ANTHONY D REDDEN
Tales of the supernatural and the strange
About
I've always felt that the best stories live in the unsettling space where Science Fiction and Horror meet. Since 2011, I've been exploring those spaces, finding homes for my stories in various magazines and anthologies like Crystal Lake Publishing's Shallow Waters, and Schlock Webzine!
For me, writing is about exploring the "human" side of the strange. Whether it's a blood-cursed ship in 1726, or a child lost in a city in the stars, I'm interested in how ordinary people react when things stop making sense.
Because the world is diverse, I believe our nightmares should be too. I have a particular interest in disability representation within fiction, attempting to bring voices to the page that are often overlooked in the genre. My background (including an MA in Creative Writing) has helped me refine this focus, in the constant search for a well-told tale.
I live and write in the UK, where I spend most of my time balancing a busy family life, a demanding work life, and whatever time I have left, writing. I like tea, cake, and bloody murder.
I prefer to let the stories speak for themselves, so I hope you find something in the "stories" section that resonates with you.All the best,
Anthony.
STORIES
NOVELS:
Dead Boat (2022)NOVELLAS:
Dead Boat (The Dead Trilogy: part one) (2017) previously published by Kyanite Publishing)
Dead Town (The Dead Trilogy: part two) (2021) (previously published by Kyanite Publishing)
Dead Ends (The Dead Trilogy: part three) (2022)
Blood of the Necromancer : part one (2019)
Children of War : part one (2020)
The Boy in the Walls (2020)STORIES:
Greasepaint in Micro Horror (April 2011)
The Pig Farm in Flashes in the Dark (April 2011)
Hope in Gag me with a … (July 2012)
Someone to Care (Ether Books, January 2013)
Is Anybody There? in The Pygmy Giant (November 2014)
Eyes in the Storm (Schlock Webzine, 2015)
A state of mind in Fugitives (Sinister Saints, 2015)
Progeny in White in Fugitives (Sinister Saints, 2015)
The Witches Tit in Weird Ales 2: Another Round (Quantum Corsets, 2016)
MILF in Mummy Knows Best (Terror Tree, 2017)
In that Dress in Shallow Waters Vol.4 (Crystal Lake Publishing, 2019)
The Dead Lands in Shallow Waters Vol.5 (Crystal Lake Publishing, 2020)
Sheath in Terror Tract (Terror Tract, July 2020)
Night Callers (Schlock Webzine, 2022)
The Visitor in Annus Horribilis (Bag Of Bones Press, 2022)
Chaperone in Savage Planets (Savage Planets, July 2022)
Soul Cake in Shallow Waters Halloween Edition (Crystal Lake Publishing, October 2022)
Julaften Heks in Shallow Waters: Special Christmas Edition (Crystal Lake, 2023)
Best Interests (Schlock Webzine, July 2023)
Rapture (Schlock Webzine, September 2023)
Elam Goulash (Schlock Webzine, August 2024)
Scarlett (Sirens Call Publications, Spring Issue 2024)
The Court of Fools (The Stygian Lepus Magazine, Edition #30 2025)
Under a Glass (Schlock Webzine, June 2026)ANTHOLOGIES:
Re-written in Blood (2020)
features the following stories:
Grease Paint / Blink / A spell for love / Dead eyes / At home / Bubblegum / Do unto others / S.S. Galileo / How do you like them apples / The dunce jar / Waiting for applause / All that’s left / Betrayal / Monster hunter / Hope / Heather / One more time / The key to my heart / I hate rats / Ribbon and blood / April fool / A mother’s love / Hiding place / Like a god / Someone to care / The messenger / The pig farm / Thin / Bloodlines / Belonging / The luckiest daddy in the world / Army of snow / Loving Molly / Nicholas / Bring him back / Mercy heights.The Room at the End of the Hall (2018)
features the following stories:
The room at the end of the hall / No tomorrow / Desperate / 1666.When the Lights fell over Herringbone (2021)
features the following stories:
When the lights fell over herringbone / War machine / The coldest night / Sweet meat / MILF / Is anybody there? / Inner demons / Forever / Feathers / Escape.Resistance: The Beginning of the End (2018)
features the following stories:
Progeny in white / Eyes in the storm / A state of mind.AUDIO NARRATION:
No Particular Place to go by Bonnie Meekums (2022) The Bandit Fiction Podcast Ep.12
Kindness, of a sort by Jacqui Pack (2022) The Bandit Fiction Podcast Ep. 11
The Deep Dive by Robert Runte (2022) The Bandit Fiction Podcast Ep. 10
Saddleworth by R.J. Gardham (2022) The Bandit Fiction Podcast Ep. 9
Dead Boat by Anthony D Redden (2021)
DEAD BOAT: THE COMPLETE NOVEL‘A fantastic twist on the unexpected.’This is the complete novel edition of the Dead Boat Trilogy containing all three books in the series.
