'Impressive collection'

On Goodreads you'll find a review of my first short story collection, Gifts from a Dead Race (2017). Each of the 18 sci-fi/horror/fantasy tales prompts commentary. The last of the stories in this collection is 'A Gigantic Leap' (originally published in 2009).

A Gigantic Leap
Nik Morton ends on the best story in the collection. Yes, it’s alien bacteria premise might seem a little derivative, but the Soviet setting makes a refreshing change – particularly as it’s not railing against the system, just two people getting on with their lives. It’s an incredibly tense piece, but one that leans more to hope than tragedy. And hope is always a good way to end a big, impressive collection like this.

...
and on this Remembrance Day it is as well to foster hope for the future that, sadly, so many would never see.

The Rostron Ultimatum - '...one hell of a set up...'

Reader, writer and reviewer F.R Jameson is reading and reviewing my first short story collection, Gifts from a Dead Race, commenting on each story in Goodreads. The sixth in the contents is 'The Rostron Ultimatum'  was written in the 1970s and this is what he says :

"An astronaut messages back from The Moon demanding The President's resignation, which is frankly one hell of a set up for an entertaining story.

"The President of the story is a hard-core evangelical Christian, but reading it I couldn't help imagining the current occupant of the White House and what would ensue if he was the main character.

"Within minutes of the demand there would be a tweet about low ratings for Moon broadcasts, he’d swiftly suggest that Crooked Hilary had done worse than he had ever done, blame the media for maligning him and the batshit craziness would just pile on from there. Something for Nik to think about, in fact, if he’s tempted to write a 2017 version."

Many thanks, Mr Jameson!

[His reviews of other stories in the collection can be found in Goodreads].

Available as a paperback and e-book on Amazon here

'Great example of a short story...'

F.R. Jameson is reviewing in Goodreads story-by-story my first collection of short stories, Gifts from a Dead Race. There are 18 previously published science fiction/horror/ghost/fantasy tales ranging from 1972 to 2010.

This is what he says about the fourth story in the collection (which was previously published in 1985):

On A Shout
One of those great examples of a short story I just wish was longer. There's so much crammed in there, so much beautifully evoked, that even though it has a perfect economy of scale as a short story, I'd have happily read the same material novel length. I don't want to give much away, but essentially it's survivor guilt in a nuclear war and it's brilliant!

Thank you very much, F.R.!

Gifts from a Dead Race
Paperback and e-book from Amazon.

'An entertaining grisly satire on the financial crisis...'

Gifts from a Dead Race - Volume 1 of collected short stories contains 18 of my previously published sci-fi, horror, fantasy tales (published from 1972 to 2010).

Reviewer F.R. is reading the stories and reviewing them individually. He begins with the first story in the collection, 'Spend it Now, Pay Later':

'An entertaining grisly satire on the financial crisis and debt bubble...'  You can read the full review of the story here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2107440564


Thank you, F.R. I hope the remainder appeal in due course!

The story was originally published in 2010.

Gifts from a Dead Race - e-book and paperback from Amazon outlets

 

Volume 2 - Nourish a Blind Life  contains 21 sci-fi, horror, and fantasy tales from 1975 to 2013.

A useless organ

Histology of human appendix - Wikipedia commons (Jatheesh Mohan)

 

For many years the appendix has been considered a useless organ, a hangover from our evolution; believed at one time it might have had a function, but is now vestigial.

Yet according to a report published by a researcher of the Midwestern University in Arizona it is suggested that when the gut is affected by unwelcome bacteria the appendix can help good bacteria to grow and recolonize the digestive system. It seems the appendix has a higher concentration of lymphoid tissue, which is vital to the immune system. So, it isn't useless, after all.

In the middle of last century there was a minor trend to whip out the appendix for the slightest excuse; the same applied to tonsils and adenoids. Over-zealous surgeons preempted any risk of appendicitis, since that had the potential to cause fatal infection.

In the 1970s I wrote a science fiction story that extrapolated the above trend, in effect anticipating the discovery that the appendix isn't useless but dormant until needed. The story was p

osted in my blog over two days, here:

Gifts from a Dead Race part 1

Gifts from a Dead Race part2