Monday Night Group

  Migration to the UK is a story that goes back to Roman times and beyond. The Irish Potato Famine, the flight of the Huguenots from France, and William the Conqueror's invitation to Jewish people to settle in Britain are just some of the narratives along the timeline.

  More recently, the British Empire connected colonised countries to the 'mothercountry', two World Wars saw substantial European populations settle in the Uk, and the expanding European Union brought further migrations.

  Now, as the globe shrinks, modern armed conflict, natural disasters and global economic imbalances have had their impact on every nation of the world, including Britain.

  The Migration Stories anthology seeks to weave a tapestry of these disparate stories. We want to give fictional and fictionalised voice to UK migrants of both recent times and the more distant past, and so re-examine ideas of Englishness.

  Crocus Books, the imprint of Commonword, seeks short fiction of up to 8,000 words from people living in the North of England. These should tell a story of migration to the UK. Anyone can submit work - new writers as well as more establised writers, and of any cultural background.

  Closing date for receipt of submissions is 30 October 2008

  Please return to Migration Stories, Commonword, 6 Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS

  For more information please contact Dionne Marland or Pete Kalu at Commonword
email: cultureword@commonword.org.uk
tel: 0161 832 3777
web: www.commonword.org.uk