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04/09/07 - I'm pleased to let you know that on September 10, and hopefully every fortnight after that, I'll be adding a 5000 [update Nov 07 - now 20,000] copy print run to the current LITRO distribution. These copies (printed on recycled paper) will be handed out at various tube stations and also in bookshops, galleries, bars, cafés, etc. across London. They will be published in association with a publisher called Ocean Media (www.oceanmediauk.com), and will be funded by the proceeds from two pages of advertising in each issue (it will take the form of a colour six page A5 gatefold leaflet). The adverts will be laid out in such a way that the story itself will remain uninterrupted. I will receive a proportion of any profit, and after costs intend to donate this to projects which promote reading and literacy in Lambeth (exact details to be confirmed). As far as I can discover this will make LITRO, if not the only(?), then certainly among the biggest schemes of its kind in the world, regularly bringing free short fiction to a whole range of people. I will continue to make the standard non-advertising version available online as I do currently. I hope you will agree this is an encouraging development, and want to thank you again for your continued support. If you would like to discuss any press coverage, advertising, distribution, story submissions, or anything else, please don't hesitate to contact me.

29/06/07 - The London Lit Plus special issue is now up here. Please feel free to print, distribute and get people involved!

19/06/07 - I'm pleased to say we are getting involved with London Lit Plus, an open literary festival running for two weeks from June 29th. Visit the website for details.

25/05/07 - And now for part two -- see the fiction page...

18/05/07 - A special double issue this week -- check out part one on the fiction page...

19/04/07 - Thanks to everyone who came along to the party on Friday!

28/03/07 - Come along to the LITRO 50th issue party, lucky Friday 13 April at the Lamb pub, Lamb's Conduit Street, WC1. Get in touch if you fancy it!

01/03/07 - A new Emergency Book now online, the symbolic and controversial Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (which was also the inspiration for the film Apocalypse Now).

27/02/07 - I'm back from a break and have updated the website, epsecially the distribution page which now includes a form to let you easily sign up to distribute your own personalised copies of LITRO. Any thoughts appreciated as always!

06/02/07 - The new Emergency Books section of the site is now tentatively up and running. I have started to lay out classic works of fiction for easy and efficient on- and off-screen reading. So if you need something a little longer than the standard LITRO, check it out. The archive is still very small, but I would appreciate any suggestions for content or the idea in general.

18/01/07 - See the distribution page for details of the new personalised issues for distributors, and a few poster designs.

28/12/06 - I hope you all had a great Christmas -- enjoy the new year!

12/12/06 - Come along to a little LITRO Xmas drink at the Cittie of York pub in Holborn, from 7pm on Thursday 14 December!

17/11/06 - As you may have noticed from the Distribution page, LITRO is now available from libraries in the London Borough of Lambeth. If you would like to see LITRO in your local library, please ask them to email me for details.

12/11/06 - I'm thinking of putting together a bit of an online archive of out of copyright stories. This sort of thing already exists (e.g. Project Gutenberg), but I'm plan to make properly laid out PDFs which can be easily and efficiently printed and read on longer journeys than for the standard weekly issue of LITRO. I won't be printing or handing out myself -- it is just for the times when you know you are going out on a longer trip and need something to read... Anyway, more details later but in the meantime I would love to hear your thoughts. Enjoy the Poetry Special Issue by the way.

10/11/06 - Just a quick one to say that issue 30 is on its way... I have been away...

24/10/06 - I'm quite pleased with how large the archive is beginning to look (see the fiction page). Remember you can print out an issue anytime you think you might be lacking something to read (and sign up to eLITRO if you need a reminder)...

4/10/06 - Just to check in and say that, despite lack of news updates, many things have been bubbling away in the background: bigger distribution, more special issues, a few more interested publishers... details as things become clearer. Looking forward to issue 25 on Friday, kind of a milestone I guess...

12/9/06 - A quick note to say that I have now resurfaced from other 'pressing business' and will be able to update the site a little more often again. Sorry if I haven't responded to your email, I hope to get through the backlog soon...

23/8/06 - Just a random update... As more and more people seem to be getting interested in LITRO we hope shortly to significantly extend the distribution. I will keep you posted, but it will initially involve getting more issues to more stations for longer periods. Other possibilites include podcasts, alternative online formats, versions for other cities, etc. This is all still very provisional, but if anyone has any questions or suggestions please don't hesitate to get in touch. Thanks!

18/8/06 - A slightly darker offering this week, from the pen of Vanessa Gebbie (author of issue 1 of LITRO). What did you think? Leave a message on the blog.

