Short Story: Hereafter

I'm perhaps overly protective of my short story 'Hereafter'. Or overly keen about it. It has a dual meaning for me: it reminds me of one of my favourite books, 'The Virgin Suicides' and is also the first thing I wrote consciously.

That sounds odd. But also right. Everything before had an unconscious element - a lack of connection with anything, a lack of substance. I just... wrote, without much thought aboutwhat I was writing, or how.

So I still see 'Hereafter' as a turning point. I just wish I could claim its content, and its tone, as my own. But I can't. The characters are Eugenides'. The tone is Eugenides'. It exists because of him. The trick now is to create things that exist because of me.

'Hereafter' has been uploaded to Goodreads in its entirety, should anyone care to read it. Just click on the Read Book or Download eBook link.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30623567-hereafter

24 Hours on Free

So, 24 hours of being free and The Risen has - risen - from around 2,000 to number 23. Hopefully the downloads will exponentially increase the higher it gets and the more exposure it gets. At least in my mind that's how it should work, logically. We'll see.

It's one thing to know a handful of people were reading the book, but now knowing the number will likely be in the thousands by the end of the week - and then anxiously awaiting some non-friend reviews - is a bit exciting!

Whatever happens, it's a bit addictive. Makes me eager to finish my next one!

Grab a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H9VETZ4

The Risen Promo

In the interest of spreading the word and climbing the auspicious Amazon ranking ladder,The Risen will be available as a free download for Kindle from the 25 - 29 July.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H9VETZ4

Otherwise, it's only £0.99 or $0.99, so grab yourself a copy now if you like stories that are simultaneously awesome and about apocalypses and zombie-like undead that are so numerous they are like a carpet of flesh clogging the daily commute run. Also, sex, because books with sex sell. Also, shit hitting the fan stuff. Also, horrible things in general happening.

Do hashtags work here? #KindleUnlimited #KindlePromo #Horror #Suckit

Edit: No

My thoughts on the EU and the UK government

It's been two and a half weeks since the EU referendum, and we've seen a lot of change (what an understatement). Most of us would not have watched BBC News 24 or Sky News so much in our lives before. (How many of us have wished for an alternate, exasperated by the continuing propagandising - have we not learned anything from the referendum result?!) I think first and foremost that it's great that so many people are actively involved in politics, in discussions, in debate. That's why it's taken me this long to even contemplate writing anything down. There's been so much talk and upheaval I'm not even completely sure what I think of it all.

When it was announced that Leave had won, I do remember that my first thought was of this video:

Goodreads blogging

I'm now blogging on Goodreads! here's the first.

Congratulations to everyone following me before the inevitability of my novel The Risen becoming this summer's blockbuster. You'll be able to say you were there on the ground floor - the very first of my amazing, loyal, well-adjusted and highly informed fans.

I can see it now; you're sly, knowing look as someone around the water cooler mentions my book in passing - this new kid on the block. You'll nod and skulk away with a grin on your face, remembering you were the first review, the first star-rating. You began the groundswell of success.

Maybe you'll get a little jealous. Maybe you'll think you deserve a little of that sweet Kindle Unlimited pot. Maybe you'll track me down, bundle me into a van, tie me up and perform horrific acts on me until I relent and agree to have your name in my next novel.

I guess time will tell on that. One thing's for sure: I thank you for following, and for taking a punt on an unknown writer without a star or review to his name. I'm sitting here, seeing the pagereads and wondering - Are they enjoying it? Are they moved or vaguely interested at all? Time will tell on all that while I wait for the reviews to trickle in. Be sure to let me know what you think.

If you entered the Goodreads Giveaway - and indeed if you won - thanks again and congratulations. Signed copies will be in the post on Monday. I'll have the tracking info, so if you get worried, drop me a message or comment and I will see why the postal service is being slow!

Spirits of Eden

There's another novel incoming - hopefully in a couple months. So soon, yes. But I'm a frustrated 33-year-old writer with 23 years' worth of ideas to fulfill. And so the journey begins now, and I hope you'll follow me. Spirits of Eden is a ghost story set on the Frontier, In Montana, where the Frontier itself is the narrator, and where past and present merge. I'll post more info as it develops, including extracts. 

Well, it's Sunday, and the roast is waiting. Not long now until I can afford a live-in chef. Until then - I best go get my hands dirty.