BIO: Robert McDermott lives and works in Dublin. His debut novel, 'Jone$town' was published by Riversong Books in 2019 and followed in 2022 by a collection of short stories 'The Occulting Light' also with Riversong Books. His stories have been widely published in anthologies both in print and online. When not writing he enjoys listening to podcasts (especially Haunted U.K.) and walking with his cocker spaniel, Alfie.

***NOTE***My publisher is considering my next novel - a detective thriller entitled 'The Fifth Shot' as I write this, so if they give it green light I'd like to add that to my bio.

INFLUENCES: Kurt Vonnegut, M.R. James, Kelly Link, Denis Johnson, Kevin Barry

UPCOMING WORKS: Nothing as of yet, a couple of stories slated for anthologies. The most recent work is: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208460257-the-occulting-light

SOCIAL MEDIA: https://www.instagram.com/robertmcdermott73author/

EMAIL CONTACT: robertmcdermott@gmail.com

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, and you would like to submit it for review, simply send it in to hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com, that’s hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com

Until next time, stay safe, and take care.

Hello! I'm Tim Hale, a Liverpool native with a passion for storytelling that has spanned over five decades. At 54 years young, I’m happily married, proud parent to two grown-up daughters, as well as a curious cat and two lively rabbits.

My love for reading and writing ignited early in primary school when I joined my first book club. I eagerly picked up a couple of books each month and shared my thoughts with my classmates through quick reviews. Adventures like The Famous Five captured my imagination—especially during the early 1980s, I must admit! I discovered a fondness for stories blending mystery and adventure that continues to inspire me today.

I began writing around the same time but paused for many years, shaken by a crisis of confidence. Still, my passion for reading never waned. I delved into fantasy worlds, exploring Tolkien’s Middle-earth, Raymond E. Feist’s epic tales, and later, authors like Phil Rickman and John Connolly, who masterfully fuse crime, thriller, and the supernatural.

Recently, I’ve rekindled my writing journey, and it’s been incredibly rewarding. The stories and characters swirling in my mind are finally coming to life on the page! Coming from Liverpool—a city famous for football and The Beatles—I've also developed a fascination with local legends and folklore. I love weaving these stories into my work, especially tales from my native North Merseyside, which often go unheard. Some of my stories can be found on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=tim+hale+old+trash&rh=n%3A5400977031&crid=12BKNQQGSKWM2&sprefix=tim+hale+old+trash%2Cdigital-text%2C93&ref=nb_sb_noss

I am really grateful to the Haunted UK Fiction podcast for featuring one of my stories—an inspired piece influenced by a story my wife shared about her time living in Barcelona. I truly hope you enjoy it!

INFLUENCES:

Phil Rickman, John Connolly, M R James, Kate Mosse

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, and you would like to submit it for review, simply send it in to hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com, that’s hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com

Until next time, stay safe, and take care.

Haunted UK Fiction Presents – Bloodsuckers by James Alderson

In today’s episode we’ll be reading Bloodsuckers which was sent in to us by James Alderson, a retired postmaster from the Midlands. The story you are about to hear was relayed to James during a strange encounter at The Green Man pub in a village called Willerby which he was passing through whilst on holiday a few years ago.

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, and you would like to submit it for review, simply send it in to hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com, that’s hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com

Until next time, stay safe, and take care.

Hello dear listeners, we hope you are enjoying the teaser episodes of Haunted UK Fiction so far!

The holiday season is quickly approaching, and we are looking for story submissions that combine both the paranormal and Christmas or New Year’s Eve.

There are countless stories involving ghosts and the holidays, the most famous of which is undoubtedly A Christmas Carol… No need to write an entire novel though! We at Haunted UK Fiction are ideally looking for short stories anywhere from 5-15 pages long, but flash fiction and novellas will also be considered.

If you have a tale waiting in the wings, whether it’s in a notebook that got tucked in a drawer years ago, or something that has been rattling around in your head waiting for the perfect time to be freed from the confines of your imagination… why not put pen to paper, then send your story in to hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com – that’s hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com

The deadline for story submissions is the 1st of November.

Who knows… the next story to be featured on our show… could be yours!

Haunted UK Fiction Presents – Blasted Heath by Lewis Darley

Author/preferred name: Lewis Darley

Bio and inspiration/influences: I am a writer, illustrator and videographer based in Nottingham. With my short fiction, I always look to combine the everyday with the strange, and create unsettling stories with a sense of realism to them. My influences include: Michelle Paver, Russell T Davies, Daphne Du Maurier, Danny Robins, Benjamin Myers, Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton, Blindboy Boatclub, A.K Blakemore and Rosemary Timperley.

Current/upcoming work: I share my own short fiction on both my website and my own audio fiction podcast series "Crooked and Strange."

Social media links: @darleymakesart on Instagram

Website: https://www.lewisdarleyillustration.com/

Email contact: lewis@lewisdarleyillustration.com

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, and you would like to submit it for review, simply send it in to hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com, that’s hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com

Until next time, stay safe, and take care.

Haunted UK Fiction Presents – Rattle Chains by Ellen Forkin

In today’s episode we’ll be reading a brilliant story called Rattle Chains, which was sent in to us by Ellen Forkin. Ellen is a chronically ill writer, artist and poet living in windswept Orkney. She has a small obsession with writing ghost stories that range from cheerful spooks, sad hauntings, to chilling tales. Authors that inspire her include Laura Purcell and Michelle Paver as well as anthologies such as The Haunting Season and The Winter Spirits.

If you would like to hear more from Ellen Forkin, you can find her website at www.ellenforkin.co.uk

or follow her on

Instagram: @ellen_forkin

Facebook: Ellen Forkin Art

Bluesky: @ellenforkin.bsky.social

TikTok: @ellen.forkin

EMAIL: hello@ellenforkin.co.uk

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, and you would like to submit it for review, simply send it in to hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com, that’s hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com

Until next time, stay safe, and take care.

In today’s episode we’ll be reading New House, Old Demons which was sent in to us by Craig Forster.

Inspiration: I have always been interested in paranormal and ghost stories; I wanted to make my own story and just started to write.

Social Media: TikTok @hauntedstories78

Personal email: craigforster1978@hotmail.co.uk (preferred)

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, and you would like to submit it for review, simply send it in to hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com, that’s hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com

Until next time, stay safe, and take care.

Haunted UK Fiction Presents - 27 by Alis Griffiths

My inspiration for '27' is taken from the legend of ‘The 27 Club’, where musicians, such as Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix, to name a few, have died at the age of 27 - some in strange circumstances. I am fascinated by the old stories of deals being made with the devil at the crossroads, as well as being a rock music fan, and was inspired to write a modern-day tale, incorporating these themes.

I am a huge fan of TV shows The X-Files, and Supernatural, and I love all things strange, unexplained, mysterious and peculiar. I enjoy reading works by Anne Rice, Stephen King, Joe Hill, and Glen Duncan, among others. I also find true-life accounts of the unexplained fascinating and enjoy researching as much as possible about these!

UPCOMING WORKS: I write independently as an enthusiastic amateur - I have a few projects in progress. More on these soon!

If you would like to hear more from Alis Griffiths, you can find and follow her on:

SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram: @alis_griffiths

CONTACT: allijonesgriffiths@gmail.com

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, and you would like to submit it for review, simply send it in to hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com, that’s hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com

Until next time, stay safe, and take care.