Sci-Fi, Horror, Crime and...Cats?

Daft Notions is a small press publisher operating out of Melbourne, Australia. Our current and forthcoming publications include science fiction and horror titles, single-author collections, novellas, and funny cat and dog books.

Current Titles

Conversations With My Cat

What does Schrƶdinger’s Cat have to do with a chewed computer cord? How do you fit work around a cat’s napping schedule? Why do cats change their minds as soon as you open the door for them?
The Dark Man, By Referral and Less Pleasant Tales

The Dark Man, By Referral and Less Pleasant Tales

An abused child encounters the local urban legend – the monstrous Dark Man – and finds himself querying the definition of ā€˜monster’.
All I Want For Christmas: (Not) A Heartwarming Yuletide Novella

All I Want For Christmas

It’s Christmastime, and retired squadleader Sneet must help claim the primitive planet Earth for the glory of the G’norr Dominion…by masquerading as a shopping mall Santa....
Daily Grind and Other Astounding Stories of Mundane Matters

Daily Grind and Other Astounding Stories of Mundane Matters

The difference between the everyday and the astounding depends entirely upon your viewpoint... A collection of the complete science fiction works of award-nominated author Chuck McKenzie.
Time Spent With A Cat

Time Spent With A Cat

The best Hard-SF gonzo-fantasy murder-mystery novella featuring a possibly-imaginary talking cat you'll ever read, probably.
When the evil forces of the Alien Space Nazis threaten the galaxy, there's only one man smart enough, tough enough, and sassy enough to defeat them! Lars Janssen! Whether it's escaping from a Nazi KillMoon seconds before it explodes, battling monsters in a combat pit, or dispatching entire legions of alien troopers armed only with a pocket-knife, it's all in a day's work for this swashbuckling hero! Which, when you think about it, all seems a bit...unlikely. Doesn't it?

Alien Space Nazis Must Die!

When the evil forces of the Alien Space Nazis threaten the galaxy, there's only one man smart enough, tough enough, and sassy enough to defeat them! Lars Janssen! Whether it's escaping from a Nazi KillMoon seconds before it explodes, battling monsters in a combat pit, or dispatching entire legions of alien troopers armed only with a pocket-knife, it's all in a day's work for this swashbuckling hero! Which, when you think about it, all seems a bit...unlikely. Doesn't it?
James had always believed the Dark Man was just an urban myth. A legendary monster. A small-town boogeyman used by adults to keep kids in line. But then he discovered that the Dark Man was very real indeed, and that the definition of ā€˜monster’ very much depended upon one’s point of view…

The Dark Man, By Referral

James had always believed the Dark Man was just an urban myth. A legendary monster. A small-town boogeyman used by adults to keep kids in line. But then he discovered that the Dark Man was very real indeed, and that the definition of ā€˜monster’ very much depended upon one’s point of view…
Conversations With Dog

Conversations With Dog

Can dogs really sense ghosts, or are they just taking the piss? What is it about the ā€˜W’ word (walkies) that makes dogs go absolutely apeshit? Are there any canine attributes that would count as transferrable skills if a dog applied for a job? These, and other issues you never really gave a crap about, are addressed in this blatant cash-grab masquerading as a sequel to the mildly-popular Conversations With My Cat, as Chuck McKenzie discusses the complexities of life and leashes with the dog down the road. ā€˜By equal measures utterly hilarious and terribly sad,’ is how the teller describes Chuck’s bank balance, so please buy this book.
Chuck McKenzie's Nasty Little Bits

Chuck McKenzie’s Nasty Little Bits

Hello children. Welcome to Chuck McKenzie’s Nasty Little Bits—a collection of twenty-eight morsels of the macabre especially prepared to cause a range of reactions, from uneasy laughter to outright horror, and everything in between. We invite you to read this book at bedtime as an antidote to peaceful sleep. And remember—so long as you don’t let your foot dangle over the side of your mattress, the thing underneath your bed will never be able to grab it.
Humans From Earth

Humans From Earth!!

An anthology of SF/horror stories in which humans are the monsters... No matter how advanced or powerful, not a single known civilisation in the galaxy has ever managed to completely cast off the shackles of fear. There always remain the mundane anxieties over politics and taxes, the rational dread of war and predation. And then there's the universal fear of the unknown: of abandoned colonies and ancient ruins; of dark legends supposedly based upon truth; of spectres and demons and monsters. Especially monsters. Because monsters are real. They exist. They can come from the wilds, or the oceans, or even from the spaces between the stars. They may look bestial, or grotesque...or just like one of us, seemingly civilized, walking undetected through our thriving utopias and bright spaceports, hiding their true nature until... And these are the tales of such monsters. These are the tales of… Humans from Earth! Featuring stories by John Peel, Hannah Baxter, Martin Livings, Daniel Fox, Narrelle M Harris, Andreas Hort, Mia Dalia, Jason Franks, Liam Hogan, Colleen Anderson, Paul Edmonds, Zac Ashford, D S Telling, Peter J Aldin, Paul Carro, Benjamin Adams, Anthony Ferguson, and Ryan Colley.

