Competition

Rowan Coleman’s Short Story Competition – The Results!

First of all I want to thank all of the more than 300 people that took the time to enter a short story. When I first has the idea to host this competition I had no idea that it would be so popular and that word would spread quite so far. I’ve said before that the standard of entrants was exceptionally high, but I think its worth saying again here – on my brand spanking new website – that if you name isn’t in the top three or the runners up it is no reflection on your writing.

I have been wrangling over my top three for a few days now, and even this morning was changing my mind about the runners up – it seems to unfair to leave anyone out. However, I think my publisher would not be amused if I chose 300 winners – and so….

Here are the results:

In FIRST PLACE with her exceptionally crafted and lovingly written short story ‘THE LONGING’ is Louise Wheeler. I just loved this story, the brilliantly handled pace, the sense of place and characterisation and the range of emotions it  leads the reader through. I thought it encapsulated my theme of ‘starting over’ in an original and heartfelt way – and best of all it did what I love in a short story, by telling another story all together in between the lines.

Louise wins 3 months creative writing online mentoring from Rowan Coleman, Tea and Cakes at Random House Publishing with Arrow Publishing Director Kate Elton and Rowan Coleman, a letter of introduction and agent feedback from David Higham Associates, £100 to spend on Random House books, your story to be published on Rowan Coleman’s blog/website and a signed copy of THE HAPPY HOME FOR BROKEN HEARTS.

In SECOND PLACE is ‘The Wake’ by Rachel Middlemass. This story was a firm favourite with all of the judges and it was a tough job deciding between this story and the winner. The Wake happened to be the first story I read and having enjoyed its technical skills, characterisation, humour and neat unexpected twist I set it aside on my ‘maybe’ pile to read the other entries. Its a testament to its originality that it continued to stand out in my mind. It’s a brilliant piece of writing and very close second.

Rachel wins 1 months creative writing online mentoring from Rowan Coleman, £50 book vouchers to spend on Random House books and the story to be posted on my blog and a signed copy of THE HAPPY HOME FOR BROKEN HEARTS.

In THIRD PLACE is the clever and romantic ‘Before Summer’s Over’ by Helen Yendall. All of the judges appreciated the ambition behind the idea, the humour and neat execution as well as the feel good optimistic finish. We felt that this story showed a writer with enormous potential and the sort of voice that could transfer quite neatly into novel length.

Helen wins 25 Worth of vouchers to spend on Random House books and the story to be posted on my website and a signed copy of THE HAPPY HOME FOR BROKEN HEARTS.

THE RUNNERS UP – each winning a signed copy of ‘The Happy Home for Broken Hearts’

START AGAIN by Micheal Marret-Crosby – deft and touching handling of a brutal subject.

MOVING LIFE FORWARD by Emma Warburton. Beautiful description and truly engaging characterisation.

STARTING OVER by Tom Alexander – funny, clever and with a neat and satisfying ending.

THE RIGHT TIME by Caroline Hardman – very accomplished handling of the first person in a story about someone losing a sense of their own identity.

LET THIS BE THE LAST TIME by Naomi Lever – my favourite re-incarnation story, original, funny and lovely use of language.

You can read all top eight top stories on my blog.

Rowan Coleman August 19th 2010.

Why I wanted to host this competition…..

Back on 2001 I won Company Magazine’s Young writer of the Year Competition.

I would really love to give the same opportunities I had to another aspiring writer out there which is why I’ve decided to run my very own short story competition to celebrate the forthcoming publication of my eight novel THE HAPPY HOME FOR BROKEN HEARTS about young widow Ellen Woods who’s sheltered life as a wife and mother comes crashing to an end when her beloved husband is killed in an accident. Faced with financial ruin the only way Ellen can keep a roof over her and her eleven year old son, Charlie’s head, is to take in lodgers.

In a matter or weeks Ellen’s safe little world is changed beyond recognition and she’s faced with the prospect of starting over again, and finding the strength to move on.

THESE WERE THE RULES!

By entering ROWAN COLEMAN’S SHORT STORY COMPETITION, you agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions;

1. Competition closing date is FRIDAY 16TH JULY 2010. Entries received after this date will not be entered into the competition. The promoter does not accept any responsibility for lost or late entries. Proof of sending will not be accepted as proof of receipt.

2. Only entries received by e-mail will be accepted. Entries will not be returned. Send your fictional story of no more than 1000 words on the theme of ”Starting Over” to:

[email protected]

Your story must be sent in a word attachment and will be scanned for viruses and bugs before it is opened. Your document must be double spaced, Times New Roman, 12 point font and pages must be numbered. Please include the title but NOT your name on your story. Please attach a separate cover sheet that includes the following: the title of your story, word count, your name, address, email address and telephone number. Only entries will be accepted at this e-mail address, no other correspondence will be read.

The competition is only open to residents of the UK and Ireland who have not had a novel or short story collection published and/or do not have a publishing contract. Only one entry per person will be accepted.

You warrant that your story is original to you and does not infringe the legal right of any other party. You warrant that your story has not previously been published in print, on the internet or in any other format throughout the world.

Entries will be read anonymously by Rowan Coleman, Lucy Diamond, Cally Taylor, Tamsyn Murray and Caroline Smailes who will provide a short-list of twenty stories. Rowan Coleman will make the final decision and select three prizewinners (1st, 2nd and 3rd) and five runners up. The results of the competition will be posted on this blog by August 19th 2010.

The winning three stories will be published on this blog where they will remain online at the discretion of Rowan Coleman. Copyright in the stories will be retained by the authors who grant to the promoter a non-exclusive licence to use extracts from the work to publicise and promote the competition, the website, Rowan Coleman and/or “The Happy Home for Broken Hearts”.

All prize winners will be contacted by email by 19th August 2010. The prize winners must respond within 14 days to accept their prize. (FIRST PRIZE: 3 months creative writing online mentoring from Rowan Coleman, Tea and Cakes at Random House Publishing with Arrow Publishing Director Kate Elton and Rowan Coleman, a letter of introduction and agent feedback from David Higham Associates, £100 to spend on Random House books, your story to be published on Rowan Coleman’s blog/website and a signed copy of THE HAPPY HOME FOR BROKEN HEARTS. SECOND PRIZE: 1 months creative writing online mentoring from Rowan Coleman, £50 book vouchers to spend on Random House books and the story to be posted on my blog and a signed copy of THE HAPPY HOME FOR BROKEN HEARTS. THIRD PRIZE: £25 Worth of vouchers to spend on Random House books and the story to be posted on my website and a signed copy of THE HAPPY HOME FOR BROKEN HEARTS.) No cash alternatives to these prizes will be made available.

Prize winners attending a one-on-one consultation will be required to take up their prize before 31 December 2010 and to pay for their own transportation to Random House. The date of the one-on-one consultation will be arranged by Rowan Coleman. Alternatively, a phone appointment may be arranged for prize winners unable to travel to the promoter.

Entering or winning the competition does not guarantee an offer of representation from David Higham Associates or publication by the Random House Group.

The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. A full list of judges and prize winners may be made available on request.

The promoter reserves the right to withdraw or amend this competition at any time without notice.

The promoter is Rowan Coleman in association with Random House
20 Vauxhall Bridge Rd
London SW1v 2SA

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