The Pink Ribbon Storycuts

It has been five years since Madeleine has recognised her husband James. As she drops deeper into her dementia, their lives fill up with the ghosts of her past and of Blitz-era London. When late one night his loneliness causes him to welcome a distressed young lady into their home, he must re-evaluate his perspective. Part of the Storycuts series, this short story was originally published in the collection Little Black Book of Stories.

Following the death of her mother, an elderly woman begins to undergo a transfiguration. Her body grows flinty, toughens and crystallises. An Icelandic stonemason she meets in a graveyard becomes her sole confidant. As her inexorable metamorphosis continues, the stories he has to tell of his homeland and its legends begin to resonate. Part of the Storycuts series, this short story was originally published in the collection Little Black Book of Stories.

Kate is right in the middle of last-minute marriage preparations. In just two weeks time, she will be wed to Hugh, a high-flying barrister, who is perfect for her - well, at least according to her parents. With the wedding so close, and so many influential friends of Hugh's to consider, it's no wonder Kate's nerves are a little strung out. And when Hugh suggests a weekend away, Kate's idea of getting a bit of peace and quiet is swiftly shattered when she realises they are heading to the boat belonging to Jonty and Muriel - two of Hugh's most braying and exuberant friends. But things get ever worse when there is a terrible surprise waiting for Kate on the boat, in the shape of an unexpected guest: an artist called Tod, who is a devastatingly painful blast from Kate's past. He has a stunning new girlfriend in tow, and Kate is forced to confront the reality of the life she has built for herself - and the memory of the girl she used to be. Is it too late for her to discover what she truly wants? Part of the Storycuts series, this short story was previously published in the collection Lisa & Co.

Meet Morning, a playful girl with a vivid imagination, who loves to sing and adores the color pink. Come along on Morning's journey as she searches for her missing bright, shiny pink ribbon. Morning's whimsical ideas will cause laughter, while her story will create a positive feeling about each new day.

In 'Pink Cigarettes', a schoolboy grows tired of his relationship with an aging poet, who is becoming a greater draw on his time by the day. But when it looks as though his behaviour will break the old man's heart, he must listen closely to his own feelings. In 'Babies in Rhinestones', the Alfred Ellis School of Fine Art and the Araidne School Elliot School of Dance and Drama stand side by side, much to their proprietors' dismay. The two trade insults daily as they exchange the mail that so often ends up in the wrong letterbox. The tension increases when the owners find that they have adopted the same stray cat. Part of the Storycuts series, these two stories were previously published in the collection The Atmospheric Railway.

It should come as no surprise that short stories by the author of the magical Possession are populated by erudite paranoiacs, witches, changelings, and the ghost of a dead child. A S Byatt's short fictions explore the fragile ties between generations, the dizzying abyss of loss and the elaborate memories we construct against it, resulting in a book that compels us to inhabit other lives and returns us to our own with new knowledge, compassion, and a sense of wonder.

After her husband becomes violent, Frederica Potter flees with her young son to London. There, she secures a teaching position in an art school, and finds herself surrounded by painters and poets with dreams of rebellion. Then Frederica meets Jude Mason, the strange and charismatic author of a wildly controversial novel. When her husband files for divorce and Jude becomes the target of a high-profile court case, Frederica’s life threatens to spiral out of control. THE THIRD FREDERICA POTTER NOVEL

Frederica Potter arrives at Cambridge University greedy for knowledge, sex and love. It isn’t long before she becomes infatuated with a mysterious and controlling poet. Back in Yorkshire, her sister Stephanie abandons academia and is confronted with the boredom and frustrations of motherhood. Meanwhile, their younger brother Marcus begins to recover from a nervous breakdown. Each sibling is desperate to shape their own future, but a horrifying event will soon change their lives forever.