fiction
about
J. Ashley Smith is a British–Australian writer of dark fiction and co-host of the award-winning podcast Let The Cat In.
J.’s first book, The Attic Tragedy, won the Shirley Jackson Award. Other stories have won the Ditmar, Australian Shadows, and Aurealis awards. The Measure of Sorrow, his first short story collection, won the Ditmar Award 2024 for Best Collection, was Highly Commended in the 2024 ACT Book of the Year Awards, and is available now from Meerkat Press.
J. was born in Cambridge, UK, and spent his childhood hiding with imaginary companions in the foundations of an Edwardian townhouse. He studied film and creative writing, then lost fifteen years to the British indie music scene, clothed in unfashionable sweaters, releasing unpopular records. He now lives with his wife and two sons in the suburbs of North Canberra, gathering moth dust, tormented by the desolation of telegraph wires.
J. haunts the internet as @SpookTapes and can be contacted at spooktapes[at]gmail[dot]com.
let the cat in
The award-winning podcast in which three horror writers and their guests riff on objects, inspiration, and those ideas that scratch at the door, miaowing to be let in.
Guests to date include Nathan Ballingrud, Alan Baxter, JS Breukelaar, Isobelle Carmody, Brian Evenson, Lisa L. Hannett, Kathe Koja, John Langan, Helen Marshall, Paul Mannering, Lisa Morton, Lee Murray, Jason Nahrung, TR Napper, Dan O'Malley, Garth Nix, Sarah Read, Lynda E. Rucker, Angela Slatter, Melinda Smith, Cat Sparks, Paul Tremblay, Kyla Lee Ward, Sean Williams and more!
Follow the show on:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify |. Google Podcasts | or your favourite podcast player
materials
Sign up for my newsletter – get a free story!
I’m excited to share that I’ve set up a newsletter over on Substack. If you want to receive a steady(ish) stream of insights, inspirations, obsessions, updates, recommendations and fascinations, as well as the occasional giveaway or free story, right into your inbox, then I’d love you to subscribe!
Aurealis Awards 2025 shortlist
Delighted to learn my tragic, magic realist magpie love story – The Beautiful Thing You Once Were – has been shortlisted for an Aurealis Award…
Ellen Datlow’s Best Horror recommendations list
A bit chuffed about this… The Family Madness and The Measure of Sorrow made it onto Ellen Datlow’s recommended reading list. These are two of my favourite stories from the collection, so it means a lot to see them get a nod.
Winner Best Collection, Ditmar Awards 2024
Returned from hols yesterday to learn The Measure of Sorrow won Best Collection in this year’s Ditmar Awards!
ACT Book of the Year Awards 2024
The Measure of Sorrow was Highly Commended in the 2024 ACT Book of the Year Awards!
ACT Book of the Year 2024 shortlist
So… this happened.
The Beautiful Thing You Once Were
Perhaps I should have been surprised when the magpie first spoke…
ACT Literary Awards 2024
How wonderful! Delighted to learn that The Measure of Sorrow is shortlisted for an ACT Literary Award. Congratulations to all the local authors on the shortlist.
Aurealis shortlist
Downright chuffed to learn The Measure Of Sorrow is on the Aurealis Award shortlist for best collection.
Lost in a world of darkness…
Really loved this intelligent, considered reflection on The Measure of Sorrow over at Seize The Press.
AsylumFest 2023
Another year, another road trip to beautiful Beechworth Asylum with notorious Canberra hoodlums Kaaron Warren, Aaron Dries, Robert Hood, Cat Sparks.
Conflux 17
Absolutely knackered after an immense weekend at Conflux 17. Remind me next year not to sign up for so much stuff!
Donderevo on Spotify
Thanks to the magic of modern technology, the full Donderevo back catalogue is now up on Spotify.
The Measure of Sorrow – Melbourne launch
Shits and giggles aplenty at the Melbourne launch of The Measure Of Sorrow on Friday night. Great to hang with friends old and new, and talk (loudly, to compete with the background noise) books and dreams and kids and leeches et al. Big thanks to Rebecca Fraser for...
The Measure of Sorrow launch party
Thanks to everyone who made it to Blackbird Bar for the launch last night. Was a proper banger! Special thanks to Kaaron and Aaron, for always having my back. Thanks to Cat Sparks, Dan O'Malley, CH Pearce, and Nicole Murphy for the pics. Love to all of youse –...
Online launch: The Measure of Sorrow
in conversation with John Langan Big thanks to everyone who rocked up to the virtual launch of The Measure of Sorrow, hosted by Meerkat Press last weekend. For those who couldn't make it (or you hardcore types committed to watching the "Director's cut"), here's the...
Trip The Dark Fantastic (BigIndieBooks)
The Measure of Sorrow – Blog Tour I love a good listicle - the only trouble being having to keep it so short! Seriously, I could have kept going and going with this one, but picked these five as the collections that made the profoundest impression on me when I read...
Your Mind On Writing (Writing Forums)
The Measure of Sorrow – Blog Tour I had mixed feelings writing this and even more mixed feelings about sharing it, anxious that it was maybe just a bit too personal. For anyone who’s ever been strung between the highs of success fantasies and the lows of impostor...