Author: Cranked Anvil

Another Success Story – Past Cranked Anvil Prize Winner Publishes Short Story Collection

We're delighted to report on the success of another of our former writing prize winners. In November 2024, Hannah Retallick released her debut collection of literary short stories, called Something Very Human, with Bridge House Publishing. The Second Prize winning entry from our Jan22 competition, When the Tour Guide Still Smiles, has been included in … Continue reading Another Success Story – Past Cranked Anvil Prize Winner Publishes Short Story Collection

Past Cranked Anvil Prize Winner Lands Agent And Book Deal

One of our former prize winners, Richard Hooton, is to have his debut novel The Margaret Code published on 10 April by Sphere, an imprint of Little Brown. The voice-led whodunnit follows eighty-nine-year-old Margaret whose failing memory holds the key to the murder investigation taking place on her street. It will also be published in … Continue reading Past Cranked Anvil Prize Winner Lands Agent And Book Deal

THE DISCOVERY by Cecilia Maddison

Jack pried apart the foliage with gentle fingers. Inside the nest lay three small, sky blue eggs. A robin fretted on a nearby branch, head cocked, glaring.“It’s okay,” Jack whispered, retreating step by careful step.With a jolt, he stumbled into his brother. Nathan leered, blocking Jack’s path, his narrowed eyes needling the hedgerow’s new green … Continue reading THE DISCOVERY by Cecilia Maddison

November 2024 – Flash shortlist and winners

The judges have announced the shortlist and winners for our Nov24 Flash Fiction Prize, and we're pleased to announce it here today. But before we do... NEW SHORT STORY PRIZE! We're delighted to announce the launch of our annual International Short Story Prize! Almost a year after we closed our quarterly short story competition to … Continue reading November 2024 – Flash shortlist and winners

PAS DE DEUX by Chris Cottom (1st place, Flash, Nov24)

Suzie’s a snowflake in our nursery school Christmas Gala, petticoat-frothy, with her hair pinned tight. I bash my cymbal when Miss nods from the piano, although I’d wanted to be the King of the Mice. She’s fourteen and back from ballet school for the summer. At the youth club dance, sweaty after Reet Petite, we … Continue reading PAS DE DEUX by Chris Cottom (1st place, Flash, Nov24)

PERHAPS ON A SUMMER’S DAY by Laura Besley (2nd place, Flash, Nov24)

Perhaps on a Summer's Day there is a young woman whose bottom lip wobbles, whose eyes bristle with tears. Perhaps her name is Sadie. Perhaps Sadie has just lost her job and doesn’t know how she’ll pay her rent next month. But perhaps Sadie’s tears are happy tears and she’s biting her lip to stop … Continue reading PERHAPS ON A SUMMER’S DAY by Laura Besley (2nd place, Flash, Nov24)