It's "It's Hulloween", so that must mean only one thing...

(OK, two things, but for the purposes of this entry, one.)

It's the publication of Chris Fielden's annual "To Hull and Back" anthology!

Now in its fifth year, "To Hull and Back" remains one of the only opportunities to reward, and specifically publish, comedy short fiction - certainly in the UK, if not the world. Once again, I was fortunate to be on the judging panel, where the standard (to coin a cliché), really does seem to increase year on year.

Special front-cover congratulations this year goes to the overall winner, John Holland, with his poignantly funny story "Lips". The other nineteen shortlisted stories are well worth a read too...

Take a look at Chris's page for the various links on Amazon, to buy as a paperbook book, Kindle file, or PDF.

Who would have known, after our initial flurry of wanton adverbs a couple of years ago, that there would be so many more writing challenges, and so many more books...

The latest two - Nonsensically Challenged Volume 2 (from the Nonsense writing challenge, run by Chris Fielden and Lesley Truchet) and Tritely Challenged Volume 1 (from Chris's own Cliche Writing Challenge) - have now been released in both paperback and Kindle file. Proceeds from the books are in aid of The Daisy Garland and Book Aid International respectively.

Also, to coincide with the launch of these two books (plus my own "Adverbially Challenged Volume 3"), we're having a book launch party! Hosted by Chris, Allen Ashley, Jude Higgins, and me, it'll be a great afternoon of readings and general literary mirth. Anyone is welcome.

It'll be held on Sunday 10th June at The Colonel Fawcett (Upstairs Function Room), 1 Randolph Street, London, NW1 0SS, UK from 12.30pm to 4pm. For users of Facebook, here's the event.

Hope to see you there.

There's just no stopping these adverbs! (He says, proudly.)

We're now on Volume 3, and at at the time of writing, we already have  43 entries into Volume 4. When this whole rigmarole began a couple of years ago, Chris Fielden and I had no idea how our daft idea would be perceived. As it happens, writers don't half like to break all these so-called writing "rules".

And it's for charity too, so who can argue? Like the other adverbs anthologies, this one features 100 flash fictions, each of which containing no more than 100 words, and is in aid of First Story.

Please click here for details of how to buy our latest volume, and here to submit to the next volume.

Also, to coincide with the launch of Nonsensially Challenged Volume 2 and Tritely Challenged Volume 1, we're having a book launch party! Hosted by Chris, Allen Ashley, Jude Higgins, and me, it'll be a great afternoon of readings and general literary mirth. Anyone is welcome.

It'll be held on Sunday 10th June at The Colonel Fawcett (Upstairs Function Room), 1 Randolph Street, London, NW1 0SS, UK from 12.30pm to 4pm. For users of Facebook, here's the event.

Hope to see you there.

Presenting the inaugural showcase anthology from InkTears Press: "How To Begin a Wonderful Life". It features a selection of the choicest cuts of work by the writers Margaret Dakin, Mark Sheerin, Drew Taylor... and me!

Within you'll find four of my stories: "True Colours" (my first published short story, which went on to win runner-up prize in the 2012 InkTears short story contest); "I Say Papaya, You Say Pawpaw" (the opening story in the seventh Fiction Desk anthology "There Was Once a Place"); "Monty Jackman's Exposition" (runner-up prize in the 2013 Writers' Village Short Story Competition); and a previously unpublished story, "The Edge of Heaven".

Buy it here either as a hardback or an eBook for your Kindle.

Additionally, how can I possibly not mention the other InkTears showcase anthology, released at the same time, "Death of a Superhero"? This one features a selection of stories by Kaya Ra Edwards, Mandy Huggins, Brindley Hallam Dennis, and my occasional partner in adverb-related literary crime, Chris Fielden. The book itself is even named after one of his stories. Buy this one here. Or better yet... buy both!

First came those adverbs (courtesy, somehow, of me); then it was Lesley's Nonsense Challenge; now we have an Overload of the Senses, this time the brainchild of fantasy and sci-fi author Allen Ashley.

Like with all these writing challenges, it's yet another chance to break those so-called writing "rules", and is run by the inestimable and effervescent author Chris Fielden. This time, writers are invited to be as purple in their prose as they possibly can be. (If you want any proof as to the success of the project, just look at the cover of the resulting book...)

This time, all proceeds are going to the National Literacy Trust. With 100 tales from 100 authors, it's another fine purchase, and for a great cause too. Click on the page from Chris's website for the various links about where to buy.

(PS. My effort, entitled "A Tall Tale", is about an unexpected extra hit of caffeine one bleary-eyed morning. A quick confession: it is not completely inconceivable that buried within is a large kernel of truth.)

Chris Fielden's gloriously bonkers, not to mention highly irreverent, competition for humorous short stories has now revved its way into its 4th year. Since on the whole there is little opportunity to see comic writing acknowledged and rewarded in this way, it's great to see this competition going from strength to strength.

I was fortunate enough to win the inaugural To Hull and Back competition in 2014, with my story "How Not To Undertake an Effective Time-and-Motion Study". Part of my prize was to be immortalised on The Hog (i.e. Chris's motorbike), on the front cover of the resulting anthology. (I've been jumping through that ring of fire for four years now. I must be getting bow-legged... as well as a trifle warm...)

This year I was privileged to be asked to join the judging panel. To say it was a tough call was an understatement - the shortlist consists of twenty very good (and funny) stories. Congratulations to Crystal Jeans, the overall winner - enjoy joining a very select club of Hog-Riders!

The anthology for the 2017 competition is out now. It also features a story from each of the judges, including my quirky romantic offering "The Arrow of Cupid (Goes Twang)", which was published by Storgy earlier this year. Take a look at Chris's competition page for the various links on Amazon, to buy as a paperbook book, Kindle file, or PDF.