Long Story Short: The Official Podcast of The British Fantasy Society

Robin and BFS online editor Lauren McMenemy speak with Hailey Piper about her latest novel THIS MOVIE DOESN’T END THE WAY WE WANT. Hear about the nature of horror today, the influence of capitalism, writing as archaeology, approaching short fiction and an upcoming tribute to Stephen King, to name but a few topics.

https://britishfantasysociety.org/blog/bfs-podcast-long-story-short/

Are you a member of the British Fantasy Society yet? Join us here: https://britishfantasysociety.org/about-the-bfs/become-a-member/

Find out more about Hailey here: https://haileypiper.com

…and about Lauren here: https://britishfantasysociety.org/meet-the-bfs-committee-lauren-mcmenemy-pr-marketing-officer/

And Robin’s: https://robincmduncan.com/

Cleland Smith joins the podcast to talk about her latest novel, BLACK DOE, released in August 2026, which Anna Smith Spark called “Hauntingly beautiful, an exceptional book”, and which ‘someone’ described as “a feminist, Pictish Bourne Ultimatum”. Cleland gracefully navigates our questions, even twisting the ‘infamous’ Question 10 on its head to excellent effect.

     https://britishfantasysociety.org/blog/bfs-podcast-long-story-short/

Cleland’s websites: https://angelacleland.co.uk   &   https://www.clelandsmith.com 

Interviewed by Robin CM Duncan: https://robincmduncan.com/

Cleland recommends reading WHEN THERE ARE WOLVES AGAIN, by E.J. SWIFT (2025)

Cleland’s desert island disc, BLACK DOE, by Mary Epworth (2023)

     https://maryepworth.bandcamp.com/album/black-doe

Cleland (recently) has been writing to THE DARK CRYSTAL soundtracks, original and new (1982, Trevor Jones and 2019, Daniel Pemberton & Samuel Sim), and also referred to WEST WORLD (2016, Ramin Djawadi).

Bluesky, @angelacleland.co.uk   -   Instagram, @angelaclelandwriter

David is joined by "Senny Dreadful" herself, the excellent Jen Williams. In addition to delving into Jen’s latest release, THE SLEEPLESS, they discuss Jen’s approach to writing, her previous books, and of course this episode would not be complete with diving into the subject of gaming, particularly the influence of Dragon Age and Baldur’s Gate III.

https://britishfantasysociety.org/blog/bfs-podcast-long-story-short/

Are you a member of the British Fantasy Society yet? Join us here: https://britishfantasysociety.org/about-the-bfs/become-a-member/

Find out more about Jen here: https://www.sennydreadful.co.uk

…and @sennydreadful   (Bluesky and Instagram)

Visit David’s website: https://www.davidgreenwriter.com/

And Robin’s: https://robincmduncan.com/

Time stamps

01:30 - a BFA winner / cage match! / karaoke

04:10 - Jen’s new book, THE DREAMLESS

05:35 - timescales in publishing / a chapter a day

11:00 - writing two books at once / deadline heat

14:35 - The End of the Series / 3 into 2 does go

18:15 - a new YA duology / the price of paper

24:14 - Katie Bruce reviews ALL HAIL CHAOS and LONG LIVE EVIL, by Sarah Rees Brennan

26:30 - romantic expectations / 3 is a magic number

32:56 - the influence of Dragon Age

41:08 - disaster characters 

Welcome to BFS Shortcuts, Episode #2! Dark Fantasy author Dan Hanly faces our ten-question (really quite cosy) inquisition. This will be Shortcuts' usual 2-weekly release slot, with Long Story Short returning next week (somehow…)!

https://britishfantasysociety.org/blog/bfs-podcast-long-story-short/

Dan's website: https://danhanly.com

Interviewed by Robin CM Duncan: https://robincmduncan.com/

Dan was reading: GALAXY IN FLAME, by Ben Counter (The Horus Heresy series, #3) (2006)

Dan’s desert island disc, TAKE ME BACK TO EDEN, by Sleep Token (2023)

