Cate Gardner's Blog, page 14
August 9, 2015
Where the Artwork Rocks
My story When the Moon Man Knocks will appear in issue 48 of Black Static, due out this September. The artwork is by the awesome Richard Wagner and is perfect.
July 31, 2015
All the things she read - July
For a while now, I've not been reading as much as I should and my to read pile is seriously dusty (or would be if I didn't dust the shelves). My attempt with posts like this is to encourage me to stop faffing about on Facebook and get back to reading all of the things...New entries to my 'to read pile' for this month':
Albion Fay by Mark Morris
Leytonstone by Stephen Volk
The Last Bus by Paul M Feeney
Probably Monsters by Ray Cluley (which came with a mini story on a postcard)
Gemsigns by Stephanie Saulter
No One Gets Out Alive by Adam Nevill
Shimmer - issue 26
Fabulous Beasts by Priya Sharma
What I have read this month:
Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel
Leytonstone by Stephen Volk
Short Stories:
Wolves and Witches and Bears by Alison Littlewood (Nightmare)*
The Ghost of you Lingers by Kevin McNeil (The Dark)*
An Ocean of Eyes by Cassandra Khaw (The Dark)
End Game by Barry Charman (Daily SF)
The Cork won't Stay by Nate Southard (Nightmare)*
Things to do after they're gone by Mimi Mondal (Daily SF)
*Favourite short stories this month
July 30, 2015
Fearful Fathoms
Found this interesting submission call while trawling the internet.
Fearful Fathoms: Collected Tales of Aquatic Terror
Looking for stories set in or around water that are dark, atmospheric and chilling.
Submission Period: August 1st to August 31st
Word Count: 2000 to 5000 words
Payment: 1 cent per word with a maximum payment of $50
Full details (including some very specific formatting) can be found at Scarlet Galleon Publications.
And if you're stuck for watery inspiration, you could read this British Fantasy Award nominated novella, Water for Drowning by the awesome Ray Cluley. See how I slid that in there. I am so tricky.
July 25, 2015
Mental Health Day
Over the past ten days, I have written three stories and sent them out into the world, completed the first drafts of a further two, and am in the process of writing the first draft of a further story. Getting back to what I love doing after a very dry period has meant that his week I have felt happier and more confident (an acceptance from Black Static may also have helped) than I have in some time. I really thought I couldn't do this any more.
In the good old days, when I wrote all of the things, I rarely gave myself any time off and if I did slack, I admonished myself. In theory, I could have closeted myself away today and written until I felt so tired that I couldn't think, and at one point I was very tempted to do that. Instead, this is how today went, and it was excellent therapy for my poor, often broken, head. First, I slipped off the rocky route of my diet when we went to lunch at the frankly amazing Sawasdee Thai Restaurant in Birkenhead - if you're in the area and I know you, we have to eat there. I allowed myself this slip as it was a healthy lets have a lovely lunch together rather than my usual, lets hide under my desk and consume all of the chocolate.
Then we went to Bidston Hill, which is a five minute and then a ten minute bus ride from our new home on the Wirral. My Bestwick had told me of the windmill on top of a hill, and I, despite living in the Merseyside area for my entire life didn't know of it. He is a get on a bus and see what you can find person. He's turning me into one of those people too. We climbed over rocks and up the not-very-steep hill and sat on a bench that overlooked my magnificent city...
... having temporarily run out of books to read for the British Fantasy Awards (I'm one of the Horror Novel judges) and waiting for more to be delivered, I picked up Stephen Volk's Leytonstone on the way out and the magnificent prose drew me from this awesome view. I've been very lax with reading lately and my to read pile is overflowing and my to buy pile is dragging at my heart. I'm going to break soon and buy all of the things.
We got lost on the way back because this is us and ended up walking through a very nice housing estate that we will never move to because it is very much in the middle of nowhere. Eventually we found our way to a main road and a bus route, which was five minutes walk from the exit, but we managed to turn it into a half-hour walk - we need the exercise. We're having a barbecue tonight because obviously when you slip from a diet you have to do it in style. It's the first barbecue either of us have done so if you're in the area expect fire engines, scorched plants and soot-faced writers.
July 21, 2015
Where I Moon Dance
At the beginning of the year, I announced that after three hundred and seventy-four years, I had finally sold a story to Black Static. We all have goals as writers and this was one of mine. I did it, mum. Seeing a story of mine within its pages was phenomenal.
Today, Andy Cox accepted my novelette, When the Moon Man Knocks, for Black Static. I opened, read and closed the email about six times before the words made sense - my brain automatically read it as a rejection. I did it again, mum. Maybe I should read the email one more time just to be sure.
July 9, 2015
Edge-Lit
This weekend I will be at Edge-Lit in Derby where my novella, The Bureau of Them, will be released alongside Stephen Volk's Leytonstone and Mark Morris' Albion Fay. The paperbacks are usually £10 each, but you can get all three from Spectral Press (or at the event) for £25. The event runs from 3:15 to 4:05 on Saturday and is taking place in The Box (sounds ominous). If you get there early, we'll each be reading from our respective novellas - cue desperate laughter.
Hope to see you there.
June 11, 2015
Ear Plugs
So this is me on the radio last Saturday in sunny Manchester. Well, it was Sunny when we arrived in Manchester, and raining by the time we left. I think the sky was weeping because I'd blathered on for nearly two hours. I hear it's still crying somewhere.
Anyhow, here is me being interviewed by the lovely Hannah Kate.
Hannah's Bookshelf 06/06/15 - with special guest Cate Gardner by Hannah's Bookshelf on Mixcloud
If the above doesn't work for you (my internet is wonky so I can't test it properly), you can find links here and here.
Anyhow, here is me being interviewed by the lovely Hannah Kate.
Hannah's Bookshelf 06/06/15 - with special guest Cate Gardner by Hannah's Bookshelf on Mixcloud
If the above doesn't work for you (my internet is wonky so I can't test it properly), you can find links here and here.
June 5, 2015
Hiss, Crackle & Making Sounds Only Dogs Will Hear
Gather your pooches around the radio this Saturday (6 June) between 4pm and 6pm and tune in to North Manchester FM (106.6FM), where I'll be talking to Hannah Kate about books and possibly gabbling that fast and that high that only dogs will hear my squeaks.
Don't worry if your dog seems temporarily possessed he/she will regain full use of their legs once they have processed what they've just been subjected to. All humans should remain unaffected.
Don't worry if your dog seems temporarily possessed he/she will regain full use of their legs once they have processed what they've just been subjected to. All humans should remain unaffected.
May 25, 2015
May 4, 2015
Hunting Finches
Paul Finch's latest Heck novel, Hunted, is released this week and you can meet Paul in Waterstones Liverpool One store on Wednesday 6th May 2015 at 18:30 where he'll be in conversation with Luca Veste.
Paul and his wife Cathy are awesome folk so if you're in the local area, come give Paul your support. The Bestwick and I will either be cheering from the front row (him) or the back row (me).
