Barking Glad

January 19, 2014
Alfie Dog Fiction has just accepted four of my short stories. (See my tail wagging?) Each of them is already a prizewinner and/or previously published, but no longer in print (to my knowledge). There aren't many publishers or competitions that take previously published material, and it seemed a waste not to make them available somewhere. I could have self-published them, but feel Alfie Dog will introduce my work to a wider readership.
Alfie Dog Fiction publishes individual stories, collections and books, but only if they meet its high standards, so readers can be sure they aren't wasting their money on something that's poorly written. Some stories are available free and most cost less than a pound. What else can you buy for that?
The stories should go live on 26th January. They are 'Bare Earth', which previously appeared in the Focus on Fiction anthology in 1999; 'Between Lives', which won the Tees Valley Writer competition in 1992; 'The Bitter Harvest' was the winner of The Jo Cowell Award in 1994 and 'The Cup that Refreshes' appeared in Scribble in 2003. I'll include some blurb about them in future blogs. 
In the meantime, if you're in the mood for short stories you could try Artists and Liars, an anthology of fiction and poetry on an art theme. It's available from Smashwords for $1.99.
 

Short and Sweet

January 15, 2014
The chocolates might all have been eaten and the decorations have gone back in their box, but I've still been enjoying plenty of sparkle and the sweet taste of success. That's because I've received The Binnacle Ultra-shorts 10th Edition. Not only is it exciting to read my work in it, but there are 56 other works to enjoy.
My favourites are 'Hoopty Time Machine' by Christopher DeWan, which one the prize for best prose, and 'In the Parking Lot' by Wayne Scheer. Despite the 150 words restriction...
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A New Regime

January 6, 2014
Recent tests using MRI scans show that when people read novels different parts of the brain are activated according to what's happening in the book. If the protagonsit is engaged in a chase, the same parts of a reader's brain become active, as if they were also physically taking part i.e. they live the book. This comes as no surprise to those of us who like little more than to immerse ourselves in an exciting story, but it's good to have scientific proof.
Now, instead of going to a gym I shal...
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Hobbitses

December 31, 2013
I went to see The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug last week. I'd love to give it five stars, but the truth is that the jury is still out, much as it was after the first film. I think I would have enjoyed it more had I not read the book. Some things seem to have been changed/excluded for no good reason. Other things seem to have been added for the sake of it, and some of these were illogical. However, this is not the end of the story, and the final film might show that Peter Jackson's right an...
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More Expectations Confounded

December 22, 2013
If I wanted to watch a film that was the absolute opposite of Gravity, I found it in Philomena. There was not a 3D effect or explosion in the whole thing. What it did have were some fine performances and annoying reactions from the audience.
The problem was that many people clearly thought anything Steve Coogan says has to be funny. He not only appeared in the film but also wrote the script, which did have some witty lines and light moments. However, some people were clearly expecting Philom...
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My New Favourite Number–Eleven

December 15, 2013
This week I was privileged to be invited to give a talk about being a writer to a school reading group of around 20 11-year-olds. I alternated between excitement and terror beforehand. It's a long time since I was 11, and I was unsure of the right level at which to pitch what I said. I was also conscious that most of my audience wouldn't have met an author before and might be expecting someone far more witty and glamorous than me. If I disappointed them, I might turn them off writing forever....
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Not So Great Expectations

December 9, 2013
I'm not generally hugely impressed by 3D films. Either the 3D is used as a gimmick (Duck! There's a hammer flying out of the screen towards you!), which usually means that the script is weak, or you're so engrossed in the story that you don't notice them, so what's the point? However, I have discovered an exception: Gravity. Okay, the two stars (Sandra Bullock and George Clooney) are capable of far more, and there wasn't much story, but the 3D effects really conveyed the strangeness of space,...
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Still Smiling

December 1, 2013
I seem to have spent most of the past week uploading versions of Discord's Child with its super-duper new cover, and letting everyone I can think of know about it. The reaction has been brilliant and I'm truly grateful to everyone who has taken the trouble to let me know their thoughts. I'm still tempted to keep looking at it, but it's really time I got on with some writing otherwise Ro will have grey hair before I finish her story. Sorry, guys, no more time to chat, I have a band of Iyessi a...
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A New Beginning

November 26, 2013
At last I have a brilliant new cover for Discord's Child, and I can't say loudly enough how thrilled I am with it. My own previous effort made the novel look amateurish.
The new design is the work of Katie Stewart at Magic Owl Design, and it's spot on. Despite being a pre-made, it features several important features of the story, and captures its atmosphere as if I'd given Katie a detailed brief. She was a joy to deal with, and I have no hesitation in recommending her services to anyone want...
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Yes, Seriously

November 17, 2013
If you want to be taken seriously as a writer, you need to act like an author. That doesn't mean donning a cravat or reciting poetry in the pub when you've had a few. It means having the attitude of a writer. If you don't value what you do and believe it's a justifiable occupation, no one else is going to. Drop your writing every time someone wants a chat on the phone or wants your help with their pet project, and not only will you never finish it, but everyone will regard what you do as 'a n...
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About Me


My writing career began as a freelance feature writer for the local press, businesses and organisations. Now a prize-winning playwright and short story writer, my work has appeared in numerous publications on both sides of the Atlantic. I write as K. S. Dearsley because it saves having to keep repeating my forename, and specialise in fantasy and other speculative genres.

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