Watching Miss Austen?

Jane Austen's memorial and gravestone

Perhaps you might like to see Cassandra’s sister Jane Austen’s memorial and the inscription on her gravestone over at on that moonlighting hack Moran’s private website. What price loyalty? (Red)

Submissions for Short Story of the Month

Just a reminder that we're always in need of new Short Story of the Month stories. There's no set deadline and when each month's story is selected, others in the inbox are released. Some may be carried over as possibles for a future month but generally turnaround is pretty quick, especially when compared to other publishers online. 

There's no reading fee but we give a copy of one of our New Short Stories anthologies as sort of payment in kind. So although that's not cash, it's also not nothing - which is what many online publishers offer. At present we are out of copies of #12 but have a few #11 and some other back numbers. 

Steve with mock-up WH in Gigi's. Photo by Vanessa Gebbie

If your short story is selected, you will be in good company. It would be lovely to pay contributors real money but Willesden Herald publishing has what is generally termed "no visible means of support." What we do have is boxes with brand new unsold books.

Please send your best wild or semi-tamed or even nice polite stories your parents would be pleased for you to marry to Willesden Herald Submittable and make my day. (Ed.)

Short list for the Willesden Short Story Prize 2022

The ten stories shortlisted for the Willesden Short Story Prize 2022 in alphabetical order by author

• Shoes by David Butler
• Remembering Not Forgetting by Helen Harjak
• Vevey by Catherine McNamara
• Haircut by Andy Mead
• Cuckquean by Jackie Morris
• My Last Journey with Baron Baldanders by Peter Newall
• Empathy by Diana Powell
• Things we see, things we don't by Anju Sharma
• Forecast for Rain by Lui Sit
• Hotline by Zakia Uddin

Thanks to all who entered for making our selection task so difficult with the high standard of writing. The total number of entries was 371. It was painful having to leave out many outstanding short stories.  

There will be a special event to announce 1st prize short story and runners-up and to launch the anthology, New Short Stories 12. Details to follow. 

The one-off mug inscribed "The Willesden Short Story Prize 2022"

Another great Spitalfields Life feature

Charles Dickens in Shadwell & Limehouse. Superb photo essay with supporting quotes in the redoubtable Spitalfields Life. A must for devotees of Charles Dickens and old London, as indeed is the whole journal.

J.M. O'Neill "The invisible man of Irish letters"

Definitely putting "Duffy is Dead" and "Open Cut" on the to-be-read list. Strong London Irish interest novels. (Ed.)

Index of contributors to Willesden Stories

The Obscure Object of Desire

We’ve added this index of all the contributors to the Willesden Herald short story book series and Story of the Month.

Counting. Over the past sixteen years, Willesden Herald has published 139 short stories by 113 writers from Bosnia, Canada, China, England, India, Ireland, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, USA ans Wales. 

Beckett - a Quinn Martin production starring Sam Beckett

"A short lived detective drama from 1972. Never caught on with the American public."

With Andre the Giant as Little Bim, Jean Paul Sartre as Walleye Molloy and Jean Cocteau as Huggy Bear

"...cut together by playwright Danny Thompson, cofounder of Chicago’s Theater Oobleck." Ref: Open Culture. Via Martin Doyle on Twitter

Never mind Black Friday, it's Willesden Green Saturday

November 30th is publication day for Willesden Herald's New Short Stories 11. "Fifteen stories like the dreams of fifteen nights." We paid a posh PR agency (Hartley Ailive) forty grand for that strapline and the particular shade of red in the logo and a series of inconclusive meetings with people, most of whom said nothing.

If you have any friends, please order copies for them as a Christmas box from Book Depository by clicking this link or Amazon UK. Thank you.

Edmondo Redmond O'Woodward (prop.)

New Short Stories 11 - first look - unboxing

The eagle, or anyway the secretary bird, has landed. Now available from Amazon.co.uk, Book Depository and Amazon.com.

Updated 13/12/2019

Coming Soon: New Short Stories 11 - preview

The 15 best international short stories, as submitted to the Willesden Herald in 2019. Editor: Stephen Moran. With an introduction by Gina Challen.

Front cover for New Short Stories 11.
Photo and design by Stratos Fountoulis.

Contemporary fiction from Britain, Ireland, America and Nigeria, from huge cities to very small towns and on several journeys. We're at work, at school, in homes, gardens, cities, in the countryside and on the road. There are crises, violence, tragedy, vengeance, reflection and recon-ciliation. Here are vividly evoked times and places, characters of every kind, and insights into their circumstances and relationships.

Editor: Stephen Moran. Fiction by JL Bogenschneider, Ursula Brunetti, Carol Dines, Derek Dirckx, Sarah Evans, Jeff Ewing, David Frankel, Ray French, N. Jane Kalu, Marylee MacDonald, Jaki McCarrick, Gerard McKeown, Jay Merill, Diana Powell, John Saul. With an introduction by Gina Challen.

