‘Ecstatic Birth’ – Free Audio Horror Story!

April 13, 2022April 13, 2022Georgina JefferyLeave a comment

Do you like dark vibes, spooky tales and Twilight Zone-esque anthologies? Then I’ve got the podcast – and the story – for you!

The NoSleep Podcast releases weekly episodes with their curated selection of the best short horror stories, brilliantly adapted to audio for your listening pleasure. The first half of each episode is FREE to enjoy on their website. (And unlocking the rest is a paltry $2, or $25 for all 25 episodes in a season.)

I’m beyond proud to tell you that one of my stories, Ecstatic Birth, was featured in Episode 18 (Season 17) of The NoSleep Podcast earlier this month. Even better, my story appears in the free portion of the episode, so you can check it out whenever you feel like it! You can find the intro to the story at roughly 00:19:55 in the recording. [Content warning for underlying themes of traumatic birth and postnatal depression: this is darker than other stuff you may have read from me and I don’t wish you to be caught off-guard.] Click here to go listen to it on the NoSleep website.

Episode credits for S17E18 of The NoSleep Podcast — *So excited to be in these credits!*

The cast did a brilliant job, and I’m especially in awe of Jessica McEvoy’s performance as the lead. Her wonderfully deranged portrayal of Mandy took the story to new heights and conveyed such a sinister aura that it stayed with me for a long time after listening. The NoSleep crew are topnotch at what they do, and I highly recommend following and supporting their work.

If you listened to my story or the rest of the episode, let me know what you thought of it in the comments!

Book Launch & Giveaways! The Jack Hansard Series: Season Two

January 12, 2022Georgina JefferyLeave a comment

This week I’m celebrating the launch of my latest book, The Jack Hansard Series: Season Two!

It me!

The paperback looks and feels fabulous and I adore the cover illustration by Dominique Lane. In Jack and Ang’s latest misadventures, we get to wrap up the mystery of Ang’s missing coblynau and finally find out what lies behind the ominous names of Baines and Grayle. Quiet Eyes makes another appearance, and the phoenix eggs stolen at the end of the first book have a large part to play as well. Lots of mysteries solved… and a few more to be opened.

For Jack Hansard, Purveyor of Occult Goods, things are looking up. With the coblyn Ang as his new business partner, he has a solid friend to back him up in every dangerous situation. Together the pair face shapeshifters, piskies, and ancient magics in their quest to track down Ang’s missing kin. A new lead means the trail is about to get a whole lot hotter.

But when an old enemy presents Jack with an offer he can’t refuse, will he risk Ang’s trust to see it through?

Buy it now

Intrigued? Come and join the virtual Launch Party!

I’m running giveaways all week to celebrate this book release. Join us over on Facebook for a chance to win some Jack Hansard swag, free book codes, and a $10 Amazon gift card! (The gift card giveaway has just opened!)

If you’re subscribed to my newsletter, you’ll get an extra chance to win a separate $5 gift card later this week~

I recommend grabbing your copy of Season Two soon as I’ve kept it discounted to $2.99 as a special release offer for this week only. From next week it will go to full price: $4.99

If you’re after the paperback, it’s currently filtering into stores and should be available from a wide range of retailers soon. 😊

Thanks for helping me celebrate my book launch! Maybe I’ll see you at the party later. 🥳

My 2021 Submissions Round-Up

December 31, 2021January 17, 2022Georgina Jeffery1 Comment

Each year I keep track of my writing submissions with a spreadsheet of all the short stories and poetry I tender for publication, along with the successes and failures for each. I’m feeling really good about this year’s results. Let’s tally up!

Submissions to magazines, anthologies, and competitions

Number of Submissions: 29

Submissions Declined: 24

Submissions Accepted: 4

Still under review: 1

Hurray! That feels like a decent ratio of success.

Of those Accepted submissions, two have been published this year. I wrote a folklore-themed piece called Denizens of the Deep Dark for Copperfield Review Quarterly published in July, and a dystopian-alchemy story for a speculative fiction anthology, Unbreakable Ink, published in September.

Piece number three is a slightly weird horror story-graphic which will appear in a future issue of Sci-Fi Lampoon. The fourth one I’m not allowed to announce – though I desperately want to be able to brag about it – until it has been published.

