Alan Beard has two collections of stories out 'Taking Doreen out of the Sky' (Picador) and 'You Don't Have to Say' (Tindal Street Press). His stories and flashes have appeared in many UK and USA magazines and anthologies including 'Best Short Stories 1991', 'Best British Short Stories 2011', London magazine, Malahat Review, Vestal Review etc. His latest story appears in 'The Sea in Birmingham', an anthology celebrating 30 years of Tindal St Fiction Group. He works as a librarian at Birmingham City University.