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Costa Short Story Award open to public vote

5 December 2016

It's a measure of the growing interest in short stories, amongst both writers and readers, that Costa launched its short story prize in 2012 and that the public is currently invited to read and listen to the shortlisted stories selected from over 1,000 entries on the Costa Book Awards website, and to take part in the public vote.

The three finalists are: "The Persistence of Memory", about a dying woman who remembers her life as she visits the pantomime along with her husband and grown-up kids; "The Boatman", a meditation on "the cyclical nature of earth and ocean" as a grieving boatman digs his daughter's grave; and "Dirty Little Fishes" in which a young Irish girl in London accompanies her mother on visits to a dying woman with curious consequences

The identities of the authors will be revealed after the public vote closes on 13th January. The winning author and two runners-up will be announced at the Costa Book Awards ceremony on 31st January 2017, when the winner will receive a cheque for £3,500, and the authors in second and third place will receive £1,000 and £500 respectively.

This year's judges


To read the stories and cast your vote

We are interested in other short story competitions, as they seem a perfect way of encouraging people to write in the short form, so please let us know about any you know about.

 

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