Tag Archives: anthology

nEvermore: Tales Of Murder, Mystery & The Macabre ToC Announced

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I am very excited to be able to announce the ToC for nEvermore: Tales Of Murder, Mystery & The Macabre edited by Nancy Kilpatrick and Caro Soles, which will be released from Edge Science Fiction in October. It’s up for preorder at Amazon and the Edge Website.

I am absolutely thrilled to see my name alongside some of my writing heroes. It’s a little bittersweet, as this was (I think) Tanith Lee’s last anthology appearance–it’s an honour to be in it for that reason alone.

About the book:

nEvermore! Tales of Murder, Mystery and the Macabre is an homage to the great American writer, the incomparable Edgar Allan Poe, and a must-have for every fan of his work.

Compiled by multi-award winning editors, Nancy Kilpatrick and Caro Soles, nEvermore! Tales of Murder, Mystery and the Macabre presents a tantalizing selection of imaginative stories by New York Times bestselling and prize-winning authors.

Featuring works by: Margaret Atwood; Kelley Armstrong; Richard Christian Matheson; Tanith Lee; William F. Nolan (with Jason Brock & Sunni Brock); Nancy Holder; Christopher Rice; Chelsea Quinn Yarbro; Michael Jecks; Lisa Morton; J. Madison Davis; Barbara Fradkin, Colleen Anderson, Robert Bose, Jane Petersen Burfield, Rick Chiantaretto, Robert Lopresti, David McDonald, Loren Rhoads, Thomas S. Roche, and Carol Weekes & Michael Kelly.

This anthology consists of 21 original tales that blend supernatural and mystery elements in unique reimaginings of Edgar Allan Poe’s exquisite stories.

Here’s the table of contents:

  1. “A Rather Scholarly View of Edgar Allan Poe, Genre Crosser” by Uwe Sommerlad
  2. “The Gold Bug Conundrum” by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
  3. “Street of the Dead House” by Robert Lopresti
  4. “Naomi” by Christopher Rice
  5. “Finding Ulalume” by Lisa Morton
  6. “Obsession With the Bloodstained” by Rick Chiantaretto
  7. “The Lighthouse” by Barbara Fradkin
  8. “The Masques of Amanda Llado” by Thomas S. Roche
  9. “Atargatis” by Robert Bose
  10. “The Ravens of Consequence” by Carol Weekes and Michael Kelly
  11. “Annabel Lee” by Nancy Holder
  12. “Dinner With Mamalou” by J. Madison Davis
  13. “The Deave Lane” by Michael Jecks
  14. “133” by Richard Christian Matheson
  15. “Afterlife” by William F. Nolan and Jason V. Brock and Sunni K. Brock
  16. “The Drowning City” by Loren Rhoads
  17. “The Orange Cat” by Kelley Armstrong
  18. “The Inheritance” by Jane Petersen Burfield
  19. “Sympathetic Impulses” by David McDonald
  20. “Asylum” by Colleen Anderson
  21. “The Return of Berenice” by Tanith Lee
  22. “The Eye of Heaven” by Margaret Atwood

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Review Love for Cold Comfort and Other Tales

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Cold Comfort and Other Tales has been live now for a bit over a month, and there are a few reviews out there already. I was pretty nervous about how it would be received, but I have been delighted with the feedback so far. Writing is so full of rejections that it is always a major boost when people not only read your stories (which is still, at this point, a shock to me) but like them!

I am sure that the stories may not to be to some people’s taste, and that’s fine, but the good reviews are the sort of thing that makes this all worthwhile–knowing that someone has connected with your story. It’s definitely something to hold on to when you are slogging though edits (as I am doing at the moment), or when the next rejection arrives.

So, at that risk of boasting, here are some excerpts from a couple of the reviews floating around the interwebs. You can follow the link for the full review.

From Ventureadelaxre:

McDonald surely is one to keep an eye on – you only have to look at his list of achievements for confirmation. I can safely rate this collection five out of five with the knowledge it was deserved, as it has action, thoughtful commentary and excellent characters – I always love the character-driven pieces. And, as stated in my bit about his first short Cold Comfort, I’d love to see his work in a longer sense to see what he can do with more room and time. If he can achieve that much world building in so few pages, what else can he accomplish? No pressure, David.

From Stephanie Gunn:

This is a brilliant collection, and especially recommended if you haven’t read any of McDonald’s work before.  The stories are well described by the collection title Cold Comfort: these are not easy worlds, but McDonald manages to place hope even in the middle of despair.  Vanya discovers that her world isn’t as lost as she thought, Nick and his sentient ship will find a way through, and even in the depths of dystopia, people still speak out.

Highly recommended.

