In December 2012, New Island and RTÉ Radio One's ARENA launched the first on-air creative writing course.

The course took place on the first week of each month until June 2013. Writer and Creative Writing Teacher Dave Lordan was co-ordinating the course. Each month a new writing prompt was given and listeners would submit material based using that prompt as inspiration.

This book contains the best of those submissions. To accompany them, ARENA has specially commissioned pieces by a host of emerging Irish writing talent including: Afric McGlinchey, Nuala Ni Chonchuir, Kerrie O' Brien, Sarah Griffin, Temper-Mental MissElayneous, Kevin Higgins, Jinx Lennon, Sonya Kelly, Colm Keegan and Stephen James Smith.