
Telling Tales
Voices From The East Midlands
Mark Jacobs(Author)
Concur (Publisher)
Published on 30. September 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
280 pages
978-1-7384620-9-4 (ISBN)
Description
Telling Tales is an anthology of short stories and extracts from twenty-one authors in the East Midlands, selected by each author for representation in this book. The stories range from the personal to fictive, poetry to science-fiction. All authors are members of the Society of Authors and meet regularly in various Midlands' areas to discuss work in progress, arrange public sales and distribution, and work with schools, local and UK wide bookshops, and affiliated groups of writers.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Illustrations
2
Dimensions
Height: 210 mm
Width: 148 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-7384620-9-4 (9781738462094)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Mark Jacobs is preoccupied with the poetry and thought of the poet Laura (Riding) Jackson (1901-1991). He was a member of her Literary Board. A Fellow of Trent University, he established an archive of her correspondence and work. He has been a college lecturer and later a teacher in special education. Https://lauraridingjackson.org.uk/
Trevor Watts is a Nottinghamshire, UK writer. He has 20+ books published in three genres. He has also published many reader-friendly non-fiction books and articles, mostly about exploring active volcanoes around the world, and searching for fossilised dinosaur footprints on Yorkshire's Jurassic coast. In the 1980s, he pioneered the use of computers in the education of children with profound learning difficulties. Now retired, he writes, walks the local footpaths; curses his computers; and loves his wife, the cat and his kids.
Julie Malone (pen-name Jae) writes fantasy adventures, historical novels, children's bedtime stories. She has organised literary events, workshops and creative writing competitions for schools and community groups. She is an experienced public speaker, and a regular guest on local TV and radio. Her newly released adult crime novel is In Too Deep (978-1835636114 by New Generation Publishing). www.jaemalone.co.uk
James Ellson was a police officer for 15 years, starting in London and finishing as a Detective Inspector at Moss Side in Manchester. He now writes crime fiction (the DCI Castle series), gives talks, and manages a smallholding.
https://jamesellson.com/books/
Brennig Jones has been struggling with fictional characters in his animal-friendly writer's garret for more years than he'd like to count. His latest work is the four-novel thriller series Tempest, Storm, Hurricane, and Tornado. He's currently wrestling with a telepathic dog in a new project. The dog might win.
275
Trevor Locke was born in Portsmouth but now lives in Leicester. He has just completed the first draft of his seventh novel. He has also written a large number of poems and is now embarking on a series of short stories. Now retired, he was previously a journalist and report writer and has authored one book about the Criminal Justice System (published by Longman.) Some of his work has been published on his website www.writertrevorlocke.com. Trevor also writes reviews of music and concerts in the Leicester area.
Frances Thimann has published five collections of short stories - the latest, 'Sweet Thames, Run Softly', was published earlier this year. In 2017, her piece 'Shells' won the Society of Authors' Tom-Gallon Trust short story award. She has also published individual pieces in magazines and online. In 2006 she completed the MA in Creative Writing at NTU.
Fiona Linday facilitates lifelong creative writing alongside practising multi-genre writing with prize-winning short stories, plus a YA novel. She sparked and edited a couple of ACE supported commissioned anthologies, too. Recently, her life reflections collection is Count Our Blessings. There's more in Scriptorium Group's anthology Moments of Grace. Her wildlife picture book is Who Cares About Superheroes.
www.fionalinday.co.uk
David Parkin is an author, theatre maker, musician and installation artist. His work is fiercely autobiographical or silly and speculative, from his children's book and musical The Nose That Nobody Picked to his 'clinical depression concept album show' Good Friday. Whatever it is, his work is always thoughtful, moving and funny.
Jack Blackmore had a long career in social work before publishing on various subjects, notably on the poet Laura Riding. Last year, he and James Green collaborated on Prometheus in Chains, an adaptation of Aeschylus for the modern stage. The poems in this anthology emerged
276
out of a memoir of his early life, Out of Oblivion.Andrew Taylor, an engineer who has always enjoyed the creative side of solving problems. That imagination needed to look at things differently is now stretching itself beyond the real world and learning how to craft science fiction novels. Email: andygoesforth@icloud.comRosanna McGlone is a writer and journalist for publications including: The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Weekend Australian. Her recent book, The Process of Poetry -which explores the redrafting of poems by leading UK poets- was number 1 on Amazon and featured on Radio 4's Front Row. Feisty Females, a book of short stories celebrating medieval women, is her latest publication. Follow her @rosannamc-glone.bsky.social or explore her work here: https://rosanna-mcglone. sumupstore.com/products
Trevor Watts is a Nottinghamshire, UK writer. He has 20+ books published in three genres. He has also published many reader-friendly non-fiction books and articles, mostly about exploring active volcanoes around the world, and searching for fossilised dinosaur footprints on Yorkshire's Jurassic coast. In the 1980s, he pioneered the use of computers in the education of children with profound learning difficulties. Now retired, he writes, walks the local footpaths; curses his computers; and loves his wife, the cat and his kids.
Julie Malone (pen-name Jae) writes fantasy adventures, historical novels, children's bedtime stories. She has organised literary events, workshops and creative writing competitions for schools and community groups. She is an experienced public speaker, and a regular guest on local TV and radio. Her newly released adult crime novel is In Too Deep (978-1835636114 by New Generation Publishing). www.jaemalone.co.uk
James Ellson was a police officer for 15 years, starting in London and finishing as a Detective Inspector at Moss Side in Manchester. He now writes crime fiction (the DCI Castle series), gives talks, and manages a smallholding.
https://jamesellson.com/books/
Brennig Jones has been struggling with fictional characters in his animal-friendly writer's garret for more years than he'd like to count. His latest work is the four-novel thriller series Tempest, Storm, Hurricane, and Tornado. He's currently wrestling with a telepathic dog in a new project. The dog might win.
