Fiction Glossary for "The Sudden Walk"

Where to start

An exhibit from the Fernando Pessoa museum in Lisbon.

For those of you who are new to The Sudden Walk or those of you who have been getting my emails weekly, but have never taken a deep dive on my fiction back catalogue, I get it.

There’s admin involved in going onto a website and clicking through links and tabs trying to find shit.

But I write this stuff with the intention for it to be read. So I decided to sand away any resistance that might be making it harder for people to do that.

By putting everything in one place and organising it with a bit more context than a random email with (a short story) next to a cryptic title, people might have an easier entry point to my fiction writing.

That’s what this glossary is.

This landing page is the place to find my body of publicly published fiction all in one spot.

This is an evolving document, so the list below will grow as I get more stories accepted via journals and when I’ve collected enough “used” stories to put out a new season.

But for now. This is what I’ve got. This is my body of work.

(Well…I have actually written three novels and forty plus stories that can’t be found here (you can read more about why that is here) but as far as published work is concerned…this is my body of work)

Published Writing

First there are my externally Published Works:

Wells Street Journal: Colours of a Bruise (print and online)
Blackmail Press: World War Three (Poetry) (online)
Vexed to Nightmare: The Beast of Fort Meade (E-book)

In addition to the above, two additional stories of mine have been accepted for publication and are due to come out later this year. These are as follows.

Take a Breath Anthology (Xpress Publishing): Man in the Hat (print)

Skipjack Review: Before the Sun Comes Up (online)

(I’ll include direct links to each story or to purchase as soon as the stories themselves become available).

Free Stories available here on Substack

Below you can find thirty six stories to enjoy right here for free.

Publishing my work in print is of course always my goal, but there’s something to be said for giving a certain amount of it away for free (you can read more of my logic on that here)

These stories can all be found on the main Sudden Walk page, but below you’ll find them broken into genre, with a brief teaser blurb, author’s notes (where applicable), the vintage i.e. the year each story was published along with some vibe indicators - what style is it written in, what author’s can I compare it to (this is an evolving document so not every story has these to accompany them yet).

The range of genres here are reflective of the experimental approach I’ve taken to my writing. Many of these are outside of my wheelhouse, but they helped me develop my current writers’ voice which is a hell of a lot closer to the one I hear in my head.

So scroll down and have a browse by genre.

Enjoy.

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Horror:

While most of my stories have a lick of darkness in them, for the Horror category, I’ve included anything that leans more into physical danger, graphic imagery and other tropes you’d more traditionally associate with the genre.

One Night of the Year (2024)
You get a baby sitter. She’s troubled sure. But the kid’s good at heart. Dad insists. When your child goes missing. The goodness of all hearts must be questioned.

Author’s note: This is a Halloween story, so I was leaning into melodrama a little bit more.

Notes of Stephen King with a touch of Cormac Mccarthy’s biblical weight.

Masochist Love (2022)

What happens when a sadist falls in love with an masochist? Match made in heave or two positive magnets cancelling each other out?

Author’s note: I came up with the premise for this while out running. I kept rolling over it in my mind, rushing back afraid I was going to lose the thread before I got a chance to write it down.

Heavier notes of body horror rather than a slasher film vibe. Think the SAW movies with a dash of the dark comedy in Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho.

And So Could Anyone (2025)

This Christmas Michelle’s coming to stay. She’s troubled. But she means well. She’s brought a gift with her. The only problem is, it’s got ten fingers and ten toes and wasn’t her gift to give.

Author’s note: This is a Christmas Horror story written for Chuck Palahniuk’s Christmas Horror collection. It didn’t get accepted, but I like what he’s doing putting emerging writers alongside established names. It’s a bit like a touring brand bringing unknown openers on the road with them.

A touch of Chuck Palahniuk’s shock horror with an ambient crooner melancholy in the tradition of Shaun McGowan, Tom Wait’s etc.

Romance:

Tuna Steak Night (2022)
A couple stay home for a dinner date. The subject of conversation is Tuna Steak, at least as far as the words are concerned.
Romance.

