Leap into Fly on The Wall Press’ first-ever Short Story Season this 2021 to let six authors inspire, impassion, shock and captivate you. Subscribers will be treated to a bi-monthly limited edition short story, engaging with a specific social or political focus to subvert expectations.
The first, ‘Pigskin’ by David Hartley, takes readers to an Orwellian farm of dark satire.
David Hartley interrogates the ethics of farming and the potential problems of genetic engineering. This tale will leave you questioning our relationship to the food – or animals – we eat.
“Pigskin is a knife-sharp, knowing fable about animal instincts and human ingenuity. David Hartley has a gift for creating stories that leave scars.”
- Aliya Whiteley, author of The Loosening Skin.
Mark Wilson’s ‘PowerPoint Eulogy’ takes you through the life of Bill Motluck.
This story will have you confused, amused, and in awe of ‘this one-of-a-kind collection so impossible to put down’ as states Mark Rader, Author of ‘The Wanting Life’.
Socially-engaged 'Muscle and Mouth' describes Manchester’s layers of society, as young men are interviewed about their hometown and the extent to which they want to leave it.
“A beautifully written and compelling story”
- Kerry Hudson, Award-Winning Author of ‘Lowborn’
‘Muscle and Mouth made me feel the fracture of my own northern identity deep in my gut. It made me ache for home. It reminded me that leaving a place means giving pieces of yourself away; your rawness, your language and a certain kind of love. Louise Finnigan is a writer to watch.’
- Jessica Andews, Author of ‘Saltwater’ and Winner of 2020 Portico Prize
'Hassan’s Zoo' is Ruth Brandt's quietly unsettling narrative of a young boy who cares deeply for the animals he tends to.
When American soldiers invade Iraq searching for weapons of mass destruction, Kesari the Bengal tiger and other wildlife are at the mercy of guns and keeper, Hassan.
'How To Bring Him Back' by Claire HM plunges you into 1990s Birmingham.
At twenty-one, Cait is caught between Stadd, who’s stable, funny, compatible as a friend, and her compulsive sexual attraction with Rik.
Narrator Cait picks up her pen from her yearly writing retreat in Aberystwyth, to reflect on her youth, the dynamics of desire, and regret.
Clare Reddaway’s ‘The Guts of a Mackerel’ is a compelling tale of political division in Ireland, told from the perspective of Eve, a teenage girl.
As former friends turn into enemies, and this country of childhood memory is suddenly a lot less welcoming.
Before you subscribe, know there is a risk. This excellently compiled Short Story Season may cause some readers to question accepted society, and re-examine the lens through which we see the world...
These tales will linger with you, cause you to notice the pebble in your shoe you've been carrying around with you. Whether you're interested in being given food for thought, soul-searching or compassion, these six narratives will take you on a year-long journey you might never forget.
Check out pre-orders for the Subscription here (and save yourself a massive 20% plus signed limited-edition postcards from each author!)
