Ever wanted to give someone a story just for them? Now’s your chance.

Some of the best fun I’ve had with writing has been through Arachne Press and their annual Solstice Shorts Festival. Arachne has published one of my stories for each of the last three festivals, and I’ve had the thrill of having 'Wednesday Afternoon', 'Mouse' and 'In the Gloaming' read by people who do it well.

This year they are trying to spread the festival out from Greenwich to all parts of Britain. The theme is DUSK. To do it, they need cash.

Please have a look at Arachne's crowdfunding page and see if there’s something you fancy. You could try Liberty Tales, for example, and read more about Buck, Rhys and Lewis who were in ‘The Quiet Pudding’ in my scone stories, A Baker’s Dozen.

Or – and here’s the bargain – commission me to write something for a friend or a loved one for, say, a Christmas pressie? 1000 words. We negotiate a fee, and it goes in the pot for DUSK. I will do two stories tops, so first come first served. Make me an offer.