———

TikTok, @danhanly   -   YouTube, @DanHanly   -   Bluesky, @danhanly.com

Instagram, @danhanly   -   Facebook, @dhanly

A whole new cast! Welcome to BFS Shortcuts; not replacing Long Story Short, but filling those empty weeks in which silence reigns. No longer! Ten set questions introduce authors you may not have read, but should. Found on the same channel as Long Story Short; a short episode every week, alternating with our original format. Kicking us off tomorrow, Alexandra Beaumont faces the questions!

https://britishfantasysociety.org/blog/bfs-podcast-long-story-short/

Alex's website: https://www.folklorefantasybooks.com/

Alex's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/abeaumontwriter/

Interviewed by Robin CM Duncan: https://robincmduncan.com/

Alex was reading: WE ARE ALL GHOSTS IN THE FOREST, by Lorraine Wilson

Alex was listening to: ONCE WE WERE KINGS, performed by the cast of "Billy Elliot"

David and Robin are schooled in the art of filmmaking by Zoe Cunningham, star and producer of looping SF conundrum VOIDANCE (2026) and also of BREAKING INFINITY (2023). Ideas, honesty and hard work are the names of the game.

https://britishfantasysociety.org/blog/bfs-podcast-long-story-short/

Are you a member of the British Fantasy Society yet? Join us here: https://britishfantasysociety.org/about-the-bfs/become-a-member/

Find out more about Zoe here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6147111/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

Or here: https://britishfantasysociety.org/meet-zoe-cunningham/

Visit David’s website: https://www.davidgreenwriter.com/

And Robin’s: https://robincmduncan.com/

Time stamps

01:55 - Eastercon screening / the Cosmo factor

06:50 - storynomics: film vs print / a question of cons

11:50 - a journey in film

23:17 - sitting in the dark / oops, continuity

26:10 - supersoldiers!! / the height of nonesense

28:35 - hair today… / script is king / Sever-aint-sense

32:20 - Katie Bruce reviews THE SALT ORACLE, by Lorraine Wilson

34:17 - Sever-aint-sense (cntd.) / cup half full

39:25 - watching the detectives / trusting the director

43:25 - make or break / A.I. (not the movie)

51:52 - audience homework

54:05 - what’s next?

Robin is joined by Lex Croucher to discuss, among others, their dark academia fantasy novel THE UNMAGICAL LIFE OF BRIAR JONES. We also answer important questions like ‘What type of armour is best worn to a book signing?’

https://britishfantasysociety.org/blog/bfs-podcast-long-story-short/

Are you a member of the British Fantasy Society yet? Join us here: https://britishfantasysociety.org/about-the-bfs/become-a-member/

Find out more about Lex here: https://www.lexcroucher.co.uk

Visit David’s website: https://www.davidgreenwriter.com/

And Robin’s: https://robincmduncan.com/

Time stamps

02:00 - Lex’s work / a change in direction?

06:30 - A Tale of Two Schools / research / burn the rich

13:30 - Marve’s bit - 1st Ten Pages promo

14:35 - the worst of both worlds / winging it, for fun

21:00 - Shona’s bit

21:32 - a question of magic / well, that’s disappointing

27:15 - ‘classy’ inspirations

30:35 - Katie Bruce reviews THE DEEP AND THE DROWNED, by Ian Green

32:40 - ‘classy’ inspirations (cntd.) / ‘being’ Tamsyn Muir

35:40 - an unplanned sequel / a planned stand-alone

41:55 - Lauren’s bit

42:45 - keeping up appearances / signing your line away

46:25 - dressing up / crossing the convention streams

51:30 - what’s next?

