VOTING OPENS FOR THE 2013 COSTA SHORT STORY AWARD!

·         Over 1400 entries received

·         Submissions were judged anonymously

·         Winner to be voted for by public at www.costa.co.uk/costa-book-awards/costa-short-story-award and announced at Costa Book Awards ceremony

·         Voting opens today and closes at midday on Friday 17th January 2014

Tuesday 3rd December 2013: Voting has opened today for the 2013 Costa Short Story Award - a new Award launched last year for a single short story that is run in association with the Costa Book Awards but judged independently of the main five-category system.

The general public is now invited to vote for its favourite from the shortlist of six stories which can be downloaded either to read or listen to from www.costa.co.uk/costa-book-awards/costa-short-story-award. 

Over 1400 entries were received to the competition now in its second year. The competition, open to both published and unpublished writers, is for a single, previously unpublished short story of up to 4,000 words by an author aged 18 years or over and written in English. 

All entries were judged anonymously (ie without the identity of the author being available to the judges) by a panel including Richard Beard, Director of the National Academy of Writing; Fanny Blake, novelist, journalist and Books Editor of Woman & Home magazine; writer Victoria Hislop and Simon Trewin, agent at William Morris Endeavor.

The judges have selected the following six stories which are now available to read and listen to at www.costa.co.uk/costa-book-awards/costa-short-story-award. They are:

1.     Still Water, BC

2.     The Forgiveness Thing

3.     The Gun Shearer

4.     The Keeper of the Jackalopes

5.     The Old Man and the Suit

6.     The Papakh Hat

The identities of the authors will be revealed after public voting closes on 17^th January and the winning author and two runners-up will be announced at the Costa Book Awards ceremony on Tuesday 28^th January 2014, when the winner will receive £3,500 and the authors in second and third place will receive £1,000 and £500 respectively.

“The quality of entries this year was outstanding and the judges had a tough time whittling the entries down to a shortlist of six,” commented Kevin Hydes, Marketing Director, Costa UK.  “The 2013 winner is now in the public’s hands and we’re encouraging everyone to read - or listen to - all the stories and cast their vote!!”

The Costa Book Awards is the only major UK book prize that is open solely to authors resident in the UK and Ireland and also, uniquely, recognises the most enjoyable books across five categories – First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children’s Book - published in the last year.  Originally established by Whitbread PLC in 1971, Costa announced its takeover of the sponsorship of the UK’s prestigious and popular book prize in 2006.

For more information on this year’s Costa Book Awards, go to www.costa.co.uk/costa-book-awards .