I've made it into the top ten of this lovely short story event.  There are no winners. Ten people were chosen out of 119 entries to perform their short story at a live, filmed, event in November and to appear in a printed Anthology. Stroud Short Stories has a national reputation, so I'm thrilled. Click... Continue Reading →

Feeling chuffed to bits that I'm the Cheltenham Poetry Festival Slam Story winner. Some of the Uni of Gloucestershire students had been auditioned to take part in the Cheltenham Poetry Festival's Story Slam, alongside some local authors and well known performance poets. The idea is to write and read your own piece of  flash fiction,... Continue Reading →

It was great fun writing an article for satirical newspaper, The Chaos.  My piece was inspired after reading a news item about scientists at the University of Bath who had  grown animal cells on blades of grass, in a step towards cultured meat.  The newspaper will launch at Angouleme's comic festival in France on January... Continue Reading →

When a little boy loses his favourite toy on Christmas Eve, Peggy and Archie come to the rescue.  This is my third book in the 'Peggylicious' series of children's books which sees the beautiful Cocker Spaniel, Peggy and her best friend, a Tibetan Terrier called Archie find the lost teddy bear, giving Spencer a very... Continue Reading →

This short story was published in Fresh Leaves, an anthology for new writers and won a prize by the editor for being in the top three editor's choice. Letting Go It was a fine afternoon on Sycamore Road. I hardly noticed the Cherry Blossom trees that lined the street as I pulled into our driveway... Continue Reading →

Performing at The Times & The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival this year was pretty nerve wracking but it was a great opportunity to read out one of my short stories on the Hubble Stage. I chose to read 'Letting Go' which is a story about what it takes to let someone you love find... Continue Reading →

A beautifully illustrated children's book which teaches children to always tell their parents where they are going.  My second book in the 'Peggylicious' series sees sees Cocker Spaniel, Peggy and Tibetian Terrier, Archie save the day when a group of children go off into the woods on an adventure and get lost.  The book is... Continue Reading →

My short play 'Jez & Tess' was chosen to be performed (rehearsed reading) at the Stroud Shakespeare Theatre Festival in May this year.  It was a political satire based on Romeo and Juliet - short and sweet, but was really well received and got some great laughs!

Abiola Bello went from being a successful dancer to award winning author and co-founder of  Hashtag Press.  Her second book Emily Knight I Am…. Awakened won The London’s BIG READ 2019 and was nominated for the CILIP’s Carnegie Award, and it looks like an adaptation is on the way. I asked her what it takes to... Continue Reading →