When I decided to release a fantasy anthology, I initially jotted down several titles for potential inclusion. One of these was my previously unreleased novella, Offline Dream. However, when I settled on a theme for the anthology, namely the idea that the stories should feature dark forests of a literal and metaphorical nature (as each protagonist journeys deeper into the forest, they journey deeper into themselves), I realised Offline Dream didn’t fit this theme. What’s more, the story seemed too genre-fluid for the collection, beginning more in dystopian sci-fi mode, before becoming more fantastical as it progressed.

All the same, Offline Dream is a curious beast I’m quite proud of, so I’ve decided to serialise it exclusively on Substack as a bonus story of sorts. Or, you can think of it as a song left off a music album, as it didn’t quite gel with the other tracks, instead used as a single B-side, if you will (I discussed the music analogy in this Medium article). As for the story, it is set in a future where humans cannot dream without plugging their brains into the carefully controlled International Dream Network. A young student at Oxford has a natural dream involving a mysterious girl he’s never met. Unfortunately, this makes him a target to those who wish to exploit him for one reason or another.

You can read the first part of Offline Dream for free here, but the remaining four parts require a $5 per-month subscription. There’s also a lot more available for that monthly subscription, including access to my already fully serialised supernatural thriller novel The Thistlewood Curse. Here’s a link to chapter one, which again, I’ve made available for free as a taster. Paying Substack subscribers also get access to my full short story and novella archive on this site (there’s a lot of those in a variety of genres). From now on, Substack will be the main platform where my short stories and novellas are showcased online, so becoming a paid subscriber is a must if you want to read these as I constantly release new material. With extremely rare exceptions, I will no longer publish fiction on Medium.

Your $5 per month also gets you access to the full film review archive, as well as all my classic film retrospectives, top tens, and other material I also syndicate on Medium. And if that’s not enough, you get to see my monthly videos, where I discuss various subjects (sometimes suggested by subscribers), and you get to laugh at my awkwardness.

As for The Dark Forest Within collection, it is out now in ebook or paperback via Amazon here (in the UK) and here (in the US). For Draft2Digital and its various outlets, you can pick up ebooks and paperback copies here.

Concluding my series highlighting the six tales in my new fantasy anthology The Dark Forest Within, here’s a closer look at the final story in the anthology: Bloodmire.

Drawing tonal inspiration from films like Excalibur and The Green Knight, this story was originally published on Medium with a slightly different ending. The response from readers was immensely enthusiastic and encouraging, and yet there was criticism of one element of the ending. This point was made by several people, and after thinking about what they had to say, I decided they were correct. As a result, I did something I’ve never done before and made a small change. This new version was subsequently published on Substack, and this is the version appearing in the anthology, though the original remains on Medium for posterity. If the equivalent of the “Han shot first” crowd appear (doubtful), I can point them in that direction, but I consider the revised version definitive.

Rest assured, however, the essence of the ending remains intact. For those unfamiliar with Bloodmire, it’s probably the darkest story in this volume. It concerns a knight, Sir William, who rides on a rescue mission into the Bloodmire Forest to rescue his betrothed. Witnesses say she was abducted by a feared beast who dwells in the heart of the forest. So far, a straightforward tale of rescuing the damsel in distress, right? A romantic story?

Actually no. It’s more a story of pride and obsession. During his journey into the forest, Sir William encounters bandits, witches, and other strange supernatural beings. But per the theme of this anthology, as he travels deeper into the forest, he travels deeper into himself. What he finds inside perhaps doesn’t quite conform to the noble knight Sir William wishes to believe that he is. In addition, he is warned at several points that his quest is futile. Is it? Should he listen to such advice?

I’ll say no more about the plot, but I’m particularly proud of this story, and especially of the slightly tweaked ending. I’m grateful for the criticism that caused me to think a little harder about the outcome, and I’m convinced this version is the best version. I should add this is another direct prequel to Ravenseed, in that it briefly features a minor but pivotal supporting character from that novel (a mysterious monk). But again, this story stands alone. Reading this before Ravenseed doesn’t spoil anything from that tale, nor do you need to have read Ravenseed to read this one.

Finally, of all the stories in this collection, I think Bloodmire is the one most open to interpretation. What you bring to it will define how you feel about the ending. Leaving room for the reader is something I try to do as much as possible, whilst not neglecting my duties as an entertainer and (hopefully) crafter of satisfying stories.

The Dark Forest Within is out now in ebook or paperback via Amazon here (in the UK) and here (in the US). For Draft2Digital and its various outlets, you can pick up ebooks and paperback copies here.

Continuing my series highlighting the six tales in my new fantasy anthology The Dark Forest Within, this time I’m taking the proverbial magnifying glass to the fifth story in the anthology: Winged.

Written just a couple of months ago and added to this collection at the last minute, this short story wasn’t one I’d originally intended to include, as I thought it might benefit from a rewrite in a few months, after I’d set it aside for a while. However, my wife persuaded me otherwise. Winged fits the anthology’s main theme like a glove, with another journey into a dangerous forest, albeit a rather different journey from the one in Ravenseed, Wulfric’s Quest, and indeed Bloodmire, the final story in this volume.

Winged is a direct prequel to Ravenseed, set one year beforehand. In the first act, it features Sir Matthew and Sir Peter, their squires Robin and Hugh, and their horses, all of whom feature in the main narrative of Ravenseed. However, whilst they are main characters in the novel, they are side characters here, riding in escort to Winged’s protagonist, a mysterious woman of the King’s court called Lady Amelia. At the advice of the King’s wizard, she undertakes a dangerous quest for reasons that she initially keeps secret from those escorting her. But Sir Matthew, Sir Peter, and the others are only instructed to escort her so far, to the end of the Forest of Arden. From there, she is to continue alone.

As the first act of the story progresses, it becomes clear there’s a lot more to Lady Amelia than meets the eye. She appears to have unusual powers. What’s more, when the party faces danger from attacking bandits, it becomes abundantly clear that she doesn’t require the protection of knights. Her escort is merely to keep up appearances. But what does she seek in the Forest of Arden, and why does she intend to travel off the safe paths through it, into areas where demons lurk in the most dangerous parts of the wood?

Per the other Dark Ages-set tales in this volume, Winged owes a tonal debt to Arthurian myth. Carefully tiptoeing around spoilers, I’d add that the finale echoes ideas found in the climax of Ravenseed, though again, I stress Winged is a standalone story. You don’t need to have read Ravenseed first, nor will reading this first ruin any part of that novel. There is, at one point, a tiny tease of the dark events ahead of Sir Peter and the others, but again, nothing is spoiled, and this story ultimately does not concern the knights.

One other tiny point of interest: The first draft of this story featured a sequence involving a dragon. I felt it didn’t work, so I cut it out and reworked that entire section. By strange coincidence, this is the second time I’ve written a scene involving a dragon, only for it to be subsequently cut. The first draft of Ravenseed featured a chapter about a dragon that was entirely removed (more on that here, if you’re interested). Perhaps I’m not destined to write about dragons. But even without dragons, I hope you enjoy Winged.

The Dark Forest Within is out now in ebook or paperback via Amazon here (in the UK) and here (in the US). For Draft2Digital and its various outlets, you can pick up ebooks and paperback copies here.