Alice Jolly, who read her story Signing Off at October's Stroud Short Stories event, has won the £1,000 V.S.Pritchett Memorial Short Story Award 2014 with her story Ray the Rottweiler.

Congratulations to Alice from Stroud Short Stories.

Thank you to everyone who attended our sell-out event in October 2014. Stroud Short Stories will be back in April 2015 as part of  Stroud's Site Festival. And will open for short story submissions in January or February. 

If you want to join our email list contact me on stroudshortstories@gmail.com

Or follow us on Twitter @StroudStories

Stroud Short Stories Event Sunday 26 Oct at SVA

80 people crammed into the SVA to hear ten of Gloucestershire's most talented writers read their superb stories. Thank you and congratulations to these brilliant authors.

Here they are - in performance order -

Nimue Brown reads Imaginary Friends

Andrew Stevenson reads Barry Parry

Ali Bacon reads Preparing for Winter

Joe Eurell reads The Tigers' Ball

Jo Bousfield reads Public Transportation

Michael Amherst reads Erosion

Laurence Cotterell reads J

Philip Douch reads Trog and Kron Attempt to Re-fuel

Stephanie Smith reads The Handmaiden

Alice Jolly reads Signing Off

Photos by Tim Byford. Thank you, Tim.

Stroud Short Stories event 26 October 2014 

Doors 7.30 for 8.00 start. SVA, John Street, Stroud. £5 on the door.

Running Order and Authors'  Websites

Imaginary Friends  Nimue Brown  (Stroud)

https://www.facebook.com/nimue.brown

www.druidlife.wordpress.com
www.hopelessmaine.com

Barry Parry  Andrew Stevenson  (Nailsworth)

Preparing for Winter   Ali Bacon  (Emersons Green, South Gloucs.)

http://alibacon.com

The Tigers’ Ball  Joe Eurell  (Cheltenham)

www.joeeurell.co.uk/wp

Public Transportation  Jo Bousfield  (Stroud)

www.jobousfield.co.uk

Erosion   Michael Amherst  (Tewkesbury)

www.michaelamherst.com

J   Laurence Cotterell  (Cam)

http://the-re-view.org/author/laurence-cotterell/

Trog and Kron Attempt to Re-fuel  Philip Douch   (Stroud)

www.philipdouch.org.uk

The Handmaiden   Stephanie Smith  (Broadwell, Forest of Dean)

Signing off   Alice Jolly  (Stroud)

http://www.alicejolly.com/

http://unbound.co.uk/books/dead-babies-and-seaside-towns

http://www.independent.co.uk/biography/alice-jolly-9657774.html

BBC RADIO GLOS INTERVIEW AND STORY EXTRACT 24/10

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p028g81l

TIMING 1.16.51 to 1.30.27

Listen on iplayer to BBC Radio Gloucestershire interview with John Holland about Sunday's Stroud Short Stories event at SVA, John Street, Stroud. Doors 7.30 for 8.00 start. £5.

Hear Philip Douch read the beginning of 'Trog and Kron Attempt to Re-fuel' which will be one of ten stories to feature on Sunday.

Hear Friday's travel news too!

Stories Chosen for 26 October Event

SSS organiser John Holland writes –

Thank you to everyone who submitted stories for the eighth Stroud Short Stories event to be held on 26 October.  In May this year we broke our record with 33 authors submitting. This time we have doubled that with 64 authors submitting 82 stories! Yes, I was surprised. But also absolutely delighted. And even more so when I read the stories. Such wonderful imaginative tales, beautifully expressed and full of surprises. I am sad that I had to put aside some truly great stories. Thank you again everyone who submitted. You have all in a very real way contributed to the success of Stroud Short Stories. And if you have not been successful this time please try again for the May 2015 event. At the very least we can assure you of serious consideration of your work.

It was the first time that I had read the stories with no knowledge of the author's identity, something I think worked very well, and which will continue for all future SSS events. Great thanks and appreciation to Christiane Nicholson for her efficient administration.

