POUNDING THE KEYS

Glamorgan MPhil & Free Story

2010-05-02T13:45:00.000-07:00

Not one of the chosen 8 for the writing MPhil at Glamorgan, but asked if I want to be on the shortlist if someone drops out. Certainly!

A short environmental Flash I wrote some time ago:

Evans

Evans is dead. The heat, lack of air, maybe the bugs, brought him down. I won't have to listen anymore to him whinging on about the perils of time-travel.

He was never a real eco-warrior, just a Swansea scientist playing at it. His idea was good though, repopulate the rainforests with stock from the Carboniferous period, trees and shrubs that could handle the 22nd Century climate. Enough planted across the world and we could throw away our breathing masks, could leave the burrows.

Evans's machine worked, but then we found you can only travel backwards, not forwards, in time. Even if we could operate the controls without the inventor, what would be the point in voyaging to an earlier period?

I think I'll sit with my back to my favourite giant fern and wait to be petrified, to become coal.

Escaping Stasis

2010-04-23T03:18:00.000-07:00

Well 2009 went by in a blur with very little achieved and 2010 is almost 1/3 complete with no publication or competition placing to show for it. On the bright side, there's still 2/3 of the year left and I have been writing a lot, just not successfully. One 5,000 word story has been returned so many times that I've edited it to such sharpness a Health & Safety warning will be needed for readers. A good learning experience.

Work has taken up a lot of energy but having a week off has rebooted my system. I've gone back to Incomers - basically a novel of witchcraft, gangsters and nimbyism - with a determination to conclude the first draft before I go on vacation to Cyprus.

I've also decided to occassionally post some of my recent unpublished work to hopefully entertain - feel fere to comment. The rather morbid piece below is a reworked version of an unsuccessful entry in the Ambit 200 competition.

Choices

James looks down on the market square from his hotel; sipping Earl Grey brewed in water stale from a night in the kettle. He is coming to a decision and the taste matches his mood.

The bed has not been slept in but the coverlet and pillows are creased where he has rested, washed in colour and sound from the cable TV. On the dressing table, the blade of a Stanley knife glows in the early morning light.

Because of foolishness, because he is a risk taker, he has lost everything: house, wife, and children. He could fight to get them back or let himself fall into the despair that has kept him from sleep for the past three days.

The knife calls, offering a swift exit if used properly, the veins shredded lengthwise like runner beans so the blood flows easily.

James flicks on his mobile and checks the signal strength before selecting the video function. It will be a message to his family. He will finish the tea before deciding its content.

EDF Anthology

2009-10-31T08:09:00.001-07:00

Just learned that 'Bag Lady Blues' will be included in this year's Every day Fiction anthology.

Rejected but NOT Dejected

2009-09-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

Didn't get into Glamorgan but some strong encouragement to apply next year.

On holiday at friend Colin Harbour's place in Cyprus I managed to get my horror novel, 'Incomers' off to a good start. Subsequently Colin saved the day by getting my laptop to reboot after I gave it a glass of water to drink!

'Jam Sponge and Pudding' has drained me a little so it's on the back burner for a while.

Time's Winged Chariot

2009-07-12T07:19:00.000-07:00

Over half way through the year and very few publications, what have I been doing? Well, the OU Creative Writing course has taken up a lot of my time, as has the health of my mother which continues to deteriorate. Still, I've managed to put some work together for competitions, one of my three targets, and currently have fiction entered for the Commonwealt Broadcasting Prize, the Yeovil Prize, the Bridport Prize and the Guardian Short Story competition. I also have also entered poetry for the Bridport and the Essex Poetry Festival.

Fingers crossed!

New Work/OU/Glamorgan

2009-06-07T07:32:00.000-07:00

Haven't posted for some time. One new thing published 'Home Leave'. This has taken me a long time to place despite my personal feeling it is one of the best things I have written. Thanks to Pygmy Giant for taking it: http://thepygmygiant.wordpress.com/page/2/. If it has moved from the link, just look to the older posts.

Have just finished the OU Creative Writing course (A215). I'd recommend it to anyone, budding and more established writers alike. What you get out of it really depends on what you put in. Some 50% of the mark (it counts toward an OU degree, if you're so inclined) is tutor marked assignments i.e. continuous assesment, and I've done quite well there. The other 50% is an end of course assessment being the examinable part. I was daring here and entered the first chapter of my novel 'Incomers'. I hope Iwasn't too daring.

