Lecturer wins BBC Short Story Prize

The Bookseller - 30.11.10 - Katie Allen

A former university lecturer has won the BBC National Short Story Award for his tale of the end of a relationship.

David Constantine, pic right, who has published short story collections The Shieling, shortlisted for the Frank O’Connor Prize, and Under the Dam (both Comma Press), won the £15,000 prize for his story Tea at the Midland.

The ceremony was broadcast live on BBC Radio 4’s “Front Row” this evening (29th November).

Jon McGregor, author of If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things, was runner-up for his story If It Keeps on Raining, taking home £3,000. The other shortlisted authors, Aminatta Forna, Sarah Hall and Helen Oyeyemi were each awarded £500.

The BBC National Short Story Award is in its fifth year. This year’s shortlsited stories were read on BBC Radio 4 last week; they will also be available as audio downloads from 6th December at www.audiogo.co.uk, and are published in an anthology by Comma Press.

And report from The Guardian