Cereal City Review

I have two new flash fictions in Cereal City Review. They take place in a small Catalan beach town during a mysterious power outage. Some think an invasion. Others a rare technical failure. No electricity or internet. No phone signals. No electronic payments. The stories are…

ROUNDABOUTS

In the 1980s we moved from Northern Ireland to Milton Keynes England. They had lots of roundabouts. Here is a new prose poem about the roundabouts. Just published in the new issue of Elsewhere Magazine.

The Organ Grinder

A new microfiction, from my manuscript in progress, Seaside Saints, is now up at The Argyle Review. Seaside Saints might become a novella in microfiction about various characters in a small seaside town in Catalunya. There are twenty or so stories so far. This one is about an…

DEER MUSK

"The whole town smelled like chives and onion with a dash of mustard. Maciek sampled the popular dish. Chips, thin as a shoelace, mayo on the side. Clams in large pot with white wine brine. Strange, though, this hankering for deer musk." My microfiction, "Deer Musk," is now up at…

RED RIVER

I have a new horror microfiction up at Hawkeye Magazine. It is partly inspired by a visit to the magical ancient house of Hugh Behm-Steinberg in Barcelona. Emperors and hermits. Wars and demons and spirits. You can read it over here

DODO ERASER

Happy to have a new microfiction at Dodo Eraser. It takes place in Trieste, Italy, where I lived many moons ago. Poverty and art and dog walking. The story is called "Higher Callings." You can read it here

“BIG FISH” NOMINATED FOR BEST SMALL FICTIONS 2025

Some nice news this morning. My micro fiction "Big Fish" has been nominated by Flash Frontier: An Adventure in Short Fiction from New Zealand for Best Small Fictions 2025. Thank you to Michelle Elvy (editor of Flash Frontier).

MEAT SWEATS IN DIAGRAM Happy to have a serial prose poem in the new issue of Diagram. Diagram has been around a good while. It was one of my earliest publications in the early part of this century. My earlier work is in issues 3.4 and 4.4. This new work is in issue 25.4. The serial prose poem is different than the work I've been publishing lately.

MEAT SWEATS IN DIAGRAM

Happy to have a serial prose poem in the new issue of Diagram. Diagram has been around a good while. It was one of my earliest publications in the early part of this century. My earlier work is in issues 3.4 and 4.4. This new work is in issue 25.4. The serial prose poem is…

DREAM DUST IN FAVORITE READS OF 2025 Thank you to Benjamin Niespodziany for including my book Dream Dust for his favorite reads of 2025. I have always loved Benjamin Niespodziany's end of year of list of books. I am honored to be included this year. Check out the roundup over here

DREAM DUST IN FAVORITE READS OF 2025

Thank you to Benjamin Niespodziany for including my book Dream Dust for his favorite reads of 2025. I have always loved Benjamin Niespodziany's end of year of list of books. I am honored to be included this year. Check out the roundup over here

BOMBAY LIT MAG ". . . the playful, grotesque, microscopic gaze of the noisy unconscious in Marcus’ poems that makes maneuvers from foaming blond ales to “new lips for new lovers” and, as in the poem ‘Easter Rabbit’, people the poem as thoughts bubbling in someone’s mind. The poems, in giving us the impression that they are emergent and unfolding before us, show the moving face rather than the stillness of a pimple."

BOMBAY LIT MAG

". . . the playful, grotesque, microscopic gaze of the noisy unconscious in Marcus’ poems that makes maneuvers from foaming blond ales to “new lips for new lovers” and, as in the poem ‘Easter Rabbit’, people the poem as thoughts bubbling in someone’s mind. The poems, in giving us…

Absurd Tales: Peas in G&Ts & Ghost Faces New Absurdities: Peas in G&Ts, Vomited Birds, Ghost Faces Three micro-stories blending rookie cops, dream shoes & hallway haunts.  You can read it HERE:

Absurd Tales: Peas in G&Ts & Ghost Faces

New Absurdities: Peas in G&Ts, Vomited Birds, Ghost Faces Three micro-stories blending rookie cops, dream shoes & hallway haunts.  You can read it HERE:

Moat Gravy and Life Confetti My new prose poem, "Fish," is now published at Instant Noodles Literary Magazine. It features mermaid mothers, gravy hounds, and the tiny, powerful tornadoes found in a fishbowl. Read the full piece:

Moat Gravy and Life Confetti

My new prose poem, "Fish," is now published at Instant Noodles Literary Magazine. It features mermaid mothers, gravy hounds, and the tiny, powerful tornadoes found in a fishbowl. Read the full piece:

