anthology – Page 2

New Reflex Press Anthology

In Defence of Pseudoscience: Reflex Fiction Volume Five, Reflex Press, 28 July 2022

I have a short story in this anthology from Reflex Press. Yo u Fold Yourself into Tiny Spaces was longlisted in the Reflex Press Quarterly International Flash Fiction Competition in 2021. I’m honoured to be published alongside so many wonderful authors. It will be released on 28 July, but can be preordered from Reflex Press.

In Defence of Pseudoscience contains 176 ﬂash ﬁctions from 152 writers from across the world. These short short stories, each no longer than 360 words, were longlisted for the four rounds of the Reﬂex ﬂash ﬁction competition held in 2021.

Within these pages, the traditional narrative shares space with the experimental. Humour sits alongside tragedy. Each of these page-long stories packs a punch greater than its word count suggests.

In Defence of Pseudoscience is the perfect introduction to readers new to ﬂash ﬁction and essential reading for those already familiar with the form.

Includes prize-winning ﬂash ﬁction from Annette Edwards-Hill, Jeanine Skowronski, Thomas Malloch, Joshua Jones, Kirsteen Ure, Simon Linter, Morgan Quinn, Matt Kendrick, Evelyn Forest, Becca Yenser, Karen Jones, Rosaleen Lynch, Nora Nadjarian, Jo Withers, and Katja Sass.

Book Release: My Brother Was a Kangaroo and Other Stories

The time has come to release my debut short story collection, My Brother Was a Kangaroo. This has been a few years in the making, with many of the stories having been published in literary journals and magazines. Some have won prizes and three are forthcoming in paperback anthologies with Kingston University Press, Unthank Books and Flash Flood Journal. The collection is available in paperback and as an ebook.

Here is a taster….

‘The stories will resonate with you long after finishing’ Avril Joy, Costa Short Story Award winner

From a boy searching for his parents in a North African souk to the marketplaces of India; from the hospital bed of a writer who has inexplicably lost his memory to a small girl who gives stones to a man on a park bench; and from Freud’s couch in Vienna to the mythical sirens, this collection will stir your senses and take you on a journey around the globe. It explores the intricacies of human nature and the complex ways in which people respond to pressure, change and loss.

‘F.C. Malby is one of those writers who makes you sit up and pay attention. She’s a natural storyteller, a gifted wordsmith, and fearless in taking her imagination to the dark side when the story requires it.’Dan Coxon, fiction editor, Litro Magazine

‘Malby’s writing is restrained, understated and elegant. Her shorter fiction pieces are stunning, creating a sense of beauty and poignancy in just a few hundred words.’Maureen Scott, CEO, Ether Books

‘Deeply moving and attuned to the subtleties of human relationships, F.C. Malby’s stories make us realise we’re only one step away from a completely different world.’ Ashley Stokes, editorial director and short fiction editor, Unthank Books

I hope you enjoy the stories and I look forward to hearing from you. Do share this with friends and fellow short story lovers.

Short Story News

After a break from blogging, I’m back with some short story news. After 8 years in Vienna, Austria, I am now back in the UK and a collection of my short stories is due to be released soon as an anthology. I’m really excited about the collection, which includes many stories published in literary magazines, and several anthologies as stand alone stories.

The other news is that my story, Lines in the Sand, will be published by Unthank Books in Unthology 8 in November. My work will be published alongside some wonderful writers, so I am thrilled to be a part of this publication.

And one of my stories has gone into this wonderful collection, Hearing Voices, which will soon be published by Kingston University Press. It includes work by Pulitzer Prize winner, Anthony Doerr and is an exciting mix of stories from locations as far flung as Ithaca, Nairobi and the surface of the moon!

Thank you for all of your comments and interest in the blog.