Deborah Sheldon's Blog, page 21
October 9, 2020
Christine Morgan's review of Body Farm Z
Acclaimed horror author Christine Morgan gives my zombie novel, Body Farm Z, a great review.
In part, she writes, "I know I’ve harped on this before, but I’m going to again – as long as clever authors continue to come up with fun twists and surprising takes and serve me up something I haven’t seen before, then NO, the zombie apocalypse is NOT played out. Sure, some (maybe too many) are samey-samey, but the ones that stand out make it all worthwhile. Body Farm Z definitely stands out... It’s gory, it’s funny, it’s a genuine treat!"
https://christinemariemorgan.wordpres...
In part, she writes, "I know I’ve harped on this before, but I’m going to again – as long as clever authors continue to come up with fun twists and surprising takes and serve me up something I haven’t seen before, then NO, the zombie apocalypse is NOT played out. Sure, some (maybe too many) are samey-samey, but the ones that stand out make it all worthwhile. Body Farm Z definitely stands out... It’s gory, it’s funny, it’s a genuine treat!"
https://christinemariemorgan.wordpres...
October 3, 2020
The Night's End Podcast - "Delirium of Negation"
The Night's End is a short story podcast. With a focus on dark speculative fiction, it hopes to leave you wishing for the night's end before each story is through.
Exclusively for its Patreon subscribers, The Night's End has produced my short story, "Delirium of Negation", first published in my award-winning collection, Perfect Little Stitches and Other Stories (IFWG Publishing Australia, 2017).
https://www.nightsendpodcast.com/
Exclusively for its Patreon subscribers, The Night's End has produced my short story, "Delirium of Negation", first published in my award-winning collection, Perfect Little Stitches and Other Stories (IFWG Publishing Australia, 2017).
https://www.nightsendpodcast.com/
September 27, 2020
SPAWN anthology - contributing authors revealed!
IFWG Publishing Australia will be releasing my anthology mid-year 2021. Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies will comprise stories from Australian writers obtained via commission and open callout.
I'm absolutely delighted to share the TOC:
“A Good Big Brother” – Matt Tighe
“Sins of the Mother” – Tracie McBride
“Beneath the Cliffs of Darknoon Bay” – Rebecca Fraser
“Mother Dandelion” – Antoinette Rydyr
“Family Unit” – Sean Williams
“The Still Warm” – Paul Mannering
“The Hot-and-Cold Girl” – Samantha Murray
“Expel the Darkness” – Robyn O’Sullivan
“My Sweet Porcupette” – Geraldine Borella
“Hair and Teeth” (reprint) – Deborah Sheldon
“Mother Diamond” – Janeen Webb
“The Remarkable Compass for Finding the Departed” – Charles Spiteri
“Empty Bellies” – Ash Tudor
“A Rose for Becca” (reprint) – Jason Fischer
“Grieving the Spirit” – Jack Dann
“A Sense of Belonging” – Mark Towse
“Gravid” – JM Merryt
“Motherdoll” – HK Stubbs
“The Red Shrine (Fingerless and Double-mouthed)” – Kaaron Warren
“The Phobia Clinic” – David Kuraria
“The Surrogate” – Renee De Visser
“Saturday Night at the Milk Bar” (reprint) – Gary Kemble
“The River is Deep” – Kat Pekin
I'm absolutely delighted to share the TOC:
“A Good Big Brother” – Matt Tighe
“Sins of the Mother” – Tracie McBride
“Beneath the Cliffs of Darknoon Bay” – Rebecca Fraser
“Mother Dandelion” – Antoinette Rydyr
“Family Unit” – Sean Williams
“The Still Warm” – Paul Mannering
“The Hot-and-Cold Girl” – Samantha Murray
“Expel the Darkness” – Robyn O’Sullivan
“My Sweet Porcupette” – Geraldine Borella
“Hair and Teeth” (reprint) – Deborah Sheldon
“Mother Diamond” – Janeen Webb
“The Remarkable Compass for Finding the Departed” – Charles Spiteri
“Empty Bellies” – Ash Tudor
“A Rose for Becca” (reprint) – Jason Fischer
“Grieving the Spirit” – Jack Dann
“A Sense of Belonging” – Mark Towse
“Gravid” – JM Merryt
“Motherdoll” – HK Stubbs
“The Red Shrine (Fingerless and Double-mouthed)” – Kaaron Warren
“The Phobia Clinic” – David Kuraria
“The Surrogate” – Renee De Visser
“Saturday Night at the Milk Bar” (reprint) – Gary Kemble
“The River is Deep” – Kat Pekin
September 4, 2020
Night's End Podcast - "The Sand"
The Night's End is a short story podcast. With a focus on dark speculative fiction, it hopes to leave you wishing for the night's end before each story is through.
This week, the Night's End produces my short story, "The Sand", first published in the award-nominated anthology, Beside the Seaside: Tales from the Daytripper (Things in the Well, March 2019).
https://www.nightsendpodcast.com/podc...
This week, the Night's End produces my short story, "The Sand", first published in the award-nominated anthology, Beside the Seaside: Tales from the Daytripper (Things in the Well, March 2019).
https://www.nightsendpodcast.com/podc...
September 3, 2020
Guest blog post on Criminal Element
Mysteries, thrillers and all things killer... Criminal Element features everything crime-related from excerpts to reviews to author essays and Q&As to various weekly features and original blog posts.
