Category: Writing

My Uncle’s Voice

Margaret Chittenden observed: “Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do much the same thing.” Instead of staring at a wall, I was walking my dog when I heard my uncle’s voice.

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The Seven Deadly Sins

Tyson leaned against the bar, waiting for his cocktail and staring at his reflection in the mirror above the drinks display. A late-thirties sales manager on the rise, he wore a few smile lines and flecks of grey, but thankfully, there was no sign of a receding hairline. Tyson winked at himself. With luck, he wouldn’t leave the singles bar alone tonight.

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Tall And True Short Reads – The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts – Prologue: The Clinic

Episode 102 (6 February 2025): The terrace house door creaks open, and the women sitting in the converted front room glance at the newcomers: another nervous-looking young woman in her late teens or early twenties and an older woman, probably her mother, judging by their shared chubby features. The two women cross to the receptionist’s desk.

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Viral Thoughts

I enjoyed the pub last night, chatting with old friends, and I wish Ellie had joined us. But I should have listened to her, drank less, and popped a blocker. I’ll get no sympathy from Ellie today, waking with a hangover and viral thoughts I feel compelled to share.

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Nick’s Helper

The job offer notification pops up on my phone early on Christmas Eve. It’s a short-term role helping with overnight deliveries. The regular delivery driver has hurt his back and needs an offsider for heavy lifting. Once, I would have declined the job and spent Christmas Eve with my kids.

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#30Words30Days November 2024

In April, June and September 2024, Danielle Baldock (@WritingDani) ran a #30Words30Days microfiction challenge on Twitter/X, posting daily prompts and inviting the #WritingCommunity to share our 30-word creations. Despite NaNoWriMo in November, I hoped Dani would run a fourth challenge. And she did!

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Sci-fi or Speculative Fiction?

Zing and Zap’s flying saucer orbited the barren planet. “Why didn’t global warming galvanise them into action?” Zing asked. It seems they were too busy posting cat videos,” Zap replied. I wrote this 30-word story for September 2024’s #30Words30Days challenge on Twitter/X. Is it sci-fi or speculative fiction?

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A Five-Act Play on Humanity

Your William Shakespeare crafted clever lines with hidden meanings, like, “All the world’s a stage.” It’s as if he had insight into my five-act play on my pet subject, humanity. Act One: Earth is a Garden of Eden. A troop of apes descends from the trees and totters on two legs on the African savannah.

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Stolen Passions

Dad probably hoped to take his secrets to the grave, but a heart attack scuppered his plans. “Will you come back for the funeral, Aaron?” my sister, Becky, asked when she called with the news. “Yes, of course,” I replied. “And can you stay a few days to help Mum and me tidy up Dad’s stuff?”

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Published December 2024

"For Alex his the Adaptive Generation, AI was a logical step in human evolution. It enhanced life, leaving them feeling less stressed and anxious. AI also offered hope for mitigating and adapting to the existential effects of climate change."

One Day in the Life of Alex's AI and Other Speculative Fiction
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Published November 2023

By definition, brevity is the key to good microfiction. There is no time for plot and character development, so every word must count. ~ Robert Fairhead

Tall And True Microfiction by Robert Fairhead
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Published September 2022

I hope readers enjoy the short story journeys in Twelve More Furious Months and make it home in time for dinner. ~ Robert Fairhead

Twelve More Furious Months by Robert Fairhead
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Published April 2021

I look forward to the Writer's Centre's monthly Furious Fiction competitions because I've become addicted to the escapism of writing short stories! ~ Robert Fairhead

Twelve Furious Months by Robert Fairhead
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Published March 2020

This slim book is hard to put down. And the only regret we may feel after reading it is that we reached the end too quickly! ~ Denise O'Hagan

Both Sides of the Story by Robert Fairhead
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