September Update

Summer has gone, in theory, and so I thought it a good time to review what I’ve achieved this past month.

First, a major step up for me came from Silver Shamrock Publishing. I’ve just signed a contract with them for my gothic horror novella, Bottled, which will come out in February 2020. It features a family curse, an unwanted inheritance and a collection of impossible bottles – those bottles which hold amazing miniature scenes, the ones you always spend your time wondering how on earth it was done.

How did this novella come into being? I was only thinking about that yesterday and suddenly remembered it evolved from a short story. A few years back, The Guardian newspaper ran a Stephen King short story competition, the theme being cursed objects. Those short-listed would be sent off to King for him to choose the winner. Needless to say my story didn’t get that far but it did stay with me and became something which niggled away at the back of my mind, demanding to be developed into a longer tale. And so Bottled was born. Keep an eye out for it when it’s published, have a read and tell me what you think.

As you can see above, Things in the Well’s charity anthology, Trickster’s Treats 3, The Seven Deadly Sins Edition, is now available, both in print and in ebook form. It contains my short story, The Devil Inside, dedicated to the slothful amongst you. The anthology is all for a good cause Charity: Water. Please consider buying and supporting this charity. I’ve ordered my copy and can’t wait to read the other stories.

I’ve recently reviewed proof copies of both the Horror Writers Association’s Poetry Showcase Volume 6, containing my poem, Stringed Pearls and Horrorscope Press’ flash fiction anthology, Horror Without Borders, which includes my story, Silo. I can’t wait to finally see both in publication.

In amongst the usual writer’s lot of rejections, I’ve just received an acceptance for a reprint of my gothic story, The Choir. This will feature in Gray Rabbit’s Horror for the Throne anthology.

Some more of my horror poetry will appear in another Horrorscope press anthology due out next year, Hidden Realms.

In print soon! Remember my gothic horror novelette, Asylum of Shadows, is out on amazon. Currently only available in Kindle format, it is hoped to be in print form before Christmas. If you’re wondering whether to read it or not, check out these reviews from Morgan K. Tanner at Aphotic Realm  and The Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviewer. A thank you to anybody who reviews any book by the way, it’s always appreciated.

And if you want to see other examples of my writing, there are still the following collections available on amazon: The Reckoning – short stories, Dark is my Playground – poetry, The Dark Bites – flash fiction. (Note, amazon has linked both ebook and paperback for The Dark Bites but not for the other two, although both are available in both formats.)

The Reckoning A collection of dark tales by Stephanie Ellis

Horror Tree’s Trembling With Fear zine is still keeping me busy during the week but I must say having an additional editor to take over the Serials, Specials and Unholy Trinities has helped tremendously. I’d never get anything written otherwise.

I’m still fitting in some reading and reviewing for HorrorAddicts.net and Apex Minions programme when I can, as well as reading my way through various books for my day job. The number of students in my library who come up to me saying, ‘Miss, I think this should be a T+‘ is nobody’s business. That is a gripe of mine. Publishers putting something as 12+ and you read it and think, um, no, 14+.

So that’s me for September, now scurrying back to my email box to see if I’ve had a response from Doug Murano and Michael Bailey for their Miscreations anthology. There were almost 900 submissions for this call so I’m not overly optimistic but looking at the line-up, I’ll definitely be buying when it’s out.