainly for novella submissions. Editor/publisher Mark Bilsborough is doing a great job there, so please support him! Also, I will be attending Eastercon in 2024. See you there?
In 2024, my main focus will be on marketing my recently completed novel, also planning my next.
Wishing everyone a safe and happy 2024.
The long and the short of the list
20 October 2023
Nominations for the British Science Fiction Association Awards for 2023 are now open. This process will form the longlist. Only members may nominate works. There are a large number of categories, including new ones. There is a suggestions list, which anyone may add to.
This year I have two eligible works of short fiction.
Feet of Clay was published in Interzone Digital (it is free to read).
Dust Bunnies was published in Shoreline of Infinity 34. If possible, please purchase the magazine. If you are not able to, but would like to read my story, please use my contact form or reach out me via my social media.
There are of course many other works of fiction worthy of nomination. If you can, please nominate one or more of them!
Here be androids (and dragons)
16 November 2023
I’m pleased to confirm that my flash-length SF story On This Day has been reprinted in Androids and Dragons Magazine.
Day of the androids
5 October 2023
I’m pleased to announce that my flash-length SF story On This Day, which was originally published by Nature Futures, will be reprinted in Androids and Dragons Magazine (scheduled for 13 November).
Robots revolting in Germany
21 August 2023
I’m pleased to announce that my flash-length SF story On This Day, originally published by Nature Futures, has been translated into German as Die Revolution der Roboter and reprinted by Spektrum, a German-language science magazine published by Nature Springer.
My published SF stories have been translated into ten foreign languages so far. This is the first time in German.
A place at the table
Updated 15 August 2023
Editor Donna Scott very kindly invited me to be one of her guests at the Best of British Science Fiction 2022 launch on 25 July, which was held on YouTube. Donna’s other guests were Robert Bagnall, Alice Dryden, Val Nolan, and Stephen Oram.
If you’d like to watch a recording of the launch, here is the link.
Probably my greatest pleasure as a published writer is receiving a contributor’s copy of a magazine or book which contains my work. For me, this one tops the lot!
The Best of British Science Fiction 2022 is currently available to pre-order (and purchase from 25 July) from Newcon Press.
The company he keeps
23 May 2023
I’m thrilled almost beyond words to announce that my short story Those We Leave Behind will be reprinted in Best of British Science Fiction 2022, which is available to pre-order from NewCon Press.
Editor Donna Scott has selected two-dozen stories from some of the finest authors in the business. I am truly honoured–and grateful–to have one of mine included. It’s a career first for me.
Those We Leave Behind was originally published in Sci Phi Journal, to whose editors I am hugely grateful.
Museum piece
20 May 2023
I’m pleased to announce that my SF story The Museum of the High Street has been reprinted in Museum Piece, an anthology published by Joyful Heave. Lovely cover!
This anthology is available as an e-book from the usual online markets, e.g. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. A hardback edition is also available from Amazon (the paperback edition will appear next year).
The Museum of the High Street was originally published as The Little Shop That Could in 22 Ideas About the Future (Cybersalon).
Bad moon rising
2 April 2023
I’m pleased to announce that my hard SF story Survival Strategies has been reprinted in Moon: The Lunar Book of Horror and Dark Fiction, an anthology edited by James Gauvreau.
As of now, this book is available to purchase at Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and Scribd. Other marketplaces (also a print-on-demand edition) will be added in the near future.
Survival Strategies was originally published in Neo-Opsis 6.
Zone of revolting bricks
31 March 2023 (updated)
I’m delighted to announce that Interzone Digital has published my SF short story, Feet of Clay. (Now free to read!)
If you’ve ever wanted to know how a bunch of sentient bricks foment a revolution, this one is for you!
This is my 54th published story. The wonderful illustration by Richard Wagner evokes the story perfectly.
Dusty shoreline
19 March 2023 (updated)
I’m delighted to announce that Shoreline of Infinity has published my flash-length short story, Dust Bunnies, in issue 34 of this award-winning Scottish magazine. It is now available to order in print and electronic editions.
If you have concerns about what might happen if you buy a network-ready robot vacuum cleaner, you definitely need to read this story.
Dust Bunnies is my 55th published short story.
Too late to vote early… Still time to vote once!
19 February 2023
If you are a BSFA member and feel inclined to vote for the 2022 Awards shortlist, my story Those We Leave Behind is on the longlist for best short fiction. Read my story here (free, plus it’s quite short). The voting form is here.
Raconteur supplied
2 February 2023
I’m delighted to announce that the Planet Raconteur team has done an excellent job of producing my third “Reeves” story, Supply and Demand in the Post-War Economy, in audio form. It’s the final item on their recently released podcast (season 2, episode 13), which is free to listen to here. The podcast is also available from other podcast streaming and download sites.
This story was originally published in Daily Science Fiction.
Thanks, Ralan
1 February 2023
Ralan.com has closed, permanently.
If like me you’ve been writing genre fiction for a long time, then you’ll almost certainly have used Ralan.com to research markets. True, I have referred to it much less since services like Duotrope and The Submission Grinder appeared. Nevertheless, for much of my writing life Ralan.com was the go-to website for market information. Some of the publications I found listed there even accepted my stories! So I am immensely grateful to Ralan Conley for all of his hard work over the twenty six years and 57 days he maintained his website.
On nom day
21 January 2023
I’m surprised and delighted to learn that Radon Journal’s editors have nominated my story On This Day for inclusion in the Best Small Fictions Anthology (for 2022) to be published by Sonders Press later this year. Although this story was a reprint, the editors have assured me it is eligible because this was its first publication in a journal (as opposed to online).
On This Day was originally published by Nature Futures.
Long is the joy of those not left behind
17 January 2023
I’m delighted to announce that my short story Those We Leave Behind has made the longlist for the British Science Fiction Association Awards for 2022. This is only the third time one of my stories has been recognised in this way.
Voting for the shortlist (BSFA members only) closes on 19 February. My story, which was published by Sci Phi Journal, is free to read here.
There are many fine works on the longlist. If you are a BSFA member, please read or view as many as possible before you decide which ones to vote for.