Huge congratulations to the authors chosen to read at our 26 October event. I believe we have ten memorable stories, and a most enthralling public event in store. It's both a pleasure and an honour to showcase such talented writers and their work.

Here they are in (librarians') alphabetical order by title -

Barry Parry - Andrew Stevenson (Nailsworth)

Erosion - Michael Amherst (Tewkesbury)

The Handmaiden - Stephanie Smith (Broadwell, Forest of Dean)

Imaginary friends - Nimue Brown (Stroud)

J - Laurence Cotterell (Cam)

Preparing for winter - Ali Bacon (Emersons Green, South Gloucs)

Public transportation - Jo Bousfield (Stroud)

Signing off - Alice Jolly (Stroud)

The Tigers’ ball - Joe Eurell (Cheltenham)

Trog and Kron attempt to re-fuel - Philip Douch (Stroud)

I am looking forward to meeting the authors and also to hearing them read their wonderful work.

Our eighth SSS event will be held on Sunday 26 October at SVA (Stroud Valleys Artspace), John Street, Stroud GL5 2HA. Doors open at 7.30. Prompt start at 8.00. It’s £5.

Please come along.

Submissions have now closed for the 26 October 2014 Stroud Short Stories event to be held at 8pm at SVA, John Street, Stroud, GL5 2HA.

Thank you to everyone who submitted stories. We really appreciate your efforts.

We are now considering your stories, and hope to announce the ten authors who will read at our event by Friday 3 October.

The closing date for submissions for the 26 October 2014 Stroud Short Stories event is Sunday 28 September at 23.59

We are currently seeking submissions for our special event to be held on Sunday 26 October 2014.  The rules and how to enter are below. Ten stories will be selected from those submitted to be read by their authors at Stroud Valleys Artspace (SVA), John Street, Stroud, GL5 2HA at 8pm.

80 people packed into the May SSS event at the SVA for a truly memorable evening of short stories, and we are hoping to achieve that again.

For the October event we are seeking stories from writers from across Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire.

We are greatly looking forward to reading your stories.

Rules for Submissions for the 26 October 2014 Event

1. Submissions will be considered from writers with a Gloucestershire or South Gloucestershire connection (i.e. writers who were born, or live, or work, or study, or are a member of a writers' group in Gloucestershire or South Gloucestershire)
2. Authors must be 16 or over
3. There is a maximum of two stories per author
4. Submissions are free
5. Stories must be between 100 and 1,500 words (excluding the title)
6. Submissions must be received before the end of Sunday 28 September 2014
7. Stories can be on any theme, but poetry and children's fiction will not be accepted
8. Stories may be previously published or unpublished
9. Stories can only be submitted by email
10. Writers must be available to read at the SSS event on the evening of Sunday 26 October 2014 at SVA, Stroud.  Please do not enter unless you can be there
11. Writers chosen to read may not enter two consecutive SSS events
12. All submissions are confidential. And remain so for those not selected.
13. The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into. 

How to enter

1. Please email your stories to  submissions.sss@gmail.com
2. Attach you story in .pdf, .doc or .docx format.  Do not add any personal details to your story.  Only include the title of your story and the word count on your story attachment
3. On the covering email, to which your story is attached, include your name, email, phone number, the title of your story (for cross referencing) and your connection with Gloucestershire/South Gloucestershire
4. The closing date for submissions is the end of Sunday 28 September 2014
5. Your submission will be acknowledged within 4 days
6. You will be informed of the ten stories to be read by their authors no later than Friday 3rd October 2014
7. Any general queries to stroudshortstories@gmail.com please

Our submissions email is  submissions.sss@gmail.com
Our general email is  stroudshortstories@gmail.com

Keep up to date on Twitter 
Stroud Short Stories@StroudStories

Excellent article about SSS in this week's Stroud Life.
http://www.stroudlife.co.uk/Short-stories-contest-Stroud/story-22759039-detail/story.html
(Slight inaccuracy in that Glos writers were welcomed to first six SSS events)

Reminder -
The closing date for submissions is 28 September 2014. The SSS event will take place at the Stroud Valleys Artspace (SVA), John Street, Stroud, GL5 2HA on Sunday 26 Oct.

