I'm reading at Short Fuse Hastings on December 13th

On December 13th I'm taking a day-trip to Hastings. Despite living there for 6 months, I never explored the Old Town. On Sunday I will put this right. In the evening I will then read my new horror story The Other Child at Short Fuse:

"Sarah and I broke up a year back and we’ve both seen other people since, but she still calls me when there’s a problem. A few months after we split she phoned one Sunday morning because there was a spider in the bath.  That time, with the spider, I thought it was an excuse, that she was too embarrassed to say what she really wanted. I flushed the spider, followed her to the kitchen and put my arm around her. It was fairly awkward when Sarah explained that it was just about the spider. I apologised and went back home to bed."

I've been writing a few horror stories lately. Reading horror stories as a teenager, particularly the Best New Horror anthologies, was what made me fall in love with short stories. Most of what I read was disposable, but I also read some truly amazing works.

Short Fuse Hastings takes place at the Jenny Lind, Hastings (TN34 3EW) and starts at 7pm.

Comments

[Bob Jacobs]

Do you have any more details, by any chance? I did a quick Google and didn't turn up much. Cheers.

[James Burt]

Hello Bob -

The best link I have is the facebook event page:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=175028927507

I think the entry is £5 on the door. What do you want to know about the night? I can try to find out for you.

James

[Bob Jacobs]

Thanks James. That helps. Any news on who else will be reading? If not, no worries. Thanks again.

[James Bent]

"Sarah and I broke up a year back and we’ve both seen other people since, but she still calls me when there’s a problem. A few months after we split she phoned one Sunday morning because there was a spider in the bath. That time, with the spider, I thought it was an excuse, that she was too embarrassed to say what she really wanted. I flushed the spider, followed her to the kitchen and put my arm around her. It was fairly awkward when Sarah explained that it was just about the spider. I apologised and went back home to bed."

that's a really nice bit of writing - I really liked that - how is this going to be horror?!? It reads a bit like a story from Haruki Murakami's "The Elephant Vanishes".

James, Outré

[James Burt]

Hi James -

I'm not much of a Murakami fan, but now you point it out, I can see the similarity to his style in the opening. The story soon gets a little more unpleasant (but not as bad as *that scene* in The Wind-up Bird Chronicles!)

Are you going to be along on Sunday? Do say hello if you are.

James

[Tara]

Hi,
The Uncanny Valley - 13th December, The Jenny Lind, Hastings.
As well as James Burt we have VG Lee reading, Pam Hart, Roland Gardner, Monica Percy and Michael Gould. Uncanny, horror and ghost stories, both fictional and true, from Hastings writers (apart from James who is from Brighton).
Bar and music
£5 on the door. 7 till 10pm..ish
Hope this helps
Tara

[Bob Jacobs]

Many thanks Tara & James. Cheers.