Books
Below is a list of books which have been written, edited, or include stories and poems by our affiliates and students. We have created this page to celebrate our fantastic community and would love you to support their work by buying (or borrowing) their books. This page is a work in progress and if you'd like to be included let us know.
She Rises
Louise Fletcher, a young dairy maid on an eighteenth-century Essex farm, has long been warned of the lure of the sea - after all, it stole away her father and brother. But when she is offered work as a maid in the naval port of Harwich, she leaps at the chance to see more of the world. Fifteen-year-old Luke has been press ganged and sent to sea on board the warship Essex. Aching for the girl he left behind, he must learn fast if he is to survive. Louise and Luke's new worlds are dangerous and exciting, and when they collide the consequences are astonishing.
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You can buy this book here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/she-rises/kate-worsley/9781408835920
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Kate Worsley is an affiliate of The Writers Company
Colchester Write Night
This ‘Open Book’ theme of tales, vignettes and stories by the Colchester-based community writing group were conjured up during lockdown 2020. The contents will make you laugh, cry and shudder. Published by Patrician Press - 29th October 2021.
Pre-orders here: https://patricianpress.com/book/colchester-writenight-short-prose-collection/
Editor, Sue Dawes and contributor, Helen Chambers, are manuscript assessors at The Writers’ Company. Patricia Borlenghi, publisher at Patrician Press, met Petra McQueen and Emma Kittle-Pey while they were all studying Creative Writing at Essex University.
Now This
This collection of essays by visual artists explores current political and health issues adversely affecting our arts and cultures. With the dreadful tragedy of Covid-19, our shared suffering and loss confirm our place in Europe more firmly than ever, regardless of those attempting to cut our ties.
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You can buy this book here: https://patricianpress.com/books/
The Writers Company Artist in Residence, Juliet Lockart, has an essay in this book.
Tempest
This diverse and varied anthology of short fiction, essays and poems includes contributions by Sam Jordison, Steven O’Brien, Justine Sless, Patrick Wright and poet M W Bewick. The anthology concerns our present political ‘tempestuous’ times and some of the works have a science-fiction flavour to include dystopian, authoritarian and imagined worlds.
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You can buy this book here: https://patricianpress.com/books/
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Founder, Petra McQueen, and alumni Katy Wimhurst have a story in this collection.
Rebel Alliance
Human existence is all about the grey areas — and it is those that this anthology of short stories explores — providing a space for stories to be told and voices to be heard. Some stories are based on true experiences, or speculative fiction and political parables to reflect on our present day problems.
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You can buy this book here: https://patricianpress.com/books/
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Founder, Petra McQueen, and alumni Katy Wimhurst have a story in this collection.
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My Europe
This diverse and varied anthology of poems, short stories and essays includes contributions by Canon Giles Fraser, Helena Kennedy QC, Lemn Sissay, George Szirtes and Stephen Timms MP. For any reader interested in knowing more about our ties with Europe, the EU and Brexit.
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You can buy this book here: https://patricianpress.com/books/
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Founder, Petra McQueen, has a story in this collection.
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Port
This 274-page book includes specially commissioned poetry and prose from 38 contributors, and features 20 photographs and illustrations. Geographically, the anthology reaches all corners of the UK and beyond – from giant container ports to small fishing villages, while the breadth of writing and experience in the volume is as diverse as the ports themselves.
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Includes work by founder of The Writers Company, Petra McQueen, and Alumni Bryan Thomas and Alex Toms.
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You can buy Port here: https://dunlinpress.com/shop/
Fish Anthology 2018
Clippings by Helen Chambers, the Writers Company short fiction expert, won first-prize for short story in 2018 Fish Anthology
Order it here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fish-Anthology-2018-Helen-Chambers/dp/0995620016
Hysteria 3
A Brief History of Cycling by Helen Chambers, The Writers Company short form expert.
Winning story in Hysteria 3
Order it here:
Branching Out
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In Praise of Herbert by The Writers Company's microfiction expert, Helen Chambers published in Branching Out, International Tales of Brilliant Flash Fiction, July 2021.
Order it here: https://brilliantflashfiction.com/tag/brilliant-flash-fiction-anthology/
Breaking the Surface
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The Painted Nails by The Writers Company's micro-fiction expert Helen Chambers.
Published in Breaking the Surface, South Wales Short Story Competition 2015
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Breaking-Surface-Winning-Stories-Competition-ebook/dp/B013IBU05M
Creel 2
The Mere-Dragoun by The Writers Comapny's micro-fiction expert, Helen Chambers.
Published in Creel 2, Wivenbooks, University of Essex: Centre for Creative Writing, 2016
https://www.essex.ac.uk/departments/literature-film-and-theatre-studies/creel
The Red Thread
Sea-gods and flying sheep, Vikings and home-made kites, mermaids and Minotaurs: an illustrated anthology of contemporary tales and poems inspired by mythic traditions from the mud-flats of Essex to the warm Aegean Sea.
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You can buy this book here
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Founder of The Writers Company edited this book.
So Too Have the Doves Gone
Reflections on the theme of conflict edited by Stephen Boyce, Pam Job & Judith Wolton with images by students of the Fine Art Department at Colchester Institute
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‘We lay no lines
across the pure and proper curves of earth.
We borrow ground while they
relinquish none’
You can buy this book here: https://jardinepress.co.uk/books/so-to-have-the-doves-gone/
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Poem by Petra McQueen, founder of The Writers Company, included.
Borderline Stories
This is the collection of the short listed stories of the Eyelands' 5th International Short Story Contest. Eyelands.gr and Strange Days Books held this contest every year. In 2015 theme of the contest was: On the Verge.
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You can buy this book here.
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Petra McQueen, founder of The Writers Company has a story in this anthology.
Information coming soon for the books below...
