If you stroll along the sea front, saltwater wind stinging, hair whipping sticky tendrils across your lips, head straight up the hill, down the first set of steep steps, then turn right slightly, and you will come to an innocuous-looking old door. Bold, yellow, misspelt rude words violate the sun bleached, once-Downing-Street-black painted proud exterior, … Continue reading GUNPOWDER, TREACHERY AND SEX by JD Revitt (2nd place, Oct21)
Author: Cranked Anvil
SEEING HIMSELF OUT by Peter Hankins (3rd place, Oct21)
It didn’t seem odd at first that there should be someone in David’s bedroom. There was a faint shuffling noise, which must have been the thing that roused him, but he had not completely woken up yet and he was still slightly confused. With the curtains drawn the light was dim, but David could see … Continue reading SEEING HIMSELF OUT by Peter Hankins (3rd place, Oct21)
October 2021 – Long List
Once again, it's taken us slightly longer than usual to draw up the latest short story long list, for a couple of reasons... we've been snowed under recently with getting out our latest flash fiction anthoogy, plus, with Cranked Anvil HQ now in the heart of the Northumbrian countryside, we were recently victim to Storm … Continue reading October 2021 – Long List
Order our new Flash print anthology NOW!
Our latest print anthology is now available to order. Featuring prize-winning stories from the first year of our 500-word flash fiction competition – plus many of the fantastic short-listed entries too – the book is over 100 pages of brilliant fiction. It is available to buy EXCLUSIVELY from our website. Priced at only £9.99 per … Continue reading Order our new Flash print anthology NOW!
Author Profile – LIANE SMITH
Today's author profile focuses on Liane Smith, who was shortlisted in one of our earliest competitions and whose story, After Hours Service, appears in our first print anthology. Liane is a writer of non-fiction, children’s stories and literary short fiction with a thread of magic realism. Her first successful writing was for children’s radio, when … Continue reading Author Profile – LIANE SMITH
August 2021 – Flash shortlist and winners
Publication day for our flash print anthology is fast approaching, so we've made sure the judges have worked extra hard this quarter to come up with their winning entries and shortlist as soon as possible. Decisions have been made, and we are delighted to publish the top two winning entries: 1st: Richard Hooton - Washing … Continue reading August 2021 – Flash shortlist and winners
WASHING DAY by Richard Hooton (1st place, Flash Aug21)
Andy glared at the damp sock in his hand as if it was the root of all problems. His other grey socks, along with his white vests and shirts, pleated trousers and frayed Y-fronts, covered every available space on the radiators of the silent semi-detached. This one was missing its other half and the very … Continue reading WASHING DAY by Richard Hooton (1st place, Flash Aug21)
THE BRIANS by Hilary Coyne (2nd place, Flash Aug21)
The Brians came back last night. I didn’t notice until my son said, “Mummy, there’s a Brian in a box at the end of my bed. I don’t like him. Can you throw him away?” I wished I could. But we can’t. We wronged them somehow, long ago. No-one remembers exactly how; we just know … Continue reading THE BRIANS by Hilary Coyne (2nd place, Flash Aug21)
