Naked Ambition and the Shutterbug
An original short story by Jason Graff.
The Partisan: Part One
An original extract from an on-going work by Ivor Starkey, set in the Spanish Civil War.
Paintings Of Your Fear
An excerpt from Luke Gilfedder’s upcoming novel ‘Die When I Say When’, redolent of the Halloween mood.
Fragments
An original short story on the vicissitudes of the human heart by Henry Cocteau
A European Summer
The dry, acrid heat of ancient Spain linger in this original short story by Ivor Starkey
Family Around, No One Corrected
An original short story by Jason Graff
On Capri
An original short story by Amory Crane
Nether Fear: An Extract from ‘Die When I Say When’
An exclusive extract from Luke Gilfedder’s novel, ‘Die When I Say When’.
To Hear from Tongues of Flesh
An original short story by A. R. Duncan
Dawn Polyphony: A Translation from Antonio de Zayas’ ‘Byzantine Jewels’ (1902)
C. Sandbatch’s translation of the opening poem of Antonio de Zayas’s 1902 poetic sequence, ‘Byzantine Jewels’.
Child’s Play
How blurred can the lines between hunter and hunted become? Dinah Kolka explores this with another original story of horror among the Scottish highlands.
Bidh cuimhne gu bràth air na mairbh
A short story by Dinah Kolka
Accident and Emergency
Author: Ivor Starkey “El placer es el relámpago irrisorio del contacto entre el deseo y la nostalgia” Nicolás Goméz Dávila Here are the frontlines of pseudo-civilisation, where our sedentary and sterile lifestyles are paid for by yet more sitting still. All around are city faces. Men stare blankly and dream of their absent lovers whilst…
St George and the Dragon and the Skirt
Author: George Marsden The prized relic in the Church of St George at Diospolis, towards the end of the 4th century at least, was a torn skirt. It hung from the wall just behind the altar, where its exalted position benefited from the shafts of light that entered from the south-facing door. I say benefited:…
The Destitution of Abundance
Author: Dinah Kolka Sat on the edge of the cliff, looking down at the green slopes unravelling before me, I knew I was to make a choice. Years of fighting were still ahead of me, and I felt the need for glory and blood. This yearning I could not reject; it was the calling I…
The Ring
Author: Eva McFarlane Encased in my perfect velvet box, I had lain in wait for the question to be popped; for the flooding of joyous tears to resound with a heartfelt ‘yes.’ I was displayed proudly for some time behind polished glass for the right young man with lovesick eyes and a boyish grin to…
Nostos
Author: Ivor Starkey. Ivor is an undergraduate studying Modern Languages at the University of Bristol. Last year, he came first place in the Roger Scruton Legacy Foundation’s Essay Contest in the 6th form category. ‘In his desolation he wrote a poem on a palm which he transplanted from the land of his ancestors – for,…
Lucy Learns to Fly
Author: Mateusz Kowalski. Mat is a neurospicy chaos incarnate working in the video games industry. Fan of everything occult, horror, fantasy and retro with an occasional sprinkle of sci-fi and Magic: The Gathering. A self-proclaimed failed cook. ‘Ah, the devil! The devil hath descended upon us!’ A hysterical scream tumbled through the church naves like…
The Rocket
Author: Alexander d’Albini is an AngloFuturist. He has written several articles as well as a book on the philosophy which underpins AngloFuturism. He is also an armchair theologian with hundreds of articles on the Bible and writes a newsletter on Anglo-Saxon Christianity. These can be read on his Substacks, Tower of Adam, Tales of Old…
Christmas Horror Competition Entry 9: A Link to the Past
Author: John Foster. John lives Dumbarton, Scotland. John has worked in local government for over twenty years and is a project manager. He is passionate about writing, an interest he pursues in his spare time. He especially likes exploring the use of different narrative forms and distinctive voices to convey compelling stories in interesting new…
Christmas Horror Competition Entry 8: Father Christmas
Author: Gary McLean. Gary is from Livingston, West Lothian. He is 30 years old and loves the works of Stephen King, Thomas Olde Heuvelt, John Avidje Lindqvist and Graham Masterton. He’s only been writing for the last couple of years and they tend to be in the horror genre. Little Danny loved Christmas. It was his favourite…
