Authors

Gabriela Houston

Gabriela Houston is a London-based writer. She was born in Poland and raised in a book-loving household on the nourishing diet of mythologies, classics and graphic novels. She had spent much of her early school years holed up in the library, only feeling truly herself in the company of Jack London’s trappers and Lucy Maud Montgomery’s red-headed orphan, among many others. She came to the UK at 19 to follow her passion for literature and she completed her undergraduate and Masters degrees at Royal Holloway, University of London. After her studies, she worked in publishing for a few years. She now lives with her family in Harrow, where she pursues her life-long passion for making stuff up. She’s the author of Slavic-folklore-inspired novels for adults (The Second Bell, out from Angry Robot Books) and children (The Wind Child, out from Uclan Publishing).

Mark Kirkbride

Mark Kirkbride lives in Shepperton. He is the author of The Plot Against HeavenGame Changers of the Apocalypse and Satan’s Fan ClubGame Changers of the Apocalypse was a semi-finalist in the Kindle Book Awards 2019. His short stories have appeared in Under the BedSci Phi JournalDisclaimer MagazineFlash Fiction MagazineTitanic Terastructures and So It Goes: The Literary Journal of the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library. Poetry credits include Neon, the London Reader, the Big Issue, the Morning Star, the Daily MirrorSein und Werden and Horror Writers Association chapbooks. He works as a lecturer and as a subtitling editor, which he describes as watching TV under pressure.

Nadine Dalton-West

Nadine Dalton-West is the author of BFS award-shortlisted ‘The Women’s Song’ (in the Fight Like a Girl collection), ‘Rusalka’ (in The Book of Orm), ‘The House in Brooklyn’ (in The Book of Witches) and ‘Divine Right’ (in The Book of Demons), all published by Kristell Ink. She is learning to play the cello, and is happiest near animals or large bodies of water. She is on Twitter and Instagram as @andiekarenina.

A J Dalton

A J Dalton (the ‘A’ is for Adam) is a prize-winning author of science fiction and fantasy. He has published thirteen books to date, including The Book of OrmThe Book of AngelsThe Book of DragonsThe Book of WitchesThe Book of Demons and The Book of the Dead with Kristell Ink, the Empire of the Saviours trilogy with Gollancz, I am a Small God with Admanga Publishing, and The Satanic in Science Fiction and Fantasy with Luna Press Publishing.

J.McDonald

J.McDonald is a vegan who enjoys literally hugging trees. After completing an MA in Novel Writing, this author created “Upon Reflection” featured in Book of Demons, “A Wake” published in Book of the Dead, and “Pis Aller” found in Last Horizon.

Having been fortunate enough to grow up surrounded by the natural beauty of Canada, J.McDonald strives to protect the environment through as many small, seemingly inconsequential, ways as possible.

You may notice that all of this author’s pieces are told from a first-person perspective and include no explicit statement of the narrator’s gender or physical description. This is purposefully done to allow the reader to choose the gender and overall appearance of the main character for themselves. It also illustrates that surface appearance is not what matters. What is important are the thoughts, actions, experiences, and feelings of the person beneath.

For more works by J.McDonald, visit JMcDonaldWorks.com or check out @j.mcdonaldworks on Instagram.

Image by Zaur Ibrahimov on Unsplash.

Boe Huntress

Boe Huntress is a writer, performer and creative mentor living in London. As the ‘Artist in Residence’ for five years at Union Chapel, voted London’s favourite venue in Time Out, Boe created a number of immersive mixed-genre shows. Boe is currently working on her first novel, having completed an MA in Creative Writing at Middlesex University. She’s been published in ‘Dancing with the Birdman’ a short story collection by Exeter Writers, as well as releasing a number of albums and EPs as a songwriter, and playing live on Whispering Bob Harris’ BBC Radio 2 folk show. In her spare time, Boe enjoys collecting and cooking with seaweed!

Michael Conroy

Michael Conroy is a British writer fleeing debt and scandal, on the continent. His current work in progress is a novel about Italy, China, and SARS. Visit his website for information on editing and copywriting services.

Matt Beeson

Matt Beeson (he/him) is father to Brandon, husband to Nola; these are the things that he knows for certain. He is a professional risk consultant, primarily occupied with preventing things from burning down or blowing up. Over the last ten years his focus has been on the clean energy transition. His previous work (not including technical reports and papers) can be found in the Book of Witches and the Book of Demons. The Last Horizon is his first attempt at supporting the editing and compilation process. In his spare time he likes to read lots of things – his tastes are eclectic – while sitting, preferably. Sometimes just sitting will do. He was once a musician and hopes to be one again someday. Until then there is always chocolate and coffee. He is occasionally to be found on Twitter (@Phaeduck).

David Perryman

David Perryman is a husband, father, educator and creator of games. He teaches people how to understand people, how to make games and how to drive narrowboats. David has many published poems and short stories here and there, and even a guide on how to win at one of his games. His writing style is influenced by hard sci-fi and comedy fantasy. One day he’ll write a whole novel, just as soon as people no longer need help with the canal lock outside his house.

