SEÁN Ó FAOLÁIN SHORTLIST

In no particular order here are the shortlisted writers for the 2008 Seán Ó Faoláin Short Story Prize:


Genine Lentine, San Francisco, USA

Anna May Mangan, Wembley, UK

Terese Svoboda, New York, USA

Elizabeth Costello, Dublin, Ireland

Cathy Sweeney, Bray, Ireland

Natalie Diaz, Surprise, AZ USA

Benjamin Arda Doty, Minneapolis, USA

Colm Keegan, Dublin, Ireland

Michelle Tandoc-Pichereau, Cotes C'Armor, France

Julia Van Middlesworth, New Jersey, USA

One of these people is the overall winner of the €1,500 prize, one claimed second prize of €500, and eight are runners up with €100 each. Each writer will also be published in December's Southword.

The winner will be announced at the Frank O'Connor Short Story Festival on Saturday the 20th of September at 12.30pm.

Thanks to all who entered - I had a ball reading the stories,I learned a few things along the way and, in the end, I could only choose ten of the 705 stories I read.

To those who didn't make the final ten, your story may well have been in my 'YES!' pile and another judge or editor may find it is her favourite on the day. Send it out again and good luck.