A.K. Benedict http://www.akbenedict.com Tales of Mystery, Love, and Crime Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:44:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 ‘The Last Library’ in Best British Short Stories 2012 http://www.akbenedict.com/2012/the-last-library-in-best-british-short-stories-2012/ http://www.akbenedict.com/2012/the-last-library-in-best-british-short-stories-2012/#comments Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:44:08 +0000 a.k. http://www.akbenedict.com/?p=234 ‘The Last Library’ has been selected to be in The Best British Short Stories 2012, published by Salt in late April.

The anthology, edited by Nicholas Royle, includes stories published in the last year (’The Last Library’ was published in the wonderful Paraxis) from a wide range of sources. It features tales by Emma Unsworth, H P Tinker, Michael Marshall Smith, Dan Powell, Julian Gough, Stuart Evers, Stella Duffy, Socrates Adams-Florou, Jonathan Trigell, Will Self, Jaki McCarrick, Robert Shearman, Alison Macleod, Jo Lloyd, Neil Campbell, Joel Lane, Ramsey Campbell, Jeanette Winterson and Jon McGregor. Wow.

I am delighted and amazed and can’t wait to read the other stories. You can pre-order now from Amazon for a most reasonable sum.

]]> http://www.akbenedict.com/2012/the-last-library-in-best-british-short-stories-2012/feed/ The Beauty of Murder signed to Orion http://www.akbenedict.com/2012/the-beauty-of-murder-signed-to-orion/ http://www.akbenedict.com/2012/the-beauty-of-murder-signed-to-orion/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:17:39 +0000 a.k. http://www.akbenedict.com/?p=230 I am hugely, overwhelmingly, hugging-passing-strangers-ly delighted to announce that The Beauty of Murder will be published by Orion in late 2012. Set in 17th century and present day Cambridge, the novel is a speculative crime thriller by way of philosophy, physics and time travel. A second novel from the series will follow in 2013.

And now to celebrate: bring out the woman-sized jar of Nutella.

]]> http://www.akbenedict.com/2012/the-beauty-of-murder-signed-to-orion/feed/ New Story in Paraxis http://www.akbenedict.com/2011/new-story-in-paraxis/ http://www.akbenedict.com/2011/new-story-in-paraxis/#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:25:44 +0000 a.k. http://www.akbenedict.com/?p=227 My new story, ‘The Last Library’ is in Paraxis.

Paraxis 02 is an issue devoted to libraries and all who sail in them, featuring stories from Nicholas Royle, David Rose, Emma Jane Unsworth, Tori Truslow, SJ Butler and Tom Fletcher, beautiful illustrations and non-fiction pieces on libraries, including Alan Gibbons’ article on ‘Why Libraries Matter’.

It’s a truly delicious issue for anyone who loves libraries and feels passionate about saving them, so settle into the sofa in the far corner and pick up a story but, sssssh, don’t wake the ghosts.

]]> http://www.akbenedict.com/2011/new-story-in-paraxis/feed/ ‘The Last Library’ to appear in Paraxis http://www.akbenedict.com/2011/the-last-library-to-appear-in-paraxis/ http://www.akbenedict.com/2011/the-last-library-to-appear-in-paraxis/#comments Mon, 05 Sep 2011 09:49:12 +0000 a.k. http://www.akbenedict.com/?p=223 My new short story, ‘The Last Library’ will be in the next issue of Paraxis, fabulous online magazine ‘partial to the uncanny, unnerving and fantastic’. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

]]> http://www.akbenedict.com/2011/the-last-library-to-appear-in-paraxis/feed/ Chapbook Sells Out Shocker http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/chapbook-sells-out-shocker/ http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/chapbook-sells-out-shocker/#comments Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:56:01 +0000 a.k. http://www.akbenedict.com/?p=216 No, it didn’t start working for an oil company, the chapbook of ‘The Zoetrope’ produced by New Fairy Tales was snapped up by the discerning browsers at the Manchester Children’s Book Festival. Thank you to everyone who bought a copy of this or the other chapbooks - twas for a great cause (Derian House).