Christmas Horror Competition Entry 7: Evergreen
Author: Archer Glory. Archer is a keen writer of short stories who is currently working on their debut novel. They also enjoy Japanese Anime, video-gaming and music-making. I had always dreamed of freedom. How was I to know it would come at such a price? I used to gaze up at the heavens, jealous of…
Christmas Horror Competition Entry 6: Maybe You’ve Got a Point
Author: Greg Beatty. Greg writes poetry, short stories, children’s books, and a range of nonfiction. He’s published hundreds of works—everything from poems about stars to essays on cooking disasters. When he’s not writing, he walks with his dog, dabbles in the martial arts, plays with his grandchildren, and teaches college. “Um…” David stared at the huge…
Christmas Horror Competition Entry 5: No Luck, Rudolph
Author: Kevin Edgar. Kevin has been writing horror, crime and supernatural stories for the last ten years. He enjoys photography, playing guitar, and sax as well as learning the intricate nature of 3D modelling. ‘Cover your nose, Rudolph. We’re trying to get some sleep,’ said Prancer. The other reindeer snorted in approval. ‘You’re all…
Christmas Horror Competition Entry 4: A Figure of Some Substance
Author: Iain Bain. Iain has had short stories published in literary magazines, anthologies and the web, short drama performed, and sketches, songs and a comedy-drama series broadcast by BBC Radio Scotland. He spent several years working as a desk editor for some of the larger UK publishers and the BBC. A former Scottish Book Trust…
Snake-Themed Creative Writing Competition: 3rd Place – The Snake in My Flat
Author: Adam Houten. The snake lives just inside the door to my flat. It does not let me leave. Sometimes it slithers into my room and stares at me balefully. Those days I hold and hold in my bodily functions until I can’t hold them in anymore and must make a wild dash to the…
Snake-Themed Creative Writing Competition: 2nd Place – The Children of Clay
Author: Andrew R Duncan. Andrew is a watcher and writer from Edinburgh, Scotland. An observer of decline and decay; a witness to the end and rebirth. Writes the Stories of Winter. The great Earth Serpent swam through the cosmic ocean in a frenzied flight; she would not stop. Every twist and turn and spasm was animalistic…
Snake-Themed Creative Writing Competition Winner: Snake Cell Dreams
Author: Sandeep Kumar Mishra is an artist, an author, a teacher and an editor. His work has been shortlisted for ‘Wells Story Prize-2024’, ‘Page Turner Award-2024’, ‘Pencraft Book Award-2024’, ‘Westerwood Story Award-2024, ‘Plough Prize-24′, Fish Prize-24’, “The Next Generation Story Award-24”, “2023 Commonwealth Story Prize,” “2021 International Book Awards,” and “52nd New Millennium Award-2021,”MPT Story…
Crimson Reign
Author: Eva McFarlane. Eva is a graduate of Edinburgh Napier University with a BA (Hons) degree in English, she is a current student in the MA Creative Writing programme. Originally from Edinburgh, she enjoys all writing with a Gothic twist, primarily within the dark fantasy and horror genres. She is also a poet, with her…
Vampire of Munich – Part 3 (Final)
Author: Gomery Kimber is the author of six novels, including the Big Shilling hitman trilogy, the Justin Martello adventures (‘A New Kind of Hero’), and the Wyvern series of historical novels (esotericism and espionage). In 2023, Gomery Kimber was chosen by best-selling author Mark Dawson as the winner of the SPF Foundation Thriller Award. Subscribe…
Christmas Competition Entry 3: Frostbitten
Author: Keith Foreman. Keith is a self-confessed Lovecraft nerd and member of the Edinburgh Writing Collective. He lives in Scotland, and would probably get more writing done if he wasn’t also playing Roleplaying Games. You stop being able to hear it, after a while. I don’t mean the whisper ghosting of the snow settling around…
Christmas Horror Entry 2: The Holly King’s Warning
Author: Fraser Payne. Fraser is a writer and storyteller with a penchant for exploring the eerie and uncanny hidden within the everyday. Growing up in Scotland, Fraser developed a fascination with folklore and the dark, twisting tales whispered around the hearth. When not writing, Fraser can be found hiking through ancient forests, collecting old books,…
