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It's been just under two months since my last blog post, and it feels like 40 years of history has happened in the meantime. And as the world continues to spin perilously out of control, I've been doing what we all do to get by: mostly continue on like things are normal, and that our personal accomplishments aren't going to be obliterated in yet another world war. So on that note... onwards and upwards!

Image credit: The European Writers Salon

One positive development these past few months has been the founding of the . As the world grows ever-more unstable, the EWS aims to unite writers across Europe, traveling the continent and organising readings and events � and I was very fortunate to be included among the 13 speakers chosen to read at Lettrétage in Berlin!

For the Berlin evening I read a particularly evocative scene from my novel Proud Pink Sky, one I’ve never performed in public before. The response was wonderful, and I really enjoyed meeting a range of poets and writers at an event that was at max capacity. This is a truly fantastic initiative that only seems to be gaining traction, and it’s one I fully support. Their next salon is in .

I am absolutely thrilled that I have a new story in Nature, for their ‘Futures� section. follows the story of an old man made young, then thrown into an oubliette� This is a short, dark piece that I had a lot of fun with.

We are the same, Dear Leader. I realize that now. We’re both doomed, you and I.

You can read the full story , though you may need a subscription.

My final piece of news is that a story of mine has been longlisted for the Bristol Short Story Prize! According to the Prize, my story one of 30 selected from over 1800 entries, with the shortlist to be announced in May. Sadly I can’t reveal which story is mine as judging is anonymised and ongoing, but I’m honoured to have been selected among such fierce competition. I can’t wait to read the resulting anthology!

The longlist .

And that’s it for now! You only get a short post this time around because you displease me, and you are being punished. Join me next time when I’ll be live-doomscrolling the apocalypse, all while trying to think up the wittiest words that rhyme with ‘help help oh gods someone please help�.

You can follow me on Bluesky at and on Mastodon . I’m also if you’re kinky that way.

Yours in Terror,

� Redfern