Our rules and how to enter are below - 7 July posting.

We look forward to reading your stories.

Momaya Press has awarded First Prize in its 2014 Short Story Competition to SSS organiser John Holland for his story The Night Ape.
http://momayapress.com/

Would you like to submit a story but are stuck for words? Try the totally free guide 'What's Blocking you? Causes and Cures for Your Writer's Block'. It's packed with tips, activities and advice. Get your free copy from www.banishwritersblock.com

We are now open for submissions for the next great Stroud Short Stories event on 26 October 2014

Stroud Short Stories is now seeking submissions for its special event to be held on Sunday 26 October 2014.  Ten stories will be selected from those submitted to be read by their authors at Stroud Valleys Artspace (SVA), John Street, Stroud, GL5 2HA at 8pm.

80 people packed into the May SSS event at the SVA for a truly memorable evening of short stories, and we are hoping to achieve that again.

For this event we are seeking stories from writers from across Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire.

We are greatly looking forward to reading your stories.

Stroud Short Stories Rules for Submissions 26 October 2014 Event

1. Submissions will be considered from writers with a Gloucestershire or South Gloucestershire connection (i.e. writers who were born, or live, or work, or study, or are a member of a writers' group in Gloucestershire or South Gloucestershire)
2. Authors must be 16 or over
3. There is a maximum of two stories per author
4. Submissions are free
5. Stories must be between 100 and 1,500 words (excluding the title)
6. Submissions must be received before the end of Sunday 28 September 2014
7. Stories can be on any theme, but poetry and children's fiction will not be accepted
8. Stories may be previously published or unpublished
9. Stories can only be submitted by email
10. Writers must be available to read at the SSS event on the evening of Sunday 26 October 2014 at SVA, Stroud.  Please do not enter unless you can be there
11. Writers chosen to read may not enter two consecutive SSS events
12. The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into 

How to enter

1. Please email your stories to  submissions.sss@gmail.com
2. Attach you story in .pdf, .doc or .docx format.  Do not add any personal details to your story.  Only include the title of your story and the word count on your story attachment
3. On the covering email, to which your story is attached, include your name, email, phone number, the title of your story (for cross referencing) and your connection with Gloucestershire/South Gloucestershire
4. The closing date for submissions is the end of Sunday 28 September 2014
5. Your submission will be acknowledged within 4 days
6. You will be informed of the ten stories to be read by their authors no later than Friday 3rd October 2014
7. Any general queries to stroudshortstories@gmail.com please

Our submissions email is  submissions.sss@gmail.com
Our general email is  stroudshortstories@gmail.com

Keep up to date on Twitter 
Stroud Short Stories@StroudStories

Confirmed date for next SSS event is Sunday 26 October 2014 at SVA, John Street, Stroud. Pop it in your diary. Accepting submissions soon. Watch this space.

General email address is -
stroudshortstories@gmail.com

Email address for submissions only -
submissions.sss@gmail.com

Stroud Short Stories is now on Twitter -

Stroud Short Stories@StroudStories

Daily tweets for next couple of weeks as we build up to opening for submissions for next SSS event

Stroud Short Stories has a new email address  

stroudshortstories@gmail.com

I really hope that this does not cause too many problems. I will continue to monitor the old yahoo email. 

Stroud Short Stories 25 May 2014, SVA, Stroud

Dr Grey's Curious Obsession And Other Stories

80 people packed into the SVA to hear ten Stroud authors read their stories  

(Photos by Tim Byford)

Clare Hudman reads How Pirates are Made

Simon Piney reads The Clever Wish

Ruby Kester reads Singing the Pigs to Slaughter

Mary Brown reads Looking at the Wall

Katherine Mitchell reads Holding On

Peter Adams reads For the Darkness, a Light

Meredith Debonnaire reads Containment


Rick Vick reads Seeing


Anna Gerrard reads Debt to Society


Robert Smith performs Doctor Grey's Curious Obsession

Ten chosen for 25 May Stroud Short Stories Event

John Holland writes-

After much consideration, I have selected the following stories to be read by the authors -

