Category: Writing

Plenty to choose from! Still the best value!

Plenty to choose from! Still the best value!

That was an old publisher blurb on children’s hardbacks long ago, written on the cover of Just William by Richmal Crompton. I always remember it. I think it was on Coral Island, Treasure Island and Black Beauty too, and they were all good value.

Good old Instafreebie the book giveaway/collect e-mails site has changed its name to Prolific Works but they still do the same thing. This is a short story, story collection and novella giveaway. I’m not sure if any of these free books will turn out to be classics but who knows?

So here’s a Giveaway. Click on the link right here to go to the page and pick a free book. Obviously, I would like you to pick Choices and Other Stories but it’s up to you. Since they are all free and there are thirty-eight of them I think it’s fair to say

Plenty to choose from! Still the best value!

 

 

‘It’s only science-fiction: it doesn’t have to make sense.’

I always lose weight in summer because when it’s hot you eat less and I’m more active in the garden. However, my recent weight loss worried my girlfriend a bit as I am shedding pounds without trying. (It doesn’t worry me.)

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(They say put some images in your post so here is one of Big, my dog.)

 

Anyway, led in bed this morning I wondered where the food I eat might be going. As I write SF and fantasy I came up with a far-out idea relating to this and began drafting the story. But there was a hitch. When I got to the end of the plot I realized that the food thieves didn’t need to raid my stomach as they could get plenty of grub elsewhere. Luckily, I thought of a solution that made the story better.

I was explaining the hitch to my True Love and she said: ‘It’s only science-fiction. It doesn’t have to make sense.’

I did not pummel her to death.

Unfortunately, ‘It’s only science-fiction: it doesn’t have to make sense’ is a common notion. A friend of mine said the same thing once when we were watching a film. But like many science-fiction writers (hopefully all) I do think it has to make sense. Even fantasy has to make sense. It has to have an internal logic and consistency. It may not make sense in the ‘real’ world but it must in its own context. Otherwise, it’s just bad storytelling. Science-fiction, fantasy and horror are not lesser genres where you can get away with rubbish work. Standards apply.

I’ll probably try the story on Graeme Hurry at Kzine when it’s done. He likes wacky stuff with a bit of humour. Kzine is available at Amazon.com and Amazon UK by the way.

Kzine 24

(Well, I couldn’t do a post without plugging something)

Kzine number 24 features ‘The Bed’

Kzine is a great little magazine of short fiction produced in the UK. The latest issue features my horror story ‘The Bed’ about a house clearance man who falls in love with an ancient bed and takes it home to his unloving wife. Well, the editor like it.

Kzine Issue 24 by [Hurry, Graeme, Murphy, Eamonn, Bowden, Maureen, Lantgen, Alexis, Ahern, Edward, Hornsby, Matt, Koe, Tapanga, Walton, Robert, Billing, Richie]

 

Kzine is available at Amazon US or Amazon UK and probably all the other Amazons too.

Kindle version is a mere £1.99 or $2.53

Print version is £3.99 or $5.08.

It also features stories by Maureen Bowden, Alexis Lantgen, Edward Ahern, Matt Hornsby, Tapanga Koe, Robert Walton and Richie Billing.