And, I think this is my first international review, so this was doubly exciting. From The Little Red Reviewer:

Beginnings are important.

Like a first impression, an author has one sentence, one chance to make in initial impression on the reader. We’ve all come across lackluster openings, openings that didn’t inspire, or confused, or simply made you scratch your head. Maybe you kept reading, maybe not.

For me, the ideal opening sentence is a perfect balance between nowhere near enough information, and just enough to draw me in. Not unlike that first floral nose of a glass of wine – you get the aroma, a suggestion of what’s to come, but little to no information about the mouthfeel or finish you’re about to experience. You take a sip because that first scent was intriguing. The titular story of Cold Comfort and Other Tales has just the kind of opening I dream of: perfectly balanced yet minimal information with just the barest hints of the entire worldbuilding of the story:

A big thanks to the reviewers for such kind words and–most importantly–taking the time to read my stories!

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Story sale to Fablecroft: Insert Title Here

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I am thrilled to announce I will be appearing in Fablecroft’s next anthology, “Insert Title Here”. Looking at the ToC I am delighted to find myself in the company of so many amazing writers. Fablecroft is one of my favourite publishers, and Tehani one of my favourite people, so this is a wonderful sale!

This story is a bit of a different style than I usually write. It’s got angels, steampunk and heresy, and a bit nastier than my usual sort of thing.

You can find out stats and details at the Fablecroft website.

Kathleen Jennings The Last Case of Detective Charlemagne
Joanne Anderton 2B
DK Mok Almost Days
Matthew Morrison Sins of meals past
Tom Dullemond The Last Voyage of Saint Brendan
Dirk Flinthart Collateral Damage
Dan Simpson The Winter Stream
Darren Goossens Circle
Alan Baxter Beyond the Borders of All He Had Been Taught
Thoraiya Dyer The Falcon Races
Robert Hood Footprints in Venom
Caitlene Cooke Circa
Tamlyn Dreaver Reflections
David McDonald Her face like lightning
Marianne de Pierres Salvatrix
Dan Rabarts Oil and bone
Ian Creasey Ministry of Karma
Stephanie Burgis The art of deception
Marissa Lingen & Alec Austin Empty Monuments
Sara Larner Living in the Light
Alexis A. Hunter Always Another Point

Another review of Great Southern Land

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Yes, it has been quiet around here. However, life continues apace and I am busily engaged in a  few secret projects that will hopefully be ready to announce soon.

In the meantime, I stumbled across another lovely review of Tales of Australia: Great Southern Land. The reviewer had some great things to say about the anthology, and was particularly kind about my story.

“Set Your Face Toward the Darkness” by David McDonald, told in journal style, also hit the spot for me. It’s a dark gothic story that re-imagines the fate of explorers Burke and Wills. While touching lightly on social commentary about the invasion of the country, the tale also shows the characters’ growing understanding about the natives’ “connection to the spirit of the land”, with descriptions of the harsh terrain emphasising the growing terror and isolation they feel. A great sense of place, well-developed tension and all-round, a good story.

It’s a very nice feeling when someone “gets” your story, and seems to understand what you were trying to achieve. I am new enough to all this to be unused to reading people’s thoughts on my stories, and I am thrilled. You can follow the link above for the full review and read about the other awesome stories in the anthology.

And, if you so desire, you can buy both paper and electronic copies of the anthology here!

GSL Cover

 

 

 

Native Lands….lands at Shore Leave!

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It’s been very quiet on the blogging front of late. Part of of it is that I am slack, but there is also the fact that we are going through a restructure at work, it’s finals time for winter cricket and I am secretary of the association, and I am under the pump with some deadlines. But, just so you know I am alive and working hard, some exciting news..

From the Crazy8 Press website:

One nation under God…no more!

With the return of the old gods, the modern world came to a virtual standstill.

Around the planet, deities whose names had no more meaning than as characters out of myth and history were suddenly revealed to be real…and once again demanded to be worshipped by the people of Earth. And, in an instant, the borders set by man were erased and the world reshaped to conform to their divine plans.

But what of North America? When last its native gods walked the world, their people occupied the lands from the Alaskan coast through the Gulf of Mexico. But war, disease, and colonization severely reduced the tribes’ numbers, and their presence. Now, with the number of Native American worshippers significantly diminished—and drastically outnumbered—the Spirit Chief, Coyote, Raven, and the rest of that proud pantheon are desperate to regain and then maintain their hold over so vast a territory.

This third volume of the critically acclaimed ReDeus series features fifteen brand-new tales of a distinctly American nature by Lorraine Anderson, Kevin Dilmore, David Galanter, David R. George III, Robert Greenberger, Robert T. Jeschonek, Paul Kupperberg, William Leisner, Steven Lyons, David McDonald, Scott Pearson, Aaron Rosenberg, Lawrence M. Schoen, Lois Spangler, and Steven H. Wilson.

