The festival is over and it started with a bang as the winners of the Short Story Competition were announced at our launch event. The judges told us that the 21 entries ‘were stronger than ever’ (Ruth Dugdall). However, there had to be winners and the overall winner was:
Ms Gillian Greenslade with ‘The Green Door Opens’
The judges really enjoyed this story – it is fresh and surprising. The story revolves around Royston, who is rescued from his grey world of office, commute and MacDonald’s coffee, by the mysterious Tara, who works in the payroll department. She opens the door to her green world of painting and creativity where he finds beauty and peace. A very powerful and completely absorbing story.
Mrs Greenslade received a £ 50 book voucher, an annual subscription to the Suffolk Magazine and her story will be published in the August edition.
The runner ups, who both received a subscription to the Suffolk Magazine, were:
Ms Morag Liffen with ‘Make Do and Mend‘
The judges thought this was a sweet story, a real heart-warmer – very genuine and not contrived. The writing style is very easy and unselfconscious and the judges liked the way the changing the world in this story lay in small things: daily economies, neighbourliness, engaging a child’s understanding of his wider world.
and Mr Alan Stafford with ‘Biodegradable’.
The judges loved the clever word play and verbal dexterity in this story, and its almost gleeful, dark humour. They also enjoyed the central dance metaphor, and some wonderful imagery which radiates through the story. This is someone who can really write with originality. Their only quibble was that the theme of ‘green’ is rather less defined than in other stories and for that reason they awarded it ‘runner-up’.
We congratulate all three winners and thank all of the authors for their wonderful contributions to the competition!