So, we did it. As of January 2018, our little tribute to David J Rodger can be found at Amazon and all good online vendors. It’s a strange feeling to be writing this, over two years since we lost David. I’m not going to say it provides closure, because it doesn’t. I doubt anything except time ever will. It does feel good though.
I’m proud of it. Out of our shared grief has come something really rather special. When we were planning this, the working title was simply “For David”, because we decided to create an anthology of tale that we felt he’d enjoy. David’s work deals with themes of urban alienation and decay, existential horror and betrayal, transhumanism and cosmicism, sex and death. We deliberately chose not to make something sombre or overly cerebral. Instead we aimed for something that would have raised the crooked smile we all love and miss. I think we succeeded.
The majority of the actual heavy lifting was done by Peter Sutton, which is something I will always be grateful for. After proposing the idea (which it turns out Peter and Tom Parker had already discussed) and putting out a call for contributors, I basically checked out of life for over a year. Grief does weird things, even when you think you’re hardened to the occasional jape that life plays on you. It was only when the deadline for submissions arrived that I was able to stir myself, and even that was a “down to the wire” thing where I was typing away at three in the morning because I’d promised Pete I’d have the story with him the next day.
Dave Sharrock provided us with an amazing cover, which you can see above. Look at it. It’s gorgeous. It looks even better on the dead tree version.
The contents are as follows;
The Hotwells Horror, by David J Rodger
Out of Context, by Chris Halliday
A Day at the Lake, by Thomas David Parker
Coffee and Cthulhu, by Ian Millsted
A Piece of the Puzzle, by Cheryl Morgan
Hillraiser, by Ken Shinn
Psilocybin, by Dave Sharrock
HIAB-X, by David J Rodger
The Lost Brother, by Simon Brake
Dead Reckoning, by John Houlihan
Fall of Ophiucus, by Samantha J Rule & Eli Johnston
Salvation, by Dave Bradley
Signal in the Dark, by Peter Sutton
Fast Love Die, by David J Rodger
David J Rodger: Some Memories, by Floyd Hayes
The last piece by Floyd is a beautiful montage of moments with David across a number of years, and is deeply touching. Along with the three stories by David and the remembrances of the contributors, it all makes something that I’m proud to have on my shelf next to his novels.
All profits go to MIND, the Mental Health charity, because we all go a little mad sometimes. You can pick up a copy in print or ebook at;
Other vendors are also available (but I’m not going to provide links because Google is a thing, okay?) If you like it, leave a review. Heap praise upon the authors and encourage them to create more. Every single one of them is lovely, and they deserve good things.
Peace.
Chris Halliday,
Bristol, 20th February 2018
David J Rodger ¦ Science Fiction & Dark Fantasy 
Mr. Halliday:
Thanks for doing this. Much appreciated. I think of David often…and while I obviously didn’t know him beyond a few exchanged emails, I thought he was a terrific talent.
Thanks Chris. I don’t think David ever really understood how good he was, or how deeply he touched other people’s lives. I like to think that, wherever he is now, he finally understands. And you’re right – he was a terrifically talented writer, getting better with every book. Aside from mourning the loss of a friend, I mourn the stories he would have given us.
A big miss my friend. love always K x