At the end of September, I sent the manuscript for Climbing High: Speculative Stories of Female Ambition to Flame Tree’s editorial team.
It’s the culmination of several months of work so far. The creative high point of a year in which other projects were delayed.
And it’s a collaborative project, my first time editing an anthology of stories for a publisher. Several writers have contributed short stories (and, in one case, an introduction) to the project.
Reading through the copyedits feels like looking down from the top of a hill.
View from the Pnyx in Athens. Note to self: editing an anthology called Climbing High apparently makes you more likely to climb hills…
There are further steps to go through before this book is out in the world, but I’m proud of the form the collection is taking and the work we’ve all put into it.
How do you feel when you finish something? Do you take time to recognize the effort, to let yourself breathe and your nervous system sense “this is done”?
Events I’ve Enjoyed This Month
Between my own work toward a finish line, I’ve enjoyed seeing others’ events come to fruition recently.
My friend Rachael Twumasi-Corson gave a talk at the TEDx Bromley event at the beginning of the month. The theme was Defying Expectations, and the talks covered everything from the power of rebels to the importance of patient self-advocacy to the transferable leadership skills that mothers bring to the workplace. These powerful talks will be online soon, and I’d encourage you to check them out.
I went to local author and presenter David Bramwell’s monthly event, the Catalyst Club, where speakers give engaging talks about their passions, no matter how niche. There’s also a bit of cabaret-style performance. This month’s topics included a “museum of unfinished projects” (relatable!), a birthday poem, and the stories of people who made penpal connections through old music magazines.
Some of you might remember my work on Joan: The Musical in the Brighton Fringe last year. Our lead actress’s daughter, Faradena Afifi, is one of the founders of the Noisy Women multi-disciplinary creative group. I attended their performance at the Rotunda Cafe, which was a fun, chaotic blend of music, improvisation, poetry, movement, and more. Well worth seeing, and lots of fun!
Lastly, the Coast Is Queer, the UK’s biggest LGBTQ+ literary festival, just finished up yesterday with a brilliant conversation between Sarah Waters and Julia Armfield (pictured below). I always come back from this festival’s talks with more insights, not to mention more books, than I’d expected!
I appreciate bringing projects over the finish line, and witnessing others’ work can afford the perspective needed to get them done. I’m nourished by community and inspired by what others can do.
What do you find helpful for reaching that final stretch of creative work?
As the end of Pride Month rolls around, let’s remember that Pride began not as a celebration but as a protest. A fight for visibility and equality. Let’s remember that both of these are under threat in many parts of the world. And let’s celebrate the queer people and communities claiming spaces of joy and togetherness in the face of it all.
Local Queer Events
Last week, I spent an evening reading and assisting with Queer Diary, an event where queer adults read from their teenage diaries and creative writing. We sold swag, ended with a dance featuring throwback tracks, and I joined the line-up to read from a novel I wrote at age 13 (to much laughter).
And this weekend, a local dance teacher organized a Queer Regency Revel, a themed dance where attendees dressed like Jane Austen characters and learned Regency-era dances, lining up and swapping partners to the sound of a live instrumental band. Drag performances and a costume contest completed the evening. There’s so much creativity in Brighton’s queer community. Long may it continue!
Sadly, The Queery, the local bookshop, cafe and community space where I held a book launch and workshops, has closed down. A lot of us will miss it.
On a brighter note, Aggh! Zine, “a safe space to discuss subjects that are considered taboo or not mainstream,” has been awarded funding to offer 5 free creative workshops for LGBTQIA+ residents on low income or experiencing financial hardship or social isolation during the cost-of-living crisis. Three of the workshops are forthcoming, and you can find tickets and details here.
Queer Things I Wrote
In case you missed it, my YA novel Chasing Harmony was on CLMP’s Pride Month reading list last year! It’s a coming-of-age story about a bisexual musical prodigy, set on Prince Edward Island.
I used to write a book review column called Hidden Gems of Queer Lit for Autostraddle, a sapphic-focused online magazine (which now has a print magazine too!). You can find my old columns and articles for Autostraddle here – worth a look if you’re seeking something to read!
Speaking of books, a couple years ago, I wrote a review of Alice Oseman’s YA novel Loveless for Pride Month, and shared some thoughts about the importance of asexual representation. I also did a Substack review of The Phoenix Keeper, a cozy fantasy novel with a sapphic romance, a bi lead, and a magical zoo!
