The 2015 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award
Congratulations to our winners! The standard of entry was extremely high.
The overall winners were announced at the award ceremony in Exeter on Saturday 17th October. Please scroll down for the long list and judges' reports on all the short listed stories for both the Exeter Story Prize and the Trisha Ashley Award.
The overall winners were announced at the award ceremony in Exeter on Saturday 17th October. Please scroll down for the long list and judges' reports on all the short listed stories for both the Exeter Story Prize and the Trisha Ashley Award.
Now available for £1.99 on Kindle
The Exeter Story Prize winners
First prize: Battle Town – Richard Buxton
Second prize: Mysteries of the Mattress - the Glorious, Joyful, and Luminous –
Elizabeth Heery
Third Prize: The Blue Bench – Alex Swinburn
The Trisha Ashley Award
Winner: Jimmy Christian – Simon Kettlewell
Runner-up: The Household Angel – Glenys Osborne
Fifteen of the winning and short-listed stories feature in our first collection. Read about the American Civil War, post office robbery, miracles, zombies, and 'one woman's search for sizzling sex'. It is a wonderfully eclectic and entertaining selection. Available in paperback HERE or for the Kindle, click on the cover.
First prize: Battle Town – Richard Buxton
Second prize: Mysteries of the Mattress - the Glorious, Joyful, and Luminous –
Elizabeth Heery
Third Prize: The Blue Bench – Alex Swinburn
The Trisha Ashley Award
Winner: Jimmy Christian – Simon Kettlewell
Runner-up: The Household Angel – Glenys Osborne
Fifteen of the winning and short-listed stories feature in our first collection. Read about the American Civil War, post office robbery, miracles, zombies, and 'one woman's search for sizzling sex'. It is a wonderfully eclectic and entertaining selection. Available in paperback HERE or for the Kindle, click on the cover.
Cathie Hartigan, Sophie Duffy, Richard Buxton (winner), and Margaret James
The Exeter Story Prize Short List
Battle Town – Richard Buxton Heaven – Ann Butler Rowlands Mysteries of the Mattress - the Glorious, Joyful, and Luminous – Elizabeth Heery Pongo – Lucy Brown Naked in the Rain – Celia J. Anderson The Blue Bench – Alex Swinburn Tight – Ledlowe Guthrie |
Simon Kettlewell and Trisha Ashley
The Trisha Ashley Award Short List
How to Play Marbles – Esme Penrose Jimmy Christian – Simon Kettlewell Mysteries of the Mattress - the Glorious, Joyful, and Luminous – Elizabeth Heery Spring comes to Bernard Duggleby – Vicky Mackenzie Stocktaking – Neal Mason The Boats We Missed – Anjali Arasu The Household Angel – Glenys Osborne |
Back L to R: Trisha Ashley, Alex Swinburn(3rd Prize), Elizabeth Heery (2nd Prize), Celia Anderson, Esme Penrose, Simon Kettlewell (TAAward winner), Richard Buxton (ESPrize winner)
Front L to R: Margaret James, Linda Mitchelmore, Juliet Greenwood, Cathie Hartigan, Ann Butler Rowlands, Sophie Duffy
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2015 Exeter Story Prize Judges' report
First Prize: Battle Town by Richard Buxton Set in a small town in America, the scene of a battle town in the Civil War, this is the story of letting go of your past and coming to terms with your home and where you come from. It is wry, moving, and unusual, with layers of meaning. A vivid, fresh story that lives on. Second Prize: Mysteries of the Mattress – The Glorious, Joyful and Luminous by Elizabeth Heery A wonderfully different, quirky, funny, poignant story about growing up and first love, all mixed up with the Beatles and Hail Marys. A distinct voice that takes the reader on a surprising journey that all makes sense when you get to the end. Third Prize: The Blue Bench by Alex Swinburn Grace goes to visit her husband Jimmy who has returned injured from fighting in the First World War and is now in a military hospital, or so she has been led to believe. When she discovers it is not Jimmy, Grace doesn’t expect to be comforted and encouraged by another wounded soldier, but their conversations give her hope. This is an emotionally powerful story of lives transformed by war's unexpected outcomes. Pongo by Lucy Brown A story about the hard side of policing, Christmas with the in-laws, fairgrounds and Brussel sprouts. Told with wit and subtlety with