Find yourself drawn in and instantly captivated by this glittering anthology compiled by the 2026 UEA Creative Writing MA graduates. With pieces crafted through lenses of invention, passion, self-exploration, and worldliness, this collection of works transcends the bounds of literary formation. On one page you may find yourself living under a corrupt government in a post-war society or sucked into a forbidden medieval romance. On another, you can bear witness to the de-fleshing of a single intimate moment as revealed through lines of a poem. Pages later, you could very well find yourself centre stage of a murder investigation. Each piece takes on a distinct voice and offers different insights into the past, present, and future of all living things and the planet we inhabit.
Featuring an introduction and foreword from two incredibly talented authors, this anthology combines the creative talents of current and emerging writers. Readers will leave with fresh perspectives, sparking curiosity, and a fond remembrance of each unique piece they encountered.
Introduction by James McDermott: James is a Lecturer in Scriptwriting at The University of East Anglia, tutor for National Theatre's New Views and an Arvon writing tutor. As a poet, James is widely published in journals and magazines including Poetry Wales, The North, Butcher's Dog, Popshot Quarterly, Ink Sweat & Tears and 14 Poems. His poetry collections include 'Wild Life', published by Nine Arches Press, which was shortlisted for The East Anglian Book Award 2023, and the spoken word collection 'Manatomy', published by Burning Eye Books, which was longlisted for the Polari First Book Prize 2021.
Foreword by Jasmin Kirkbride: Jasmin Kirkbride is a Lecturer in Creative Writing and Digital Technologies at the University of East Anglia (UEA). Jasmin is a speculative fiction author. Her debut novel The Forest on the Edge of Time, was published February 2026. Her short fiction has appeared in magazines including Reactor, while her poetry has been published in places such as Presence and Frogpond, and been shortlisted for the 2019 Museum of Haiku Literature Award.
