Stringybark Open Short Story Award 2024

CLOSED

The Stringybark Dog Eat Dog Short Story Award 2017

Competition Closed: 16 July 2017

217 entries.  $1085 in prizes.

Judges: Antoinette Merrillees, Aislinn Batstone, Arna Walker and David Vernon

Editor: David Vernon

Cover designer: Michael Vernon

Ausralian printer: Kainos Print

The guilt-edged invitation winks at me as I take it from the mantelpiece.

You are invited to share my 70th birthday. But what intrigues me is the last line…I shall be making an announcement that will surprise you all.

A man as wealthy and powerful as Maxwell has many so-called friends, hangers-on, hopefuls and enemies, and the guest list reflects most of these. Although, I must confess there are a few surprises. Fabio Fabritzio, for example. He's the pool boy and apart from being visually beautiful, I can't imagine why Maxwell would include him.

— From “A Dish Best Served Cold” by Anne E  Summers

“Murderer! You killed them just as surely as if you twisted the knife in their hearts. I hope you rot in hell… I hope you…”

My sister's face was contorted with fury, spittle on her lips.

— From "All in a Day's Work" by David Campbell

Thirty-four short stories are show-cased in this marvellous anthology created from the winning stories in the Stringybark 'Dog Eat Dog' Short Story Award 2017.  Inspired by the titles of clichés, not one of these stories is a cliché.  Fresh, imaginative and often funny, this is a  wonderful Stringybark collection.

34 published stories. One e-book and printed anthology, A Gentleman and a Scholar

Edited by David Vernon, e-book and paperback, Stringybark Publishing,

ISBN: 978-0-6480884-1-7

A$14.95 includes postage within Australia.  Discounts for multiple purchases.  Please enquire for international orders.

THIRD PRIZE

A Dish Served Cold

by

Anne Summers

FIRST PRIZE

A Gentleman and a Scholar

by

Helen Lyne

SECOND PRIZE

Wild Goose Chase

by

Joanna Beresford

HIGHLY COMMENDED

A Stitch in Time Saves Nine — Maria Bianco

The Burning Question — Irene Buckler

On for Young and Old — Colin Campbell

All in a Day's Work — David Campbell

A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing — Susan Carey

Kicked the Bucket — Chris Childs

Every Cloud — Pauline Cleary

Don't Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth — Amelia Cook

A Dark and Stormy Night — Otto Fischer

What Goes Around… — Beverley A Fitzgerald

Whistle Blower — Barbara Fraser

The Last Laugh — Imogen Fullagar

What Goes Around Comes Around — CL Fulton

It's Not Who You Know — Thomas Gregory

Thicker than Water — Alexis Hailstones

Needle in a Haystack — Julian Howard

Salt of the Earth — Kym Iliff-Reynolds

Adding Insult to Injury — Tamara Jones

Get Stuffed — Grahame Maclean

Tempting Fate — Tyler McPherson

It's a Small World — Elizabeth Ffrench

It is Not Until the House Burns that we See the Faces of the Rats — Jon Presswell

On His High Horse —Eugenie Pusenjak

Conrad Spits the Dummy — Regan Rist

Window of Opportunity — Dorothy Shorne

No Bed of Roses — Alicia Sledge

There are Plenty More Fish in the Sea — Daan Spijer

A Nip in the Air — Judy Tindill

As Cold as Ice — Gayle Virgo

Bleeding Like a Stuck Pig — Michael Wilkinson

Love at First Sight — Lynette Willoughby