Our anthology writers – the final four

Julianne Pachico grew up in Colombia and now lives in Norwich, where she is completing her PhD in Creative and Critical Writing at UEA. Her stories have been published or are forthcoming in Lighthouse Literary Journal, NewWriting.net and Salt's Best British Short Stories. Her pamphlet, The Tourists, is available with Daunt Books. She is currently completing a linked collection set in Colombia and working on a novel set in Mexico. Julianne’s’s story Kurt Cobain’s Son  will appear in Words And Women: Two.

Bethany Settle has an MA in Creative Writing (Prose Fiction) from the University of East Anglia. She remained in Norwich, where she works at a library. Recently her work has appeared in Words and Women: One and Extending Leylines. She is writer-in-residence at the Rumsey Wells pub in Norwich. Bethany’s creative non-fiction piece For Dave Garner will appear in the anthology.

Avani Shah was born in London and now lives in Norwich. She has a BA in English Literature with Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Her influences include Jhumpa Lahiri, J.K. Rowling, and Mindy Kaling. Avani’s story Mira/Meera will be included in our anthology.

Thea Smiley lives in Suffolk with her husband and three sons. She graduated from the UEA in 2012 with a first class Honours Degree in English Literature. While at university, her short story Smoke was published in Workshop, an anthology of undergraduate writing. Her first stage play was performed at the Cut Arts Centre, Halesworth, in 2012 and, the following year, one of her stories was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize. Currently, she is writing a play for Wonderful Beast Theatre Company, which will be performed during the HighTide Festival in 2015. Thea’s short story Magazines  will feature in Words And Women: Two.

Don’t forget we will also be publishing the work arising from our About project in our second anthology too. The profiles of Jenny Ayres, Lilie Ferrari, Tess Little and Thea Smiley, the writers selected for this commission, can be found on the dedicated blog page 'About comp'.

Many congratulations to all the writers selected for our anthology. The anthology will be launched on 8^th March International Women’s Day at the Fusion Digital Gallery, The Forum, Norwich. Details of the launch will be posted on this blog in February.