Sandi Toksvig’s Writing Challenge
The challenge was to write a short story or poem including the sentence:
“Terence had been confident of his hat selection.”
The overall winner received a box of new books worth £100, and the chance to discuss the story with the panel of top publishing professionals at the Aspiring Authors Q&A event at the Wimbledon Bookfest, on Saturday 13th October, in the marquee in South Park Gardens. The event proved very popular, and the Bookfest would like to thank Sandi and her panel (agent Peter Straus, publisher Mary Mount, and authors Michelle Paver and Jayne Buxton) for providing such an informative as well as entertaining afternoon.
These are the ten winning stories, which are read on CD by Rosalind Ayres and Martin Jarvis.
FIRST PLACE
Here’s Looking at You by Hilary Spiers
SECOND PLACE
The Bridge by Naznene Sparrow
THIRD PLACE
Waiting by Malavika Nataraj
HONOURABLE MENTION
An Evening In by Rosemary Appleton
The Murderer by Simon Cheetham
The Prelude by Peregrine Green
Last Order by Gavin Haycock
Ten Across by Jane James
Bowler Hat by Naznene Sparrow
The Party Piece by Anne Youngson
All the entries are now on display in Wimbledon Library; you can find the ten winners through the links on the left, and all the other entries in downloadable form here.
Copyright of all the work remains with the authors.
The challenge attracted a very strong field of just under 100 entries. The challenge was devised and judged by a team of volunteers in Wimbledon: John Anderson, Libby Asher, Siobhan Campbell, Sarah Crowden, Emma Dowson, Heather Forland, Nina van Gessel, Jil Hall, Sue Littledale, Richard Orrin, Catherine Randall, and Marina Vokos, chaired by local author Jayne Buxton.
The final winners were selected from a short list by two experienced literary judges:
Jeanne Laffan, committee member of the Authors’ Club, which makes three awards: the Best First Novel Award, the Sir Banister Fletcher Award for a book on art or architecture, and a new First Travel Book Award.
Anne Aylor, writer and Director of Anne Aylor’s Creative Writing Courses. Anne has had stories published by the Arts Council, The Literary Review and Stand Magazine, and broadcast on BBC Radio. Her first novel, No Angel Hotel was published by Harper Collins and her stage play, Children of the Dust, was produced by the Soho Theatre. For information about Anne’s courses, see www.anneaylor.co.uk.
The festival organisers would like to thank all of the above, as well as Sandi Toksvig, Rosalind Ayres and Martin Jarvis, who have so generously given their time and talents.