Well, this is a first for me and one that requires double Snoopy dancing. You all know by now how much a fan I am of Midnight Echo magazine. It’s the official magazine of the Australian Horror Writer’s Association and one of the classiest glossy mags on the market. And available in digital format too, of course. I was very proud to have a story in issue 6, the sci-fi/horror special, and in issue 9, the myths and legends special. Now, I couldn’t be happier to say that I’m going to be in issue 10 as well, with two stories. I’m calling that a personal best and giving myself a special Achievement badge.
It’s a funny old path to publication. I entered the AHWA Short Story competition way back when it was opened and thought nothing more of it. These things take ages to be judged usually. While the judging was going on, guest editor Craig Bezant opened for submissions for issue 10 of Midnight Echo, which has a ghost story theme. So I submitted a story for that.
A little while later, the results of the AHWA Short Story comp were announced and my story had won (in a tie with Zena Shapter). We learned that, as part of the prize, our winning stories would see paid publications in Midnight Echo 10. Then, a month or two later, I got word from Craig Bezant that he liked my story and was going to buy it for Midnight Echo 10. So all of a sudden, I have two stories due out in the same mag. And now the full Table of Contents for issue 10 has been announced and there’s my name, listed twice. Seriously, what a singular honour that is. Here, check out the full ToC – it’s pretty amazing:
Midnight Echo 10 Table of Contents:
Cover art by Vincent Chong
Interior art by Mel Gannon and Greg Chapman
Literature
Lunch by Joseph A. Pinto
Crybaby Bridge #25 by Gary A. Braunbeck
Stillegeist by Martin Livings
I Want to Go Home by A.J. Brown
Tourist Trap by Richard Farren Barber
Blood and Bone by Robert Mammone
Exposure Compensation by Alan Baxter
Stinson Way: A Southern Gothic by Jacob Lambert
A Little Peace by Rebecca Fung
Mother’s House by Greg Chapman
Comic
Allure of the Ancients; The Key to His Kingdom – story by Mark Farrugia, illustrations by Greg Chapman
Special Features
An interview with Victor Miller
AHWA Short Story and Flash Fiction Competition winners –
It’s Always the Children Who Suffer by Alan Baxter
Darker by Zena Shapter
Moonlight Sonata by Tim Hawken
Regular Features
A Word from the AHWA President – Geoff Brown
Tartarus – Danny Lovecraft (poetry column)
Pix and Panels – Mark Farrugia (comic column)
Black Roads, Dark Highways #5 – Andrew McKiernan (column)
Celluloid Nightmares – Mark Smith-Briggs
Sinister Reads (all the latest releases from AHWA members)
And on top of all that, the cover art will be done by Vincent Chong. That makes me very happy, as Vincent’s artwork is amazing. He did the cover of the anthology A Killer Among Demons, also edited by Craig Bezant, published by Craig’s outfit, Dark Prints Press. You’ll have heard me talk about that book, as it has my story, The Beat of a Pale Wing, in it. And I’ve mentioned before that I think that anthology is one of the best produced in recent years (even if it does feature me!)
So really, this is just tremendous news all around. You can pre-order the limited print edition of Midnight Echo 10 here now. The mag is due for release on November 30th and we’ll have a cover reveal before then.
*Snoopy dance*
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