New title: Saints by Tim MacGabhann! Nine breathtaking tales shot through with the hallowed light of the miraculous, written in MacGabhann’s pyrotechnic exhilarating prose. Out 23rd October! Pre-order here: www.scratch-books.co.uk/product-page...

Scratch A4 Winter ‘25 submissions open on 13th September! Write a brilliant <1k word story! More info here: www.scratch-books.co.uk/scratcha4com...

Join Camilla Grudova - and Ludwig - for their 8 week course from 9th September on “Writing the Five Senses, the Imaginative and Surreal” More info and tickets here: www.scratch-books.co.uk/product-page...

I've signed up to this and can't wait

Just a couple of spaces available before this Masterclass starts in September… www.scratch-books.co.uk/product-page...

Last week for the early bird discount! More info below…

Last couple of days! We’ll post out the last orders on Saturday morning…

New episode! Listen to amazing Heuijung Hur speak about her short story collection Failed Summer Vacation published in English by @scratchbooks.bsky.social! www.spreaker.com/episode/fail...

Just one week till we shut for a fortnight so get your unmissable Scratch books here! Special offer below… www.scratch-books.co.uk/shop

Flash Fusion’s 1st birthday is on the way! 🥳 Launched @ Flash Fiction Festival last year on 15 July, we’re celebrating this year with workshops with the editors, starting with Anita's... All w/shops will be held on Zoom, recorded, discounts available. More info: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/flash-fusi...

Great review of Failed Summer Vacation in @thetls.bsky.social this week! www.the-tls.com/regular-feat...

Sign up here for our amazing September masterclass with the phenomenal Camilla Grudova! www.scratch-books.co.uk/product-page...

Great short story collection here! Had the chance to meet the author Heuijung Hur las week. Stay tuned: interview coming out soon! Thank you to Tom Conaghan at @scratchbooks.bsky.social for sending a copy of the book!

After our fabulous week with Heuijung Hur we have ten signed copies of the amazing Failed Summer Vacation. Be quick to get yours! Just type “signed copy” in the Notes section of the Checkout. www.scratch-books.co.uk/product-page...

A fitting start to summer. Looking forward to this latest gem from @scratchbooks.bsky.social

Get your ticket for this fantastic event on 25th June at @bricklanebookshop.bsky.social! The authors of the two best books of the summer - in conversation! bricklanebookshop.org/product/book...

Failed Summer Vacation - the book launch! Heuijung Hur is coming to London on 26th June! Get your free tickets here… kccuk.org.uk/en/programme...

It’s one year today of The Unreliable Nature Writer so we’re having a birthday sale - 25% off in June! Completely delightful, truly terrifying, batshit bonkers, it makes new things possible. Get it here! www.scratch-books.co.uk/product-page...

“From missed meetings and opportunities to surreal, almost dreamlike tales, Hur weaves a fascinating narrative web” Great review of Failed Summer Vacation in @marieclaire.co.uk.web.brid.gy summer reads here! www.marieclaire.co.uk/entertainmen...

Get it in all good bookshops and at our online shop!

Failed Summer Vacation is out on Tuesday - today is our last day for preorders! Get it here to arrive on launch day… www.scratch-books.co.uk/product-page...

A brilliant review of Failed Summer Vacation below! More info: www.scratch-books.co.uk/product-page...

We’re launching Failed Summer Vacation at the Korean Cultural Centre on 26th June. Come along! Free ticket here: kccuk.org.uk/en/programme...

Also found out I’m on the longlist for the @scratchbooks.bsky.social A4 comp! And (still hyperventilating over this) I made the top 100 in the BBC’s latest scriptwriting open call (out of 5700+)! It’s been a pretty fucken good birthday week ☺️

'If the writer leans back, the reader leans in.' Great interview with @scratchbooks.bsky.social Tom Conaghan, ending with a celebration of Tessa Hadley's triumph at @edgehillprize.bsky.social.

