Other events

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Sunday 11 May 2025 Stroud Short Stories ‘Keep on Movin’’ Ten stories on the theme of Journeys written and read by Gloucestershire authors.

Cotswold Playhouse 7.30 (doors 7.00). Tickets, priced at £12, for sale from the Cotswold Playhouse website from Friday 11 April.

PREVIOUS EVENTS

Sunday 3 November Stroud Short Stories ‘Family Affair’

Ten Gloucestershire writers read their stories on the theme of family at the Cotswold Playhouse.

Sunday 12 May 2024 Stroud Short Stories ‘Something Better Change’

an evening of short stories written and read by Gloucestershire authors on the theme of Change/Changes or Changing.

Sunday 12 May Cotswold Playhouse

Stroud Short Stories ‘Love is Strange’ 5 November 2023

The 26th SSS event took place on Sunday 5 November 2023 at the Cotswold Playhouse in Parliament Street , Stroud.

Ten Gloucestershire writers read their stories on the themes of love or obsession.

Apologies as I have lost lots of data/information from this list of previous events!!

Sunday 19 March, Southbank Club, Dean Street, Bristol, BS3 1DB. £5 on the door.

I read my story 'Door Step'. Others reading include Debbie Young, Mark Lewis, Ali Bacon and Mark Rutterford.

https://writersunchained.wordpress.com/

Talking Tales and Launch of 2016 'To Hull and Back' Anthology

Saturday 10 December 2016. Left Bank Centre, Cheltenham Road, Stokes Croft, Bristol. 7.00 pm. I read my story 'The Night Ape'.

http://stokescroftwriters.com/talking-tales

THE APOCALYPSE ALPHABET & OTHER STORIES - Stroud Short Stories event 20 November 2016, SVA, John Street, Stroud

Ten authors will read their stories to a sell out audience of 70 people.

All info on our website

Writers Unchained 'The Twilight Zone' Sunday 23 October

An evening of sci fi and fantasy short stories in Bristol. 'You're Very Beautiful' (my only sci fi story!) was chosen. I was ill and unable to attend but Kevlin Henney kindly read the story for me.

https://writersunchained.wordpress.com/

Stroud Short Stories' Greatest Hits at the 2016 Cheltenham Literature Festival Little Big Top 10 October 9pm to 10.15pm

I presented my favourite seven stories read by their authors at SSS from its beginning in 2011 to April 2016. Authors were Debbie Young, Philip Douch, Ali Bacon, Andrew Stevenson, Rick Vick, Mel Golding and Bill Jones. The 140 seat Little Big Top sold out!

Cheltenham Literature Festival website

Hawkesbury Upton Pop-Up LitFest at the Hawkesbury Upton Horticultural Show, Saturday 27 August 2016

I read 'Christmas'.

Info here - https://hulitfest.com/hawkesbury-upton-pop-up-festival-august/

Reading event with Philip Douch. Imperial Hotel, Stroud - Monday 26 September 2016

Philip Douch and I did a double-header at the Imperial Hotel (next to the railway station) in Stroud, Philip is reprising his (Reasonably) Great Sporting Moments from the Stroud Theatre Festival, and we both read new stories.

Stokes Croft Writers Talking Tales Saturday 13 August

At the LeftBank Centre in Cheltenham Road, Bristol. Natalie Lee read my story 'Da'.

The Speakeasy, Bath Short Story Event Thursday 28 July 2016

I read my story 'Lips' at this event in Bath.

Full details here

Evesham Festival of Words Short Story Competition Prize-Giving Friday 1 July 2016

I judged the 2026 Evesham Festival Of Words short story competition. The anthology was launched and the winner, from the short list of eleven which were published in the anthology, was announced at Evesham Town Hall by Katie Fforde. £7.50. All info here -

- http://eveshamfestivalofwords.org/

More Banksy Than Bonnets - A Humourous Story Telling Extravaganza

Sunday 5 June 2016

As part of the 2016 Bath Fringe, I read with Bristol's Stokes Croft Writers at Burdall's Yard, Bath, BA1 5NH. 8pm. £5 on the door.

Details here

Stroud Short Stories Event Sunday 24 April

I MC-ed the eleventh Stroud Short Stories event 'Los Muertos' on Sunday 24 April at 8pm at the SVA, John Street, Stroud, GL5 2HA. The event was part of the Site Festival.

See http://stroudshortstories.blogspot.co.uk/

Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival Saturday 23 April 2016

I read short stories and chairing/MC-ed the short stories session, as well as contributing to a panel discussion, at the 2016 Hawkesbury Upton LitFest on Saturday 23 April 2016.

