LATEST EVENT: Risk & Reward on Tuesday 8th April at The Phoenix NEXT DEADLINE: Down & Out, Sunday 4th May
NEXT DEADLINE: Sunday 4th May - THEME: Down & Out - LENGTH: 800-2000 words
Submit your work to be read LIVE at our next event, DOWN & OUT on Tuesday 10th June at The Phoenix
Fallen from grace, or falling on your face, out for the count or out-out on the town, down in the dumps or deep below the earth (or the waves), on the road with no fixed abode ... be creative and show us what you can do with this theme! As ever, we're looking for unpublished short fiction of 800-2000 words, & will consider flash fiction, short stories & even novel extracts (so long as they can stand alone). Please see full guidelines here, then email to [email protected] by 11.59pm UK time on Sunday 4th May.
This April we took a chance, placed our bets, & reaped the reward of five new risk-taking tales from our winning authors, featuring fugitive lovers, train heists, theft on the Riviera (1920s-style), London burnout & competitive Lego - PLUS an exclusive flash fiction from host Liam Hogan to celebrate the publication of his new story collection, A Short History of the Future. Want to relive the glory or see what you missed? Here's the YouTube playlist & the podcast - story texts coming soon!
WINNING STORIES FOR RISK & REWARD
"Pearl Onions" by Alex Edwards new author - read by Dan Starkey
"Pilgrim's Trail" by Cecilia Maddison new author - read by Rose Biggin
"Certitude" by Scott Tierney - read by Silas Hawkins
"Everybody Wants London" by Alix Owen - read by Ray Newe
"Brick by Brick" by MJ Lee - read by Nathan Unthank
PLUS
"A Game of Musical Souls" by Liam Hogan - read by Tony Bell
(Longlisted in Writers' & Artists' Short Story Competition 2025)
The event took place at the Phoenix, Cavendish Square, W1 - with our usual epic literary quiz featuring brilliant books to win, and free Easter eggs for all!
N.B. We do now accept card payments on the door, but it's well worth buying your tickets in advance to ensure you get a table - just click here. Any questions? Email [email protected]
RISK & REWARD
Stories of heists, fugitives, thieves, lovers & low-lifes
is on TUESDAY 8th APRIL
Tickets £5: 6.30pm doors, 7.30pm show
Downstairs at The Phoenix
37 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0PP
(nearest tube Oxford Circus)
HEY WRITER! WHY NOT SUBMIT TO OUR OTHER 2025 THEMES?
Fire up the laptop, crack out the notebook, scroll through your 3am story ideas & submit, because ALL our 2025 themes are open RIGHT NOW! From Down & Out to Haunted & Hunted, check them out below: