MARCH 2025

From writing an anthology piece and celebrating I Must Scream on Deaf Ear’s fourth anniversary to getting stocked in stores and organising the last pieces ahead of Burden’s final push, March has been a surprisingly busy month for this plucky author!
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In between the writerly goodness is a smattering of life events, including a few handbrake mortality checks, advice on how I handled my first volunteer field trip, and a hearty pop punk recommendation!
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So what are we waiting for? Let’s go!

Opening Night
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​After a successful feature spot in Your Paper Quest’s October box last year, I was asked if I’d be interested in contributing to an anthology the YPQ guys were putting together. The answer was an obvious yes, and after spending an extended period of time thinking about the idea and playing with concepts (which, believe it or not, is totally part of the writing process even without getting pen to paper—or in this case, fingers to keyboard) I managed to deliver my short story, Opening Night, with plenty of time to spare.
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Go me!
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I mentioned in last month’s Recap that the parameters were pretty simple: a theme of ‘freedom’ with a word count between 2-3k.
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The end result is a story that places us with a guy called Leon who finds himself in a strange art gallery. He has no recollection of how he got there or who the artist is. But upon meeting the Stranger, he quickly discovers that not everything is what it seems, and that there could be more to leaving the gallery than he first thought.
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​Opening Night ended up being pretty different from the initial ideas I was brewing up—which is so often the case it seems—but I’m stoked with where it ended up. Whilst exploring the themes of freedom, I purposefully steeped the whole piece with a ratcheting tension that drew inspiration from stories like Death Stranding, Alan Wake 2, and Silent Hill.
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I found myself listening to ambient soundtracks featuring music from DS and AW2 during my early drafting and redrafting stages, and, let me tell you, those soundscapes really helped to thematically root me into the story as I tried to capture that sensation of a haunting, a lingering, an unexplainable, disquieting feeling rather than outright horror.
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The hardest part of the process though? Culling the word count down to that 3k range. I think the initial word count was over 4000+, so hacking it down whilst maintaining its themes and ideas was an interesting challenge.
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Definitely had to embrace that old adage of “killing your darlings”. With a word count limit like that, there’s no other choice but to rip out anything that doesn’t add or enhance, no matter how much I may have liked it
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​Still Screaming
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​March 23rd marked the four-year anniversary of my lockdown horror story, I Must Scream on Deaf Ears. Hard to believe the pandemic and initial lockdowns were five years ago!
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Inspired by the horror movie, Host, IMSODE was my attempt to navigate the pandemic, exploring my frustrations, anger, and emotional state at the time—especially as a brand new father. And all through the lens of a horror story. Naturally.
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​IMSODE was the story that started it all for me. It was the turning point between considering becoming an indie author and being an indie author. To put it simply: no IMSODE, then no Temporary, Steen, Burden, and every story yet to come.
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So a huge thanks to everyone who’s been on the ride with me since I Must Scream was first released. And if you’re new to the club and haven’t yet read IMSODE, be sure to check it out and scope out my roots.
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​Light Up the Dark​
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Another milestone happened this month: your boy got stocked in a goddamn brick-and-mortar store! A comic book store, no less!
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Both Temporary and Steen can be purchased at Folkestone’s own Lighthouse Comics, a new store in the town’s Creative Quarter. I wrote more about this in an Instagram post, but to put it lightly this was a major accomplishment for me as an indie author.
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In case you don’t know, being stocked in stores can be hard for indie authors unless you go through a specific process that allows your novels to be found and ordered on a database. However—and it’s a big ‘however’—by putting yourself forward for this service, you run the risk of receiving out-the-blue returns…that you then have to pay for!
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Yep, you can suddenly find yourself liable to repay a bookstore for purchasing your books if they can’t shift them and decide to return the stock.
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Yikes.
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But despite my being Amazon exclusive, Lighthouse Comics were super open to stocking my books and having a conversation about indie voices and giving them space at the table.
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And unlike so many, it’s amazing they actually followed through and put their (literal) money where their mouth is. A lot of people are willing to blow smoke, provide empty promises, or give paper support—but Lighthouse Comics actually delivered on their promise.
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So if you find yourself in Folkestone, be sure to pop into Lighthouse Comics, pick up some comics, a copy of Temporary or Steen, and, while you're there, why not ask them if they’ll be stocking Burden from Steve Russell in the future!
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​The Procession Are Coming…​
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And now, introducing the main event of the newsletter…Burden!
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You see, I finally received the proofread copy of Burden from my editor earlier this month. The edit arrived on the deadline date and I’ve already pored over the notes, suggestions, and highlighted mistakes/typos. There’s only one thing left to do on my part and then, well, it’ll be time to get Burden out into the world and into your eager hands.
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It’s surreal that after so long, after having navigated and negotiated through so many delays and obstacles, we’re in the final push. It’s been a long journey, but now, in the far-flung future of 2025, you’ll finally get to meet Owen, AJ, Finn, and Kyra as they attempt to survive a ravaged, post-societal England.
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More information regarding release dates, etc., will be coming soon—so keep your eyes peeled on your inbox for any future updates as I’ll be sending out an email blast before sharing the date on social media, meaning…you’ll be the first to know! I mean, I did promise you that as a Recap subscriber, you'd be getting all the best stuff first, after all.
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Last month you got the full cover reveal. This month seems like a good time to share the blurb, right? Right!
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​“In the wake of the Collapse, society crumbled, leaving behind only fear, distrust, and betrayal.
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For eight long years, Owen Rhodes and his girlfriend AJ have protected his young niece and nephew as they navigated a ravaged England, scavenging and eluding others across a vicious landscape where food is scarce, life is cheap, and every day is a fight to survive.
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But after a fatal encounter garners the attention of a violent community known as the Procession, Owen realises their luck may be running out—and that escape may soon be impossible…”
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​Feel that?

