I’m hosting hosting a celebratory evening of flash fiction readings on 28th September from 7.30-10.00 pm at St James Wine Vaults, Bath where we will be launching ‘All That Is Between Us’ the stunning new collection of Flash Fiction by Bristol based author and writing tutor Ken Elkes.
I’ll be reading here too, along with Flash Fiction Festival team members, presenters and volunteers Diane Simmons, Santino Prinzi, Alison Woodhouse, John Wheway, Grace Palmer and Carrie Etter who are all widely published flash fiction writers. Free entry, free glass of wine, nibbles, late bar, Ken’s book and other books published by Ad Hoc Fiction for sale with cash or card. Do come! There’ll be a great variety of flash fictions to listen to and you never know, you might just get hooked!
Tag: St James’ Wine Vaults
New Year Flash Fiction Series in Bath
Want to find out more about writing short short fiction this New Year? I’ll introduce you to different styles of flash fiction, (stories of 1000 words and under), we’ll write drafts in the session and you can bring pieces for feedback from a supportive group of keen writers. The sessions take place on Wednesdays 12.00 pm – 2.00 pm at The Ram Public House in Widcombe, Bath. We meet in a quiet room, take a short break for lunch, and have fun. The Winter/Spring series begins Wednesday January 16th and meets weekly, ending Wednesday 17th April. Payable by paypal or via any card
£96.00 for the first eight sessions, then decide if you want to join the block of seven sessions continuing until Easter. Maximum twelve people.
Dates of first eight: Jan 16th, 23rd, 30th, February 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th, March 6th.
Looking forward to May
May is looking great for flash fiction and related events. First up -Friday May 4th at St James’ Wine Vaults Bristol, 7.30 -9.30 pm. I’ve organised an evening of readings for Ad Hoc Fiction’s third 
birthday party with ten or eleven writers reading their Ad Hoc Fiction wins. One of these writers is Louise Mangos, who is coming all the way from Switzerland. She’s illustrated all three wins and her picture here goes with her story, ‘Heat’. Free entry, free wine and free birthday cake. Do come.
On May 16th there’s a reception in Bath for finalists of the 2018 Creative Bath Awards. Bath Flash Fiction Award is a finalist in the category of Publisher for the anthologies, pictured here, published by Ad Hoc Fiction in 2017. You 
can buy them all at bookshop.adhocfiction.com Or if you’re in Bath, buy from Toppings bookshop and Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights. I applied for these awards at the eleventh hour and am thrilled to be a finalist.
May 18th- 19th is the 
Saboteur Awards weekend. These prestigious awards happen yearly and initially, they ask for nominations to create a long list and then afterwards, further voting for the best of writing and performing in several categories. Charmaine Wilkerson’s wonderful novella-in-flash ‘How To Make A Window Snake’, in one of the four anthologies published by Ad Hoc Fiction last year, is short-listed in the novella category. I’m off to London for the day to hear the outcome at the Awards announcements on the Saturday evening and hoping that she’ll win.Vote for her by the May 9th deadline.
I was also very pleased that my own chapbook, The Chemist’s House was longlisted for the Saboteur Awards short story collections category awards, and another Bath Flash Fiction anthology, ‘The Lobsters Run Free’ was long listed in the anthology category.
I’m also looking forward to the results of few flash fiction contests I’ve entered. I think they’ll be announced in May. My birthday is at the end of the month so getting writing recognition at my enormous age would be a bonus birthday treat. Further on this year and there’s the second Flash Fiction Festival I’m directing, to look forward to. Everything suggests it’s going to be another fab event. Book up at flashfictionfestival.com if you are a flash fiction friend and haven’t yet, because I’ll miss you otherwise…
Latest writing news here
Launch of ‘The Chemist’s House’
My pamphlet, ‘The Chemist’s House’ published by V Press in June and also available to buy on this site, has had a couple of outings — one at Novel Nights last month, where I read one of the longer flash fictions, ‘Mirela’ and one at the Flash Fiction Festival in Bath, where I read a slightly different version of the story, ‘At the Hospital’, that won the Retreat West flash fiction contest, judged by David Gaffney this year. Thank you to everyone who bought the book on those occasions. I’m holding an official launch of ‘The Chemist’s House’ at one of Bath Flash Fiction Award’s regular Flash Fridays at St James’ Wine Vaults, Bath on Friday 29th September, 7.30 pm – 9.30 pm. I’ll read for about ten minutes there, along with Meg Pokrass, Diane Simmons, Tino Prinzi, Alison Powell and Conor Haughton who’ll be reading some of their stories too. It’s free this time, as it’s a launch. Plus a free glass of wine. Plus nibbles. Wonder if I can manage cup cakes? Plus books for sale. Hope you can come!
The Flash Fiction Festival in Bath at the end of June was wonderful. I’m just getting back to writing now after sorting out post festival things and also thinking about next year’s festival. We are definitely going to organise another one, the feedback was great. I was just sorry not to be able to chat to other writers. It was so busy all the time. Must build in more chat time for 2018! Here’s a picture of me reading my story, ‘There’s No Such Thing as a Fish’, from NFFD anthology 2017, ‘Sleep is a Beautiful Colour’ to a big festival crowd.
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