12/8/06 - See this week's story to find out how you could get hold of a free copy of the novel 'Ex Machina' by Robert Finn. Plus, anyone who used to pick up LITRO at Clapham North may have noticed I haven't been there for the last few weeks. This is because I have changed location to Stockwell, which is on both the Northern and Victoria lines. I feel quite bad about this and miss handing out copies to people I recognise, but think that it will allow more people to get hold of copies in the long run. Anyway, I will be working on getting some kind of 'drop-boxes' so that I can leave copies at a number of stations (whether this will be possible I don't know). But until then, hopefully this website and eLITRO will suffice...

30/7/06 - Sorry for the slight lack of news recently. Anyway, eLITRO has now gone out for this week, and I hope you enjoy the story...

18/7/06 - Just to let you know I have now added a little section on special issues of LITRO to the end of the submissions page.

7/7/06 - This week's eLITRO has now gone out (you can sign up here by the way). The story seems to have already divided opinion somewhat, and it would be great to hear what you think - leave your comments on the blog.

19/6/06 - eLITRO is ready! You can now sign up to receive an email preview of each issue of LITRO. For more info and to get on the mailing list, please see the eLITRO page. I'm hoping to begin this service in the next couple of weeks.

13/6/06 - I hope you enjoyed last week's special non-fiction issue. For anyone confused by the cover, just google 'sodium pentathol' and that should clear things up. Anyway, I'm planning on introducing a weekly email reminder service for LITRO. Basically, each week I will send out an email including the start of that week's story, along with a link to the full version or printable file. It may also have details of any other news or website updates, etc. I haven't sorted out the logistics yet, but in the meantime if anyone would like to sign up in advance, please email me (suggestions also welcome).

30/5/06 - Just a quick note to say that in the next few weeks I hope to be running the first in a series of special editions of LITRO. I expect to do one of these every six issues or so, the goal being to add to the [already significant, I hope] variety of material that LITRO presents. Themes may range from non-fiction, flash fiction and stories by young authors (under 18) to narrative poetry and graphic stories. I hope this will be a nice change - any thoughts or suggestions you may have, please feel free to email them over...

25/5/06 - This week's story - 'Letting Go' by Adam Elston - is now online (one day early). You can hear Adam and other writers read their work at Foyles Bookshop on Charing Cross Road at this month's Tales of the DeCongested event (Friday 26th May).

22/5/06 - Little LITRO is coming! I’m shortly going to be making a PDF of each week’s edition of LITRO available for download. This means that, if you can’t pick up a physical copy, you can print it out yourself to read on the Underground (or wherever else you might fancy some fiction action). In addition to the standard double sided A3 version, I will also be producing a more compact double sided A4 version – so anyone without a printer capable of handling A3 paper can take part too. The smaller version, ‘Little LITRO’, will contain the same material but will have reduced line spacing and slightly reduced font size. So when you need to head out and realise you have nothing to read, all you have to do is print yourself a copy of LITRO – problem solved.

You can help… What this also means is that anyone with a printer and an internet connection can help distribute LITRO. If you fancy it, you could (for example) print out five copies – one for your trip, two to pass on (some people have suggested that leaving LITRO on Tube trains is a good idea – I obviously could not condone the wanton seeding of creativity and banishment of banality in this manner), and two to drop off in you local café. Or you could hand them out at your local station, like I do (and will still do) with the original LITRO. If you do, drop me a line to let me know where they are ending up! Thanks!

I’m hoping to start this by the beginning of June. Anyway, I hope these new features will be useful – as always, please feel free to get in touch with any suggestions.

3/3/06 - Just a couple of things... Firstly, I hope you have had a chance to read Lynsey Calderwood's story which was in last Friday's issue. There will be more from her in later editions. Secondly, just a quick note on press I have received so far. There was a nice article on Londonist.com a little while ago (here), and a full page interview in the South London Press. At the end of last week there was an article in the Bookseller, the UK's leading publishing magazine (here).

23/4/06 - Strange, it seems like some of the 'news' updates I made on another computer aren't showing up... rest assured I have updated this since March 20th. Mainly to say thanks to all those who have contributed material or offered their help so far - it is much appreciated. Anyway, I hope you get a chance to read this week's story and leave a comment... enjoy!

20/3/06 - Thanks to all the London by London readers who have been in touch! It is now looking like the first edition of LITRO will be out on April 21st, the first Friday after Good Friday...

13/3/06 - Updated website online. Please let me know if you come across any problems... I'll be adding to the content on an ongoing basis. Still hoping to start publishing within the next few weeks!

11/3/06 - New blog set up for posting the fiction. This seems like the best way to allow reading/commenting. Not much there at the moment...

28/2/06 - Just to keep you updated, I am still collecting submissions for the first full three month run of weekly editions. I'm hoping to get started before the end of March. Meanwhile, please keep on submitting/spreading the word, and thanks to all those who have already been in touch!

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