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A big event this week: the release of God Star, the third and final episode of the Triple Stars books, and a work of fiction that I’ve worked on for a number of years.

It’s great to have it out there.

The first reviews of new books are always slightly worrying to read – especially when the book is the concluding volume in a series, when (hopefully) lots of readers will be looking for a satisfying conclusion to the story they’ve been following! I’m happy to say the first review of God Star was good:

The scale of this story is breathtaking. The pace is relentless. In this respect it is a classic space opera. But this story has characters who are given opportunities to shine, for us to understand them and the events which have shaped them into what they have become – for good and for for bad. This is what I enjoyed so much. We also get to see the darker side of what happens when Evil is let loose – there are ethical issues explored in the story too. It’s what makes it such an intelligent read. I loved this trilogy so much! I cannot recommend it highly enough!

More here.

Meanwhile, my creative writing MA is kicking off, which I’m thrilled about. I’ve been getting slightly ahead of the game, working through week 1 of the course. The emphasis seems to be very much on getting into the habit of writing – something which I recognize I need to be better at. So, the timing is perfect now that I have more time.

I’ve also been working through ALL the notes and scraps I’ve kept over the years. So many of them! Poems, short stories, novels, snatches of dialogue, nice words, character ideas, random scribblings – it’s all there! I’ve been through and put everything into some sort of order. It took a while, but it was worth doing – hopefully it will all be a really valuable resource.

My urban fantasy/thriller novel The Eye Collectors is published by Elsewhen Press today.

The Eye Collectors

Her Majesty’s Office of the Witchfinder General

Protecting the public from the unnatural since 1645

When Danesh Shahzan gets called to a crime scene, it’s usually because the police suspect not just foul play but unnatural forces at play.

Danesh is an Acolyte in Her Majesty’s Office of the Witchfinder General, a shadowy arm of the British government fighting supernatural threats to the realm. This time, he’s been called in by Detective Inspector Nikola Zubrasky to investigate a murder in Cardiff. The victim had been placed inside a runic circle and their eyes carefully removed from their head.

Danesh soon confirms that magical forces are at work. Concerned that there may be more victims to come, he and DI Zubrasky establish a wary collaboration as they each pursue the investigation within the constraints of their respective organisations. Soon Danesh learns that there may be much wider implications to what is taking place and that somehow he has an unexpected connection. He also realises something about himself that he can never admit to the people with whom he works…

Ebook available now from all good ebook stores, with a print version following in November. Find out more.

Red Star, volume 2 of my Triple Stars trilogy, is released today. Lots more details on the Red Star page.

My 400th published piece is out today: They Shoot Unicorns, Don’t They? is a fantasy flash story published by Youth Imagination magazine.

400! How did that happen? Onwards to 500!

The Eye Collectors – my first Office of the Witchfinder General novel – will be published by Elsewhen Press this summer (ebook) and autumn (print). Here are the cover image and blurb, hot off the press:

The Eye Collectors

A story of Her Majesty’s Office of the Witchfinder General
Protecting the public from the unnatural since 1645

When Danesh Shahzan gets called to a crime scene, it’s usually because the police suspect not just foul play but unnatural forces at play.

Danesh is an Acolyte in Her Majesty’s Office of the Witchfinder General, a shadowy arm of the British government fighting supernatural threats to the realm. This time, he’s been called in by Detective Inspector Nikola Zubrasky to investigate a murder in Cardiff. The victim had been placed inside a runic circle and their eyes carefully removed from their head. Danesh soon confirms that magical forces are at work. Concerned that there may be more victims to come, he and DI Zubrasky establish a wary collaboration as they each pursue the investigation within the constraints of their respective organisations. Soon Danesh learns that there may be much wider implications to what is taking place and that somehow he has an unexpected connection. He also realises something about himself that he can never admit to the people with whom he works…

Find out more at Elsewhen Press.