Dave Higgins

Biography

Dave Higgins writes speculative fiction, often with a dark edge. Despite forays into the mundane worlds of law and IT, he was unable to completely escape the liminal zone between mystery and horror.

Born in the least mystically significant part of Wiltshire, England, and raised by a librarian, he started reading shortly after birth and has not stopped since. He currently lives in Bristol with his wife, Nicola, his cats, Jasper and Una, a plush altar to the Dark Lord Cthulhu, and many shelves of books.

It’s rumoured he writes out of a fear that he will otherwise run out of things to read.

Smashwords Interview

What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
I read compulsively. I will strain to read distant notices through heavy rain. I will even read the same cereal packet I read yesterday.

So, one of the greatest joys for me is the thought that somewhere out there someone like me will have one more thing to read.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
I went to a Church of England primary, so was asked to re-write Bible stories in different settings; I can remember rewriting at least one of them as a play set in space, but cannot remember which parable it was. I can remember writing my own stories too, but not what they were about.

I do remember starting a book when I was 11 or 12 (if I acknowledged a distinction between novels and short stories then, I cannot recall which I intended). It opened with the protagonist in a five-sided temple-like room, wondering how he got there, realising it was a dream, then finding evidence it might not be. I produced a first chapter before I ran out of steam. Given the similarity to Lovecraft combined with the theme of ancient knowledge bleeding across time in his work I am not sure now whether to see it as early evidence of interest in speculative fiction or of a cthonic conspiracy revealing itself only to my unconscious.
Read more of this interview.

Where to find Dave Higgins online

Series

Josie Stein Comedies
Reuse, Reduce, Recycle shouldn’t include people Normally, freezing to death in deep space is pretty permanent. But Engineer Josie Stein was just defrosted a thousand years in the future, aboard the U.F.S. Greenstar, a recycled spaceship on a mission to stop the self-destructive aliens of the galaxy from wiping themselves out. If that wasn’t enough, she’s immediately elected captain. The last captain’s success rate was one hundred and sixty-seven alien species extinct to zero saved, so she can’t really do any worse. But how can she deal with aliens when she can no longer understand her own species? Inspired by Star Trek and Buck Rogers, Greenstar is a funny, action-packed take on the future, filled with strange aliens and neurotic characters.
Seven Stones
An aging priest, an idealistic hunter, and a troubled healer seek to bind ancient evil. Collecting the episodes of the weekly serial.
Dragons & Magic
In a world where RPG stats are real, a boy designed by idiots is lucky to survive
Origin
Price: Free!
Bespoke Imaginings
Collections of short speculative fiction, crossing genres but all birthed from the dark cocoon of Dave Higgins' mind.

