Latest News from Castle Bestwick: Post-op treatments, Devils Of London Cover Reveal and The Tiny Bookcase Podcast...

Many thanks to all the wonderful people - both before the last blogpost and since - to send messages of support to Cate. She's now almost completely recovered from her surgery. This week we've found out about the post-op treatment: four chemotherapy sessions, followed by radiotherapy and then brachiotherapy. We'd initially expected the treatment would only involve radiotherapy, or as an outside possibly chemo instead. It does mean it's going to be more physically gruelling than originally hoped, which among other things has meant we've had to cancelled our planned holiday in October. Fortunately the venue, where we've stayed before, has very kindly returned our deposit. 

Cate was more than a little shaken by the news - we both were - but with any luck, at least, it'll make sure that any traces of the cancer will be destroyed and things will be back to (ab)normal sooner rather than later.

In other news, and on a happier note, the ebook of Devils Of London, my upcoming novella from Hersham Horror, is now available for pre-order, courtesy of that fine gentleman Mr Peter Mark May. Which means Neil Williams' fantastic cover art can now at last be revealed! As you can probably guess from the cover, Devils Of London is a far less gentle tale than my last two novellas, Roth-Steyr and A Different Kind Of Light.

"Devils wear many faces.

Britain, in the not too distant future. A new Great Fire Of London breaks out, engulfing the city. Amid the terror and confusion, people look for someone to blame. John is one of a group of undocumented workers, living in a derelict part of the city, who find themselves being scapegoated for the disaster.

Being chased through the burning streets by the vicious ‘yellow-scarves’ is bad enough. But when they pass a burning church, a terrifying figure bursts out of the building. Something ancient and monstrous, free at last after centuries of sleep. And for John and the others, the question may now be which of London’s monsters – human or demonic – gets to claim their souls…"

Devils Of London will be published on 24th September.

Meanwhile, I did an interview earlier this month for The Tiny Bookcase Podcast and its hilarious hosts Ben and Nico. You can hear me talk bollocks - including the phrase 'Ash Bukkake' - at length here. In addition, each of us wrote a short piece of prose inspired by the title 'Under The Crust,' all with different and entertaining results. You can listen to me read my contribution on the podcast, or if you'd rather read it you can do so over on my Patreon.

Nico also creates a cartoon drawing of each guest, and I rather like the one he's done of me. It's got more hair for a start... 

Anyway, that's the state of play at Castle Bestwick for now. See you again soon, and take care. Thanks, once more, to everyone who's sent kind words or other messages or gestures of support to us. 

The Judgement Call

My short story 'The Judgement Call' has had something of a chequered history. It was originally submitted for an anthology of Christmas horror stories, then was going to be a chapbook. When that didn't happen, it hovered in limbo, but finally found a new home with the lovely Aunty Fox, aka Adele Wearing at Fox Spirit.

It's Christmas Eve and businessman Miles is driving home through the rain, when his car goes off the road. Rescued from the crash, he finds himself in a cottage with three strange companions. A mysterious horn begins to blow, and one by one their guilty secrets are revealed. The Judgement Call has begun...


Fox Spirit will be publishing 'The Judgement Call' in chapbook form, together with another story: 'Along The Long Road' by Penny Jones. But I'll let Penny tell you about that:

"Come on, it’ll be fun." 
Beth wasn't sure why she agreed. Sienna's idea of fun wasn't the same as hers. Beth knew that the double date was a bad idea.

If you want to know more about 'Along The Long Road', you'll have to read it.

The cover artwork is by the always stellar Neil Williams.

Angels Of The Silences To Return!

Delighted to announce that my novella Angels Of The Silences is to be published in the US by Omnium Gatherum!

Cover art for Omnium's edition is still to be arranged; the image here is Neil Williams' artwork for the original 2011 Pendragon Press edition (long since sold out.)

Angels will be released in 2016. Further details to follow.

Two teenage girls have the kind of friendship we only often experience once in our lives. More sisters than blood sisters, spiky, argumentative but loyal and close, two sides of the same coin. That sort of friendship can’t be broken easily, even by death. And a terrible death at that. Yet, somehow, they are still “alive”, fleshed, clothed, and human in all but heartbeat.

There is a way to move on, but neither are inclined to do so, because, perhaps, there is a reason they’re still here on earth in the land of the breathing, where they go about their daily lives with their status unsuspected by friends and family alike. There is, they suspect, unfinished business.

But when the time comes, when is it right to move on and leave everyone and everything they love behind them?

Angels of the Silences is short, sharp and for me, immensely touching. The two girls are complete, three-dimensional, recognisable. Their plight is utterly realistic, yes, realistic, because there are dilemmas here; who to tell, how to deal with parents and other loved ones, with the possibility that the truth will out and that there will be questions, torment, terrible grief.

A compelling, intelligent and affecting story... Angels of the Silences is one of those brief but startling works that we stumble upon every now and then. Read it and I dare you not to be moved. - Terry Grimwood.

ETA: And here's Omnium Gatherum's official announcement!