'The sounds of his life on Davenhall Island were those footsteps in the hall at night, the trees in winter and the throttled din of the ice machine out behind the rice shop, a white and black unit that ran entirely on its own, blocks of ice spitting out onto the ground to the absolute … Continue reading Greek Judy
Author: Daniel Bennett
I'm a writer and poet. My first novel, All the Dogs, appeared in 2008, and was described by Niall Griffiths as 'a stirring debut, a compellingly written tract on the importance of finding a place on the earth.' My fiction has appeared in London Noir, Crimewave, Black Static and 3AM. I live in London, where, amongst other things, I teach Creative Writing for the Open University. https://absenceclub.com
Eternal Present
'I pondered that a good while, as we walked side by side through the rain, under the dark branches of the Forest of the Otherhord. Within the white hood Faxe's face was tired and quiet, its light quenched. Yet he still awed me a little. When he looked at me with his clear, kind, candid … Continue reading Eternal Present
Nothing Godlike
'There is a story they tell to children who are still learning the Covenant, about the days when the gods had not yet ceased to walk the world in human form, and the first men had not yet arrived on Borthan. The gods at that time did not know they were divine, for they had … Continue reading Nothing Godlike
Stuck Into the Sky
'They walked on the thin stony dirt between miles of dead grass too short to bow to the northwest wind. Enormous masses of cloud travelled backward over their heads so that they seemed to be walking very fast, the grey plains sliding with them. 'Clouds make you dizzy,' Martin said, 'like looking up a flagpole.' … Continue reading Stuck Into the Sky
Black Clock Park
'They left the cafe and drove west on Sunset Boulevard almost to the old abandoned freeway, and then he parked the car at Black Clock Park, where the strolled the time-capsule cemetery looking at the headstones where the time capsules were buried. It started to rain; it seemed to rain all the time, a growing … Continue reading Black Clock Park
Wild Court
I've had three poems published on one of my favourite poetry sites, Wild Court. Here's an excerpt from one of them, 'The Epicureans'. 'Maybe because they livedon two-year work visas,sou-cheffing through Sohoor mixing their Last Wordsfor city boys in high-rise bars,comfortable in the starchof their denim aprons,as they navigated the balanceof maraschino and bitters,quoting Saki … Continue reading Wild Court
Interzone 294
My story 'The Coming of the Extroverts' will be published in the issue 294 of Interzone, coming out later this year. Very pleased to be involved with this excellent magazine as it moves to its new home, and equally pleased to be included with lots of other fabulous writers. I'm especially excited by this story, … Continue reading Interzone 294
Refuge for Resurgence
After a long time cooped up at home, I managed to get out to a gallery this weekend and visited the Our Time On Earth exhibition at the Barbican. It's an immersive, inspiring experience, which offers a sense of potential for our damaged world and I'd recommend it to anyone with an interest in our … Continue reading Refuge for Resurgence
Labyrinth of Stone
'Nothing changed in the labyrinth of stone. On Earth by this time the sun would have shifted quite a bit, but here the long lunar day held sway, [and] the sun seemed to keep hanging in the very same place, extinguishing the nearest stars, so that it was surrounded y a black void shot through … Continue reading Labyrinth of Stone
Airdrie
'Everyone else thinks it's a dump; a horror show; an asylum. That just serves to keep out the curious. Behind closed doors at the back ends of estates, in crumbling mansions in Clarkson and modern flats on the main street, in solitary bedsits and grim flats above chip shops there are hidden some of the … Continue reading Airdrie
Absence Club 