Writer of Dark Fiction
Monday, December 16, 2019
Loose Ends
So, this happened.
The latest anthology from Candy Jars books in the Lethbridge-Stewart universe featuring my short story, Remnant of a Haunting, which sees Anne returning to the Glencross, the scene of the novel A Very Private Haunting.
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Only the Dead
Having had a cold all last week, looking like death warmed up, and having difficulty lying down, it’s maybe little surprise I should recall a snippet of information once told to me by a National Trust volunteer. I cannot recall which property we were in but we lingered to look at a rather short double bed.
“How many people do you think slept in that?” the volunteer asked us.
Aware this must be a question with an unusual answer, we suggested, “Four?” Our thinking was that perhaps as there were no other sleeping arrangements and for warmth the parents kept their children in the bed with them.
“Six.”
I have to admit I blinked at the bed, mentally trying to calculate the extraordinary positions or height variations required to make them all fit but failed to come up with anything short of a nocturnal game of Twister. “Six?”
“Yes. How did they all fit?” She echoed the question revolving in my head. The answer is simple and one that explains why this sprang to mind last week.
They sat up because only the dead lay down.
Such was their belief but forced to sit to sleep all last week, the risk of drowning in unspeakable fluids while I slept too great, all I could do was to grumble at the idea. I hate having to sleep sitting up; the thought of doing it voluntarily makes me shiver with more dread than the notion ‘only the dead’ take up a horizontal position.
“How many people do you think slept in that?” the volunteer asked us.
Aware this must be a question with an unusual answer, we suggested, “Four?” Our thinking was that perhaps as there were no other sleeping arrangements and for warmth the parents kept their children in the bed with them.
“Six.”
I have to admit I blinked at the bed, mentally trying to calculate the extraordinary positions or height variations required to make them all fit but failed to come up with anything short of a nocturnal game of Twister. “Six?”
“Yes. How did they all fit?” She echoed the question revolving in my head. The answer is simple and one that explains why this sprang to mind last week.
They sat up because only the dead lay down.
Such was their belief but forced to sit to sleep all last week, the risk of drowning in unspeakable fluids while I slept too great, all I could do was to grumble at the idea. I hate having to sleep sitting up; the thought of doing it voluntarily makes me shiver with more dread than the notion ‘only the dead’ take up a horizontal position.
The Shadowman
A new reality has been created by the temporal disruption ripping through the causal nexus. Welcome to 1978… with a difference.
Anne Travers,co -founder of UNIT, and her husband, Bill, are celebrating their wedding anniversary in France, which is the perfect opportunity for Anne to catch-up with an old friend; Madeleine Bonnaire.
At the institute owned by Madeleine’s father, one professor is more interested in his own project than any work for which Bonnaire has hired him. His need for secrecy and his attitude irritates his assistant, Paul Larousse, who would prefer to dwell on his feelings for Madeleine. Meanwhile, Victor Bonnaire is not at all happy to hear of Anne’s visit, not least of all because he’s always viewed Anne as a bad influence on his daughter.
What seems like a simple case of familialfriction takes a bleak turn when a local unknown threat makes the news. Suspicion abounds and throws Anne and Bill into an unexpected mystery. What is the strange threat, and does it present a direct danger to anybody at the institute? Or to those who ask too many questions? Unable to walk away from her friend, Anne has no option but to investigate, little knowing she’s about to face the darkest shadow of her life so far.
Check out on the Candy Jar website.
Anne Travers,
At the institute owned by Madeleine’s father, one professor is more interested in his own project than any work for which Bonnaire has hired him. His need for secrecy and his attitude irritates his assistant, Paul Larousse, who would prefer to dwell on his feelings for Madeleine. Meanwhile, Victor Bonnaire is not at all happy to hear of Anne’s visit, not least of all because he’s always viewed Anne as a bad influence on his daughter.
What seems like a simple case of familial
Check out on the Candy Jar website.
The Best Popcorn
Something a little different today. I have to share my accidental best recipe for the lightest home popped popcorn.
I've a popcorn recipe book for both savoury and sweet flavours from which I've only tried a few recipes, but one stood out combining both sweet and salty flavours. It's simple enough and nice enough but one day I replaced the oil used with another and came up with the lightest popcorn with the salty, sweet taste that works out cheaper than store bought and likely healthier because goodness knows we all need to question what mass-produced products contain.
Take two tablespoons of coconut oil, melt in a lidded pan. Once melted
increase the heat, and drop in a couple of handfuls of popping corn
kernels. Shake the pan intermittently and when the first piece of corn
pops, quickly lift the lid and drop in a heaped tablespoon of sugar.
(Tip: put the sugar into a saucer, or ramekin or pot ready as it's far
less likely to spill and makes it easier and faster to drop the lid back
on).
Keep shaking the pan now and then until the popping slows and almost stops then remove from the heat. Tip corn into a bowl and then sprinkle on a little salt as you like it.
I found this a good substitute for salty, sweet corn and corn popped in coconut oil to be light and crisp.
I've a popcorn recipe book for both savoury and sweet flavours from which I've only tried a few recipes, but one stood out combining both sweet and salty flavours. It's simple enough and nice enough but one day I replaced the oil used with another and came up with the lightest popcorn with the salty, sweet taste that works out cheaper than store bought and likely healthier because goodness knows we all need to question what mass-produced products contain.
Keep shaking the pan now and then until the popping slows and almost stops then remove from the heat. Tip corn into a bowl and then sprinkle on a little salt as you like it.
I found this a good substitute for salty, sweet corn and corn popped in coconut oil to be light and crisp.
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