Author Description

When BBC Northern Ireland invited the public to send in short stories based on real-life for a new series called "My Story", they did not know what they were starting. Suddenly hundreds of people were sitting down to transform a personal experience into a 500-word story - one that had a beginning, a middle and an end and could fit into a three-minute slot on Radio Ulster. The stories came flooding in to Broadcasting House - funny and poignant, witty and wry, more than enough to supply a daily series that is now set to run for more than a year and a half. This selection of fifty stories presents a sample of what has made the radio series so successful. Taking ordinary everyday life as the starting point, each tale creates a timeless moment of meaning and truth. It includes an introduction by producer Pauline Currie and a useful advice section for new writers by Jude Collins, as well as photographs and information about the selected writers. It also features a specially commissioned cover by local artist Jonathan McHugh.