And I have a short story, “Forest Creatures,” featured on Lilith’s Lair, “a private space for sapphics to explore their own desire.” It’s a lovely collection of writing, much of it spicier than my little story.
Author Events and News
I have some events coming up!
I’ll be joining a discussion on The Good Book Life about Protecting Pride – fighting the removal of LGBTQI displays in libraries.
I had a poem accepted by BFS Horizons, the British Fantasy Society’s poetry and fiction publication.
And on July 25, I’ll be taking part in a British Fantasy Society reading on Power in SFFH. More details below and here. I can’t wait!
Happy Spring! I have two pieces of news this month.
First (I finally get to announce this), I’m editing an anthology for Flame Tree’s Beyond & Within series. Those are beautiful books with shiny covers and exciting new stories. You may remember me sharing some pictures of them earlier.
Women’s ambition is not always welcomed, let alone encouraged. Speculative fiction is a context that offers other possibilities (and worlds), where writers and readers imagine what could be. Climbing High: Speculative Stories of Female Ambition will feature stories exploring contexts where female ambition is treated differently, aspiration and achievement in the face of adversity, and ambitions that extend beyond what’s possible in our contemporary world. This anthology takes an empowering stance of embracing ambition while being unafraid to explore the costs and consequences that characters may face in doing so and the impacts of ambitions pursued or fulfilled.
Stories may engage with the question of navigating disparate values and commitments (the often-asked and often-sexist question of “How do you balance x and y?”), or they may abandon all that, with characters who prioritise their desires above all else. Whether characters are reshaping the world(s), themselves, or aiming to brew the best cup of tea, their drives are the driving force of their stories. Contributors may feel free to question assumptions or norms related to women or gender while they’re at it. Authors are encouraged to explore spaces between representation and aspiration and be as bold as they like in imagining what could be.
This will be a fascinating new anthology for our Beyond & Within series. We’re looking for around four stories to join the selection curated by Melanie Bell!
Melanie Bell is a Canadian writer living in the UK. Her books include a poetry collection, The Heart Decided to Move; a YA novel, Chasing Harmony; a short story collection, Dream Signs; and a nonfiction book, The Modern Enneagram, co-authored with Kacie Berghoef. Her novella The Cliffman was included in the literary horror collection Hard for Hope to Flourish, and one of her stories is featured in the Whispers in the Earth illustrated anthology of world folklore.
Melanie and Hannah Doyle co-wrote Joan: The Musical which was performed in the Brighton Fringe in May 2025. Her short plays have appeared onstage at the Tower Theatre and Barons Court Theatre in London, on Morley College Radio, and in Liverpool’s 24 Hour Play Fest. She loves art, music, wondering and wandering.
Multiple submissions are fine but must be in separate emails.
Simultaneous submissions are fine but you must have the right to license your story in an anthology.
Stories that used AI for planning, editing, modifying or generating text will not be accepted. Please declare in your submission email if you have used AI in any way.
For accepted stories we pay Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) rates of 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories.
We will aim to read each story and confirm its status within 4 months of the submission deadline.
Payment for the chosen stories will be made within 30 days of the final advertised publication date (see our website flametreepublishing.com for details), although some may be paid earlier than that.
Submission does not imply the right to publication. Each story will be read and assessed by the selection panel.
Please only submit unpublished/original/new stories for consideration. Reprints will not be accepted for consideration through this submissions route.
We’re always looking for better ways of working so we’ve tweaked our submission process to allow us to read more stories, and spend more time assessing the balance of our books.
Submissions must use the dedicated email address.
The subject line of the email must be the story title.
The file with the story must be attached to the email (.docx, .doc or .rtf format).
The name of the file must match the name in the subject line.
If submitting more than one story, please submit one story per email.
Other useful tips for a more successful submission:
The file name of the submission must be the story name only.
Please just use spaces between words in the title (not _ or – ).
If the story name starts with A or The, please use it at the beginning of the file name.
Story length is most likely to be successful at 2000–4000 words, but we will still read stories slightly outside this range.
If submitting a story that has recently been submitted to us for consideration to another anthology, please state this in the submission email.
Deadline for submissions is 3rd May 2026.
This is what the anthologies look like!
Literary Tea Salon With Bird & Blend Tea Co.
Here’s another collab I’m excited for! Bird & Blend Tea Co. is my favourite local tea shop. Their products are high quality and delicious. If you’re based in the UK, their shops offer free tastings and are well worth a visit, and they sell online as well.
