Sing to Me

I’m very excited to announce that my story Sing to Me is to be released in the latest Literary Mix Tapes anthology From Stage Door Shadows.

This will be the third story I’ve had published in these wonderful anthologies and I consider myself lucky to sit among writers of huge talent and generosity in their encouragement and support to emerging writers. Editor, publisher and fellow contributor Jodi Cleghorn has once again produced a collection of speculative-fiction short stories to make you laugh, cry, cringe and sigh.

From Stage Door Shadows brings to life the classic Elton John/Benny Taupin song Tiny Dancer in twenty six tales each based on a lyric from the song. Anyone who knows the song, will appreciate the beauty in its words and the imagery it conjures. Twenty-six authors from across the globe, were charged with creating stories to shine light on the darkened corners of the stage, through narratives that touch and torture the reader alike.

Sing to Me came about from the lyric “only you and you can hear me”. The line immediately felt right to me. From the beginning I imagined a busker. A girl alone on busy streets but for her guitar and her songs. You’ve all seen them; crowds part around their busted up cases, a few coins the only thing to be shown for what is to them, their art, their reason for being. Often they are oblivious to the street around them and in turn, the street around them is oblivious to them. I wanted to tell the story of a girl who was so embedded in her music and seemingly happy in the knowledge that no one really heard her, until someone, something, really does hear her. The story went through two or three reincarnations, the result of the dedicated and supportive editing process that Literary Mix Tapes affords its writers, but in the end the story is how it should be. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed giving it life.

From Stage Door Shadows launches in paperback today, from Smiths Alternate Bookstore in Canberra. To have a physical launch is a fabulous thing and I only wish I could have been there to support Jodi and eMergent Publishing in the unveiling of another brilliant anthology. Instead I’ll be partying it up with the authors, their family and friends, at the FaceBook launch here.

Supporting your independent publishers and writers is incredibly important for the success and viability of the Arts in our country. If you enjoy your speculative fiction and want to own your own piece of Australian independently published work, From Stage Door Shadows is available to buy on paperback here, and with every paperback purchase you receive a free eBook (Mobi, ePub and PDF). If digital is the way you roll, eBook’s can also be purchased from the above link.

For a taste of the stories, each one will go live for 48 hours, every hour from 9am AEST today in a free web release. Sing to Me can be found right here after it goes live from 5am AEST on Sunday 30th September.

Go on! Go get yourself a slice of awesome. Perfect for a train commute, a rainy day in bed or to read under your desk when your job just becomes too much. I promise you’ll enjoy every story.