Books and Writing

My (currently untitled) WIP is a feminist historical fiction novel, and a testament to the women that dared to aspire beyond the limits of their lifetime. When ambition is a luxury reserved for men, each woman must fight to carve out a life for herself that society insists is impossible.

1897: Clara, who is torn from her literary ambitions and pushed into marriage with a morally-bankrupt man to save her family business.

1927: Flossie, who flees her small-town upbringing to becoming a flapper dancer, only to find herself submerged in the neon-lit underbelly of big-city exploitation and sleazy speakeasies.

1957: Ida, who gives up busy days in a cotton mill to care for her ailing grandparents, letting her dream of studying ornithology slip through her fingers.

I will be documenting the trials and tribulations of the writing process on my blog, Substack, and social media: follow along to keep yourself up to date, and keep me accountable!

Work-in-Progress…

Short Fiction

  • Pressed

    Much like the last, another sentimental flash fiction piece in which I am reimagined as a vinyl record, carved and pressed by my grandparents (the other ones, this time!). More lyrical prose, more nostalgia, and arguably more happy, sappy memories.

    Click Here
  • York Literary Review 2025

    Homegrown

    A short, sentimental flash fiction piece in which I am reimagined as something grown and nurtured in my grandparents garden. Lyrical prose and fancy imagery stringed together with a healthy dose of nostalgia and happy, sappy memories.

    Read It Here
  • Artistic poster for a book: 'Beyond the Walls 2025' featuring a colourful abstract illustration of a person's profile with swirling patterns and a quill tip as the neck. Text includes 'New Writing from York St. John University' at the top.

    Blur

    Disorienting piece of flash fiction placing the reader in the throws of a deep-set hangover, where the post-party clean-up might include the disposal of a body. Is it really guilt, or just a guilty conscience? Is it a body, or just another blur on the kitchen floor?

    Read It Here
  • A red wall with a mural featuring a bookshelf on each side, a fireplace with a fire, and a smoking cauldron. The mural has text reading 'HOME LAND' with the word 'HOME' on each side of a shield-like emblem. The words 'FOLKLORE ANTHOLOGY' are written in the cent near the floor, and there's a sleeping dog on a rug in front of the fireplace. The mural includes the York St John University logo

    The Black-Eyed Girl on Cannock Chase

    My retelling of the famous Midlands folklore heroine, The Black-Eyed Girl on Cannock Chase. Known for spooking campers and jumping out on dog-walkers, was she really a malicious spirit? Or just a lonely little girl?

    Find Out More
  • Book cover titled "Fractured & Found" with the subtitle "An Anthology on Sanctuary," featuring a watercolor illustration of a nature scene with a large tree, a small house, a stream, a fox, and a mountain in the background.

    In a Month

    A short and emotional flash fiction piece told in the future tense by a woman pre-empting the grief she will feel when her husband dies. She finds comfort in the personification of Night and Day, the only consistent company for a widow consumed by monotony.

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  • Illustration of a stained glass window with a sun design in the upper left, set against a purple background, with the text 'YORK LITERARY REVIEW 2024' around the window.

    Harvey's Place

    Harvey Monroe, or ‘The Wizard’, as he’s known to his suspiciously happy patrons, is surreptitiously observed by a journalist trying to find the cause of the immeasurable joy within his bar. Is it heavy-handed measures, or the smiley faces on the cocktail umbrellas?

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Like What You See?

laurakabeddow@gmail.com