Ian Critchley
@iancritchley.bsky.social
Writer and Editor | Winner Hammond House, HISSAC | Stories in Best British Short Stories, Mechanics Institute Review, Structo, Lighthouse, Litro, Fiction Desk and others | Short story chapbook published by Nightjar Press iancritchley.com
Brunel university is co-sponsoring the Nero New Writers Prize. Open to writers not previously published by an established book publisher or magazine, deadline: Fri, 11 September: nerobookawards.com/new-writers-...
NEW WRITERS PRIZE 2026 - Nero Book Awards
Celebrating outstanding writing by authors living in the UK and Ireland, these awards list the best books of the year.
nerobookawards.com
Hmmm . . . Read through to the end of this to get another side of the story, brilliantly articulated by @lukekennard.bsky.social
AI-generated stories rated better quality than human-written ones, study finds
Researcher says simpler writing by AI is easier to read and digest, but this does not mean human authors are obsolete
theguardian.com
‘Evocative, lyrical and touching’ ‘…everyday lives are illuminated and elevated’ The Wooden Hill by @jamesgwriter.bsky.social This collection of short stories available from your local bookshop, as ePub or direct from us: www.epoquepress.com/online-store... #epoquepress #bookcommunity #booksky
Was a pleasure answering Drew’s questions. If you want to know more about Sunburnt Saints or me (Andy), take a look!
Drew Gummerson@drewgum.bsky.social · 2d agoAnd on today’s Substack, a first for me, an interview with Andy Leach, chief saint, at @sunburntsaints.bsky.social a brand new short story publisher - please check it out and share if you can. Support short stories. Support indie publishers! substack.com/@drewgummers...
I owe my love of books and writing to my English teachers at Francis Combe comp in Watford, Geoff Carr and Patricia Annetts. They changed my life for the better
Louie Stowell@louiestowell.bsky.social · 5d agoWho was YOUR great english teacher (if you had one)? For me it was Hugh Epstein at Richmond college (RUTC). I hope he's well, wherever he is!
Some sunny Sunday morning body horror for youse
Seán Padraic Birnie@seanbirnie.bsky.social · 4d ago“He has always been the sort of boy who picks at scabs. In class sometimes he digs the compass point into the webbing of his hands. It helps him concentrate: it quells the noise.” www.thedarkmagazine.com/baby-blue/ Very happy to return to The Dark Magazine today with ‘Baby Blue’.
"Embrace your own naivety and idiocy and you might end up somewhere different." - Mark Haddon
There are just two copies remaining of my Nightjar Press short story.
LAST FEW copies remaining of my @nightjarpress.bsky.social story 'Removals'. Get it while you can! nightjarpress.weebly.com/removals.html
Removals
Removals Ian Critchley Author bio Cover photograph: Nicholas Royle ISBN 978-1-907341-89-2 Publication date: January 2024
nightjarpress.weebly.com
Ian Critchley@iancritchley.bsky.social · 3y agoDelighted to say my short story chapbook 'Removals' is now available to buy from the Nightjar Press website, alongside a new story by Alison Moore. Such a thrill to be part of this brilliant series of stories nightjarpress.weebly.com
New arrival! Very much looking forward to reading these short stories by @guyware.bsky.social in @saltpublishing.com's brilliant Modern Stories series
A nice acknowledgement for copyeditors in The Safekeep - though I might have suggested a question mark.
A nice acknowledgement for copyeditors in The Safekeep - though I might have suggested a question mark.
Very pleased to have a new short story in Maxim Jakubowski's forthcoming Merry Murders anthology, which is 25% off in this @waterstones.bsky.social pre-order promo until tomorrow! Use code SUMMER26 ;) Contributors include the great @saraparetsky.bsky.social 🫡✌️ www.waterstones.com/book/merry-m...
A fantastic haul of eight horror novellas from the mighty Eden Book Society! (Or maybe from @deadinkbooks.bsky.social?)
The first bit of this is very similar to my acting as a footman in the play I was recently in
Rav@rvbdrm.com · 2w agoQuick thinking having a tablecloth handy. I didn’t even notice the twitching from that dead robot.
On the street … Next Monday, 20 July, CB editions will be selling from the Emanuel von Baeyer Gallery, 18 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4HE. There’ll be bargain boxes outside: one for £5, three for a tenner. All day from around 10 a.m. - visitors welcome, also water and iced coffee.
Still hoping the cat will wipe her feet when she comes in
Sorry if we’re becoming annoying, with our exhortations to subscribe to our little chapbooks. But hey, we need you. And besides, we’re relatively new here and it’s harder to make friends than it used to be on the old Twitter! Anyway, we’re a tiny Indy press, looking for short story lovers. #BookSky
Sunburnt Saints Publishing@sunburntsaints.bsky.social · 3w agoA reminder that subscriptions are open. Why subs rather than sell the books individually? Because it creates a community. It helps planning & investment. It supports writers (all our writers are paid). It’s 20 quid. 4 books, one per quarter. 4 original stories. We’d love your support. Thank you.
"Embrace your own naivety and idiocy and you might end up somewhere different." - Mark Haddon
Morning lovelies! Here's a sneaky summer saver for you! 20% off when you click the link below or use discount code 5T2JNKFV98VT in our checkout! Offer ends 31 July. www.saltpublishing.com/discount/5T2...
Reminds me of a Space 1999 episode that terrified me as a child Can humans hibernate their way to Mars? www.theguardian.com/science/ng-i...
Can humans hibernate their way to Mars?
Scientists are trying to recreate the biology that lets animals survive months without food or water, in hopes of making deep-space travel possible
theguardian.com
More fabulous #bookpost, this time the new anthology from @uncertainstories.com together with a story by @daveyfrankel.bsky.social
Top #bookpost just arrived: the latest addition to @scratchbooks.bsky.social's brilliant Reverse Engineering series in which writers discuss their own #shortstories. And what a great roster of contributors!
@uncertainstories.com 'Perfect Circle' is out! My story, ‘Swineside’ - is in v. good company, among stories by Eva Carson, @jmgatford.bsky.social , @kathyhoyle.bsky.social , @lynseymay.com and Lauren O’Donoghue, and brilliant illustrations by Lucy Scott. www.uncertainstories.com/books/anthol...
