short stories

I’ve published a couple of short stories in the last couple of months. One is in XO ORPHEUS, a book of new myths published by Penguin and edited and organized and inspired by the amazing Kate Bernheimer (if you don’t know it look up her wonderful www.fairytalereview.com).

XO Orpheus

I chose as my myth Baucis and Philemon about an ancient couple who want to die at the same time and so not leave one behind in terrible grief. Here are my illustrations for it. Before:

myth before

And after metamorphosis:

Myth after

I’m so pleased to be in the latest volume of Conjunctions (Volume 61: A Menagerie) edited by the brilliant Bradford Morrow and Benjamin Hale.

Conjunctions 61

My story is set in eighteenth century Paris, just before and during the Revolution. It’s about a very large fellow called Paul Butterbrodt, he actually lived and was a sort of side show attraction, here’s a sketch I made of him:

Paul Butterbrodt

In my story Paul’s closest friend is this, his name is Louis:

Paul's rhinoceros

 

I’m also busy scrabbling to get some images ready for another American magazine, I’m trying to select characters I’ve drawn who didn’t make it into books, or who changed enormously from first drawing to final edit.

 

sketches