Stupefying Stories Buy A Ring, a Ring o' Roses

A Ring, a Ring o' Roses is an alternative-world, steampunkish sort of story I wrote a couple of years back that I've been submitting to markets ever since. It's one of my favourite little tales; even if I do say so myself, it has a pretty neat central idea. I was pretty confident it would do well, but then it racked up nine rejections and I began to have doubts. This was the story that a certain well-respected SF magazine (OK, Analog) said "is not science fiction".

Well, I'm thrilled to report that the story officially is science fiction as it's been bought by Stupefying Stories. If Bruce Bethke says the story is SF that's good enough for me!

This is my third sale to this particular magazine, following on from The Cat's Tale and Your Call May Be Recorded For Training Purposes.

Engn - Anyone For a Cover Reveal?

So, I'll very soon be able to show you all the cover December House have produced for Engn. Seriously, it's fantastic; I can't tell you how much I love it. Imagine I'm holding my arms out wide. I love it that much.

To mark the occasion, we're going to be coordinating a cover reveal prior to the book's launch in July. And I'm looking for folks to take part - anyone like to join in to help spread the word? Not sure when the reveal will be, yet, but sometime fairly soon.

Excitement is mounting here at Spellmaking Towers...

Time To Get The Engn Running...

As I may have mentioned, December House plan to publish Engn this July. Exciting times for me. On Friday we're having a meeting (in the suitably literate setting of Stratford-upon-Avon, where they are based) to discuss plans, promotional activity and so forth. Hopefully soon after I'll be able to share the cover with you all, because I can't tell you how much I love it.

With publication date approaching, right now it all feels a little like the calm before the storm. It's all going to be fine, isn't it?

Cover Reveal: The Spirit of Nimue

Today I'm delighted to be involved in the cover reveal for Donna Hosie's The Spirit of Nimue. Here it is in all its glory:

THE RETURN TO CAMELOT trilogy concludes in THE SPIRIT OF NIMUE.

Natasha Roth and her older brother, Arthur, have removed the magical darkness that had fallen over the land of Logres.

But all actions have consequences.

Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, is now a sworn enemy. Natasha realises that the only way the land of Logres will truly be at peace is if the sorceress is removed forever. So with her beloved Sir Bedivere, the feisty Guinevere, and a trusty brethren of knights, Natasha plots to free Logres from the malevolence of Nimue once and for all.

Yet Arthur also has problems. Now a father to Mila, he starts to witness a terrifying change over his girlfriend, Samantha, as she struggles to contain the awakened powers of Morgana.

With dark magic coming at them from all sides, Natasha and Arthur decide to make use of the Falls of Merlin: a mystical landscape of waterfalls that connects 21st century England with the mystical world they fell into. A place that does not exist in the future.

And by the end, they will know why.

As Natasha finally discovers the truth about her past link to Logres a tragedy will strike at her very heart. Can Arthur get his young family back to the 21st century and still continue to be the king that Logres demands he be? What is the secret that Sir Gareth has been hiding all this time?

And who is the true owner of Excalibur?



THE SPIRIT OF NIMUE is released on Amazon on the 31 May 2013. It's the final book in THE RETURN TO CAMELOT trilogy.

Goodreads     Amazon.com     Amazon.co.uk

The three of them look pretty fabulous lined up together do they not?

The Genehunter Novel Released

So I've collected together the five Genehunter novelettes into a single-volume 60K word novel called, amazingly enough, The Genehunter. Right now it's available on amazon.com and amazon.co.uk, but other formats will be available in a month or so.

The five Genehunter cases collected together into a single novel, with bonus material: The Wrong Tom Jacks, The Zombies of Death, The Clone who Didn't Know, A Soldier of Megiddo and Boneyard.

Simms is a genehunter, paid by megarich collectors to track down the DNA of the famous for their private zoos.

He walks a line, pulled in ten different directions at once. The law, ex-lovers, religious nuts and anti-genehunter crazies. But when he starts to work the Boneyard case he discovers that, sometimes, you have to decide which side of the line you're on...

A future noir cyberpunk novel set on an Earth slowly going to hell. The Genehunter follows the adventures of Simms, genetic detective and all-round nice guy. 

For a short time, if anyone wants a free review copy please let me know in the comments and I'd be delighted to send you one...

Hedge Witch: Read The First Chapter Free

So, as the culmination of Witch Awareness Month, Morrigan Books have released (on Beltane/Walpurgis Night no less) the first chapter of Hedge Witch. It's available as an exclusive free read here. And I can finally reveal the release date. The full novel will be available in exactly six months time, on Hallowe'en, 2013.

Enjoy...

April's Spec Fic Authors Collective Giveaways

This month the Spec Fic Authors Collective have a haunted house story by Jeff Chapman, a Coyote Cal weird western by Milo James Fowler, the fifth and final novelette in my cyberpunk Genehunter stories, and five fun and frivolous flash fictions from Lyn Perry - all free for a few days.

If you download a story, please consider leaving a review. Ratings and reviews are an invaluable way for writers to build an audience. Plus they make us feel loved.

The Crooked House of Coins

In a small Midwestern town at the end of a lane stands a crooked house, where deaths and secrets entwine and ghosts revisit their final moments. Two cousins, heirs to the family legacy, search for a treasure secreted in the old dwelling's walls, driven by gold lust and tantalizing clues. The Crooked House is a grudging giver, and some secrets in a haunted house are best left alone.

A Haunted House Story

Free from Smashwords with coupon April 25 - 29

Smashwords Coupon Code: EY74Y

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The Black Ace 
A Coyote Cal Weird Western


Coyote Cal and Big Yap have met their share of villains in the past, but this time around, the line dividing good from evil isn't as clearly drawn at first, and our heroes find themselves pitted against an entire town in order for justice to prevail.

Episode 4 in the Coyote Cal Adventure Series
5,900 words - Weird Western
Originally published by eFiction Horror

Free April 25 - 29

     

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The Genehunter #5

Boneyard

Simms finally uncovers the truth about Boneyard. With Ballard's help, he hatches a dangerous plan to deal with Forty Days. Problem is, Simms isn’t sure whose side he’s even on. Meanwhile, he meets up again with both Devi and Kelly. One meeting goes well and one goes very badly indeed.

Simms walks a dangerous line. If he gets things wrong, many people will die. Worse still, he will die. And sometimes it seems that’s exactly what everyone wants...


Free to download from Amazon, April 25th - April 29th.

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Five Free Flash Fictions

by Lyn Perry at Feedbooks

Choose any or all of the following for free! 

No time limit! But hurry anyway!

Click here for all selections.

Quick Gasps of Breath - 5 Microhorrors

Space Monkey Pirates - 3 Flash Fictions

Billy Farnsworth Zombie Hunter - 2 Quick Tales

Spam Fiction - A Flash about Spam (email, that is)

Even Superheroes! - A Fun-filled Fan Fiction