Collection of Covid lockdown short stories is about to be launched by a Harborough-based publisher

A beguiling collection of Covid lockdown short stories is about to be launched by a leading Market Harborough-based publisher.

Called ‘Connections’, the project brings together 23 gifted writers from all over the UK.

The authors include contributors from Market Harborough – and 11 from Leicestershire altogether.

And the exciting new collection of fascinating fictional works will be launched on Friday (April 23) on Amazon.

The intriguing compilation is being spearheaded by award-winning publisher Fuzzy Flamingo – set up by Market Harborough entrepreneur Jen Parker, 34, in 2017.

She’s got the venture off the ground to give both professional and amateur writers an escape from the often grim grind and reality of lockdown life.

And their creative, imaginative writing has helped them get through a very challenging pandemic year stretching back to March 2020.

Zoe Brooks, a virtual assistant from Market Harborough, is proud that her short story ‘Trans-Siberian Situation’ features in the book.

Hailing it as a “fantastic experience”, Zoe said: “I never would have dreamt that anything I wrote could make it into a book.

“This has given me the confidence to write more and I’m exploring new and exciting opportunities as a result.”

Jen Parker, the designer and editor of the book, said: “Writing and reading have both always helped me in difficult times.

“We started this project in the second lockdown.

“I wanted to give people across the UK a project they could have fun with and feel like they were doing something just for them – as a lot of us are not prioritising ourselves much during this time.

“We had an overwhelming response to the call out for fiction writers.

“A lot of the authors used the writing process as an escape.”

The talented mum-of-two and passionate book lover added: “I didn’t give the writers a brief for their fictional stories.

“But as the submissions came in, it was clear that everyone was writing about the relationships we make – which I found interesting given that relationships were something we had to sacrifice during lockdown.

“I wanted to give the authors a boost in confidence, show them that writing a book doesn’t have to be a daunting process and create a great book that will help readers escape their troubles too.

“The beauty of short stories is that you can just pick it up for short breaks and escape the daily grind for a few moments.”

‘Connections’ is an “eclectic collection” of captivating stories written in a variety of genres – ranging from sci fi to romance to steam punk to thriller.

Each tale explores a unique take on the different type of relationships we make – whether fleeting or lasting a lifetime, happy, sad, monumental or fanciful.

The ebook will be on sale for £1.99 for launch day on Friday - before returning to full price (£4.99) on Saturday.

The paperback version will be available from Amazon on Friday April 30 priced at £9.99.