Mike Fox

Honoured to announce the launch of my new collection, Blurred Edges – the twelve best stories I can muster at this point in time. Huge thanks to Renée Sigler @ballerinibookpress.bsky.social for this special opportunity. ballerinibookpress.ch/blurred-edge...

Every book, article, script, image & performance starts with a creator. We're proud to back the Smart Fund, a proposal that could raise up to £300m annually for creators. Read our joint letter with DACS - Design and Artists Copyright Society PICSEL & BECS: https://ow.ly/feEO5101pyj

Joyful news to share. A new story, Taking Stones to the Moon, will appear in the superb @fictivedream.bsky.social on 29th November. Where better?

Wonderfully creative use of dialogue in this precise, telling story of mother and daughter by Susmita Mukherjee. Bravo!

Four five star reviews on Goodreads and my average is 4.94. Am reminded of the teacher who couldn't bear to give anyone an A, so opted for a begrudging A-.

Email to self: when flicking between tenses in a (very) short story check you are always in the right tense. Then check again...

I won't quote, because to do so would be to reduce, but I love this - everything about it. The short story form continues to expand in scope.

In ‘The Book of Best Days’ by @chriscottom.bsky.social originally published by @northerngravy.bsky.social a man finds the book his mother kept of her life. How does it help him in his? Listen to Sherry’s Shorts to find out. Link to listen ⬇️

Finally got round to making a video for a poem of mine The Skaters at St Anne's. Give it a watch, why don't you. youtu.be/1Yto_VHVVXo?...

A joy to read this finely chosen selection from @scturnerfiction.bsky.social. Reading Sarah's insights you can see why there's such depth and acuity in her own stories. Am now inspired to revisit Sillitoe and finally get round to Claire Keegan!

Happy birthday, Sherry!

What happens when a young woman arrives in Salem during the 1692 witch trials? Join author @livimichael.bsky.social for Myth v Reality in Lois the Witch and Other Tales, exploring Elizabeth Gaskell’s haunting novella, the events behind it and other witch stories. 🎟️ Book tickets tinyurl.com/Loiswitch

'It is entirely possible, I believe, to reverse Auden's dictum that "art is born out of humiliation". From Robert Robertson's preface to 'Mortification - Writer's Stories of their Public Shame'.

@eilzabethgaskellsh.bsky.social Thanks for following. You probably know about it, but if not I'd recommend Elizabeth and Ruth by @livimichael.bsky.social. I loved it, felt I learned a great deal about Elizabeth Gaskell's life and times, and feel sure others would too.

Fantastic collection!

What gardening tips does cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin offer to a London gardener who has lost her green thumb? Listen to Sherry's Shorts today at noon UK time today on HHR.Scot. Or listen anytime with the link: www.mixcloud.com/invernesshr/...

Lovely feedback from my ss on The Cord last night 'It's so tender' 'She says 'you' she's speaking for all mothers' 'Did you notice there r 17 stanzas, and her daughter wld leave at 18?' 'First the daughter gulps, and then the mum.' 'It cld be a metaphorical fog' 'She's letting go for a second time'

Snapshots that travel beyond the focus of the lens. Imagery that speaks of a mindset. Love this involving story by @grahammort.bsky.social. Such concision.

Delighted that @sigelliterarypress.bsky.social has entered my collection, Blurred Edges, into the Firecrackers 2027 Awards for Independent Publishers, hosted by the Community of Literary Magazine and Presses. Warmest thanks to Renée for this kind show of faith.

I agree!

Thinking ahead and roughing out another collection, with much to think about. Choosing between stories with overlapping themes, close or repeating terms of expression, even in one instance changing a title. In the case of older stories difficult not to feel unfaithful...

New domain name! I’ve paid for the privallge of a .blog address. I can’t imagine how many thousands of visitors this will drive to the site 😎 kieranstorieswriter.blog/2026/09/03/o...

September's Sherry's Shorts feature stories of Abeyance, of resting, of inactivity...that lead to change. Plus, I play my favourite Dolly tune. Thanks for supporting local radio! Listen Again link: www.mixcloud.com/invernesshr/...

Very grateful to Aiden O'Reilly for his insight and subtlety of thought in this review of my collection Blurred Edges @sigelliterarypress.bsky.social. His conclusion is especially prescient as my next book will be a novella! bookmunch.wordpress.com/2026/08/29/a...

