Our first winners are announced
The winners have been named in the first monthly Global Short Story Competition - and the successes have been divided between Australia and the UK.
The judge, respected North-East writer Fiona Cooper, chose as the winner of the £100 first prize a story called Rings Around the Moon by Australian writer Kaalii Cargill, of St Kilda, in Australia. Second place also went to a St Kilda writer, SJ Finn, with a story called Heart String, who wins £25.
Commended was Bill Akers, a writer from County Durham, England, for a story called A Strawberry in Winter.
Fiona said of the winner, Rings Around the Moon: “It has pace, style, wit, pathos, vivacity and originality. The story is subtle and many textured and contains surprises - quite an accomplishment in a short story. The writer takes us into the world of Lana effortlessly and speaks to our senses and our feelings, and there is nothing cliched about the resolution of the story. What a wonderful image! It is a fine accomplishment, leaving enough space for the reader to empathise and imagine into the situation. ”
Of the second place story, Heart String, she said: “The use of language in all its richness in this story is breathtaking. It speaks richly to all the senses and captures that ‘first love’ desolation which we all know so well. I will be very interested to see what else this writer does, as a real love of words shines through every sentence. Very atmospheric and bitter sweet. ”
And of A Strawberry in Winter, she said: “A difficult subject handled well and sympathetically.”
All three stories will be on our site in due course.
The current competition closes on January 31. The judge will again be Fiona Cooper.