Native Lands was launched at Shore Leave over the weekend, and I am delighted to be a ongoing part of the series – to be working with writers and editors of the calibre involved is a wonderful opportunity..

My story, Homecoming, involved a fair bit of research into Native American cultures, and I was amazed by what I learnt, even though I am sure I barely scratched the surface. I hope that my story reflects the respect I feel for the cultures I have written about, and encourages you to learn more about them. And, of course, that you enjoy the read!

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ReDeus: Beyond Borders now available!

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Looks like ReDeus: Beyond Borders is now available for purchase!

It features some incredible authors and some great stories. Plus, of course, my tale, “In Foreign Fields”!108292_original

I am really excited to have had a chance to work on this project, and I am sure you will enjoy reading it as much as I did being part of it. Stay tuned for some more exciting news about ReDeus in the near future, too!

ReDeus: Beyond Borders

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Very excited to announce the upcoming release of ReDeus: Beyond Borders from Crazy 8 Press. This is my first time working in a shared world environment of this type, and it has been a great experience. There is a great line up of writers, and the editors have been amazing – not surprising given their backgrounds and experience in the industry!

On their website, Bob Greenberger says:

When Aaron Rosenberg, Paul Kupperberg, and I conceived ReDeus–our world if all of the gods from all of the pantheons suddenly returned and demanded worship once more–some years back, we initially thought it would be a fun playground for the three of us to explore, telling stories that we’d hope would find an audience. Last year, we decided to invite our friends to come play with us, resulting in ReDeus: Divine Tales, an anthology of eleven stories that debuted at Shore Leave, marking Crazy 8 Press’ first anniversary.

We had so much fun with that, and got such excellent response from readers in person and online, we decided to do more. In fact, coming this year there will be two more collections. First up is ReDeus: Beyond Borders, a collection of tales exploring how the gods settle back in around the world.. We’ll see some returning characters from the first book and some very familiar gods, but our writers have also chosen to explore some nooks and crannies about life within the first two decades after the gods of myth have all returned. Everything has not necessarily turned out for the best, especially in some lands, nor is it all bad as we will discover. And with so many gods vying for worship, there’s some interesting jockeying going on, for lands and for people. It’s a vastly different world the gods have discovered and while some embrace the new technologies, others find it abhorrent. That in itself makes life among the mortals complicated, an ever-changing struggle to live and provide for the families.

The anthology will be launched at Balticon in late May, and I will be posting more information soon.

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Tales of the Shadowmen 9 TOC Announced!

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Very excited to announce that my story Diplomatic Freeze will appear in the latest of the Tales of the Shadowmen series, La Vie En Noir. As usual, it is a very strong line up and I am thrilled see my name alongside the people below:

TOC:
Matthew Baugh: Tournament of the Treasure starring Steve Costigan, Townsend Harper, The Black Coats.
Nicholas Boving: Wings of Fear starring Harry Dickson, Bulldog Drummond.
Robert Darvel: The Man With the Double Heart starring The Nyctalope.
Visions of the Nyctalope (illustrated portfolio)
Matthew Dennion: The Treasure of Everlasting Life starring Allan Quatermain, Dr. Miguelito Loveless, The Black Coats.
Win Scott Eckert: Violet’s Lament starring Sir Percy Blakeney’s daughter, Countess Nadine Carody, The Black Coats.
Martin Gately: Wolf at the Door of Time starring Doctor Omega, Moses Nebogipfel, The Nyctalope.
Travis Hiltz: What Lurks in Romney Marsh? starring Doctor Omega, Doctor Syn.
Paul Hugli: As Time Goes By… starring Doctor Omega, Rick Blaine.
Rick Lai: Gods of the Underworld starring The Black Coats, Vautrin, Doctor Lerne.
Jean-Marc Lofficier: Dad starring Glinda.
Nigel Malcolm: To Dust and Ashes, in its Heat Consuming starring Harry Dickson, Professor Quatermass.
David McDonald: Diplomatic Freeze starring Flashman’s son, The Nyctalope’s father, The People of the Pole.
Christofer Nigro: Death of a Dream starring The Phantom of the Opera, The Black Coats, The Domino Lady.
John Peel: The Benevolent Burglar starring Maigret, J.G. Reeder, The Saint.
Neil Penswick: The Conspiracy of Silence starring Fantômas.
Pete Rawlik: Professor Peaslee Plays Paris starring Pr. Nathaniel Wingate Peaslee, Hercule Flambeau, The Black Coats.
Joshua Reynolds: Nestor Burma Goes West starring Nestor Burma, Jim Anthony, Irma Vep.
Frank Schildiner: The True Cost of Doing Business starring Mr. Big, The Black Coats.
Bradley H. Sinor: The Silence starring Michel Ardan, Colonel Moran, John Carter.
Michel Stéphan: Vampire in the Fist starring Irma Vep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If Edith Piaf liked to sing about la vie en rose, this volume of Tales of the Shadowmen, the first and only international anthology devoted to paying homage to the world’s most fantastic heroes and villains, is dedicated to la vie en noir, the darker side of life.

