StoryTree
StoryTree is a creative hub that celebrates art of all kinds! Bringing together poets, authors, painters, photographers, and more.
We release multiple publications a year, including our Quarterly Magazine and our collaborative project StoryTree In Conversation. StoryTree Quarterly releases in January, April, July, and October. StoryTree In Conversation is a sporadic project - follow us on Instagram to keep informed about when the project is next running!
StoryTree hosts monthly events at The Bungalow in Paisley. Our events include issue launches, open mics, poetry slams, and creative showcases.
We were founded on the phrase “Every word was once a story.” A quote paraphrased from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay on poetic theory, The Poet. We platform work that seeks to unearth the hidden stories all around us. The poem caught in the teeth of a comb. The painting falling through the autumn leaves. The prose wrapped in the freshly changed bedsheets.
Meet The Team
Georgia Francis
StoryTree was founded in 2025 by award-winning spoken word poet, artist, and writer, Georgia Francis.
Francis holds a first class honours degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from the Open University.
Francis’ debut poetry collection, Fainting Girl, depicts her experiences with adolescence, chronic illness, disability, love, and sexuality. It released in March 2025, published by Quiet Island (formerly Speculative Books). Fainting Girl won the Silver Award for Poetry in The 2025 Reader Views Literary Awards. Francis has featured in numerous anthologies and publications, including Soft Publishing's Trans & Disabled Love Anthology, The Poetry's Dead Anthology Volume 2, Speculative Books' The SpecBook 2024, Wishbone Words, Fried Egg Magazine, and StoryTree.
Founder & Editor-in-Chief
Francis has performed her poetry for live audiences since 2019. In 2026, Francis placed in the Top 3 of Loud Poets Paisley Slam Heat as part of Paisley Book Festival. She has performed at a number of iconic Scottish poetry events, including, Big Gay Cabaret, Poetry at Inn Deep, Curlers Cosy Corner, Candlelight at The Old Toll Bar, and Crisp Packet Poetry. In 2019, she supported poet, filmmaker, and musician Sean Lìonadh at his debut book launch. In 2025, Francis made her hosting debut at the StoryTree Issue 1 Launch at The Bungalow.
India de Bono
Submission Reader & Resident Slam Judge
India de Bono joined StoryTree in March 2026 as a submission reader and resident slam judge.
De Bono is a storyteller at heart, whether it be through poetry, performance, or DND. In 2025, they performed their debut solo poetry show For The Children of Circumstance as part of the Edinburgh Free Fringe Festival. They have been writing and performing poetry since 2019. They have been published in StoryTree, The Poetry Experiment Anthology: Volume One, and were 2024's Inverness Runner Up in Loud Poet's slam.
Erin Hephzibah
Event Organiser
Since our debut launch in November 2025, Erin Hephzibah has been there helping to host, taking audience donations, and supporting performers.
Hephzibah is a musician, singing teacher, and entertainer, known for her powerhouse vocals and charismatic stage presence. Hephzibah released her debut EP Harebrained in 2024, featuring three original singles produced by Martin Stephenson. Her sophomore EP, When We Were Two Young Fantasists, produced by Becca Starr, will release in July 2026. Hephzibah is a member of 8-piece music group Frank’s House.
Serah Miles
Event Photographer
Serah Miles is our resident event photographer. You’ll see her at our events snapping pics of our performers and audience, making the memories of our live shows last forever!
Miles is a musician based in Paisley, who performs under the stage name Saint Verity. Miles has opened for Saveface, The Lines, and Torrs, and played Witchfest 2024. In May 2026, Miles released her debut EP as Saint Verity, Flowers and Combat Boots. Miles was included in StoryTree’s debut issue with her story Saint Verity that tells of the Saint’s escape from religious life, mirrored in a fantastical place called the Theocracy.
Elaine O'Neill
Resident Artist
Elaine O’Neill is StoryTree’s resident artist, who provides the art prizes for our slams. She also gave StoryTree our name and debut cover art!
O’Neill is an artist from Scotland who finds inspiration in the natural world. O’Neill was shortlisted for the Scottish Arts Trust’s Scottish Portrait Awards 2024 for her portrait Georgia. Zebra Not Horse. The exhibition toured Scotland, showing in Banff, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. O’Neill holds a BA in Fine Art, Drawing and Painting from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and an MSc in Art Psychotherapy from Queen Margaret University. She worked as an art teacher in a secure facility for 20 years and as an art psychotherapist in a range of settings.
Coco
Service Dog & StoryTree Mascot
StoryTree would not exist without Coco, the service dog of our founder Georgia Francis. Trained by Medical Detection Dogs, Coco helps Georgia with her condition, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS). PoTS causes Georgia to experience frequent fainting episodes with no warning. With her super sense of smell, Coco can detect upcoming episodes and alert Georgia in time, allowing her to safely lie down and avoid injury. Thanks to Coco’s support Georgia is able to create the magazines, host events, and keep StoryTree up and running!
