By Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone As the nights draw in, what could be better than an evening of stories? Come and join us for some brilliant tales at this term’s City Writes on Wednesday 10th December over Zoom at 7pm. Alongside debut novelist, Lauren Du Plessis, whose novel Tender (Influx Press, Sept 2025) excavates the past, present and magical in equal measure, we have this term’s writing competition winners. You can find out all about them below.

Majed Akhter is an educator and researcher based in London. He lived in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and the United States before moving to London. In 2019 he was selected as a BBC New Generation Thinker. Majed is writing his first novel, titled Departure and Departure from which he will be reading an excerpt at City Writes. He is a Novel Writing and Longer Works alumni.

Natasha Ali is a speculative horror writer with a degree and master’s in human genetics. She aims to utilise her background to tell compelling stories centring bioethical issues. Her debut novel, Reasons I’m Not Human, will be published in 2027. She has previously been published in From The Lighthouse and F(r)iction. She is utilising the Novel Studio (On Campus) to work on her second novel, The Woman That Was Used Up, and is represented by Daisy Arendell at CAA. Natasha will be reading ‘Gene Drive’ at City Writes. Amaya

Jeyarajah Dent will be reading her story, ‘Yokohama Night Tail’. She is a Novel Studio (Online) student and a UK based writer of fiction. She has always written, for as long as she can remember. Amaya is both Sri Lankan & British and grew up in Tooting Bec, South London.  Riding the Tube is probably her biggest inspiration. The mix of people who call the city home—even for a moment—and the way they commune there is an atmosphere she borrows from for her writing. She has a degree in English Literature from the University of Manchester. She is also a Curator and Producer working broadly across all types of contemporary performance. She is writing her first novel.

Judith English was born in Newbury. After a career as a musician and freelance singer she took a prose writing course at UEA and began a novel. In 2025 she took the Short Story Writing course at City St George’s. Her first novel Layers of Silk is currently out for submission. Her work has been published by CafeLit, and she was longlisted for the Henshaw Short Story Competition. When not writing, she enjoys kayaking and gardening. Judith will be reading her story, ‘The Flash of a Bird’.

Lexie Harrison-Cripps is a journalist based in Mexico City, focussing on social justice issues throughout the Americas and Europe.  Her multimedia work is published in outlets such as Al Jazeera,  The Guardian, The Nation and CBS.  She has collaborated with UN agencies, international non-profits and award-winning producers and directors, working in permissive and non-permissive environments. Lexie is a Narrative Non-Fiction alumna and will be reading her piece, ‘Raped, Locked Up and Abandoned: Mexico’s Female Prisoners’.

alumna and will be reading her piece, ‘Raped, Locked Up and Abandoned: Mexico’s Female Prisoners’.

Jon Pierce is an Introduction to Creative Writing and Crime and Thriller Alumna, and loved both. A Currency trader for decades, he now has the time and space to develop his writing and will read the prologue to a future novel Guru Dave; the inspiration for which came from a bizarre trip to California. North London born and bred he supports Arsenal, but has promised his wife to one day move out of the only postcode he has  lived in.

As you can tell, it’s a wonderful group of writers and alongside Lauren Du Plessis we will explore fantastical worlds both real and imagined. We’ll take in stories from Mexico, Japan, America and the UK. Come along to City Writes Autumn Event on Wednesday 10th December at 7pm on Zoom to be moved and inspired. Register here. We’ll look forward to seeing you there!