Great conversation on great short stories the short story is the trademark of this friendly short story club. Hosts have included @sophiehaydock.bsky.social @devaneemily.bsky.social @hanakhalique.bsky.social this month it will be a pleasure to host Tom Conaghan of @scratchbooks.bsky.social

#shortstory #readers there’s a new podcast about short #fiction if you’re interested the first episode features Tom Conaghan, founder of @scratchbooks.bsky.social a publisher dedicated to the short story format. 📚👓💚📚

Ooh a new collection from @scratchbooks.bsky.social Looks good! 🌟

Out in just one month! Pre order it here: www.scratch-books.co.uk/product-page...

Attention #shortstory writers! A new podcast about short fiction! Looks ace. First episode features Tom Conaghan, founder of the excellent Scratch Books @scratchbooks.bsky.social, which is dedicated to short fiction. ✒️📚

Well, this was brilliant! I met Tom Conaghan at a @scratchbooks.bsky.social launch in Edinburgh (The Unreliable Nature Writer by @ccrrll.bsky.social), so I was particularly interested in what he had to say about short stories. Great podcast! 🌟

Episode 1 is out! Listen to Tom Conaghan, founder of @scratchbooks.bsky.social, talk about publishing short fiction, short story competitions, and much more! Listen to episode 1 here rb.gy/uuoi1m or all major podcasting platforms!

"A Small, Good Thing" is the new podcast about short fiction, in which I get to discuss the short story form with writers, academics, publishers, and short story enthusiasts. Episode one coming up... stay tuned!

Last day today! Competition shuts at midnight!

read 73 of 2025, Failed Summer Vacation by Heuijung Hur, Paige Aniyah Morris (translator) published in June by @scratchbooks.bsky.social Fascinating and compelling collection of short stories translated from Korean #BookSky 💙📚 #ShortStories #ContemporaryFiction uk.bookshop.org/a/140/978106...

So this fabulous competition for short stories under 1000 words, shares one of our judges - Liv Bignold from C&W Literary Agency! Closes on 26th April! What are you waiting for !! 🖌️📚

This fantastic comp closes on the 26th!

Forgot to show you some #BookPost I received from @scratchbooks.bsky.social Collection of short stories by Heuijung Hur, translated by Paige Aniyah Morris Enjoyed the first one so really looking forward to the rest #BookSky #TranslatedFiction #ShortStories 💙📚

A great collection here (another great collection) coming from @scratchbooks.bsky.social

Failed Summer Vacation is available to pre-order here! Get it early to bellyflop sunburnt through your letterbox on 3rd June www.scratch-books.co.uk/product-page...

Announcing… FAILED SUMMER VACATION by Heuijung Hur - translated by Paige Aniyah Morris. ‘A bold, weird, brave exploration of the imagination.’ Vanessa Onwuemezi. ‘These strange stories of isolation and longing will stay with you.’ Jessie Greengrass. Out from Scratch Books 3rd June!

Just posting this in case it's of interest. A while ago a number of us were invited by @scratchbooks.bsky.social to write introductions to a short story more than fifty years old. Katherine Mansfield came up a lot. Here's my favourite of hers. www.scratch-books.co.uk/post/the-fly...

Our chums @TLCUK's Self Editing Fiction Course is back. It’s a must for writers looking to refine structure, strengthen storytelling & polish prose. Perfect for WIPs & first drafts, whether published or not… Interested? More info here: literaryconsultancy.co.uk/event/self-e...

Scratch A4 Summer ‘25 opens today! Send us a fantastic <1000 word story before 26th April! More info on judges and submitting here: www.scratch-books.co.uk/scratcha4com...

One week to go until Scratch A4 competition opens!

Two weeks until the Scratch A4 short story competition opens for submissions on 14th March! Details here: www.scratch-books.co.uk/scratcha4com...

Come and meet Zoe Gilbert and Roelof Bakker as they discuss their co-written stories in DUETS! This Saturday 22nd in Folkestone at the Beton Collective. Tickets here: www.betoncollective.org/shop/p/duets...

One month until we open submissions to Scratch ‘A4… A perennially exciting short short story competition. No theme this year - just be brilliant!

Post PhD (I hope!) splurge at the cosy @redlionbooks.bsky.social Colchester. Kate Atkinson short fiction, duets @scratchbooks.bsky.social (exciting!) and Ocean Vuong poetry. Perfect👌 #bookhaul #booksky

These are great books, full of insight into the craft of writing the short story - strongly recommended!