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Backstory: Reflections on this Month's Theme for Stories at the Storey

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Meeting deadlines is as soothing to me as a creamy cup of flavoured coffee. Checking a project off of my mental to-do list settles me. Maybe it’s the rewards; the gifts I give myself of more time, kind words, a new pen, or other special treat that makes an upcoming deadline feel a bit like Christmas.
I love Christmas.
Maybe it’s just how my mind works. Deadlines mean I’m working towards a goal. Meeting them brings me one project, book, word, paper, or person closer to that goal. I don’t get particularly excited by finishing a project before the deadline. Like a regular cup of coffee, beating a deadline does nothing for my mood.
The rush I feel from meeting a deadline gives me something I need each and every time. The theme for March’s Stories at the Storey was deadlines. When I started writing my creative nonfiction essay, I knew I was going to write about my passion for deadlines. Mentally I crafted sentences with dizzying lines to convey the sheer slivers of joy.
I could hear the words,…
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Catching Up: Notes on The Train or About Me

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It’s been a long time since I’ve written something for my blog. I’ve been so busy living life that I didn’t take time to write about living life. Writing keeps me centered. It’s something I do because I want to do it just as much as I need to do it. So much of my time lately is spent in between places. If there were frequent rider miles on the train, I would be saving them for a summer holiday, a good book, or a creamy cup of coffee with French Vanilla creamer.
To avoid the temptation of working on the train and then working when I get to work, I’m going to write on the train. Isn’t writing work? Yes.
Since my last post, I’ve started as Lecturer in Creative Writing and Creative Industries at Sheffield Hallam University, Remembered is out in the world (UK and worldwide except the US and Canada-- date forthcoming), Remembered has made the long list for the prestigious Women’s Prize in Fiction, I’ve received some exciting news about a fellowship to research my second novel, and my friend…
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Call for True Stories (Paid) for Podcast

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Stories at the Storey is proud to announce the beginning of a new adventure! We are calling on writers from all across the community to submit their true stories to us for the exciting opportunity to be featured in the pilot episode of our new podcast. We are looking to establish the same intimacy, warmth and passion present in any good storytelling that comes from the heart. Submissions can be on any theme; the only conditions are that they must be your story to tell and they must be creative non-fiction. For further guidance on what creative non-fiction might look like, The New Yorker, Brevity, The Real Story, and Creative Nonfiction have good examples.
Submissions should be approximately 750 words (3-5 sides of A4) so that if your work is selected, it can be read aloud in a five-minute time slot. Please specify with your submission whether you would be happy to read your story should you be selected, or if you would prefer one of our team to read it for you. It would also be a grea…
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Remembered: Lancaster Launch

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Over the past five years I have organized book launches, readings, writing panels, open mic nights, writing workshops, interviews, and creative experiences in between. Now, I'm planning my own launch event and I don't think I could be more excited!
We are launching Remembered on February 1 at Waterstones King Street in Lancaster. The date means a lot to me. A few years ago, my friend Naomi and I launched North West Literary Salon. The salon was a monthly literary experience featuring writers from across (usually) the North West. The writers read from their work, shared their writing paths, and answered our questions. We had musicians and food and the atmosphere was warm and engaging. It was a welcoming event. I absolutely loved the salons and miss them tremendously.
The launch is an opportunity for me to thank Waterstones, Lancaster, and audiences past, present, and future for supporting my events and creativity. It's a thank you for sharing their time and space and for m…
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Call for True Stories, November's Stories at the Storey

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Myths shape, define, and sometimes confine us. Some are absorbed by others; some disappear from memory or seem to, while others transcend time, geography and language.
Myths are all around us. Their plots underpin our origins, our stories. They shape how we view ourselves and the world around us. They travel with us, through us, in spite of us. Through myths we learn and tell our own stories. We also learn through mistakes: the ones we make and the ones others make. This month Stories at the Storey’s celebrates with two themes: myths and mistakes (both loosely interpreted). We’re looking for stories about mythical beings, events, places, things, origins and endings.  We're also looking for stories about mistakes you have made or been impacted by, mistakes you've learned from, and even mistakes you make time and time again.  The themes are open to your interpretation.  What am I writing about? I'm not sure. I'm fascinated with origin stories and the ways we invent and reinv…
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Day 31 of 31 Days of Prose: Everything to Play Part II

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The final segment of the story and of my project 31 Days of Prose. I hope you've enjoyed listening as much as I have enjoyed reading and sharing the pieces.

Please feel free to post your own readings any time of the year (especially for your birthday) and let me know. I'm looking forward to hearing your writing brought to life.

Thank you for helping me celebrate!


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Day 30 of 31 Days of Prose: Everything to Play Part I

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Part one of a short story written as part of Manchester's First Draft, the piece was commissioned and read as part of a project responding to archives in the Manchester Jewish Museum.
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