Stringybark Open Short Story Award 2024

CLOSED

The Stringybark Short Stories Award 2019

Competition Closed: 19 January 2020

277 entries.  $1020 in prizes.

Judges: Ruth Ellison, Graham Miller, Eugenie Pusenjak and David Vernon

Editor: David Vernon

Cover designer: Jonathan Vernon

Layout: Stringybark Publishing

Australian printer: Prinstant, Canberra

Thirty-three contemporary, award-winning short stories from the Stringybark Short Story Awards will challenge, amuse and entertain you in this anthology of Australian-themed tales by Australian and international authors. From the beach to the mountains and the city to the country, each tale is a gem in its own right.

“It’s clear I am the good guy in all of this. I am a sensitive person and arguments upset me. I have loved and lost, and it cuts deep. But enough hurt, this trip is all about saying hello, how are you and I miss you. I don’t want anything from you, we both know it’s too late for that. We’ll be friends forever because we have a secret between us.”

          — from ‘The Secrets that We Keep’ by Jon Presswell

“Fifteen pairs of glazed eyes – several of them hungover – watched with bored disdain as Eric bounced enthusiastically around the dining area of what he extravagantly called his ‘restaurant’. Only his wife and franchise partner Lauren looked on approvingly, just as unaware of the contempt Eric’s ebullience was producing as he was.”

          — from ‘Employee of the Month’ by Regan Rist

33 published stories. One e-book and printed anthology, Close to Heaven.

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

ISBN: 978-0-6485386-8-4

A$15.95 includes postage within Australia.  Discounts for multiple purchases.  Please enquire for international orders.

Paperback

THIRD PRIZE

Mechanic in Sepia

by

J.M. Stevens-Ly

FIRST PRIZE

Close to Heaven

by

Polly Rose

SECOND PRIZE

The Roses

by

Nicole Kelly

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Busker — P.H. Court

A Long Way from Bondi — Graham D'Elboux

No Beauty Shines Brighter — Andrew Drummond

World Oyster — Matt Edwards

Sweet Finish — Doug Hamilton

Premises — Tristan Hull

A Bush Murder Trial — Nyema James

Rainbow Serpent — Jacqueline Kelly

The Memory Keeper — Beverley Lello

The Ballerina Tree — Sandra Macgregor

Reaching Out — Victoria Mizen

The One Most Likely — Janet Moore

Singing White Lies — Gina Pinto

Sausages for Supper — John Poole

The Secrets that we Keep — Jon Presswell

SCAB — Kendrea Rhodes

Christmas 2019 — Margie Riley

"Hey Siri" — Danielle Ringrose

Retired — Sharmayne Riseley

Employee of the Month — Regan Rist

Guppy — Oli Rose

The Long Paddle Home — Deanne Seigle-Buyat

A Favourite Star — Karyn Sepulveda

The Seaview — Fiona Skepper

Disposal — Ian Stewart

A Light in the Window — Rosemary Stride

The Grocer — Renee Switzer

On the Fringe — Arlene Taylor

Buxton — Kerry Lown Whalen

A Day by the River — Sally Willott