What would make a good caption for this - "Culture clash"? |
The Willesden Herald
"All the news that's unfit to print" - since 2003
Saturday, November 30, 2024
Bill poster in action today
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Short Story of the Month, December 2024
The trouble about helping strangers is you just never know what you're getting into and you don't know what other strangers there might be when you get into it. The clue is in the word "strangers". (Ed.)
Short Story of the Month - December 2024
The Man on the Train by Sarah Turner
“I’d speculated about the man even before we spoke; he interested me as soon as I saw him on the station platform that afternoon, in his long tweed coat and beaten-down, once-formal shoes. He caught my eye and paced towards me with a focused look that made me think he was about to ask me something.”
Sarah Turner's short stories have been/are due to be published by Shooter Literary Magazine, The Sonora Review, J Journal, The London Magazine, Epoque Press, Fictive Dream, Litro, LEON, The Phare, and others, and in 2023 one of her stories was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize Short Story Award. Some of her published work can be read at www.scturnerfiction.com.
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Short story related Starter Pack (Bluesky)
Bluesky starter pack for Short Story Related |
Sunday, November 10, 2024
Bonus book for the next Story of the Month
Cover: Day of the Flying Leaves |
In addition to a copy of one of the New Short Stories anthologies, the next Story of the Month author will receive a copy of Day of the Flying Leaves, poetry by yours truly. I will also inscribe and sign an as-yet unpublished poem on a blank page. I hope this will not be a disincentive! (Ed.)
Thursday, November 07, 2024
Short Story of the Month, November 2024
We've just arrived back to civilisation and found a great short story of the month for November. It's a "read twicer". Did anything happen while we were away? Ed.
The Willesden Herald Story of the Month
November 2024: IOU by Robert Stone
Robert Stone |
Robert Stone was born in Wolverhampton. He works in a press-cuttings agency in London. He has been a teacher and the foreman of a London Underground station. He has had stories in 3:AM, Stand, Panurge, The Write Launch, Confingo, Eclectica, Punt Volat, HCE, The Decadent Review, Heirlock, Lunate, Main Street Rag, Clackamas and Wraparound South. Micro-stories have been published by 5×5, Third Wednesday, The Ocotillo Review, Star 82, deathcap and Clover & White. He had three stories published in the Nightjar chapbook series. A story has been included in Salt’s Best British Stories 2020 volume.
Wednesday, November 06, 2024
The canal at Ladbroke Grove, Tuesday
12:22 5 November 2024 |
Photo: Looking along a canal that bends away to the right in the distance from this viewpoint on a bridge, with a swan beside a houseboat barge on the right bank, on bright calm shiny water, with a variety of buildings alongside the left bank, foremost one completely covered in brightly coloured graffiti. (There is another swan following some distance back by the next houseboat. They both leave gentle V-shaped in their wake.)
Tuesday, November 05, 2024
Lime + Uber eBikes chaos – London
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Trailer: “Reawakening” – a new film written and directed by Virginia Gilbert
“Reawakening, starring Jared Harris, Juliet Stevenson and Erin Doherty, is the powerful, psychologically piercing and searingly emotional second feature from BAFTA-nominated writer-director Virginia Gilbert.” (Facebook)
Some of you might remember when Virginia Gilbert’s short story “Winter Lambing” won the Willesden Herald short Story competition in 2012, as judged by Roddy Doyle. There is even a video of the awards presentation at the old Willesden Library Centre [with Mourny three sheets to the wind. Ed]
Reawakening had its US premiere at the Newport Beach film festival last week and has already been nominated for awards and included in other film festivals.
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Copying/moving from Blogger to WordPress
It's a sad day in many ways. This Blogger site is in the process of moving to WordPress, which can be reached by the Willesden Herald .com domain name. There are over 9800 posts here, according to the import utility. The move will mean that the New Short Stories and Willesden Herald will all be on one site. The export/import process claims to include all content and comments but I know very well that there will be disruption, if not complete chaos. So this Blogger site will remain as it is until the Mahamanvantara or some tycoon buys it and ruins it.* It's been quite a ride, as they say, though with a different meaning in my native Ireland. Thanks to everyone who visited, commented, contributed words. (Steve)
* Problems:
- Most of the posts ported to the WordPress blog rely photos that still reside on Blogger and/or Google photos.
