I’m lucky to be part of a very small writing group which includes Susannah Rickards. Seriously, she is an outstanding writer and offers the best, the absolute best, critiques of others fiction that I have ever known. Her debut collection of short stories has just been published. Hot Kitchen Snow (even the title is awesomeness, no?) is available from Waterstones and Salt (and other less lovely places too I’m sure.) She recently won the Scott Prize and was commended in The Olive Cook Award and has had many writing successes. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of her book and will review it when I have read, absorbed and enjoyed it. I’ve read enough of her stories to say with certainty that I will be raving about it. For now I want to draw your attention to her guest posts on Emma Darwin’s blog, particularly part 2:
Susannah Rickards is super smart!
Susannah shares her knowledge of how to catch a first reader’s eye with y/our short story. As always her insight is thoughtful and helpful. I’d go as far as saying this is fairly essential advice and there it is, just hanging out on the internet for free. Go get it!
Sara Crowley 
Fab article – cant wait for the book!
Going to get my freebie in a sec but first, thanks for posting that.