The opening of The Sleep Watcher, the new novel by Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, published by Sceptre in April 2023. I have never returned to the town. I rarely say its name, only that I grew up a few hours from London. I left before I turned seventeen. All along the coast there are gate […]
feature
The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa
An extract from The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa by Stephen Buoro, published by Bloomsbury in April 2023. Sun is up now. We’re still sitting on the bed. A rope of sunlight crawls over our legs, showing the contrast. Her skin is evenly coloured, no stretch or spot of red or pink. It’s so […]
The Messenger
An extract from Megan Davis’s debut novel The Messenger, published by Bonnier Books UK on 30 March 2023 Although I remember every detail of the night my father died, I can’t remember what it was about him that used to piss me off so much. I think that’s because I can’t nail it down […]
Your Show
A short film for YOUR SHOW by UEA writer Ashley Hickson-Lovence, published in paperback on 2nd March 2023. Starring musician Murkage Dave as the match referee. Voiceover by the poet Nego True. Filmed and edited by Martin Watters (Brief Media). Produced by Sam Ruddock (Story Machine). An extract from Ashley’s novel, which is published by Faber, […]
White Butterflies
An extract from Cathleen Davies’s new novel And Marvel published 16 March 2023 by 4Horsemen Publications. He wasn’t the first man I’d ever loved, but he was the first man I’d ever loved who then went on to kill himself, and I suppose that gives him a particular significance in the grand scheme of […]
Frontier
An extract from Grace Curtis’s debut novel Frontier, published by Hodderscape on 9 March 2023. THE HUNT FOR THE FALLEN STAR It was a night like any other on Earth. Silence on the land, stillness in the sky. Stars glittered like sunken jewels, and from the ground below, human eyes regarded them as […]
Three Gifts
An excerpt from Mark A Radcliffe’s new novel Three Gifts, published by Epoque Press on 2 March 2023. When Francis was born, the doctor told his mother that he was very ill and that she should prepare herself for the worst. His mother was an anxious, perennially lonely woman named Rose who had wanted […]
Iron Man
An extract from Iron Man by Lynne Bryan, published by Salt, winner of the 2022 East Anglian Book of the Year Award You You let yourself into your home. You can see the light on in the kitchen and can already picture the scene. The table will be laid and the kids will be […]
Vehicle
An extract from Jen Calleja’s novel, Vehicle, published by Prototype on 8 February 2023. MOSES PERFORMS THE WELCOME SPEECH GIVEN BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE OF TRANSMISSION FROM MEMORY FROM THE BACK OF THE VAN As this is exam week for our students, we wanted to gather you, friends of the Institute, in […]
A Spell Of Good Things
Eniọlá decided to pretend it was just water. A single melting hailstone. Mist or dew. It could also be some good thing: a solitary raindrop fallen from the sky, lone precursor to a deluge. The first rains of the year would mean he could finally eat an àgbálùmọ̀. The fruit seller whose stall was next […]