What’s my favourite piece of my writing?

I’m often asked this question when I give author talks or interviews. It occurred to me my answer is nearly always the title of the last story I wrote. I tend to write because an idea has inspired me and I want to write a story around it. Effectively, my affection for an idea leads to me being enamoured with the story written around it. For my latest anthology, Movemind, that’s Devilish Tricks, which is also the last story in the collection.

This story was the second of two in Movemind (the other being The Second Fear) to be inspired by the case study of a woman who has been given the pseudonym SM046. Through a genetic disorder, she’s had the part of her brain which produces fear destroyed. She is literally fearless. This has given her a number of interesting quirks, some with profound consequences – which I explore in Devilish Tricks.

Reading several studies of SM046 has inspired me to start writing my first non-fiction book about her and fear in general. I’m thinking of calling it Why the Fear, just so the letters WTF can be highlighted on the cover. It’s a much slower process writing non-fiction, but I’m hoping to have it out by the end of next year.

In the meantime, I’m about to send the draft of my next book – Colours of Death: Sgt Thomas Casebook to my editor. It’s another short story collection. This time it’s detective fiction with a science edge, rather than speculative sci-fi. Each story has a colour-based theme. We’re aiming to have it ready first quarter 2019 or before.

Until next time!