Alice is in deep trouble.

The police have found her covered in blood and surrounded by corpses.  The dazed teenager explains that she had befriended an angel to help her escape her tiny Yorkshire village that is situated over a gate to hell.

Why?  Because the Harvest was coming and the love of her life was up for selection.

The Sulphur Diaries Excerpt:

“There is blood everywhere, on the walls, on the tables; I’m not sure what I just stood in, but it’s slippery.

Johnny! I scream, to be heard over the racket from outside, but there’s no answer and I can’t see him in the dim light. There’s a wet thump against the outer wall, though I daren’t look out of the windows. If I do, I might never be able to look away.

The shrieking outside is like nothing I’ve ever heard, and I freeze. Clenching my hands to stop their trembling, I peer into the gloom. Soft red light from some torches show me nothing but a puppet-show of shadows fighting outside. I recognise some of the locals: Mr Higgins, the Croft twins, their shapes easy to pick out as they struggle against the imps.

There seem to be more of them now. Where are they coming from? I remember calling to Lyle – not even an hour ago, however much it feels like days – but why are these imps attacking, why–”

Read the first three chapters here or buy the novel now.

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I’m pleased to announce that I’ve had two stories accepted late last year that will be published early this year.  The first is ‘Childhood Monsters’ as part of the Behind Locked Doors anthology by Wicked East Press, due out in the first quarter.   Childhood Monsters is a tongue-in-cheek comedy horror story.

The second story is ‘Oracle’ which has been accepted into the ‘Orbital Hearts’ anthology by Escape Collective Publishing, due out February.  Oracle is a fantasy story with  a dash of romance.  I’ll update the site as more news comes out.

For the last day of the ‘Sun Stopped Shining’ blog tour, AudioTim – also know as Timothy C Ward – interviewed the tour instigator Matthew C. Wood and myself.    Matthew is the author of the free Science Fiction Web Series, The Day the Sun Stopped Shining.  It’s free, so I recommend you take a look, right after you listen to the podscasts below.

The first one is Tim and I interviewing Matthew, which you can listen to here.  The second is when they turn the tables and ask me the tough questions – listen to me squirm here.  Tim is also graciously giving away a copy of ‘The Sulphur Diaries – so go enter the competition!

If you haven’t already, click on the blog tour badge below and visit their blogs to browse their sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, and horror stories.

The Five Stop Story Kindle book is now available from Amazon. It features 30 of the best stories from over 1,000 entries to the Five Stop Story’s monthly competitions, including my ‘Mother India’ short. Price: £2.29/$2.99.  Download your copy now - UK kindle store or US kindle store.

Over the last year, Five Stop Story has run 9 competitions and received over 1,000 short stories to review. 30 of the best stories from our competitions are being put together for a Kindle book, which will be available from next week. The stories are grouped into five key sections: Tales of Betrayal, The Journey of Life, A Lighter Touch, Life-Changing Events and A Slice of Life. From extraordinary tales of love, loss and laughter to everyday stories with a twist, there is a short story for everyone in the Five Stop Story collection.

Mother India

Enlightenment was disappointing.

Bella Cooper might have been born into an ordinary white English household, but she always knew in her heart that deep down, she was Indian.

Yet Bella had been in the country for almost three weeks and still not felt that vital spark ignite her spirit. She’d expected something to have moved her as soon as her feet had touched ground – but the airport was all pollution and noise – nothing spiritual about it. She’d chanted at a Buddhist temple, watched the vultures flying above the towers of silence and salaamed towards Mecca more than once – yet nirvana felt as out of reach as always. In fact, she’d been told that swatting a fly in front of a Jain prayer hall had probably ‘moved her soul further away from divine consciousness’. Not that she could take the man seriously – it was just a bloody fly!

Buy the Kindle anthology to read on - UK kindle store or US kindle store.

Billy has lost count of the hours he’d been hiding out, the unchanging light not helping him to keep track of how long he’d been shivering behind the hedge.

