Nutella

 Laura woke with two languages on her tongue. She gave herself a moment to remember where she was, then she eased back the sheets and pulled herself out of bed. Crossing the bedroom, she pulled the window wide. When she leant out, she could see over the garden to the Château at Valençay. In the light of the early morning, it looked more imposing than ever. Laura let her gaze drop back into the garden. The sun had already started to heat up and patterns of shade were appearing on the lawn. She felt a flash of contentment that was quickly followed by disappointment: already she knew this would be the best part of her day.

Set on Bastille Day in the French countryside, Nutella is a classic 'lonely voice' story which follows the life of an au pair who has left her home country with a secret she hopes to protect. Katie M. Anderson's portrait of youth on the cusp of responsibility makes for an engaging read. CLICK HERE TO READ 'NUTELLA'.

Sundown

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Photo © Ola Zackrisson

Angela wondered how far from home Pearl actually was, and what kind of trouble she’d found. Accustomed to shielding her mother from Pearl’s problems, Angela shoved this fear to the back of her mind and steeled herself for this encounter, not sure what she’d find: a self-pitying decline or a ramped-up snit.

 'Sundown' is the story of a woman struggling to keep contacts with both her estranged daughter, and her mother who is unhappy with life in a nursing home. It is an exploration of grief, punctuated by moments of transcendent beauty, encouraging the reader to find solace in patience and hope. Writer Jan English Leary's short-story collection manuscript, Frequent Losers, was named a finalist in the Flannery O’Connor Award. CLICK HERE TO READ 'SUNDOWN'.   

Balan

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© Patrick Warner

"Gerry gripped a bath towel around his waist. The autumn chill spread goose-pimples across his naked torso. His mother pressed in behind him and when he straightened they almost knocked heads. He palmed the air with his free hand. ‘What do you expect me to see?’"​

'Balan' brings us into the mind of a young man whose confidence outweighs his skills of perception, whose understanding of his family and his place in the world is about to change drastically. This tale is in turns funny, heart-wrenching and startling: an honest examination of the first days of the recession from Hennessy Award-winning writer Valerie Sirr. CLICK HERE TO READ 'BALAN'.

Today

Photo © David Griffin

"Today starts off like this. A man walks into the coffee shop, well-dressed, bearded, bespectacled, newspaper under his arm, and he appears normal, even gregarious: Geez it’s warm in here, is what he says ....  Dara gives a nervous laugh and says, ‘Oh yeah man, I suppose it’s fairly cosy alright.’ And he, the bearded man, says, ‘Do you have the heat going? Full blast?’ Now this is a warning sign, if anyone’s counting – but today, more than other days, is about picking battles."

'Today' --a new story by emerging writer Aileen Armstrong takes place in the warmest coffee shop in a wintry city, a crossroads for people whose lives are in limbo. This is a humorous piece, familiar to anyone who has experienced that 'waiting for my life to start' feeling. Armstrong's début collection is forthcoming from Doire Press. CLICK HERE TO READ 'TODAY'.