Category: Blog Content

Blog Content

Review: ‘The Stairs are a Snowcapped Mountain’ by Judy Darley

Sam Burt In ‘Why Rivers Run to the Sea’, one of the many flash fictions making up this collection, a river running through Bristol warns us: ‘Don’t try to slow me; I have somewhere to be.’ It’s a tiny, insistent, sensuous story, written in prose that manages to be both economical yet lyrical, and that wisely keeps the river’s personification at the surface level of … Continue reading Review: ‘The Stairs are a Snowcapped Mountain’ by Judy Darley

AJ MartinLeave a comment
Left hand column: Reverse Engineering short story anthology cover. Right hand image: three scratch marks against a white backdrop. Scratch Books at the bottom.
Blog Content

Introducing Scratch Books

Tom Coganhan Editing at Bandit Fiction teaches you a few things. In the years I’ve worked here, I’ve got to read some brilliant stories, and some less than amazing stories. It’s made me question what makes a good short story. How would you attempt to write something brilliant? How would you know if you had achieved it? Because they are so various, one amazing story … Continue reading Introducing Scratch Books

AJ MartinLeave a comment
Book cover for In the Cut
Blog Content

Review: ‘In the Cut’ by Susanna Moore

‘In the cut. From vagina. A place to hide. To hedge your bet. But someplace safe, someplace free from harm’  by Harry Wilding Content Warning: Discussions of sexual violence and gender based violence Susanna Moore’s brutal novel, full of explicit violence and sex, was originally released in 1995, but its depictions of misogyny, the police force and victim blaming has kept it unfortunately relevant for … Continue reading Review: ‘In the Cut’ by Susanna Moore

michaelbirdjournalist1 Comment
Blog Content, Uncategorized

Review: ‘Zorrie’ by Laird Hunt

Zoë Wells Finishing Zorrie and finding out, through his acknowledgements section, that Laird Hunt kept a copy of Virginia Woolf’s The Waves on hand throughout the writing process is the least surprising part of a novel that, generally, does not try very hard to surprise you. Zorrie is a gentle book, or at least is trying to be. It follows the life of its titular … Continue reading Review: ‘Zorrie’ by Laird Hunt

Zoë Wells1 Comment
Blog Content

The Brothers Karamazov in Eight Memes

Michael BirdFeedback and Editorials Editor Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brother’s Karamazov is a cornerstone of classic literature centering on the emotional, philosophical turmoil and legal fallout of the murder and robbery of the Karamazov patriarch, Fyodor. This 700+ page saga focuses on themes of faith, morality, and freedom in small-town Russia. And we’ve cut this epitome of Russian literary excellence down to eight memes.  What follows … Continue reading The Brothers Karamazov in Eight Memes

AJ Martin1 Comment
Blog Content

Volunteer Vacancies: Social Media Assistants

One of the biggest challenges facing publishers like us is the fight to get our name out there. After a ten minute browse on Twitter, you’ll find countless small publishers, independent presses, and online ventures focused on getting the work of newer writers out there. The problem is trying to stand out from the crowd. It’s because of this that we’re looking for dedicated and … Continue reading Volunteer Vacancies: Social Media Assistants

Greg ForresterLeave a comment
Blog Content

Is It Worth It? The Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing

Harry Wilding During my Creative Writing MA at the University of Nottingham this last year, advice and feedback from peers, tutors and established writers has, without a doubt, made me a better writer. However, the seminars led by literary agents and publishers (of all sizes) have paradoxically made me less confident I will ever get a novel traditionally published. Despite how fascinating and incredibly helpful … Continue reading Is It Worth It? The Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing

AJ Martin2 Comments
Blog Content

What We’re Reading This Month: An Algerian COVID Premonition, a Woke-Busting Brat Packer, a One-Eyed High School Girl God, and the Greek Orthodox Diaspora

Compiled by Michael Bird What are you reading this month? Our team of international volunteers at Bandit Fiction share with us the highs and lows of the current book scene. Keep reading to learn what Bandit volunteers find engrossing or disappointing about their choice of novels, poetry and memoirs. 1. ‘White’ by Bret Easton Ellis It is difficult to tell whether time has planed off a … Continue reading What We’re Reading This Month: An Algerian COVID Premonition, a Woke-Busting Brat Packer, a One-Eyed High School Girl God, and the Greek Orthodox Diaspora

AJ MartinLeave a comment