As in the previous years, a group of LGBT+ authors are banding together to bring you a fabulous, fun-filled advent calendar. Check out the Rainbow Advent Calendar Facebook group, where you can read two new stories every day. Want to save them all up and enjoy over a quiet weekend? Also possible. …
Boots | A Power of Zero Story
On December 6th, the first thing German children do on waking is to inspect their shoes. They would have cleaned and polished them the night before and left them outside their door before they went to sleep. What they're hoping to find on waking is a present from St. Nikolaus - an orange, …
Lights | A Fantasy Flash Fic Solstice Story
During December and January, many of us wake and leave the house in the dark and return home long after sunset. Barely seeing daylight is a struggle for me, which is why lights and candles are my favourite decorations during the winter. And, it seems, I'm not the only one with a penchant for light …
Needles, Yarn and Gingerbread #4
Sweet treats have a place all year round, but they seem especially prominent during the darker, colder months and around big celebrations. And since I don't have the sweetest sweet tooth, I often turn to my spice rack to temper the sweet. I'm also a card-carrying cinnamon addict, but that's an …
Needles, Yarn and Gingerbread #3
I love my knitting, and picked it back up big time during last year's lockdown. Blankets, cushions, scarves, jumpers and - most of all - socks. Knitting socks is soothing. It's straightforward and doesn't need much brain power, which makes it ideal for when I'm editing. The idea for Needles, Yarn …
Needles, Yarn and Gingerbread #2
Today, we have the second part of Needles, Yarn and Gingerbread. Daniel and Nico, the boys Jack and Gareth have adopted, have a school project involving teamwork. And after discovering Nico with knitting needles, Jack wants to hear all about it. Part #2 "Okay, you got me," Jack …
Needles, Yarn and Gingerbread #1
I'm challenged on the family front, which is why I'm having so much fun watching Jack, Gareth, Nico and Daniel build theirs. They all bring something different to the mix. Gareth's memories from his time growing up are vastly different from Jack's. Nico and Daniel had both known what it felt like to …
Christmas is a Work in Progress #4
Welcome back to the final instalment of Christmas is a Work in Progress, a story that covers Jack and Rio's first Christmas together. You can find out how the story starts by clicking here: Part #1: Keys | Part #2: Lights | Part #3: Working it Out. And if you've not yet met the young Jack, you …
Christmas is a Work in Progress #3
Welcome back to part #3 of Christmas is a Work in Progress, a short story that covers Jack and Rio's first Christmas together. Part #1 is here. Part #2 is here, and if you've not yet met the young Jack, you can find out more about The Power of Zero by clicking here. Part 3: Working it …
Christmas is a Work in Progress #2
Welcome back to part #2 of Christmas is a Work in Progress, a short story that covers Jack and Rio's first Christmas together. Part #1 is here and if you've not yet met the young Jack, you can find out more about The Power of Zero by clicking here. Part #2: Lights The High Street was closed to …
Christmas is a Work in Progress #1
For the next four days, I'd like to invite you back to Clapham in the winter of 1995, where a teenage Jack is coming to grips with being offered a new home by Jamaican hacker/spy Rio Palmer. If you've read The Power of Zero, you'll know that Jack escaped from a pimp and lived on the streets when …
The Price of Holly | A Fantasy Ficlet
Holly is an integral part of an English winter. Its deep green leaves and bright red berries add colour when most things are grey and drab. It survives well inside, and it is - of course - often used for wreaths and table decorations. But holly has arcane credentials too, and some of these go back …