It’s just ten days to go until the £1460 prize fund 33rd Award, ends on Sunday June 7th. Thank you to everyone from around the world who has submitted so far.

It’s my birthday today and I am even more of an old person now. My birthday wish for the current Award is that we have a last minute rush of positive stories about the process of aging. Writers very frequently submit stories about old people suffering with dementia or being alone after loss of loved ones. There are also a lot of stories from the point of view of a grieving family member after a grandparent or parent has died. There are excellent stories on these subjects. And there are many different angles to take. But there are hardly any submitted about people in good health having vibrant creative lives as they grow older or having funny or interesting relationships with others.

It’s always great in a competition to read a flash on a new subject that is cheering or hopeful. For myself, I hope I can carry on my writing projects for many more years. I founded Bath Flash Fiction Award eleven years ago when I was in my mid sixties and the flash fiction festival weekend that I direct has been going strong since 2017. I’ve also written a lot of flash fictions during this time. I am not intending to stop anytime soon.