David A. Riley's Blog, page 20

If someone treats you badly

 

Lucilla - a novella is now available in hardcover

My novella Lucilla, serialised last year in Bewildering Stories, is now available in hardcover for £13.99/$17.85. The cover artwork is by Jim Pitts.

It was just another standard day at the Women’s Refuge until the arrival of Lucilla. Then Miranda’s world was never the same again.
Unaccountably influenced by what the girl needed, her job, her friendships, even freedom itself were of no importance. It was not until her niece’s life was at risk that Miranda knew she had to act.
But what could she do against someone who had such a tight, insidious grip on her?

amazon UK £13.99

amazon.com $17.85

Yet Another Swords & Sorcery Story Completed: The Demon From Another World

Well, a week after I finished The Unhappy Inquisitor I have just finished another swords and sorcery tale: The Demon From Another World, which is a fantasy homage to the John Carpenter movie The Thing From Another World.

Included in this story, as the main character this time, is a mercenary who appeared in a much smaller part in The Unhappy Inquisitor, Horbeck. 

Whether it's any good I'll leave for others to decide, though it was fun to write.

From the opening page:

It crashed through the clouds in the deadof night, lighting up the sky as if it were day. The high-pitched scream thataccompanied it was as if a thousand dragons (if such creatures even existed,which most people doubted) were being slaughtered in agony. Down it hurtled, cleavingthe clouds and leaving behind a searingly bright trail that gradually dispersedan untold distance behind it.

When it crashed theearth shook far and wide, and those who were awakened by its reverberationsthanked whatever gods they had it was nowhere near where they lived, beforetrying to return to sleep again. For most it was a fitful night.

It landed in theendless wastes of the Great Desert, instantly turning a wide circle of sand scoresof miles across into rough, filmy, strange-looking glass beneath whose brittlesurface lay treacherous chasms.

Gradually,whatever was buried at its core began to cool.

It cooled for years.

 

Another new S&S story completed - The Unhappy Inquisitor

 Just put the final touches to another new swords and sorcery story, The Unhappy Inquisitor, set in the city of Assabarr, which was the original home of Ossani the Healer until the attentions of the powerful priesthood and its inquisitors forced him to leave (see Ossani's Slaves). This story, which is about a reluctant inquisitor who would much rather have been custodian of the priesthood's library of ancient scrolls, is 5600 words long.

Swan Song reprinted in Schlock! Webzine Volume 17 issue 13

I'd forgotten all about it but my story Swan Song, first published in the Black Books of Horror, has just been reprinted in the latest issue of Schlock! Webzine, Volume 17 issue 13.

In His Father's Footsteps to be published in Schlock Webzine in April 2024

I just received the good news this morning that Gavin Chappell will be including my horror story In His Father's Footsteps in the April issue of Schlock Webzine next year. 

I already have another story, An Oddity, in the January issue, so that's a great start to the New Year. Neither story has ever been published before.

New Swords & Sorcery story finished - The Troupe

On top of those mentioned in recent posts I have just completed another swords and sorcery story, 7300 words long: The Troupe, which centres around the troubles a group of travelling actors have with the ruling priestdom in the city of Assabarr. As he is still living there at this point in time, a recurring character appears in the tale: Ossani the Healer.

New S&S story finished - In the Temple of the Snake

Apart from a few tweaks I have finished another swords and sorcery story, a 8700 word tale called In the Temple of the Snake, which details the misadventures of an itinerant snake charmer. This all came about when I mentioned to my wife, Linden, that I needed to think of another character to write a swords and sorcery story about. I had already written about a carpetmaker and a storyteller. Straight away she said "How about a snake charmer?" And just a few days later... For quite a longish story this was written at breakneck speed, which is definitely not something that happens to me often.

(Hopefully) Final drafts of two stories finished

In the last few days I have hopefully finished the last drafts of two swords and sorcery stories:

Ezmiyel the Beggar - 4300 words

Vampires in Moratt - 8800 words

First draft of new story completed: Ezmiyel the Beggar

Last night I completed the first draft of a new swords and sorcery story Ezmiyel the Beggar, running at 6400 words. It also includes a recurring character, though at the moment I haven't named him in the story.