And what could be darker than the sinister brotherhood of criminals known as the Black Coats and their legendary treasure, a malignant self-aware entity that is the embodiment of greed and avarice?

You will also find gathered here stories about the evil Fantômas and the mysterious Yellow Shadow, the crafty Doctor Cornelius and the megalomaniacal Sun Koh, the ruthless Irma Vep and the frightful Bride of Frankenstein; in these pages, you will read tales of creatures and zombies, and things from otherworldly reals, and likely gasp at the most monstrous couple of parents ever imagined…

Deck the Halls available for pre order!

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Deck the Halls: festive tales of fear and cheer, featuring a story by yours truly, is now available for pre order! Press release below (and what an awesome cover!).

Pre-Order Now for the special price of $15.99 plus shipping (Australia only)

Editor: Jodi Cleghorn
Original Artwork: Andrew McKiernan
ISBN: 978-0-9871126-4-4 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-0-9871126-5-1 (eBook)
Size: 203x127cm (Perfect Bound)
Pages: 226
RRP: A$21.99

DECK THE HALLS traverses the joy and jeopardy of the festive season, from Yule to Mōdraniht, Summer Solstice to Years’ End. The stories journey through consternations and celebrations, past, present and future, which might be or never were.

Along the way you’ll meet troll hunters, consumer dissidents, corset-bound adventurers, a joint-toking spirit, big-hearted gangbangers, an outcast hybrid spaceship, petrol-toting politicians, mythical swingers and a boy who unwittingly controls the weather.

Heart-warming and horrifying, the collection is a merry measure of cross-genre, short fiction subverting traditional notions of the holiday season.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Touched Rowena Specht-Whyte
Drench the School Benjamin Solah
Coming Home Rebecca Dobbie
While You Were Out Sam Adamson
Twenty-Five Rebecca Emin
A Jolly Pair Christopher Chartrand
Gays and Commies Graham Storrs
A Better Fit Jen Brubacher
Salvation Nicole R Murphy
A Troll for Christmas Jo Hart
Modraniht Kate Sherrod
Bosch’s Book of Trolls Susan May James
‘Til Death Do Us Part Emma Kerry
High Holidays Dale Challener Roe
The Headless Shadow Jonathan Crossfield
End of a Tradition Paul Servini
Weatherboy Nik Perring
Not a Whisper Lily Mulholland
Lords of the Dance Janette Dalgliesh
Through Frosted Glass Laura Meyer
Midsummer’s Eve Stacey Larner
Yuletide Treasure Rob Diaz II
Broken Angel Jodi Cleghorn
A Golden Treasure Chia Evers
Fast Away Jim Bronyaur
Apprentices to Time Icy Sedgwick
Unfolding Alison Wells
Egg-Ceptional PJ Kaiser
Hail the New Trevor Belshaw
Perfect Light Dan Powell
Softly Sing the Stars Steve Cameron
Through Wind and Weather David McDonald

Hi Ho Silver, Away!

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Words cannot communicate my excitement! This is the news I was alluding to here.

via Matthew Baugh

 

COMING FROM MOONSTONE MARCH 2012

The LONE RANGER Chronicles
Authors: James Reasoner, Johnny D. Boggs, Denny O’Neil
Edited: Matthew Baugh, Tim Lasiuta
Cover: David Palumbo
6″ x 9″, 288pgs, $18.95
978-1-936814-23-7

THE FIRST EVER COLLECTION of NEW Lone Ranger prose stories!
The masked ex-Texas Ranger and his Native American companion Tonto fight injustice in the Wild West!

Stories include meetings with The Cisco Kid, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, as well as the origin of Tonto and the origin of Silver!

Authors include Spur Award winner Johnny D Boggs, Spur Award winner Troy D. Smith, James Reasoner, Alex Award winner Mel Odom, Anthony Award winner Bill Crider, Matthew Baugh, Tim Lasiuta, Joe Gentile, Paul Kupperberg, Denny O’Neil, Kent Conwell, David McDonald, Thom Brannon, Troy D. Smith, Chick Dixon, and Richard Dean Starr.