Here are just some of the amazon reader reactions to these thrilling books:
‘A tense and gory story…recommended to horror fans everywhere.’
‘Gripping and intense.’
‘I can’t wait for Redden to sate my hunger for answers with bloody gobs of fetid meat! And, you know…more zombies.’
‘This one is gross and wonderful.’And now the blurbs-
Dead Boat:
‘Spain of 1726 was a terrible place to live, but a far worse place to die.’
Six condemned prisoners set sail to England, their last chance to escape the hangman’s noose. Unfortunately, something dark and powerful lurks aboard their ship and things are about to get very, very bloody.'Dead Town:
'When a blood-soaked lifeboat reached the coast of England, nobody could have realized the horrors it brought with it. The port town of Penzance has long been a notorious place of refuge for smugglers and pirates, but it is about to bear witness to a whole new form of horror. For when the dead take to the streets of this thriving metropolis of sin, nobody will be safe. Might a young homeless girl hold the key to unlocking the mystery behind the blood-cursed pendant? One thing is for sure, you had better…start…running.'Dead Ends:
'The Dead Boat trilogy comes to a thrilling conclusion in this third and final book. After the events of DEAD BOAT and DEAD TOWN, the blood-cursed pendant with the power of raising the dead is finally in London and the hands of Sir Isaac Newton. Some unlikely allies are required to finally bring the devastating curse to an end; however, is the price going to be too much, and just who will get to see the sunrise again?'This final book will bring the trilogy full circle and conclude this supernatural thriller: witchcraft, curses, zombies, and blood…..lots and lots of blood.
THE BOY IN THE WALLS'Blackwood Hall is haunted, of that, there is no doubt.'When Edward Grayson, a young student of the occult, is invited to join the finest paranormal society of the nineteenth century, he undertakes the initiation with relish. The world-renowned 'Ghost Club' of Trinity College Cambridge has seen amongst its members the likes of Charles Dickes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and is a hub for the leading minds of supernatural knowledge. However, with a week to prove his worth as a supernatural investigator, Edward is unprepared for the dark mystery and horrific revelations that await him at Blackwood Hall.This YA supernatural thriller is set in an old orphanage in a sleepy rural part of Dorset, England. There are many unsettling rumours about the old hall and its residents, but the true extent of the horror is hidden in the shadows and out of sight. Something terrible has occurred within the hall, and there are dark secrets to be uncovered.What is the true source of the ghostly disturbances at the old orphanage, and just who is the boy in the walls?The Boy in the Walls is a short story written in 2019 as part of a project addressing the lack of representation of people with intellectual disabilities in mainstream fiction.'The premise is disturbing and well-paced. Reminiscent of classic and creepy tales read in college.' Amazon customer'This ghost story turns dark quickly with surprising consequences.' Debbie Watson, Author'This creepy tale had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning.' Amazon customer
BLOOD OF THE NECROMANCER: PART ONE‘Blood of the Necromancer’ is the first book in a planned series of novellas following the life of a young necromancer as they come to terms with their abilities. Alex Cooper was born with the natural ability to raise the dead, and under the watchful eye of mysterious mentors, he must come to terms with who he is, and what he can do. When his younger brother is kidnapped, he must make some difficult decisions about the kind of person he wants to be, and how he is willing to use his powers.Blood of the necromancer is available exclusively through Amazon.
‘Alex Cooper was born with the power to raise the dead. He was brought up under the ever-watchful eye of an organisation that he does not trust, and now his services have been sold to the highest bidder against his will. Despite his better judgement, Alex has his hand forced and becomes embroiled in a sinister plan that could mean he loses more than just his freedom. If this young necromancer is going to find his missing brother, he will need to master his powers and that may well mean breaking a few laws of nature along the way.'