275
Trevor Locke was born in Portsmouth but now lives in Leicester. He has just completed the first draft of his seventh novel. He has also written a large number of poems and is now embarking on a series of short stories. Now retired, he was previously a journalist and report writer and has authored one book about the Criminal Justice System (published by Longman.) Some of his work has been published on his website www.writertrevorlocke.com. Trevor also writes reviews of music and concerts in the Leicester area.
Frances Thimann has published five collections of short stories - the latest, 'Sweet Thames, Run Softly', was published earlier this year. In 2017, her piece 'Shells' won the Society of Authors' Tom-Gallon Trust short story award. She has also published individual pieces in magazines and online. In 2006 she completed the MA in Creative Writing at NTU.
Fiona Linday facilitates lifelong creative writing alongside practising multi-genre writing with prize-winning short stories, plus a YA novel. She sparked and edited a couple of ACE supported commissioned anthologies, too. Recently, her life reflections collection is Count Our Blessings. There's more in Scriptorium Group's anthology Moments of Grace. Her wildlife picture book is Who Cares About Superheroes.
www.fionalinday.co.uk
David Parkin is an author, theatre maker, musician and installation artist. His work is fiercely autobiographical or silly and speculative, from his children's book and musical The Nose That Nobody Picked to his 'clinical depression concept album show' Good Friday. Whatever it is, his work is always thoughtful, moving and funny.
Jack Blackmore had a long career in social work before publishing on various subjects, notably on the poet Laura Riding. Last year, he and James Green collaborated on Prometheus in Chains, an adaptation of Aeschylus for the modern stage. The poems in this anthology emerged
276
out of a memoir of his early life, Out of Oblivion.Andrew Taylor, an engineer who has always enjoyed the creative side of solving problems. That imagination needed to look at things differently is now stretching itself beyond the real world and learning how to craft science fiction novels. Email: andygoesforth@icloud.comRosanna McGlone is a writer and journalist for publications including: The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Weekend Australian. Her recent book, The Process of Poetry -which explores the redrafting of poems by leading UK poets- was number 1 on Amazon and featured on Radio 4's Front Row. Feisty Females, a book of short stories celebrating medieval women, is her latest publication. Follow her @rosannamc-glone.bsky.social or explore her work here: https://rosanna-mcglone. sumupstore.com/products
Content
Contents:The Hunter Antonia Reed 11
Let Down Your Hair Antonia Reed 13
From Notorious Christy Fearn 34
Saint George's Day Christy Fearn 40
The Queue Mark Eklid 46
Winged Messenger Jasmina Svenne 57
The Promise Moira Hodgkinson 63
The Irizinium Priestess Moira Hodgkinson 70
Deleon Mark Jacobs 76
The Good Fairy Mark Jacobs 87
Florida Heat Mark Jacobs 89
Whale Beach Trevor Watts 94
Being a Writer Trevor Locke 113
Mr Graydon Trevor Watts 130
Sanctuary Julie Malone 148
Freedom Julie Malone 154
Motorcycle Emptiness James Ellson 165
To the Devil, a Doctor Julie Malone 174
The Spreading Stain Gary Burn 190
The Dogfight Brennig Jones 194
The Nomad Gary Burn 199
Just Words Frances Thimann 208
Sailing To Zanzibar Frances Thimann 216
Finding the Sublime in Nature Writing
Fiona Linday 223
The Other Side of the Universe
David Parkin 230
Andrew Taylor 239
Stranger In Sight RosannaMcGlone 245
(Im)Pure FictionRosannaMcGlone 248
RosannaMcGlone 250
RosannaMcGlone 252
Metamorphosis of Psyche Jack Blackmore 256
The Empty Wall Gary Burn 266
A Quoi Bon Dire Frances Thimann 270
Author Biographies 274
Let Down Your Hair Antonia Reed 13
From Notorious Christy Fearn 34
Saint George's Day Christy Fearn 40
The Queue Mark Eklid 46
Winged Messenger Jasmina Svenne 57
The Promise Moira Hodgkinson 63
The Irizinium Priestess Moira Hodgkinson 70
Deleon Mark Jacobs 76
The Good Fairy Mark Jacobs 87
Florida Heat Mark Jacobs 89
Whale Beach Trevor Watts 94
Being a Writer Trevor Locke 113
Mr Graydon Trevor Watts 130
Sanctuary Julie Malone 148
Freedom Julie Malone 154
Motorcycle Emptiness James Ellson 165
To the Devil, a Doctor Julie Malone 174
The Spreading Stain Gary Burn 190
The Dogfight Brennig Jones 194
The Nomad Gary Burn 199
Just Words Frances Thimann 208
Sailing To Zanzibar Frances Thimann 216
Finding the Sublime in Nature Writing
Fiona Linday 223
The Other Side of the Universe
David Parkin 230
Andrew Taylor 239
Stranger In Sight RosannaMcGlone 245
(Im)Pure FictionRosannaMcGlone 248
RosannaMcGlone 250
RosannaMcGlone 252
Metamorphosis of Psyche Jack Blackmore 256
The Empty Wall Gary Burn 266
A Quoi Bon Dire Frances Thimann 270
Author Biographies 274