2022 Writers, Don't Let Me Down! Ed.

Your forebears could hunt an epiphany through the great forest of Um without breaking a twig and spear it with words sharpened on the soles of their feet. Arise, put on your leotards and send in your short stories, ye of this century…(Enough, thank you. Get to the music. Ed.)

Links 

• Submit via Submittable.com  
• Willesden Herald New Short Stories website on WordPress

Call for submissions, closing date 31 August 2022

The Willesden Short Story Prize mug 2022 with books

The Willesden Short Story Prize mug 2022 with piano etc

We really need more and better short stories. There are standards to maintain here, y'know. (Ed.) Submit

Short Story of the Month, July 2022

A guest story to cool the air this summer. Sean Brijbasi has kindly lent us this far out story as a reprint from his unknowed book of the same name. Sean is one of the unknowed people behind the Willesden short story competition. Please do not write in to tell us that unknowed is not a word! (Ed.)

The Willesden Herald Short Story of the Month

July 2022: The Unknowed Things by Sean Brijbasi

… To my surprise, I received a response, stating that a vice admiral couldn’t be blamed for the consequences of my ingratitude. Such a knowing people, I thought. It was true. Lily had given me everything even when I didn’t ask, appearing with unexpected gifts even when I deserved nothing. She told me the most beautiful stories that I, in turn, told to others as if they were my own …

Sean Brijbasi

Sean Brijbasi lives in America.

Sometimes he writes.

“You get the feeling that NO ONE CAN SEE THE WORLD I LIVE IN by Sean Brijbasi is the kind of book inspired by people who will most likely never read it.” –Rail Drinks Magazine (?)

Grove Farm - smart new sign

The new information board for Grove Farm at the Whitton Avenue West entrance

The old signboard. Some helpful person added pointers for "Harrow 2 miles and Wembley 2 miles".

The Willesden Herald has mentioned before that groups of men hanging around or sometimes standing in groups among the trees and drinking, near the Greenford Road entrance are not conducive to more community use of this wonderful nature reserve. A lone woman was murdered there a few years ago. Not sure what more can be done about that, as a "no drinking zone" has been tried but doesn't seem to have made much difference. If you walk in from Greenford Road on the path to the David Lloyd sports centre, you will see mountains of beer cans and bottles piled in ditches and under bridging parts of the road. There is a small stream that runs down by the old IBM/Kellogg Tower, which has now been redeveloped into flats. Further development is planned in an adjacent site but Grove Farm is not set to be affected. It's a site of special interest for rare trees and plants. Of its nature, it must remain wooded with hills and obscure paths. So best suggestion, a permanent warden service, someone uniformed and tasked with keeping a watchful eye and combatting litter etc. No, we can't afford a warden because we're so modern and sophisticated, so rich? Question to Ealing Council. (Ed.)

Hawthorn down, South Vale

Hawthorn down, South Vale. This poor tree has been bullied all its life by a violent oak leaning across the road. It leaned so far back to avoid being hit that in the end, it fell over. Mentioned in "Bent and scrawny, a hawthorn is fearful" (October 2021) https://t.co/UikSL9Z6dA pic.twitter.com/k0Mb0kN1An

— Stephen Moran (@stephen_j_moran) June 5, 2022