In the last 24 hours I’ve received welcome news. Two of my stories have been accepted for publication later in the year.

The first is called Somewhere On Sebastian Street, and is inspired by the work of my friend and fellow writer, Gary McMahon. It is due to appear in a charity anthology called HORROR FOR GOOD, and will be published in March by Cutting Block Press. The book will also contain stories by such writers as Ramsey Campbell, Joe Lansdale, F Paul Wilson, Laird Barron, Gary McMahon, Lisa Morton, and loads of others. More info as I get it.

The second acceptance is for a short story called None So Blind, will which appear in either issue 3 or 4 of Shadows & Tall Trees, the Canadian literary horror journal published by Michael Kelly. The previous editions have included some of my favourite writers, so I’m highly thrilled to be gracing its pages myself. Again, my info as I receive it.

Writer and editor, Terry Grimwood, of the Exaggerated Press has launched a free ezine called Wordland. It contains a new story of mine called Inertia. You can read it here. The first issue’s theme is twilight. The stunning cover image is by Clive Nolan.

On the off chance that you received a Kindle (or other eReader) for Christmas, I’d just like to point out that Two Ravens Press has released Murmurations in an electronic format. You can get it from their website here for £3.99 or from Amazon for £4.99.

Terry Grimwood, editor of The Monster Book For Girls, in which my story THE TRAUMA BOOK appears, has announced that it is now available to order. You can click here to visit the Exaggerated Press website and purchase a copy for £8.99. Boasting a stunning cover by Steve Upham, here’s a list of the contents in case you need any other reason to snag one.

Introduction
Young Ladies, Beware by Allen Ashley
Real Celebrity by Rachel Kendall
Escaping the Mirror by Farah Ghuznavi
Mother’s Pride by Gary Fry
A Story of Love by Marc Lyth
Dancing the Skies by Ian Sales
Frustrated Fran by Kat Fullerton
Take Me Home by Kat Fullerton
Turning by Shay Darrach
Sarah’s “to do” List by Samantha Porter
She lives in the deep by Rosanne Robinowitz
Breaking the Spell by Stuart Young
Razor Voices by Kelly Rose Pflug-Black
Botched by Lorraine Slater
Monster Girl by Andrew Hook
Monster by Nicole Papaioannou
My New Pony by Derek John
Getting Warm by Gary McMahon
The Woman by Tony Lovell
Think Belsen by Terry Grimwood
The Trauma Book by Stephen Bacon
Don’t give me that face by Sarah Hillary
The Spirit Level by Sarah Hillary
Rosemary by Mark Howard Jones
Young Woman, Menaced by Spider by Jamie Rosen
Tequila Mockingbird by John Travis
Alison, Alone by John Forth
Sacrament by Regina de Burca
Spiral by David Rix

This news is rather premature as the 9th edition isn’t yet out, but I heard today that my story Lord of the Sand will be appearing in the (very) forthcoming 11th Black Book of Horror, edited by Charles Black (Mortbury Press). This will be my third appearance in the series, and it’s a story involving resentment, reunions, and twisted revenge. It may be a while before I get a chance to update on this, but as usual, I’ll keep you posted.

Just heard from Ross Warren, the co-editor of Darker Minds, that my short story The Man Who Remembered has been accepted by publication in their forthcoming anthology. He and Anthony Watson did a good job of producing the first book earlier in the year so I’m highly excited to be featuring in the second one. I’m very familar with the work of the other contributors announced so far so I’m delighted to be in such good company. My story is a bit of a departure from what I usually write, this one very short and quite optimistic. I must be growing soft in my old age! Anyway, more information as I receive it.

Just a quick update to report that my story, Cuckoo Spit, has been accepted for publication by Black Static. I’ve been a longtime admirer of the magazine, going back to when it was originally called The Third Alternative, so to land a slot among its auspicious pages seems something of a landmark to me. The tale is about a woman who returns to her mother’s Cumbrian cottage in an effort to repair their failed relationship. It is tentatively scheduled to appear in issue 27, although I’ll post more information as I receive it.

