Events in September 2024

Poetry at the Pank (Heritage Open Days event)
Friday 6th September
11.00–1.00pm
Pankhurst Museum
I'll be running a creative writing workshop as part of my role at the Pankhurst Museum
Booking Link

Poetry at the Pank (Heritage Open Days event)
Thursday 12th September
6.00–8.00pm
Pankhurst Museum
I'll be running a creative writing workshop as part of my role at the Pankhurst Museum
Booking Link

Robin Hood Walk in the Woods (Heritage Open Days event)
Saturday 14th September
11.00–12.00pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a fun, creative walk in the woods with a Robin Hood theme
Booking Link

Medieval Romance Walk in the Woods (Heritage Open Days event)
Saturday 14th September
6.00–7.00pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a walk in the woods with tales taken from medieval literature
Booking Link

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 15th September
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting an online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Autumn Equinox Walk and Talk
Wednesday 18th September
11.00–12.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a gentle, social walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Autumn Equinox Poetry in the Park
Wednesday 18th September
2.00–5.00pm
Castlerea House
I'll be running a seasonal poetry and storytelling workshop session in the park for residents at Castlerea care home
Private Event

Autumn Equinox Walk in the Park
Saturday 21st September
11.00–12noon
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be leading a gentle, social walk in the park to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Hannah's Bookshelf Autumn Equinox Special
Saturday 21st September
2.00–4.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf / North Manchester FM
I'll be hosting a special seasonal edition of my regular radio show on North Manchester FM, including Autumn Equinox-themed flash fiction
Submission Link

Autumn Equinox Walk in the Woods
Saturday 21st September
5.30–6.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a gentle, social walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Park Write - Autumn Writing
Saturday 28th September
2.00–5.00pm
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be running a creative writing workshop in the park with a seasonal writing theme
Booking Link

Interested in booking me for an event? Click here to find out more.

OUT NOW: Coffin Bell, Vol. 7, No. 3

A new issue of online journal Coffin Bell, featuring my story ‘The Third Uncle George’…

Coffin Bell is an online journal of dark literature edited by Tamara Burross Grisanti and a staff of volunteer editors. They publish poetry, flash fiction, short stories, creative nonfiction, essay, short criticism, and art exploring dark themes.

Contents:

Flash Fiction

'The Night Watcher' and 'I look in the mirror and she looks back' by Emmanuelle Knappenberger
'There’s No Such Thing as a Free Meal' by T. L. Sherwood
'Hope' by James Haig
'Vu Ahin Zol Ikh Geyn' by Cor de Wulf
'The Last Days' by Martin Andrew

Short Story

'Jamais Vu' by Maureen Mancini Amaturo
'The Besom' by Linda Boroff
'Itchy Trigger Finger' by Steve Levandoski
'The Third Uncle George' by Hannah Kate
'Explorations in the Waste Quarter' by James Owens
'Rat Trap' by Valerie E. Polichar
'Sympathetic Magick' by Bradford Gyori
'Tunnel' by Wes Blake
'We’ll Be Together Forever' by Ken Derry
'Trophies' by Melissa Pleckham
'Abimelech' by Jude Dexter
'The Creep' by Sian Jones
'The Station' by Raven Burnett
'Blackout' by Bailey Bujnosek
'Cool, Dark Stranger' by Katie Nickas
'Gertrude 1896 – 1927' by Jessalyn LeBlanc
'Soft News Night' by Jeanne Dickey
'The King of Spit' by Phil Keeling

Poetry

'Winter Commute' by Elisabeth Horan
'How Your Body Was Found', 'Nika' and 'A Calling Closer' by Leila Farjami
'Ghazal of the Cimmerians' by Christian Chase Garner
'My Husband, Ted Bundy', 'My Uncle, John Wayne Gacy, Visits Me', 'My First and Only Date with Herb Baumeister' and 'Potential Victim of David Berkowitz' by Sarah Lilius
'sod' by Leyla Guirand

For to read this issue, please visit the Coffin Bell website.

