Thursday, 21 November 2024

Journeys is the theme of our 11 May 2025 event. Submissions open on 16 February.

Our next event will be on Sunday 11 May 2025 at the Cotswold Playhouse in Parliament Street, Stroud. 

The theme will be JOURNEYS - that's journeys of all kinds - physical (trains, boats, planes, cars, cycling, walking, running), metaphorical, spiritual, experiential or some sort of personal trajectory or progress. Journeys short or long. You name it - if it's a journey of any kind it can be included including stories about travel and holidays.

Key dates -

Submissions open Sunday 16 February

Submissions close Sunday 30 March

Results announced Wednesday 9 April

Tickets on sale from the Cotswold Playhouse website Friday 11 April

I will be co-judging this time with short story author and novelist Chloe Turner. Chloe has read a number of times at SSS and won awards for her short fiction. Her novel Blue Hawk was published earlier this year.

Submissions are fee as ever and we accept both new and previously published pieces. You may submit one or two pieces from 500 to 1500 words.

The Rules and Information on How to Submit are here.

My tips for writing for SSS are here.

Info on the judges is here.

Exciting! Chloe and I are already looking forward to reading your stories! The 16th of February can't come soon enough!

John

Tuesday, 5 November 2024


Pix of the authors reading at FAMILY AFFAIR on Sunday 3 November 2024

Thank you to everyone who bought tickets and came along to our sell-out event, 'Family Affair' on Sunday 3 November at the Cotswold Playhouse. Here are the authors who read/performed their brilliant stories at our 28th event. They are in the order in which they read.

Photography by Angela Fitch. Thank you, Angela!

Rebecca Klassen reads 'Big Cat'


Ruth Pilston about to read 'Fossil Hunting'


Steve Wheeler (Steven John) reads 'Blueberry Muffins'


Helen Cornish Smith reads 'Grandma & a Law Concerning Bees'



Mark Rutterford performs 'Mick Jagger's Lips'



Gillian Metheringham reads 'Deep'




Nastasya Parker reads 'Calloused'




Archie Woolls reads 'Our Mother who art in Orbit'



Georgia Boon reads 'Erica'



Geoff Mead reads 'The Day Job'