I’m proud of all of them, but especially this last un-named story simply because I persevered with it all year. It had the most Declines out of all my submissions, but was eventually accepted by one of the more impressive (to me!) publishers on my list. This piece, which is a foray into Weird Horror, also gained some magnificent feedback from those who declined it, which stoked my enthusiasm and led me to go back over and refine the story even more, before it was finally accepted.

My message here is to keep going. Don’t allow yourself to be dragged down by a few negative responses. Consider criticism carefully and learn to identify which parts make your writing shine. Keep polishing your work and putting it in front of people. Eventually, you’ll find the right people to appreciate it.

If you need ideas for where you can submit your writing to, check out this list of 5 Places To Find Story Submission Opportunities.

My other Big Achievement this year has been to finish writing and editing The Jack Hansard Series: Season Two, ready for release in January 2022. Considering it took me around five years to properly publish Season One, getting a whole book done in one year is a big step forward for me. This time I had a plan, and I managed to stick to it (just). I also have a better idea of how this publishing malarkey works now, and I’m optimistic for the year ahead!

How has your year been?

Have you had any great writing achievements this year? Tell me about it in the comments! It needn’t be an acceptance or publication – maybe you finally finished a story that’s been clawing at your brain, or you’ve just started the journey of a new one. Now’s a great time to reflect on all the progress you’ve made, and recognise even the smallest successes along your path.

I hope you go into the new year with a similar feeling of optimism. Wishing you all the very best, and a very Happy New Year~

COVER REVEAL! The Jack Hansard Series: Season Two

December 16, 2021December 29, 2021Georgina JefferyLeave a comment

Wheeeeeeeeee!

It’s finally time to unveil the book cover that we’ve been working on for the past couple of months. The Jack Hansard Series: Season Two releases on 11th January 2022, and it’s about the only thing I’ve had in my head since I started the intense editing process in October. Now we’re finally approaching the finish line – publication! Everything is wrapping up very nicely, and I’m excited to show you the book cover.

Are you ready to see the whole thing?

Let’s go, go, go!

Jack Hansard Season Two cover, a broken oil lamp and bluecap

What do you think?

I’m in love with it. The artist, Dominique Lane, has really outdone herself with this epic illustration.

We learned a lot from designing the cover for Season One, and it meant the process went a bit quicker this time around. This cover has a darker feel to it, which is very fitting for the themes of Season Two. (If you’ve read the free beta, remember to keep hush hush on spoilers. 😉)

Season Two is already available for preorder at all major ebook retailers. By preordering now you’ll get the early bird discount: the book will be $2.99 until a week after launch. Then it will go up to full price – $4.99.

The paperback will also become available for preorder just after Christmas. I’ll keep you posted when it goes up!

As for the book launch on 11th January… Like last time, I’ll be holding a little party with games and giveaways for everyone to join in. The main event will take place over on Facebook (join the party here!) but I’ll also run a few things on my blog and newsletter for those who don’t dwell on the social media monolith.

Let me know how you feel about the new book cover in the comments. Do you think it fits the series? Are you excited for the release? What would you like to see at the launch party?

Take care~

Emerging from my hole for a quick update

November 23, 2021November 25, 2021Georgina JefferyLeave a comment

*Photo by Tsvetoslav Hristov on Pexels.com*

It’s bright out here

It’s been a minute since I last wrote something for the blog. Sorry for my absence folks, I’ve had my nose buried deep in edits for The Jack Hansard Series: Season Two. Things are going well: the free beta release on Wattpad has now reached the end of the story; I’m currently working through all the notes from my editor; and the cover art is shaping up fantastically.

If you want to lend a hand in getting the book over the finish line, you can help by spreading the word about Jack Hansard, or by sending over a coffee to fuel the late nights. Ko-fi donations receive an exclusive short story and piece of artwork, and my heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who has supported the series in any shape or form so far. You are all amazing. 😊

Advance Review Copies

Season Two will soon be ready to send out to early readers for review!

Would you like to receive a free advance review copy of the book? I’ve got spaces on my ARC team – if you would like to join, just fill in this Google form and I’ll get back to you: https://forms.gle/Aehp4dKfgamdiWA26 (If you’ve never left a review anywhere before, that’s fine. Just list a couple of the places where you would like to leave one for my book. 🙂)

Similarly, are you a blogger interested in reading/reviewing any of my books? Reach out to me by email: georgina@georginajeffery.com

That’s all for now. I’ll retreat back into the warmth for a little while. My current work setup is with my laptop on the couch, a hot water bottle at my back and coffee by my side… if you don’t see me again for a month, send the search party in with snacks.