(In alphabetic order of author's surname)

Peter Adams                 For the Darkness, a Light

Mary Brown                    Looking at the Wall

Meredith Debonnaire   Containment

Anna Gerrard                Debt to Society

Clare Hudman               How Pirates are made

Ruby Kester                  Singing the Pigs to Slaughter

Katherine Mitchell         Holding On

Simon Piney                  The Clever Wish

Robert Smith                 Doctor Grey's Curious Obsession

Rick Vick                       Seeing

Congratulations to the ten authors chosen. I am so looking forward to meeting them and hearing them read their stories on the night.

As co-organiser of Stroud Short Stories for the first time, I have loved every single second of reading the record-breaking fifty stories submitted. It has been a real pleasure and a true honour. I am really grateful to everyone who submitted a story.

The overall quality of the submissions has been very high. Based on the number of excellent stories I received, I could have comfortably organised two, or even three, reading events of ten stories each.

Stroud Short Stories will be held at SVA in John Street, Stroud at 8pm on 25 May. 

I have called the event “Doctor Grey’s Curious Obsession and Other Stories”.

Submissions Closed for 25th May Event

Submissions to the May 2014 Stroud Short Stories are now closed.  There were a record-breaking 50 submissions by 33 authors. The names of the ten authors to read at the SSS event on the evening of Sunday 25 May (8 pm, SVA, John Street, Stroud) will be revealed in the next few days.

Thank you to everyone who submitted stories.

Stroud Short Stories on BBC Radio Gloucestershire

Here is co-organiser John Holland talking to Claire Carter today on BBC Radio Gloucestershire about the new, reinvigorated Stroud Short Stories.  (1 hour 44 minutes in.)  Well worth a listen!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01qzxf7

Stroud Short Stories is back!

Away since February 2013, Stroud Short Stories will return refreshed and rejuvenated for another exciting night of short stories on 25 May 2014 at Stroud Valleys Artspace as part of the Site Festival.

The stories will be selected by John Holland, who has previously read at Stroud Short Stories, and who will be taking over the running of the event from now on.  John has had stories published in anthologies, magazines and online, including one in The Best Stories in a Decade, published by Momaya Press and formerly wrote for Punch and BBC Radio.  I’m very glad to be able to hand the event over to him, as I think he is just the person for the job!

We are now open for submissions.  In line with our new, organised, rejuvenated self we have produced a set of rules (below), which will hopefully answer most questions about submissions.  The one change is that we are now limiting submissions to writers who have a connection to the Stroud area, as detailed below.

Due to the length of our absence, we’ve relaxed our rule about writers not appearing in consecutive events.  Therefore writers who read at our last event (February 2013)  are welcome to send in submissions for our forthcoming event in May.

We look forward to reading your stories!

Rules

1.    Submissions will be considered from writers with a Stroud area connection (ie writers who were born, live, work or study in the geographic area equivalent to the Stroud District Council area)

2.    Authors should be aged 16 or over

3.    Maximum of three stories per person

4.    Submissions are free

5.    Stories should be between 100 and 1,500 words (excluding the title)

6.    Submissions should be received by Sunday 4 May 2014

7.    Stories can only be submitted by email

8.    Stories can be on any theme but must be fiction

9.    Poetry and children’s fiction will not be accepted

10. Stories may be unpublished or previously published

11. Stories previously read at SSS will not be considered

12. Writers must be available to read at the SSS event on the evening of Sunday 25 May 2014

13. Include your name, email, phone number, word count and your connection with the Stroud area to your submission

14. The decision of the judge(s) is final and no correspondence will be entered into

How to enter

1.    Please email your stories to stroudshortstories@yahoo.co.uk  as an attachment in Word or pdf format

2.    Remember to include your word count, name, email, phone number and your connection with the Stroud area on your submission

3.    The closing date for submissions is Sunday 4 May 2014

4.    Your submission will be acknowledged within two days

5.    You will be informed of the winning submissions to be read at the SS event by no later than Monday 12 May.