Here are fifteen stories transporting us, like the dreams of fifteen nights. In one we remember a beloved teacher, a hated one and our friends. In another we are on a bus somewhere in Britain, on the way to losing our virginity. On another night we wake from a heartbreaking haunting in the changing seasons of Lagos, Nigeria. Or we're in Northern Ireland practicing with a friend's shotgun, and wondering if we can trust him. Then again we're in the Irish borderlands in a tale of neglect and revenge. We travel through remote parts of the US, a fugitive from the past, and hook up with a loner in his last days. Or we're in a surreal family circus, with a remarkable cast of characters, living out a poignant adventure. A nun travels on leave through small town America in search of family history and closure. We agonise over a doctor's ethical dilemma and a professor's marital crisis, drenched in a rainstorm. We're in Newport in Wales, trying to stay off the booze and achieve a reunion. We take something that's not really ours and turn over in our minds what would have happened if we hadn't. We spy on a swimmer as she swims naked in the sea every day till it all goes wrong. In a nightmare, there's a river, a forestry work camp, two labourers living on-site, and a dead body. We meditate and scroll through thoughts on the people, situations and how we interact with those around us, friends and neighbours. (SM)

Update 22 November
Now available for pre-order from Book Depository, Amazon UK and Amazon.com. At the time of writing, Amazon dotcom says it has availability within 2 days. Amazon UK is currently lagging behind that a little.

Lineup for New Short Stories 11 revealed

Contents

Introduction by Gina Challen – vii

JL Bogenschneider – Miss Maughan – 11

Ursula Brunetti – Satellites – 31

Carol Dines – Forgiveness – 47

Derek Dirckx – Dark in Here – 71

Sarah Evans – Only Human – 91

Jeff Ewing – Fireball Outfit – 111

David Frankel – Meadowlands – 125

Ray French – Voyager – 141

N. Jane Kalu – To Have a Ghost Baby – 159

Marylee MacDonald – Caboose – 167

Jaki McCarrick – The Emperor of Russia – 193

Gerard McKeown – Rabbit Season – 211

Jay Merill – Vole or Mole – 223

Diana Powell – The Watcher – 231

John Saul – The garden designer – 241

Notes on Contributors – 257

~

The book is being put together now. One of the next tasks is the cover design, which will be in the hands of Stratos, who has designed all the covers to date. Watch this space for news on the progress of the production and publication. (Ed.)

Successes in 2019 for WH New Short Stories contributors

2019

November 11: V.S. Pritchett Short Story Prize 2019 goes to Ursula Brunetti for “Beetleboy”.

October 2: BBC National Short Story Award with Cambridge University 2019: “The Invisible” by Jo Lloyd 

September 27: Out Now: “The False River” short story collection by Nick Holdstock

September 20: Double chapbook launch. "Past contributors to WH New Short Stories, Brian Kirk and Jill Widner, enjoyed a double win at the Cork International Short Story Festival 2019." (See also Feb. 15)

September 12: Danielle McLaughlin takes The Times/ Audible Short Story Award 2019

August 24: Book launch: “Like Water and Other Stories” by Olga Zilberbourg

July 3: Book launch: "Chalk Tracks" by Gina Challen, twice contributor to New Short Stories

March 13: Danielle McLaughlin receives Windham-Campbell award

Feb 15: Friends of Willesden Herald take both Southword fiction chapbook awards 2019

Latest: Willesden Herald New Short Stories 11 is available from Amazon UK, Amazon.com and other booksellers. Link: More details including author pictures and profiles.

Did you know? We're on Duotrope.com

For many years, the Willesden Herald has been listed by Duotrope, for which we are very grateful as it has greatly helped in bringing writers from around the world to our submissions page. Why not take a look at their features for writers? You won’t see a more impressive resource for writers seeking opportunities to place their work. And while you’re there, you might like to take a look at their listing for New Short Stories 11. You can see the basic listing, which is excellent, and if you sign up you can get even more info.

Now reading for New Short Stories 11

We are open till September 30 for submissions to the latest in our series of short story anthologies, featuring the best new writing from around the world.

You can find plentiful examples of what we like in our back issues and also in our Story of the Month features, as well as in the periodicals listed under Links. We’re generally looking for literary fiction not genre stories.

The only payment we can offer at this time is two copies of the book when it is published.  Full details are set out in the submission form area.

“Willesden Herald: New Short Stories 11” will be published simultaneously in the US and UK in early 2020 and will be available from the main online booksellers by print on demand. We can also do print runs on favourable terms when bulk orders are requested.

See our New Short Stories blog and The Willesden Herald for updates and features that may be of interest. (Link: Submit)

New Short Stories 11 on the horizon

London, July 2: In that too rare spirit of international cooperation, the team behind the New Short Stories book series is getting together again to create another issue with the best short stories we can find. There won't be a competition this time, it will be a good old submit/accept/reject process with arbitrary editorial decisions completely unaccountable to the world. Yes, traditional, if you like. Details to follow. (Ed.)

Announcement: Willesden 2017 Results

Our 2017 judge Lane Ashfeldt says she had a great time reading (and re-reading!) all the shortlisted stories, and choosing the top three was a really tough call. She is delighted to pass on the titles of the ten winning stories selected for the book, which she hopes you will buy, read and enjoy*. And she’s looking forward to finding out who wrote them.

