About

I started studying creative writing at the Open University in 2015, doing their wonderful undergrad module A215 – and found I couldn’t stop. I was delighted to finish with a distinction and signed up for their Advanced Creative Writing course. Unfortunately I had to drop out due to family issues, but issues resolved, I returned the following year to find they’d launched a brand new MA in Creative Writing. I decided to apply and started the two-year part-time study at the end of  2016. I was awarded an MA in Creative Writing (with distinction) in December 2018 and  graduated at the Barbican on March 23rd 2019.  Here’s a picture of me and grumpy husband before the ceremony. Don’t worry about his grumpy face. Its his default setting on photos.

Anyhoo, in my year away from study, I entered a few writing competitions and did quite well, which gave me confidence to do some more. To date (2021) I’ve won Flash 500, The Segora short story comp, Molotov Cocktail, Zero Flash, Horror Scribes, Ad Hoc, Retreat West themed flash comp, Write from the Heart micro comp; been awarded 2nd prize at Ely short story comp, Ellipses Zine flash collection prize, Fountain mag creative non fiction prize, Moltotov Cocktail and Retreat West flash prizes; come third at Bath Flash, been highly commended at InkTears and a Story of Daniel and been short and long-listed for: Fish Short Story Competition, Fish Flash comp, Bath Short Story Competition, Bath flash comp, Reflex Flash, The National Flash Fiction Day Drabble Competition, Flashback Drabble Competition, Flash 500, TSS Flash, The Chester Prize for Literature, Ink Tears Flash, Weird Christmas Flash Comp, Writers HQ Flash Comp, Retreat West Monthly Drabble Comp and Micro Madness. In 2020 I was also a finalist in Aesthetica Magazine’s Creative Writing prize and the Dinesh Allirajah Short story prize managed by Comma Press. I’ve  been published round and about over the last couple of years,  in print and on-line,  in places like FlashBack Fiction, Flash Flood, Ellipsis and Fictive Dream, and in 2020 I had stories nominated for Best on the net and 2 Pushcarts as well as being included in the BIFFY 50 (Best British and Irish Flash Fictions). Links to many of my flashes and short stories on this blog and can be accessed by clicking on the relevant button. My debut memoir-in-flash The Naming of Bones, will be published 22/4/2021 by the fabulous Retreat West.

As well as being in love with words I’m a mum, granny, sister, wife and daughter, friend, pet enabler and student of the tricky business of being as decent a human being as it’s possible for me to be. Thanks for visiting my teeny blogspace. All the stories and poems posted here are written by me and therefore my copywrite. If you would like to reproduce anything just ask. My e-mail is jankaneen@aol.com

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