


AsylumFest 2023
Another year, another road trip to beautiful Beechworth Asylum with notorious Canberra hoodlums Kaaron Warren, Aaron Dries, Robert Hood, Cat Sparks.
Raved about Shirley Jackson and Daphne du Maurier on a panel on the modern gothic, with Kyla Lee Ward, Kellie Beat and Paul Sheldon. Hosted the Australian Shadows Awards with Let The Cat In co-hosts Kaaron Warren and Aaron Dries – with much celebration to follow when Aaron won best short story for little Balloons (my personal favourite from his killer collection, Cut To Care). MC’d the Mayday Hills Ghost Story Competition, and subjected the captive audience to a reading of The Whatnot Shop. And in between it all, chatting to readers, selling books, shooting the proverbial with the many excellent guests.
Check out photos of the weekend courtesy of the inestimable Cat Sparks (from whom these pictures were lovingly stolen).









Conflux 17

Donderevo on Spotify

Tor.com – Can’t miss indie press spec fic
The Measure of Sorrow gets a write up at Tor.com, along with a host of other indie press spec fic that’s not to be missed!
“This year brings with it the first collection from the Shirley Jackson Award-winning author J. Ashley-Smith. The Measure of Sorrow abounds with stories in which places exhibit uncanny properties and communal events turn monstrous. Throw the Garden of Eden into the mix and you have a compelling book for perusal. (Meerkat Press; June 2023)”
Check out the full article here.
