I am Philip Cumberland (Fenland Phil) and I am proud to have been able to contribute to this wonderful international collection and to introduce the international literary anthology Story Chat Digest: Where Stories Meet, edited and compiled by Marsha Ingrao.
Now in its third volume, Story Chat Digest continues its tradition of bringing together international voices in short fiction and poetry. What began as an interactive online literary challenge has grown into an established anthology series and ongoing writing-and-reading community built around thoughtful conversation, continuing a tradition of collaborative storytelling.
In this volume, writers from around the world contributed short fiction and contemporary poetry inspired by the Story Chat community at AlwaysWrite.blog.
Each piece stands alone, yet together they form a tapestry of voices exploring memories, mysteries, resilience, humour, faith, family, and the quiet complexities of ordinary life — with a few science fiction pieces woven in for imaginative contrast.
This anthology captures not just the stories themselves, but a sampling of connections that inspired them.
Whittlesey Wordsmiths currently have two authors featured in this latest anthology the brilliant Cathy Cade and myself. My two stories are more Christmas themed: Jenny and a Slight Delay. Jenny started life when I was asked by a fellow Whittlesey Street Pride member if I would write him a ghost story. His family has a tradition of reading out loud ghost stories to other members of the family on Christmas Eve. I can’t remember what prompted a Slight Delay but it was probably something seasonal. I hope that you enjoy this wonderful collection.
If you want your own copy here is the link: Story Chat Volume 3 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Story-Chat-Digest-Where-Stories/dp/B0GRH9CNJP/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1CO4G71RRVBUJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.KAEMFsb3fP5jK3FX3yZCCxRT2Q6icJpPs-h8b2ol1r3GjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.ANGQkw9_UPD1mKFe_LWP9k8joharZvx122V7sQyz59Q&dib_tag=se&keywords=story+chat+marsha+ingrao&qid=1773989772&sprefix=%2Caps%2C234&sr=8-1
Fenlandphil's Blog 
Posted by Cathy Cade on March 20, 2026 at 8:30 am
Already have my copy. 🙂
Posted by fenlandphil on March 20, 2026 at 8:38 am
I have mine too.
Posted by Marsha on March 20, 2026 at 9:36 pm
Did you see where you are featured as one of the readers of your story in the section headers? You and Cathy are both featured. Of course, it’s fiction, but it was so much fun to pretend we were all a real-life group meeting together each week.
Posted by fenlandphil on March 21, 2026 at 4:49 pm
I did thank you, Marsha.
Posted by Marsha on March 20, 2026 at 9:34 pm
Yay! and you already posted a fabulous review on Amazon. Thanks again, so much!
Posted by Esther Chilton on March 20, 2026 at 4:20 pm
I’ve got mine too. Great to be part of this 😊
Posted by fenlandphil on March 20, 2026 at 4:49 pm
It is
Posted by Marsha on March 20, 2026 at 9:37 pm
And I love your post today. This is a red-letter day with yours and Phil’s posts! Wahoo!
Posted by Marsha on March 20, 2026 at 9:38 pm
Thanks again Phil for hosting a blog tour post. This is such an essential piece of the publishing process. It is what builds the excitement for all your stories. I actually enjoy this part of the process, too. 🙂
Posted by fenlandphil on March 21, 2026 at 8:01 am
Thanks for letting me be part of it Marsha and sorry for ‘the slight delay’ in posting it was one of those days.
Posted by Marsha on March 21, 2026 at 3:22 pm
hahaha, no worries, Phil. I have those days all the time. 🙂
Posted by 📚Story Chat Digest Launch & Author Interview Schedule – March–May 2026 – Marsha Ingrao Always Write on March 22, 2026 at 7:41 pm
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