Unpublished Short Story Competition 2020 Longlist

Our first round readers were so impressed by the number of excellent short stories submitted this year, we extended the longlist to 25 stories rather than 20. It could have been twice as long.

To those who entered the competition, but haven’t made the longlist, please don’t be discouraged. The standard was very high this year and we had more than 200 entries. We will be publishing some thoughts from the judges about what they are looking for in a short story on ww.historiamag.com in the near future. Sign up to the Historia newsletter to make sure you don’t miss it. http://www.historiamag.com/newsletter-signup/

To the authors listed below – our congratulations!

The shortlist will be announced in early October

A Warmer White – Belinda Wallace

Bread and Peaches – Barbara Weeks

Elizabeth – Joanna Backhouse

Exah – Laura Todd Carns

Goodbye Strawberry Shortcake – Michelle Hunter

I Knew a Phoenix in my Youth – John Irving Clarke

In the Shadow of the Mountain – Richard Buxton

Lakshmi will return – Padmini B. Sankar

Life in Dust – Kate Croft

Mavourneen – Annie Friedlein

Mother’s Sewing Scissors – Josie Ferrante

Pounds Shillings and Pence – Valerie Thompson

The Battle of Brixton – Valerie Titus

The Drover – Liz Kershaw

The Girl from East Berlin – Elisabeth Lenckos

The Making of a Wise Woman – Cheryl Burman

The Pavilion of Enlightenment – Alison Lloyd

The Race – Alice Fowler

The Ravine – Oliver Eade

The Sentinel Bird – Jacqui Scholes-Rhodes

The Side School  – Calum Ross

The Sum of All Our Parts – Johanna Robinson

The Trees that Bear Fruit – Ogonna Ihedioha

The Trial of Mary Woolgar – Emma Martin

When the Gods Laugh – Kathrine Machon

Many thanks to our heroic first round judges for their support and enthusiasm:

Janet Angelini, Lesley Burnie, Elisabeth Gifford, Kate Jewell, Jean Lang, Barbara Milner, Betty Moxon, Maggie Richell-Davies, Michael Ridpath, Annie Whitehead & Nancy Wright