Waiting now to see if I've been accepted on the Glamorgan MPhil in writing. My fingers are crossed but I made a late application and they only take eight people per year.

Bag Lady

2009-04-25T07:59:00.001-07:00

Bag Lady Blues is published: www.everydayfiction.com/bag-lady-blues-by-mark-dalligan/

Spring has Sprung

2009-03-22T07:08:00.000-07:00

...and finally woken me up. Making time for myself again now that work has calmed a little.
So, have entered the Fish One Page Prize and the Fish Poetry Prize and also the Umbinnacle Ultra Short.

EDF has accepted Bag Lady Blues and I'm waiting for the publication date.

Canadian Horizon Magazine has taken Stranded, a short SF story and will pay real money on publication.

My review of Lee Rourke's collection Everyday is up at Tania Hershman's

www.theshortreview.com/reviews/LeeRourkeEveryday.htm

2009 Resolutions

2009-01-04T13:17:00.000-08:00

Well, the time for writing resolutions. So ................................

Place in a major literary prize.
Have at least three stories/poems in paying print magazines.
Finish and place novel.

So, we'll see!

Happy New Year

Christmas

2008-12-26T04:44:00.000-08:00

EDP published 'Blue Christmas' yesterday. Some nice reactions.
http://www.everydaypoets.com/blue-christmas-by-mark-dalligan/

Space Magic

2008-12-16T13:16:00.000-08:00

My review of David Levine's short story collection 'Space Magic' is up at The Short Review' site.

http://www.theshortreview.com/reviews/DavidDLevineSpaceMagic.htm

My Neo Counter seems to have dissapeared following a change to Firefox because of the Internet Explorer hacking. Hope it comesback.

To be read in a Sea Dog's Accent

2008-12-03T12:19:00.000-08:00

BWS have published 'Adam's Ale'.

http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue316/adams_ale.html

Seasonal

2008-11-26T14:24:00.000-08:00

EDP has taken 'Blue Christmas', a tree shaped poem.

More Poetry

2008-11-15T00:59:00.000-08:00

Every Day Poetry has published 'Streetwalker' http://www.everydaypoets.com/streetwalker-by-mark-dalligan/

Rainbows

2008-11-09T08:47:00.000-08:00

has been published by EDF: http://www.everydayfiction.com/rainbows-by-mark-dalligan/#comments

Rainy Days

2008-11-02T07:50:00.000-08:00

Found out today that an entry to the Writers Writing (Raine Publishing) Drabble competition 'The Feasting' is one of the ten winners and is due to appear in a paperback called 'Rainy Days' this month.

Shining

2008-11-01T13:37:00.000-07:00

'Reflections' is now up on the Shine Journal site: http://www.theshinejournal.com/dalliganmark.htm

SAND

2008-10-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

My Robert E. Howard inspired 'At the Oasis' should be appearing in the first 'SAND: A Journal of Strange Tales' anthology, hopefully before Christmas.

EDF

2008-10-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

EDF has taken 'Rainbows', a short surreal tale. No publication date yet.

Avalanche

2008-10-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

Well,here come some more buses:

Bewildering Stories: 'Green'
http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue310/green.html

MicroHorror: 'Happy Retirement'
http://www.microhorror.com/microhorror/author/mark-dalligan/happy-retirement/

And now for something completely different, poetry.

The Linnet's Wing: 'The Station'
http://www.thelinnetswings.net/run/?stn=6000&mpageno=2&pageno=4

and

'Island'
http://www.thelinnetswings.net/run/?stn=6000&mpageno=2&pageno=34

Like Buses & OU & Fish

2008-10-03T01:10:00.000-07:00

...acceptances can come in packs. 'Shopping Trip' appears in the October issue of StaticMovement http://www.staticmovement.com/mdalligan.htm and now two poems, 'Station' and 'Island' are to be published in the November issue of The Linnet's Wings. Oonah Joslin, a friend from the WriteWords community started me back on trying poetry and I thank her for that.

Just started the Open University course 'Creative Writing'. This is a stepping stone to my taking an MA - part of the Big Plan.

