A Letter from the Editorial Committee
Welcome to Issue 16: Harness!
The committee has certainly been busy these last few weeks – not only have we been working on our 16th issue with our writers, but also on our second ever event: Poetry by Candlelight!
We decided to hold our launch party and event together as one big celebration, and it was a bigger success than we ever could have imagined. To have had the support from so many students (some of whom had previously contributed to our journal) and from members of the English Department was truly moving. We’d like to give special thanks to all our performers: Betty Doyle, Chris Hanlon, Siobhan Mitchell, Matt Haw, Aaron Aquilina, Thea Nirolova, Warren Mortimer, Dominic O’Sullivan and Sarah Lyamani; to our guest speakers (award winning poets from the English department): Graham Mort and Eoghan Walls, and also to those who helped us with organising the event: Dr Liz Oakley-Brown, Jenn Ashworth, John Schad and Janet Tyson. We hope that you all enjoyed yourselves, and that we can continue to work with you all in the new year.
Congratulations also to Srishti Kadu on being awarded with the Issue 16 Editor’s Choice Award. Thank you to everyone who submitted – we look forward to working again with you soon.
The Flash Editorial Team
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The Editors’ Choice Piece: Harness
by Srishti Kadu, with commentary from Lauren Wood
“Srishti’s deeply emotive writing perfectly illustrates the bitter-sweet emotions at the centre of this piece. She brilliantly captivates the sense of frustration, disappointment and desire for escape, channelling it through the reader in the most relatable, yet intriguing, way.”
Sugar Butties
by Antonia Wood, with commentary from Hannah Clarke
“Antonia’s story is filled with secrets and characters who feel out of place. Following a young boy caring for his father the story yearns for a perfect childhood plot yet nostalgic memories draw him back to a shattering reality.”
The 4am
by Megan Stephens, with commentary from Lauren Wood
“Megan’s piece homes in on the emotions and interactions that make everyday situations extraordinary. Her wonderful use of inner monologue draws the audience into the world of her characters, sweeping them up into their endearing shared experience.”
Cauldron
by James Bone, with commentary from Sianne Fraser
“Cauldron is eloquent and full of dry humour, making it a pleasure to read. The ambiguity regarding the speaker’s identity, their relationship to the poet and their reliability as a narrator wonderfully encapsulates the uncertainties of modern life.”
Post Tenebras Lux
by Melissa Shode, with commentary from Betty Doyle
“It is always a pleasure to edit Melissa’s work. Her combination of stunning and unusual imagery with her approachable and relatable topics makes for an interesting and enjoyable read every time.”
Rebirth
by Jake Parkinson, with commentary from Tanjida Hossain
“Jake crafts a wonderful short read using fragmented sentences and an inquisitive narrator. His prose piece leaves you with more questions than answers regarding human consciousness in machines and in the present digital age, that’s never a bad thing.”
Black Friday
by Richard Hamer, with commentary from Siobhan Mitchell
“Richard’s piece is full of intrigue and suspense. Combining both mystery and horror, the story leaves the reader both thrilled and budding to know more.”
Flash 
