The band sit waiting on the small, makeshift stage. Behind them, and perched upright against the freshly painted wall, a guitar case is unintentionally lit by spotlight. One carefully placed sticker urges us to ‘Protect the NHS!’ A pink shirt-clad middle-aged white man, well-groomed, well-shod and well-spoken moves up to the microphone, looks around, and purposely clears [read more…]
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Diary of a Crime Writer
Belinda Saddington
I lift my eyes from the computer screen to focus on the books on the shelves behind. They’re tightly packed and I’m too short-sighted to read the names on the spines. Except for A Beginner’s Guide to Plato, which lurches from behind a half-empty bottle of schnapps. I wish I could remember how that got there. The [read more…]
Temper
Scott Watson
Temper You say I’ve got a temper That I’m always seeing anger That I need to be calmer And that makes me angrier Coz’ your words light fires That spiral higher In my head-case tower That spits louder Words to counter And make you cower. Limbs stretch and flex to combat Because caged in this thin plastic failing Are scorched [read more…]
Why I’ve been writing short stories during lockdown
Sarah Hunter
A few weeks into lockdown, I wrote an article on my blog called ‘Is it ok to not be writing?’ It felt like every other writer out there had taken lockdown as a creative opportunity. I was bombarded with social media statuses: ‘another thousand words down,’ ‘novel finished.’ Was I the only one who was struggling to put pen to [read more…]
An Evening at the Masked Ball
Stuart Larner
Getting ready. Blue satin strapless mermaid dress, shoulder-grazing chandelier earrings. Lace-adorned plunging open back, frilled with intricate ruffles flattering my body. Silver choker, pedicured toes peeking, tall stilettos. Elbow-length velvet gloves. Sexy luxury. My consort: elegant black tuxedo, bowtie, crisp white shirt, formal waistcoat, silver cufflinks with our initials, shoe-laced shiny black Oxfords. To set it all off, this season’s [read more…]
Haikus on Covid 19 in the UK
Subitha Baghirathan
1. Hands parch’d from washing. Touching elbows the new hug. Christmas style food shop. 2. Resolute attempts To change the topic flounder Uncertainty thrives. 3. A cough provokes glares, Suspicion, paranoia. Ill-health magnified. 4. Isolation rule Those already lonely droop Anxieties spike. 5. Neighbours’ compassion: Helpful interest, care, support. Precious spirit felt. Biography Subitha is a Sri Lankan woman, [read more…]
The Perfect Storm
Grevil Quinn
The piece below is based on an edited conversation between artist Grevil Quinn and Paper Nations researcher Christina Sanders. Grevil lives on a narrow boat just outside Bath. He used to live in a Bedford TK. He has worked as a lorry driver, builder, drummer, clown and parent. He writes songs, and poems – sporadically at the moment. My writing [read more…]
This Too
Judy Darley
The parched ground beneath our bleached blonde lawn is cracking. I watch comb-footed spiders hide and seek among stems, and the ants that prefer to play Sardines in the flowerbed where we buried the cat last spring. The midday heat ripples beneath a swift’s soaring cry. I listen out for the landline ringing. At the doctor’s surgery, [read more…]
Coming Out of Lockdown: Some Reflections
Nick Sorenson
Nick is writing a series of blogs for Paper Nations, looking at how the writing landscape is changing, and reporting back from the front line of writing support: what is ‘out there’ and how is it helping him develop as a writer and member of the writing community? With some caution, and no little sense of relief, we are moving [read more…]
Once Upon a Lockdown
Josephine Corcoran
Rosebud Once upon a tightly folded rosebud a letter from the Prime Minister arrives. It is Friday. Or maybe Monday. There are bluebells in the garden. I wash out jars: jam, pickle, marmalade. Bring buttercups inside. The supermarket emails about queues. My shelves are flower-filled. In my Instagram window, I listen to the news. Perhaps it’s Tuesday. Unfolding Once upon [read more…]