Latest News

Humans From Earth

HUMANS FROM EARTH!! Coming Soon…

An anthology of science fiction horror stories in which humans are the monsters... Release Date: Feb 21 2026
book fair australia

Upcoming Event: Book Fair Australia

Next Event: Oz Comic Con Xmas Edition
Oz Comic Con Xmas Edition Melbourne

Upcoming Event: Oz Comic Con Xmas Edition

Next Event: Oz Comic Con Xmas Edition
Oz Comic Con Xmas Edition Melbourne

Daft Notions Events for 2025 – 2026

Daft Notions will be attending the following events through 2025 and 2026, with author Chuck McKenzie on hand to sell and sign copies of all his titles...
Market Fair Preston

Market Fair Preston

Market Fair Preston
Asylumfest

Upcoming Event: AsylumFest 2025

Next Event: AsylumFest 2025
RELEASE DATE FEB 21, 2026
Ebook Preorders: 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GLWW3H6L

Humans From Earth!!
Edited by Chuck McKenzie

An anthology of science fiction horror stories in which humans are the monsters...

No matter how advanced or powerful, not a single known civilisation in the galaxy has ever managed to completely cast off the shackles of fear. There always remain the mundane anxieties over politics and taxes, the rational dread of war and predation. And then there's the universal fear of the unknown: of abandoned colonies and ancient ruins; of dark legends supposedly based upon truth; of spectres and demons and monsters. Especially monsters.

Because monsters are real. They exist. They can come from the wilds, or the oceans, or even from the spaces between the stars. They may look bestial, or grotesque...or just like one of us, seemingly civilized, walking undetected through our thriving utopias and bright spaceports, hiding their true nature until...

And these are the tales of such monsters. These are the tales of…

Humans from Earth!

Table of Contents

Foreword: Fear of the (In)human by Chuck McKenzie
Home Care by Daniel Fox
Delicacy by Narrelle M Harris
Toxic by Mia Dalia
The Fallen God by Liam Hogan
The Boy In The Box by Martin Livings
Swim Walk Jump by Jason Franks
Endless Cookhouse by Paul Edmonds
In The Weaving by Colleen Anderson
The Kids Are (Not) All Right by Zac Ashford
Rubenstein’s Monster by Peter J Aldin
Jerky by Paul Carro
Terran District by Benjamin Adams
The Vorpal Blade by John Peel
The Future Is Golden by Anthony Ferguson
Utopian Needs by Andreas Hort
Sugar by D S Telling
Orioch’s Grace by Ryan Colley
The Silence Of The Stars by Hannah Baxter

Cover art by @greg_darkscrybe_chapman

#daftnotions #chuckmckenzie #humansfromearth #horrorstories #horroranthology #scifihorror #danielfox #narrellemharris #miadalia #liamhogan #martinlivings #jasonfranks #pauledmonds #colleenanderson #zacashford #zacharyashford #peterjaldin #paulcarro #benjaminadams #johnpeel #anthonyferguson #andreashort #dstelling #ryancolley #hannahbaxter #aliens #alienhorror #monster
UPCOMING EVENT! 
BOOK FAIR AUSTRALIA (MELBOURNE)

Daft Notions and All in the Edit will be trading at Book Fair Australia, which is being held in Melbourne for the first time!

@bookfairaus
Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC)
Sat 21 - Sun 22 Feb, 2026

Tickets have already sold out, but if you've been lucky enough to book yours please do drop by Table 77 to say hi!

ALSO! Feb 21 is the official release date for the Daft Notions SF/horror anthology, HUMANS FROM EARTH!!, so be sure to stay tuned for further details!

#chuckmckenzie #daftnotions #allintheedit @its.allintheedit #bookfairaustralia #bookfairaustralia2026 #conversationswithmycat #conversationswithdog #alliwantforchristmas #thedarkmanbyreferral #dailygrind #alienspacenazismustdie #nastylittlebits #humansfromearth #horror #sciencefiction #comedy #humor #humour #scifihorror #convention #australianauthor #indieauthorsofinstagram
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