A Great Love Affair
In her essay, JEMMA DRAYCOTT shows us how her love of Hanan Al-Shaykh’s short stories developed, as she guides us through ‘The Scratching of Angels’ Pens’.
Story: ‘Berroca’ by Julie Burchill
EXCLUSIVE NEW STORY: We are thrilled to bring you ‘Berroca’, a provocative and satirical short story from author and journalist JULIE BURCHILL. This is REBECCA, but not as you know it… ‘Last night I dreamt I was hanging at Madderley again, like back in the day…’
The English Short Story Writer
MIKE SMITH looks at the writings and Englishness of V.S. Pritchett: ‘In so many of Pritchett’s stories, there is an uncomfortable consciousness that hangs in the atmosphere like the smell of an extinguished candle…’
Panos Karnezis’ Little Infamies
In her essay, GINA CHALLEN recommends Panos Karenzis’ collection of short stories Little Infamies: ‘a collection of nineteen gently interlinking tales all set in a fictional village in rural Greece…’
This is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz
‘The writing is raw and at times the language is coarse and graphic, but it is ultimately so real that it cannot be written in any other way.’ RUBA ABUGHAIDA recommends Junot Diaz’s collection This Is How You Lose Her.
The Exclamation Mark
In his essay, DAN POWELL recommends Anton Chekhov’s short story collection The Exclamation Mark, and discusses how the playful stories take us on a journey of a writer finding his voice.
Stella Duffy’s ‘To Brixton Beach’
CARINE OSMONT recommends ‘To Brixton Beach’ by Stella Duffy: ‘It does away with plot and action and tells of a day at the Lido, Brixton’s open-air swimming pool…’
Another Brandy
‘For many, myself included, it is the short stories, out of all his works, that remain the most memorable.’ JASON CLIFTON recommends Ernest Hemingway’s ‘A Clean, Well-Lighted Place’.
Read All About It!
In ‘Read All About It’, ANNABELLE CARVELL walks us through the steps of a news story writing exercise that’s sure to get your fingers itching.
Story: ‘Thirst’ by Rachel Cusk
STORY: We are delighted to bring you ‘Thirst’ from award-winning writer RACHEL CUSK. ‘Arriving in Venice the Gibsons – mother and daughter – were inexplicably startled by the omnipresence of water. Julia Gibson had concerned herself too much with the practicalities of the trip; her daughter Charlotte too little…’