Take care~

Celebrating a Year in Print!

September 27, 2021September 27, 2021Georgina Jeffery1 Comment

Today is Jack Hansard’s book birthday!

A year ago today I hit publish on The Jack Hansard Series: Season One, the genre-bending episodic fantasy I’d first conceptualised five years before. The exploits of this occult salesman and his cantankerous coblyn sidekick have become very close to my heart.

It has taken considerably less time to produce the book’s sequel, bolstered in no small part by the confidence I gained in finally getting the first one ‘out there’. So it’s with a great deal of pleasure that I can announce The Jack Hansard Series: Season Two is now available for pre-order everywhere ebooks are sold!

The Jack Hansard Series: Season Two, temporary book cover with potion bottle — *Get it here*

The paperback version will become available for pre-order some time in December, once the book cover design has been finalised. Follow me on social media or my newsletter to receive updates and sneak previews of the cover art as it develops.

I’m also running a flash sale to celebrate this milestone

For a limited time only you can pick up The Jack Hansard Series: Season One for just 99p. Grab your copy here!

My short story The Hub is also FREE to download from most retailers for a very short time. Find it here.

Thank you for your support over the past twelve months, and here’s to more exciting times ahead!

Book Birthday! The Jack Hansard Series: Season One ebook cover

The Hub: a supernatural sci-fi story

August 5, 2021Georgina JefferyLeave a comment

When an app developer accidentally creates a maliciously benevolent social media network, only her girlfriend can save her from what she’s brought to life…

Happy days! I was incredibly pleased to release my short story The Hub as an ebook last week. This story was first published by the wonderful folks at Thunderbird Studios in their anthology The San Cicaro Experience – a weird and dark anthology exploring the titular urban fantasy location.

The Hub ended up straddling the line between sci-fi and urban fantasy with its technological menace, but ultimately it’s a story about love and compromise.

It’s now available for just $0.99 from all the main retailers: Amazon, Kobo, Nook, Apple, etc. Universal shop link below. 😄

In sunny San Cicaro, a new app is dominating the city’s streets – and its people.

Max loves her city, and believes everyone deserves to enjoy its hidden treasures. So when she launches the SC Hub, a new social app to connect people and places, she couldn’t be happier with its blazing overnight success. But her reclusive girlfriend, Ellie, can’t help but worry about the magnetic pull the app is having on its creator, and the strange occurrences in town that seem linked to it.

Are people driving the app… or the other way round?

Download Now

2021 Submissions: Halfway Checkpoint!

June 22, 2021Georgina Jeffery2 Comments

SHORT STORY SUBMISSIONS

Stats & Stuff

Story submissions to magazines, anthologies, and competitions

Number of Submissions: 23

Submissions Declined: 15

Submissions Accepted: 1

Still under review: 7

Wheeeeeee! We’re only halfway through the year, and I’ve already bested last year’s results (which, let’s face it, were pretty abysmal anyway). I expect to slow down on submissions towards the end of this year, but only because I hope to be extra-focused on handling edits and the publishing process for Season Two of The Jack Hansard Series.

The Accepted story on this list is a flash triptych called ‘Denizens of the Deep Dark’. It will feature in the upcoming July issue of Copperfield Review Quarterly.

Why are my submissions going better this year?

Having been at this for a while now, I’ve built up a larger catalogue of short stories to send out. This means I can have several different pieces out at the same time, rather than waiting for just one to be assessed by a publisher before being able to submit it again. I’m also quite proud of some of my newer works (tangible evidence of improvement in my writing) and this confidence keeps me eager to edit and resubmit after every rejection.

I’ve also been helped by some very fast turnarounds from a few journals. While it can be disheartening to receive a rejection in less than 48 hours (24 hours, in one instance!) this does then immediately free up the story for submission elsewhere, as many of these publishers don’t allow you to submit to multiple markets at once.