So, while sampling some tea at the shop, I suggested a literary event, and the Bird & Blend team was interested in hosting one this spring. Here are the details for our Literary Tea Salon on May 11:
Join local author Melanie Bell and Bird & Blend Tea Co. for writing exercises, an author reading, and a book-themed tea tasting.
Monday, May 11 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Literary Tea Salon
Join us for a cosy, bookish evening blending two good things – writing and tea!
Local author Melanie Bell will lead participants in some creative exercises, read from her work, and answer questions about the writing process, while the Bird & Blend team will offer a selection of their literary-themed teas to taste.
Location
Bird & Blend Tea Co.
41 Gardner Street Brighton and Hove BN1 1UN
Hosted in Bird & Blend’s flagship Brighton store, come along alone, with a loved one or in a group…all are welcome!
The store is fully accessible to customers in wheelchairs with NCP parking nearby. Please note there is no customer toilet on site but there is a wheelchair accessible toilet available in a nearby venue. We can tailor our experience to most disabilities – just let us know when booking.
It’s an exhilarating feeling, watching in the audience as actors embody characters you created, speak words you imagined, and belt out music you created.
But my co-writer Hannah Doyle and I weren’t the only ones getting chills during the opening weekend (May 3-4) of Joan: The Musical in the Brighton Fringe. Some of the audience members shared that it made them cry. Others left quoting the lines and humming the tunes.
I couldn’t have imagined a better weekend for Joan, where BOTH DAYS SOLD OUT!
Except for this – we were offered an opportunity to do a THIRD performance! It’s now happening on Monday, May 26, at 6 pm, once again at The Actors in Brighton.
It’s truly magical when the stars align and you end up seeing something that takes your breath away. Joan The Musical by Melanie Bell and Hannah Doyle is a triumphant tale about a woman’s dwindling confidence and her journey of self-discovery. A tale of despair and sadness, followed by joy and karma. With sequins, hot pink leggings, squats and box breathing. All set to an amazing original musical score.
This is a sweet-toned musical about self-affirmation, new discovery and magical singing that works. Lyrics and songs are the kind you’d hear in a Southwark Playhouse musical: easy melodies, wittily syncopated around witty lyrics… They’ve clearly proved themselves as a writing team, and it’ll be fascinating to see where they go next.
Co-writer/producer Hannah Doyle and lead actress Geraldine Afifi spoke about the show on an episode The Brighton Babbler podcast, which also includes one of the songs! You can listen to it here.
We’re now looking for opportunities to develop the show beyond the Brighton Fringe. Feel free to be in touch if you know of any possible connections!
The cast and creative team
Book Events and News
The book launch for my new poetry collection The Heart Decided to Move went well, and I’m in the process of setting up more readings and events. For my next one, I’m coming to CANADA!
1-110 Roseberry Street, Campbellton, New Brunswick, Canada June 6, 2-4 pm Join me for a poetry reading, book signing, and snacks at a gem of a bookstore that offers “a space where anyone can feel safe and free to let their geek flag fly”!
Reading at The Heart Decided to Move book launch
My copies of the Whispers in the Earth: World Folklore Reimagined anthology arrived and they’re so beautiful! The book features 20 folklore-inspired stories, including one of mine, and hand-printed linocut illustrations. There may still be a few copies available on The Broken Binding’s website, so check here if you’re interested in ordering a paperback or a hardback with sprayed edges!
Whispers in the Earth anthology, with the linocut illustration for my story
My poem “In Which Much Has Changed” has been (re-)published in issue 49 of QWERTY magazine, the “No” issue, along with other innovative poems and stories. You can order one here if you like.
And in final book news, a recommendation! I had the honor of giving some preliminary input on the English edition of Monika Orski’s book about leading highly intelligent people – which can be trickier than it looks! And the book is out now.
Part 1: Learning by Doing Leadership By Monika Orski
Leading highly intelligent individuals can be both an immensely rewarding and challenging experience. When those individuals are also volunteers, the complexity of leadership increases even more.
In this thought-provoking book, a former national chair of Mensa Sweden shares valuable insights and practical lessons drawn from years of experience leading within one of the world’s most intellectually gifted communities. With Mensa being a largely volunteer-driven organization, it offers a rare environment to explore leadership in its most nuanced and challenging form, also know as herding cats.
You will learn about leadership by sugar, explanations adapted for the fast thinkers, and how a character from a children’s book can help. Plus some other things you might not yet know that you want to know. There are even some attempts at humour.
