Slow Melt has been published as part of Menu 8 from 69 Flavors of Paranoia. It is the second story involving DCI Sembilan to make it into the public eye, though it was the first written. For those who haven't kept track on Sembilan's progress, he is basically a Glasgow cop ala Taggart, who winds up dealing with all manners of the supernatural. I set it in my native Glasgow, because as one punter put it to me "I could believe anything of that place - zombies, vampires, Indian burial grounds..."
The stories are also my tributes to my favourite horror writers and stories. In this manner, Slow Melt is a tribute to the work of E.F. Benson, specifically Negotium Peramambulans. A strange serial killer is stalking the criminal underworld, and only one dead conman seems to link what was left of the victims together. The police were stumped, until DCI Sembilan was brought on the case...
The first published Sembilan story was Character in Search of an Author, which you can read at this link here.
Multiple Choice is a simple tale. You get to choose if the victim lives or dies through simple choice. I loved Choose Your Own Adventure novels when I was younger, and this is a mini-tribute to them.
Some might say I came up with the last line first and worked backwards, but that is not entirely true: I came up with it second. As opposed to Curiosity Killed The Cat?, which was quite obviously a case of coming up with the last line first, and then swiftly writing a few hundred lines to justify that finish. But I make no apology for that, or my quality level of puns.
Breaking News is the remnant of a short sketch which I never performed, but by the time I am rich and famous and writing my memoirs I may have altered history to change that fact. It's either hilariously funny or makes no sense, bitingly satiric or stupid. There is possibly no middle ground.
I wrote it, so naturally I love it. Breaking news as our reporters stand by for the news breaking out imminently...
Scotland in Space started off as a first line, which I kept for ages. Then one day I decided to add to it. And the results are plain to see. I am not very good at Sci-Fi, so I kept this one short and to the point, to avoid any plotholes or dodgy science. In fact, there is still oodles of dodgy science and I get round that with my ever useful "Fantasy Not SF Writer" get out of jail free card. Find out what happens when Scotland takes to the stars.
I even managed to chuck in an admittedly subtle shout out to Duncan Lunan's laws/politics of survival.
Evil Machiavellian Identical Army. Have you ever wondered what would happen if an army of Penguins took over Number 10 Downing Street? So had I! So I wrote down a brief sketch of the end of democracy as we know it. This one is utterly bonkers, and so, like all of my utterly bonkers children, I love it utterly.
Issue 19 of Whotopia is due out any day, and should include my guide to the World's Cup. And no, that's the one genuine non-typo here.
Friday 26 November 2010
Wednesday 22 September 2010
Story Updates
The Shark, Munich, The Stranger, To The Vote (State Censored Version), Hero of the Day, Character in Search of An Author and The Dying of the Dark have been added to the Online Fiction links on the right hand side.
The Shark was meant to be a children's poem, but then certain editors pointed it was a bit too much for that intended audience. A drowning man meets a shark in the middle of the sea, and prepares for the worst.
Munich is a silly poem about war which is neither historical accurate nor has any references to the German city in it. In fact, the title gives it a more grandoise feeling than it probably deserves, but there you go.
The Stranger is a sentimental piece you can find at Yesteryear fiction. It is almost a purely autobiographical tale, except for the bits which are fiction. A downtrodden man has a close encounter of the spiritual kind on a Glasgow bus.
To The Vote (State Censored Version) is a shortened version of a longer story for Calliope Nerve. Sadly, the shortened version cuts out the Tom Jordan in-joke, but one can't have it all. The government have placed the motion for debate on the internet forum, it is now down to the public to vote for the execution.
Hero of the Day is a traditional fairy tale (of sorts) for Thrillers, Chillers n Killers. Our hero will save the day, the damsel in distress and ward off the hordes of evil. At least, that's what he had hoped would happen...
Character in Search of an Author, for Darkest Before The Dawn. The writer was dead. The police were called. An open and shut case, no chance of a supernatural element. Unfortunately, the police sent in DCI Sembilan, and the truth is always twisted when he is on the case. Heavily inspired by L.P. Hartley.
The Dying of the Dark, for Powderburn Flash. An old man lies dying in a hospital ward, bathed in darkness. When the light arrives, he believes he will die. And this being the end, he has called for a priest. For his final confessional...
Also a note that "Dyatlov Pass" has been picked up by Dark Gothic Resurrected Magazine, and should be in the October issue.
"The Outpost" has also been picked up, by Static Movement magazine. No word on when it will be published as of yet, though.