🎺 Golden Trumpet: A 90s Flashback 🌪️ The memory of the 90s Salt Lake City underground—the legendary nights at Bricks and The Sun—was violently punctuated by a freak tornado that slammed downtown as the millennium turned. This contrast between frenetic club life and chaotic natural force became the quiet, humid absurdity that inspired my microfiction, "Golden Trumpet." The underground closes, the storm passes, but the trumpet keeps sounding. You can read the full story now, alongside a brilliant flash by Karen Crawford, as this week's featured #Micromonday over at Fictive Dream. ENTER THE DREAM: 

🎺 Golden Trumpet: A 90s Flashback 🌪️

The memory of the 90s Salt Lake City underground—the legendary nights at Bricks and The Sun—was violently punctuated by a freak tornado that slammed downtown as the millennium turned. This contrast between frenetic club life and chaotic natural force became the…

CUL-DE-SAC OF BLOOD

🌾 New Horror Microfiction: “Potatoes of Promise” 🐖👹 I have a new horror micro story at the magazine CUL-DE-SAC OF BLOODFarmers and swines full of demons. Robot cows that don't moo. Whales in the wall of motel 6. And a man with deer antlers. My newest microfiction, “Potatoes of…

Big Fish” — My Surreal Micro Story in Flash Frontier’s Fish Issue I’m thrilled to share that my surreal micro story “Big Fish” appears in the October 2025 issue of Flash Frontier — the Fish Issue.Read it here: Flash Frontier – October 2025 Issue “Big Fish” is a short, absurd story about what it means to live inside something vast — a creature, a system, a world — and to keep scrubbing ourselves clean, hoping to come out pure before we’re belched into nothingness.

Big Fish” — My Surreal Micro Story in Flash Frontier’s Fish Issue

I’m thrilled to share that my surreal micro story “Big Fish” appears in the October 2025 issue of Flash Frontier — the Fish Issue.Read it here: Flash Frontier – October 2025 Issue “Big Fish” is a short, absurd story about what it…

Lit Balm Online Reading A few weeks ago, I read some new microfiction for The Mercurius Show at the Lit Balm reading series. Lit Balm is an interactive livestream poetry reading series that features readings, panels, and open mics, often held biweekly. LIT BALM is brought to you by Marc Vincenz of MadHat and New American Writing (Magazine), Cassandra Atherton of Westerly Magazine, and Jeffrey Cyphers Wright of LIVE Mag!.

Lit Balm Online Reading

A few weeks ago, I read some new microfiction for The Mercurius Show at the Lit Balm reading series. Lit Balm is an interactive livestream poetry reading series that features readings, panels, and open mics, often held biweekly. LIT BALM is brought to you by Marc Vincenz of…

New Surreal Absurd Story in Bending Genres I’m delighted to share that my story “Burning Bush” has just been published in Issue Forty-Seven of the always-exciting magazine Bending Genres! I’m thrilled and honored to be in such terrific company — with new work by Kim Magowan, Francine Witte, Glen Pourciau, and many more bold, brilliant voices pushing the boundaries of form and feeling. A bit about the magazine: Bending Genres is a vibrant literary journal devoted to hybrid, experimental, and genre-defying writing.

New Surreal Absurd Story in Bending Genres

I’m delighted to share that my story “Burning Bush” has just been published in Issue Forty-Seven of the always-exciting magazine Bending Genres! I’m thrilled and honored to be in such terrific company — with new work by Kim Magowan, Francine Witte, Glen…

Mercurius Interactive Launch at Backstory Books in Barcelona Tomorrow we continue the Mercurius surreal absurd show at Backstory Books in Barcelona. Another round of readings. Another dream map improv. The dream map improv will involve the audience this time. Since there are only three readers (Marcus Silcock, Thomas Helm, Hugh Beim-Steinberg). "The program will feature short readings from poets in the anthology, followed by a collective, interactive activity: the Dream Map.

Mercurius Interactive Launch at Backstory Books in Barcelona

Tomorrow we continue the Mercurius surreal absurd show at Backstory Books in Barcelona. Another round of readings. Another dream map improv. The dream map improv will involve the audience this time. Since there are only three readers…

Mercurius at Dorothy Circus Gallery The Mercurius surreal absurd show was terrific at Dorothy Circus Gallery in London. A real feast of the imagination with an improv dream map. The space was also delicious with dream rugs. We read surreal absurd stories and poems by flashlight and improvised a performance on the dream map (soon to appear on Spotify with music and some remixing). You can buy the terrific Mercurius Surreal Absurd anthology over here. It's one of a kind!

