Winners are announced for July - and it’s a close run thing
Well, we have a result and the July competition was probably the closest of the lot! In the end, the winner is Joel Willans, our first winner from Helsinki, in Finland.The judge’s citation said: “This story is terrific. Beautifully observed, playing on the reader’s prejudices, indeed challenging them, in the end it turns the whole thing on its head. Deftly handled, a worthy winner in a very close competition.”
Joel receives £100.
In second place is the highly commended story by Anne McCreanor, from Glastonbury, in Somerset, UK.
The citation reads: “This story grabs the attention with its beautifully written beginning and the unbearable tension that builds throughout the narrative. The ending is not what you expect and leaves you drained and yet satisfied. Brilliant stuff.” Anne receives £25.
There are two commended stories, one of which is written by Mark Frankel, of London, a previous winner of the competition.
The citation says: “A story that holds the reader in breathless sway, which develops its tension until coming to a climax that leaves the reader feeling as if things will never quite be the same again. A parable for our times.”
The other commended story was by Ann-Elise Cole, from Telopea, in New South Wales, Australia.
The citation reads: “A simple tale told I simply, the art of good writing. Its gentle style adds to a story that is bitter-sweet and leaves the reader with a sense of things unsaid and lives unlived. Excellent stuff.”
On the shortlist were
Susanne Mathies
William Gallagher
Mary Clune
Rita Wild
Jane Bailey
Malcolm Reid
Matthew Adams.
Well done to all of you.
John Dean