New jobs and current projects

I've let this space fall quiet over the last year or so, partly because it was almost a year ago I landed my first full-time job, as a copyeditor, and also because I came to the conclusion - around that time - that my writing efforts should now be spent, chiefly, on writing longer pieces - novellas and, eventually, novels.

With this in mind, a couple of weeks ago I launched a new project called High Rise Barbican. It's going to be a serialised longer piece, perhaps short-novel length, set in a decadent post-apocalyptic present. I've also set up a new Twitter account for it, which I plan to keep updated with notes on the story, on the narrative and the ongoing writing process, and also on anything I think is relevant - basically any television shows, films, books, computer games and comics that deal in some way with the apocalyptic.

Here's the blog - http://highrisebarbican.blogspot.co.uk

And here's the Twitter account -twitter.com/HRBarbican

Eventually, my hope is that I'll have an artist I know churning out the occasional abstract illustration for the story, as well as a Youtube channel with dramatised readings.

Maybe I'll even have a web wizard put together a nicer platform.

Stay tuned on the High Rise Barbican, anyway, and auf wiedersehen for now.

A reprint of one of my previously published stories is now available to read on Fickle Muses.

7 Out Of 10 have kindly published One Amongst Many - a piece I've written about the epic battle and its depiction in computer games. I'm calling for a more believable approach closer to the kind we see in film or read in literature. As a post-script I wish I'd mentioned Kingdom Under Fire (Xbox) and its upcoming sequel - but I suppose I still would've raised the same issues. Give it a read if you're interested in computer games, or partial to the odd historical epic.

The lovely editors of Fickle Muses have agreed to reprint one of my previously published (and now unavailable) stories some time later this year. I'll post here when it's featured.

Illustration for the novelette I have in the oven - courtesy of my brother.

Hard to believe it's been just over a year. I did a double take when I saw the date on the last post. In the last year I've had one piece of short fiction published and that was in my university's 'best of' yearly anthology, which can be purchased... somewhere online... I don't know where. Got my copy free of charge, naturally.

Anyway, the novelette is undergoing its second draft. The work required is fairly extensive. In other words, it's crap. At present.

More to follow.

A new story of mine is up at The Absent Willow Review. There will probably be less short stories from me in the coming months. University work is hectic, plus I've been concentrating--when I have the time to write--on a longer piece. Maybe a novella, or longish novelette. Hopefully I'll have the stamina to see it through and do something with it in the summer.