Who knew that hats could be so important to a live literature event? The Story Sessions audience joined in with hats and 100 word flash stories for the festive session: Solstice tales.

The Story Sessions has been going for three months now, in the gorgeous community owned pub the Ivy House in Nunhead, South London, with previous events celebrating  Hallowe’en and Remembrance day, and last week’s line up of all local authors had both serious and frivolous points to make – about families, homelessness, the credit crunch, cruelty, kindness and generosity.

Joan Taylor-Rowan‘s evicted couple settle into John Lewis department store for Christmas and all is well until they realise they are not alone… (Never Knowingly)

Unwelcome guests were quite a theme, with Peter Higgins’ family preparing for their traditional Christmas eve supper with the old friend no one really wants to see (It Never Snows at Christmas), and Cherry Potts’ demanding midwinter visitor (The Midwinter Wife), while Bartle Sawbridge‘s disappointed date is haunted by men in hats (and kilts, and sandals) as she fights her way through  the Christmas shopping crowds on the underground (A Date for Maureen).

Our second ever testbed slot was taken by Paula Read with a story of carol singing and dementia, No Room. The audience was once more generous with their feedback.

Next month we are tackling the family. So probably no hats, but some poetry from
Esther Poyer, Anne Macauley and Matt Bryden,
some short stories from  Nicolas Ridley (and probably Cherry Potts)
and Mary Hamer is joining us with an extract from her novel, Rudyard & Trix,
and of course,there will be Flash from the Floor from our ever talented audience.

Want to get involved in a future Story Session as a reader? Contact us via the Arachne Press website.