Books

Outsiders Within
Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 53,790. Language: English. Published: December 18, 2020 . Categories: Fiction » Horror » General, Fiction » Anthologies » Short stories - multi-author
Lovecraft and his successors show a world where human civilisation is only a thin veneer over black seas of ignorance. But what of those who wear their own averageness like a veneer? Neither drawn toward the horror by academic curiosity nor driven their by society, but unmoored by a mundane secret. Twelve tales of overtly normal people coming adrift in an incomprehensible universe.
Greenstar Special Features
Series: Josie Stein Comedies. Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 26,530. Language: British English. Published: March 27, 2020 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Space opera, Fiction » Humor & comedy » Parody
Like the science-fiction serials it pays homage to, Greenstar generated promotional content and deleted scenes. Greenstar Special Features gathers them all in one place, so you don't have to risk the lower decks in search of the BetaSnax Story-in-a-Pill versions. Contains four short stories and three sets of crew diaries.
Wild Frontiers: Nine Stories of the West
Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 50,420. Language: English. Published: September 11, 2019 . Categories: Fiction » Western, Fiction » Horror » Weird fiction
The Frontier: the line between civilisation and the unknown where pioneers rely on a strong will and a dead eye not big city laws. A land where your sweat makes a place yours, whatever a map says; where a badge doesn't make a sheriff better than anyone else; where the divide between legend and reality isn't where it seems. Nine tales showcasing the grit and adventure that built the frontier.
Seven Stones: The Complete Series
Series: Seven Stones, All 97 Parts. Price: $5.99 USD. Words: 113,150. Language: British English. Published: March 30, 2018 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Dark, Fiction » Horror » Occult
Collects every part of the swords-and-sorcery serial. Plagued by nightmares of shifting stone and ancient evil, Absolution Kobb journeys to the northern edge of civilisation. Most treat him with disdain and ill-trust, but two people see his quest as a way to better their own lives.
Origin
Series: Dragons & Magic. Price: Free! Words: 18,170. Language: British English. Published: October 27, 2016 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » General, Fiction » Humor & comedy » Parody
Some are born to advantage, privilege. Edmond was born to village idiots who put his points into Luck. They knew an opportunity to win the lottery when they saw it. Edmond dreams of being a hero and scholar. Impossible goals when your Intelligence and Wisdom couldn’t be lower. Is Edmond nothing but a walking rabbit’s foot? Will his parents’ dreams of fortune come true? It’s all just a roll away.
Greenstar Season 3
Series: Josie Stein Comedies, Volume 3. Price: $5.99 USD. Words: 99,910. Language: British English. Published: December 1, 2015 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Space opera, Fiction » Humor & comedy » Parody
What if you really had to start again from scratch? After saving Earth for the second time, Josie thought she finally had time to deal with personal business. But a trap in the Greenstar's engines meant she really got away from it all. Trapped in a featureless void, she discovers that even being the first woman in a new universe won't protect her from having to solve everyone else's problems.
Seven Stones: Alone No More
Series: Seven Stones, Parts 1-9. Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 12,990. Language: British English. Published: August 28, 2015 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Dark, Fiction » Horror » General
Collects parts 1 - 9 of the serial. Plagued by nightmares of shifting stone and ancient evil, Absolution Kobb, Reverend Militant of the Order of the Maker, journeys to the northern edge of civilisation. Most treat him with disdain and ill-trust. But Anessa Tanton sees a way out of her village.
Greenstar Season 2
Series: Josie Stein Comedies, Volume 2. Price: $5.99 USD. Words: 98,280. Language: British English. Published: May 1, 2015 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Space opera, Fiction » Humor & comedy » Parody
Josie foiled a scheming, homicidal AI. She saved the Earth from the Kalmari. But nothing is good enough for Burger Supreme: they think a ray forcing everyone to have a conscience is a bad thing. Dispatching Vesta Hartman, a captain with two itchy trigger fingers and everything to prove, Burger Supreme want the Greenstar brought to justice at any cost. Even if it means turning it to powder first.
State: A Collection of Short Stories
Series: Bespoke Imaginings. Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 24,710. Language: British English. Published: November 7, 2014 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Short stories, Fiction » Science fiction » General
Five short works of character-driven science-fiction, ranging from the realistic to the operatic.
Greenstar Complete Season 1: The Space Opera
Series: Josie Stein Comedies, Volume 1. Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 101,060. Language: British English. Published: October 1, 2014 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Space opera, Fiction » Humor & comedy » Parody
Humanity’s best hope is a wicker spaceship. Josie Stein woke up a thousand years in the future and was immediately elected captain of the U.F.S. Greenstar, a recycled spaceship on a mission to stop the aliens of the galaxy from wiping themselves out. Now homicidal aliens have set their sights on Earth. How can the ramshackle Greenstar possibly stand in their way?
An Unquiet Calm: A Collection of Short Stories
Series: Bespoke Imaginings. Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 16,370. Language: British English. Published: May 17, 2014 . Categories: Fiction » Anthologies » Short stories - single author
A collection of five short works of character-driven speculative fiction and dark fantasy.