An extra note is that I’ve broadened my horizons this year by making a return to poetry, which I’ve dabbled in on-and-off over the years. There are just two poems of which I’m proud enough to have included in the above submissions list, and one which I’ve entered into a humour competition that will announce winners in August. Let’s see how we go!

How are your submissions going?

Do you keep track of your submission stats like this? How’s this year shaping up compared to last year? Tell me all about it, I’d love to know! We can celebrate our wins and commiserate our rejections together. And if you’re yet to submit anything, then I’m here to shout you some friendly words of encouragement.

If you need ideas for where to submit your stories, check out this list I made of my own favourite haunts for scouring short story markets.

Happy submitting!

A Wyrd and Wonderful Occasion

May 6, 2021Georgina Jeffery2 Comments

Earlier this week I stumbled across a blog post about ‘Wyrd and Wonder’ : a month-long online event celebrating fantasy in all its forms. Hosted by the folks at onemore.org, the Wyrd and Wonder party straddles social media channels with blogs, reviews, streams, games, and a shared love of all things fantasy!

Regular readers know I need a bit of a butt-kicking to update my blog (I’m normally a ‘one post a month’ kinda gal) but this is exactly the kind of motivational event I can get behind. So I’ve joined the Wyrd and Wonder party and planned a few (small) activities of my own to take part throughout the month of May. My list is definitely small fry compared to others (how do you all keep up with your TBRs?!) but I’m excited to have some goals to aim for!

My Quest Log:

Finish reading The Shepherd’s Crown by Terry Pratchett. I started this book at the beginning of the year and was halfway through when… I put it down. For some reason. Maybe a few tiring nights from kiddo had sapped my energy, or I just had to get on with other stuff that evening. These days, unfinished books are like my forgotten cups of tea scattered around the house – not for lack of wanting to finish them. Something else just gets in the way. So I’m looking forward to finishing this final instalment in the Tiffany Aching series, and when I’ve completed it I’ll also have finally read every single Discworld novel. I’m still sad that there won’t be any more.

Read Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch. It’s been on my TBR list for a loooong while. This month I’d like to read (and finish!!) the first book in this urban fantasy series and then maybe write a review post afterwards!

Buy a new indie fantasy book. I’ll pop this as a thread over on Twitter where peeps can pitch their own (or their favourite) fantasy book by an indie author, and I’ll pick at least one to buy and read for myself. I’m grateful to others who’ve posted these writers’ lifts/book lifts in the past and I’d love to try my own. If I’ve got time, I want to post my review of the chosen indie book this month as well.

Offers and such? I’m involved in some group fantasy book promotions this month. I’d like to support my writing community and help readers find new fantasy authors to fall in love with – I’ve put the current ones below as it doesn’t seem right to make them a separate post. There are some giveaways which start later in May as well. Would people be interested in a post just about free fantasy books…? They’ll be on Twitter, anyway. 😆

And of course, getting involved! I’ll read and follow as many Wyrd and Wonder posts as I can manage. I’d like to try answering some of the Challenge Prompts via Twitter or Instagram. The community looks really friendly and I’m excited to dip my toes in and meet you all.

Not gonna lie, I’m hoping this will jumpstart my reading habit again. Aiming for two and half books in a month is pitiful compared to what I used to go through, but at least it’s something. 😂

Then afterwards maybe I can justify splashing out on a few more recent releases… The Once and Future Witches and The City We Became keep catching my eye.

If you’re looking for something new to read yourself, check out these fantasy book sales for ideas. 👇

Time to dive in!

You can find out more about Wyrd and Wonder here, follow the hosts on Twitter here, and find posts on Instagram and elsewhere with the #WyrdandWonder hashtag. (Also check out this fab book bingo game they’ve created!)

If you’ve got plans for Wyrd and Wonder, or even just some cool fantasy titles on your TBR list, let us know below! 😊

Wyrd and Wonder Pegasus Banner — Pegasus images by **Svetlana Alyuk** on 123RF.com

Author Spotlight at Inkwell Spills

March 27, 2021Georgina JefferyLeave a comment

I’d like to thank Nicole over at InkWell Spills for hosting me in an Author Spotlight this week. We covered how I ended up writing The Jack Hansard Series, my turning point in becoming a ‘professional’ author, and a few tips on how to see the value in your work and to make that crucial step towards a professional writing career. You’ll also find a wealth of free writing resources on her website.

Read the full post here.