Who won the £4000/$5000* prize?
Winners
(titles listed in order)
Please note: all the comments listed below are from our Booker Prizewinning judge, Damon Galgut. We thank him for taking the time to give feedback.
1st Prize: SUNDAY MORNINGS WITH THE HOUSEMAIDS OF COLABA by Amitha Rajan (SIN)
An excellent story, very well-constructed. I especially liked the “we” narration, which can easily be misjudged, but wasn’t in this case. I may of course be wrong, but it doesn’t feel ‘authentic’ in the sense that the writer is probably from a different background than the “we” described, but the sympathy of the narrator for Shalu and her situation are clear. Clever and touching and sweet.
2nd Prize: EVA by Alan Sincic (USA)
The most ambitious story here, by virtue of its narrative, which tries to shape itself to the consciousness of its two protagonists. Not clear enough at the outset, so it takes a while for the situation to take definite shape. Obviously a very talented writer is at work. I’ll be honest and say it was a serious contender for First Prize, but perhaps the story is too much inside the minds of the women, with too little external explication, for easy clarity. To put it differently, the density of the style is admirable but may be better suited to a longer form in which exposition is more gradual; with a short story, there is too much latitude for confusion. Nevertheless, a memorable, strong piece of work by a natural writer.
3rd prize: ERIC LUCASTEES by Alan McCormick (IRE)
I really liked this whacky, unexpected story, especially its unusual and fluid narrative approach. Despite the flagrant disregard for punctuation, the imagination at work is really charming. It’s a push to believe that Eric Lucastees would be able to go off with Robert’s wife so casually and offhandedly, and that he would then fall back on Robert to help him when he is in trouble, but the eccentricity of the narrative voice made it seem credible.
Highly Commended: THE COUPLE by Michael Pettit (SA)
A well-handled, intelligent story, by a writer with a talent for description. Although a solid job is done of presenting the past histories of both Alan and Yolande, a sharper sense of their everyday characters is absent until the end; this probably comes from the lack of direct interaction between them till that point. As a result, I’m not entirely persuaded by the psychological role the dog plays in their marriage, perhaps because it’s not clear what is actually missing between them. Still, the arc of their emotional shift is nicely defined and deftly done. Definitely a contender for one of the three top prizes, but its ambitions were perhaps more modest than some of the other entries.
Shortlist (named, not in ranked order)
DREAMS OF WATER by Harry Dobbs (ENG)
An interesting piece, which plays in a satisfying way with setting off different moments in time against each other. Its ambitions are perhaps insufficiently realized: I’m not quite sure of the significance of Nina’s realization at the very end. The moment of the accident itself almost doesn’t register, because it’s not described. All in all, a good piece of work which could perhaps have been fuller: I suspect it could be a novella if given its full weight and worth.
OUR MUTUAL BONES by Sherry Cassells (CAN)
“An engaging, quirky story, by a writer with flair. I liked the way the story leaped about in time and place, but perhaps it did so too frequently, or with too little descriptive grounding, to let me know where I was all the time. The story would be more solid and less confusing if it unfolded a little more slowly and with more explanatory concessions to the reader. Nevertheless, I remained engaged, which was due to the narrative spark on display.”
WALTZ OF THE MAKKO ANTS by Conrad Walters (AUS)
An absorbing, unsettling story about a lethal clash between cultures. Because there is no such thing as a Makko Ant (or any “fist-sized ant”, for that matter) and some of the details about ant behaviour are not strictly accurate, I can only take this as a piece of speculative fiction. To that end, it would perhaps have helped to have a few clear markers in that direction. In any case, it works on its own terms, and has stayed with me since the initial reading.
NECTARINES by Alan Fyfe (AUS)
A good, solid story, pleasingly executed. Some lovely descriptions. I was drawn in by the unusual scenario – the building, the fall – with another rich memory present behind it. Skillfully handled, despite its tiny scope.
BUBU by Omar Musa (AUS)
I liked the intensity of this small, concentrated scenario that could play out in two ways. Deftly done, though it’s impossible for me to tell how authentic the cultural details are. A successfully rendered piece of work.
TORTLE MAN by HE Ross (ENG)
An intriguing and dramatic scenario, perhaps not fully realized. My attention was held by the situation and by the action involved, but I never quite believed the voice was coming out of the centre of the story. Some of the language and terminology sounded like somebody who is NOT a fisherman, though the details seemed plausibly done. All in all, a potentially fine story that could have done with more finessing. Small changes will make a big difference to the final effect.
Long List (named, not in ranked order)
Before Escaping to Canada by Dragana Lazici (ENG)
The Life I Don’t Consume by Julie Butterfield (USA)
The All-Canadians by Terry Watada (CAN)
The Divine Carousel by Charles Kitching (ENG)
Thorns by Dana Storino (USA)
Fight Day by Adam Roberts (ENG)
Under the Maphosa Sky by Thandizile Mpofu (ZIM)
The Mummy by Aniete Isong (ENG)
Hound 001 by Rosie Linder (USA)
The Encore by Anina Faul (FRA)
Congrats to the winners, the 10 writers on our shortlist, and all those who made it onto the long list. We hope the recognition of that credit will help you in your literary careers.
The Plaza Short Memoir Prize judged by literary agent and memoirist, James MacDonald Lockhart is OPEN to enter NOW. 1st prize: £1,000 / $1250. Deadline: 31st August, 2025.