Smashwords book reviews by Dave Higgins

  • Scapemaker on Feb. 16, 2013

    This novel is about a boy who discovers he has magical powers and is taken to a school for the gifted. It is a testament to Cypert's world-building that I did not think of the comparison to Harry Potter until I was over three-quarters of the way through the book. This is the first volume of the Scapemaker series. The story opens with a series of unusual events which reveal that Matthew Namely has the power to enter the dream world. His powers can be dangerous, to both himself and others, so he is enrolled in Scapemaker, one of a several schools for those capable of interacting with dreams. While he is still attempting to come to terms with another world parallel to the mundane his best friend is killed and his father left in a coma. When his father is blamed for murder and the loss of a mystical artefact, Matthew sets out to prove him innocent. The magical system in this book is interesting and internally consistent, and is placed within a believable adaptation of the modern world; while there are fantastical elements such as gremlins and dragons, they are only part of magical society, and there are sound reasons for them not to interact with the mundane world. The plot is engaging with a good balance of serious magical threats and mundane teenage problems. It advances at a good pace without seeming rushed. The characterisation is mixed. Most of the main characters have distinct believable personalities; the two potential love interests are particularly well realised, and make full use of the potential of a world in which a person's physical appearance can vary between the mundane and dream worlds. However, Cypert often tells the reader what a character is like instead of letting their dialogue and actions show their character. Combined with heavy use of adjectives and complex speech verbs, this counteracts the effect of otherwise solid work. The point of view is often centred on Matthew but sometimes strays between several other characters within the same scene, or adopts an entirely external view. In some scenes the narrator is omniscient, and some early scenes use divine irony, whereas in others even a character's words are hidden from the narrator. Along with the didactic style of the writing this often makes Cypert's choice to share information or not very obvious to the detriment of immersion. As an additional consideration for British English speakers, these stylistic issues made the use of American English more than usually noticeable. Overall I enjoyed this novel, and will probably read the rest of the series. However, the ideas were let down by a lack of editing. I received a free copy of this book from the author.
  • Urgus the Scribe on March 01, 2013

    Rather than include exerts from in-world historical texts or other common world building techniques Boyle writes about the daily events as they happen and leaves the reader to deduce much of the background. This adds greatly to both the impression that this is a record from a larger world and that the narrator has the unthinking prejudices and ignorance of a real person. The novel tells the story of the Gatherers, a tribe of vassal warriors charged with collecting taxes from other subjugated states by a classical empire. As the story proceeds the Gatherers uncover a potential rebellion which may actually be an invasion. With the empire rotten with decadence and the forces ranged against them divided by hidden agendas the Gatherers are forced to change not only their role in the empire but their very way of life. The eponymous scribe is the only Gatherer who can write. He is also a lecher and a coward. At the start of the book he is attached to the personal staff of Hector, chieftain of the Gatherers and arguably the hero of the story, a position Urgus struggles to keep as the story proceeds. Apart from the epilogue, the story is told in as series of extracts from his scrolls, so is filled with examples of self-justification and prejudice. However, Boyle successfully describes events clearly enough that the reader can deduce other possible interpretations and produces a more sympathetic character than many fantasy heroes. Even filtered through Urgus’ perceptions the other major characters are described with similar depth and credibility. With an empire more interested in violent arena games and fashion than maintaining its power it would be easy to draw parallels with the Roman Empire. However, the other nations are different from the Goths and Vandals, making the possible collapse more than a retelling of the sack of Rome. The scale, both geographically and narratively, is also quite small emphasising personality over history. Overall I enjoyed this novel greatly, and foresee rereading it in the future. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys well-constructed low fantasy or believably flawed protagonists.
  • The Sixth Discipline on March 15, 2013

