Hello and welcome!
It’s fantastic to see you here, stay a while why don’t you and read on for some exciting flash fiction news. For the past six years, Bare Books has been doing what we love most: championing indie writers, discovering new stories and generally getting very excited about books. We’ve reviewed and interviewed around 70 indie authors along the way, and created hundreds of podcast episodes that have been listened to in 42 countries. But the best part? Finding our people, and yes, we do mean you. Writers, readers, listeners and would-be writers who have wandered into our little bookish corner and decided to stay awhile.
And then there’s flash fiction. We give you a prompt, you give us a story, and somehow that has grown into four anthologies so far,something we simply couldn’t have done without our wonderful listeners and writers. We love giving indie authors, and those who have always thought ‘one day maybe I’ll write something’, a chance to put pen to paper and see where the words take them. So, naturally, we’re not stopping there! We’ve got three special flash fiction episodes planned for you: one for Halloween, one for Christmas, and one for the season of love, Valentine’s Day. Fancy joining in? You don’t even need to leave this page to find out how. Just scroll down for all the deets and come and play with us. Let’s keep telling stories, supporting each other and making this wonderfully bookish community a little bigger.
🎃 Halloween Flash Fiction
Dare to Delve Into Your Spooky Dark Side…
We want your Halloween stories. Give us ghosts, ghouls, grudges, revenge, things that go bump in the night… or perhaps just a perfectly executed fictional prank on someone who thoroughly deserves it. Your imagination is the only thing we’re putting on trial! 👀
So, what are you waiting for? Get writing, get wicked and let your dark side shine. Let’s make this Halloween episode one to remember!
*Bare Books accepts no responsibility for fictional scare tactics or suspicious behaviour. We’re just here to read the stories. Honest. 🖤👻
Your deadline is 25th October 2026
🎄Christmas Flash Fiction
Christmas is coming, and we want your stories! But we’re not necessarily looking for sugar, spice and perfectly wrapped presents. Oh no… we want the fun, the festive chaos and the Christmas magic! Have you got a tale about a Christmas that went spectacularly wrong? A mysterious stranger at the door? An unexpected gift, a Christmas miracle, or perhaps a turkey with a serious attitude problem? Basically, if it feels like Christmas to you, we want to hear it!
So, grab yourself a mince pie, put on your favourite Christmas tunes and get writing!🎄✨
Your deadline is 19th December 2026
❤️ Valentine Flash Fiction
Love Is in the Air… Or Is It?
Ah, Valentine’s Day Flash Fiction. Romance, roses, chocolates, candlelit dinners… and the occasional catastrophic date that you’d rather forget ever happened. 💘
For our Valentine’s Day flash fiction episode, we want your stories about love in all its glorious forms. Funny, heartbreaking, heart-warming, unexpected, awkward, magical or downright evil. Tell us about first loves, last chances, secret crushes, missed connections, unlikely romances or that date that went so spectacularly wrong it deserves to become a story! So get writing, we don’t mind whether your story ends with a kiss, a broken heart or a dead body! Just make it memorable! 💕
Your deadline is 7th February 2027
Email your submission to barebookspod1@gmail.com
All stories to be between 500 and 1000 words please.
Subject: Halloween/Christmas/Valentine Flash Fiction by [Your Name].
In the body of your email please include:
Legal name or pseudonym if you prefer.
Word count.
Between 50 and 100 word bio, in case we want to give you a shout out on air.
Story title [not included in your word count].
It should be your original story, not currently published elsewhere.
Please use: Times New Roman 12pt, single line spacing, standard story paragraphing.
The copyright for your story remains with you.
You may enter as many times as you like, as long as each entry is a separate email.