Writer, Reader, Dreamer
My Stories
I write a variety of fiction and non-fiction. This page details my published short stories – most have been published on genre and literature magazines and websites, and some I’ve ‘self-published’ on this site. There’s also some which have been originally published elsewhere but aren’t freely available to read online, so I’ve republished on here.
I write both speculative fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, horror etc), and more mainstream ‘realist’ fiction.
Where available, the title links directly to where you can read online, or if it is available to buy I’ve included separate links of where to buy.
The Alpine Garden Club
Published May 2019 at Cabinet of Heed.
General Fiction
This is my first published short story, back in April 2019. A case of mistaken identity provides an opportunity for one person to try something new, and possibly start to turn his life around in the process.
This is available to read on the online literary magazine, Cabinet of Heed.
Mosaic
Published Sept 2019 at Fictionontheweb.co.uk
General Fiction
A day out on the allotment with his granddaughter unearthed lots of beautiful pottery fragments, hidden in the soil since the pottery factory closed down, but also could they also show a deeper meaning?
This story was inspired by a day down on the allotment.
Christmas in the Trenches
First published at Inky Pages - Dec 2019
Historical Fiction
World War One, the bloodiest conflict in history, was raging. On Christmas Day 1914 however, soldiers on both sides laid down their weapons and celebrated Christmas together in no man's land.
This story is about that day, and how it changed lives for many decades after.
Last Night on Earth
First published at All Worlds Wayfarer - Dec 2019
Science Fiction
It was his last night on earth, and he'd while he'd never really appreciated it much, now he suddenly didn't want to go. All he wanted to do was see his last sunset, and maybe have one final drink.
The Old Station Clock
First published Jan 2020 at Door is a Jar
General Fiction
This story is about a event in the life of any parent, and is very personal to me as I wrote it before I went through the same thing as a parent.
Reprinted at Inky Pages in 2020.
The Last Service
Published April 2020 at Inky Pages
General Fiction
An all too familiar story today is churches having to close their doors. This is a particularly emotional day for one old man, who looks back at many decades of memories of the place. The building closing is the church, but is the church the building, or something more?
The Winter Coat
Published at Ink, Sweat & Tears - July 2020
General Fiction /Flash
A salutary tale about addiction, inspired by a friend of mine who met someone like the character in this story.
Goodbye My Friends
Published August 2020 at The Colored Lens
Genre: Science Fiction
Far out on a lonely, distant world, an archeological expedition unearths arfefacts of possible alien origin. The team members each have their own theories, but their excitement is short lived...
Careers Interview
Published at Sirius Science Fiction - August 2020
Genre: Science Fiction
All Mason wanted was a career - a job that he could work at and be proud of, something in which he could make a difference. So the day of his careers interview with the central AI should have been the day that set him on the right path...
Ghost Writer in the Machine
Published in the 'Through Other Eyes' anthology from All World's Wayfarer Magazine, and available to buy from Amazon.
Rogers is a struggling - which is to say terrible - writer. When he buys a domestic robot to provide a companion for his aging mother, it may just be the best decision of his life...
Body Corporate
Flash fiction story published at Daily Science Fiction on 1st April 2021.
BiggerBuyInc is a body corporate, the living embodiment of the company, and this story is a snapshot of the constrained life in which she lives.
I've tried to incorporate a number of themes in this story, including personal identity & freedom, and corporate social responsibility.
The Bookcase
One of my favourite stories I've written, this was first published in The Weird & Whatnot Magazine in Spring 2020, and now reprinted on Inky Pages.
A teenage boy gets a magic bookcase. Usually it does nothing exciting, but then occasionally a book will mysteriously appear on it. The bookcase appears to know better than he does what he'll enjoy reading, and the books it picks grows and develops as he does.
A Tricky Brew
This was first published in a small print only zine just before Halloween 2020, when the country was in lockdown in the UK due to Covid.
Marvin really doesn't want to catch Covid. It's against the law to trick or treat this year, but he knows those snotty nosed neighbourhood kids won't let that stop them, so he decide to teach them a lesson in a way that only a witch can...