Two Ravens Press are now taking orders for Murmurations – An Anthology of Uncanny Stories About Birds, edited by Nicholas Royle.  All contributors’ royalties and the editor’s fee will be donated to the RSPB.

Here is the table of contents -

Swallows Sleep in Winter – Adam Marek
For the True Anatomy – Claire Massey
Sliding off the World – Bruce Gilbert
The Gannets – Anna Kavan
Fight or Flight – Emma Jane Unsworth
Birds of Prey – Joel Lane
The Egg – Alison Moore
The Raven – Russell Hoban
The Rhododendron Canopy – Elizabeth Stott
Huginn and Muninn – Tom Fletcher
When the Red, Red Robin – Regi Claire
A Nestling – Jack Trevor Story
Barren Clough – Neil Campbell
Shrike – David Rose
The Candling – Deborah Kermode
A Revelation of Cormorants – Mark Valentine
The Brids – Bill Broady
Rarely Visits Gardens – Juliet West
All Our Dead Heavens – Conrad Williams
Tsipporah – Adèle Geras
Dead Bird – Socrates Adams-Florou
The Beautiful Room – RB Russell
Gulls – Nicholas Royle
Snow – Marc Werner
Flight of Fancy – GA Pickin
The Wounded Bird – Michael Kelly
Corbeaux Bay – Geeta Roopnarine
Husks – Stephen Bacon
Painful Hard Ectoplasm – Laura Ellen Joyce
The Birds – Daphne du Maurier

The pre-release price is £7.99 including postage and can be ordered via the Two Ravens website at .http://www.tworavenspress.com/TRP_Murmurations.html

Links don’t seem to be working on WordPress, so you’ll have to copy and paste into your address bar.

Alt Dead (Hersham Horror Books) edited by Peter Mark May has been published and is available from the following outlets -

Amazon.com for the print version – $11.22  http://www.amazon.com/Alt-Dead-Alternative-Dead-Anthology-1/dp/1456552104/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315607453&sr=1-1

or  Amazon.co.uk for print – £6.99    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alt-Dead-1-Gary-McMahon/dp/1456552104/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

Amazon.co.uk for the Kindle version – £2.13 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alt-Dead-Alternative-Dead-Anthology-ebook/dp/B005H3ZOQU/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=A3TVV12T0I6NSM

And here is the table of contents -

Shape Without Form, Shade Without Colour  – Stephen Bacon

Till Death Do Us Part – Stuart Young

Everybody Floats – Gary McMahon

Last Supper – Dave Jeffery

Mr Huxton Goes Camping – Mark West

Running With the Dead – Zach Black

In Bits – R J Gaulding

The Clinic – Jan Edwards

The Shufflers – Steven Savile and Steve Lockley

The Z Cruise – Katherine Tomlinson

Fisher of Men – Adrian Chamberlin

The Men in High Castles – Ian Woodhead

Unfinished Business – Stuart Hughes

A Real Buried Treasure – Stuart Neild

Talk Show – Richard Farren Barber

The Jacket – Johnny Mains

Charles Black, the editor of the Black Books of Horror has revealed the table of contents for the forthcoming 8th edition -

QUIETA NON MOVERE – Reggie Oliver
THE LAST COACH TRIP – David A. Riley
HOME BY THE SEA – Stephen Bacon
BOYS WILL BE BOYS – David Williamson
BEHIND THE SCREEN – Gary Fry
THE OTHER TENANT – Mark Samuels
TOK – Paul Finch
LITTLE PIG – Anna Taborska
CASUALTIES OF THE SYSTEM – Tina & Tony Rath
HOW THE OTHER HALF DIES – John Llewellyn Probert
MUSIC IN THE BONE – Marion Pitman
THE COAL-MAN – Thana Niveau
MEA CULPA – Kate Farrell

More information on pricing and ordering details as soon as I have them.