Criminal Element has published my guest blog post, "Top 10 Dark Fiction Books Written by Women":
https://www.criminalelement.com/top-1...
Criminal Element has published my guest blog post, "Top 10 Dark Fiction Books Written by Women":
https://www.criminalelement.com/top-1...
September 1, 2020
Flash fiction published in AntipodeanSF
AntipodeanSF is the online magazine that's devoted to the regular monthly publication of fabulous and original science-fiction, fantasy, or horror mini-stories of about 500 words each. Every issue is free to read.
The current issue, AntipodeanSF #264, includes my flash fiction piece, "Shedding":
https://www.antisf.com/the-stories/sh...
The current issue, AntipodeanSF #264, includes my flash fiction piece, "Shedding":
https://www.antisf.com/the-stories/sh...
August 14, 2020
Ebook giveaway of Contrition
The Horror Tree is giving away TEN ebook copies of my noir-horror novel, Contrition, which was nominated for the “Best Horror Novel” Australian Shadows Award. Entries close on 28 August.
https://horrortree.com/august-2020-gi...
The back-cover blurb of Contrition:
In her late teens, Meredith Berg-Olsen had all the makings of a runway model. Now in her late forties, after everything she had been through – including horrors that John could only guess at – she looked bloodless instead of pale, skeletal instead of slender, more dead than alive…
John Penrose has two secrets. One is the flatmate he keeps hidden from the world: his high-school sweetheart, Meredith. His other secret is the reason he feels compelled to look after her.
Contrition is a horror story with noir undertones and an atmosphere of mounting dread.
https://deborahsheldon.wordpress.com/...
https://horrortree.com/august-2020-gi...
The back-cover blurb of Contrition:
In her late teens, Meredith Berg-Olsen had all the makings of a runway model. Now in her late forties, after everything she had been through – including horrors that John could only guess at – she looked bloodless instead of pale, skeletal instead of slender, more dead than alive…
John Penrose has two secrets. One is the flatmate he keeps hidden from the world: his high-school sweetheart, Meredith. His other secret is the reason he feels compelled to look after her.
Contrition is a horror story with noir undertones and an atmosphere of mounting dread.
https://deborahsheldon.wordpress.com/...
August 12, 2020
Free sample of The Long Shot
Twelfth Planet Press is offering a FREE two-chapter sampler of my crime novella, The Long Shot.
https://claims.prolificworks.com/free...
The premise of The Long Shot:
Simone Parker visits her home town of Brownbeck after six long years away. When she witnesses a brutal bashing, police officer Mitchell Ross needs her testimony. Simone is keen to help, until she discovers her estranged sister, Claire, might be involved.
http://www.twelfthplanetpress.com/pro...
https://claims.prolificworks.com/free...
The premise of The Long Shot:
Simone Parker visits her home town of Brownbeck after six long years away. When she witnesses a brutal bashing, police officer Mitchell Ross needs her testimony. Simone is keen to help, until she discovers her estranged sister, Claire, might be involved.
http://www.twelfthplanetpress.com/pro...
August 9, 2020
Giveaway of my crime novella, The Long Shot
In her latest newsletter, award-winning fantasy novelist Tansy Rayner Roberts - who writes cosy crime mysteries under the pen name of Livia Day - is giving away three copies of my novella, The Long Shot, courtesy of Twelfth Planet Press. Entries close at the end of August.
https://mailchi.mp/b659eb82724e/small...
The premise of The Long Shot:
Simone Parker visits her home town of Brownbeck after six long years away. When she witnesses a brutal bashing, police officer Mitchell Ross needs her testimony. Simone is keen to help, until she discovers her estranged sister, Claire, might be involved.
http://www.twelfthplanetpress.com/pro...
https://mailchi.mp/b659eb82724e/small...
The premise of The Long Shot:
Simone Parker visits her home town of Brownbeck after six long years away. When she witnesses a brutal bashing, police officer Mitchell Ross needs her testimony. Simone is keen to help, until she discovers her estranged sister, Claire, might be involved.
http://www.twelfthplanetpress.com/pro...
August 6, 2020
Aurealis magazine review of Body Farm Z
Aurealis magazine #133 has a great review of my novel Body Farm Z (Severed Press).
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
In part, Chris Foster writes, "Body Farm Z opens like a crime novel, with short sharp writing, character-focused storytelling and a varied cast of personalities. It’s unapologetically Australian. Local wildlife is used to great effect, especially when the dead start rising. Decayed magpies flop, festering possum carcasses shed tufts of fur and a red kangaroo scratches its belly, uncaring to the bullet hole in its chest. Sheldon uses vivid imagery to grip the reader, gore almost splattering off the page..."
https://www.amazon.com/Body-Farm-Z-De...
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
In part, Chris Foster writes, "Body Farm Z opens like a crime novel, with short sharp writing, character-focused storytelling and a varied cast of personalities. It’s unapologetically Australian. Local wildlife is used to great effect, especially when the dead start rising. Decayed magpies flop, festering possum carcasses shed tufts of fur and a red kangaroo scratches its belly, uncaring to the bullet hole in its chest. Sheldon uses vivid imagery to grip the reader, gore almost splattering off the page..."
https://www.amazon.com/Body-Farm-Z-De...
