Fosseway Writers

Last Thursday, we drove out of Nottingham through shrieks and bangs and bonfire smoke. The night air smelt deliciously charred, even after the fireworks were reduced to crackles in the distance, a glimpse of glitter beyond the woods - even as the landscape emptied, darkening and deepening all around us. During the journey, we must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. There didn't seem to be any road signs, but there were a great many trees . . .

It was the perfect beginning to an evening spent discussing horror stories.

After we had finished being lost (I am indeed highly skilled at getting lost) I was welcomed with coffee and biscuits by the bright and lovely people of Fosseway Writers group. I'd had the honor of judging their horror short story competition and I'd been invited along to their meeting to announce the winners. It was a very enjoyable evening, great to put faces and names to all those words and to hear the entries brought to vivid, unsettling (undead) life as they were read aloud. The whole judging experience, though very tough, was hugely rewarding and I felt truly privileged to have been involved.

While the night might have pressed cold and black against the car window, the reception from Fosseway writers couldn't have been warmer. I love being around other people who love writing - it's so inspiring. Thank you tons.