I visited Vilnius in Lithuania over the Easter weekend. The old town is crammed with churches of many different styles and affiliations. The main tourist drag is also home to a number of small market traders. This short story was…
This short piece of humorous fiction was written in response to a challenge to write 1000 words using the prompt ‘Desperate measures’ I suspect Glenda and Teddy may feature in other stories now they have burst into life. A…
Some time ago I spend an afternoon sitting with a friend in a local charity shop. I was surprised by the number of people who came through the door with no intention to buy, but simply seeking human contact. This…
I love the internet. It can be a treasure chest of wonderful inspiration. Today I came across an absolute gem: The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrow. Oh my, what a thought-provoking project this is. As someone who has started to write…
Sometimes free writing to a prompt takes an unusual turn. On this occasion the prompt was ‘An everyday item’. I don’t know why I picked a teaspoon, perhaps because I was with a group of writers where tea features heavily…
In 2017, my home city of Milton Keynes celebrated its 50th birthday. A short story competition was part of the celebratory events, with 50 stories being chosen to feature in an anthology called ‘Voices from the Grid‘. I was thrilled…
JD Robb is the name Nora Roberts uses for her In Death … series. For me this series ticks two favourite genres: science fiction (they are set in the future) and crime (Eve Dallas is a homicide detective). Each novel…
I adore novel-length fiction but there is something delicious about short stories. And so, I welcome you to join me in the adventure of a myriad of worlds. Along the way I hope you will meet characters that you would…
This short tale was written as a response to a writing exercise. The challenge was to write about an old building that had been given a new lease of life , and its history was influencing modern day. …