Back from Vermont – short story in Takahe

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My story “Back from Vermont” has just been published in Takahe 73. Takahe is a New Zealand literary magazine, published three times a year. After a long time of focusing my attention abroad, it’s nice to be published here at home (even if I did write a story set in the U.S.).

The story opens like this…

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In the time before my parents separated my father began building miniature trains and, over the course of an evening, would lay a mile or more of track through our neighborhood then rumble around until first light. It started on a Saturday and that following Sunday morning brought us a stream of folks from around the street, thumping on the door, demanding to see my father. My mother stood in the doorway, trying to deflect them, but for the most part they just wanted to know how they could join in

Imaginary Maid Forgets She Is Late For A Banquet

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My story “Imaginary Maid Forgets She Is Late For A Banquet” appears in the Static Movement print anthology, Alternate Dimensions, just published. It’s available now at the PillHill Book Shoppe and should be on Amazon soon.

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Bianca sulked. She’d pushed herself into a corner of the kitchen, crouched and squeezed herself right under one of the benches.

“Bianca,” Paulette called. “Come out.” She paused, giggled a little. “Come out, come out.”

“Wherever you are,” Bianca whispered.

“I’ll teach you, you little snipe. I will teach you a lesson you’ll never forget.”

Bianca looked around the corners of the tiny dark space. She needed magic.

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Two stories in The New Flesh: Year Two ebook

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 1 Comment

Two of my stories – Fledgling and Zombie Love For Morons – have been selected for The New Flesh’s second ebook. Download for free from here. The ebook is a selection of the 50 top stories from the year. It’s a fun and eclectic mix of stories (my own two are from the opposite poles of my writing) – including some from known authors like Jodi MacArthur, Angel Zapata, Laura Eno, Erin Cole and … well, too long a list. Download it now and enjoy.

Blueprints for Insect Architecture – stunning ambient

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

http://testtube.monocromatica.com/releases/tube234.htm>Blueprints for insect architecture by Daniel Maze and Dave Zeal is on high rotation at the moment. Wonderful immersive soundscapes with just hints of melody and rhythm and a very well attuned little glitchiness – almost like the background sound of scuttling termites constructing a mound. At a little under 40 minutes this makes for a nice little writing session.

Pan Am 617 Heavy – conclusion

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 2 Comments

And so my dieselpunk novella serialization comes to a close with part 2 of Pan Am Historic Flight 1. It’s been fun to watch this come out piece by piece over the last few weeks.
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Dominic ducked back in as a cloud of cinders and soot blew into the cabin. He looked out again. Keyshaa hadn’t moved. Tying the rope to the door handle, he dove into the water, letting the big plane cruise off alone.

“Keyshaa,” he called when he surfaced. She wasn’t far away, still leaning on the floatvest. He grabbed the sinking rope and kicked for her.
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If you’re looking to start at the beginning, then read through each of the parts, start here. Again, my thanks to Don Webb and the team at Bewildering Stories for taking the novella on, in particular their encouragement to develop what started out as a much shorter piece.

Pan Am 617 Heavy, parts 6 and 7

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 1 Comment

A bonus this week – two chapters of Pan Am 617 Heavy – Messerschmitt Dogfight and Pan Am Historic Flight 1 (pt.1). Just one more part after this.
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“They’re waiting,” Dominic said, pointing to the open door, lit by a blinding spotlight.

“Throw out your weapons,” someone shouted from outside. Dominic imagined a semi-circle of them, all with their guns trained on the door.

“Well,” Keyshaa said, “that’s it, then.”
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I know there’s no Messerschmitt in the picture, but these were the models I found. It’s been fun doing the illustrations for each part of the story – even if they sometimes feel a bit rough.

Pan Am 617 Heavy, pt. 5 (chapter 3, part 2)

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 2 Comments

Part two of chapter three “Particle Magnetron” is out now. Down in the tunnels below the atoll’s surface, Dominic and Keyshaa find more surprises.

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Dominic heard the sound of the flare striking the concrete floor. He glanced back and could see the outline of the tunnel roof. The flare crackled as it lit, throwing light around them.

“Come on,” Keyshaa said. She ran off.

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Pan Am 617 Heavy, pt. 3

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 3 Comments

Part Three is out now.

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The last red of the sunset echoed across the sky as Keyshaa pointed ahead. They’d been following the running lights from the glider, and beyond, Dominic could see brighter lights lower down, glinting on the surface.

“A ship?” Dominic said. He was cold. He guessed that they were already below three thousand feet. That didn’t give them much glide room before they splashed into the dark ocean.

“Maybe the atoll.”

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