Bridge House Short Story Competition 2010/2011

World Stopping Events Anthology

On This Day ... 

This competition generated a lot of interest so many thanks to all those that entered.

WINNER

DARCI BYSOUTH

for CRYPTODOME (Mount St. Helens Volcano)

Darci Bysouth grew up in the ranchlands of British Columbia and  remembers the eruption of Mount St Helens. She took a literature degree  many years ago and is currently  studying creative writing at the University of Edinburgh. Her stories have shortlisted for the Bridport Prize and been published in the Bristol Anthology. She has just finished her first novel.

From the outset we were struck by the voice and the strong characters in this story. While the event itself might be less familiar to some, it was intricately threaded throughout the narrative with the young narrator's fascination with volcanos. The story carried all the tension of a volcano waiting to erupt with a violent yet wonderfully drawn climax. A worthy winner!

What one of the judges had to say:

"I was gripped from the opening line and drawn into the world so wonderfully created by the author. I was deeply touched by the story that stayed with me long after I read the last line. Terrific!"

RUNNER-UP

LIBBY O'LOGHLIN

for IMAGINE (John Lennon's death)

Libby O'Loghlin is an Australian who lives in Switzerland, where she works as a writer and editor. She has taught screenwriting at university level, and takes every opportunity to talk about narrative, in between running up and down mountains and cooking with her family.

What we loved so much about this story was the lively engaging narrative of a young girl dealing with her aunt's illness and the way the author juxtaposed it with the real event: John Lennon's untimely death.

What one of the judges had to say:

"I really felt the voice had something special and interesting. The story moved me and made me smile. I really look forward to working with this author."

The worthy 13 Runners-up:

Alexandra Bockfeldt

Waterbaby (Boxing Day Tsunami)

Kathy Cakebread

Sunlight Through The Ashes (911)

Leela Dutt

Damage (London bombings 7/7)

Su Edmonds

12.30 pm 22 November 1963 (JFK)

Lexie Elliot

Black Smoke (electing a new pope)

Sarah Evans

Two Days in July (London bombings 7/7)

Lizzie Flannigan

Trojan (London bombings 7/7)

Sue Holt

Just a Jealous Guy (John Lennon's death)

Jacki McCarrick

Hellebores (Hurricaine Katrina)

Clarissa Pattern

Car Crash (Diana's death)

Henrietta Richer

Out to Lunch with the 7 Dwarves (Hurricaine Katrina)

Denise St.Clair

Pinners Flooded (Elvis's death)

Graham Taylor

Bringing Home The Bacon (Chernobyl)

Book available on Amazon!