The international jury committee has finalized 25 outstanding stories from the Commonwealth Short Story Award, managed by the Commonwealth Foundation. The finalists came from 18 federal countries. Two federal countries, Antigua, Barbuda and Saint Lucia, are putting their authors on the list for the first time. Five regional winners, each representing five regions of the federation, will be announced on May 14th, and will then be published online by literary magazines. Grant. The general winners will be announced at the Federal Short Story Awards Ceremony on June 25th, 2025.
Stories by Caribbean writers (in alphabetical order) include Joan C. Hillhouse’s “Johnby Pond” (Antigua and Barbuda), Kelly Magnus (Jamaica)’s “Dignity and Situation,” Jesse Mayers (San Lucia), Lady Cat, Margot Run’s “Margot Singer” (Guy Singer), and Chanel Sutherland (Canada/St. Vincent and Grenazin). See the full list of suggestions below.
explanation: The finalist story recalls a wide range of scenarios heading towards the hidden secret tamarind tree, from unnamed border soldiers to Beijing taxi drivers with vulnerable passengers, towards the desperate measures to escape the abusive husband from the abusive husband. Many stories feature the final voyage of your people starting a new life abroad, an elderly woman traveling to the capital, campaigning for the rights of her people, running around on a sinking slave ship. There are stories of exploitation, racism, greed, arrogance, and betrayal, but there are also unexpected kindness, humor, courage and resistance, and the unexpected effects of small actions. [. . .]
Finalists:
Africa
- “The Flute Player” by Priscilla Ametorpe Goka (Ghana)
- “A room full of teddy bears” in Dolech (Kenya)
- “The Sun Not Not Dead” by Vashish Jaunky (Mauritius) (translated by Edwige-Renée
- A slut from the French, ‘Le Soleil n’est Pas Encore Mort‘)
- “Mother” by Orakitan T. Aradeshui (Nigeria)
- “Broken Strings” by Stephen M. Finn (South Africa)
- “Mothers who haven’t appeared in search” by Josh Al Bwama (Uganda)
Asia
- “Eyes and legs” by Faria Basher (Bangladesh)
- “Mr. Ghosnkar’s Girl” by Parul Kausik (India)
- “Tamarind” by Tinodesa (India)
- “The Dot” by Tahoor Bari (Pakistan)
Canada and Europe
- “Down” by Chanel Sutherland (Canada/St. Vincent and the Grenadines)
- “Nualu nu” by Damhnait Monaghan (Canada/Ireland)
- “Cross” by David Frankel (UK)
- “Bread and Butter” by Dushi Rasiah (UK)
- “Beast” by Tess Little (UK)
Caribbean
- “Jumbie Pond” by Joanne C. Hillhouse (Antigua and Barbuda)
- “Margot’s Run” by Subraj Singh (Guyana)
- “Glamour and the Situation” by Kelly Magnus (Jamaica)
- “Redeye Cat” by Jesse Mayers (St. Lucia)
Pacific
- “Crab and Lobster Roll” by Kathleen Ridgewell (Australia)
- “Drums and Bells” by Keith Go Johnson (Australia)
- “The Thread of Truth” by Lachlan Alexander (Australia)
- “The Pale Blue Dot” by Angela Pope (New Zealand)
- “Meet Again” by Maria Samuella (New Zealand)
- “The Final Effort of the Wind” by Gillian Liesnia Katoanga (Samoa/New Zealand)
Author photos, biography and summaries are available Download here.
For more information, please refer CommonwealthFoundation.com/short-story-prize
