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A Curveball Double Feature: Two Children’s Stories!

9th Jul 20208th Jul 2020Leave a comment

So, these next two really break the mould for me — they’re both children’s stories. (I know, right?!) They were each written for different prompts, but they both have similar themes and protagonists, so I thought I’d bundle ’em together in this double feature!

Part One

The first one was written for the contest Fuzzy Friends (Or Foes?) — I chose the prompt, “Write a story featuring an animal who subverts expectations.” The title is Deep Space Canine (yes, that is a pun on Deep Space Nine…) and you can read it here on WordPress, or over on my Reedsy profile.

“Grrround Control, mission has successfully been completed, repeat, mission has been successfully completed, Grrround Control.”
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Part Two

All right! The next one was written for the contest Kidding Around — I chose the prompt, “Write a story about someone who discovers a mysterious object in their home.” The title is Winston and the Legend of Va-Khum, and you can read it here on WordPress, or over on my Reedsy profile!

Listen closely, Little One, and I shall tell you a tale of a day long since passed.
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Well, I hope you liked these! I actually had a lot of fun writing ’em — even if they are completely different to my usual fare. This doesn’t mean I’m leaving my horror roots, I just like to branch out and explore a bit, y’know?

‘Buy Another Birthday’: A short sci-fi story about love, death, and science

6th Jul 20205th Jul 2020Leave a comment

Hi everyone! We’re on a roll with getting through this backlog, aren’t we? This next piece I’m really rather fond of, and I’ve got a niggling idea to explore it further in a longer piece… We’ll see! This was written for the contest Just the Beginning. I chose the prompt, “Write a story that starts with someone returning from a trip.” The title of my story is Buy Another Birthday, and you can read it here on WordPress or over on my Reedsy profile!

Alan found himself standing at the gate of a little cottage, completely oblivious to the fact that he’d been killed in a hit-and-run accident seven months prior.
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Well, until the next of the Reedsy backlog, have a good one!

Check out my tasty story for this week’s Reedsy: ‘Maledictions and Muffins’!

14th Mar 202013th Mar 20202 Comments

Well, here we go! Another week, another Reedsy contest. This week’s theme was This Magic Moment; magical realism. I chose the prompt, “Write about someone who works an average job — but incorporate elements of magic into it.”

I’ve recently been writing more and more non-horror pieces. Last week’s Grandma’s Garden (read it here) was a return to the norm — or at least, my norm! This week I’ve explored a bit more of non-horror. Nothing wrong with a bit of experimentation, right? The title for my story is Maledictions and Muffins, and — you know how this bit goes by now, right? — you can read it here on WordPress or over on my Reedsy profile.

The witch waved her wand in the direction of her victim, whispering the ancient incantations under her breath. The words snaked out from between her lips, like a worm out of an apple. Her opponent began to expand — growing, widening, fattening. Mavis knew that it wouldn’t be long until the object of her spellcasting finally bid adieu to this mortal world and exploded, insides splattering in every direction.

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The reason for the latest batch of non-horror pieces is simply because I don’t like to force my stories. I try to keep it very natural and easy. As a rule, I try to stick with the idea that comes first — as this is generally what I want to write, as opposed to what I feel I should write. This isn’t to say I’m abandoning horror (far from it, haha!), simply that I’m broadening my horizons. We can’t be all doom and gloom and zombies and gore 24/7, can we? Nice to spice things up a bit — every now and then!

So, I hope you guys like the piece — I really had fun writing it (but, then again, I always do!). I really liked the idea of a a kind and friendly witch in a cosy kitchen full of tasty smells, with a fluffy black cat pestering her for some crumbs. I thought it was simply a heartwarming picture.

Well, this has been enough rambling for one week, right? I best be buggering off! P.S. If you like the artwork that I made for this story, why not check out my side blog, Art in Soul?

Read my psychedelic, dreamy piece for this week’s Reedsy: ‘Sea the Moon’

29th Feb 202022nd Mar 2020Leave a comment

Wow, look at me! Staying on top of things and publishing my Reedsy entries on time! This piece was written really quickly — I think I had it finished by Saturday evening, as the prompts came out on the Friday afternoon. The theme of this week’s prompt was the legendary writer, Haruki Murakami. I chose the prompt, “Write a story in which the lines between awake and dreaming are blurred.”

Interestingly, I didn’t write a horror story again — third week in a row! I know it sounds odd (especially for me!), but, in general, I try not to force my stories. I try to let them flow out of my fingertips naturally. Horror comes to me fairly easily, hence why it’s my preferred genre, but sometimes I stray from the darkened path and venture out into the light. If a horror story happens, great, if a non-horror story happens, also great! I just like writing and telling stories.

Anyway, the title of my short story is Sea the Moon, and — as always! — you can read it here on WordPress or over on my Reedsy profile.

The seagulls were weeping again. They had woken her from her sleep. It was funny, now that she thought about it. She’d also fallen asleep listening to their shrill pleas. It reminded her of the song her mother had sung to her as a baby. Sunset and sunrise, bird calls and bird cries.
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I liked this one quite a lot! I enjoyed the dreamy, uncertain feeling that permeates the piece. I also had fun writing the rhyming couplets! Oh! And I had a blast making the artwork for this one, too — I was super-proud of it! If you’d like to see (sea?) more of my art, why not check out my other blog, Art in Soul? I’ve got a backlog of art (much like I previously had a backlog of stories…) that I’m slowly posting and uploading, working my way through. I reckon there’s some good pieces, here and there!

Read ‘Routine’: My sunny story for last week’s Reedsy!

25th Feb 202027th Feb 2020Leave a comment

Gah, I know, I know, I’m really not on top of things lately. Personal life (I won’t bore you with the details) and other projects often get in the way (and I’m not great at decluttering!) — but I’m always writing! Rest assured of that!

This short story was written for the theme Bildungsroman, as in, stories about formative years. I chose the prompt, “Write a story about two best friends.” Horror tends to come to me quite naturally, and it generally feels like my ‘home’. However, sometimes it’s nice to take a break and write something completely different! This story was one of those pieces — it’s a sunny, upbeat tale. As always, you can read it here on WordPress, or over on my Reedsy profile!

Daisy wakes me up each day with a kiss. I always sleep longer than her, so she’s always the one to wake me up. I sometimes wonder how long she’s been up before she decides to rouse me – minutes, hours? Does she get up to see the morning sun rising?

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I hope you dig the story! It was very pleasant to write. Oh, and I also hope you like the artwork, too! I’m really starting to enjoy doing my own art to go hand-in-hand with my stories (but more on this at another point!).