See http://hulitfest.com/

Talking Tales Saturday 16 April 2016

I read my story 'The Fish It Was That Died' at Talking Tales, The Stoke Croft Writers event, at the Leftbank Centre in Bristol.

http://stokescroftwriters.com/

Bath Friday Friday 1 April 2016 at Burdall’s Yard, 7A Anglo Terrace, Bath BA1 5NH

Actor Oliver Langdon read my new story 'Orly' at the Bath Story Friday event at Burdall's Yard, Bath. My debut at this event.

See http://www.awordinyourear.org.uk/

St Valentine's Hangover event Sunday 21 February 2016

I read my story 'True' which was shortlisted in 2015 for the Yeovil Literary Prize. Other readers/writers included Debbie Young, Ali Bacon, Emily Koch, Mark Rutterford and Dan Gooding. It was organised by Writers Unchained and took place at the SouthbankCentre, Bedminster, Bristol.

All details here

Sunday 15 November 2015. Stroud Short Stories - Eerie Evening of Short Stories

SVA (Stroud Valleys Artspace), John Street, Stroud, GL5 2HA. Doors 7.30 for 8.00 start. As organiser of the event I introduced the ten authors to read their selected stories. Watch/listen on Stroud Short Stories YouTube channel here.

Thursday 19 November 2015. Launch of 2015 Bath Short Story Anthology

6.30 - 8.30 Mr B's Emporium of Books, Bath. I read from my short listed story 'Lips'. Watch/listen on YouTube here.

Sunday 22 November 2015. Launch of 2015 Worcs LitFest Anthology, Worcester

4pm, Drummonds, The Swan with Two Necks, 28 New Street, Worcester, WR1 2DP.

I read my story 'Sensitive' which won first prize, together with two other published pieces 'A Hot Summer's Day' and 'The Banker'.

Cheltenham Literature Festival. Sunday 11 October 2015.

The actor Moses Hardwick read my story 'Strange Fruit - An Imagining', runner-up in the Gloucestershire Writers' Network short story competition on the theme of Crossroads, at Cheltenham Town Hall as part of the Cheltenham Literature Festival. Watch/listen on Youtube.

'Short Stories for Grown-Ups' at No.23 Bistro 7 Bar, Nelson Street, Stroud. Sunday 9 August 2015

A packed sell-out house at No.23 Bistro & Bar, Nelson Street, Stroud on Sunday 9 August 2015 listened to 5 stories by me, 4 by Philip Douch and one by debutante Natalie Lee. An excellent evening. Thank you Philip Douch and No.23.

Saturday 27 June 2015 National Flash Fiction Day Reading

I read my Worcestershire Literary Festival First Prize winning story, Sensitive, at Foyle's, Cabot Circus, Bristol to about 40 people as part of National Flash Fiction Day. Other writers reading included Calum Kerr, Kevlin Henney, Zoe Gilbert, Diane Simmons, Sarah Hilary, K.M. Elkes, Susan Howe, Jonathan Pinnock and Adam Marek.

Friday 8 May 2015 Stroud Short Stories Anthology Launch

The Stroud Short Stories Anthology 2011-15 was launched (and, of course, sold) on Friday 8 May at the Ale House, John Street, Stroud, GL5 2HA (just up from the SVA).

The paperback book contains almost all stories from the first SSS event in 2011 up to, and including, this month's ninth event. The splendid cover design is by Tom Brown and is attached for you. There are 80 stories by 57 authors.

Thursday 23 April 2015 Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival

The Fox Inn, High Street, Hawkesbury Upton, Gloucestershire GL9 1AU

The festival was organised by local writer Debbie Young.

I read five very short stories.

Sunday 19 April 2015 Stroud Short Stories

Stroud Short Stories SVA, John Street, Stroud, GL5 2HA

As organiser of the event I introduced ten authors who read their specially selected stories. The event was competely sold out.

Full report by author Debbie Young here

Friday 10 April 2015

A Feast of Stories - Love and Stuff Like That

Prince Michael Hall, Bacon Theatre, Dean Close School, Cheltenham 7.45 £10

I read my short story Sunday Morning in an event that included stories by organiser Philip Douch, Andrew Stevenson, Julie Green , Elaine Miles, Christine Griffin, as well as music by cellist Asha McCarthy.

November 2013

I read my Story The Night Ape at the awards ceremony for the Momaya Press annual short story competition. It was awarded first prize.

October 2013

I read my story The Song at the Cheltenham Literature Festival as part of Gloucestershire Writers Network event.

August 2013

I read my story Morning Tea on Corinium Radio as part of a Somewhere Else local writers feature.

November 2012

I read my story The Coat at The Book - A Celebration at the Old Town Hall, Stroud.

October 2012

I read my story The Uncanny Valley at Stroud Short Stories Spooky Evening at SVA, Stroud.