On Saturday 18th March, on the cusp of spring, we returned to St James Wine Vaults, Bath for the first live reading event there since February 2020 to launch Dandelion Years, the seventh Bath Flash Fiction Anthology and Flash Fiction Festival Vol Five. Thank you so much to everyone who came to read and to listen. It was a wonderful evening. The event was hosted by Jude Higgins and Diane Simmons. Writers came from all over the UK and it was such a treat to hear nineteen in all read their flash fiction stories and to meet them and their friends and family in person. We also had a photo cover cake (proudly made by Jude), other nibbles, wine and a raffle. Such a lot of fun! You can buy both books in paperback from Ad Hoc Fiction.

In the first half of the evening we heard a brilliant variety of stories from contributors to the festival anthology. They were: Carrie Etter; Diane Simmons; John Wheway; Jeanette Sheppard; Kristina Thornton; Jude Higgins: Richard Doyle; Damhnait Monaghan; Jupiter Jones; Deborah Tomkins; Anne Summerfield and Kevlin Henney. We’ve split some photographs of the group here to make sure to see a bit of everyone. And also included in the group are Jane Salmons (winner of the festival Pokrass Prize) and Kathryn Aldridge Morris (runner-up in the January online festival contest) who had stories in both the festival anthology and Dandelion Years. There wasn’t time to hear more than one story from each person

In the second half of the evening, we heard from contributors to Dandelion Years, the Bath Flash Fiction Anthology. Writers who were successful in the three Awards during 2022 were represented. Abby Williams, third prize winner in June, Kathyrn Aldridge Morris, highly commended in February; Alison Powell, shortlisted in June; Cole Beauchamp, shortlisted in June, Jane Salmons shortlisted in October; Becky Hogge, shortlisted in October and Flemming George, longlisted in February. Such exceptional stories! The picture also shows Damhnait Monaghan who was also listed in the 2022 Awards but who read in the first half.

Thanks also to Damhnait, who is a flash fiction festival team member this year, for selling the raffle tickets during the evening. We raised £100 to go towards a reduced cost place at the festival, 14th-16th July in Bristol. And a further thanks to everyone for buying tickets. Prizes were book bundles from Ad Hoc Fiction.

It was so good to have a live event, Jude’s decided to host another flash fiction reading later this spring in the same venue in Bath. More details soon.