Ideal for leaders, managers, and anyone working with high-performing or highly autonomous teams of professionals or volunteers, The Art of Herding Cats guides you through doing the mostly impossible and how to enjoy it.
Coming April 8: my new poetry collection, The Heart Decided to Move!
And you can preorder it now! More information from my publisher below:
PREORDER – The Heart Decided to Move – One ‘n Done 12 is currently available for preorder. Orders will ship 2025-04-08
A powerful portrait of self-discovery told in snapshots as the author makes the challenging decision to relocate. Letters, poetry, and language come together to create a journey of what it means to find your heart’s true home.
Melanie Bell, author of Chasing Harmony, dazzles readers again with her follow-up project that once again asks us to find our authenticity through the choices we make.
I’m excited about this book. As the title suggests, a lot of heart went into it. I wrote the poetry over several years and, while it focuses on my experiences moving to the UK, I wrote across several places. The collection also incorporates some of my essays and illustrations.
I’m having a book launch in Brighton – details below, and more events to follow!
In 2017, Canadian author Melanie Bell moved to the UK on an ancestry visa. Her new poetry collection, The Heart Decided to Move, shares the story of that journey, from moments of culture shock and cross-cultural delight to surviving a pandemic in an unfamiliar place. The book incorporates illustrations, prose, and travel poems from far and wide.
Join us to celebrate the launch of this collection and pick up a signed copy!
I have a lot on the horizon, starting with a follow-up to my last workshop at The Queery. Participants expressed interest in doing some facilitated writing exercises, which will be happening this month.
Come join me for Writing Exercises on Saturday, March 15, 6-8pm at The Queery (46 George St, Brighton)!
Join local author Melanie Bell for a series of writing exercises to get your creative juices flowing!
Following her last creative writing workshop and interest in more exercise-based work, Melanie will bring a range of writing prompts and activities for attendees to work with. Whether you’re a curious beginner or an experienced wordsmith, come join us and get ready to explore!
In 2017, Canadian author Melanie Bell moved to the UK on an ancestry visa. Her new poetry collection, The Heart Decided to Move, shares the story of that journey, from moments of culture shock and cross-cultural delight to surviving a pandemic in an unfamiliar place. The book incorporates illustrations, prose, and travel poems from far and wide.
Join us to celebrate the launch of this collection and pick up a signed copy!
Joan: The Musical has a full cast and director, and yesterday, we all met for our first rehearsal! We’ll be working together intensely for the next couple months in preparation for our May 3-4 performances in the Brighton Fringe.
Everyone got along well, and it was great to see their talent and enthusiasm coming together!
Here are some of the action shots:
Joan: The Musical will take the stage at The Actors in Brighton on 3 and 4 May, at 1.30pm. You can get your tickets here!
On February 1, I’m holding a writing workshop and author reading at The Queery in Brighton, from 7-9pm! The Queery is a lovely community space, and some of my books are on sale there. You can sign up here for the event.
Come join us for a fun and engaging writing workshop and author reading at The Queery! Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, this event is perfect for anyone looking to hone their craft. Get ready to participate in hands-on activities, receive feedback from fellow writers, and gain inspiration. Facilitator and local author Melanie Bell will also share a reading from her work. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with fellow writers and immerse yourself in a supportive creative community!
Online Readings
I have two new online readings available!
I contributed a reading to the British Fantasy Society’s Online Library. You can watch me reading “On the Other Side,” a short story about a magic box from my collection Dream Signs, here on YouTube.
The video from my reading with Strong Women, Strange Worlds is also on YouTube now. I’m reading from another Dream Signs story called “Like Mother, Like Son,” from the perspective of a sentient AI whose creator doesn’t realize he’s sentient. You can watch a video of the whole event here and hear the other readers, too!
Personal Essay on HuffPost and BuzzFeed
In 2020, inspired by others’ writing on body shaming and the snap judgments people make about each other’s appearances, I wrote a personal essay for Huffington Post about being petite and the downsides of getting mistaken for a literal child. My essay went viral at the time (the dramatic title was not my idea!).
Just before Christmas, it got reposted on Huffington Post and picked up by BuzzFeedand elsewhere. I’m glad that my words resonated with others who experience similar judgments and misperceptions. And, welcome to any new readers who found me this way!
Joan: The Musical
Last year, my friend and collaborator Hannah Doyle and I wrote an hour-long musical. Now, we’re in the process of casting and preparing for a performance in the Brighton Fringe.
