Results of the 2021 Competition

First:      'Cause and Consequence' by Heather Holmes (Nelson)
Second: 'Sparros' by Dick Ward (Whanganui)
Third:    'God of the Sea' by Molly Crighton (Dunedin)

Highly Commended:
‘Too Old for the Park’ by Lilla Csorgo (Carterton)
‘Living with Mister P’ by Sue England (Mapua)
‘Slow Down’ by Juliana Feaver (Christchurch)
‘How Can I Help You?’ by Edna Heled (Auckland)
‘The Golem Father’ by Emma Neale (Dunedin)
‘Crop Circles’ by Vaughan Rapatahana (Mangakino)
‘The Storm’ by Julie Taylor (Tirau)

The judge, Rajorshi Chakraborti, commented:
‘While each of the winning stories is very different in style and subject, what I found they had in common was great confidence in handling their material as well as skill at accommodating their telling within the restrictions of the word limit without sacrificing nuance, complexity or detail. Each felt perfectly drawn to scale. Each felt as though they had mastered the style and register needed to tell this particular story vividly and convincingly. My sincere congratulations to the winners, but in fact to the writers of all the stories I read. I deeply enjoyed your work, and the worlds you gifted to your readers. Thank you, all.’
                                                                                                        
The winning and commended stories are published in a print anthology, Horizons 5.  Order your copy here 

Heather Holmes (first)

Dick Ward (second)

Molly Crighton (third)