New Anthology Goodness
Not one but two forthcoming anthologies, both with fantastic line-ups and that I’m very proud to be included within!
Darkness Eternal from the Black Library, with a choice selection of the very best WarHammer stories:
One Million Years by Nate Crowley
Altar of Maws by Peter Fehevari
The Light of the Emperor by Darius Hinks
The Devouring Void by Danie Ware
Own Worst Enemy by Denny Flowers
Arcady Pride by Justin D Hill
Nightsider Imperialis by Victoria Hayward
A Forbidden Meal by Carrie Harris
Eradicant by R S Wilt
The Convocation by Tamy Nicholls
Stealing Orpheon by Richard Ford
Lessons of Rophax by Callum Davis
Devilhunter by Nicholas Wolf
Cover by Thomas Elliott
And Something Peculiar from Black Shuck Books, which contains my very first (formal anyway) horror story, telling the tale of an all-time favourite eerie place. No spoilers, but five points if you know where I mean!
Forest by Holly Blades
Cemetery Black by Alexander Milner
Under the Similitude of a Dream by Timonthy J Jarvis
Urchin Barren by Tim Major
The Way Through the Woods by Marian Womack
Acolytes of the Famished Giant by John Langan
Hollow by Guy Adams
Web by Sarah Brooks
Seven Encounters with Peculiar Hawkins by Emma J Gibbon
The Recollection by Danie Ware
Confetti by Mark Morris
Edited by Steve J Shaw
Cover by Odilon Redon, from his 1883 work The Origins.
Reading: A break for some wonderful kidlit, with SF Said’s Varjak Paw, which is every bit as charming as his novel Tyger. Beautifully illustrated by Dave McKean, it’s a kitten-to-hero story, where brave little void Varjak must understand privilege, learn to live on the streets, to fight, to face up to bullies, and finally rescue his own family from the bad guys.
It may also be where local #notmycat Holly got her name. I need to ask my neighbour!
Watching: Isaac and I have returned to Gotham, which gets steadily more bonkers as the series go on. They’ve got some fabulous casting, and while I have my doubts about Ben Mckenzie personally, his Jim Gordon is a growly-voiced Batman-without-the-cowl, while the young David Mazouz does an absolutely wonderful job of showing more and more batlike traits. Sean Pertwee is the very best version of Alfred, ever, and Erin Richards is a suitably demented Barbara (and would make an excellent Joker, if she ever had the chance to play the role).
If you’re not following his fan-edits on YouTube, there’s a Gotham one here.
Playing: Earliest steps into our Al-Qadim campaign, which is very a new vibe, after seven years on the Sword Coast. I’ve played Al-Qadim before, but it was thirty-something years ago, and I’m really enjoying re-finding the memories, and the sand in my character’s shoes. What lies ahead, across the sea of dunes? Djinni, perhaps? Wicked merchants and evil viziers? Fantastical monsters, which my mind instantly pictures in Harryhausen stop-motion?
We can only see!