The Hot Chick & Other Weird Tales

This collection of 13 science fiction, urban fantasy and dark fantasy stories are set primarily in the present day, or very near future, and give everyday existence a gentle nudge into the realms of the fantastic, the weird, the erotic, the supernatural, the horrific, the arcane and the surreal.

These are stories where a casual sexual encounter can embroil a person in dangerous liaisons with ghosts, aliens or even vengeful gods. Yet also where the bizarre or weird can be found lurking just around the corner, across a cup of cooling mocha in a suburban coffee shop, over a glass of chilled rose wine in a beach side cafe on the Cote d'Azur or in the next message to arrive on your mobile phone.

These stories tread the fine line between the normal and the fantastic, where the unknown lies behind every unopened door and every unread email.

KASTELLORIZON

THE END OF FLIGHT 505

ALREADY GONE

THIS IS THE QUICKEST WAY DOWN

MORE IMPORTANT THAN BABY STENICK

LAST TRAIN HOME

WAITING FOR MY MOCHA TO COOL

CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE GHOST-HUNTER

THE HOT CHICK

A BERETTA FOR AZRAELLA

TAKING TEA WITH THE GENERAL

EMPIRE STATE OF MIND

BY THE STEPS OF VILLEFRANCHE STATION

Eleven of the stories were previously published (print only) by Salt in the collection entitled 'This is the Quickest Way Down'. The Hot Chick has been revised and re-edited with two new stories added.

On Christian's writing....

Christian's strength is the abandon with which he brings together the fantastic and the mundane.

Vector

Christian delivers the goods economically, effectively and with immense dignity and compassion. In a nutshell; the man can write!”

Dave Kelso-Mitchell, Paraphilia Magazine

Christian's style is sparse and urgent and makes me, for one, wish he would now tackle a crime novel. Norfolk noir anyone?”

Trevor Heaton, EDP Weekend supplement

Christian’s style is far from hard, drawing the reader in with an easygoing narrative, plenty of dialogue and buckets of wry humour. But what I found most was heart. 

Wayne Simmons

What I will say is I love the way Christian writes. It is smooth and elegant without being overly literary. Sometimes it feels as though literary authors can be shoving how clever they are down your throat, but Christian eases you along and makes it very difficult to put the book down.

R B Harkess, author

About the Author

Charles Christian is a former barrister and Reuters correspondent turned award-winning technology journalist, newsletter publisher, blogger, science fiction author, storyteller and keynote speaker.

His dystopian sci fi and urban fantasy stories are Gothic tales for the 21st century - with a sense of humour and a topical twist.