Thing used to be so perfect, not long ago, back before the sun had disappeared.  All he can see are thick clouds that ripple across the sky in angry waves, the soft dusk light all shadows and smoke and screaming.

Not that he’s heard much screaming in the last few hours.  The backward-kneed demons no longer stalk the streets, yowling like cats in heat every time they came across a cowering human.  No, instead the only vaguely human thing in Billy’s sightline are the crumpled bodies lying in the road, and they’d been cold before the sun had given way to constant night.

Billy is proud of his muscles, of being the strongest boy in the village by miles.  Even with the glamour working its mojo on him, he’d do his crunches and weights until his arms and legs burned so that he had the best guns of anyone.  But now, the time that he really needs them is the time when they fail him.  However strong his legs might be, they tremble and shake so much that he can’t stand up.  His hands open and close convulsively by themselves and even his traitorous eyebrow muscle ticks, jumping on its own until he wants to scream.

Despite his upbringing, favourite son of a popular family, Billy has felt fear before.  When he’d lost his favourite stuffed demon, aged five, fear had spiked in his belly so hard that he’d been convinced he’d never sleep again.  When Matt had dared him to jump off the cliff near the gate, icicles had spiked into his flesh as the ground had rushed up to meet him.  (He’d broken a leg, which the cats fixed.  But for a second, he was sure he’d mis-jumped and aimed straight for Hell itself.)  Fear isn’t new to Billy.  What’s new is the idea that fear can paralyze, fear isn’t just a shiver down his spine, a sinking of his stomach – it’s a blank in his mind that controls him, controls his conditioned muscles.

A noise snaps him out of his haze.  Voices.  Normal speaking voices.  No screaming, no begging for lives or bargaining for souls (not that anyone in Crawemere had much hope there, blackened shrivelled husks of things), just the low murmur of a few people talking.

Billy listens to the crunching of shoes, biting his lip to control his breathing as they pass not two feet from him.  He can’t see anything through the gloom, so he closes his eyes and sinks even deeper into the hedge.  Whoever they are, whatever they want, everyone knows, everyone from Crawemere knows, once the sun has stopped shining, it’s the End of the World.

This is a short story for readers of ‘The Sulphur Diaries’.  I’m involved in The Day the Sun Stopped Shining Blog Tour, and wanted to start today with a story.  There’ll be more. I’ve already posted an interview, had a few interviews myself and there’s a competition below!  Visit the full blog list  to increase your chances of winning.

Competition:

What language did ancient English magician John Dee ‘invent’?  (He said Angels taught it to him.)  I’ll give you a hint, they use it in TVs Supernatural.

Post your reply in the comments (login via facebook if you don’t want to register – just make sure I can email you if you win).

Dicey Grenor

Georgina: I think you’ve got a really fresh approach to vampires in your novels. With vampire books being popular at the moment, what do you think makes your series stand out?

Dicey: Well, I think it’s what you said—I have a fresh approach. People who love the genre will read vampire books no matter what. But it’s always good to stumble across something that’s very different from the usual.

I have some of the same themes common to vampire folklore like sex appeal, superhuman strength and abilities, bloodlust, and aversion to sunlight and holy emblems. Additionally, my characters have impediments, like Willow’s sleep disorder and Remi’s personality disorder. This surprisingly makes them even stronger characters. I think readers can identify with less than perfect characters as long as they have redeeming qualities and are entertaining.

Georgina: I have to agree, I love less than perfect characters myself, I bet your readers do, too.  So, do you see parts of yourself in your main character? Are there any traits you and Willow share in common?

Dicey:  Sure, there are parts of myself in Sleepy Willow. She’s a badass, and I’d like to think of myself as a badass. LOL Seriously—Willow has internal struggles. She fights her instinctual nature, and she does so because she wants to be redeemed. I think that’s true for me and anyone who believes in a higher power. We want to do what’s right even though doing the wrong thing might feel better. I’d like to think that’s what makes us more evolved than animals. Willow is more animalistic. And she’s able to get away with more because she won’t REALLY suffer the consequences that I would if I succumbed to my instincts. I think that’s what makes her fun to read and write.

