Tykewriter Digest, March 2024
The latest quarterly news and writings from journalist and SFF author Mark Cantrell
WELCOME to my latest quarterly author newsletter, Tykewriter Digest, where I share any news about my writing endeavours, and links to work published in the previous three months.
Much of my time lately has been occupied by the day job, but out of hours, I've kept myself busy feeding my author blog with news and features, and of course the same for my Substack, Tome of an Obscure Scribbler.
There's always time for fiction, but that's my news for the quarter, so read on...
Latest News
Something dark comes to the summer house
Last month, the San Diego-based arts and literary 'zine Midsummer Dream House did me the honour of publishing my latest novelette.
When Darkness Comes is what you might call a low key cosmic horror, focused on a family get together in Yorkshire.
It's a character-focused tale, intimate in its setting, but global in its outlook. Tom, the protagonist, and his family, stand in common with all humanity; baffled, but seemingly helpless witnesses of a mysterious phenomenon.
Curiosity turns to foreboding, overtaken by fear, as an implacable darkness descends over their lives, and begins to 'eat' the world; faced with this sinister, utterly unknowable and unhuman presence, what can they do to hold out in the light?
You can read the story on Midsummer Dream House.
Fourth novel underway
By my reckoning, I've written somewhere near 30,000 words for my next novel, Forever Mercy; so far not one of them is likely to appear in any draft of the manuscript.
Sounds like hard work for no return, right? That may well prove the case, but it's early days yet, and I must admit I'm enjoying the experience.
Technically everything I'm writing is character development and world building, but the approach is something of a departure from my previous books. Ordinarily, it's a 'brain dump', just gathering together my notes and thoughts in a splurge of writing.
On this occasion, though, it struck to write them as potential blog posts, quasi-articles, and semi-fictional passages. The reasoning is two-fold. Firstly, it gives me a swathe of material to publish as extras to support the novel, if – when – it is published. Second, it – hopefully – will make me less inclined to overload the novel itself with back-story. Well, we'll see how that pans out in due course, I guess. The theory is sound.
As it is, this approach is slowing me down, and then some. Each one is becoming something of a writing project in itself, but I think it works, and I am certainly generating plenty of material I am looking forward to sharing on my platform.
The biggest temptation to resist is to get it out there now, as it becomes completed. Some of it I'll share in advance, sure. Some I've already shared, but I really must control myself, and hold it in store for later.
You can a couple of those earlier pieces linked below; meanwhile, watch this space...
Writing From Elsewhere
Art meets science with infectious comic-book combination
Comic strip art project ‘starring’ the creators as protagonists takes us on a time-hopping tour through history of infectious disease science
Science | 26 February 2024
Read this story on Mark Cantrell, Author.
When Darkness Comes
A family get together descends into darkness, when a mysterious cosmic phenomenom shifts from being an enthralling curiosity to something far more sinister…
Fiction | 24 February 2024
Read this story on Midsummer Dream House.
TS Eliot Prize caps winning streak for poet’s collection
Jason Allen-Paisant’s Self-Portrait As Othello scooped up the prestigious award
Poetry | 12 February 2024
Read this story on Mark Cantrell, Author.
Exhibition offers up a gallery of rogues
Abbey House Museum in Leeds, West Yorkshire, is offering a glimpse into the dubious history of dodgy advertising
Culture | 29 January 2024
Read this story on Mark Cantrell, Author.
Now there’s another reason to find cats fetching
A team of animal behaviour specialists has found that cats like a game of fetch too; well, that’s their excuse for all the time they spent playing with the kitties…
Science | 15 January 2024
Read this story on Mark Cantrell, Author.
About the Author
Mark Cantrell is a UK-based writer and journalist. In 2020 he took a career hiatus to care for an elderly parent with dementia, but he continues to write and chase the literary dream. He is the author of two novels – Citizen Zero (2017) and Silas Morlock (2013) – both published by indie press, Inspired Quill. Mark was born and bred in West Yorkshire, but these days lives in Staffordshire.
Literary Links
Aside from his official website, Mark also maintains a presence on Goodreads, Smashwords, Amazon, Facebook, and Bookshop UK.
Catch him on Twitter @Man0Words.
Read more writing on sister Substack, outHouse.
Buy me a coffee?
Tome of an Obscure Scribbler is a reader supported publication. Subscribe to get new stories emailed direct to your inbox as and when they appear. You'll also enjoy full access to the 'back catalogue' of previously published posts.
In the meantime, if you'd care to further support an independent author and journalist, you can always visit my KoFi page and make a small donation. A few coins in the 'tip jar' help pay my way to more writing. Much obliged!
MC