Shortbread Short Stories : Shortbread Short Stories

SHORTBREAD stories is a FREE community website dedicated to revitalising the short story. For writers, it provides a worldwide showcase for their work, and for readers, it offers free access to short stories which can be read as text or, if selected by our members, listened to as an audio file.

If the weatherman is to be believed (although personally I'd rather put my money on the furry little groundhog) we're in for a long winter! So to help you hibernate in the warmth, we have three great audio stories for you to curl up to, all narrated by the wonderful Flora Montgomery. First up is The Pope's Revenge, by Erica Brooks. A long time favourite on Shortbread, and nominated by many to be produced in audio, A Pope's Revenge is a moving and yet hauntingly realistic story which is brought to life by Flora's narration. Through the Cracks in the Cubicle Walls by Rachel Marsh, is a story for anyone who has ever worked for a huge soul-less corporation. And for anyone who hasn't, listen to Flora and sigh a huge breath of relief...... Read More

We're adding new audio stories all the time at Shortbread short stories. Here are the most recent uploads! › The Pope's Revenge        by Erica Brooks › Lilo Is A Fat Cow        by Lucy Douglas › Through The Cracks In...        by Rachel Marsh › Up There        by Angela Dyer › Bump On A Bus        by Charlotte Wemyss

We thought it was a bit unfair to ask anyone to be Guest Editor for this month, because there are obviously other priorities at this time of year, and here follows bullet points highlighting these: › Standing precipitously on the highest step of a wobbling step ladder trying to position a tired-looking fairy on top of the Christmas tree. › Traipsing around the shops searching for that elusive sub-£5 present for Auntie Maud. › Stuffing stockings with presents ...Read More › Stuffing the turkey › Stuffing old wrapping paper into bin bags and stuffing them deep into dustbins so that the lids shut and you don’t get a fine. › Stuffing one’s stomach › Watching stuff on the telly › And then getting stuff in for New Year The team at Shortbread, therefore, has decided to run the Guest Editor slot as a kind a co-operative for this month, so Stuart and Gillian at Red Barn Studios are going to choose the audios and Fiona, Gary, Will and I are coming up with the stories. Now we’ll see if we truly do fuse together like molten lava! Ha! Shortbread’s first year has gone quite remarkably well and we have to thank you all for giving us such wonderful stories, leaving such great remarks, and, in general, being so supportive of the whole concept. I’m not going to bang on about the new site (my learning curve has been huge – I had no idea how much work was involved in getting this up and firing), but we very much hope that 2010 will be starting with quite a bang for Shortbread. So, please, keep on dropping by. Have a great Christmas and an excellent New Year, Robin › A Quiet Romance by Steve Oliver (Robin's) › Coffee Under a Desk by Sally Brown (Fiona's) › Either by Gordon Sturrock (Will's) › Dey Spaek by Hannah Nicholson (Gary's) › The Gift        by Kenneth Steven (Red Barn's) › Swansong        by Sam Chesterton (Red Barn's)

I really cut my literary teeth writing short stories at a time when they were a major source of imaginative entertainment, before mass broadcasting on radio and television. They have since, rather sadly, fallen victim to the modern-day strategies of publishing, and I am only too delighted that Shortbread Stories are spearheading their revival in such an innovative... Read More