Jungle Fiction. Daft title, huh?
Conjours up images of monkeys, elephants, giraffes, thick trees, swinging vines, Tarzan and so forth, doesn't it? Well, to be honest, you wouldn't be too far from the truth. Insert the word "urban" before Jungle Fiction and you're just about there; what this e-zine deals with, mainly, is the pains, ironies and complexities of life in the human wilderness - the cities and suburbs, gutters and back yards, kitchens and livingrooms. Here, Tarzan wears trendy sports gear and swings from the lampshade; perverts, thugs and bullies patrol the pavements like lions hunting innocent deer; mundane, everyday lives become the focus of an intense fictional scrutiny not unlike that of a wildlife documentary; and unconventionalism is placed on the highest pedestal.
Issue #1, for instance, will take you into the confused and desperate world of a sex-starved teenager; permit you to overhear a racious conversation between two opposing, amateur writers (and question where the borderlines of reality and fantasy really lie); drag you into the gruesome bedroom of a young girl at war with her own parents; and rub your nose in the putrid gunk of a slobbish family and their revolting, selfish mannerisms.
This isn't going to be a pleasant journey. Those who want out now, please leave through the emergency exits.
Although all of the work here is mine, I would more than welcome any contributions. Indeed, future issues of Jungle Fiction will illuminate the talents of Mike Richmond, Mick Carter, Linette Voller and Jordan Janssen. Please email your masterpieces to me at the address supplied on the contents page/outro, but remember - the shorter and gritter the better; no Mills and Boon, cloudy fantasies or dull cliches. If in doubt, just try me.
Finally, a big thankyou to all who have subscribed to Jungle Fiction (a hell of a lot more than I ever thought; brilliant stuff). Your support is invaluable and I hope you'll send in your comments and suggestions in exchange for the hard work I've put into this production.
Now, let's get our boots on. We don't want to be caught out here when the sun dies down.
ISSUE #1 (58k) [contains four top quality short stories]
Some of the following links contain short stories written by myself and possibly featured in Jungle Fiction. If you have any links you'd like to add to this list, please email me with full details.