Joe Smith

Joe Smith lives in Northamptonshire with his wife and three children. He doesn’t have any pets — not because he doesn’t like animals, but because pets are not permitted under section 12a of his so-called ‘tenancy agreement’. When not writing, he is working towards a PhD in Creative Writing at Middlesex University, or staring wistfully out of the window at the family next door rolling around their lawn with their Golden Retriever and laughing — in his opinion — excessively.

Amie Angèle Brochu

Amie Angèle Brochu has over 15 years of direct social and residential care experience working with vulnerable populations in mental health, education and the non-profit sector. She is currently a sessional lecturer with the School of Social Work at Dalhousie University in Atlantic Canada. From a young age, stories of wizardry and magic have captivated her. Amie is currently undertaking a PhD at Middlesex University London, UK exploring the progressive potential of fantasy literature in fostering a liminal space contributing to individual, collective and social transformation. When Amie is not researching, writing or teaching she enjoys beachcombing, live theatre, and exploring historical medieval sites. You can usually find her writing in her favourite Muskoka chair with a glass of bubble tea.

Matt Ryder

Matt Ryder is a champion of eccentricity, more so with each passing year. He claims he remembers his time in the womb and compares the experience to living in an MRI scanner for nine months. He insists that he is a published author and that the ten line poem selected for his school’s anthology ‘most definitely counts’. Once a globetrotter on a mission to discover the planet’s most succulent protein (it’s snake), Matt currently lives in London with his wife and two sons.

Huw James

Huw James is a Brit, living in Ireland for most of his adult life, with his partner and too many cats. When not busy doomscrolling, he would be either gardening or spending excessive time playing video or board games with other humans.

Gabriel Wisdom

Gabriel Wisdom is a money manager, pilot, former radio disc-jockey, and a fiction writer, Gabriel’s writing credits include Wisdom on Value Investing, published by John Wiley & Sons, and Demon Rock, a speculative fiction thriller that takes place at the world’s largest free-standing boulder which split apart in February, 2000.  For Last Horizon, his short story, Ancient Dreams, is a techno-thriller about a dormant virus discovered in the melting Siberian permafrost.  Wisdom’s eco-adventure novel, Salton Sea Tales (2023), is part of a PhD in Creative Writing under the supervision of Dr. A. J. Dalton at Middlesex University, London.  

Jodie Hammond

Jodie Hammond is a first-time writer who is eager to see where this adventure takes her. She is currently participating in this project and another which she is very excited about. Jodie was born and raised in Camden, London. She still lives in the area with her family, her cat, Mog-Mog, and her tortoise, Hissy. Jodie has always been passionate about writing and reading from an early age. She graduated from Middlesex University with a First in BA English in 2021 and is currently studying MA Novel Writing at the same institution. She aspires to go into the world of publishing once she has finished her studies. If you want to keep up to date with Jodie and her projects, please visit her

Stephen Beeson

Stephen Beeson spent his working life helping Massey Ferguson make tractors but has since retired to a life of watching sports and completing Times Crosswords. At time of writing, he has completed 55 consecutively. He is father to two and grandfather to three, some of whom are involved in writing and editing this book. He and Anne – his partner in all things – play folk music more often than is strictly healthy, and retirement has seen his impressive collection of musical instruments develop significantly. He doesn’t do Twitter and his Facebook is largely devoted to plugging the folk club he frequents to perform on the third Wednesday of every month. He has always been a prolific songwriter, growing up to the sounds of the Beatles. He also writes the occasional story.

Jamie Bear

Jamie lives in the countryside and is a passionate vegan. She loves animals and dedicates a large portion of her time to reading. Eventually she would like to own a ranch and rescue animals from slaughter.

John J Ernest

John J Ernest is an aspiring fantasy author, he spends his days editing video for daytime tv, and squeezing in the odd hour of writing on his debut novel “A fire in the night”. When he’s not escaping to other realms, John likes to walk around the green spaces of North London, where he lives. His short “The Devil’s Tongue” was published in “The Book of Demons” in 2021 (under the name JES Simpson). Tweet him @Geeksimpson or read some of his shorts on JJERNEST.COM where he intermittently posts updates on the progress of his writing.

Meet The Stories

Matt Beeson offers a rounded (but occasionally sweary!) take on climate change in an entertaining introduction, considering four key Axioms:

Climate change is not a ___ problem, it’s a human one!

Telling the stories of climate change is important.

There is nothing more human than the telling of stories.

It’s ok to know the right thing and not be able to do it right now. You can still aspire to it!

Buy Now

Humanity is at a crossroads’ could be the start of any number of science fiction stories. Unfortunately for humanity, as a cursory google of the phrase will reveal, we appear to be living through our very own science fiction story. The decisions that individuals, communities, and nations make now will have a profound effect on our future.

Available now for paperback and Kindle!