The Blood Moon: and other stories!

    My brain is full of possible story ideas. Constantly. Endlessly.

    I had a dark retelling of Mary Poppins planned for a great long while. Many years, in fact. Originally written as a musical, all blues and jazz. But I never found the time to write the songs or work with anyone to bring it to life below a proscenium arch. Poor Mary. Or as I renamed her; Sally Rattles.

    I also had a dark retelling of Peter Pan planned. This would be a rock opera, in the style of Tommy, told from Captain Hook's perspective. The script for this only ever had one scene written.

    I looked at these two tales I had sat there, awaiting the spark of life, and wondered what other tales I might like to rework in my own special way. I have read lots of the Grimm's fairy tales. I love the stories of Hans Andersen, and I adore the camp gothic stylings of the Hammer Horror films. And so I decided to create a compilation. A collection. A book for autumnal evenings sat beside a fire, inspired by those three starting points.

    Of course I HAD to make it a little Queer. So there's a lesbian couple, who do not die! and a retelling of Cinderella as the story of love between a Drag Queen and a foot-fetishist. Red Riding Hood, Peter Pan, Cinderella, and Mary Poppins all get the Rylan treatment, alongside two original tales of my own devising; Little Stitches, and A Circus Of Decay.

    I'm really rather pleased with how they all turned out.

    I would love to do a second volume of short spooky stories next year. And maybe another the year after. There's always plenty of ideas buzzing about in my brain, I'm sure to have plenty of material. In fact, I have decided, while sat here writing this post, that I will indeed release a new volume of short spooky stories every year, so long as I have stories worth telling, and breath in my lungs, and bones in my fingers.

The Blood Moon: and other stories is available to purchase HERE

Love and Hugs

Rylan

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