Events in August 2024

Walk in the Woods with Woodland Friends
Wednesday 7th August
11.00–12.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a gentle walk in the woods with a fun woodland craft activity
Booking Link

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 18th August
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting an online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Walk in the Woods - My Bailey's Wood Journey
Wednesday 21st August
11.00–12.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a gentle walk in the woods with a fun woodland art activity
Booking Link

Park Write - Place Writing
Saturday 24th August
2.00–5.00pm
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be running a creative writing workshop in the park with a place writing theme
Booking Link

Interested in booking me for an event? Click here to find out more.

Lammas: Day 2

A bit more Lammas-y fun today, on the second day of our annual seasonal celebrations.

Breakfast in the Woods

Cinnamon swirl in Bailey's Wood for breakfast!

Litter-Pick in the Woods

It was the monthly Friends of Bailey's Wood litter-pick in the woods this morning. Not strictly speaking a seasonal thing, but I took the opportunity to enjoy the many late summer flowers (which are already attracting plenty of butterflies).

Hannah’s Bookshelf Lammas Special

This afternoon was the Hannah's Bookshelf Lammas Special on North Manchester FM. I played a few seasonal songs, and some Lammas-themed flash fiction from nine fantastic writers. And then we had scones and Welsh cakes at the studio to celebrate!

Events in July 2024

Park Write - Nature Writing
Saturday 20th July
2.00–5.00pm
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be running a creative writing workshop in the park with a nature writing theme
Booking Link

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 21st July
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting an online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Hannah's Bookshelf Lammas Special
Saturday 27th July
2.00–4.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf / North Manchester FM
I'm hosting a special seasonal edition of my regular radio show on North Manchester FM, including Summer Solstice-themed flash fiction
Submission Link

Late Summer Walk in the Park
Monday 29th July
6.00–7.00pm
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be leading a sociable walk in the park to enjoy nature and the changing seasons
Booking Link

Lammas Walk in the Woods
Tuesday 30th July
6.30–7.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a sociable walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Lammas Stories
Wednesday 31st July
2.00–4.00pm
Castlerea House
I'm running a seasonal poetry and storytelling workshop session for residents at Castlerea care home
Private Event

Interested in booking me for an event? Click here to find out more.

Lammas Stories Wanted for Hannah’s Bookshelf on North Manchester FM

Submit your seasonal flash fiction to be played on Hannah’s Bookshelf this July!

Can you tell a seasonal story in just 3 minutes? Want to have your work played on the radio? This month, I’m looking for seasonal (Lammas, summer harvest) flash fiction from around the world for inclusion on Hannah’s Bookshelf, the weekly literature show on North Manchester FM.

On Saturday 27th July, I’ll be hosting the Hannah’s Bookshelf Lammas Special, and as part of my seasonal special, I’ll be playing a selection of my favourite 3-minute stories on the show (broadcast on FM and on digital). Want to be part of it? Submit a recording of your seasonally inflected story (maximum 3 minutes) by midnight on Monday 22nd July.

All genres welcome – be they cosy, romantic, scary or sad. The only rules are that stories must be your own original work, have some connection to the season, and be in English (the language of the broadcast). And please ease off the swears – stories have to be radio friendly! All you need is a microphone and a story – once you’re ready to submit your story, click on the ‘Start Recording’ button on my website to record your story and submit it. Remember to enter your name and email address when submitting your story.

If you aren’t able to submit via a recording and would like another method of taking part, please message via my website for more information.

Please share this call with anyone who you think might be interested – I’d like to cast the net as wide as possible. My favourite seasonal stories will be broadcast on the Hannah’s Bookshelf Lammas Special at 2pm on Saturday 27th July, on digital radio and 106.6FM.

Midsummer: Day 5

It's the fifth day of our Midsummer celebrations this year, and it was a bit of a busy one (with an absolutely lovely trip out in the evening).

Crumpsall Park Summer Solstice Walk

This morning, I led a Summer Solstice-themed walk for Friends of Crumpsall Park, enjoying the natural world and folklore of the season. As one of the participants was blind, I turned it into a tactile, sensory walk, where we explored the summer through touch, sound and smell instead of sight.

Hannah’s Bookshelf Midsummer Special

This afternoon was the Hannah's Bookshelf Midsummer Special on North Manchester FM. I had seasonal flash fiction from twelve writers, plus summer-themed music and some seasonal chat from me. Also... jam tarts!