Author’s note: This is an early story which came out of a writing prompt encouraging writers to lean heavily on subtext. Never talking about the thing, but clearly talking about the thing. The most effective application of this technique I’ve seen is Hemingway’s Hills like White Elephants. It’s public domain now so you can follow the link to read it.

Situational drama, leaning on subtext in the fashion of Raymond Carver and as mentioned, Hemingway—though in structure rather than tone.

The Scorpion (2024)

Before she left, she gave one instruction. “No Fighting.” He’s built the way he’s built though isn’t he? It’s obvious where this is going. Same old story. But wait. If it’s so obvious, might she have known what she was doing?

Now that I’ve done my song and dance, here’s a tip cup to a throw a few coins into if you’d like. No pressure though of course.

Notes of folk country music, Tyler Childers, Zach Bryan, with a dash of fable. Brother’s Grimm infused with a bit more quirk, a bit less darkness.

Action

Antonio’s Choice (2022)
Many young men can’t wait to test their mettle in the running of the bulls. Antonio however is running for a different set of reasons.

Notes of Hemingway in subject matter and tone come to think of it. Machismo, bulls. There’s also a bit of a heist feel rumbling in the background.

The Organisation (2023)
A botched bank transaction leaves a financially struggling couple with a choice. Take this million dollars and run for it or be honest? Honest for who’s sake?

Notes of Bonnie and Clyde, Thelma and Louise with a drum of moral conundrum mixed in.

Faith (2023)

Our disadvantaged narrator has a lot to say about religion. A lot to say to the nun walking past. The problem is, she’s not a none. Furthermore, those things he’s so sure about? Maybe there’s more to it.

There’s a bit of Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men in this one though it leans a bit more into the unresponsible sibling vibe of the kind found in the Safdie Brothers’ Good Time. Wish I had the chops to build tension like those two.

A Handshake for Rollo (2023)
Part Two
Part Three

The search for a new flatmate is never great. Sometimes you’ve just got to take what you can get though right? Meet Rollo and you might reconsider that logic.

Author’s note: I’ve expanded elements of this into my second novel. While the character of Rollo is all but unrecognizable in my updated version. The skeleton structure of the premise are in there.

One part domestic malaise, one part shadowy moralistically motivated blackmail. If Q Anon had it in for renters. If that doesn’t make sense, read all three. You’ll see.

Light Pollution (2024)

A stranger is crying on the train. No one’s stepping in to help. What do you do? You help.

Psychological/Philosophical:

Britney’s Mushroom (2022)
Britney’s sister wrote a moving memoir about rescuing a family member from a cult. But the thing is Britney joined that group for a reason. She’s not sure she was rescued at all.

Malcone Station (2023)

Michael Malcone lives deep in valley on a station, as remote as remote gets. Ghosts haunt these hills, ghosts haunt Michael and his family. But that’s all behind him now. Right?

Author’s note: The setting for this one was inspired by a former Hitler Youth Academy I visited just outside of Cologne. The Site had been repurposed as a museum which outright refused to acknowledge its dark past. While this story is set worlds away from castles and WWII, I was inspired to replicate this ineffective attempt to cover up darkness.

Black Mercedes (2023)

Christmas is coming up. Parents each have their own way of approaching the Santa question. Christmas is a magic time, right? A magic story or a magical lie?

Spare Me Your Change (2023)
Earnest came back from the war. Every week chose the same lottery numbers without fail. Waiting for that big win in a life of few small wins. Waiting for it to come, waiting for—

Not a Single Girl (2023)
You know when your favourite band puts out a new big single? A teaser for the album to come. What happens if the single is no good? Perhaps they’re trying to lower your expectations, so when the album finally drops it will really knock you off your seat. Record labels would let them do that. Right?

Ain’t Just a Smile (2024)
Nothing comes without a catch. They’ll give you the world, but they’ll take the world. Who? Who doesn’t?

Northern Line (2024)

A man stands on the train platform watching. Another man stands too close to the edge. He’s taking a risk. He’s putting a lot of faith in the sanity of those around him. Arrogant or simply human?

