Writing Review of the Year

Everyone does one, and my annual summary makes me no exception.  So, how has my writing gone this year?
I’ve not had any new publications – my first barren year in that regard since 2010.  That doesn’t mean nothing has happened, though:

• ‘Snuff’ was accepted by Damnation Books.  It’s a brutal horror about a couple of women who are kidnapped and forced to take part in snuff movies.  It’s outside my usual subject area and comfort zone, and because of the violent content it took me a very long to get it to the ‘feel’ I wanted.  I’m very pleased with the end result, though.  I’ve had contact with my editor and look forward to working with him;
• ‘Footholder’ was accepted by Rebel ePublishers.  This is a retelling of a traditional Welsh story about a king who has to keep a maiden’s foot in his lap, or he will die.  Despite the unpromising premise it’s a wonderful story of love, war, power and betrayal and is my all-time favourite Celtic story.  I can only hope my retelling does the tale justice.  The title is to be confirmed;
• ‘Eton Mess’ was accepted by Keith Publications.  It’s an erotic novelette and follows Kerry-Jane and Amy’s visit to a Greek restaurant, where they indulge in the contents of the sweet trolley a little too enthusiastically.  Although not a sequel to ‘Art Class’, my other Keith publication, it does ‘star’ the same main characters;
• Last, but certainly not least, I finally met fellow writer Carole Ann Moleti nearly ten years after we first started exchanging critiques.  Meeting Carole and her family was 2014’s highlight.  Here we are at a restaurant in Salisbury:

So, what is there to look forward to in 2015?  Here’s what I’m working on at the moment:

• Hopefully, the above three works will be published.  If not, they should be pretty close to it by the end of 2015.
• ‘Dana’s Children’, accepted by Wild Child Publishing in 2013, is being edited at the moment.  It’s a splatter about a group of archaeologists who come across an unfriendly legendary tribe while exploring underground;
• ‘Trench’ is dark science fiction, which is a bit of a departure for me.  The novel features an archaeological dig of a World War One bunker, which reveals skeletons from much more recent times.  I’m very pleased with it and I’m quietly confident someone will want to publish it;
• I’m thinking of taking on another traditional Welsh story.  This one is about a man who takes a fairy wife.  Like ‘Footholder’ the original story is a bit bare and one of the attractions is being able to make up any backstory I like.  It also has the advantage of being set up the road from the family’s usual holiday destination so I know the setting well;
• A couple of sequels to ‘Art Class’ and ‘Eton Mess’.  Well, not quite sequels, but stories with the same characters and similar erotic themes;
• Two or three novellas and short novels of variable quality which I may or may not persevere with.

Finally, thank you to all those who have helped my writing during 2014, whether by critiquing my work on Critters or offline, or by providing encouragement, or by editing my work, or generally just being there when I’ve needed a shoulder or advice.  Particular mention, as usual, to Carole and Phil.