Blackcap nest from earlier this month. Fledged successfully this week.

May has come, and with it my new collection Blurred Edges, now available for preorder. Twelve stories, a foreword by Laura Black @fictivedream.bsky.social, and artwork by Geoff Staden. Huge thanks to both, and to Renée Sigler, @ballerinibookpress.bsky.social ballerinibookpress.ch/product/blur...

The words are coming again. Some revised older work, some new.

'Sentimentality keeps looking over its shoulder to see how you're taking it. Emotion doesn't give a shit whether anyone's looking or not.' From Helen Garner's Collected Diaries.

Wudja look at this!! Very proud to be published by The Lilliput Press, and am in love with my book's beautiful cover ❤️‍🔥

Utterly delighted to be joining Ballerini Book Press, with a new story collection, Blurred Edges, planned for publication in the first half of 2026. Huge thanks to Renée Ballerini for this wonderful opportunity. ballerinibookpress.ch/author-signi...

A strange, unsettling and highly original story by @niamhmaccabe.bsky.social

Sandwich terns fishing in the surf off South Beach, Tenby. Adult passing fish to juvenile. Credit to my son for the photos.

Loved this story by @polyscribe70.bsky.social. Tender and moving. Really admired how the writing mirrored a previous story, while keeping the narrative voice distinct. Superb. #FictiveDream

The remains of a ruby tailed wasp. A very small and beautiful parasitic wasp.

Adder in my garden.

After loving her two brilliant short story collections, I'm so looking forward to reading Wendy Erskine's @wednesdayerskin.bsky.social debut novel, The Benefactors, which arrived in today's post.

Can you see anything?

Grey wagtail fledgling in our garden. Adult birds nearby with food. #birds #nature

My wife took this photograph of a grey wagtail among blossom in one of our apple trees

Wild garlic

Issue 1 of The Lonely Crowd was published 10 years ago today. To celebrate we’re giving away a rare copy of this issue. Simply share this post to be in with a chance of winning!

Hedgerows now abundant with blackthorn blossom. Each tiny flower a little miracle.

Walking the dog this afternoon, I came across a roe deer trapped in electric fencing. I saw some movement, so knew it was alive. It turned out to be a buck, completely bound by the fencing which was tangled and wrapped tightly round its throat, antlers and foreleg. 1/5

🏌‍♂️ youtu.be/kbF5hDU_F-U?...

I was planning to keep this app focussed on writing and literature. Forgive me this indulgence. Went to my first game in 1973 and have been waiting for Newcastle United to win a trophy since then. Emotional. #nufc

Four stories from @nightjarpress.bsky.social arrived today (with an extra story for free!) Exceedingly well packaged by @nicholasroyle.bsky.social Think I'll start with Removals by @iancritchley.bsky.social

Goodness, almost ready for my third short story submission of the year. That's hugely prolific in my world. #amwriting

Do any litmags consider short stories with a historical setting? Not a specialist publisher in particular, but litmags that might take such stories. #writingcommunity #shortstories #litmags

We've come to the end of another #flashfictionfebruary. Our sincere thanks to the stellar line up @sudhab.bsky.social @jtstories.bsky.social @sfreligh.bsky.social @bsherm36.bsky.social @lumchanmfa.bsky.social @francesgapper.bsky.social @grahammort.bsky.social @ruthabrandt.bsky.social

'Short Fiction' is a great magazine - and that's praise indeed! I love the illustrations, which accompany each story. @shortfiction.bsky.social

I loved this piece by John Wheway. Very fine writing -poetic, vivid and inventive. #fictivedream #flashfictionfebruary

Exquisite story by @judehwriter2.bsky.social. Both beautiful and unsettling.

Still some copies of my collection Things Grown Distant available from @confingopublishing. Here's my favourite review: manchestereviewofbooks.wordpress.com/2024/10/15/t...

Fresh, vivid and inventive flash by @mandirapattnaik.bsky.social #fictivedream #flashfictionfebruary

Sharp and funny story by @jacqdoyle.bsky.social #fictivedream #flashfictionfebruary

"And the whole time, dogs bark and yip back and forth in the background, and you get nervous when the sound of them swells..." Coyote Girl by Ani King @aniking.bsky.social #microfiction #flashfiction #flashfictionfebruary. Please follow the link and enjoy fictivedream.com/2025/02/11/c...

Gem of understatement by Graham Mort #fictivedream #flashfictionfebruary

Poignant, beautifully written story by @david-bevan.bsky.social #fictivedream #flashfictionfebruary

"Ester composes herself, but the words rehearsed for Richard now seem either too glib, excessively cynical, or over-sentimental." The Scan by Jim Toal, our second story in #flashfictionfebruary #flashfiction. Please follow the link and enjoy fictivedream.com/2025/02/02/t...

We're thrilled to be opening Flash Fiction February 2025 with our first story tomorrow. From then it's a story every day. We have a stellar line up so please enjoy every single piece #flashfictionfebruary #flashfiction #microfiction

Derek Jarman. Childhood flowers