Joan: The Musical will be playing at The Actors in Brighton on 3 and 4 May at 1:30pm. Here’s our show’s poster, summary, and casting call for two roles. If you’re interested in auditioning, feel free to get in touch!
Happy November! The weather is celebrating by getting chillier, the leaves yellower and more plentiful on the ground. I’m going out today to see if I can find any discounted Halloween candy.
Event Updates
Last Friday was the launch party for Echoes of Light, the Brighton NightWriters’ latest anthology. I read from my short story included in the anthology, “Picking Hazelnuts with the Devil,” which draws on some unusual folklore about the hazel tree. You won’t look at hazelnuts the same way again after reading it!
Anthology editor Tim Shelton-Jones emceed and read at the eventThe anthology cover featuring art by NightWriter Alanna MacIntyre
There were a lot of snacks at the event, so I came home with a bag stuffed with crackers, pickles, etc., which I’m now happily munching on.
If you’re not in Brighton and fancy a virtual event – a sort of SFF writers’ Christmas party – I’ll be participating in Strong Women, Strange Worlds’ Year End Party on December 14, from 1-4pm Eastern time. More details to be announced later, but it’s going to feature party games, readings, and gifts (though no jars of pickles, I don’t think). I’ll be participating in a “speed date a book” event, storytelling round robin, and giveaways of digital swag bags and books. Can’t wait!
I’m also in the early stages of planning another writing workshop fundraiser for Survivors’ Network. More details tbc.
The Brontës’ House
I made another literary pilgrimage last weekend, this time to the Brontës’ house in Haworth. Here are some pictures.
A lot of writing happened at this tableThe outside of the house
Haworth is built on a steep hill. The village extends down, down, down. It’s full of beautiful old stone buildings and plaques celebrating every Brontë-related thing you can think of.
The Cabinet of Curiosities is where Branwell Brontë used to buy his addictive drugs. I’m not even joking. Now it’s full of “apothecary”-type souvenirs.The town with its main road down
I looked for wild moors and found, well, sheep.
I hope you enjoy the Haworth pics, and if you’re within traveling distance, it’s worth a visit!
A few people may get lucky in the writing world. For most of us who look successful, good luck and bad luck whirl around in a sort of tango.
In 2021, a small press called Lost Fox Publishing published my short story collection, Dream Signs. They were a nice team and presented the book with a beautiful cover (thanks to Rob Chandler for the design).
Shortly after publication, Lost Fox closed. The other book I’d contracted with them is still sitting, unpublished, on my computer. Dream Signs, for a while, was nearly unavailable, with just a few copies online and on my shelf at home.
Now, I’m delighted to say that Dream Signs is back! I’ve published a second edition of the collection, which I read from last Friday at Strong Women, Strange Worlds’ QuickReads event. You can pick up an ebook or paperback copy here. Feel free to share – my book is available again, and hopefully will find new readers!
Anthologies and Events
I’ve had a bunch of publications at once. First, the e-books from the world folklore anthology Whispers in the Earth have been sent out to people who pledged in the Kickstarter. Below is Gabriela Houston’s beautiful linocut illustration for my story, “Ghost Ships Passing in the Night.” There’s an illustration for every story, and the book looks gorgeous. The hard copies will ship in December!
Second, my poem “Directions to the Underworld” has been published in Augur magazine, issue 7.2. You can read a few of the pieces (though not my poem) or get your copy here.
Third, my short story “Picking Hazelnuts with the Devil,” inspired by British tree folklore, has been published in the Brighton NightWriters anthology Echoes of Light. You can purchase a copy here, and there will be a launch party in Brighton on November 1.
I’ve had an exciting weekend of writing events, reading with Strong Women, Strange Worlds on Friday. Check out their events here, featuring women and nonbinary writers of speculative fiction! They include book giveaways and are always fabulous.
Saturday was the local Creative Writing workshop I hosted as a fundraiser for Survivors’ Network, supporting survivors of sexual violence and abuse in Sussex. We had a lively and engaged group participating in writing exercises and sharing best practices for getting that project started or finished. I loved doing the workshop and learned from everyone there. Thanks for coming, and for supporting a good cause! East Brighton Trust, the CIC that provided space for us, will post more about the event this week, and I’ll share their photos and blog on social media.
Now I’m catching my breath and basking in the quiet. Here are my intentions for October – a slower, more reflective time to do deep work on projects.
October is cozy. This month, I'll get things done slowly. October is pumpkins, coffee, and wine. October is easy, and everything's fine.
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