About The Author

“This is a great book to dip into and I’m looking forward to seeing some of these stories in The Yearly Strange extended in the future. The stories grow in strength from beginning to end.”

~ Barbara O Neill, Kent, Music Teacher, fan of fantasy fiction

“I have recently had the chance to read the tales of the yearly strange and shivered deliciously. Declan Cosson is a very promising young writer and his collection of short stories show a vivid imagination and a turn for the macabre and even a touch of pure horror. I know that I will not so easily forget his giant hornets nor his Chupacabra spiders. There is also a less sinister side in that bravery, friendship and kinship are important traits of character for the main protagonists. This is a collection that will appeal to young readers and I hope that Declan will continue to enthrall us with further collection. “

~ Barbara Vermersch, Normandy, English teacher

Ernst was, like many terrans, a fusion of identities…

Horror and humor subtly blend in The Collection of the Yearly Strange, by Declan Cosson. Incredible dialogues, gripping action scenes capture the reader all along unusual plots depicting most unexpected encounters through time and space.

Expect surprises, shocks, let your imagination reach out for unknown space realms, as Cosson´s narrator walks you through this page turner, always with the blink of an eye.

~ Heloisa Prieto, holder of awards for Brazilian literature, Brazilian author of The Musician (koehler books)

This is not a genre I normally read however, I found it to be well written and interesting. The characters were believable and engaging.

I found that, once I had started reading it, I was compelled to continue till the end.

I much enjoyed reading it and will recommend it to family and friends.

~ Angelina Kelly

Treat yourselves to a captivating collection of eight short stories by
Declan Cosson with Collection of the Yearly Strange. The book
opens with Night of the Sandman, where a mother draws on her wit
and courage to fight and fend off a monster trying to kill her son. In
That’s No Storm, a US military helicopter crashes over Normandy in
the 60s, unleashing a storm of hornets that puts everyone’s lives in
danger. In the distant future, a human submarine crew fighting
against the robotic regime comes across a prehistoric monster in
the depths of the Atlantic Ocean in Bloop. Finally, Icarus follows a
Solaran warrior and his friend as they march into battle against the
reptilian Drakkar far into the future in the Alpha Centauri star
system.
Using diverse settings, characters, and timelines, Declan Cosson
ensures the book lives up to its title and tells eight fascinating
stories bound to satiate your appetite for the eerie and the atypical.
Collection of the Yearly Strange delivers absorbing short stories
brewed with a swirling mix of genres, including sci-fi, horror, and
fantasy. From monsters roaming the streets of London during the
Great War to the intergalactic battles between different alien
species in Alpha Centauri, the settings and timelines vary in
extremes, seamlessly switching tonal shifts as you finish one story
and start another. Overall, this is the perfect collection every short
story reader loves. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and you should too.

~ Pikasho Deka

Blood and death are the foundation upon which civilization is built
and preserved. Commander Rufus Thorne is troubled as the battle
for Edinburg rages on in Blood and Gears by Declan Cosson. The
machines have the upper hand. Can the flying fortress intervene
and save the day? Legionnaires are the key to this fight. Zach joins
the legionnaires after the death of Hans and is assigned to the
alpha squad. Can Zach measure up to their standards? Will he add
value to the battle for St. Petersburg against the onslaught of the
machines? The black mouth is a monstrosity made to turn the tide
of the Third World War, but now it seems invisible in its destruction
of humanity. Can it be stopped?
Blood and Gears by Declan Cosson is a meticulously written work of
science fiction that details the fight between humans and machines
that have gone rogue. The story is entertaining and thought provoking, especially now that Artificial Intelligence is being
developed at an alarming speed. It got me thinking not only about
the benefits of technology but also about its downside. With his
vivid descriptions of the events and the battles, Declan captures
the reader’s imagination. The characters are also well-developed,
and the plotline is flawless and flows seamlessly. I would love to see
a movie based on this book. Declan has also used easy-to understand language in the book, which makes the story accessible
to any reader. I can’t wait to read something else from Declan

~ Frank Mutuma