CHILDREN OF WAR: PART ONE‘If you truly want peace to have a chance, then it must start with spilling the blood of the old regime.’In a distant part of the galaxy is a magnificent city in the stars known as the StormGard. It is a beautiful self-sustaining metropolis of wonders and potential, where the greatest minds in the universe collaborate in building a future free from poverty, slavery, and injustice. There is just one problem – it is all a lie.
Transport 639 Claire Topps is a freelance courier based on the StormGard. She works long hours transporting all manner of dubious cargo for the right price. Her philosophy has always been ask no questions and you stay alive. However, when she discovers her latest shipment is a child, she can’t help but start digging into the affairs of her employer. When the child suddenly dies, Claire is determined to uncover what is really happening in the laboratories of the StromGard, even if it means risking everything and everyone she holds dear.Children of War is the first part of a new series of science fiction novellas that will shake the foundations of reality and expose a new and terrifying power in the universe. Don’t expect anything to be as it seems in this mind-bending saga where oppressive regimes will fall, allegiances will be tested, and devastating secrets uncovered.
REWRITTEN IN BLOODFrom murderous clowns to werewolves, from haunted houses to zombie outbreaks. This collection of flash fiction and short stories has it all. Expect heartbreak, deception, sex, cannibalism, kidnapping, revenge killings, angels and demons, and more blood and tears than you can shake a dismembered arm at.
Re-Written In Blood is a collection of dark and horrifying short stories, flash fiction, and poetry by author Anthony D Redden. This is the 2022 edited edition of Written In Blood (2018), Mercy Heights (2018), and Unhinged Heart (2018), all wrapped up into one tightly fitting corset of a book.
THE ROOM AT THE END OF THE HALL'Talk about true horror!'In this collection, you will find four blood-curdling tales of terror, linked by their examination of the horrific nature of humanity and the sometimes poetic response of the universe. Of all the dark stories I have thought up, none compare to the evil that humankind is capable of. With that in mind prepare yourself for a sadistic, mad surgeon, an ancient deadly virus, the true horror behind the fire of London, and a father literally haunted by his past.The Room at the End of the Hall— Kyle wakes up in the hospital with no memory of how he came to be there, stranger still are the unusual patients he encounters and the demonic doctor who has a passion for pain.
No Tomorrow— An arctic expedition uncovers a mass grave of what appears to be the ritual suicide of a whole village. However, nobody was prepared for the true horror that was waiting frozen within the ice.
Desperate— A desperate father asks God for a miracle to save his dying daughter, what happens next will make him question whether it was God listening to his prayers, or something else.
1666— The details surrounding the Great Fire of London are well documented, however, this story dares to delve a little deeper into the true cause of the fire. This is a special story set in the world of The Masonic Plague, a gothic extreme horror novel set in Victorian London written by Anthony D Redden & Jonathan Martin.'Talk about true horror. The details can get rather gruesome, but I found the delightful irony in some to be enjoyable.' Amazon review'Anthony Redden has a wonderful, absorbing, engaging writing style that provides for a unique voice in dark fiction. Skilled and engaging writing are just two reasons to read Anthony Redden. The brilliant characterisation, smooth, natural dialogue and flowing storyline keep you not just keenly interested and engaged in the story but nigh on addicted to find out what happens next.' Rob Shepherd, Author
WHEN THE LIGHTS FELL OVER HERRINGBONE'A swift and powerful tentacle shot from the girl’s back and skewered Samuel’s head.'When the lights fell over Herringbone is a collection of ten short fiction pieces by Anthony D Redden (author of Dead Boat, and The Boy in the Walls), presented together for the first time.Sometimes a story becomes more than it should have been; the characters come to life and change the direction of the plot and make it something wholly unrealised at the time of conception. Quite often, this means the stories grow beyond a brief or delve into a darkness that some readers may find unnerving or intense. For this reason, these works of fiction have found a home together in this collection.The first story is When the lights fell over Herringbone, a western alien invasion set in the old west of America. It's gory, it's intense, and it was great fun to write. It is influenced by the stylings of The Outer Limits and everything H.P. Lovecraft.The second