Two fantastic pieces today. First up is Philip Sidney's haunting trip to the past via Google Maps Street-view, which was written for our wonderful Poetry Monthly brief. If you haven't tried this feature yet, do have a go - it's producing some astounding work. Our Story of the Week is Wolfboy by well-wisher. Like all good children's stories, it works on so many levels and isn't just for children. It's the best thing I've read for quite a while...

Still a couple of slots left so if you'd like to read please let me know ASAP! Following on from the roaring success in Nottingham (tha nks, VeraClark) the next ABCtales R eading E vent has been organised. Here are the details: Date: Wednesday 11th November, 2015 Venue: The Wheatsheaf Address: 25, Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia, London, W1T 1JB Time: 18:30 for a 19:00 start Nearest tube: Tottenham Court Road Link to the venue: The Wheatsheaf, 25...

Do I complain too much? I think I complain too much, even though its all in my head. I read these stories and Im like, "What the hell?", cause I can not figure out what some of these people writing about! I re-read, read out loud, read comments, and feel just blond dumb. I need a book club of opinions trying to understand what is being said. I am a problem-solver, up front, straight forward. I wanted to read a couple of stories, relax for the...

Dear John. Help. How do I send/contact you re the proposed ABC magazine? Brian

There has been marvelous poetry and prose submitted by so many people this week and what a pleasure it has been once again to have the privilege to read them. Thank you everyone. This week's winner of the the story of the week award goes to celticman for his gritty and wickedly funny throwpack piece: 10 Near Death Experiences (but there's only 5 NDEs because I'm still alive). The poem of the week award goes to Jane Hyphen for her gorgeous poem:...

Helen Ivory and George Szirtes (eds) (2012) In Their Own Words Contemporary Poets on Their Poetry. It’s poetry week on BBC 4. Last night I watched a drama that uses Simon Armitage’s poetry to dramatize the life and death of Sophie Lancaster in 2007. She and her lanky boyfriend were attacked in a park by a group of feral boys. Their attackers shoe prints and the pattern of their laces were left embedded in Sophie’s head. Black roses were the...

Mischievous wind…playing in leaves… tapping branches on windows… howling down alleys…rattling doors…empty streets…chill air…foreboding lurks round every corner…dark clouds...moonless night...glowing eyes in Orange faces…shadow witches peek from doorways…sinister forms appear in bushes…cries of fright and squeals of delight for October’s All Hallows Eve is nearly here… Halloween...A truly abandoning holiday… A day to be whatever you can dream and...

There's been a positive avalanche of quality prose this week! Two series - one finished now and one ongoing have caught my attention especially and I can thoroughly recommend them: The Trip by Jeand which starts here: http://www.abctales.com/story/jeand/trip-part-1 and Jake Mutant by Jane Hyphen which starts here: http://www.abctales.com/story/jane-hyphen/jake-mutant-chapter-one It's beautiful outside right now, but later on when it starts to...

Hello humans ! I am Liv the Grungy Whovian, and am excited to find a new writing website (my school blocked Wattpad and other sites but that's okay because, this place is awesome too!). A couple things you should know about me and my writing: 1. I am in fandoms *coughs* Doctor Who, Impractical Jokers, Sherlock, American Horror Story, etc (so don't be surprised if fandom poetry and stories appear from the Void.. *coughs* Doctor Who reference) 2...