believable characters and complex relationships. A well-crafted, satisfying story. Tight by Ledlowe Guthrie A man loses both legs in an accident and needs to adjust to disabled life. Would he make a go of his new life or would he be defeated? The story has a pleasing narrative arc and is beautifully constructed, delivering a satisfying and believable ending. Heaven by Ann Butler Rowlands A very moving story about a long time marriage, and what happens when we lose someone who knows us as well as we know ourselves, about connections we make in the most unlikely places. A wonderful, atmospheric setting with hints of Shirley Valentine and Last Tango in Paris. Sensual and touching. Naked in the Rain – Celia J Anderson Librarian Pat decides it’s high time she found herself a man but she realises that if she’s going to find a good man there is work to be done first. Pat has plenty of fantasies. Perhaps Charles has fantasies, too? A couple of seemingly ordinary people take a chance on love and are rewarded for their courage. The narrator is wry and self-aware, which makes her story a joy to read. |
The Trisha Ashley Award - Trisha's report
Winner: Jimmy Christian by Simon Kettlewell An intriguing tale about a small boy who discovers he can bring people back from the dead. It captures perfectly life on an insalubrious Midlands estate during a hot summer in the Eighties and shows how the ordinary can become extraordinary. Runner-up: The Household Angel by Glenys Osborne With an Australian setting, this wonderfully amusing story tells what happens when Uncle Bob comes to stay after a row with his wife. Sunk in sorrow and helplessness, the mess Bob creates proves just too much for his obsessively house-proud relatives. How to Play Marbles by Esme Penrose This story is a wryly funny and inventive take on the sometimes difficult relationship between a woman and her mother-in-law, who can’t remember exactly why she doesn’t like her. The heroine sets out to provide a few reasons… Mysteries of the Mattress by Elizabeth Heery Treeza discovers more than one mystery of the mattress in this richly-charactered, fast-paced and darkly funny coming-of-age story, which combines Miracles with first love. Spring Comes to Bernard Duggleby by Vicky Mackenzie In this delightful and very amusing story with a twist in the tail, Bernard’s wife misguidedly tries to direct his midlife crisis by giving him a motorbike. It seems Bernard is ready to take a new direction – just not one involving two wheels and leather. Stocktaking by Neal Mason An interesting premise has two burglars coming face to face in an antiquarian bookshop and embarking on a philosophical sparring match. The male burglar finds himself outsmarted on all points by a teenage girl with an agenda of her own. The Boats we Missed by Anjali Arasu This lively contemporary story concerns a young woman yearning for commitment from her long-term partner. But when his old friend comes to stay, she fears he might cause them to break-up instead… until things take a surprising turn. The ending is laugh-out-loud funny. |
Long List
Battle Town – Richard Buxton
Conkers – Jude Higgins
Discovery – Frances Hurd
Milk Rime – Louise Ells
Foolproof – Jan Cascarini
Heaven – Ann Butler Rowlands
How to Play Marbles – Esme Penrose
Jimmy Christian – Simon Kettlewell
Mysteries of the Mattress - the Glorious, Joyful, and Luminous – Elizabeth Heery
Naked in the Rain – Celia J. Anderson
Pongo – Lucy Brown
Stocktaking – Neal Mason
Spring comes to Bernard Duggleby – Victoria Mackenzie
The Alien Abduction of '86 – Bec Lewis
The Blue Bench – Alex Swinburn
The Boats We Missed – Anjali Arasu
The Household Angel – Glenys Osborne
Tight – Ledlowe Guthrie
Battle Town – Richard Buxton
Conkers – Jude Higgins
Discovery – Frances Hurd
Milk Rime – Louise Ells
Foolproof – Jan Cascarini
Heaven – Ann Butler Rowlands
How to Play Marbles – Esme Penrose
Jimmy Christian – Simon Kettlewell
Mysteries of the Mattress - the Glorious, Joyful, and Luminous – Elizabeth Heery
Naked in the Rain – Celia J. Anderson
Pongo – Lucy Brown
Stocktaking – Neal Mason
Spring comes to Bernard Duggleby – Victoria Mackenzie
The Alien Abduction of '86 – Bec Lewis
The Blue Bench – Alex Swinburn
The Boats We Missed – Anjali Arasu
The Household Angel – Glenys Osborne
Tight – Ledlowe Guthrie