Cheetham Close Stone Circle

After my show, we headed up to our local stone circle: Cheetham Close in Bolton. We came here last year and just fell in love with the place. Although the stone circle is likely Bronze Age, it was destroyed by a farmer with a sledgehammer in the 1870s. However, some of the stones (or fragments of them) are still there, nestled in the landscape. You have to know where to look, but when you find it, it's truly magical.

Sunny Days Tea

We took a moment at Cheetham Close to enjoy the season, accompanied by a little taste of Sunny Days from Tugboat Tea.

Events in June 2024

Summer Solstice Walk and Talk in the Woods
Wednesday 19th June
11.00–12.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a gentle, sociable walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Summer Solstice Poetry in the Park
Wednesday 19th June
1.00–4.00pm
Castlerea House
I'm running a seasonal poetry and storytelling workshop session in the park for residents at Castlerea care home
Private Event

Summer Solstice Walk in the Woods
Wednesday 19th June
6.30–7.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a sociable walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Summer Solstice Walk in the Park
Saturday 22nd June
11.00–12noon
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be leading a sociable walk in the park to enjoy nature and the changing seasons
Booking Link

Hannah's Bookshelf Midsummer Special
Saturday 22nd June
2.00–4.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf / North Manchester FM
I'm hosting a special seasonal edition of my regular radio show on North Manchester FM, including Summer Solstice-themed flash fiction
Submission Link

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 30th June
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting an online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Interested in booking me for an event? Click here to find out more.

Beltane: Day 7

It's the final day of our Beltane celebrations! Just two more seasonal events left before the wheel turns, but they're both good 'uns.

Late Spring Walk in the Park

I led a Late Spring Walk in the Park for Friends of Crumpsall Park this morning. Tons of bluebells, apple blossom and oak leaves to herald the season!

Hannah’s Bookshelf Beltane Special

This afternoon was the Hannah's Bookshelf Beltane Special on North Manchester FM, featuring twelve original pieces of seasonal flash fiction, all inspired by Beltane and the beginning of May.

And so the wheel of the year turns. We'll be celebrating again at Midsummer.

Midsummer Stories Wanted for Hannah’s Bookshelf on North Manchester FM

Submit your seasonal flash fiction to be played on Hannah’s Bookshelf this June!

Can you tell a seasonal story in just 3 minutes? Want to have your work played on the radio? This month, I’m looking for seasonal (Summer) flash fiction from around the world for inclusion on Hannah’s Bookshelf, the weekly literature show on North Manchester FM.

On Saturday 22nd June, I’ll be hosting the Hannah’s Bookshelf Midsummer Special, and as part of my seasonal special, I’ll be playing a selection of my favourite 3-minute stories on the show (broadcast on FM and on digital). Want to be part of it? Submit a recording of your seasonally inflected story (maximum 3 minutes) by midnight on Monday 17th June.

All genres welcome – be they cosy, romantic, scary or sad. The only rules are that stories must be your own original work, have some connection to the season, and be in English (the language of the broadcast). And please ease off the swears – stories have to be radio friendly! All you need is a microphone and a story – once you’re ready to submit your story, click on the ‘Start Recording’ button on my website to record your story and submit it. Remember to enter your name and email address when submitting your story.

If you aren’t able to submit via a recording and would like another method of taking part, please message via my website for more information.

Please share this call with anyone who you think might be interested – I’d like to cast the net as wide as possible. My favourite seasonal stories will be broadcast on the Hannah’s Bookshelf Midsummer Special at 2pm on Saturday 22nd June, on digital radio and 106.6FM.

Events in May 2024

Beltane Walk in the Woods
Friday 3rd May
5.30–6.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a sociable walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Late Spring Walk in the Park
Saturday 4th May
11.00–12noon
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be leading a sociable walk in the park to enjoy nature and the changing seasons
Booking Link

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 12th May
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting an online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Woodland Fairy Walk
Wednesday 29th May
11.00-12noon
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a creative walk in Bailey's Wood, hunting for fairies (suitable for all ages)
Booking Link

Dark Fairy Folklore in the Woods
Wednesday 29th May
6.00-7.00pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a woodland walk with dark and creepy tales of fairy folklore (suitable for ages 12+)
Booking Link

Interested in booking me for an event? Click here to find out more.

