‘Gag me with a …’ was an American literary zine created by deirdree prudence and Stephen Hughes Purkey with the intention of bringing together writers and artists. Now a defunct publication, my story ‘Hope’ was republishing in my anthology ‘Re-written in Blood’ (2020).
In 2016, Quantum Corsets published a horror anthology titled Weird Ales 2: Another Round, and in that Anthology was a story I wrote called ‘The Witches Tit’. This was a great opportunity for me to work with the amazing Theresa Derwin, and the first time I got to go to a proper book launch event and book signing.
‘Weird Ales: Another Round Blurb Welcome, friends! Take a seat by the fire and get a drink to warm your bones. It’s bitterly cold tonight, but that might just be the stories. We’ve thirteen (lucky for you) chilling tales of fright and delight for your palate. From the dangers of home-brewing, to a cautionary tale concerning the threat of the sea, this is a heady brew of fear and fantasy. So once again, join us, for Weird Ales: Another Round, edited by Steve Cotterill.’
In 2015, I had two stories picked up for publication in the same anthology ‘Fugitives’ published by Sinister Saints Press. The stories in question were ‘A state of mind’, and ‘Progeny in white’.
‘A state of mind’ is a story in which a young woman finds herself in a whole world of trouble that she may not survive, whilst ‘Progeny in white’ is a neon-lit image of the future where automated slaves are planning an underground uprising. Both are science fiction stories, and both were later featured in my self-published anthology ‘Resistance: The Beginning of the End’ (2018).
‘The main character is a fugitive… but from what? The authorities? The Mob? Bounty hunters? Supernatural predators? A dystopian police force? Why is the main character on the run? What is their day to day life on the run like? Are the forces chasing them closing in? And if so, how do they react, and what are the consequences of their actions? Read on and find out…’
My story ‘Is anybody there?’ was originally published in The Pygmy Giant in 2014. The publisher is no longer active, as far as I am aware. However, I self-published a small anthology of stories in 2021 titled ‘When the Lights fell over Herringbone’, and ‘Is anybody there?’ was included. This anthology is exclusively available through amazon for Kindle.
When the lights fell over Herringbone is a collection of ten short fiction pieces by Anthony D Redden (author of Dead Boat, and The Boy in the Walls), presented together for the first time.
Sometimes a story becomes more than it should have been; the characters come to life and change the direction of the plot and make it something wholly unrealised at the time of conception. Quite often, this means the stories grow beyond a brief or delve into a darkness that some readers may find unnerving or intense. For this reason, these works of fiction have found a home together in this collection.
The first story is When the lights fell over Herringbone, a western alien invasion set in the old west of America. It’s gory, it’s intense, and it was great fun to write. It is influenced by the stylings of The Outer Limits and everything H.P. Lovecraft.
The second story is War Machine, and this one is all kinds of weird. I had never written anything like this before, drawing influence from Redwall and, well, I don’t know, maybe my own nightmares; this is a surreal snippet of a post-apocalyptic world where the last earthly resources are being fought over between rats and cats – oh and they can talk.
The coldest night is a poem, a very sad and emotional poem about the loneliness of Christmas – cheery, I know, sorry.
The next story is a short Halloween tale titled Sweet Meat, my publisher at the time deemed it potentially upsetting for some audiences, but I think you can handle it. It’s pretty grim but wonderfully innocent as well.
Next is a fantastical story about a man who finds sexual pleasure in desecrating mummified remains, but oh my, does he end up biting off more than he can chew, especially when he is caught by a rather demanding underground society of sexual deviants. This one is titled MILF, obviously.
Is anybody there? is a light-hearted look at making contact with lost loved ones, and Inner Demons is a story of a man who is literally haunted by the actions of his past.
Forever is about the lengths some people will go to for love, and Feathers is a poem about feeding your soul.
The final offering for you is Escape which is one of my favourite short stories. I always see such vivid imagery in its stark and grim setting, and it always makes me feel a sadness that compels me to want to explore this world more.
I sincerely hope you enjoy reading these little snippets of escapism as much as I enjoyed writing them.
Anthony D Redden
My story ‘Someone to Care’ was published back in 2013 by Ether Books. Ether Books is, or rather was, a mobile exclusive story publisher for Apple devices. Quite a specific market I know, but at the time, I figured any and every opportunity to get my work out there was a win. Later, I self-published the story in a collection of my work call ‘Re-Written in Blood’. This was made available through Amazon as a kindle book in 2022.
In April 2011, my zombie horror story ‘The Pig Farm’ was published by Flashes in the Dark, a now defunct American fiction e-zine specialising in short supernatural horror stories. The story was republished in my own anthology along with a bucketload of other flash fiction, short stories and poetry, in 2022, titled Re-Written in Blood, available from Amazon.
