Karen Storey is the award-winning author of the brilliant debut novel THE APPROVAL OF SHEEP. Karen is a prolific short story writer, and and her memoir pieces have been published in The New York Times and the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and… her newsletter is written by her cat Tiffany. We’re going to discuss why you should set up a website and newsletter before you’ve finished your debut novel and much more…
Join us live: MONDAY 13TH APRIL, 8PM BST
Or join us on Youtube…
I’ve got a (sort of) short story in this excellent new collection of short stories from the listeners of the Bestseller Experiment podcast (click on the image to get your hands on a copy)…
Why only sort of? Here’s my authors’ note from the collection…
What you’re about to read is not exactly a short story. I did start one — honest, guv! — and it was a belter, all set in the world of my Witches of Woodville series. It started in the 1920s and ended in the 1970s*… which is where the problems started. As I began jotting down ideas for the story it soon became clear that I wasn’t about to squeeze it all into the allotted five thousand words. No, it soon became clear that this was going to be a whopper, perhaps even a novel all of its own. And things happen in the story that, at first, I thought I didn’t want to rush. Then it occurred to me that the real reason that I didn’t want to rush it was that, actually, I might not be ready to write them yet, as it meant saying a final farewell to certain characters. So I’ve popped that story back into a drawer at the back of my mind and will wait till the time is right to go back and see if I’m ready to finally [REDACTED] to poor old [REDACTED].
And if that wasn’t enough of a tease, then what you’re about to read is the first chapter of a thing that might never happen. It’s a new story, set in the world of the Witches of Woodville, and I’m still wondering where it might go, if anywhere. But I had great fun writing this opening chapter and I think it almost works as its own little standalone moment. So, in the spirit of mischief, I offer you The Canary Girls…
Happy reading, and please send all complaints to Miss Araminta Cranberry at the Woodville Village Library,
Mark Stay
*If you’ve ever wondered why the Woodville Village motto is ‘Witch-free since 1973’ this story was going to reveal all
So there you have it… and don’t forget, the anthology is packed with terrific stories from amazing authors, including (deep breath) W. J. Grupe, Jr, Rosie Stirling, Phil Oddy, Jeevani Charika, Jan Carr, Eva St. John, Dylan Blake, Anne Woodward, Angela C Nurse, Andrea Corzatt, BR Dexter, ZA Gowland, WA Leggatt, Trey Montague, Tommy Wills, Morgan Delaney, Kate Baker, Karen Storey, Julian Barr, Jocelyn Sordoni, GM White, GB Ralph, Gareth Lewis, Emmanuella Dekonor, Andrew Guile, Andrew Chapman, Alex Weight, SC Gowland.
Treat yourself…
I was delighted to be asked to contribute a story to the Law of Consequences anthology, which is available right now!
The anthology is the brainchild of Steve Gowland, W.A. Leggatt and G.M. White who wanted to create a collection that celebrated the talents of followers of the Bestseller Experiment podcast. There are some breathtakingly talented authors in these pages, some you might know, others you’ll be encountering for the first time. I can guarantee that you’re in for a real treat. Here’s a roll call of the authors…
And the cover art is by Lizzie Leggatt.
From surprises in hessian sacks, pubs run by stone golems, a curious packed lunch, questionable drink choices, to copper urns (best avoided), dogs in space, horrifying boarding schools, families torn apart by war, brooding strangers and suspicious jars of marmalade.
Discover drama, treachery, love and the unpredictable, and often astonishing outcomes of our actions. Each tale in ‘The Law of Consequences’ reveals the delicate balance between destiny and free will, light and shadow. Enter with an open mind…
I have a story in here, too! It’s called ‘Horrible’ and takes a moment from The End of Dragons and tells it from a completely new perspective. You don’t need to have read The End of Dragons to make sense of it. If anything, you’ll probably enjoy this moment in Dragons all the more if you read the short story first.
You can grab your copy of The Law of Consequences by clicking on the big button thing below…
And while you’re reading, why not enjoy a game of bingo? My story is the one with the hessian sack…
Great to chat with Harriet Tyce on the podcast, especially about “going too far” as an author. How far is too far for you?
We also pay tribute to Marcus Sedgwick who recently passed away far too young at the age of 54.
You can listen on all the usual podcast providers, and here’s the Youtube version…
Mark Stay Writes 