Just a reminder that this coming Thursday (30th October) I will be reading at a special preview event for Parthian's anthology of new gothic fiction A Flock of Shadows at Mozart's Bar, Swansea.

"Between these pages, blurring the lines of good and evil, the monstrous reality and the monstrous imagine, are gothic stories for modern times. Here, buildings pursue their own malevolent intents; a grieving father and daughter receive an unexpected and grisly visitor; a man is unravelled by strange symbolism in a twilit park; and a botanist will stop at nothing to safeguard her borders."

The candlelit event starts at 7pm, and will feature readings from some of the contributors.

My short story 'The Office Block' has been selected as one of thirteen stories for Parthian's new contemporary gothic anthology A Flock of Shadows.

Returning home the next evening, Mr. Owen paused at his front gate. The office block, stained by rainwater, loomed through the mist. It interrogated him, posing questions without words. On his way to work that morning he had not been able to shake the image of it from his mind, its silent laughter echoing through his skull like footsteps on wrought iron. Something had to be done.

Edited by Claire Houguez and Rebecca Parfitt, in partnership with The Ghastling magazine, A Flock of Shadows is a response to "the namby-pampy vampires and hipster witches [of] mainstream fiction." It includes new stories from Howard Ingham, Carly Holmes, Mark Blayney, Bethany W. Pope, Laura Wilkinson, Jo Mazelis, Morgan Downie, Shirley Golden, Amanda Mason and myself.

"Between these pages, blurring the lines of good and evil, the monstrous reality and the monstrous imagine, are gothic stories for modern times. Here, buildings pursue their own malevolent intents; a grieving father and daughter receive an unexpected and grisly visitor; a man is unravelled by strange symbolism in a twilit park; and a botanist will stop at nothing to safeguard her borders."

Though the anthology won't be available in bookshops until February next year, I will be reading alongside other contributors at a special Halloween preview event at Mozart's Bar, Swansea, on Thursday 30th October (7pm), where advance copies of the book will be available to buy. Hope to see you there!