*** Breaking news update! The release date for Ampyrium (and this year’s other ZNB anthologies) has been brought forward to July 15th – that’s right, Monday!***
With one of those quirks of timing the book trade comes up with, the second half of this year will see a whole lot of new short stories I’ve written coming out with different publishers.
First up, available from 15th July, and with huge thanks to the Kickstarter supporters, you can read my contribution to the Ampyrium anthology from US small press, ZNB. This new and original shared world project has thrilling potential, and it’s great to be part of it. (More thoughts on such projects here)
Ampyrium is a city of a thousand wonders! Powerful magicians created this massive city, contained within an eight-sided wall, each with its own portal to another world. Different magical lands collide as the races from those worlds come to trade, to politic, to carouse, and to murder. Merchants and royalty, thieves and assassins; caravans and envoys, armies and entourages are all here. Don’t stray though. IGet lost in the streets of Ampyrium and you’re on your own. The Magnum stay aloof … even if their Eyes are everywhere.
My story, Unseen Hands, introduces a family of exiles from Daruvia, a forested world whose healers and herbalists are second to none. Joshua Palmatier, David B. Coe, Esther Friesner, Patricia Bray, S.C. Butler, and Jason Palmatier offer you other stunning worlds.
Coming soon from Wizard’s Tower Press, I have a story in Fight like A Girl 2. Regular readers will recall the excellent first anthology from Grimbold books – if you haven’t already read that, I highly recommend it. All these stories feature women using their wits, skills and determination to prevail in a range of SF&F settings.
The other authors for this second anthology is KT Davies, Dolly Garland, KR Green, Julia Hawkes Reed, Cheryl Morgan, Lou Morgan, Naomi Scott, Anna Smith Spark, Gaie Sebold, and Danie Ware. You’ll recognise several names from the first book, and this new anthology will feature an introduction by Charlotte Bond. My story is Civil War.
The excellent Polestars series of single-author collections from NewCon Press has so far featured Fiona Moore, Liz Williams, Aliya Whiteley, Cécile Cristofari, Justina Robson, Emma Coleman, Teika Marija Smits and Jane Fenn. I will be honoured to be in their company when my own collection Different Times and Other Places appears later this year.
As well as shorter work selected from my writing over the past twenty-plus years, there are two entirely new stories. The Green Man’s Guest sees a wholly unexpected encounter for Dan Mackmain, while Tapestry gave me an opportunity to explore an idea I’ve been thinking about for a while. This is merely one of the things I enjoy doing with short stories.
Last, but by no means least, an intriguing opportunity came my way some months ago, when Dr Rory Waterman and Dr Anna Milon of the School of Arts and Humanities at Nottingham Trent University contacted me. They are leading a fascinating project ‘Lincolnshire Folk Tales: Origins, Legacies, Connections, Futures’, which sets out to explore the origins and influences of Lincolnshire legends, to promote interest and awareness of this storytelling heritage.
You will be unsurprised to learn that I was thrilled to be asked to write a story for the Lincolnshire Folk Tales Reimagined anthology, which will be published in partnership with the University of Lincoln. More details to come!
