Liars' League

Feature article about us on WordsWithJam

 

Journalist and author Catriona Troth came along to our Twist & Turn night, reviewed it and interviewed Katy, Liam, Cliff and author/actor Carrie. See what she said in her article for WordsWithJam here.

Upside Down Pudding by Carolyn Eden

Click to play UPSIDE DOWN PUDDING MP3

Read by Louisa Gummer

It always started with the keys.

“Where are my keys?” her mother would ask. “What have you done with my keys?” The tedium of persistence. “We can’t go out unless we have the keys. Help, Lucy. Help me find the keys.”

Lucy stifled a sigh. If Lewis hadn’t got coward-flu, leaving the house wouldn’t have been any easier, because his car keys were just as likely to have been disappeared – pouf! Anyway, important trip or not, it was fine Lewis not being there. They’d manage.

Call Centre by Graham Buchan

Click to play CALL CENTRE MP3

Read by Paul Clarke

Welcome to Purgatory!
You are currently held in a queue.
Please keep your luggage with you at all times.
We value your presence here.

Bikes by Paul Robinson

Click to play BIKES MP3

Read by Cliff Chapman

January 18, 1993

Had a fight with Dean Ward at school today. He said my mum was a prostitute. I said no she's not, yours is and he gave me a dead arm so I booted him in the shin.

I don't know what a prostitute is. I asked my mum but she told me to stop asking daft questions and go and watch telly. When I did there was a news story about a prostitute being murdered. She is the fourth one to get killed. I was going to ask mum again what a prostitute is, but she looked as me as if to say don't even ask me and came and changed the channel. Everyone round here calls the murderer the Strangler because that's how he kills the prostitutes. I'm glad my mum isn't a prostitute. It's not safe.

The Bells of St Clement's by Ian Green

The Bells of St Clement's MP3

Read by Patsy Prince

“This orange juice isn’t right,” Sophie says, and you lower your book fractionally. She is standing in the doorway of the living room wearing a peasant skirt and a dowdy jumper. Your own skirt is colourful; your own jumper is vibrant. The old CD player in the corner is playing Tom Waits and you hope this will be quick, or she will surely turn down the Tom Waits.

Boat Trip by Lucy Maddox

Click to play BOAT TRIP MP3

Read by Susan Moisan

The engine hums continuously. Water shushes against the boat’s side. Occasional chatter from other passengers floats above. The slopes around the lake are hazy in the afternoon sun. The nearest are covered in dark green cypresses and pines. Red-rooved houses clutter the foothills. In the distance, misty mountains stretch away like 2D props in a cardboard toy theatre, layers of backdrop.

Meatheads by Dean Kisling

Click to play MEATHEADS MP3

Read by Steve Wedd

I am a fictional character ... how ya doing? Being a fictional character is not what you think. You probably think I am just the invention of some writer's imagination, and not a real person like yourself. You probably think I don't have any thoughts of my own, and that I utterly cease to exist between readings.

Stories chosen for TWIST & TURN, Tue 9 April!

It's been a month of corkscrewing plots and surprise reversals down in the LL voting conclave, but finally the white smoke has risen and the stories have been chosen for our next event, TWIST & TURN this coming TUESDAY APRIL 9th. Click hereon for details of the Facebook event, and to RSVP.

As ever, tickets are £5 on the door, doors open at 7pm, show starts at 7.30. Don't miss our infamous interval quiz to win FREE BOOKS!

Our six infallible stories feature dirty weekends in Amsterdam, fictional characters who talk back, purgatorial phone trees, keys in the butter, housemate headf*cks and dead hookers. They also feature three authors brand new to Liars' League, which is nice. Plus, we'll have free Easter eggs and chocolate at the event, which is even nicer.

STORIES CHOSEN
Meatheads by Dean Kisling
Upside Down Pudding by Carolyn Eden
Call Centre by Graham Buchan
Bikes by Paul Robinson *NEW AUTHOR*
Boat Trip by Lucy Maddox *NEW AUTHOR*
The Bells of St Clements by Ian Green *NEW AUTHOR*

Deadlines
Fri 5 April: Liars' League Hong Kong seeks flash fiction (800-1200 words) on the theme of Sink & Swim.
Sun 7 April: We (LL London) want your stories on a Man & Machine theme - 800-2000 words, send to this address.

Other stuff
- Rebecca Clarke's funny and bittersweet romance Patrick (featured at Short & Sweet in February) is getting another outing - again read by the brilliant Gloria Sanders - at Stand Up Tragedy at the Hackney Attic on Friday 17th May.
- LL actress Miranda Harrison is playing the Nurse in a Romeo & Juliet reboot on Mon 29 April at the Leicester Square Theatre. Only 2 shows!
- LL writer Atar Hadari has a new echapbook out and you can download a free PDF of it here. He's a talented guy; read it.
- The League read the three winners of the Writers & Artists' Yearbook Short Story Competition in Bloomsbury last week, and they were good. Vids here.

Happy Late Easter from us!