ACCEPTANCE: The Ampersand Review!

Well, I've got a fun piece of good news to share. I've had a short story accepted to The Ampersand Review! This literary magazine, published by the Honours Bachelor of Creative Writing & Publishing program at Sheridan College here in Ontario, launched in 2021. Eight issues in, it has published a lot of fantastic writing and even features, celebrity style, a well-regarded Canadian author on its cover. 

My story, called "Adults in Costume" and centred around that centuries-old custom among many island cultures called "mummering," will appear in the magazine's Summer 2025 issue. Very stoked to be included among what I'm sure will be a killer line-up of writers! I'll provide more details as we get a little closer to the issue's release date.

A few additional reminders

• My new novel, Lowfield, is out with Now or Never Publishing on April 15! This tale of horror and paranormal suspense, set in my native province of Prince Edward Island, is available wherever you buy books, including Indigo, Amazon.ca, McNally Robinson, and various indies who use Bookmanager for inventory. 
• Speaking of Lowfield, I'm hosting a Toronto launch for it on Sunday April, 27 from 1 to 3 pm at Little Ghosts Books on Dundas Street West. See this Eventbrite page for more details, and if you're planning to come, please register for a (free!) ticket so we know how many to expect.
• Finally, the speculative fiction anthology Devouring Tomorrow, which includes a new short story of mine, called "Unlimited Dream," is now out and available wherever you buy your books. Pick up a copy today!

M.

ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lowfield Launch!

Hey Toronto: I’m happy to announce the LOWFIELD LAUNCH! Join us on Sunday, April 27 from 1 to 3 pm as I send my new novel, a tale of horror and paranormal suspense set on PEI, out into the world. The event will happen at Little Ghosts Books, 930 Dundas St W., and will feature Dan Perry, (author of his own tale of horror, Modern Folklore), who will MC and do a Q&A with me.

See this Eventbrite page for more details, and please order a (free!) ticket for this event to indicate you’ll be there.

See you on April 27!

My Review of Pandexicon, by Wayne Grady for Canadian Writers Abroad

I'm happy to announce that I'm back in the digital pages of Canadian Writers Abroad, this time reviewing Wayne Grady's nonfiction work about Covid-19, Pandexicon: How the Language of the Pandemic Defined Our New Cultural Reality. 

I really enjoyed this book: through the terms, neologisms, and slang that arose during the pandemic, it lays out the history and consequences of that collective tragedy and how it altered our very language. Grady brings a ton of journalistic rigour to his study of the pandemic, and he displays full command over its chronology of events. I imagine this book will prove, years from now, an invaluable resource for authors who want to replicate the events of the pandemic through historical fiction, once it's far enough in our rearview mirror.

Anyway, a must-read for those interested in a deep dive into Covid-19. You can also check out my other contributions (reviews, interviews, listicles, etc.) to Canadian Writers Abroad.  

Another Guest Post for Rebecca's Newsletter

Well, I'm back with another guest post for my wife Rebecca's newsletter. This piece, called On the Sunk Cost Fallacy, or Why I Wrote a Horror Novel is a deeply personal one for me. It talks about the long, hard road to getting my forthcoming new novel, Lowfield, accepted for publication. 

I put this out there, not just as promotion for the book (which you can pre-order wherever you buy books), but also to share some insider baseball about just how tough the publishing game can be, and the work, luck, and faith you need to have to get your work out into the world. I don't do a lot of confessional-style writing, so please let me know what you think of this piece!

Devouring Tomorrow Launch Party!

Okay folks, save the date! The launch party for DEVOURING TOMORROW will be on April 2 at Toronto's Teddy Beer. I've got a short story, called "Unlimited Dream," included in this speculative fiction anthology about "food of the future." The book is edited by Jeffrey Dupuis and A.G. Pasquella and includes works by Carleigh Baker, Gary Barwin, Chris Benjamin, Catherine Bush, Jowita Bydlowska, Lisa de Nikolits, Dina Del Bucchia, Terri Favro and many more. 

The evening will be a blast, so come out and help us celebrate! See this Facebook invitation for deets.

Reminder: Devouring Tomorrow Anthology Coming in March!

 As I mentioned just about a year ago, I have a new short story, called "Unlimited Dream," forthcoming in a speculative fiction anthology Devouring Tomorrow, edited by Jeffrey Dupuis and A.G. Pasquella. Built around the theme of "food of the future," this book is out in March (not in the fall as previously reported) and is already getting some buzz, including a writeup in last weekend's Toronto Star. I'll provide more updates about this delightful book as they become available, but in the meantime check out its snazzy cover and a fantastic blurb by Chris Turner, author of How to Be a Climate Optimist. Pre-order your copy of Devouring Tomorrow - today!

Guest post on the Wolsak & Wynn blog

So I've got a guest blog post on the Wolsak & Wynn website today, in which I pair some books and cocktails to help you unwind during this festive season. My choices include books from Gerald Arthur Moore, Shashi Bhatt, Daniel Tysdal and others, and the cocktails include the Irish Maid, the Boulevardier, and the Chelsea Sidecar. Don't forget to add a comment and share some picks of your own. Enjoy!