Short Stories

The short stories are provided as PDF files which can be read using the Adobe PDF reader. Get Adobe Reader.

The Real Santa, written October 2006

Who is the real Santa and why is he bringing terror rather than joy to an isolated village? And what will happen if the children don't get what they want this year?

Read The Real Santa (PDF 68k).

The Engineer's House, written September 2006

This story came third in the Cambridge Writers short story competition in November 2006. Three kids can't resist the lure of adventure when they see a boy's face at the window of a derelict house. But who will they turn to when their innocent investigations take a sinister twist?

Read The Engineer's House (PDF 81k).

Trailer, written June 2006

Gail is freaked out when she has a premonition about her own death...at least, that's what she thinks the premonition is about. The truth turns out to be even uglier.

Read Trailer (PDF 92k).

Taking Back Tom, written December 2005

This is based on a true local ghost story about a lovelorn girl called Juliet who killed herself nearly a thousand years ago.

Taking Back Tom will be published by Another Sky Press in their Falling From The Sky Anthology, due to be released in early 2007.

Christmas Is Cancelled, written October 2005

This story was shortlisted in a national competition run by Writelink. It's a haunting tale set on Christmas Eve.

Read Christmas Is Cancelled (PDF 84k).

Bad Dreams, written May 2005

This was my entry for The Bridport Prize 2005. Unfortunately it wasn't shortlisted.

This 5000 word story documents what happens when Jessica discovers that surgery to remove a brain tumour has left her with an unusual ability. The plight of Laurie, her best friend, gives her cause to use her powers to evoke fear and revenge - but how far will the girls let it go?

Read Bad Dreams (PDF 289k).

The Boy Who Painted the Future, written February 2005

This is a 1500 word story entered in a competition to write a short story for children. It's aimed at older children and I don't recommend you read it to your seven year old. Unless you want to give them nightmares of course.

Read The Boy Who Painted the Future (PDF 100k).

Last Orders, written December 2004

I wrote this 2000 word story after reading about the village of Imber in Wiltshire, which was taken over by the military at the end of the Second World War for training purposes. The villagers left, believing that they were helping the war effort and that they would be allowed to return to their homes in a few months. Imber remains a military training area to this day and is opened to the public only twice a year. Ruth Underwood, a descendant of one of the villagers who gave up their home, has written a soon-to-be-published book called 'Forever Imber'. For more information see the Forever Imber website.

Ruth had this to say when she read Last Orders:

Thank you very much for taking the trouble to send me your intriguing short story, Last Orders. I really enjoyed it and thought it had suspense — quite spooky, really! It is amazing how the subject of Imber can inspire even people who have never been there.

This story won third prize in the Cambridge Writers short story competition in February 2005. The judge, Dr Margaret Moore, said that the story "grabbed her by the lapels and refused to let go" and that "this writer has the gift of the gab". My prize was a 10 pound book token so I won't be retiring just yet, but it's the first time I've ever been paid for my work so I was chuffed — especially when I saw my story published on the Cambridge Writers website.

Read Last Orders (PDF 136k).

The Dispirit of Christmas, written November 2004

This is a 1500 word story which has been entered in two competitions but not shortlisted. It's about a family who freak their neighbours out by enjoying Christmas in a slightly offbeat way...

Read The Dispirit of Christmas (PDF 168k).