(Shortlisted for the V.S. Pritchett prize a couple of years ago, but ultimately never published anywhere - until now!) 1. Mathew and his wife Debbie haven’t had sex for over a year. Any kind of sex. And it’s nearer two years than one, if anyone is counting. Mathew is counting. Mathew and Debbie haven’t had … Continue reading Middle-Aged Sex Object
You liked to remind people that you’d been to space – even though the actual experience had lasted for less than five minutes and had ended in shame and embarrassment for everyone involved
(Deleted chapter from current project) The trip had been on one of your first sub-orbital spacecraft, back when you were still experimenting with piggy-backing rocketships to the edge of space by carrying them on specially adapted aircraft. The rocket had been designed by your business partner, who was a grizzled former test pilot and engineer … Continue reading You liked to remind people that you’d been to space – even though the actual experience had lasted for less than five minutes and had ended in shame and embarrassment for everyone involved
Edgy Billionaires In Your Area
Edgy billionaires in your area, breaking all your paradigms. Edgy billionaires inventing the future and changing the world. Edgy billionaires throwing their weight around and overturning your industry and ruining your neighbourhood and your city and your country, destroying your infrastructure and your government institutions and causing the breakdown of civil society. Edgy billionaires setting … Continue reading Edgy Billionaires In Your Area
How the World Ends #53: Ghosts
The world ends when the spirits of the unforgotten dead grow so huge in number that there’s no room left for the living. Nobody knows why. The list of ghosts includes: The ghosts of everyone who ever lived, anywhere, at any time in the history of humanity, whether for a hundred years or just a … Continue reading How the World Ends #53: Ghosts
How the World Ends #37: Infanticide
The world ends when they are no more children left, the last of them having been murdered by their grandparents. Nobody is surprised. The children are murdered by their grandparents as revenge for their obscene youth, and for reminding the elderly of their mortality and irrelevance, and for their awful weakness and need. They are … Continue reading How the World Ends #37: Infanticide
In Arcadia
(A story that never quite found its place - but its 90% there) -1- Nick can’t sleep. It’s been going on for months and it’s starting to affect his mental health. It’s starting to affect his business, too. And worrying about the effect that his lack of sleep is having on his mental health and … Continue reading In Arcadia
Lives of the Miracle Children – first chapter
(Being the opening bit of a potentially lost novel) There is that Dog Again My sister and I are sitting by the side of the road in the early morning and we are waiting to be given a ride into town. The sun is still orange but it has come out of the shadow of … Continue reading Lives of the Miracle Children – first chapter
Review in the New York Times
The play of the short story of the film(s) of the book is about to open Off-Broadway…
Play from Current Slide
Because every story needs a hero Because every story needs a hero, the hero of this story is going to be Robert Gaskins, the man who invented PowerPoint. PowerPoint, as you will almost definitely know, is the presentation tool that comes bundled with the Microsoft Office suite of programs. PowerPoint lets you create slide shows … Continue reading Play from Current Slide
