Well, October 31st has been and gone, during which something very earnest and important in the UK political landscape should have apparently happened but did not, BUT, something of a great deal more importance in the UK literary scene very much DID happen. Indeed, not even a mad squadron of a thousand flaming hogs could have prevented it from doing so.

I refer, of course, to Chris Fieden's To Hull & Back competition anthology for humorous short fiction.

Again I was asked to be on the judging panel, and ever, putting the shortlist of 20 into any semblance of order was super, super tough. The team got there in the end though, and it with congratulations we welcome Alan MacGlas, with his story "Casandra's Week", as this year's overall winner.

Here's the link for Chris's page where you can choose how and where to buy this year's collection, including the first time in print of one of my own early stories, "Poverty Gap", first published by the sport fiction website Strange Bounce.

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.

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"Monty Jackman's Exposition" (runner-up prize in the 2013 Writers' Village Short Story Competition); and a previously unpublished story, "The Edge of Heaven".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

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.