News

2021 Writing and Publishing Plan

I’m writing this at the end of February 2021 so I hope everyone is doing as well as they can. In the UK, the vaccination programme is going well and 21st June is the date that we hope to be able to move about freely again. Definitely something to look forward to.

2020 was a busy year for me, book wise at least, I had five stories published in anthologies, three of them in Harvey Duckman Presents books. They were Harvey Duckman Presents Volume 5, Harvey Duckman Presents Volume 6 and Harvey Duckman Presents … Special Pirates.

2021 is probably going to be a much quieter year for me. I’ve had one urban fantasy novella, The Raven King, published by Demain Publishing in January 2021, my very first novella to be published. I have, or will be, submitting a couple of short stories to anthologies but I’m planning to spend most of 2021 writing a novella or possibly a couple of novellas.

When I say writing, I really mean rewriting as there are two short novels that I completed as part of Nanowrimo that I want to look at again and see if I can turn them into novellas worth publishing. But before I do that, I’m taking part in an Imaginary Worlds worldbuilding course run by Megan Kerr of The Writers’ Greenhouse – www.thewritersgreenhouse.co.uk It’s a six week course and I’m enjoying it very much so far. It’s certainly given me some ideas for my stories.

I’m also planning to publish a print version of Quirky Christmas Stories later on in the year and perhaps a couple of Christmas themed short stories.

Busy September for Stories

September is turning out to be a busy month for me. I was very excited to be asked to support the online StopHate UK Festival celebrating the 25th anniversary of the anti hate crime charity by providing something for the festival. StopHate UK works to prevent hate crime and supports victims of hate crime. I’ve recorded myself reading my short story, “The Boom Show”. This will be screened on the Stop Hate UK channel on Youtube and on Facebook Live on Monday 21 September 2020 at 7 pm (GMT) and available to view after that. More details on www.stophateuk.org

Fantasy, SF & horror flash fiction.

“The Boom Show” is a dystopian science fiction short story that I published recently. You could call it a Hunger Games for seniors. It was chosen as the Monthly Story Project for the British Fantasy & Science Fiction society in January 2020.

Fantasy, SF and horror flash fiction.

Next, I have relaunched my collection of flash fiction with a new cover and title. I’ve also added a few new stories especially in the twiterature section. It was called Dribs and Drabbles but is now called Fantastic Flash Fiction. I decided to change the name as not many people picked up on the pun and I realised I was trying to be too clever, a no no when choosing a book title. I love the new cover and hope everyone else will too.

SF, fantasy, horror & steampunk pirate stories.

Harvey Duckman Presents… Pirates Special 2020 will be launching on 19th September 2020, National Talk Like A Pirate Day. I’m proud to say that my short story, “Tully and the Pirates” is in that select collection. This time, Tully is on the sea and encountering all sorts of interesting and terrifying people and creatures.

And last but not least, the Kickstarter campaign started today for the anthology, Fairytales Punk’d. My story, “Mirror in Her Hand” is one of them and I love the promotion material for it. Here’s one below.

A dieselpunk fairy tale.

Update on short stories June 2020

Time for an update. I’m pleased to announce that my short horror story’A Monster Met’, no 7 in the Short! Sharp! Shocks! series, is now available in print on Amazon. It also contains a bonus short story, ‘Mason’s Revenge’, a horror story about a minor character in Jane Eyre.

The print version of ‘A Monster Met’.

I’ve been told that Volume 5 of Harvey Duckman Presents will be coming out this month. My short story, ‘The Perfect Ham Sandwich’ is in that one. I’ve also had a short story, ‘Tully and the Geese’ accepted for Volume 6 of Harvey Duckman Presents. That volume should be coming out some time this year. The publishers, Sixth Element Publishing, aim to get two to three volumes out every year.

Book cover for Harvey Duckman Presents Volume 5.

I’ve also had a short story, “Mirror in Her Hand”, a dieselpunk version of “Snow White” accepted for the Fairytales Punk’d anthology. Very excited about that.

I’m still waiting to hear the fate of a couple of other short stories that I’ve submitted. Fingers crossed.

Short Stories Accepted April 2020

The Chinese have a curse, “May you live in interesting times” and it certainly applies now with all the fear, grief and uncertainty caused by the Corona virus. I’m staying at home and trying to be productive. I’ve recently had some good news about a couple of short stories, which cheered me up enormously.

The first story, “Scared of Girls,” a short horror story has been accepted by Demain Publishing for the second series of Short! Sharp! Shocks! and should be appearing sometime later this year. I’ve also been told that my story, “A Monster Met”, which is Short! Sharp! Shocks! No 7, will be appearing in print form sometime fairly soon this year. The print version will include an extra one, “Mason’s Story”, a horror story about a minor character in “Jane Eyre”.

I’ve also recently heard that another short story, “The Perfect Ham Sandwich”, a comic alternative history story, has been accepted by Sixth Element Publishing for the fifth volume of the “Harvey Duckman Presents” anthology.

I have two more stories out on submission at the moment so will update when I have further news, good or bad. Don’t hold your breath. The Corona virus is taking its toll on the publishing industry too.

Latest News on Stories February 2020

Several things have changed since my last post, so this is the latest news on my stories. My story, “Moonsleep” has now appeared in the BSF (British Fantasy Society’s) Monthly Story Project as the Story of the Month. It was due to be published in January 2020 but there’d been some delays.

Sadly, I’ve heard that my story, “Mirror in Her Hand” will not now be appearing in the “Heroes and Villains” anthology by the Facebook Fantasy & Science Fiction Support Group as it has had to halt the production of this anthology for various reasons. I’m be looking for opportunities to submit this elsewhere though.

I’ve heard that my story, “A Monster Met” will be appearing in print by Demain Publishing at some point during this year. They’re issuing all of Series 1 of Short ! Sharp! ShockS! as paperbacks this year. I’m very excited about that. Will update about the exact date.

I’ve had an article on online writing critique groups accepted for Focus, the BFSA (British Science Fiction Association’s) magazine and I’ve heard that it will be published in March 2020.

That’s all the latest news from me.

Update on stories February 2020

Time for an update on what’s been happening with my stories since the beginning of the year.

I’m sorry to say that my short story, Moonsleep wasn’t published as the British Fantasy Society’s Monthly Story Project for January 2020. I was told it had been delayed. I’m trying to find out when it will be coming out.

I’ve had a short story, Mirror In Her Hand, accepted for Facebook’s Fantasy and Science Fiction Authors’ Support Group anthology, Heroes and Villains. The expected date of publication is 1 April 2020 but I expect that this may be subject to change. Mirror In Her Hand is a modern adaptation of the Snow White and the Seven Dwarves fairy tale.

Latest News on Liz Tuckwell’s Writing December 2019

The latest news on Liz Tuckwell’s writing. Lots has been happening recently, I’m happy to say. Ending 2019 with a bang.

Book 7, Short! Sharp! Shocks!

I had a very nice review of “A Monster Met” on http://scififantasyreviewer.wordpress.com.

I was delighted to hear that my short story “Cinderfeller” has been accepted for one of B Cubed Press’s anthologies. It was originally going to be called Alternative Bedtime Stories for Progressive Parents but apparently the title is going to be changed. http://www.bcubedpress.com

My story, “Moonsleep” will be appearing as the British Fantasy Society’s Monthly Story Project in January 2020. https://www.britishfantasysociety.org

An article I wrote comparing two online critique groups, Critique Circle and the Online Writing Workshop for SF, Fantasy & Horror will shortly be appearing in the British Science Fiction Association’s magazine, Focus.http://www.bsfa.co.uk