Short Story of the Month, August 2023

A fascinating insight into the process behind producing calm, unbiased, understated, yet admirably generous text online concerning topics that make your blood boil and steam come out of your ears. (Ed.)

The Willesden Herald Story of the Month

August 2023: Notes on a ‘Masterpiece’ by Ian Critchley

“… despite the fact that I’ve long dabbled in song-writing, it’s rare I discuss music. Today, though, I’m going to make an exception for Whistling in the Dark, the new album by indie flavour of the month Christ’s Cavalcade.”

[I could say more about my song-writing, I suppose, though probably nobody’s interested]

Ian Critchley

Ian Critchley is a freelance editor and journalist. His fiction has been published in several journals and anthologies, including Neonlit: Time Out Book of New Writing, Volume 2, The Mechanics Institute Review #15, Structo, Lighthouse, Litro and Storgy. He has won both the Hammond House International Literary Prize and the HISSAC Short Story Prize, and been shortlisted for the Exeter, H.G. Wells, and Plaza short story competitions. His journalism has appeared in the Sunday Times, Times Literary Supplement and Literary Review. He can be found on Twitter @iancritchley4, and his website is iancritchley.wordpress.com.

Submissions open for Willesden Herald Story of the Month

Photo: Anton Chekhov reading The Seagull to the Moscow Art Theatre company c.1898

Occasional feature. Want to get your name into the list of contributors? You have come to the right place. Still no reading fee. Still the same reward, a copy of one of our past anthologies. Guidelines

Jack Sheppard in Willesden (18th century)

Many of his deeds and adventures were set in Willesden as this copiously illustrated account by @thegentleauthor recounts. https://t.co/Kx15EpXR5M https://t.co/VCnVDbGn7h

— Stephen Moran (@stephen_j_moran) August 4, 2023

Many of the deeds and adventures of notorious highwayman and amazing escapologist, Jack Sheppard, were set in Willesden as this copiously illustrated account by The Gentle Author recounts.