A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With a Single Step​
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Everything has been so gung-ho on the writing front this month that there haven’t been that many things happening outside of it, which makes a change to some of the quieter months that have gone by recently.
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That being said, there were a few things I did this month that I wanted to reflect on. First and foremost, my son (who started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu a few months ago) received the first stripe on his white belt. Luckily, my partner happened to be in attendance during his class too, so we were able to appreciate and enjoy that special moment together.
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The smile on my son’s face just lit up the world.
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He was only recently asking me when he’d get his first stripe as all the other kids had some on their belts, and I had to let him in on a core BJJ secret…
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Come close so I can tell you…
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Closer…
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(Whispering) Closer…
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Okay, too close. Back up a bit.
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Here it is: never ask your coaches about getting a stripe. If you do, you usually get a mandatory six months added to the wait, even if your coach was primed and ready to give you it at the next class!
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But this is just the first stripe. The first of many if he continues BJJ into adulthood. But nothing’s as sweet as that first time, and I’m glad I was there to witness it.
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​Assemble!
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​Another first happened this month as I tagged along to help with my son’s first school trip. We went to a wildlife park. My group consisted of four boys (including my son). It was…interesting. Kinda like trying to herd cats.
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Kidding aside, it wasn’t as bad as I worried it would be, and the overall experience wasn’t the train wreck I was led to believe it would be by other parents who had helped out on field trips, though I do think we were rushing through the experience. Every time we got somewhere new or could see something cool, we were immediately corralled to the next enclosure.
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I think a tactic I used that helped out the gate was giving my group a sense of team unity. I asked them what our team name would be and we quickly became Team Sparkle (a popular suggestion from my son). So every time I needed them for form up, I would call out “Team Sparkle to me!” and, lo and behold, they would assemble Avengers-style to me, their Nick Fury-esque guardian. No doubt I'll try and repeat the tactic if I help out in the future. Fingers crossed it works again!
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​20 Years Later…
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​The last thing I wanted to talk about is a twofer as a couple of my all-time favourite shows celebrated anniversaries this month.
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March saw both The Office (US) and Doctor Who celebrate 20 years since their debuts (or re-debut in Doctor Who’s case as 2005 was when the Time Lord came back to UK screens after being initially cancelled in in ’89).
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Relatable, funny, emotional, and so incredibly endearing, The Office will always have a place in my heart as one of the best to ever do it.
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And if you are one of the few who still hasn’t watched it, this is officially your sign to dive in and remedy that glaring gap in your watching history.
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Remember: sometimes the longer you wait, the harder it gets.
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And with Doctor Who…Man, I could write an essay on Doctor Who. Look, I’m half English, and, honestly, I probably never feel more proud to be British than when I’m watching the good Doctor.
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A show steeped in emotional understanding, empathy, and compassion, Doctor Who is an absolute favourite of mine and has been for years. I really enjoyed the show when it re-debuted in 2005, firmly establishing me as a Nu Who fan rather than a Classic Who guy—though I did watch some Classic Doctor Who in my youth. That being said, I did fall away during the Tennant era but eventually came back to it in a big way, caught up with everything I’d missed, and have never left the fandom since.
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It’s funny that it takes an alien Time Lord to showcase what it truly means to be human. The way he always tries to see the best in us, especially when we can’t see it in ourselves or are showcasing the worst traits of our humanity has always struck a deep chord with me.
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And people say I’m a pessimist. Tchah!
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The fact the Doctor always tries to solve a problem with words and diplomacy (alongside a healthy helping of manipulation and cunning) instead of using weapons or fists to bring about a peaceful resolution are core reasons he firmly remains one of my favourite characters of all time. He is endless inquisitiveness and ambition and frustration and knowledge and simmering anger and loneliness and friendship and hope.
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He’s the Doctor.
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And don’t get me wrong, with about 188 Nu Who episodes (884 total if you include Class Who, according to Wikipedia) not all of them are good. And when they’re bad…man…
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But when the majority of the episodes are good or great to excellent, it’s clear there’s something special about the Doctor and how he and his stories connect and resonate with us. Must be why the show has a world record for the highest number of episodes of a science-fiction program.
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I know there are rumblings about potential cancellation regarding the new series, but regardless of what happens going forward, we’ll always have the adventures that have already transpired.
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As my favourite Doctor once said: “We’re all stories in the end. Just make sure it’s a good one, eh?”

