A short story for Halloween

Concerning the Upstairs Bathroom, by Kiera Lesley Read it here in about 15 minutes. Thinking about why I love it… This story is written in the form of a letter from a house seller to its purchaser. As such, it’s written as direct address to the reader (‘you’), using semi-formal estate agent type language (‘I’mContinue reading “A short story for Halloween”

How I wrote it

My short story ‘Death in the Dolomites’ was read by Clareine Cronin at this year’s Liars’ League ‘Women & Girls’ storytelling event – you can read, watch, or listen to the story here. I began writing this story in response to the Liar’s League call for submissions for Agatha Christie-inspired stories, to commemorate the 50thContinue reading “How I wrote it”

A short protest story

‘Lather and Nothing Else’, by Hernando Tellez Read it here in less than 15 minutes. In relation to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the 2022 Winter Olympics, and everything else happening in the world today that shouldn’t be, thinking about how we can use literature to protest… Tellez was a Colombian journalist and author, who livedContinue reading “A short protest story”

A short story I recently read

‘The Man on the Stairs’ by Miranda July Read it here in about 10 minutes. Thinking about time and characterisation… I love this story. In the opening, the narrator wakes to hear someone on the stairs outside her bedroom. We have this repetition and extension of things she can hear and feel, which demonstrates herContinue reading “A short story I recently read”