Georgina: I loved Willow when I first met her in your opening chapter.  Tell me more about her.

Dicey:  Willow has narcolepsy, which causes her to fall asleep randomly. Since vampires don’t contract human illnesses, and since she was fed up with being abnormal, she had Maximilian turn her in to a vampire. In addition to being wrong in assuming vampirism would be a cure, she was turned right before the government passed legislation that made vampirism illegal, punishable by immediate execution.

While working at a fetish club as a necrophilia specialist, she discovers other supernaturals willing to help her. She also has an attraction to one patron in particular—Remi. Not only is he a sexual deviant, but he happens to have a personality disorder. None of that matters as much as the fact her maistre vampire Maximilian doesn’t take too kindly to her getting frisky with Remi. Since Max holds the keys to her existence in his powerful hands, Willow finds herself in many dangerous situations. Situations that are complicated by her sleep disorder.

Georgina:  That’s a really powerful premise for a novel.  You must have had a lot of fun creating that world.  What do you most enjoy about writing?

Dicey:  I enjoy creating entertaining characters and living vicariously through them. It’s the same reason I read—escapism. My life isn’t bad, mind you, but it is enhanced by other-worldly fantasies that carry no real-life consequences. I love it when others appreciate my work and escape through my characters as well.

Georgina: I have to agree with you, it can be fun putting your characters through hell, literally, while being safe sitting on your desk chair. I love the book covers – were you involved in the design?

Dicey: Thanks! I absolutely was involved in the design. I had an image in my head, asked someone to draw the graphic art, and I put everything else together.

Georgina: How did your interest in the supernatural, like vampires, start?

Dicey:  I’ve always been fascinated by things that go bump in the night. As a kid in church, it was about angels and demons, God and Satan, good vs. evil spirits. When I watched television, it was about my rapid heartbeat when a monster was on screen or fantasizing about conquering the world with special powers like what Wonder Woman had or even The Incredible Hulk. But when it came to vampires, it was the 1985 version of Fright Night. When I was alone at four in the morning at my uncle’s house. I was scared to death, and I loved that feeling. After that it was every vampire movie I could find and all of Anne Rice’s books.

Georgina:  I really like that you got interested in supernatural by looking into demons and angels (since that’s what The Sulphur Diaries is all about!), but I hear you on superheroes too.  Kind of feels Willow is a good mix of those two things.  So, my final question – tell me what you’re working on now.

Dicey:  The sequel to Sleepy Willow’s Bonded Soul. I’m twelve thousand words in, eight chapters. I’ve already plotted it out, so it’s just a matter of putting it all in words. It’s full of the same craziness as in book one, but it goes deeper into Willow’s world. Into her romances. Into her madness.

Thanks for the interview, Georgina. I appreciate you taking the time to ask questions specific to my book.

Learn more about Dicey at her website, blog and facebook page.

In a rickety old house in London Kings Cross, Mrs Wilberforce rents out her spare room to Professor Marcus.  Instead of the gentleman she thought he was, the ‘professor’ is a con man in the midst of hatching a plan to commit daylight robbery with his gang of thieves.

Despite being lucky enough to have seen some stunning plays already this year, it’s been a long time since I have laughed quite so much as I did on Saturday.  Written by Graham Linehan (Father Ted/IT Crowd creator), he’s taken the 1955 classic Ealing comedy and re-written it for the stage.  It’s kept that vital spark of genteel post-war innocence while adding a plethora of belly laughs.  Add to that a very strong cast and you see why the production has sold out.

Peter Capaldi gives a highly energised portrayal of Professor Marcus, keeping none of his most famous alter ego’s aggression, but all of his intelligence and guile.  It was simply wonderful to see him on stage, his predator glare as he stalked his victim.  I think his years of ad libbing with Iannucci showed when Capaldi cracked a joke, the audience burst into laughter so much he should have paused for it to die down, and instead of letting them calm, he carried on riffing on the joke directly to the audience for a good few minutes with a wicked gleam in his eye.  Glorious.