Life Lately • The Bottom Lin... Best Days • The Bottom Line PREVIEW   ​

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Life Lately, The Bottom Line
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This was an eleventh-hour contender for my recommendation this month. There’s been a few things I’ve been wanting to recommend for a while from games to shows to books, but this album from UK-based pop punk band The Bottom Line kinda swooped in and impressed the fuck outta me.
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Released on the 21st of March, The Bottom Line’s latest album Life Lately is an indie labour of love from a band that keeps going, growing, and getting better.
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Their journey may not be one of immediate superstardom, but these guys are proof that hard work, self-belief, and betting on yourself will see you eventually bend the universe just enough to start getting what you’ve put into it, even if it’s inch-by-inch. These guys have rubbed shoulders with pop punk luminaries like Simple Plan and Bowling For Soup, often supporting them on tour, and I hope they continue to expand their fanbase as they proudly fly the pop punk flag.
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I was a fan of their previous album No Vacation (released on Marshall Records), but there’s something special about their latest. Maybe it’s the indie nature of the offering—knowing just how much of themselves they must have put into it: their money, their hearts, their time, their love, their everything, all done as a labour of love and a commitment to their creative cause.
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The result? A catchy album filled with memorable hooks, riffs, choruses, and singalong moments, all weighted with thoughtful, reflective lyrics that add deeper layers to the pop punk awesomeness.
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So if you’re looking for something new to listen to, especially if you enjoy pop punk, do yourself a favour and give Life Lately a listen!
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Fun fact: I actually played a show with The Bottom Line in London way back in the day with my old pop punk band Adventure Starts Tomorrow! They were also kind enough to let me use one of their tracks for a party scene in my short film First Date. Again from back in the day.
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Man, my “back in the day” file seems to be getting fuller and fuller recently…
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Stand Out Tracks
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Never Enough

Better Than This

Lifelines

Best Days

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