Advent Calendar Archives

De Profundis – Day 24 of the Cupán Fae 2019 Advent Calendar

A short story by Leyla Telli. Dublin city was bustling with harried shoppers dragging their last conquests home, presents to impress their loved ones on the big day tomorrow. Cars, monstrous buses and bicycles crawled through the crowded streets, fighting for space. The air was cold and wet, clouds drifted, lazy, across the sky. Big […]

Paul Carroll 3 years ago24th September 2021

Advent Calendar Blog Writer - Paul Carroll

The Season – Day 23 of the Cupán Fae 2019 Advent Calendar

A poem by Paul Carroll. They say “Tis the season”,But rarely quantify the statement, Barely justify the reasonWhy we battle down the pavement For gifts and trinkets galore,To wrap up messy or neatBefore we go door-to-door Upon our weary feet.We do not talk of whyOld friends and family unite,Whether to smile or cryAt good news or at plight.Annually […]

Paul Carroll 3 years ago24th September 2021

Advent Calendar Blog Short Story Writer - Kat Dodd

Christmas Mix-Up – Day 22 of the Cupán Fae 2019 Advent Calendar

A short story by Kat Dodd. It happened every year. Every year, kids would write their letters to Santa. Most would get to him. But every year some kids would misspell Santa and send the letters to Satan instead. And every year Santa and Satan would fight over who should get to give the presents […]

Paul Carroll 3 years ago24th September 2021

Advent Calendar Blog Short Story Writer - Tommy Arrigan

Operation Snowblind – Day 21 of the Cupán Fae 2019 Advent Calendar

A short story by Tommy Arrigan. Jasik Thacker was cold as cold could be. He’d been hiding among the snowy bushes for hours now, waiting patiently. He huddled, he stood, he stamped around his little hideout, trying to little avail to hold some warmth inside. There wasn’t much day left by now; the winter sun […]

Paul Carroll 3 years ago24th September 2021

Advent Calendar Blog Review Writer - Paul Carroll

Cupán Fae’s 2019 Advent Calendar, Day 20 – Contagious

Review and gift idea by Paul Carroll. I love marketing books, which always seemed to shock people when I was nineteen and studying to be an English teacher. Contagious by Jonah Berger is probably my favourite, and certainly the one that I recommend most often. Like all accessible books on business and marketing, Contagious is […]

Paul Carroll 3 years ago24th September 2021

Advent Calendar Blog Short Story Writer - Kat Dodd

Solstice Sacrifice, Day 19 of the Cupán Fae 2019 Advent Calendar

A short story by Kat Dodd. This was the first Solstice that the betrothed could spend together. In the previous years, Ren had been busy avoiding his duties and running around the countryside with his squire, while Cricket had been on the run, avoiding her uncle’s armies until she’d managed to reach sanctuary. As such, […]

Paul Carroll 3 years ago24th September 2021

Advent Calendar Blog Short Story Writer - Paul Carroll

A Man in Black – Day 18 of the Cupán Fae 2019 Advent Calendar

A short story by Paul Carroll. Originally published in Old Gods & Wicked Things. The coming of December came with a knocking on the door, three times for good measure. Ireland was a cold place at this time of the year, especially after everything that had happened of late. All that misery, all that anguish, […]

Paul Carroll 3 years ago24th September 2021

Advent Calendar Blog Short Story Writer - Paul Carroll

The Jerry Davidson Show, Part 2 – Day 17 of the Cupán Fae 2019 Advent Calendar

A play in two parts, by Paul Carroll. Read part 1 here. [Lights up to Jerry on stage, dressed in his trademark clothing, and the stagehands walking across the stage with APPLAUD signs. Jerry stops them halfway across the stage to allow his applaud to continue a little longer. They rush away the first chance […]

Paul Carroll 3 years ago24th September 2021

Advent Calendar Blog Short Story Writer - Paul Carroll

The Jerry Davidson Show, Part 1 – Day 16 of the Cupán Fae 2019 Advent Calendar

A play in two parts, by Paul Carroll. [Lights up to JERRY walking on-stage. Two stagehands cross the stage from opposite sides holding APPLAUD signs towards the audience. Jerry takes his seat beside two guest seats. He is dressed semi-formally, holding cue cards and a microphone. He lets the audience applaud for a while before […]

Paul Carroll 3 years ago24th September 2021

Advent Calendar Blog Review Writer - Paul Carroll

Cupán Fae’s 2019 Advent Calendar, Day 15 – Side Hustle

Review and gift idea by Paul Carroll. A bit of a departure from books explicitly on writing as gift recommendations, I present Side Hustle by Chris Guillebeau. I discovered Guillebeau’s work many moons ago, and have long been recommending him to people. One of his more recent ventures is Side Hustle, a guide on creating […]

Paul Carroll 3 years ago24th September 2021