The latest short fiction, poetry, promotions and happenings from Popshot Magazine and our extended network.
CURRENTS
A poem by NJ Hynes, written following a visit to America’s Midwest where rights to the air were being sold thanks to a commercial interest in wind power. Illustrated by Tim McDonagh.
January 14th 2016
THE SECRET
A child stumbles across a destructive secret that will change her life forever in Audra Kerr Brown’s compelling short story. Illustrated by Mitt Roshin.
January 11th 2016
SUBSCRIBE TO POPSHOT
Receive four print issues and complete digital access to all of our out-of-print editions when you subscribe to Popshot from £20 for 4 issues.
SUBSCRIBE TO POPSHOT
SEWING LESSONS
Inspired by her conservative grandmother who attempted to teach her to sew, Ellen Davies’ poem celebrates the advantages of ignorance.
January 8th 2016
THE POPSHOT GICLÉE PRINT SALE
With just a handful of our limited edition A2 Giclée prints left, we’re now making them available for less than half price. Pick up yours from £16.
January 5th 2016
SUBMIT YOUR WRITING TO THE ‘ADVENTURE’ ISSUE
With the arrival of 2016, there are just eighteen days left to submit your poems and short stories to our next issue on the theme of ‘Adventure’.
January 2nd 2016
A THANK YOU TO OUR READERS
With 2015 drawing to a close, we reflect on the last twelve months and say a huge thank you to our readers and subscribers for their tremendous support.
December 30th 2015
THE WHITE REVIEW SHORT STORY PRIZE
The quarterly arts journal is now open for entries to its short story prize for emerging writers, offering £2,500 and publication in The White Review.
December 29th 2015
WHEN THEY ASK ABOUT MY FACE
Nancy Carol Moody’s poem reflects on the unintended fierceness of her face, which betrays the softness that lives behind. Illustrated by Maria Rikteryte.
December 27th 2015
EVERY ILLUSTRATION FROM THE CURIOUS ISSUE
Head to our newly updated Pinterest page to find every illustration from our latest issue alongside every piece of artwork ever published in Popshot.
December 17th 2015
GRAVITY
Krishan Coupland’s flash fiction piece pictures a time where gravity’s longstanding reign starts to collapse. Illustrated by Señor Salme.
December 14th 2015
WE’VE GOT CHRISTMAS WRAPPED UP
On the lookout for a gift for that literature-loving friend? Wrap up the search with a copy of Popshot for £6 or a three-issue subscription for £10.
December 10th 2015
LACES
A charming little poem by Neil McCarthy, written for his nephew as an ode to the future and the footsteps once trodden himself. Illustrated by David Lemm.
December 8th 2015
HOW TO BE A WRITER
Kirsty Logan presents an unusual version of an instruction manual for writers in her jocular short story, first published in our Imagination issue.
December 4th 2015
LITERARY SUBMISSIONS FOR ISSUE 15 ARE NOW OPEN
We are now accepting short fiction and poetry submissions for our forthcoming issue on the theme of ‘Adventure’.
December 1st 2015
MDMA
A poem by Daniel Sluman, providing a crepuscular vignette of a time spent on drugs. Illustrated by Devin McGrath.
November 30th 2015
THE ‘C’ WORD
With Christmas Day less than a month away, a copy of Popshot could be the perfect gift for the quintessential lover of literature.
November 26th 2015
LITERARY SUBMISSIONS OPEN IN ONE WEEK
In advance of submissions opening for our fifteenth issue, our editor shines a light on what kind of writing we’ll be looking out for.
November 24th 2015
DARK VOICES
A young girl discovers that she has a unique and supernatural gift in Jane Wright’s transfixing short story. Illustrated by Matthew Brazier.
November 20th 2015
ALLOW YOURSELF THIS ONE DAY
A light-footed poem by Max Wallis, addressing the day following a break up and the importance of the wallowing period. Illustrated by Peter Locke.
