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A new story of mine, ‘Little Man’, was performed by the awesome Tony Bell at the Liars’ League October 2024 Halloween night. The story, about a trainee alchemist who meets with unexpected success in his quest to create artificial life, is one I’m really proud of so please watch Tony’s brilliant performance here!

I have a new story, ‘Once & Future’, about the Celtic ruler known as Vortigern who is blamed for bringing the Saxons to Britain, published in the latest issue of Welsh fantasy magazine Gwyllion. It’s a beautiful little magazine with some wonderful stories in it. Please take a look!

I’ve had another Christmas story performed at Liars’ League. ‘Red Nose’, my tale of reindeer with substance abuse problems, was read by the wonderful Zach Harrison at the ‘Hearth & Home’ theme night in December. Click here to watch!

Earlier this year, I had a story shortlisted for the 2023 To Hull and Back humorous short story contest, run by the brilliant Chris Fielden, whose email of writing opportunities is well worth signing up for. I sadly didn’t win a prize, but the shortlisting means my story, ‘Frozen ‘Futures’ (originally published by and performed at Liars’ League), will appear in the 2023 anthology.

That anthology, featuring my story alongside 25 others, is now available to buy at Amazon and would clearly make a superb Christmas present!

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I had another story performed at the wonderful Liars’ League last week. The brilliant Lisa Rose read my story about an evil HR manager recruiting staff to work at Castle Death, which rather shockingly doesn’t rank in Forbes magazine’s top employers list for this year or any preceding year! Go watch it here.

I had another story performed at the amazing Liars’ League this month. How To Build Your Dreamhouse was read by Paul Clarke for the ‘Hopes & Fears’ night on Tuesday 13th December. It was a great night, with four brilliant stories read alongside mine. I particularly enjoyed EP Henderson’s A Cranium for Christmas, which had such a strong voice, and Mark Barlex’s Trimmings, which I would recommend everyone watches just before Christmas dinner…

This will be my only publication in what has been, in terms of both writing and submitting, not a great year. The reasons for this are numerous, but hopefully 2023 will see more progress.

I did also have a story, Brexitland, longlisted for the Exeter Story Prize earlier this month, which is encouraging. Hopefully, that story may see publication next year if I can find a home for it.

I’m finally getting round to updating this site after a lengthy absence. I had two more stories out last year after my last post, both with the lovely people at Liars’ League. Certain Promises, Certain Threats was performed brilliantly by Oli Yellop for the Order & Chaos night in June, and Christmas Special was brought to the life by the fantastic Patsy Prince for the Family & Friends night in December.

I also had a story, Angerland, long-listed for the Bristol Short Story Prize.

I have a new story up at Bandit Fiction. It’s an apocalyptic tale about the world running out of light and people having to stay at home all the time because it’s too dangerous to go out. Needless to say, given current events, it feels very apt. It’s called The Darkening and you can read it here.

I was very impressed with the editing my story received from the Bandit team. It made a big difference to the quality of the final version.

I was also pleased to find out that another story of mine, The Visitants, was ‘highly commended’ by the 2020 Exeter Short Story Prize and on the shortlist of three for the Trisha Ashley Award. The search for a home for this story continues, but this is very encouraging, so hopefully it will be out in the world soon.

I had a story performed at this year’s Liars’ League Christmas event, which took place on 8th December at the Nag’s Head in Covent Garden. I was, unfortunately, unable to attend but it looks like much socially distanced literary fun was had by all. My story, Last Christmas, was performed by the amazing Tony Bell, who also read my previous story for Liars’ League, Frozen Futures, in June last year. You can watch the video above. I’d thoroughly recommend watching the other four stories from the night too, in particular An Irish Christmas by David McGrath and Lookin Up by Emma Grae, both of which were superb.