Magic – Ex-con Grange races against the shape-shifting terrors of the Wild Hunt for one last chance to see his daughter. Old magic is comin’ to town in the latest addition to the Short Sharp Shocks! book series from Demain Publishing.
Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US:
The mighty people over at Demain Publishing and me chatted about my new chapbook Magic, the writing process, writers I like, and myth, magic and mayhem. I also reveal my secret fetish. Join us: https://demainpublishingblog.weebly.com/
MAGIC – Ex-con Grange races against the shape-shifting terrors of the Wild Hunt for one last chance to see his daughter. Old magic is comin’ to town in the latest addition to the Short Sharp Shock! book series from Demain Publishing.
The paperback is due for release in the summer, but in case you can’t wait (and why should you?) here are the pre-order links for the Kindle version coming out on May 10th:
Amazon UK for £0.99p
Amazon US for $1.28
Demain Publishing have nailed it with the cover for Magic. Adrian Baldwin managed to capture the essence of the my story beautifully within the Short Sharp Shocks! signature design. I had various cover images in my own mind, but none included an ape, nor hinted at the story as much as the one above. When they showed me this on Thursday I was over the moon!
Pre-sale shortly.
Exciting times this week as I signed a contract with Demain Publishing granting publishing rights for my short story, Magic.
These guys are new but have already come up with an impressive publishing schedule with their ‘Short Sharp Shocks!’ chapbooks, identified by their simple and uniform cover designs from the talented Adrian Baldwin. Magic will be 23rd in this series.
The first six books in the SSS! series
Ebook release date for Magic has been set for May 10th, and there may be a pre-sale opportunity.
There’s a little something spiritual about being in the vicinity of a working piece of machinery: its heat radiates; its smell permeates; the clattering, chugging, almost orchestral clanking of metal on metal, drive and punch initiates a settling hypnotic calm.
We were at Dean Press today enquiring about printing choices for the chapbook, Rewilding, when we were treated to the impromptu operation of this renovated 1975 Heidelberg letter press machine. What a piece of kit!
We’re now deciding on a selection of papers and weights, covers and colours, and giving a little extra thought to the limited edition print run. Keeping the materials used in the production in-line with the thematic undercurrent of the story is important to us, and this includes having a natural feel to the product.
Bos will be designing the cover plate, and there’s a good chance this Heidelberg will have a part to play in the production of Rewilding.
If you would like to see footage of the Heidelberg in operation, then please go to my Facebook page (link in the margin).
As I missed adding to the wealth of New Year blog posts on writing resolutions, veganism, teetotalism, and other ‘isms’, shouldn’t we have a spring look-at-me update about the projects lined up? Thought so.
In the winter of 2018, I took the initial draft of my novel from the locked drawer for the first time in two years. Shortly after, it went back. I might continue with the urban fantasy – I’m still in love with the story – or I might not. Plenty of first novels stay hidden indefinitely, and had this been only a stepping stone to a new plot? Whatever the gods decide.
What am I doing, then? Four projects, since you asked.
The first, and one that’s got me stoked as it nears fruition, is Rewilding, a chapbook to be published with the illustrator and anarchist, Mutartis Boswell. The story, (written, critiqued, rewritten, beta-read, rewritten, edited, rewritten and proofed :-)) explores the themes of abuse, isolation and instinct. The project is allowing Bos to experiment with inks and atmosphere, and comfort zones too. We’re looking to print using some pretty old machinery by experienced printers to gain an impressive look and touch to our product. Watch out for details of the Kickstarter on here and social media as there’ll be a chance to pick up a signed copy of the chapbook, along with artwork that captures the text and dons the many masks of the Speculative including Folk Horror.
Next up, a collaboration with the ace Belgian photographer, Ines Adriaens, for her abandoned places project. Ines, a master at capturing atmosphere, sent me and two other writers a variety of images and asked us to write pieces inspired by them. This project has allowed me to engage in the highly concentrated, powerful form of poetry. I am lucky to have four pieces in this photography book which will hopefully be available this year.
I was both excited and nervous when Joffre White asked me to work together on the short story collection, The Gateway, a Speculative examination of the grit trapped in Western society’s shell, mainly because our writing styles wave to each other from across a chasm. Joffre is a UK Patron of Reading, Reading and Writing Motivator, and an author, he’s also a cracking guy to work with. The project is almost like a writing exercise, and I’m able to play with shorter length and streamline my writing style using character-driven stories.
Lastly, a collection of my own short fiction yet to be titled is in progress. A brew of horrors seasoned with a pinch of magic realism. The plan is to feature mostly published work after revision, with a couple of bonus new ones. The word count is currently at 50,000.
The opportunity to work closely with these talented artists is precious and, I’m sure, will lead to some amazing work. Should be a good year! Certainly busy.
Nash