November 17th 2015
PENNY WHISTLE
Zelda Chappel’s short poem, taken from her debut collection entitled The Girl in the Dog-tooth Coat, whispers with elegance, yearning and fragility.
November 12th 2015
WALL OF SKULLS
Barry Charman’s short story leads us to the infamous wall of skulls and the old woman who lives in its secretive shadow. Illustrated by Bradley Jay.
November 9th 2015
V&A ILLUSTRATION AWARDS
Entries are now being accepted for this year’s V&A Illustration Awards, celebrating the best illustration published over the last twelve months.
November 5th 2015
FIRST SUMMER
A poem of youth, memory and the reinterpretation of the past. Penned by Claire Booker and first published in our twelfth issue on the theme of Time.
November 3rd 2015
SWEET PEAS
A poem by Katherine Venn, inspired in part by Old Testament prophecies about God replacing people’s hearts. Illustrated by Joey Guidone.
October 28th 2015
THE POETRY BUSINESS BOOK & PAMPHLET COMPETITION
Judged by former US Poet Laureate, Billy Collins, enter for the chance to win publication by smith|doorstop, a share of £2,000 cash and much more.
October 26th 2015
EXHILARATION
Catherine Wong’s flash fiction piece tells of a blind man’s struggle to deal with the newfound miracle of sight. Illustrated by Bee Johnson.
October 23rd 2015
THE LONEY
Read the first two chapters from Andrew Michael Hurley’s eerie debut novel, set in a wild and dangerous length of English coastline known as the Loney.
October 20th 2015
MY FATHER’S COAT
A short but sweet poem by Mary Hayward, inspired by a return to the derelict farm where she grew up. Illustrated by Tim Laing.
October 16th 2015
THE MEMORY JAR
Adena Graham’s heart-rending short story drops us into the lives of a devoted couple who grow increasingly dependent on their collection of memory jars.
October 12th 2015
A POEM FOR NATIONAL POETRY DAY
To mark National Poetry Day 2015 and its theme of Light, read Maria Apichella’s vehement poem, Fire. Illustrated by Rosie Gainsborough.
October 8th 2015
NATIONAL POETRY DAY 2015
Celebrate this year’s National Poetry Day with a wide range of poetry-related programmes, events, talks and readings happening all across the nation.
October 8th 2015
A FILM ABOUT CREATIVITY IN THE DIGITAL AGE
After years in the making, a new film about today’s UK illustration and graphic arts scene, entitled Made You Look, is now hitting screens.
October 7th 2015
SCROPTON, SUDBURY, MARCHINGTON, UTTOXETER
Jessie Greengrass’s short story takes the protagonist back to his hometown to seek absolution from the events of his childhood past. Taken from Jessie’s latest collection, An Account of the Decline of the Great Auk, According to One Who Saw It.
October 5th 2015
OUT NOW: THE NEW ISSUE OF POPSHOT
Our brand new issue, exploring the theme of ‘Curious’, is fresh off the press and available to buy as a single issue or through a subscription.
October 1st 2015
LONDON LITERATURE FESTIVAL
Starting today, this year’s festival boasts a broad programme of talks, readings, poetry, films, comedy and music, taking place over the next fortnight.
September 28th 2015
UNTIL FOREVER RUNS OUT
Karl Mercer’s short story takes us to a mysterious man who spends his life on a park bench, waiting and waiting and waiting. Illustrated by Tom Haugomat.
September 21st 2015
THE CURIOUS ISSUE: COMING VERY SOON
Catch a sneak preview of the cover of our new issue, The Curious Issue, now available to pre-order and launching on October 1st.
September 16th 2015
AND ALL ORGANS
Taken from our Outsider issue, Rafael S.W’s poem explores the corporeal restrictions between lovers. Illustrated by Sébastien Thibault.
