This is pretty neat, a short-list for an international writing competition: http://www.commonwealthwriters.org/2016-commonwealth-short-story-prize-shortlist/ 4000 entries from 47 countries, and 26 stories on the shortlist (including mine). Kind of blown away, to be honest.
Anne wasn’t hit by a bus. She was standing still, staring at a painting she didn’t give a shit about, when her eyes glazed and she dropped her purse. It took Don five minutes to realize that something was wrong, to remember that Anne didn’t care about paintings or museums. Anne only really cared…
It was a strange light coming from the closet. All she could do was pull back the covers and slip out of bed. Marla stepped on a square thing. Her books lay strewn on the floor. She kicked them aside, and for a moment thought herself very brave. She reached the closet…
‘Hi Amy. I hope this finds you well. I haven’t seen you in twelve years. Do you still have my underwear? Those white briefs? I think that you do. I wonder if you wear them. Can picture you next to the window, spending all your life thinking about me. Twelve years that are all about…
It’s mad, really, what you can buy in a costume shop. The best items are hidden on the bushiest racks, in the middle. I often scrounge around in those caves, sometimes sit back to have a smoke and wonder if I’m going to set it all alight. I’m a December baby, I tell…
“He is the Raiser of ranks, the Possessor of the Throne, He sends the Spirit by His Command to whichever of His servants He wills so that he may warn mankind about the Day of Meeting.” (Koran, Surah Ghafir, 40:15) “Your sister’s going to kill herself,” says Hamesh. He throws dice against the…
“Detective Charlie Baker was not in a good mood.” Thus begins the story. What to call Double Service? A World War II mystery? A love story? Rather than give a proper review, I’d like to delve into the editing process behind this book, given that I, Trent P. Lewin, edited the thing. That’s right.…