    Unlike some stories that culture clash as a motif, this novel both features action by characters from each culture in both cultures and portrays neither culture as ultimately lesser to the other. The book tells the story of Ran-Del Jahanpur, a warrior from a forest tribe that focus on mental discipline and aim to live in tune with nature. He is kidnapped by Baron Hayden, a noble from a technologically advanced city, who keeps him prisoner, but otherwise treats him as an honoured guest. Despite the empathy granted by his training, Ran-Del struggles to understand both the Baron's plans and the society that holds him. With a plot that moves back and forth between the forest and the city, the novel skilfully balances the benefits and disadvantages of psychic and technological solutions and the cultures that have grown up around them. I found Ran-Del to be a well-developed character. His social and moral choices are sometimes better and sometimes worse than others, making him neither the noble savage or the uncultured rural. He also displays an entirely believable assumption that, having grown up feeling if people are lying himself, everyone will know that he is telling the truth if he denies wrongdoing. The other main characters have similar depth, each displaying a personal reaction to the facets of other culture that they meet. This complexity of response makes both the growing friendships and fledgling rivalries more meaningful and the sudden elevation of a minor character to significance more believable. The speed and ease with which Ran-Del became able to function in the city seemed unrealistically fast. However this is mostly due to the elision of the repeated little conflicts that is common to most stories dealing with potential integration into an alien culture, and is preferable to too much exposition of the differences.
  • The Story of Albert Ross on May 10, 2013

    Although it is set in a single room with only one character, this story does not lack for conflict. Albert Ross spends most of his days in his flat watching television, passively consuming. Until one night the broadcasts start to raise very personal issues. The book is written in a relatively stylised third-person voice, reminiscent of voice-overs from the early eighties. While this is quite noticeable for the first few paragraphs, it is very skilfully handled and fits perfectly with a story revolving around a habitual viewer. Albert starts as another forgettable average man, rendered only as a cipher by his self-isolation, However, as the programs flicker past, the events on screen and his reactions mimic the interactions of more populous works showing the reader how he is unique, and building sympathy. Despite the very short length of the work (14 pages), the plot shifts between comedy and horror without becoming rushed. However, the story does feel quite short; more of a great appetiser than a whole meal. The reader will probably guess what is happening before Albert; however the characterisation and style are strong enough to draw the reader to the end. Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it subject to the caveat that – unless you only ever read in short bursts – you will need another book to hand to start when this ends. I received a free copy of this book.
  • The Burdens on Dec. 10, 2021

    Meikle blends the metaphor and shifting rules of dream and memory with solid action, creating a short story that is both spiritual quest and dark fantasy adventure. When John heard his wife tell the doctor to turn off his life support, he thought he’d slipped into the darkness forever; instead, he awakens at the top of a decaying stone tower beneath a dark sky with two yellow moons. Strange creatures stalk him from behind and fragments of his life draw him down, but does the key lie in fighting the past or embracing it? The story opens a few hours after John awakes on the tower and is told in the first person as if a series of diary entries chronicling his descent. This point-of-view limits the reader only to what John has experienced, and the thoughts and memories it has evoked, creating a sense of intimacy and investigation. Everything John encounters is either directly drawn from or a clear echo of something from his life giving his descent an immediate sense of purpose and meaning that avoids the plot being merely a running away from danger; however, John starts with no clue as to what this purpose might be and only gains hints as he descends. Thus, the plot interweaves the fast-paced action of overcoming the ostensibly hostile challenges of the tower and the more introspective larger challenge of finding a positive goal. Assembled from fragments of John’s memories, the events have a strange mix of nebulous fantasy and internal logic that marks dreams. In contrast, the narrative voice has the slight distance of a witness statement. Depending on reader preference, this might either conjure John’s struggle to unravel metaphors and messages while maintaining accessibility or muffle the excitement behind a layer of dryness. John is a sympathetic protagonist, neither rigidly sceptical nor utterly credulous and not an expert in relevant fields. This makes his reactions those of a ordinary person which—while a reader might not always agree with them—thus neither irritate by fanatical adherence to a belief in the face of evidence nor insult by succeeding through facts the reader does not have in advance and could not guess. Overall, I enjoyed this short story. I recommend it to readers seeking a story that captures the confusion of facing metaphysical threats without becoming lost in introspection and unreliable evidence.