Chalk Circle Writers
A group of Sussex-based writers, including listed and prize-winning authors,
who meet regularly to share individual work and to collaborate on joint writing projects.
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STRATA 3 - Shifting Tides
A third anthology of short stories, with cover design and illustration by John Vernon Lord, is published in November 2025
Launch Event (by invitation) : 20th November, John Harvey Tavern, Bear Yard, Cliffe High Street, Lewes BN7 2AN​
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STRATA 2 - Shadows on the Path
A second anthology of short stories, illustrated by John Vernon Lord, was published in October 2021.
STRATA 1- Slices through the human landscape
A first anthology of short stories, illustrated by John Vernon Lord and Tashi Reeve, was published in November 2018.
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Chalk Circle Short Story Competition 2020, judged by Vanessa Gebbie, was won by Tom Watling.
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Some rise to the challenge of life’s ebbs and flows . . .
Where will Sam find his lost love?
How can Farrah overcome her racist bullies?
Why must ‘Elvis’ face up to his selfish past?
When war is over who still pays the price?
. . . others are cast adrift, and some are lost to the ever-shifting tides.
Chalk Circle's third short story anthology, Shifting Tides, will be published on 20 November 2025.
A gripping collection of short stories, featuring the brilliant and inspiring cover design of internationally acclaimed illustrator, John Vernon Lord, V&A Illustrator of the Year 2018.
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For a sneak preview, short extracts from eight of the stories are free to read here.
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‘Stories filled with grit and scratches, unconventional love and aching loneliness . . . ’
Catherine Smith, author of The Biting Point, Speechbubble Books
‘A chance to enter another world for a short time. Dive in! They won’t let you down.’
Ruth Figgest, author of Magnetism, Myriad Editions
‘An array of vivid characters, Hardy-esque twists of fate and moments of weirdness.’
Robin Houghton, author of The Mayday Diaries, Pindrop
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