Yes, these rhododendrons at Bowood are a wonderful sight, the image taken in the gardens on a recent visit. But this blog is actually about something else; I’m celebrating another blooming wonderful thing. This is about a book which has been six years in the making – seeds sown in 2015 and now coming into full bloom in November 2021 – (it is hoped) .
Flash Fiction Challenge Success!
1000 stories by 1000 authors.
I received an email from Chris Fielden recently –‘I have some exciting news to share. Victorina Press, an independent UK publisher who follow the principles of bibliodiversity, have agreed to publish the 81 Words Anthology. I have prepared a page on my website for the book. You can learn more about Victorina Press and see the book’s cover here: Chris Fielden ‘ [and below]
I am pleased that Chris, along with his entourage of readers and writers, has achieved his goal of publishing this Challenge Anthology of a 1000 flash fiction stories of 81 words by individual writers. I have contributed a story, as I have to several other earlier Challenge books. That will be quite a big book coming in at 81,000 words. Proof reading, layout and preparation of the e-book version all take time.
Chris says, ‘The print version of the 81 Words Anthology is almost at final draft stage. It is currently undergoing a final proofread by Dr Lynda Nash. Once Lynda has finished her proofread and I’ve made any final edits, Angela Gooch will begin coding the eBook. It will be built in the ‘epub’ file format so it is more accessible to the visually impaired. At present we are on target for a November 2021 release.
The Challenge was launched in 2015 and Chris developed the idea into a world record attempt for ‘The most contributing authors published in an anthology’. Have we achieved this? I don’t know. It’s taken six years to get here. It’d be wonderful to break a publishing record – be part of it and get more publicity for the book, more purchases and more money going to the Arkbound Foundation – ‘Empowering people through writing’
My story is no 240/1000. Proud to be part of it and supporting Chris’s chosen charity.