September 14th 2015
MOUNTAIN OF SWORDS, SEA OF FIRE
Taken from his debut short story collection, The Dog, published by Penguin, read Jack Livings’ tale of divided relationships at a Chinese newspaper.
September 11th 2015
POPSHOT IS NOW ON INSTAGRAM
To celebrate our recent arrival to Instagram, we’re giving away ten copies of our current issue in the coming week. Follow us for the impending details.
September 9th 2015
BABY WORKOUT
A perspicacious poem taken from Tim Wells’ forthcoming poetry collection, Everything Crash, published this month by Penned in the Margins.
September 7th 2015
THE LONDON MAGAZINE SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Established to unearth and encourage emerging literary talent, The London Magazine is now open for entries for its annual short story competition.
September 3rd 2015
DICTIONARY STORIES
Designer & illustrator Jez Burrows has created a selection of short stories composed using only example sentences from the dictionary.
September 1st 2015
A LIMITED EDITION RE-RELEASE OF THE OUTSIDER ISSUE
After our current issue abruptly sold out last month, we’ve now re-released it in a limited edition supplement-style format of just 200 copies.
August 28th 2015
MAGNUM OPUS
Corin Dilip Faife’s macabre short story delves into the world of a secretive sculptor whose masterpieces turn out to be more unique than ever imagined.
August 25th 2015
THE COMPLETE ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE OUTSIDER ISSUE
With our thirteenth issue now sold out, we’ve added every glorious illustration from its pages onto our visually-laden Pinterest page.
August 20th 2015
THE NEW CONCRETE
Hayward Publishing’s newly released book, The New Concrete, celebrates and surveys the rise of concrete poetry in the digital age.
August 18th 2015
THE HUT
Adena Graham’s stirring flash fiction piece takes us into a world that our isolated protagonist is desperately trying to escape. Illustrated by Sam Pash.
August 13th 2015
THE SUNDAY TIMES EFG SHORT STORY AWARD
The world’s richest short story prize, awarding £30,000 to the author of the winning piece of fiction, is now accepting entries for its 2016 award.
August 7th 2015
A GRAVEYARD FOR MICE
Alan Ward’s short story tells of how some curious ‘pets’ turn a family’s summer into an ordeal of warlike proportions. Illustrated by Phil Couzens.
August 5th 2015
SELLING OUT
Our two most recent issues — on the theme of ‘Time’ and ‘Outsider’ — have just sold out, leaving only two remaining issues of Popshot in print.
July 31st 2015
IF I COULD UNDO ANY MISTAKE, IT WOULD BE YOU
A poem from Aki Schilz, articulating the wistful desire to unspool time and extract a tender passage from life’s story. First published in our ‘Time’ issue.
July 25th 2015
THE NATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION
The Poetry Society’s annual poetry competition is now open for entries with the winner taking home £5,000 and earning publication in Poetry Review.
July 23rd 2015
HOME IS WHERE WE ARE
Ethan Chapman’s short story explores a family’s attempt to come to terms with abduction and the construction of a life in its wake. Illustrated by Joe Wilson.
July 18th 2015
METHUSELAH
Taken from our ‘Time’ issue, read Shirley Wright’s poem, Methuselah, inspired by the 5,000 year old pine tree of the same name. Illustrated by Glenn Harvey.
July 14th 2015
NEW WEBSITE
Our website has been given an extensive overhaul, making it mobile/tablet friendly, and now able to house content from various issues of the magazine.
July 7th 2015
TWENTY DAYS OF CURIOSITY
Short fiction and poetry submissions for our ‘Curious’ issue close in twenty days’ time. Send in your literary triumphs before July 20th.
July 1st 2015
ANOTHER WAY TO READ POPSHOT
Working with the fledgling digital bookstore, 0s&1s, we’ve now made the last four issues of Popshot available in PDF form.
June 22nd 2015
A CALL FOR THE CURIOUS
We are now open for short fiction and poetry submissions for our forthcoming fourteenth issue, on the theme of ‘Curious’.