The Shark was meant to be a children's poem, but then certain editors pointed it was a bit too much for that intended audience. A drowning man meets a shark in the middle of the sea, and prepares for the worst.
Munich is a silly poem about war which is neither historical accurate nor has any references to the German city in it. In fact, the title gives it a more grandoise feeling than it probably deserves, but there you go.
The Stranger is a sentimental piece you can find at Yesteryear fiction. It is almost a purely autobiographical tale, except for the bits which are fiction. A downtrodden man has a close encounter of the spiritual kind on a Glasgow bus.
To The Vote (State Censored Version) is a shortened version of a longer story for Calliope Nerve. Sadly, the shortened version cuts out the Tom Jordan in-joke, but one can't have it all. The government have placed the motion for debate on the internet forum, it is now down to the public to vote for the execution.
Hero of the Day is a traditional fairy tale (of sorts) for Thrillers, Chillers n Killers. Our hero will save the day, the damsel in distress and ward off the hordes of evil. At least, that's what he had hoped would happen...
Character in Search of an Author, for Darkest Before The Dawn. The writer was dead. The police were called. An open and shut case, no chance of a supernatural element. Unfortunately, the police sent in DCI Sembilan, and the truth is always twisted when he is on the case. Heavily inspired by L.P. Hartley.
The Dying of the Dark, for Powderburn Flash. An old man lies dying in a hospital ward, bathed in darkness. When the light arrives, he believes he will die. And this being the end, he has called for a priest. For his final confessional...
Also a note that "Dyatlov Pass" has been picked up by Dark Gothic Resurrected Magazine, and should be in the October issue.
"The Outpost" has also been picked up, by Static Movement magazine. No word on when it will be published as of yet, though.
Tuesday 3 August 2010
Matt Hoeker
Matt Hoeker
Matt is a talented young artist from Saskatoon,SK. His pictures, not just in the realms of wrestling drawings, but fantastic visions and his talent is rightfully gaining him fans in the illustration business.
(A picture/story collaboration has interested me, but you know how it is with busy people!)
But anyhow, there is a link to some of Matt's work. Enjoy!
Matt is a talented young artist from Saskatoon,SK. His pictures, not just in the realms of wrestling drawings, but fantastic visions and his talent is rightfully gaining him fans in the illustration business.
(A picture/story collaboration has interested me, but you know how it is with busy people!)
But anyhow, there is a link to some of Matt's work. Enjoy!
Wednesday 28 July 2010
Tuesday 29 June 2010
Monday 17 May 2010
Practice Makes Perfect
A story actually published a month ago by Col and Matt at TCK that got lost in between all the paperwork. Poor thing.
Also now available on The Short Humour Site:
A Feeling of Impending Doom
Hell in the Hornet's Nest
Heather World
The Very Religious Man
A Short Lovecraftian Tale
Alexander Carrington
A story actually published a month ago by Col and Matt at TCK that got lost in between all the paperwork. Poor thing.
Also now available on The Short Humour Site:
A Feeling of Impending Doom
Hell in the Hornet's Nest
Heather World
The Very Religious Man
A Short Lovecraftian Tale
Alexander Carrington
Wednesday 5 May 2010
Tuesday 27 April 2010
Friday 23 April 2010
Walking With Cewsh
New story available to read, courtesy of Calliope Nerve.
This one is dedicated to Rajah forum's very own C, without whose username the idea for the story would have never come to me. Thanks, mate.
New story available to read, courtesy of Calliope Nerve.
This one is dedicated to Rajah forum's very own C, without whose username the idea for the story would have never come to me. Thanks, mate.
Monday 19 April 2010
Latest news is that a new story is available online, 'The Underground' at Thrillers, Killers 'n' Chillers.
If you have a spare five minutes, go and have a look at what a critic called "a gripping-pull-you-along-at-breakneck-speed account of almost claustrophobic hysteria!"
And while you are there, have a gander at many other talented pieces from the potential greats of tomorrow.
The Underground - Michael S. Collins
If you have a spare five minutes, go and have a look at what a critic called "a gripping-pull-you-along-at-breakneck-speed account of almost claustrophobic hysteria!"
And while you are there, have a gander at many other talented pieces from the potential greats of tomorrow.
The Underground - Michael S. Collins
Thursday 15 April 2010
The End was (badly) prepared for
Bebo blog
RIP
March 2004-January 2006
MySpace blog
January 2006-September 2006
Livejournal blog
September 2006-March 2007
RIP
March 2007-October 2009
I guess this makes this the Peter Davison blog, as we are now in our 5th incarnation.
Hold on whilst I try to set things back up again.
Best wishes,
Michael
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