Dark, unsettling, and beautifully written — and weirdly timed for me in the most fitting way possible

Jun 24, 2025Jun 26, 2025 ~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker completely sank its claws into me from the first page. I’ve always loved horror with folklore at its core, but this took it to another level — eerie, brutal, and layered with real emotional weight. The story pulls no punches, exploring grief, … Continue reading Dark, unsettling, and beautifully written — and weirdly timed for me in the most fitting way possible

Get Ready for a Shock: ARC Sign-Ups for Short Sharp Shock Are Now Live!

Oct 28, 2024Oct 28, 2024 ~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

The moment I've been waiting for (and nervously anticipating) has finally arrived – sign-ups are officially open for ARC copies of Short Sharp Shock! It’s surreal to be this close to sharing my collection of horror stories with the world, and I’m excited to offer a sneak peek to readers who crave chilling tales and … Continue reading Get Ready for a Shock: ARC Sign-Ups for Short Sharp Shock Are Now Live!

The Impact of Reading on Writing

Jul 22, 2024Jul 22, 2024 ~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

As writers, we often hear the advice that to improve our writing, we must read widely. This counsel is not only a staple in creative writing courses but also a well-worn truth embraced by authors across the ages. Reading is an essential component of honing our craft, providing a foundation upon which we build our … Continue reading The Impact of Reading on Writing

What is a Foundation Year at University?

Oct 1, 2021 ~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

If you read this blog regularly, you’ll already know that I’ve recently started doing a creative writing degree at university. What I’ve not said is that I’m not yet doing my degree proper; I’m doing what’s termed a “Foundation Year”. As I’m a mature student and haven’t been in education since I was 17, the … Continue reading What is a Foundation Year at University?

Reviews Are In…

Apr 30, 2021Apr 30, 2021 ~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

...well the first one is anyway. It's been a slow burn release but Blindsighted is starting to get out there. Sales are low, but Kindle Unlimited pages are coming in quicker and the other day I had my first review over on Goodreads - and it was a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. It was also a text review … Continue reading Reviews Are In…

Blindsighted Release Day!

Apr 14, 2021Apr 14, 2021 ~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

Well it's that day again. The day when I get to announce that a book I've written is being sent out into the world. Blindsighted is a story I started writing before the release of my last book, The Next Stage. It's a completely different type of story. Where The Next Stage was a cyberpunk … Continue reading Blindsighted Release Day!

Writing: To First Drafts and Beyond

Jan 4, 2021Feb 25, 2021 ~ Gareth Ellis ~ 4 Comments

A first draft. What is it? Well, it’s a draft...that came first. For every writer, it could mean something different. I’m coming to the end of my first draft of my ghost story, so I wanted to address what it means to me. I asked my fellow writers on Twitter what the first draft for … Continue reading Writing: To First Drafts and Beyond

New Year, New…Book?

Jan 1, 2021Jan 1, 2021 ~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

I'm taking a break from my regular schedule of posts but will return to it next week. The new year is upon us. We can put the sh!tshow that was 2020 behind us and try to move on. To bring a little good to the first day of the new year, I've decided to make … Continue reading New Year, New…Book?

The Next Stage; 100! (Bonus Entry)

Dec 15, 2020Dec 15, 2020 ~ Gareth Ellis ~ 1 Comment

It's been a little under two months since The Next Stage released in Kindle and paperback form. Today it an amazing milestone. It now has over 100 ratings on Goodreads, and every single damn one of them is ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It has now overtaken Creatures with number of reviews and rating average. This, to me, is … Continue reading The Next Stage; 100! (Bonus Entry)

Friday Catch-Up

Dec 11, 2020Dec 14, 2020 ~ Gareth Ellis ~ 3 Comments

So today is just an end-of-the-week catch-up. Today, to celebrate The Next Stage getting over 50 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reviews - 61 at the time of writing this post - the Kindle version is free over on Amazon. But, if you'd like a Google or Apple Books version, I have so promo codes to giveaway so just … Continue reading Friday Catch-Up