story is War Machine, and this one is all kinds of weird. I had never written anything like this before, drawing influence from Redwall and, well, I don't know, maybe my own nightmares; this is a surreal snippet of a post-apocalyptic world where the last earthly resources are being fought over between rats and cats - oh and they can talk.The coldest night is a poem, a very sad and emotional poem about the loneliness of Christmas - cheery, I know, sorry.The next story is a short Halloween tale titled Sweet Meat, my publisher at the time deemed it potentially upsetting for some audiences, but I think you can handle it. It's pretty grim but wonderfully innocent as well.Next is a fantastical story about a man who finds sexual pleasure in desecrating mummified remains, but oh my, does he end up biting off more than he can chew, especially when he is caught by a rather demanding underground society of sexual deviants. This one is titled MILF, obviously.Is anybody there? is a light-hearted look at making contact with lost loved ones, and Inner Demons is a story of a man who is literally haunted by the actions of his past.Forever is about the lengths some people will go to for love, and Feathers is a poem about feeding your soul.The final offering for you is Escape which is one of my favourite short stories. I always see such vivid imagery in its stark and grim setting, and it always makes me feel a sadness that compels me to want to explore this world more.I sincerely hope you enjoy reading these little snippets of escapism as much as I enjoyed writing them.Anthony D Redden
RESISTANCE: THE BEGINNING OF THE END‘Resistance: The beginning of the end’ is a collection of three short stories that all explore a different possible scenario that leads inevitably to the downfall of humanity. These stories have previously been published in various anthologies but have now been brought together for the first time in this book. The first story is ‘Progeny in white’ about a neon lit image of the future where automated slaves are planning an underground uprising. The second story is ‘Eyes in the storm’ which brings together pirates and aliens (oh yes I did), and focuses upon what may really be behind the mysterious disappearances within the Bermuda triangle. The third and final story is titled ‘A state of mind’ in which a young girl finds herself in a whole world of trouble that she just may not survive.
DEAD BOAT‘Smith? Bloody hell I thought you were a goner…Smith? Are you okay?’The year is 1726 and Harvey, a young Fishmonger’s son is awaiting his death upon the gallows. His fortune changes when he is offered a last-minute deal that could win him a full pardon and a new life in England. Unfortunately, not everything is as it seems. Harvey is about to get a harsh lesson in life aboard a ship surrounded by convicts. Worse yet is the cargo they carry – the corpses of 316 English soldiers. When a powerful blood curse starts to bring the dead to life, the crew of ‘The Charon’ will wish they had stayed to face the executioner.Written by Anthony D Redden, the author of The Boy in the Walls, and Children of War, this is the first of three books which make up the complete novel Dead Boat. Books two and three are also available, as well as the complete novel edition.‘Recommended to horror fans everywhere!!’ Amazon reviewer‘Dead Boat is filled with grisly imagery, but the most prominent feature of the tale is the unanswered questions. I can't wait for Redden to sate my hunger for answers with bloody gobs of fetid meat! And, you know...more zombies.’ Amazon reviewer‘This one is gross and wonderful. Lots of gore and chomps. You know you’re in for a treat when there are corpses on a boat and a magical amulet-like stone bringing the dead to life.’ Amazon Reviewer
DEAD TOWNWhen a blood-soaked lifeboat reached the coast of England, nobody could have realized the horrors it brought with it. The port town of Penzance has long been a notorious place of refuge for smugglers and pirates, but it is about to bear witness to a whole new form of horror. For when the dead take to the streets of this thriving metropolis of sin, nobody will be safe. Might a young homeless girl hold the key to unlocking the mystery behind the blood-cursed pendant? One thing is for sure, you had better…start…running.
DEAD ENDSThe Dead Boat trilogy comes to a thrilling conclusion in this third and final book. After the events of DEAD BOAT and DEAD TOWN, the blood-cursed pendant with the power of raising the dead is finally in London and the hands of Sir Isaac Newton. Some unlikely allies are required to finally bring the devastating curse to an end; however, is the price going to be too much, and just who will get to see the sunrise again?This final book will bring the trilogy full circle and conclude this supernatural thriller: witchcraft, curses, zombies, and blood…..lots and lots of blood.