]]> http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/chapbook-sells-out-shocker/feed/ ‘The Crazy Golf World Championships’ in No. 1 Fake http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/%e2%80%98the-crazy-golf-world-championships%e2%80%99-in-no-1-fake/ http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/%e2%80%98the-crazy-golf-world-championships%e2%80%99-in-no-1-fake/#comments Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:34:32 +0000 a.k. http://www.akbenedict.com/?p=207

‘The Crazy Golf World Championships’, a poem of treachery, jealousy and balls, appears in the new issue of No. 1 Fake. Christian Watson provides the fabulous illustration of a man in a straight-jacket with golf clubs for a head.

No. 1 Fake is available for the price of £0 for a short time only. Quick, contact the editors now to receive your free copy of the magazine: wait a week or four and it may involve actual money.

]]> http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/%e2%80%98the-crazy-golf-world-championships%e2%80%99-in-no-1-fake/feed/ Exclusive Chapbook - One Day in Manchester http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/exclusive-chapbook-one-day-in-manchester/ http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/exclusive-chapbook-one-day-in-manchester/#comments Sat, 26 Jun 2010 16:58:06 +0000 a.k. http://www.akbenedict.com/?p=193 I’m all a-skip: the delightful types at New Fairy Tales magazine are printing an exclusive chapbook of ‘The Zoetrope’ and selling it for a teeny and most reasonable £3 on their stall at Manchester Children’s Book Festival on July 3rd. They will also be giving away badges and postcards, selling four other chapbooks and holding workshops on fairy tales. All proceeds go to Derian House Hospice.

]]> http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/exclusive-chapbook-one-day-in-manchester/feed/ Blatant plug for my Band - Pimpernelle http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/blatant-plug-for-my-band-pimpernelle/ http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/blatant-plug-for-my-band-pimpernelle/#comments Thu, 15 Apr 2010 22:47:35 +0000 a.k. http://www.akbenedict.com/?p=190 Roll up, roll up for the first Pimpernelle gig proper, with a fabulous drummer and everything!

We’re on at the marvellous The Electric Blowhole night at The Pig in Paradise, Hastings seafront upon the evening of Saturday 17th April. That’s this Saturday. Very soon. Perhaps I should have mentioned it before. Come nonetheless in your prettiest dress and unshined shoes. That’d be lovely.

]]> http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/blatant-plug-for-my-band-pimpernelle/feed/ ‘The Emo and the Chav’ in No. 1 Fake http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/the-emo-and-the-chav-in-no-1-fake/ http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/the-emo-and-the-chav-in-no-1-fake/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:42:41 +0000 a.k. http://www.akbenedict.com/?p=183 My new poem, “The Emo and the Chav,’ is published today in No. 1 Fake. It features violence, torrid love by the fish counter, and cherryade: in fact, everything you might want of a Tuesday afternoon.

]]> http://www.akbenedict.com/2010/the-emo-and-the-chav-in-no-1-fake/feed/ ‘The Ice Candle’ published in New Fairy Tales http://www.akbenedict.com/2009/the-ice-candle-published-in-new-fairy-tales/ http://www.akbenedict.com/2009/the-ice-candle-published-in-new-fairy-tales/#comments Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:11:01 +0000 a.k. http://www.akbenedict.com/?p=169
The Ice Candle

The Ice Candle - illustration by Samantha Davey (vision__incision@hotmail.com)

My winter fairy tale, ‘The Ice Candle’, is published today in Issue 4 of the wonderful New Fairy Tales journal with illustrations by Samantha Davey.  Give it a go, the journal is packed with fabulous original fiction and pictures and all that is asked of your pocket is a wee donation to Derian House Children’s Hospice.  I recommend reading it at leisure, snuggling up with your laptop in a winged armchair with a hefty hot chocolate stirred with a cinnamon stick.

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