' An Unexpected Fall of Snow' was published online as part of the National Flash Fiction Day Flash Flood on Saturday 16 June 2018.
Here it is - http://flashfloodjournal.blogspot.com/2018/06/an-unexpected-fall-of-snow-by-john.html
I read my new story 'The Most Beautiful Thing She has Ever Seen' and there were stories by Jason Jackson, Amanda Staples, Jonathan Evans and many more.
My story is being published at 23.30 on Sat 16 June. Here - http://flashfloodjournal.blogspot.com/
My 81-word flash 'A Madness' has been published by 81words.com Here it is. It's number 381 -
https://www.christopherfielden.com/writing-challenges/81words-stories-301-to-400.php
Lovely, out of the blue invitation from Jonny Fluffypunk to read at his Sunday Salon or Sunday Sofa event on Sunday 1 July at the SVA in Stroud. Poets Helen Ivory and Martin Figura reading too.
More info - http://www.johnhollandwrites.com/other-events/
My story 'The Most Beautiful Thing She has Ever Seen' has been selected for the next Stokes Croft Writers' Talking Tales event on Saturday 16 June. Doors 6.30. I'll be reading it at the LeftBank Centre 128 Cheltenham Road, Bristol BS6 5RW
Not allowed to say which story it is right now but one of mine has been shortlisted (one of ten) for the Coleford Festival of Words Short Story Competition on the subject of Ten. More info to follow -
http://www.thecolefordhub.info/ten-writing-competition-shortlist-announced/
http://www.thecolefordhub.info/festival-of-words/
Event on Monday 2 July at 5.30 at Coleford Baptist Church, 27 Whitecliff, Coleford GL16 8AJ when I'll be 'unmasked'. Tickets £2.
Tickets Tickets - http://www.thecolefordhub.info/festival-of-words/2018-festival-of-words-full-programme-and-bookings/
It was another sell-out crowd at the SVA to welcome and applaud our ten authors - Nastasya Parker, Steve Wheeler, Val Ormrod, James Northern, Jason Jackson, Joanna Campbell, Sarah Chapman, Rick Vick, Nick Browne and Judith Gunn. A really excellent evening with all ten stories performed superbly by their authors.
Images and videos here - http://stroudshortstories.blogspot.com/
The next event will be on 11 November 2018 as part of the Stroud Book Festival.
Two short pieces 'The Feather' and 'The Valley' have been published in the Reflex Fiction Anthology Volume One entitled 'Barely Casting a Shadow'.
Buy the anthology here
On Wednesday I gave a talk on The State of the Short Story to the Gloucestershire Chapter of the Society of Authors at the Amberley Inn, unsurprisingly in Amberley. I also read my flash piece 'Boyfriends' and my short story 'Da'.
We received a record-equalling 128 submissions for the 20 May 2018 SSS event. Ali Bacon co-judged with me on this occasion. We chose stories by Nick Browne, Joann Campbell, Sarah Chapman, Val Ormrod, James Northern, Jason Jackson, Rick Vick, Steve Wheeler, Judith Gunn and Nastasya Parker.
The event sold out of tickets in just 5 days.
All info here - http://stroudshortstories.blogspot.co.uk/
I had a great time at Debbie Young's Hawkesbury Upton LitFest on Saturday 21 April. I chaired the short story session and read myself. I read with and chaired some brilliant writers - Ali Bacon, Nastasya Parker, Melanie Golding. Jenefer Heap, Ellie Stevenson, Deborah Jones, Mark Rutterford and Martin Brown.
I read my little stories Boyfriends, In Those Days and The First Time at her Place.
The online literary journal The Cabinet of Heed has published my little story 'You're Very Beautiful' in its Science Fiction Special.
It's here - https://cabinetofheed.wordpress.com/2018/04/17/youre-very-beautiful-john-holland/
Delighted that my flash piece 'Fat Man' has been published online today in Volume 8 Issue 17 of The Molotov Cocktail, a US online literary zine.
It's here - https://themolotovcocktail.com/vol-8/vol-8-issue-17/fat-man/
Here I am reading 'Lips' in front of a lovely audience at Burdalls Yard in Bath for Story Friday.
http://www.awordinyourear.org.uk/storyfridayarchive/2018-2/home-march/
The Dorset Fiction Award's first printed anthology, soon to be published, will include two of my stories which were shortlisted in its two competitions to date - 'Orly' and 'How to Improve Productivity'. More info to follow.
Very happy that my little story 'Fat Man' has been accepted by the American literary journal The Molotov Cocktail for publication online. Should be soon too!
Disappointing but the talk will be re-scheduled.
I was delighted to read my story 'Lips' at Story Friday in Burdalls Yard in Bath on 9 March. I was in the company of some excellent writer/performers including Elaine Miles and Steve Tuffin. The stories were recorded and will, the fullness of time, appear here -