Robin speaks to Rym Kechacha about her latest novel, THE APPLE AND THE PEARL. We also get into spinning plots, tricksters of the world, when corvids attack, a reading taskforce, and a good deal more.

https://britishfantasysociety.org/blog/bfs-podcast-long-story-short/

Are you a member of the British Fantasy Society yet? Join us here: https://britishfantasysociety.org/about-the-bfs/become-a-member/

Our 1st Ten Pages programme is here: https://british-fantasy-society.vercel.app/welcome

Find out more about Rym here: https://rymkechacha.squarespace.com

Visit David’s website: https://www.davidgreenwriter.com/

And Robin’s: https://robincmduncan.com/

Time stamps

00:57 - Rym introduces THE APPLE AND THE PEARL

06:00 - Losing the plot / spinning the web

13:02 - character building

17:15 - No MC / connections to the ‘real’ world

22:05 - tricksters! / when crows attack

26:40 - auto-fiction / get with the programme

32:25 - Katie Bruce reviews THE FOX AND THE DEVIL, by Kiersten White

34:20 - Rym’s earlier novels

40:00 - stand-alone (with series potential?)

46:20 - BFS 1st Ten Pages

47:25 - Mission: in publishing / promoting reading

Robin and David are joined by R.J. Barker to discuss his new book MORTEDANT’S PERIL, introducing us to The Trials of Irody Hasp. We also talk poetic railway stations, listening habits, the watching birds, failed rock stars, space cats and taxidermy bears. It’s a highly irregular menagerie of fun.

https://britishfantasysociety.org/blog/bfs-podcast-long-story-short/

Are you a member of the British Fantasy Society yet? Join us here: https://britishfantasysociety.org/about-the-bfs/become-a-member/

Find out more about R.J. Barker here: https://www.rjbarker.com

Visit David’s website: https://www.davidgreenwriter.com/

And Robin’s: https://robincmduncan.com/

R.J.’s ex-band, SugarValve: https://sugarvalve.bandcamp.com/album/fluoxetine-ep

Time stamps

(01:10) R.J. Barker is too hot / Audience of the Dead

(02:05) The New Book (Mortedant’s Peril), promo plans

(03:35) Introducing Irody Hasp

(09:35) Class and regionalilty / publishing expectations

(14:15) a creative career / That’s Interesting (c)

(19:25) The Interesting Police / angry scary music

(26:10) Digressing into poetry / Dave’s first acceptance

(29:30) R.J.’s writing process / getting the voice

(34:20) Katie Bruce reviews How To Lose a Goblin in Ten Days, by Jessie Sylva

(36:00) Series vs stand-alones? (vs novellas, and cats, in space)

(41:00) Strange philosophies of Robert Smith / a cavalry charge

(47:35) Irody Hasp meets Morrissey / doing a Tchaikovsky

(49:40) contractually obligated Fantasycon chat / the con trail

(51:25) the best next thing / The Brighton Coincidence

(53:20) the struggling musician

Join Robin in discussion with Steve J Shaw, owner of the award-winning Black Shuck Books as we celebrate Steve’s achievements over more than 10 years of publishing the horrific, the weird and the peculiar. Plus, Alison Littlewood, Tracy Fahey, John Llewellyn Probert, and Ray Cluley also ‘drop in’ to chat.

https://britishfantasysociety.org/blog/bfs-podcast-long-story-short/

Are you a member of the British Fantasy Society yet? Join us here: https://britishfantasysociety.org/about-the-bfs/become-a-member/

Find out more about Black Shuck here: https://blackshuckbooks.co.uk

Visit David’s website: https://www.davidgreenwriter.com/

And Robin’s: https://robincmduncan.com/

TIME STAMPS

00:50  Steve’s World Fantasy Award

02:55  Steve’s job description

03:50  the history of Black Shuck Books

07:05  the sincerest form of flattery

09:25  Black Shuck Shadows series 

14:30  Alison Littlewood

16:15  the Great British Horror series

19:10  Black Shuck’s approach to cover design

25:35  cover design continued

27:10  Steve’s editing ethos / never finished

28:40  Tracy Fahey

36:50  memorable moments / praise for F-con

41:20  weird pitches [apologies to Radiohead - Ed.]

44:20  John Llewellyn Probert

50:50  romancing the blurb

54:15  hard (back) times

58:25  the (teetering) submission stack

63:00  Ray Cluley

68:50  what’s up next for Black Shuck?