This just in from The Willesden Herald

The short list for the Willesden Herald international new short stories competition 2012 is as follows:

Artist by Y.J. Zhu
Clingfilm by Francis Scappaticci
Curtains by Charles Lambert
Frost Heave by Geraldine Mills
Half by Nick Holdstock
In the Service of the Demon by Jo Barker
Relativity by Mary O'Shea
Slimebank Taxonomy by Eliza Robertson
The Coastal Shelf by Dermot Duffy
Winter Lambing by Virginia Gilbert

Thanks to everyone who entered. Congratulations to the ten on reaching the short list. The winning story and runners up, as chosen by Roddy Doyle, will be announced at the results event. The date and details of the results event and New Short Stories 6 publication will be announced as soon as possible. It is likely to be sometime around the end of March.

Steve Moran

Supported by Willesden Green Writers' Group

Results & prizegiving with Maggie Gee

2011 short story results & prizegiving with Maggie Gee

JOIN acclaimed author Maggie Gee in London NW10 for an evening to celebrate the short story and discover who has won the International Willesden Herald short story prize 2011. Readings presented by professional actors from Liars' League.

"Oh Bloomsbury, yes, they publish a few books" (Harry Potter)

Bloomsbury to publish first novel by Vanessa Gebbie 'The Coward's Tale' by Vanessa Gebbie, previous winner of the Willesden short story prize, will be published in hardback in UK byBloomsbury UK, November 2011. Then in paperback late spring 2012, UK and simultaneous trade paperback in USA by Bloomsbury USA. Bloomsbury publishes major writers including J K Rowling.

Labels: own trumpet, blowing

Laura Solomon wins Hong Kong's Proverse prize Another prodigy from our previous competitions, Laura Solomon has won Hong Kong's international Proverse prize, for her novelInstant Messages. "Hilarious! Excellent! Its light and ironic touch makes Instant Messages a page-turner and gives it substance." (International Proverse Prize Judges)

You know how we hate to boast but...

BNZ Katherine Mansfield Award 2010 goes to Wes Lee Willesden Herald finalist Wes Lee has just won New Zealand's preeminent prize for the short story, The BNZ Katherine Mansfield Award, judged by Booker shortlisted author Lloyd Jones (Mister Pip). The $10,000 prize is New Zealand's longest standing, most prestigious prize for the short story. Past winners of the award include NZ literary greats such as Keri Hulme, C.K. Stead, Frank Sargeson, Vincent O'Sullivan. Since her shortlisted story 'The Dead Don't Do That Kind of Thing' was published in Willesden Herald New Short Stories 1 (2007) Wes Lee has won a number of prizes for her short stories. For more information and to read the Katherine Mansfield Award winning story please visit www.weslee.co.nz.

A class act

Wena Poon's new novel is BBC4 Book at Bedtime BBC4 Book at Bedtime for the two weeks starting September 6, 2010 will be "Alex y Robert" by Wena Poon. Earlier this year, "The Architects" by Wena Poon took the Willesden Herald 2009-10 prize for best short story of the year. For a lot more about Alex y Robert, please visit Salt Publishing. If you would like to read "The Architects", it is included in New Short Stories 4, which if you buydirect from the publisher between now and December 17th, includes free entry into this year's short story competition.

Special offer

Read the best of the Willesden Herald stories and get prepaid entry to this year's short story competition. To take up this offer you will need a Pretend Genius online bookstore order confirmation number for one of these four books. Valid 1 August 2010 to 17 December 2010. Thank you.

New Short Stories author receives Mailer scholarship

Pennsylvania, June 2010: Morowa Yejidé has been awarded Norman Mailer’s Norris Church Mailer Scholarship in Creative Writing at Wilkes University. The widow Mrs. Mailer presented the award to Ms Yejidé at an awards banquet at the campus. "Tokyo Chocolate," first featured in the 2009 Willesden Herald Anthology (New Short Stories 3), will also be featured in the fall issue of the Hiroshima, Japan based magazine Yomimono. Other stories by Morowa Yejidé have since been published in Bananafish Magazine and Jersey Devil Press.

New Short Stories 4 author wins big prize

Society of Authors' 2010 Awards, London, 15 June 2010

Very pleased to report that twice Willesden Herald short story competition finalist Carys Davies has been awarded the Olive Cook Short Story Award for her story 'The Quiet'. The award, worth £1,000 and judged by Jane Gardam and Jacob Ross, was set up in 2004 and is awarded every two years. Carys Davies joins the impressive list of previous recipients, Claire Keegan, Bethan Roberts and Alison Macleod. (Willesden Herald)

Read "Precious" by Carys Davies in New Short Stories 4.