Found It!

May 5, 2015
It took thirty-plus websites (some twice or more), several thousand thumbnail images, at least two days, half a dozen cups of coffee, one bar of chocolate and two false starts, but I've done it–I've found the perfect cover for Discord's Apprentice.
    The second novel in The Exiles of Ondd series isn't quite ready for pre-order yet, but you can see a preview of the cover here. The designer is Laura Gordon, and I can thoroughly recommend her work. She was quick and gave me exactly what I asked for. What's more, her service is very reasonably priced. Laura creates custom covers and pre-mades for ebooks and print at http://www.thebookcovermachine.com. Whether you're in need for a book cover for yourself or not, I recommend taking a look at her website.
    So, that's one big job done, and one of the most important ones at that. Discord's Apprentice is one step closer to publication. Hopefully, by this time next week, I'll be able to give you pre-order details, and maybe news of a discount too.

Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Coming Soon 

 

Farewell, Terry Pratchett

April 27, 2015
When Terry Pratchett died on 12th March the world lost one of its funniest, most clever writers, and I lost one of my favourite authors. I know people who can't stand his work, but as the author of the most shoplifted books in Britain, his popularity can't be denied. Many people wrote tributes to him following his death, and originally I saw no need to add to them. However, having listened to BBC Radio 4's production of Mort this week, maybe I do have something worth saying, after all.
    I f...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : FantasyFiction 

 

Another 'F'

April 20, 2015
More news about Alfie Dog Fiction. Not only am I its latest featured author from today (20th April), but I shall have two more stories on the site from 26th April. They are:
    'Follow that Car', a feelgood story that follows what happens when a taxi-driver wishes for a passenger. He gets more than he bargained for. Is his fare a mobster, or is his imagination simply running wild?
    'Patterns in the Sand' in which Julia hopes a stay by the sea will help her forget her ex-boyfriend, but does ...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Coming Soon 

 

Chosen

April 13, 2015
Every fortnight Alfie Dog fiction features a different author. This week I had exciting news that I've been chosen for the fortnight from 20th April.
    I've mentioned Alfie Dog Fiction in this blog before. It publishes novels and short stories, and is a great site for both readers and writers. Only stories that meet the editor's standards are accepted. The benefits of this are twofold: people who download them can be sure of a decent read, and writers know that having work on the site will b...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Coming Soon 

 

Early Learning

April 5, 2015
I didn't plan it this way, but it turns out that 'E' in my blog alphabet coincides with Easter. The first 'commission' I ever had was to write the story of the crucifixion and resurrection for my school newspaper. It was a small village Church of England primary school with only about 40 pupils, and I was one of the oldest, aged around 10. It was in the days when one of the three teachers had to type up the contents and roll all the pages off a duplicator.
    I wasn't thrilled to be asked. I...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley.

 

Pope Buys Book!

March 30, 2015
I had a really strange dream a couple of nights ago. I don't know how it began, like most dreams the action seemed to have started some time  before I became aware of it. I was evidently involved in a promotional event for Discord's Apprentice resembling a village fête or town show. However, I was not giving a talk or being interviewed. I scrambled into a barrel mounted on a stand like a cannon or a cement mixer next to a stall, which could have been a tombola. (I put it down to watching a t...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : FantasyFiction 

 

The Countdown Begins

March 24, 2015
I have an announcement to make (shoulders back, deep breath)–Discord's Apprentice, Book II of The Exiles of Ondd, will be launched in June on Kindle and Smashwords. At least that's the plan. June seems ages away at the moment, all of nine weeks, but I know it will go by in a flash.
    I'm planning a series of 'activities' and 'events' in the run up to publication day. These will be announced on my website, which I shall be revamping shortly, this blog and other sites such as Goodreads, Smas...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Coming Soon 

 

A Life in Fifty Words

March 16, 2015
Could you sum up who your are in 50 to 100 words? The chances are, if you have something published you will be asked to. Many magazines like to include a short paragraph about the writer after their work or on a contributors' page. Having a few basic sentences ready can save a lot of time.
    You need to show a little of your experience or what makes your writing different. There's no room for a CV. The information you include will probably be similar to what you would put in a cover letter,...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley.

 

Playing with Words

March 8, 2015
I was recently sent a copy of Acumen, and I've been dipping into it whenever I've had a free moment this week. It's a literary journal containing mostly poetry and fairly scholarly interviews and reviews. The poetic forms and the content match, following a loose, freer style that fits modern themes. Some of the poems are in a light vein and some cover eternal subjects, but in the issue I've seen there were no traditional forms or classical subjects. Nonetheless, the poems were written with di...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Competitions 

 

All Spruced Up Alfie Dog Fiction

March 3, 2015
There are at least two 'A's in my alphabet. The first is Alfie Dog Fiction, which has had a thorough makeover. The site has hundreds of short stories available for download, mostly priced 39p. It's now a lot clearer and easier to use, both for readers and authors.
    You can find stories either by category or by author name, and I'm glad to report that mine is now listed under 'K' again. (For a while it had gone off to sulk with a few other 'K's and 'J's at the end). The new version of 'Your...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Competitions 

 
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About Me


My writing career began as a freelance feature writer for the local press, businesses and organisations. Now a prize-winning playwright and short story writer, my work has appeared in numerous publications on both sides of the Atlantic. I write as K. S. Dearsley because it saves having to keep repeating my forename, and specialise in fantasy and other speculative genres.

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