Author: Eamonn Murphy - Writer

Eamonn Murphy has published over seventy stories in small press magazines and collected them into small, cheap volumes for posterity. They are available at all good eBook retailers and libraries. In his spare time, he writes reviews for sfcrowsnest. Retired now after years of hard labour (building sites and call centres), he lives near Bristol, England, with a nice lady, a nasty Jack Russell, an untrainable loony Labrador and some ducks. He has a BA (Hons) from the Open University but very little common sense. Find out more at eamonnmurphywriter.com.

Where are the aliens?

We are often told that with so many stars in the galaxy – not to mention the universe – and so many Earth style planets being discovered it is impossible that there is no life on other worlds. The counter-argument to this is simple: where are they? Why haven’t they been in touch?

I recently read an enlightening article on this very subject in Perihelion SF by a chap called J. Richard Jacobs. In Alien Argument he gives one possible explanation as to why little green men (and women) have not yet appeared. It’s definitely worth a read and Perihelion SF is completely free, though donations are gratefully accepted.

 

Mailchimp no more

Today I gave up on Mailchimp.

Last night I spent two hours trying to design a newsletter. This morning I spent three more. When I tried to send it some annoying red writing told me there was default text still in it. I looked until I was blue in the face but could find no default text. I gave up. I ascribe no fault to Mailchimp in this as I am useless with all these kind of things. It’s all ‘intuitive’ they say. Clearly, I have no intuition

In the time I have spent farting about with Mailchimp I could have written a novel. And I don’t think I would sell many copies of said novel by using Mailchimp, even if I could use Mailchimp. Newsletters are the Holy Grail of self-publishing now but I have a feeling that they are overrated. I also have a feeling that readers are sick of getting them and delete them. I was never that keen on sending spam anyway.

If readers want to check out my products there are links in the back of every book. I’m on Facebook and Twitter. I have this blog and I post two reviews a month or more on good old SF Crowsnest. My stories appear in magazines. As far as putting my name ‘out there’ goes, I figure that’s enough.

Furthermore, I will save money by just having the cheap/free plans on Instafreebie and Bookfunnel, the ones that don’t collect email addresses. These sites are good for putting out previews which may tempt someone to buy the book. My Instafreebie previews link is top right of this page in case you’re interested.

A rush of stories in print

It’s a funny old game, writing, especially short stories. The gap between writing, acceptance and publication can be as much as a year. There are often months on end when you have nothing coming out and wonder if it’s all a waste of time.

This month I have two stories published and one little book. Details below. The Universal Link (courtesy of books2read.com)will take you to a choice of retailers so you can find the one that suits your reader but if you want to support the Small Press buy directly from their websites.

Nomadic Delirium Press have issued The Union Man and Other Stories. Here’s the cover.

The Union Man and other stories brings you three stories from Eamonn Murphy.
An interrogator (torturer) for MI5 is accused of a murder, a murder he couldn’t have committed, but where his investigation takes him will not only change his life, but it will forever change the world.
Happy is a drug that has been legalized in England, but no one can expect the consequences of what that legalization will mean, except for one man, and no one wants to listen to him because everyone wants to be Happy.
Finally, a brief story that is a twist on the princess and the frog tale.

It’s available at these venues.

http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/the-union-man-and-other-stories/

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/777958

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078X9C4Y3

Also from Nomadic Delirium Press is the SF and Fantasy magazine for children, Spaceports and Spidersilk which features my story ‘Sneezy and the Ecologist’ in the January 2018 issue.

Spaceports & Spidersilk features some of the best science fiction and fantasy fiction and poetry for kids of all ages. The January 2018 issue will take you to places you might never have imagined. It will appeal to your inner child, and hopefully take you back to the places you loved as a child…and if you’re still a child, it will open your imagination to all kinds of new worlds.

 

This one is available as below.

http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/spaceports-spidersilk-january-2018/

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/773602

Universal link: books2read.com/u/bapXEQ

 

And finally, the January issue of Outposts of Beyond from Alban Lake Publishing  has my story Cyberlinks in it. There’s also a book review by me.

Outposts Of Beyond features science fiction and fantasy tales of elsewhere and elsewhen. These stories are seasoned to taste with just a touch of related poetry, and interspersed with reviews, interviews, and articles related to the genres. We hope you’ll come along for the journey.
Short Stories
The Library of Ice by Mike Morgan
I Do Have Half of an Octopus, I Believe It Is by Tim McDaniel
Cyberlink by Eamonn Murphy
Savant by Maureen Bowden

Poetry
Tempting Fate by Vonnie Winslow Crist
Tick Tock by K. S. Hardy
Freighter Pilot Has Alien Elvis’ Baby by David C. Kopaska-Merkel
The Imbuing of a Celestial Orb by Robert William Shmigelsky
A Robot’s Question by Vonnie Winslow Crist
Talisman by Vonnie Winslow Crist
They Dig by K. S. Hardy
Perimeter by David C. Kopaska-Merkel
Venus by John Grey
Robots vs Humanity by John Grey

Features
Editorial
A Wolf to Guard the Door, reviewed by Eamonn Murphy
Book Reviews by Jim Lee
JFK and the Space Nazi by Robert E. Porter
A Little Help, Please

Illustrations
cover Universal Wonder by Mitchell Davidson Bentley
The Cold Moon by Sandy DeLuca

Outposts of Beyond is available on these links.

http://store.albanlake.com/product/outposts-of-beyond-january-2018/

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/776864

Universal link: books2read.com/u/4NRqD6