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Thievery is a series of blog posts about story inspirations. On Thursdays, I invite my favourite writers to share the inspirations behind their stories. Here’s one from novelist and flash-fictioneer Simon Sylvester. The Story: ‘Northern Lights/The Year Of The Whale’ was published in Gutter. An Extract: A gull. It’s always a gull. I look at the ceiling of my bedroom, centuries old. Gulls and the sound of blankets, my missus on the move. Everything is muted blue and darking dull. When…

Thievery is a series of blog posts about story inspirations. On Thursdays, I invite my favourite writers to share the inspirations behind their stories. Here’s one from one of Scotland’s finest up-and-coming writers, Anneliese Mackintosh. The Story: ‘A Rough Guide To Grief’ was originally published in Gutter #8. An Extract: Everyone grieves differently. There is no right or wrong way to do it. Your grief is personal to you. It is unique. However. Unique is a very strong word, isn’t…

Thievery is a series of blog posts about story inspirations. On Thursdays, I invite my favourite writers to share the inspirations behind their stories. Here’s one from addictive novelist Helen Fitzgerald. The Story: The Cry was published by Faber & Faber. An Extract: It was the fault of airport security. At airport security, Joanna’s nine-week-old baby boy was screaming. Her partner was busy taking off his New Rock trainers. A stocky uniformed woman was saying: “Can’t take these.” “What?” Joanna…

Thievery is a series of blog posts about story inspirations. On Thursdays, I invite my favourite writers to share the inspirations behind their stories. Here’s one from author and journalist Andrea Mullaney. The Story: ‘The Iceberg’ was published in Alt Hist #6. An Extract: She looked so young. Seventeen, they’d told me, but I might have taken her for fourteen. Not at all like someone accused of a war crime. The pug-faced wardress must have noticed my hesitation. “Aye, that’s her…

Thievery is a series of blog posts about story inspirations. On Thursdays, I invite my favourite writers to share the inspirations behind their stories. Here’s one from acclaimed Scottish novelist Lesley McDowell. The Story: Unfashioned Creatures was published by Saraband. An Extract: “‘Where did you get that dress?’ My pallet of clean bed linen smacks off the wooden floorboards. My arms, still curved, carry a phantom load. ‘I’ve asked you a question! Where did you get that dress?’ He’s been much…

Thievery is a series of blog posts about story inspirations. On Thursdays, I invite my favourite writers to share the inspirations behind their stories. Here’s one from glam mama Mercedes M. Yardley. The Story: Apocalyptic Montessa and Nuclear Lulu: A Tale of Atomic Love was published by Ragnarok. An Extract: The inside of his skull, it tasted like roses and barbed wire and butterflies. Switchblades and heroin and grassy green gardens. “You’re not a monster,” she said, and stood up on…