Birthday blues

So today is my birthday. I'm 39 years old. One year closer to death and one year away from looking officialy sad in my Mighty Boosh T-shirt.

Anyway, to help combat the mortality blues I've started on a new novel. Hopefully I'll actually finish this one.

The working title is ALL DEAD THINGS, and it's a Thomas Usher novel. Usher is my beloved serial character, the "star" of stories like HUM DRUM and the forthcoming collection TO USHER THE DEAD (due out in 2009).

A major editor told me recently that he'd be very interested in seeing an Usher novel if I ever got round to writing one, and if that isn't a good enough reason to get one done I don't know what is...

I already have most of the plot for ALL DEAD THINGS mapped out in my head. It features beautiful hanged girls, a dubious northern businessmen who runs a seedy strip club, a Jamesian ghost, hoody-wearing demons, Usher's tragic past and the genesis of his "gift", and something nasty from the great beyond...

Monster-making

The cover artwork for HOW TO MAKE MONSTERS is finished. It's absolutely stunning, and presented here in all its weird and wonderful glory...

Rain Dogs...preorder a copy now.

RAIN DOGS is finally available for pre-order here:

Humdrumming

For the amazing preoder price of £15 (plus postage), you can have this beautiful signed limited hardback which boasts different cover designs on the dustjacket and the boards. A real bargain, even if I do say so myself...

How to Make Monsters

I have further news on HOW TO MAKE MONSTERS.

The collection will feature 14 stories, half of which are original to this collection.

Morrigan Books will be looking to publish this around September time, with a possible launch at FantasyCon in Nottingham. At present we're looking at a paperback edition only, but that might change.

The 14 stories in the book are as follows:

Chill
Through the Cracks
The Unseen
Pumpkin Night
Owed
Why Ghosts Wail
Accidental Damage
Nowhere People
Family Fishing
Something in the Way
A Stillness in the Air
Once a Month, Every Month
Save Us All
A Bit of the Dark (9,000-word novelette)

New book

I don't want to say too much until the contracts are signed, but I'm currently negotiating terms with an independant publisher for a new collection of short stories.

I can tell you that the book will be called HOW TO MAKE MONSTERS, and that it will contain 12 or 13 very dark tales, the majority of which are original to this collection.

Seen Through Flame & stuff

My urban horror story SEEN THROUGH FLAME appears in the latest issue of City Slab (issue 12).

I've also just seen the almost-finished cover and dust jacket designs for RAIN DOGS. It is absolutely stunning, and I can't wait to see it on the final book. I'm really excited about this one; my debut novel, and published by such a creative and talented team at Humdrumming.

Alt.Fiction

On Saturday 26th April, I'll be attending the Alt.Fiction event in Derby.

I'm not actually involved in any of the panels or discussions, just attending as a punter, and I hope to see some familiar faces during the day.

Once a Month, Every Month

The current issue (#5) of the excellent Doorways Magazine contains my story ONCE A MONTH, EVERY MONTH, a tale of familial ties and responsibility.

Rain Dogs

My novel RAIN DOGS, which will be published later this year, now has some covert art... I think it's stunning, and hope you agree.