2013 was a very successful year as far as published stories goes. All told, eight of my stories were unleashed on an unsuspecting world…
JANUARY
Piece Number 7 – Garbled Transmissions
My name is Max Gambino and I know the real story behind Gustav Lang. Not the sensationalist crap that gets printed in the rags but the actual, honest to goodness, sweat, blood and tears story of Gustav Lang and the music he created; the story that’s been buried under the controversy and the arrests and the trial and the Lang Act. Most of what people know about him is a lie, created by publicists trying to bolster sales and lawyers trying to protect their clients. Lang deserves better than that. Music can be wondrous. Lang is proof of that.
MARCH
The Many Deaths of Albert G Elderberry – Fast-Forward Festival
Albert G Elderberry barely noticed the first time he died. He was hit by the black SUV that had accelerated towards him as he crossed the street on his way to the store. He was 68 and the impact shattered bones and tore open internal organs, leaving him dead in the road before the SUV reached the corner of the street.
Night Man is Waiting – Ibexian
The dispatch computer pinged twice. Night Man is waiting.
APRIL
Only Friends – Anthology of European SF
He had brown hair. Dark brown. Like mine. I’m telling you that because he’s not here any more and I’m beginning to forget what he looked like.
MAY
Aftermath – The Were-Traveler
Abby looked around the room and threw up.
Origami Man – Hogglepot
The origami man unfolded his arms and said hello to the young boy.
Happin3ss101.com – eHorror
Alan stared at the e-mail. Then he closed it. Then he stared at it lying in his inbox. Then he opened it.
“Bloody hell,” he said quietly.
NOVEMBER
The Bone Boy – Bones Anthology
By the time Max’s mum and dad told him the Bone Boy wasn’t real, it was too late.
Of those eight, The Bone Boy is my favourite and not just because it was one of the two editor’s picks in the anthology. It was the first straight up horror story I’ve written for a while and came together pretty much how I’d imagined it.
I was also pleased to see Only Friends and Piece Number 7 find a home. The former because no one really understands it and it appeared alongside some great writers and the latter because it’s too long for most markets. I like the idea behind Piece Number 7 so much that I’m mulling over a couple of related stories that I may write next year.
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