The Vampire of Munich – Part 2
Author: Gomery Kimber is the author of six novels, including the Big Shilling hitman trilogy, the Justin Martello adventures (‘A New Kind of Hero’), and the Wyvern series of historical novels (esotericism and espionage). In 2023, Gomery Kimber was chosen by best-selling author Mark Dawson as the winner of the SPF Foundation Thriller Award. Subscribe…
Toy Soldiers
Author: Eva McFarlane. Like toy soldiers, we are thrust into battle. The ground underfoot is hard and cold, littered with the broken remains of my fellow soldiers; I shiver at the realisation that such an end could have been my own… it still could be. “Turner!” I flinch at my name being called. It is…
The Vampire of Munich – Part 1
Author: Gomery Kimber is the author of six novels, including the Big Shilling hitman trilogy, the Justin Martello adventures (‘A New Kind of Hero’), and the Wyvern series of historical novels (esotericism and espionage). In 2023, Gomery Kimber was chosen by best-selling author Mark Dawson as the winner of the SPF Foundation Thriller Award. Subscribe…
The Voice in My Head
Author: Craig Ewan. I sit on my bed, in front of the mirror. I stare at my reflection. I let my hair fall back down. The tension of my ponytail flees. I take off my makeup, it is clumpy, my mascara has dripped down my face, and tear stains drape my cheeks. My eyes are…
The Venatio – an excerpt from Luke Gilfedder’s novel
Author: Luke Gilfedder. Luke is a writer from Manchester, set to launch his debut novel, The Venatio, in 2025. Previously, he worked as a playwright, with scripts produced at The Royal Exchange Manchester, the Lyric Hammersmith, and in London’s West End. He has recently completed a PhD on the life and work of Wyndham Lewis. THE VENATIO…
Assassin of London – an excerpt from Gomery Kimber’s novel
Author: Gomery Kimber is the author of six novels, including the Big Shilling hitman trilogy, the Justin Martello adventures (‘A New Kind of Hero’), and the Wyvern series of historical novels (esotericism and espionage). In 2023, Gomery Kimber was chosen by best-selling author Mark Dawson as the winner of the SPF Foundation Thriller Award. Subscribe…
The Crow
Author: Dustin Lawrence Lovell. Reciter of Shakespeare, reader of Dostoevsky, and raconteur of tales from his time at Oxford, Dustin Lovell has written for The Mallard, Silence and Starsong, and other publications, and his novel Sacred Shadows and Latent Light is available on Amazon. He lives near Pasadena, California, where he splits his time between chasing his kids, tutoring,…
We’ve Been Expecting You
Author: Giulia Prodiguerra. Italian-Scottish writing aficionado, jack of a very few trades. Loves art in all forms, has a soft spot for videogames (but not very good at it). Vincent knew he was lost. Inevitably, surely, definitely lost. He had stopped for a moment to catch his breath, and all he could see were thick…
Moorland
Author: Dinah Kolka. Dinah is the founder of Decadent Serpent and a graduate of Edinburgh Napier University with a BA(Hons) in English Literature. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Salisbury Review and The Mallard. She was also published in the Scottish Book Trust’s 2018 anthology Rebel. In 2023, Dinah self-published her…
The Milk Run
Author: Jamie Hall. Jamie is a Scottish master’s student of publishing at Edinburgh Napier who likes to write on the odd occasion. He specialises in writing near-future dystopian fiction and is an avid reader, primarily science fiction and other genres. ‘Blip’ goes the HomeDashTM ‘FarmTec Milk’, it flashes, displaying the usual Tec logo but with a…
A Dawn Red and Gold
Author: Andrew R Duncan. Andrew is a watcher and writer from Edinburgh, Scotland. An observer of decline and decay; a witness to the end and rebirth. Writes the Stories of Winter. Through moorland, they went, on their endless and frenzied descent, one always in front of the other. They slept swaddled in heather and waded…
(T)here
Author: Giulia Prodiguerra. Italian-Scottish writing aficionado, jack of a very few trades. Loves art in all forms, has a soft spot for video games (but not very good at it) The phone rang, punctual as usual. “Hey.””Hey, good morning.” The first tower, on top of the main hill, had been built a few years ago,…
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