Speculative/Surreal

The Ratline (2023)
A dog walker returns the German Shephard he’s walking to its home in a primarily German community. These folks can’t seem to move on from a certain historical event. Technically, they never did anything wrong. Their hands never got dirty. But something won’t let them move on. Something bigger than man or canine.

Author’s note: I’ve got a loose plan to expand this premise into a novella. While I love the premise, I feel I rushed the ending on this one and pushed its tone further into “action” than I’d like.

The Golem (2023)
1930’s Czechoslovakia. A parent tells their child a legend of mythic figure known as the golem. When real life monsters visit. Will the golem be there to help?

Author’s note: This one stemmed from a short story prompt as part of the NYC midnight fiction competition.

Chefe (2023)

Time travel to the outskirts of 1920s Lisbon. You’ll find a bull named Chefe. A famous stud bull. He’s patient zero of mad cow disease. Your goal is simple. But don’t forget. Chefe is a prized, famous bull.

Axolotl Park (2023)

Axolotl Park is a public park. But it’s less public than you’d think. Those who live there own more of it than you do. They call those grizzled park dweller’s the Axolotls. This Halloween, they’re not the ones to be worried about however.

The Beast of Fort Meade (2023)
There’s a beast outside your door trying to get in. But its unclear whether this is monster or man or mind. The beast of Fort Meade follows a different set of rules.

Murder Ballad (2024)

He always knew he’d end up here one day. Blood on his hands. The woman he loves. A thing of myth. Is he the material of myth though?

The Ghost of Manuel Grady (2024)
The Grady Twins are tangled up in dealings outside the lines. Everyone knows this, everyone turns up to the Grady’s club on a Thursday night all the same. One Thursday, one of the twins dies onstage in front of witnesses. Next Thursday? Two twins are there to perform as always.

Of a Time (2024)

Dad taught him the value of hard work, no matter how much you feel like you’ve already made it. It’s simple. Dad makes it all seem very clear. When Dad disappears, things get murky.

Crimelda’s Wisdom (2024)
A travelling salesman carries the weight of his mother’s death. She worked the same profession in a town that always rejected what they’re selling. Our narrator knocks on one door which offers more than a sale.

Compassionate Exit (2024)

In the future, executions will be performed in a compassionate manner. They’ll make you comfortable. Our narrator lives through this compassion.

Flash Fiction:

Hero of the Ball (2023)
Mary gets jumped. A hero jumps in. One girls idea of hero ain’t the same as the next’s though, y’know?

Quality of a Soul (2023)
Everyone made predictions about Dennis Junior. When they heard he sold his soul to the devil, they ran for the hills. Predictions aren’t truth though y’know?

Jerry’s Proposal (2023)
Jerry has a ring. The girls are all there to see it. So is a certain bird with an eye for shiny things.

Author’s note: This flash fiction piece was part of a competition. I have included the judge’s feedback I received along with my thoughts on that feedback at the time.

Till Death (2024)
Flash Fiction
A man goes to the wedding of the woman he loves. He’s not the groom though. Present and past collide. She wants him there. So he’s present.

Literary

Plums and Tobacco (2023)
A boxer enjoys the greatest night of his life. Wins a title, gets the girl. Wouldn’t you love to relive that moment for ever and ever? Wouldn’t you?

Author’s note: The seeds of this story go as far back as my high school days where I came up with a crude version the basic fight sequence. I wrote a separate story touching on the dementia element years later, after I’d finished university. It wasn’t until I reached London that I put both thoughts together and rewrote in a more advanced prose style.

The Colours of a Bruise (2025)

A young man finds common ground with his former Judo practitioner grandfather when he takes up martial arts. As he progresses through the belts however, he’s told in sport means progress as a person. He learns whether this is true or not.

Adult Words (2024)

Jed, Old Man Grady, all the adults in our narrator’s life use big words to frame the world. When his neighbour’s prize dog falls pregnant, these words turn to action.

Injured (2024)
A brother and sister bond over the harsh parenting style they shared at the hands of their father. Though both are successful in their chosen fields, they bear their injuries in very different ways.

Duty (2024)

Mum takes pills to monitor the pain. It buys her moments. It takes moments. What’s the cost? It takes decades for a son to realise the truth.