‘From murderous clowns to werewolves, from haunted houses to zombie outbreaks. This collection of flash fiction and short stories has it all. Expect heartbreak, deception, sex, cannibalism, kidnapping, revenge killings, angels and demons, and more blood and tears than you can shake a dismembered arm at.
Re-Written In Blood is a collection of dark and horrifying short stories, flash fiction, and poetry by author Anthony D Redden. This is the 2022 edited edition of Written In Blood (2018), Mercy Heights (2018), and Unhinged Heart (2018), all wrapped up into one tightly fitting corset of a book.
Anthony D Redden is an author of science fiction and horror. He has work published by Gag me with a …, The Pygmy Giant, Micro Horror, Flashes in the Dark, Ether books, Schlock webzine, Kyanite publishing and Crystal Lake Publishing. He has also appeared in the anthologies ‘Fugitives’ by Sinister Saints, ‘Weird Ales 2: Another Round’ by Quantum Corsets, and ‘Mummy Knows Best’ by Terror Tree Books. He is part of the editorial staff for Bandit Fiction, and a movie reviewer for the entertainment magazine Scifimonkeys.com. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing and is desperately trying to find the time to juggle a family and a writing career. He has a particular interest in disability representation in fiction, alt-history fiction, coffee and sherbet dip dabs.’
Way back in April of 2011, my story ‘GreasePaint’ was published by Microhorror. This now defunct horror e-zine was founded and edited by Nathan Rosen.
In 2022, I self-published a collection of my earliest writing, and included GreasePaint so that it wouldn’t disappear into obscurity. It can be found with a load of other stories, poems, and the like right now, available from Amazon as a Kindle exclusive.
The July 2020 edition of Terror Tract features my horror story ‘Sheath’. This is my take on a body snatchers type of body horror. A gory and gruesome tale. Edited by Becky Narron.
‘Authors in this issue: Jim Merwin, Jay Seate, Alfred Gremsly, Jack Rollins, Isaac Cooper, John Barackman, Kelly Evans, Becky Narron, Terry Miller, Anthony D. Redden, Matt Scott, Ryan Woods, Mawr Gorshin, and an interview with Stefan Lear.’
My story ‘Chaperone’ is published in the July 2022 edition of Savage Planets. This is one of my favourite science fiction stories, if not my very favourite. I absolutely loved writing this story and I truly believe it could be the start of something very special if I ever get around to building upon it. These are the kind of science fiction worlds I can just get enveloped in and I really would like to spend more time with. Maybe…sometime in the future I will get to revisit this world.
This magazine is no longer available to buy physically, however, it is free to read in their e-archive, along with all other past issues at http://www.savageplanets.com.
‘Soul Cake’ is a story about breaking through the veil in the hope of reconnecting with a loved one, no matter the consequences.
Soul Cake was published by Crystal Lake Publishing’s 2022 Shallow Waters Halloween Edition, and was edited by Bram Stoker award-winning Joe Mynhardt.
‘Dive into the spine-chilling realms of “Shallow Waters: Haunting Halloween Edition,” where shadows linger, and nothing stays buried. This anthology emerges from Crystal Lake’s renowned flash fiction contest to provide lovers of horror with 18 eerie tales perfect for Halloween.
Highlights Include:
Perfect For:
Let’s Seal the Deal for You:
This Halloween Horror Anthology includes:Introduction by Joe Mynhardt
“Mummy’s Boy” by Karen Bayly
“Tumshie” by William Meikle
“Arts and Crafts” by Madison McSweeney
“The Halloween House” by Sheldon Woodbury
“West Pennfield Township Newsletter, October 2021” by Tom Coombe
“I Want Candy by Larry Hinkle
“Let the Darkness In” by Ricki Whatley
“Soul Cake” by Anthony D. Redden
“The Pumpkin Fetch” by Tom Deady
“Wishing” by Jay Bechtol
“One Parent Survives” by Wil Dalton
“Don’t Eat the Candy” by Matt Bliss
“The Red Scarf” by Rhea Rose
“Shackled to the Shadows” by Richard Thomas
“Apple Tree Man” by Roxie Voorhees
“Smooth Man” by Kim Mannix
“Sleepy Hallowed” by Joseph VanBuren
“How to Create the Perfect Pumpkin” by Francesca Maria
Don’t miss this collection of Halloween horror stories! Experience the ghostly allure, delve into the mysterious, and face the unknown. The shadows are waiting, and the darkness is alive. Grab your copy now and let the haunting begin!
Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.‘
Anthony D Redden 