Beltane Stories Wanted for Hannah’s Bookshelf on North Manchester FM

Submit your seasonal flash fiction to be played on Hannah’s Bookshelf this May!

Can you tell a seasonal story in just 3 minutes? Want to have your work played on the radio? This month, I’m looking for seasonal (May Day, Beltane, Spring) flash fiction from around the world for inclusion on Hannah’s Bookshelf, the weekly literature show on North Manchester FM.

On Saturday 4th May, I’ll be hosting the first Hannah’s Bookshelf Beltane Special, and as part of my seasonal special, I’ll be playing a selection of my favourite 3-minute stories on the show (broadcast on FM and on digital). Want to be part of it? Submit a recording of your seasonally inflected story (maximum 3 minutes) by midnight on Thursday 25th April.

All genres welcome – be they cosy, romantic, scary or sad. The only rules are that stories must be your own original work, have some connection to the season, and be in English (the language of the broadcast). And please ease off the swears – stories have to be radio friendly! All you need is a microphone and a story – once you’re ready to submit your story, click on the ‘Start Recording’ button on my website to record your story and submit it. Remember to enter your name and email address when submitting your story.

If you aren’t able to submit via a recording and would like another method of taking part, please message via my website for more information.

Please share this call with anyone who you think might be interested – I’d like to cast the net as wide as possible. My favourite seasonal stories will be broadcast on the Hannah’s Bookshelf Beltane Special at 2pm on Saturday 4th May, on digital radio and 106.6FM.

Events in April 2024

Nature Walk in the Woods
Monday 1st April
11.00–12noon
Friends of Bailey's Wood
Dr A.P. Rankster will be leading a gentle, social walk in the woods... with a twist!
Booking Link

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 21st April
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting an online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Spring Equinox Stories Wanted for Hannah’s Bookshelf on North Manchester FM

Submit your seasonal flash fiction to be played on Hannah’s Bookshelf this March!

Can you tell a seasonal story in just 3 minutes? Want to have your work played on the radio? This month, I’m looking for seasonal (Spring) flash fiction from around the world for inclusion on Hannah’s Bookshelf, the weekly literature show on North Manchester FM.

On Saturday 16th March, I’ll be hosting the first Hannah’s Bookshelf Spring Equinox Special, and as part of my seasonal special, I’ll be playing a selection of my favourite 3-minute stories on the show (broadcast on FM and on digital). Want to be part of it? Submit a recording of your seasonally inflected story (maximum 3 minutes) by midnight on Monday 11th March.

All genres welcome – be they cosy, romantic, scary or sad. The only rules are that stories must be your own original work, have some connection to the season, and be in English (the language of the broadcast). And please ease off the swears – stories have to be radio friendly! All you need is a microphone and a story – once you’re ready to submit your story, click on the ‘Start Recording’ button on my website to record your story and submit it. Remember to enter your name and email address when submitting your story.

If you aren’t able to submit via a recording and would like another method of taking part, please message via my website for more information.

Please share this call with anyone who you think might be interested – I’d like to cast the net as wide as possible. My favourite seasonal stories will be broadcast on the Hannah’s Bookshelf Spring Equinox Special at 2pm on Saturday 16th March, on digital radio and 106.6FM.

Imbolc: Day 1

It's Imbolc! But, sadly, a bit of a quiet one for us this year, as we've both come down with horrible colds that have completely derailed our plans for the season. I'm gutted, because I really love Imbolc, and we had to cancel a few of our seasonal celebrations last year for various reasons. Here's hoping this isn't a sign of things to come this year. Sigh.

Imbolc Litter-Pick

It was the monthly Friends of Bailey's Wood litter-pick today. Rob wasn't well enough to make it, but I limped on and enjoyed finding some seasonal things in the woods. I'm glad I did, because I found some Scarlet Elf Cups! First time I've ever seen these mushrooms in real life!

Hannah’s Bookshelf Imbolc Special

This afternoon was the Hannah's Bookshelf Imbolc Special on North Manchester FM. I shared some seasonal stories and folklore, and then we had some original seasonal flash fiction submitted by four writers. I also contributed a story this time - 'Two Player Mode', a light-hearted take on the Imbolc season. And there were Imbolc cakes too, which I shared with the volunteers at the community centre where the NMFM studio is based.