Writing, and rewriting, scenes about monsters seemed like a good idea at the time. But now, lying in the dark, duvet pulled up past my chin, I hear the pitter-patter of tiny feet outside the door. Tiny, furry feet. Up and down the stairs, they disturb the floorboards and ornaments. I hear a clatter. A bang. I …
There was once a troll whose name nobody could remember, for he had been born long before the people had arrived, when their little huts made of straw and wood had popped up across the lush countryside. He had seen the world change, but had learnt by now that change was an endless cycle: the …
A young man browsing a Christmas market offers a gift to an observing stranger. Before lockdown, my work launched a winter community project supporting the homeless, and I felt really proud to be a part of something so important and meaningful. The project prompted me to create a zine titled ‘Holly, Ivy & Red Berries’, …
A while ago I came across a fantastic game for writers called Elegy for a Dead World. It plays like a scrolling platform game, but there is no fighting or obstacles to face. Instead, in each world, players are given the opportunity to write stories about their landscape – the sights, the smells, the sounds …
The visit from my sister looked like this: Through the door, here she comes. Boots treading mud into the new rug. “It’s dry,” she says, “don’t worry, it’ll be easy to clean.” Clomp, clomp, clomp. Suddenly the pedals are spinning faster than they have all week on the new exercise bike. “It’s quieter than the …
