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"Monty Jackman's Exposition" (runner-up prize in the 2013 Writers' Village Short Story Competition); and a previously unpublished story, "The Edge of Heaven".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.)