Greetings, Creatures! Apologies for the radio silence – I’ve been busy working away on novel II, HellSans, and I’m pleased to say it’s going well and I’m almost there.
I’m just popping by to say a bit about the other things I’ve been up to and the events that are ahead this year.
I was commissioned to write a Freedom Paper for the Edinburgh International Book Festival in August. I wrote about disability and (anti)capitalism and it’s now available to read online: What Is To Come.
Towards the end of last year I had the honour to be included in two fantastic new zines from two brilliant new publishers – Hedera Felix’s weird, eerie, and experimental Mycelia and Bloodbath’s horror zine with the theme of ‘Bodies’ (second issues of both are currently in the works). I read my office-based body horror Miss West’s Requisitions at Bloodbath’s launch on Halloween and had a blast. I didn’t manage along to the Mycelia launch, but I’ll be reading at their free Aye Write Book Festival event in Glasgow on Saturday 16 March 3pm-4pm, which includes a performance artist, and an experimental reading group. Come along!
My first event of the year was the first Listen Softly event in Edinburgh since they moved up from London. Hosted by the wonderful Golden Hare Books, it was a great night of weird fiction featuring myself, Gavin Inglis, Neil Chue Hong, and open mic readings from JH Campbell, Siobhan Claude, and Hannah McCooke. I read extracts from Goblin, my story No One Belongs Here But Us (which is in Mycelia), along with an extract from my recommended book Things We Lost In The Fire by Mariana Enriquez. It was a lovely night with a great atmosphere – keep an eye out for Listen Softly’s monthly events.
I’m very pleased to be involved in the first literary festival in Scotland to focus on science-fiction, horror, and fantasy – the mighty Cymera will be taking place in Edinburgh 7-9th June, and I’ll be running a workshop on defamiliarisation on Saturday 8 June 12pm-1.30pm. There’s an array of cracking workshops available, and the whole programme is pretty exciting. I’m glad that sci-fi, horror, and fantasy are getting the platform they deserve. Tickets go on sale today, Monday 11 March.
I’ll be appearing at another new lit fest to talk about Goblin, but the programme is still to be announced, so check my social media for updates.
The most exciting news I have to share is that David Evans’ book on the Manic Street Preachers’ Holy Bible is out in May. I had the absolute pleasure of reading an early version and teared up as I read it – not at the subject matter, but from sheer joy because Evans got it so right. This really is the book that album deserves and I can’t wait to hold it in my hands. I’m really pleased to be included in it myself – David interviewed artists who’ve been influenced by the Manics/The Holy Bible. I know teenage me would be thrilled that I’m included in a book about an album that had such a huge impact on my life and practice (current me is thrilled). I’ll definitely be writing a review for these bloody walls, but it’ll have to wait until after I’ve finished HellSans. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with Faster. Stay weird, creatures x
blood on forgotten walls 
Busy creative creature indeed. Never apologise for social media silence when writing. Us eager readers anticipate next novel and other stories. Do public readings get easier to me they’d seem daunting. Great result in feature in
Manics book. Decades of dedication rewarded. Ta. Ash
Thanks, Ash!
I’m still not 100% comfortable with them, but they definitely get easier – I’ve come a long way since the Goblin launch (I was a mess of anxiety. These days I’m just a bit nervous).
Thank you – I’m so excited about the Manics book. It’s amazing.