Friday 10th May 2019

I find it hard to believe that two months have passed since my last journal entry. There is so much that has happened...

The Orison, Episode 2

I have finished a first-draft which describes an event in Gouta's quest to find a new home and family. It is currently 4,850 words long. Taking place two days after the events of Episode 1, it ends with a shocking cliff-hanger (just to warn you).

Why isn't it finished, already? Read on...

"Sabra on Mars" is now published

I am delighted to announce that my first published short story (a scifi "drabble" of only 560 words) appears in Nebula Tales Issue 3, available on Amazon, here...

Nebula Tales, Issue 3 - available for Kindle (£2.30), Kindle Unlimited, and in print (£6.92).

Blurb:

  • "In the third installment of Nebula Tales, we bring you thrills, chills, and more. A little romance on the horizon, Sabra says so. Want to continue the tales of Dual Destiny? We can do that. A fan of Trev Hill or Amanda Phoenix? We have them too! Step in and open your mind."

It has received a 5-star review too (and not from me!):

  • "This is my first time reading Nebula Tales, and I am utterly delighted! There is a wide range of science fiction, all crafted beautifully. I especially loved DW Brownlaw’s 'Sabra on Mars', which had a great twist ending. I recommend this magazine to readers, students, and my professor colleagues and will definitely buy past and future issues."

Wow.

Although the story is set on Mars, this is a semi-autobiographical tale of the memorable day I met the wonderful woman who became my soul-partner and wife of the last 38 years... with a few details changed, of course.

"Battle Hymn of the Asbahri" - a new scifi series

I have started a new episodic series - "The Battle Hymn of the Asbahri", which is a tale of Science Fiction, set in the technological and militarised world of Asbah - also in The Metaverse but far from Gouta's world.

Episode 1, "The Weight of the world"

This episode is a prologue to the series, but it is a complete tale brimming with classical literature, a love story, an historic mission into deep space, history, politics, clone technology, and a mystery that ties them together. All this in under 1,000 words.

I hope it may be published in an anthology later this year (watch this space), but it is available right now on this website and I sincerely hope you will enjoy reading it.

The anthology with no name (yet)

My Critiques Partner (PC Darkcliff, a published novelist of dark fantasy) has persuaded me to help him create an anthology of fantasy short stories, and I must say it has been a lot of fun getting the project off the ground. We have already received indications of interest from over 50 writers of short stories, some of them very widely published, and 12 actual story submissions to date. We have set a deadline of June 1st for submissions, and the auguries suggest that we should receive more than 30 entries ... from which we aim to select just 15, or so.

The plan is to spend June reading the stories to make the final selection, and then in July we will format the chosen stories, then create and publish the finished anthology.

This is new ground for both of us. We are taking baby steps along the way, occasionally stumbling (of course) but learning as we go. And it is tremendous fun! Luckily, our contributors are very supportive of this pair of publishing "n00bs". The project could not survive without their generous encouragement.

Of course, all this work this has had an impact on my own writing. The Orison has stalled, as already mentioned, and although I have drafted my own submission for this anthology with a working title of "Dragon Hunt", that too has languished for ten days, unedited. Instead, we have been sorting out some financial matters and are now putting the finishing touches to the review & selection process.

I assure you that when (not if) the anthology comes out, you will be amazed at the experience, calibre and reputation of the included authors. I have to pinch myself every day as I am in awe at working with people who are my personal writing heroes and inspirations. If you like fantasy short stories, or feel like trying this genre, then I promise you that this anthology will take your breath away!

"Dragon Hunt" (working title), fantasy

This one-off story exists as a very rough first-draft of 5,400 words (400 too long). This is the piece I hope to submit for the as-yet-unnamed-anthology, but it still requires much editing work ... if I can find the time!

It is set in The Metaverse, at a similar time to Gouta's story arc, though it is set far outside Freeport City. It concerns the exploits of four upper-class citizens of the city state of Waldemar - a rival to Freeport City, but similar in so many ways. It is a character-driven tale in which each person has a reason to be taking part in the hunt of a cornered dragon, yet each one has (or finds) reasons to hate the others. The story concludes with the ending of the hunt, where .......... "Spoilers!" See if you can guess or work out the ending from the clues before you get to it. But if not, I hope you will enjoy reading it anyway.

And read it you can, whether or not it is finished by the anthology's submission deadline. I intend that this story will appear on this website in a new collection of one-off stories about The Metaverse.