“Death and the Seaside” by Alison Moore is a haunting and multilayered novel that defies easy categorization. In this review, I’ll delve into the book’s ominous atmosphere, its exploration of mortality, and the strikingly ambitious narrative. Bonnie Falls, nearing 30 and with an abandoned English literature degree, moves into a shabby ground-floor conversion. Her new home is filled with evocative remnants of former inhabitants—a locked door leading to the other half of the house, an understairs cupboard with dusty baby blankets, and LPs without a player. As Bonnie works two cleaning jobs to ..read more

My dearest nephew in Kiev This would be the last letter for you. Read and breathe Hold yourself tight. Do not worry Pray and trust in yourself. When the levant burns And Galilee gets bombed  Dark clouds fly over Jerusalem I could no longer sleep . It breaks my heart Crushes my spirit and Kills my soul. I gotta put out that fire  Save the kith and kin Of the holiest of the holy land Where my true love lies Vlad – your terrible neighbor  I have no qualms with him. Mullah on the other hand I despise him, hate him, hate him  To the very last letter. My dearest Nephew in Kiev I ..read more

Prakash’s spy-camera-eye noticed that the foreskin was concealing malli. It became clear to him, the ‘doctor’s’ son, that a minor surgery, which he called circumcision, was the only way out for me. That is, if I ever wanted to sleep with a woman ‘successfully’ in my lifetime, he added.  He further said, “Hey Ravi, (that’s what they called me in town. There’s a story behind it, which I’ll share later. If I tell it now, it might spoil the interest of the current story); I was like this at first. Later, I did a lot of ‘handjob’, and the skin tore and went inward on its own. Don’t you do ‘han ..read more

‘Echo of the Waves’, written by Vinayak, is a remarkable illustration of his storytelling ability, providing readers with a thrilling blend of suspenseful twists of events and action through a mix cast of characters. With ease, the author conjures up hilarious atmosphere of engineering college and students’ idiosyncrasies, and eloquently evoking the cruelties of life and soft dreams of another important character named “Chetna”. Knotted brilliantly tales of two types of people, rather generations, the story marks its presence felt on the hazy boundaries that separate life from dreams. On the ..read more

Sri Lankan English literature is a vibrant and multifaceted literary realm that intimately represents the intricate cultural, historical, and socioeconomic tapestry of the people of Sri Lanka. Born from a heritage intricately entwined with colonialism, a mosaic of races, and a violent post-independence narrative, Sri Lankan literature, particularly in the English language, serves as a profound investigation of topics around identity, belonging, and the essence of humanity itself. Sri Lankan English literature captivates its readers with its unparalleled viewpoints and narrative depth, and it e ..read more

  ‘The Koh Ker Conspiracy: An Archaeological Thriller’ by Caleb Andrew, explores the thin balance between historical authenticity and the telling of adventure stories. A simple noodle store serves as the setting for the beginning of the novel, which takes place in the bustling streets of Phnom Penh. This scenario was inspired by the author’s own mornings spent with friends, and it perfectly captures the essence of Cambodian life. As the story progresses, stunning images of the Kingdom are revealed, like the tranquil sunsets along the Tonle Bassac River, the exciting rides on National Road ..read more

The Casa África launches the tenth edition of Purorrelato, its micro-story contest that aims to promote literary creation that encourages us to feel and think about Africa and to continue showing different realities that approach us to the continent, away from the stereotypes that have marked it for so long. As in previous editions, any person over the age of 18 can participate, with a maximum of three micro-stories per author. Only Casa África staff and winners of previous editions are excluded. The theme is free, although the micro-stories should be related ..read more

The Poetry London Prize is a major, internationally renowned award for a single outstanding poem. Previous winners include Liz Berry, Niall Campbell, Romalyn Ante and Richard Scott.  Winners will be notified by the end of September 2024 First Prize £5,000 Second Prize £2,000 Third Prize £1,000.  Submissions Open: March 15. Closing Date: June 30 The judge of the 2024 Prize is Hannah Sullivan. Hannah Sullivan is the author of Three Poems, which won the T. S. Eliot Prize in 2018, as well as The Work of Revision (Harvard, 2013) and Was It for This (Faber, 2023). A lifelong Londoner, she ..read more

The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction (The Smokey) is a biennial competition that celebrates and compensates excellence in flash. The first grand prize winner in 2018 was “Whale Fall” by Alvin Park. In 2020 Abby Feden won the top prize with “To Pieces”. Both stories appeared in The Best Small Fictions in their respective years. In 2022 Marcus Tan won for his story “Emergency Contact”. In addition. Jasmine Sawers’ piece “All Your Fragile History,” a finalist for Best of the Net in 2020, was included in the Norton anthology Flash Fiction America; and Leonora Desar’s ..read more

My mother and Naina treated me like an emperor; there was no scolding or reprimand. My mother often remarked that I should have been born in a mansion, but instead, I ended up being born in that slum. Education was nowhere to be seen in her family – only one brother among my mother’s eleven siblings received an education. Her brothers were the town’s most notorious thugs. One of her brothers – was my favourite. In his spare time, he would work as a mason. Otherwise, he lived in the toddy shop with his best friend Gudli, who ran a tea shop in Kotwal Chavadi.  One day, my uncle came home wi ..read more