14.03.14 Story, Poem and Inspiration Point of the Week

The next ABCtales Reading is in just under two weeks - Wednesday, March the 26th at the Wheatsheaf in London - and we've got an excellent roster of readers. If you haven't already, make sure to book the evening off to hear from Stan, Bee, Akanbi, TFH, BarelyBlackFrancis, Rhiannonw, Robert of the Queen Mary University Creative Writing Society, Aidan Cottrell-Boyce, Joe and Elsie Katz– it's bound to be an incredible night and we'll look forward to seeing you there! For more information, have a look in our forums.

It's been an absolutely incredible week for work on the site - and I feel lucky to be editor just for the reading. Absolutely top-notch work from old hands and new faces alike. Which, of course, makes me job difficult, but all the same:

Our Story of the Week is one of three fantastic pieces posted by Jambeadie - though they were all excellent, 'Chestnut Mare' really is a step above. A portrait of a 13 year old boy's first foray into sexuality, as he texts and sweats under the screams from the nearby Alton Towers, you'll find yourself stuck between your own childhood and the stark, digitized contours of the modern day. This is a beautiful sketch of both character and place. It's startling, raw and real.

Our Poem of the Week is 'Putting up a Music Stand' by Aronowitz. An elegant, thought-provoking meditation on an (almost) everyday object from one of our newest members, this poem is dense and perfectly controlled - a single, highly resonant description nips at the tails of memory and connection. Both simple and evocative, and hopefully a presage of things to come.

And finally, if you're stuck for ideas, have a look at our weekly Inspiration Point.