The Kraken Rises!

The Kraken Rises! is published by Angry Robot on Sat 26 Oct 2013, launched at the Unputdownable Speakeasy.

The cover art competition was won by artist Tina Altwegg

Foreword, from Unputdownable.

This is a special book. All these stories were written in just 24 hours by ordinary people picking up a pen and following a brief. They had some advice from our supporting authors but none of the writers you see here are previously published – indeed many have never written before. The results are brilliant.

We at the Bristol Festival of Literature, Unputdownable, think fiction is for everyone. It enables us to see the world with fresh eyes. Reading and writing it can give a new sense of who we are, and what we’re here for. It’s a spiritual act – regardless of the commercial aspects. As a litfest we also have a mission to Inspire, Reflect, and Act. We love it when people step down this route and become producers of our culture, not merely its consumers.

So enjoy these tales with a shared sense of achievement for these courageous producers and let them speak to you. What would you write, given a day?

The Cover Art competition received an astomishingly high quality set of entries. Only one could be chosen, by the judges voting, and we’re proud to have selected Tina Altwegg’s very spooky entry…

The brief for writers on the day was:

A comet in the sky heralds weirdness for Bristol. Write your way to safety! Join a one- day writing competition, with the help of six authors based at secret locations. Make your own book, try ‘cut-up’ techniques, investigate digital futures, explore interactive maps. Ten best entries win publication in an anthology by Angry Robot. The winning tale will be performed at the Unputdownable Speakeasy, Sat 26. Other great prizes to be won.

The Trail began on Sat 19 Oct at 10.45am and closed at 4.00pm.

Many thanks to all participating secret venues (you know who you are!) and everyone who has donated prizes.