Last year I was long-listed for the Fish One Page prize but only found out by accident when flicking through the Fish site I found my name - I'd forgotten all about it. The day after the short-list was announced and I wasn't on it. This year I followed more closely but somehow managed to miss the long-list - I thought there wasn't one. I've only now found it and there's an entry 'Comfort Food' which I suspect is mine but authors names aren't detailed this year. Think I'll check with Fish, just to make sure it's mine before I brag.

Every Day Poetry

2008-09-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

I've written very few poems but new venture Every Day Poetry (part of the Every Day Fiction stable) has taken 'Streetwalker'. The venue launches in November. www.everydaypoetry.com

Some Hits

2008-09-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

After a bit of a dearth of good new, MicroHorror has taken 'The Hobbyist' http://www.microhorror.com/microhorror/author/mark-dalligan/the-hobbyist/ and Shine Journal has accepted 'Reflections for the November issue.

Static Movement

2008-08-02T09:43:00.000-07:00

Static has taken 'The Hole'.

Back to Reality

2008-07-27T01:22:00.000-07:00

Having spent a few weeks in Cyprus I flew back on Monday night and straight into the office Tuesday.

There was a heatwave throughout our holiday which put me off writing to any great extent though I did a little on two horror stories and my novel.

Good news on return was that Bewildering Stories have taken 'Adam's Ale'.

Bad news was a clutch of rejections, but there you go.

Bridport Prize

2008-06-30T15:26:00.000-07:00

Managed to send my entry electronically to this major short story and poetry competition a few hours before it closes. Now I need to attend a few other priorities before we're of to Cyprus for the summer hols. These include late delivery of an SF review to Tania Hershman's 'The Short Review'.

Pictures

2008-06-22T11:07:00.000-07:00

I won my writers group weekly flash fiction challenge today which was based on producing a story inspired by one of a number of Crystalwizard pictures on the Bewildering Stories website. I was quite pleased with 'Adam's Ale' and have sent it to Don at BWS for consideration.

Working hard now to finish my entry (a literary short story) for the Bridport prize.

Binnacle

2008-06-12T15:03:00.000-07:00

Slight amount of excitement when I was shortlisted yesterday for the Binnacle Ultra Short prize i.e. top 100 out of 700+ submissions. Others shortlisted from my writers group were Oonah and Tania Hershman. Tania made it to the final cut so will definitely be published by this University of Maine magazine but Oonah and I fell by the wayside.

Still, have only entered a few competitions and was longlisted last year for the Fish One Page and now my first shortlisting in a hard fought competition. I'll keep the smile on my face.

Worms & Green Together

2008-06-09T14:55:00.000-07:00

Nathan at MicroHorror has published 'The Worm' - see also work from my friend Oonah V Joslin on the same site http://www.microhorror.com/microhorror/author/oonah-v-joslin/above-nature/. At the same time Bewildering Stories have taken 'Green' but publication date unknown. Again, Oonah has some good work on this site http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue293/casino.html.

Moving Again

2008-06-05T05:17:00.000-07:00

Static Movement has taken my flash 'Points of View', revealing what actually happened to the Witchfinder General. The Ranfurly Review has now published my comic short story 'Pure Theatre' about an amateur theatre production.

Over the Rainbow

2008-05-26T05:10:00.000-07:00

'Rainbows', an ultra short Flash originally submitted to a writers group challenge at WW, has not been taken for the latest Tell Tales anthology. I've sent it straight back out, this time to Boston Literary Magazine where I've had a few things published.

I've just read an article by Vanessa Gebbie (author of 'Words from a Glass Bubble', a short story anthology, and also this year's judge of the Fish One Page prize) which offers some useful advice I'll have to start taking: http://www.theshortstory.org.uk/features/index.php4?features_id=28
Meanwhile, I'm going to try and push the word count of my novel up before it grows too stale.

Waiting for Good News

2008-05-11T02:59:00.000-07:00

'Worm', a Flash about what happens when some church bells come crashing down, has been rejected by Ficticious Force. I'll need to think where to send it next.

Entered a piece for the monthly Fish Micro comp. Result due end of June.

Green

2008-05-05T07:44:00.000-07:00

'Green' a comic flash on alien culture written for my WW group, sent today to Bewildering Stories.

'Topsider', originally destined for Writers of the Future (but languishing in an unposted enevelope) has now been entered in the Robert Heinlein competition.

