N.K. Rowe

A little bit of dystopian flash fiction

The Outsiders A little bit of dystopian flash fiction

Words & Pictures exercise - how my poem 'The Meeting Place' was interpreted by local artist, Pat Murray.

The Meeting Place Words & Pictures exercise – how my poem ‘The Meeting Place’ was interpreted by local artist, Pat Murray.

oh shucks - it's a post about me from A Fine & Tiny Bookshop! 😄

A focus on Newark Writers: N.K. Rowe

Meeting monthly at the Letsxcape together and alternating with workshops at Inspire Newark Library and Buttermarket, the writers group is packed with writing stars developing some of the town's best storytelling and poetry, with a whole bunch of book credits. I want to profile some of the writers and where better to start than with the outgoing Chairperson Nick, aka. N.K. Rowe, who has overseen the rise and rise of the group with the publication of five - FIVE - volumes of the collected works of Newark scribes, whilst finding time to write his own novel.

"Nick Rowe is the author of The Ophagy, an Ancient Greek comedy epic that he wrote by accident. This was caused by accidentally creating a blog and then styling it out by joining Fosseway Writers in 2016. By 2018 he’d accidentally become Chair but styled that out by overseeing (and contributing to) five group books, including a collaborative novel, Burning Old School Ties. There are two general anthologies (Gobstoppers, Shrimps and Sour Monkeys and Blood, Sweat and Typewriters) and two themed collections, the first being a Gothic ensemble set in a fictional village outside Kelham (The Brinwade Chronicles). The most recent, Writings on the Walls, contains a character he suggested as a joke (Newark’s first super-hero) but everyone insisted that he should actually write it. The Ophagy finally appeared in 2023, six years after its conception as a short story (that got way out of hand). His next character is going to be a miserable old git because they’re great fun when pushed outside their comfort zones. He’s currently working on escaping to France to avoid any further literary mis-haps."

With Nick swanning off to France, Fosseway Writers Group enters a new phase built on the solid foundation he leaves. All of the group anthologies and Nick's book The Ophagy are available at The Finy & Tiny Bookshop, at Letsxcape together coffee house in town, along with several other volumes by group members.

Ooh look - five books that I've helped write! "Gobstoppers, Shrimps and Sour Monkeys" has the first appearance of the short story that became my epic Ancient Greek comedy novel "The Ophagy", as well as a story about a road sign that becomes self-aware. "Burning Old School Ties" is a collaborative novel that 8 of us wrote together about a school reunion (my character grew up to be a drug dealer). "The Brinwade Chronicles" has half a dozen of my stories, set in a fictional spooky village just outside Newark (as well as a nice Tolkien-esque map that I drew). "Blood, Sweat & Typewriters" contains two stories I wrote about unnerving dining experiences (plus a daft flash piece and a riff on Norse mythology). Finally, "Writings on the Walls" has my story about Newark's first superhero and a set-piece Victorian crime scene that takes place in the Navigation building where I once worked. Pop into LetsXcape cafe and pick up copies from A Fine & Tiny Bookshop !

This week's top of the bookcase is displaying the five fantastic titles from Fosseway Writers from their debut anthology of 2018, 'Gobstoppers, Shrimps & Sour Monkeys' through to last year's short stories set within the historic buildings of Newark, 'Writing On The Walls'. Newark's Got Talent... and here are some of our writing stars collected together in five highly readable volumes - check them out at Letsxcape together coffee house in town.

It's me and The Ophagy in A Fine & Tiny Bookshop in LetsXcape cafe in Newark!

Our first sell-out author and therefore Fine & Tiny VIP Mr. N. K. Rowe popped by to help us restock his legendarily hilarious Ophagy last week - here he is with the very book. The first batch flew off the shelf quicker than you could say ‘Roasted Swans’ so if classical Greek tragi-comic swan-fuelled island-hopping Gods-defying Mediterranean ancient drama is your thing - or could be - why not come down to the cafe and grab yourself a copy?

I'd had a busy (and successful) few days at our annual user conference and sat down to check my phone. This review from Trish Power aka Alex Craigie popped up and totally made my day!

A lovely review of The Ophagy I’d had a busy (and successful) few days at our annual user conference and sat down to check my phone. This review from Trish Power aka Alex Craigie popped up and totally made my day!