In the Centre of the Floor, a Body

 A blog called Ontos, which discusses SF and mystery fiction, has published a neat little article about my alien murder mystery story The Sound of Death.

It's got some great quotes and  a character list and has pointed me towards an interesting looking short story collection that I think I'll track down.

Writing Plans

There's always so much to write and so little time. There's also so much to read, after having picked up 14 books at WorldCon and several more since. Currently I'm writing a short story about alien detective Ek-Lo-Don, who first appeared in The Sound of Death at IGMS earlier this year. I have ideas for 5 stories in that series and I'm seriously thinking about a novel too. That may well take over from the novel I started 2 years ago that didn't get very far, which if I continue will become a trilogy. I also have ideas for a novel in the same universe as Gap Years, as well as 3 or 4 in the Galaxy's Game universe. Meanwhile I'm also writing an interactive novel related to Galaxy's Game. I'm enjoying it, but it will be a long-term background project. I have another 2 partly-written short stories, which is unusual for me as I normally write one at a time and finsih them. Both are awaiting further inspiration. Then there are the usual ideas patiently awaiting their turn on the page - at least five definite short stories lurking in the background. That should keep me busy for a while.

The Sound of Reviewing

The first review of IGMS #38 is up at Tangent Online, 'the genre's premiere review magazine for short SF & Fantasy since 1993.'

Of 'The Sound of Death', reviewer Michelle Ristuccia concludes by saying:

As hard as Jones works to present the reader with a profoundly alien world, he puts equal effort into painting Ek-Lo-Don as a sympathetic character solving a mystery that plays on the aliens' human-like nature.

 That's pretty much what I was aiming for, so I'm happy with that.

Side Show Freaks

My post on the story nehind the story of 'The Sound of Death' is now online at the IGMS blog Side Show Freaks.

The Sound of Death at IGMS

My 6300 word alien murder mystery is now on line at IGMS with absolutely awesome artwork by Scott Altmann.

This is my 7th pro sale and a story I'm really proud of.

From the editorial:

Our cover story is "The Sound of Death" by British author Gareth D. Jones, proving that while murder is universal, exploring an alien world and culture through the eyes and ears of a detective investigating that murder is an event not soon forgotten.

Story Sale to IGMS

I'm exceedingly excited to anounce that my 6300 word alien detective story The Sound of Death has been bought by Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show, aka IGMS. I love the character and setting I've created for this story and reallly want to write more in the same world. No publication date confirmed for this yet, but probably next spring.