Tag Archives: Halloween

Halloween/Samhain

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You all know we don’t do horror at Arachne.

The closest we’ve got is Math Jones‘ The Knotsman, which has quite a bit of distressing material in it, but does it from a position of compassion – ‘this is awful’, rather than ‘oooh, isn’t this awful‘.

So if you fancy something to get the ice running down your back, Math’s your man.

It would please Math mightily if you were to celebrate Samhain with his book seeing as he is a pagan.

you can buy a copy here… and if you buy it BEFORE halloween the postage is still free. we are going to have to start charging UK customers after that.

If however, your tastes run to the more traditional halloween fair, there’s a live lit gig, Frightful Yarns, at Honor Oak pub, St Germains Road SE23 on the very night, at 7.30, raising money for our local festival, Brockley Max. Arachne authors Cherry Potts and Neil Lawrence are among the readers, with dark tales of revenge and paranoia. tickets £5

Witching Hour Approaches

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Your final warning, as Hallowe’en settles into full darkness and all the little witches and ghoulies come prancing to your door in  the hope something unsuitable to eat…

YOU HAVE ONLY SIX HOURS LEFT TO SUBMIT YOUR TIME STORY TO SOLSTICE SHORTS FESTIVAL SHORT STORY COMPETITION.

Ok, you can go and answer the door now.

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Samhain and the dark half of the year

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This time of year is not all about ghosts and chocolate you know. (although if you are celebrating Dia de los Muertos, it probably is).

Samhain is the ancient festival that celebrates the end of harvest and the start of winter, a time to look ahead, and plan for the lean times, while appreciating the glory that is summer as it closes. Probably back then they weren’t basking in 20 degrees and sun though.

So if any of that inspires you to write a STORY about TIME you should by now know where to send it! You have until 23:59 tonight.

The Story Sessions – Haunting Tales for Hallowe’en – video

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So, Hallowe’en, or nearly, and we got together in The Ivy House to tell stories…

V.G. Lee told us a nasty story of revenge, The Passing Guest (from her collection As You Step Outside)  and a ‘true story’ of exorcism.

David Mildon gave us a ghastly take on the lengths to which some people will go in order to forget – in his Weird Lies contribution, Worms’ Feast which puts joining the foreign legion in the shade.

Cherry Potts showed us who a young girl might have been had she grown up, in Eye of the Beholder.

and David McGrath told us about Fanditha men and murderous coconuts in Arresting Coconuts. (Language warning!)

Fabian Acker was our first Testbed volunteer, bringing a brand new piece for the audience to provide feedback as part of the editing process.

If you would like to take part in a Testbed at a future Story Session, get in touch.

Haunting Tales update

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Our Halloween event at the Ivy House has another author signed up – David Mildon will be reading his magnificently creepy Weird Lies story, Worms’ Feast.

Haunting Tales for Halloween

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Halloween TalesA6We are hosting a free live literature event at London’s first co-operatively owned pub, The Ivy House. A beautiful traditional pub building almost next to Nunhead cemetery… Join VG Lee, David McGrath, David Mildon and Cherry Potts for an interactive evening of spooky live literature – think folk club with books. The audience is invited to contribute 100 word on-theme flash fiction (or poetry – but still 100 words) in the flash from the floor spot. Books sales in the interval – free ‘Books are my Bag’ bags to haul away all your Halloween book treats.

Possibility of a ‘work in progress’ spot for a brave author who would like to try out a fresh piece of writing on an audience. if you are interested in this slot, or in being an invited author at this or a future event, get in touch.

This is the first of two booked events at the Ivy House, if it goes well it could become a regular fixture. Come along and support the first community owned pub in London, and live literature!

Wednesday 30th October 7:30 for 8, hearses at 10.

The Ivy House
40 Stuart Road
Nunhead
SE15 3BE