Hi Russell. Thank you for answering our call. You’re an absolute legend around the indie community and also one of the most supportive in other people’s work. It’s a great honour to have the creator of Gunselle on board. Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself?

Thank you for drawing attention to the enduring problem of food insecurity. I was born in Surrey to U.S. students studying abroad, so I’m pleased to be back home in this collection. I’m an older writer, not getting my first story published until I was near sixty, but I’m having fun now and have no regrets about being late to the game after a career in the printing industry.  

Foodbanks have become a part of our life. What started as a means to support those in financial difficulty has now turned into a long-term lifeline for many. Do you think that we will ever be free of them, or do you believe they will be here to stay?

The need for community food assistance has existed during all of my lifetime. I can’t see this situation changing. My wife volunteers at our local foodbank, and she can attest to the bustle of humanity when those doors open.

As an overseas contributor, what do you make of Britain’s dramatic reliance on foodbanks? How is this different or similar to your own country?

I live in Montana, a vast U.S. state with a rural population and low wages. The cities are small, and most have locally supported foodbanks. There is a growing attempt to bring food sovereignty to the reservations, where grocery store costs can be 20% higher than off reservation. All seven reservations in Montana now have buffalo herds, and traditional gardening techniques are being revived and taught at local universities.

Here at Urban Pigs Press we believe that the indie writing scene is an incredible place of support. From fellow writers to zines and indie presses. Who is your favourite writer in the indie community and why?

Since jumping onto Twitter during the first blazing run of COVID, I’ve come to know the work of a good number of indie writers. I could never pick a favorite, but I will say that M.E. Proctor has been the most encouraging and helpful to me. Jesse Hilson’s writing burns with wild imagination, and C.W. Blackwell should never be missed.

Tell us about your latest work? Do you have any books you would like our readers to know about?

I just keep poking along with my short fiction. There may be a collection coming. I’ve never managed to complete a novel on my own, but I’m in the process of building something with another writer. It’s been a tremendous experience.

How did you first hear about Urban Pigs Press?

I opened “X” one day, and there you were, calling for stories. I happily sent one, you accepted it, and then came the call for this hungry anthology. You will always be on my radar screen.

And you will certainly be on ours! Thank you for answering these questions. It’s a pleasure to get to know more about you ourselves. ‘Grub’ is a stand out piece of writing. I hope Gunselle didn’t mind taking a back seat for this one. M.E. Proctor, much like yourself is an incredible human and writer. We have to agree with you there. Plus, hats off to your wife! A hero in our book.

‘Grub’ – A young British woman in Manila ruminates on the lack of food and love inside the Japanese prison camp where she’s held.

Read it in the Hunger anthology from the 7th March.

Russell Thayer’s work has appeared in Brushfire, The Yard, Tough, Roi Fainéant Press, Guilty Crime Magazine, Close to the Bone, Bristol Noir, Apocalypse Confidential, Hawaii Pacific Review, Shotgun Honey, Punk Noir, Pulp Modern, and Outcast Press. He received his BA in English from the University of Washington, worked for decades at large printing companies, and currently lives in Missoula, Montana. You can find him lurking on Twitter @RussellThayer10

Release date for the HUNGER anthology!

We have good news! The release date for the HUNGER anthology is set for the 7th March. Initial release will be through Amazon and Kindle but we hope to have physical copies in local book shops soon after. One place you can be sure to find this incredible collection will be Dial Lane Books in Ipswich. Andrew has been as much a part of this fantastic cause as all our contributors. We couldn’t be any more excited to share this with everyone. 23 different authors have given up their time and talent to help us make a difference to those in need and we are beyond grateful to each and everyone one of you. Jo Andrews has gone above and beyond to deliver us a cover that represents everything we set out to do. Cody Sexton has also contributed with an incredible piece of talent for our title page. We are both proud and humbled by the incredible efforts of everyone involved. Stephen J. Golds and Rob Jelly (BBC Suffolk) have also given their time to praise this darkly beautiful collection.

As part of our promotion for the anthology we will be posting interviews from the authors involved. Judging by some of the answers given already, I can confirm that we really have discovered a great bunch of humans in this anthology.

This book won’t put an end to poverty or hunger. Neither will it change the agendas of our politicians. But it will make a direct impact to a few of those we hope to represent. And for now, we’ll take it. So, please set that date in your calendar and help us to make that difference.

The Hunger anthology is a collection of 23 stories by 23 different authors. Tales of brutal reality, dark horror, gritty crime and dark humour sprawled out upon each page. Each story delivering a unique take on the prompt HUNGER. A true representation of some of the strongest talents within the writing community.

“A collection of stories that are as close to the bone in literary class as they are in their scathing analysis of a broken society.”

– Stephen J. Golds

Author of Say Goodbye When I’m Gone