Strong Enough
Growing up is not as fun as we thought it would be when we were young. It’s a funny thing that can not even be described as a process, but more as a sudden event. We wake up one day, […]
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Winner Annoucement: CLIMATE FICTION Award
Who has lost their faith in the other first? That’s a (rhetorical) question from Judge J on this week’s winning entry. If there’s a consistent theme through the CLIMATE FICTION stories, it’s of characters searching for humanity. Be it human […]
The CLIMATE FICTION Short List
If you haven’t already, check out our write up on Climate Fiction The CLIMATE FICTION award asked authors to focus on climate change and how it might affect characters, their relationships, and their way of life. The stories this week do […]
New Website Launch
Hi everyone, hope you love the new site design as much as we do. Here’s a quick breakdown of the features Orientation Awards, past and present, can be found under the Awards and Collaborations Page. There’s a neat filter that […]
What Are Collaborations?
What are Collaborations? The concept behind the collaborations is about 90% anarchy 10% organised workshop. A typical collaboration partners a group of writers together with an editor and cover artist to produce a short story collection for publication. You can […]
Fifty Shades of Syntax: Q&A with Alayna Cole
Alayna is a fourth year university student, writer, and currently manages the Needle In The Hay tumblr. She’s been gracious enough to answer a few questions, so here we go. Martin: Tell us a little about the novel you’re working […]
Winner Announcement: RUSTED GATE Award
First up a warm welcome to all our newcomers: Mel Watts, Jess Grimmonds, Laurence Deam and Saskia Griffiths, and special shout outs to Debb Bouch and Disapol Savetsila, who scored really well, closely missing out on the top three. This […]
Wet t-shirts, dystopias, and other cli-fi misconceptions debunked
“No more clocks that strike 13 and starships to Mars. We need to save the earth first.” – Dan Bloom, 2014 I was thirteen when I saw my first climate fiction (a.k.a. ‘cli-fi’) film, although I didn’t have that name […]
City Of Roses by Candace Davis
‘Remember, beautiful things grow in the most unlikely places.’ He held out a cardboard box with pink, hand painted roses that seemed to soften in his weathered hands. Rosie was old enough to know that when a man gave her something […]
A Testing Time by Debb Bouch
There it was, nestled in velvet and lustrous in soft light from a concealed spot. Several other small collectibles lay scattered tastefully around it within the confines of the glass cabinet. No doubt about it though, the Faberge egg was […]
Separation by Ingrid Coram
My eyes settle on the golden green Napoleonic Fabergé egg which sits, perching, encased in strong glass. The bustling Metropolitan Museum of Art surrounds me, its walls threatening to close in at any moment. I exhale and walk to […]
Pierre’s Museum by Disapol Savetsila
They like to say Pierre brought unhappiness to our town, but that’s bull. He made us realise how unhappy we were. That’s why everyone is gathering to burn down Pierre’s house. They’re at the school hall, officially there for […]
The Bus Stop by Sarah Gates
Even the walls of the cinema are specked with dirt and grime, ash from the ciggies and gum from the smoker’s mouths. Occasionally some schmuck drifts out with a small shovel and a mop. They always have pimpled faces and […]
Coop D’etat by Jess Grimmond
Macy stared up at the ceiling as another drop of condensation narrowly missed her head and splashed onto the pillow. For nearly an hour now she’d been playing a game of Russian roulette with the air conditioner which was working […]
Inheritance by Mel Watts
If I hadn’t been so stricken by Gran’s fragile state, I probably would never have agreed to her outlandish request. I had a mountain of work waiting for me back on the farm and here I was jet setting across […]
Alcoholic Ice Cream by Laurence Deam
“Each day I stress out” I said as I pulled my jacket off my right arm and hung it on the rack. “About what?” said the glassy-eyed, older-age psychologist, pushing a bit of hair up above the rim of her […]
Rusted Path In Marriage and Community by Saskia Griffith
Katrina Miller stood at the door awaiting the arrival of her husband. They were married for one year upon their parents request. Patrick, her husband did manipulative things to her. In fact, both of them were manipulating each other. They […]
Winner Announcement: FOREVER ENDING STORY Award
Before we get to it, I just wanted to welcome our first timers, Laura Solomon, Lisa Ducasse, Chinelo Oputa, Yiyu Xiang, Ingrid Coram and Gabriela Blagoeva. It’s great to see fresh faces from such a diverse set of locations. So we […]
Winner Announcement INGLORIOUS FOODIE Winner
We only received a handful of submissions for our latest poetry award, but that shouldn’t take the shine off our winner. Congratulations to Alice Griffith, who won with her submission, Belly Belly. Thanks to everyone who participated […]
Try To Avoid Standing In The Light Of The Fridge by Mia Gypsy
try to avoid standing in the light of the fridge, it’s blue, unflattering when I think of food I think of feasting serious feasting long wooden tables laden with dishes dishes piled high with pastries, fruit, […]
Belly, Belly by Alice Griffiths
Belly, belly Be my world, Sphere bigger Than the starved unheard. Grumble When food’s in sight, Bloat more By every day and night. The other day I noted, cheap. A Jetstar flight In but a week. The destination? India! […]
Blue Hats by Roderick Lenz
AUDIO ONLY The little one sits empty bowl on her head A noodly smile Her friend far away empty bowl in her hand waits for the men in blue hats
Winner Annoucement: PAST IS STUFFED Award
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this was an amazing short list. Eleven high quality entries that tackled the theme in a variety of poignant and often funny ways. From a washed up comedian to […]
Camilla by Kirstin Whalen
We got fish and chips on the beach and Camilla was there because she didn’t want me to be the only one having fish and chips with the boy she cheated on her boyfriend with. Freddy. That was the […]
Prized Possession by Guem Hye
You consider me a prude. Yes, I do have a fear of contamination. You will insist that it is a fear of contact, intimacy, eruption, and I will insist that it is not. How well paired we are. I rehearse […]
The Jungle Room by Alexander Konnaris
The man unfolded his hands. A mouse sat content in his palm, a grey mouse with small crystalline eyes. The two little sparkles shone with a black brilliance in his palm. ‘I started out with this one.’ He husked […]
Nothing Good On TV by Lance Cross
Pete walked into the kitchen holding Fluffy like she was a dead cat. ‘What’s wrong with Fluffy?’ I asked. ‘She’s dead.’ ‘She can’t be,’ I said. ‘I saw her five minutes ago pigging down cat food.’ ‘Yeah. And two minutes […]
A Peculiar Gift by Daniel Norrish
Disordered and slipshod. Unprofessional and slapdash. Damien’s efforts were rooted in kindness as he pulled and jerked at the still warm skin of the kangaroo. Occasionally he paused to wipe the organic filth from between his fingers through his […]
Mo by Maya Spore
Ah, welcome, welcome, dear visitors. Welcome to the Hunter’s Lodge. So nice to see fresh faces again around this place. Let me introduce myself, I am Mo, Head of Decorations here. I’ve had this position for over fifty years already. […]
No One Likes A Critic by Debb Bouch
“It ain’t right yet. Seems like there’s something missing. I just ain’t worked out what yet. What do you think?” I shudder. “It’s gruesome enough. Does it have to be quite so…bloody?” A smile crawls slowly up his face, never […]