It ain’t Chicago but it’s ‘My kind of town’
A new town, a new writing competition, a new event, a new venue, a new format and a new champion of the world. All on a Friday night...in January…in Swindon. Yes Swindon, I tell you. The Squat Pen Rests Writing Competition came to a lovely conclusion with the final on Friday 26th January. Safely ensconced in The Wyvern Theatre, what looked like around a hundred people braved Winter’s chill and tropical temperatures to be welcomed by Squat Pen supremo Stephen Tuffin and his te


Gods and Dragons
First reading of 2018 was at the lovely Novel Nights – a well established jewel in Bristol’s literary crown. It’s been a while since I was last at Novel Nights and there has been change and continuity. The venue is new to me: The Square Club in Clifton, Bristol. Intimate and plush. A lovely place. What hadn’t changed was this: · the warmth of Grace Palmer’s welcome · the quality of the readings – this time from Freya Morris and Nastasya Parker – excellent both


Short story busking - The Book Busk
I love a challenge and I want to push boundaries. So, when the chance to busk short-stories was introduced as part of the Bristol Festival of Literature, I was so up for it I was suffering from vertigo. With fellow Stokes Croft Writer, short-story ace and writing resource guru Mr Christopher Fielden, we shared a busking hour in Millennium Square in Bristol’s Harbourside. As you can see, we shared with Cary Grant too. It was a sunny and warm October morning – made all the more