Canada

2008-05-04T07:14:00.000-07:00

Sent 'The Wassail' to Canadian SF magazine Neo-Opsis today. Hope they're more appreciative than the Bristol judges.

EDF & Static Movement

2008-05-02T14:39:00.000-07:00

EverydayFiction published 'Alone' today. Even though I wrote this eerie story I'm not sure whether it's a ghost story or a tale of extreme loneliness.

Static Movement is bringing out a print edition and have confirmed there's space for 'His Majesty Requests'.

Beaten Up

2008-04-29T14:02:00.000-07:00

Well I didn't make the longlist for the Bristol with my Victorian fantasy story. Sending it out again soon, question is where?

The Beat accepted 'The Commuter's Tale' , which is not quite as boring as it might seem.

http://the-beat.co.uk/the-commuter%e2%80%99s-tale/

Black Weekend

2008-04-27T08:50:00.000-07:00

So Saturday I find I haven't won a place on Lancaster University's distance learning Creative Writing MA and foolishly didn't make any back-up applications. Then, after waiting ages for the Fish One Page longlist, only the shortlist is announced. Never expected to win but certainly last year hearing I'd been longlisted gave my confidence a boost.

I've plenty of work out there to keep my interest up. Now I'm waiting to see if my submission to the first Bristol Short Story competition receives any acclaim.

Mythos(ish)

2008-04-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

Nathan at MicroHorror has accepted 'The Vaults', a Lovecraftian tale (see link). This was inspired by a challenge on the Flash Fiction part of theWriteWords site, of which I've been an active member for around a year.

Perseverance

2008-04-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

No news on Saturday, so no news = good news.

Have sent 'Topsider' to L. Ron Hubbard's 'Writers of the Future'.

Pulp

2008-04-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

AlienSkin magazine weren't impressed by my comic sci-fi story 'Stranded'. I've edited to the point it's probably too tight and sent to the Writers Digest competition, 'genre' category. If I'm a main contender I'll hear in October otherwise results in December.

My sci-fi is heavily influenced by the Pulp era or Golden Age. In the late 60's I used my pocket money to buy old copies of American mags like Astounding and Bewildering from a grubby bookshop in Brixton Road. They used to be piled up below the tables of soft-porn magazines, which I virtually ignored. In my pre-pubescent years, travelling to other worlds was a far more interesting concept than any naked woman.

I'm on a bit of a roll though with this sort of writing being rejected. Murky Depths didn't want 'Topsider', a tale of a traveller in London years after the Bomb. I need to find it a home because I think it deserves one.

Still, Saturday is the day I usually here back on my offerings, so fingers crossed on the other stuff.

A Good Cast

2008-04-10T15:09:00.000-07:00

Edinburgh e-magazine Ranfurly Review has taken a 5,000 word short story 'Pure Theatre'. I've rewritten this more times than I can remember. Glad its found a home. Out in the June issue.

Leaf Books

2008-04-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

Subbed one new SF storyand three previously published e-zine pieces to Leaf Books Micro-Fiction Contest - prize is anthology publication. The contest closes in May '08 so shouldn't be too long to wait.

Plus & Minus

2008-04-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

SAND: A Journal of Strange Tales has now published my Clark Ashton-Smith inspired 'At the Oasis' (link). Robin at Boston Literary Magazine has rejected my historical piece on the Boston Tea Party. In retrospect I agree with her take that there wasn't enough power for something so pivotally emotional, I concentrated too much on the historical side. May rewrite and send elsewhere.

Starting Point

2008-04-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

Over the past year I've submitted 100 pieces of fiction (some many times), have 17 submissions outstanding and achieved 16 publications and 1 competition long-listing (Fish One Page Story 2007). This gives a hit rate of just over 20%.

Published/accepted by: Apollo's Lyre (1); Bewildering Stories (1); Boston Literary Review (2); Clockwise Cat (1); Delivered (1); EveryDay Fiction (2); LitBits (2); MicroHorror (1); Ranfurly Literary Review (1); Sand: A Journal of Strange Tales (1); Static Movement (1); The Beat (1); Twisted Tongue (1).

Awaiting results of entries to: Fish One Page Story, Bristol Short Story Prize and Biscuit Flash Competition.

Currently working on a comic novel, a horror novel and a horror short story.