- Ported comments are all attributed to "Anonymous" but they have their chosen handles on here.
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Dusk on Wood End Road - photos
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Amazing restaurant bus, London
"Bustronome - Voyage Gourmand" Website link: bustronome.com |
Monday, August 05, 2024
Thursday, July 18, 2024
Small but mighty
Short Story of the Month, July 2024
In Pia Quintano's 29-page short story of the month for July, we're in New York, the capital of the world. Unless that is London or Paris or actually there is no capital of the world. It is though (U.N.). But what lies beneath the sheen of its river water, behind its apartment doors and in the minds of people you've grown up with? A child is missing. We're going into that water. (Ed.)
The Willesden Herald Story of the Month
July 2024: The River by Pia Quintano
"It felt like they were mining the East River, as if the heavy machines they were using to dredge it could easily unearth a car or the core of the planet. I could feel the FDR tremble under my feet but suspected that the heavy barges with their mysterious cargo would be undisturbed, as the men stretched apart the river’s seams..."
Pia Quintano |
Pia Quintano is a New York City based writer/painter who often writes about characters who have experienced a loss that they have never been able to integrate. She spent a winter at the MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire and has had her fiction published in Havik, Lunch Ticket and Landlocked. She enjoys sharing her small apartment in New York with a demanding cocker spaniel and two lively parakeets.
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Star of the Raglan Road (lyric video)
This is a hybrid of Raglan Road and Star of the County Down with a chorus and additional verse by yours truly. Míle buíochas to Phil Rynhart for the arrangement and all the music. (Stephen)
Saturday, June 22, 2024
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Message to US Republicans
Thursday, June 06, 2024
Short Story of the Month, June 2024
Is it June already? There's a cold northwest wind blustering through rainy London, so I said to myself, let's go to Vietnam for a while, meet some interesting people, and see what happens. I'm still there. (Ed.)
The Willesden Herald Story of the Month
June 2024: New Moon by Michael Howard
"…He almost never shut the doors giving onto his balcony and when he did it was only for a few minutes at a time—half an hour at the most.
That’s how Tram came to know these things…"
Michael Howard |
Michael Howard's writing has appeared in Mekong Review, New World Writing, Paste Magazine, Gordon Square Review, Creative Loafing, Hypertext Magazine, The Forge, and others. He lives in Vietnam.
Tuesday, May 07, 2024
Chalk directions/pavement art/fun
"Have a good day!" |
"Step" ... "Jump" |
"Hop on one leg" |
...and into the sunset |
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Short Story of the Month, May 2024
I think I remember a line from The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor, "Things can go wrong in an empty house." Also in a seemingly empty hotel and arguably an empty relationship, perhaps. Intrigued? Read our Story of the Month for May by Cath Barton to find out what happened. (Ed.)
The Willesden Herald Story of the Month
May 2024: At the Hotel Swinburne by Cath Barton
When we returned to our room after breakfast on the fourth day of our holiday, Arnold told me he didn’t like the mirrors in the hotel.
‘Really? We can cover that up if it bothers you,’ I said, pointing at the full-length one opposite the end of our bed. ‘I suppose some people get a kick out of looking at themselves performing.’
‘For goodness sake, Marie,’ he said.
Cath Barton |
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Chestnut tree beginning to bloom, Harrow
Sunday, April 07, 2024
Friday, April 05, 2024
Short Story of the Month, April 2024
This is a story that will linger in your mind and make you think about people past, present and future. They are out there. Ed.
The Willesden Herald Story of the Month
April 2024: April 2024: “With Every Choice Something is Lost” by Mike Fox
“She was there most days, though it took me a while to realise. Still and unobtrusive, I began to notice her small figure, always in a white blouse part-concealed by a faded grey mac, standing in what seemed to be contemplation. Before long, as I passed through the churchyard, I found myself looking in the hope of seeing her.”
Mike Fox |
Sunday, March 31, 2024
Grove Farm view
"Three" |