There’s not a weak link in the rest of the cast either.  While I don’t watch much television, I still recognised James Fleet as the timid Major, Ben Miller’s Romanian gangster Louis, Stephen Wight as the amphetamine-addict Harry, Clive Rowe’s man-child One Round, Marcia Warren as the innocent old lady, and Harry Peacock as the long-suffering bobby who has to listen to her fanciful stories.

Still, it’s the stunning set design that almost upstages Peter Capaldi from his lead role.  On a rotating stage, the designer has recreated the interior of landlady Mrs Wilberforce’s escher-like three storey home – no right angles, leaning and wonky walls everywhere.  When rotated, it shows the outside of the house, allowing one of the most audacious car chases I’ve ever seen on stage.  (It involves radio controlled cars)   The audience burst into spontaneous applause at least three times during that sequence.

You can’t get a ticket for love nor money at the current theatre, though it is moving to London at the end of the month.  It’s well worth the effort to catch it at the West End if you can.

Another great workshop by Legend Press. I’ll be attending and talking about the path to publication. Max Malix (recent Brit Award Winner) will also be speaking. Plus there’s a rare opportunity to meet some editors and publishers at the event. Finally – the key point in my eyes – all attendees receive a free first chapter appraisal. (I truly wish I’d had that when I started submitting in 2009!).

(P.S. email conference@legend-paperbooks.co.uk direct for a discount!)

Detailed information here

Some endorsements from previous workshops:

‘The contributions were extremely generous, there was the opportunity to ask an abundance of questions, and the members of the panel were available to speak to us in the breaks. I particularly appreciated the fact that the panel felt free to disagree with each other. This meant that we were often given several possible approaches to take and were left with the understanding that there is not always a “right” way of doing things. A day packed full of information, and an unusual and welcome opportunity to speak one-to-one to a publisher and agent.’
Katherine Owen

‘Legend is one of the more inspirational sites for the would-be author and is one, as someone involved with running a Writers Group, I have and do recommend to our members. Keep up the good work.’
Stan Apper

‘I have attended three Legend Press Writers’ Workshops, and have found all to be stimulating. It is a fascinating (and sometimes chastening) experience to learn about the inner workings of the publishing industry from a variety of professionals including Literary Agents and Commissioning Editors. They are always honest and frank about the hurdles that aspiring novelists face in trying to get published, without being discouraging. It is also refreshing that panel members don’t follow a ‘party line’ but sometimes disagree amongst themselves. The workshops are well worth the modest fee, and I have every intention of attending more in the future.’
Richard Ayres

‘I had a long way to travel for the workshop. However, it was time and money well spent – although I was already familiar with many points discussed, the things that were new to me were highly valuable. In addition I made a great contact. I hope to come again some time in the future.’
Tanya Devany

‘Spent a brilliant afternoon at Legend Press Workshop, very informative and interesting listening to the differing viewpoints. Would definitely come again.’
Geri Holland

Dear Friends, on behalf of us all at Brit Writers, I would like to sincerely thank you for your continued encouragement, heartfelt messages of support and offers of help that we have received during the last few weeks.

As the new kids on the block, we have had our fair share of challenges – some natural but many created by those who have felt threatened by our vision. But these have not managed to deter us from realising our dream:  to provide a professional platform in which thousands upon thousands of unpublished writers can get their voices heard, to hone and nurture their natural creative talents, and to cut through the mists and confusion created by an orthodox and crowded industry, bringing clarity and opportunity to unpublished writers.

So much has been accomplished during the last couple of years thanks to our committed team, partners, sponsors and members. Together with our publishing partners and industry experts we really are scaling new heights in the world of publishing. Winners are enjoying great success and our Publishing Programme authors are securing publishing contracts. Together with top educationalists we are actively promoting literacy in an effort to ensure that everyone is afforded the right to write.