Sherry's Shorts is back after taking a summer break. Listen to the new episode today at noon UK time on hhr.scot. Two stories of abeyance--of inactivity, of stillness--or so it seems... but perhaps there is something brewing beneath the stillness... You gotta listen to find out!

On our home page as of today, in response to MANY reports of scam emails. Be careful out there!

In case you missed Hannah's Bookshelf on Saturday and would like to catch up, here's the link: www.mixcloud.com/Hannahs_Book... In the second half Hannah kindly reviewed my new collection Blurred Edges @sigelliterarypress.bsky.social

Just a reminder that my collection Blurred Edges @sigelliterarypress.bsky.social will be reviewed this afternoon on the fab Hannah's Bookshelf between 2-4pm. Hannah's show is a compendium of all things literary, so well worth a listen! hannahkate.net/north-manche...

Walked past Richard E. Grant this morning. Still discernible traces of Withnail, I'm glad to report.

Just a quick heads up that the fab Hannah Kate will be reviewing my new collection Blurred Edges @sigelliterarypress.bsky.social this Saturday. If you haven't come across Hannah's Bookshelf it's a wonderful cornucopia of readings and discussion on all things literary. hannahkate.net/north-manche...

'At my lowest, I found Mary on Facebook and considered sending her a message.' Great humour and tenderness, plus a feel for the zeitgeist, not to mention the wonderfully conversational voice, in this story by @kieranstories.bsky.social

Just had my first Goodreads review for my collection Blurred Edges @sigelliterarypress.bsky.social. And what a beauty! Thanks so much to @nodghosh.bsky.social for her kindness and thought. www.goodreads.com/book/show/25...

New blog post about my August reading. Had fun with this one! Quite a wide-ranging month: from Stormbreaker to Picnic at Hanging Rock, and the new collection by @polyscribe70.bsky.social 📚 kieranstorieswriter.wordpress.com/2026/08/29/o...

So heartened to read this review of a story by a very special writer. @nightjarpress.bsky.social

I’ve updated the blog a little bit if anyone wants to take a look. Lots of posts about reading and some stories too. 📚 kieranstorieswriter.wordpress.com/about/

Have just grafted the ending to one story (single long paragraph) onto another. Seems to fit perfectly. I wonder is this common?

Huge congratulations, Kieran - well deserved!

Doing some very preliminary thinking for another collection. and noticing some overlap, not least a worrying tendency to call female characters Annie. Wonder why – I don’t think I’ve ever met an Annie.

Ninety seconds of bliss - a gorgeous video by Alex Klingenberg, with poetry by @amantineb.bsky.social I could feel my pulse slowing... literarygypsy.substack.com/p/all-the-pl...

Am I the only person who thinks Ann Droid could be seen as a study in empathy?

There's a certain despondency I've come to associate with short story writing. Almost a need to reject. And then most often it passes. I find it helpful to remind myself of this. I suspect I'm not alone.

Congratulations on this fab review @polyscribe70.bsky.social, but more importantly on the book itself! Yes, @livimichael.bsky.social , I too, loved the '.... line of eels hung as withered exclamation marks' image 🎊

So happy to share our latest offering, Issue Twenty-Eight, Summer 2026!! It’s a tough world out here for online literary magazines and indie writers so if you love reading these stories, share them widely! 🖤

I wonder do other people discard the story but keep the title? It's something I've found myself doing a number of times now.

Slightly amazed to have had three new stories out in a fortnight. I feel prolific, which I am anything but. Thank you to Michael for selecting this nightmare from the summer of interminable lockdowns. It really is a stacked ToC. Can’t wait to read it (new Evenson!!!)

Thanks to Renée for re-posting this deep and insightful review from the wonderful @livimichael.bsky.social. Such a validation for Livi to give my stories so much care and thought.

Me talking stories with the fabulous @amantineb.bsky.social!

Re-reading these small, exquisite stories of a Surrey village by Louis de Bernières. Came out in 2009, originally published in Punch, Independent, The Times etc. Could be another era. Would they even get into print now?

A Personal Anthology always takes the summer off... but this year has been quiet all round. It will be starting up again in September, and I'm keen to round up potential contributors. Get in touch if you're a fan of short stories and would like to share your favourites! apersonalanthology.com

Appear to have taken late learning to a new level. Decades on it has dawned on me that alphabet derives from alpha, beta...