So without further ado, here are the winning entries, runners-up and long-listed in this hotly contested year. Congratulations to all, thanks for these marvellous short stories.

And the one-off Willesden Herald mug inscribed “Willesden Short Story Prize 2017” goes to:
1st Prize (£300) –  “Dark Song” by Roberta Dewa

2nd (£200): “Art Zoo” by Paul J. Martin
3rd (£100): “Swimming Lessons” by Douglas Hill

(The remaining seven shortlisted receive £75 each.)

Shortlist
The following will be published in “Willesden Herald: New Short Stories 10”:
A History of Fire by Gerard McKeown
Art Zoo by Paul Martin
Dark Song by Roberta Dewa
Isa’s Pitch by Maureen Cullen
Rictus by Tanvir Bush
Swimming Lessons by Douglas Hill
The Day John Lennon Died by Raphael Falco
The Fish that was not my Pa by Meganrose Weddle
The Quarry by Katherine Davey
Trespass by Roland Miles

Long List
A History of Fire by Gerard McKeown
Air by Angelina Taylor
Art Zoo by Paul Martin
Dancing Her Black Bones Home by Suzanne Conboy-Hill
Dark Rain Falling by Deirdre Shanahan
Dark Song by Roberta Dewa
Isa’s Pitch by Maureen Cullen
Out by the Lough by Sue Lovett
Overnight in the Day Room by Deirdre Shanahan
Reverse Reaction by Anna Glokas
Rictus by Tanvir Bush
Swimming Lessons by Douglas Hill
The Collectors by Michael Antoinetti
The Day John Lennon Died by Raphael Falco
The Fish that was not my Pa by Meganrose Weddle
The Lapidary by Melanie Whipman
The Nationals by Andrew Moffat
The Quarry by Katherine Davey
Trespass by Roland Miles
Winter Kale by Shannon Hopkins

There were 445 entries in total. Thank you to everyone who entered and gave us such delicious torment over the past months trying to see how we could possibly choose between so many fascinating stories.

* Coming soon: Willesden Herald: New Short Stories 10. Watch this space for news on its launch and release.

George Saunders on the art of the story

Short story writer George Saunders, winner of the Man Booker prize for 2017 for his debut novel Lincoln in the Bardo, on "how to tell a compelling and humanizing story—and how to avoid the pitfalls of a bad one."

Anaesthesia by Adrian Horn - London Kilburn connection

Anaesthesia, a novel by Adrian Horn, set for publication in September, centres on a Kilburn family and the effect that WW1 has on them. It features local roads, shops, pubs and St Augustine’s church as well as iconic London monuments from the time like the War Office, St James’ Park, the Café Royale, Piccadilly night life etc.

"In the first frantic year of World War 1 London, Jan Strang, the son of a Swedish timber merchant and Lucy Green, daughter of a suburban postmaster become lovers, marry and live with Jan's cosmopolitan parents in Chichester Road, Kilburn. Jan introduces Lucy to a new world of experiences and temptations. But then Jan goes off to fight.

When he returns from his stint as a Second Lieutenant on the Front Line, Lucy quickly discovers he has returned a very different man from the one she married: wounded, battle-scarred and hooked on morphine. Can Lucy's love, faith and inner strength heal his deepest wounds?

With a host of memorable characters, including the scruffy terrier Tinker, the ultimately optimistic Anaesthesia takes us on a gripping atmospheric journey from a London in confusion in 1915 over to Belgium and France and back again to a war-weary London. One is left wondering which is the real battle: the one in Europe or the battle of love over addiction."

Link: www.adrianhornwriter.com

New Short Stories 9 - first look

It's looking great. The book is a bit stiff because it's brand new. Here I try to flick through the pages while it does its best to resist. (Steve)

Shortlist for the Willesden Herald short story prize 2016

Katy Darby, our judge for 2016, confirms that the shortlist for this year’s award, and therefore the stories to be published in Willesden Herald: New Short Stories 9, are as follows, in alphabetical order by title:

Title	Author
All That Remains	Rob Hawke
The Cliffs of Bandiagara	Catherine McNamara
Last Call at the Rialto	Daniel Waugh
Looking for Nathalie	Susan Haigh
Love and Hair	Olga Zilberbourg
The Mayes County Christmas Gun Festival	David Lewis
Supersum	Barbara Robinson
Twisted	Tracy Fells
Undercurrents	Gina Challen
The Volcano	Anna Lewis

(Update 3/11/2016: One story was withdrawn, and so the shortlist of ten has been updated accordingly.)

And now you will have to wait till the results event to find out who takes the prize for overall winner this year! We’re excited and can’t wait for the actor readings and the book. We’re hoping to meet some of the writers in London, if you can make it. Over the next few days, we’ll be working on the book cover art and details of the event.

Thanks to all who entered and congratulations to the shortlisted. It has been a privilege and an adventure reading the stories sent in, appreciating the painstaking art that has gone into them, and experiencing the never-failing wonder of the short story form.

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