1. Can you tell us how you became a flash fiction writer? What have you enjoyed most about putting this collection together?
I hadn’t realised flash fiction was a “thing” when I started writing seriously for publication. I’d been writing short stories for a while and having some of them published on CafeLit when they issued their famous 100 words challenge.
My first thought was you have to be kidding me, you can’t tell a proper story with a proper beginning, middle and end in that tight a word count. My second thought was CafeLit wouldn’t have ssued that challenge if it really was impossible.
I went with my second thought and three flash fiction collections with Chapeltown Books later (and many flash pieces published elsewhere too), I am glad I went that way!
I’ll always be grateful to CafeLit for introducing me to a wonderful format to read and write in. It is my great hope flash fiction could tempt in the more reluctant reader given it isn’t asking folk to commit to too much in one go. And once you get them reading flash, maybe they’ll read more and then longer works etc.
As for putting Seeing The Other Side Together, I loved how the stories flow seamlessly into each other. I especially liked my linked flash fiction where the same character and/or setting turns up in more than one flash story. It was good to experiment with that. I love the mixture of funny, thoughtful and darker pieces. It’s a good reflection of my writing style.
2. Do you have a personal favorite in this collection?
This is always a tough question. I am very fond of Time For A Change where a super intelligent dragon comes across an unusual type of human. The story is also a kind of tribute to a well known person too.
I read this story at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick in 2025 when I knew the book would be coming out. They hold an Open Prose Mic Night and I try to take part in it most years. I read the story to test how it would go down well with the audience. They loved it and I received some smashing comments about it afterwards too. So I think I’ll pick this one.
3. Can you tell us something about the cover?
I’ve always loved the square nature of the Chapeltown flash collections. They make the books stand out. The framed front cover is fabulous and I deeply appreciate having some input with the choice of the picture which goes into that square frame. Not every author gets the chance to have that input.
Over the years with the three books I now have out with Chapeltown, I’ve received many lovely comments about the square books and the frame on the front. It is excellent branding. It is also fun picking a suitable picture to go with the nature of the book.
4. What advice would you give to writers who want to write flash fiction?
Get your story down first and worry about the word count later. As the saying goes, you can’t edit a blank page. Focus on the character. The shorter the word count the less room you have for manoeuvre so focus on them - one character, one important moment in time for them. Everything has to serve the story and its “star”.
Once you’ve got the story down, rest it for a while and then come back for editing. With the break away, you can then spot more easily things you could express better, for example. During that break you can draft another story of course. This is what I do.
5. Do you have a favourite writer yourself?
I have many favourite writers but I think I will have to pick the late, much missed Sir Terry Pratchett for introducing me to humorous fantasy. His Discworld series is excellent and makes fantasy fiction relatable too, I think.
6. What other genre do you write in? What’s next? Do you have another project planned?
I write standard length short stories too. I also write non-fiction articles for online magazines, Chandler’s Ford Today, where I have a weekly column, and Writers’ Narrative, which comes out monthly. I have another flash collection to work on and I also have ideas for non-fiction books. Now for the time to get them done!
7. Do you have any book events planned?
I’m pleased to say I have had two for Seeing The Other Side so far. One was at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, where delegates are allowed to have launches for their books in the year of first publication as long as they’re at the school. That was a huge success. I sold out my copies of Seeing The Other Side there.
I’ve also had a good event at Salisbury URC. They run a monthly bookstall to raise funds and, as I have connections there, they invited me to join in with that. They’ve also invited me back to take part in their Christmas Fayre which I will do in November. I hope there will be more events too.
Many thanks, Gill, for inviting me on to your blog.
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