Mercurius at Dorothy Circus Gallery

The Mercurius surreal absurd show was terrific at Dorothy Circus Gallery in London. A real feast of the imagination with an improv dream map. The space was also delicious with dream rugs. We read surreal absurd stories and poems by flashlight and improvised a…

New surreal absurd stories in Rawhead

I’m happy to share that two of my prose poems appear in the inaugural issue of Rawhead Literary Journal — alongside brilliant voices like Meg Pokrass, Brad Rose, Jeff Friedman, and many more fab writers.

The MERCURIUS Show: Interactive Livestream Event

The September 20, 2025 episode of Lit Balm: An Interactive Livestream Reading Series will be the MERCURIUS show, and feature Vik Shirley, Thomas Helm, Marcus Silcock, and Ben Niespodziany!

Mercurius Surreal Absurd VIRTUAL READING MARATHON

Mercurius anthology of surreal absurd is out in the world. A joy to co-edit this puppy. Terrific online launch. A reading marathon of 18 readers. Other launches coming soon in London at Dorothy Gallery and Edinburgh, Scotland and Barcelona, Spain.

Double Whammy: Two New Micro Fictions 🎉 Double Whammy: Two New Micro Fictions Just Dropped! I’m thrilled to share two fresh micro fictions out in the wild.

Double Whammy: Two New Micro Fictions

🎉 Double Whammy: Two New Micro Fictions Just Dropped! I’m thrilled to share two fresh micro fictions out in the wild.

 The Judo King – New Microfiction Published at Maudlin House I’m excited to share that my new microfiction, The Judo King, is now live at Maudlin House.

 The Judo King – New Microfiction Published at Maudlin House

I’m excited to share that my new microfiction, The Judo King, is now live at Maudlin House.

🕵️‍♂️🥋 New microfiction live at Maudlin House!
The Judo King is based on a true story—memory, martial arts, espionage… and Brussels sprouts.
Read it here 👉 maudlinhouse.net/the-judo-king/
#Microfiction #WeirdLit #MaudlinHouse

New 21st Century Anthology of Surreal-Absurd Poetry Released We’re excited to share the release of the first anthology from Mercurius Magazine — a groundbreaking collection of contemporary surrealist and absurdist poetry. Edited by Marcus Silcock, Vik Shirley, Thoman Helm, and Benjamin Niespodziany, this volume brings together over 80 poets whose work challenges conventional form and embraces the strange, the uncanny, and the beautifully unclassifiable. Spanning 370 pages, the anthology offers a rare and expansive look at the evolving terrain of surreal-absurd poetics.

New 21st Century Anthology of Surreal-Absurd Poetry Released

We’re excited to share the release of the first anthology from Mercurius Magazine — a groundbreaking collection of contemporary surrealist and absurdist poetry. Edited by Marcus Silcock, Vik Shirley, Thoman Helm, and Benjamin…

Zimzalla Grzegorz Wróblewski – Asemics

In Manchester, a few months ago, I picked up a box of Grzegorz Wróblewski's asemics. It is part of the delightful Zimzalla project run by Tom Jenks. You can buy your own box of mysteries over here: It is a nice compliment to his book of asemic art Shanty…

bunker — Blood+Honey by Marcus Silcock “They were the burning bush in the wilderness of starched fathers. The wolves howled outside. Mother leaned against the dresser to pop out another sister. What big eyes, said mothe...

Hey friends —
Just published a new microfiction.
It’s short, strange, and full of wolves, sisters, and end-days weirdness.
If you like your fiction surreal and a little feral, this one’s for you.
🩸 Read it in Blood+Honey: www.bloodhoneylit.com/fiction/bunker
#SurrealAbsurdLit #Microfiction #WeirdLit

‘Bunker’: A New Surreal-Absurd Microfiction “They were the burning bush in the wilderness of starched fathers. The wolves howled outside. Mother leaned against the dresser to pop out another sister. What big eyes, said mother.

‘Bunker’: A New Surreal-Absurd Microfiction

“They were the burning bush in the wilderness of starched fathers. The wolves howled outside. Mother leaned against the dresser to pop out another sister. What big eyes, said mother.

Unbroken Journal

Super happy to have a new one paragraph story in Unbroken. “Unbroken is a quarterly online journal that seeks to showcase prose poems and poetic prose, both from established and emerging voices. We desire to give the block, the paragraph, the unlineated prose, a new place to…