
We’re delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2020 HWA Dorothy Dunnett Society Competition for an unpublished short story.
The HWA/DDS Shortlist 2020
Lakshmi Will Return by Padmini B Sankar
A powerful story of loss and yearning, war and division. Moving, thought-provoking and evocative.
Mavourneen by Annie Friedlein
The muse of artist James Tissot gains a voice full of subtle shading and vigorous life.
Pounds, Shillings and Pence by Valerie Thompson
A pair of sisters face a dilemma in a poised and quietly provoking morality tale.
The Pavilion of Enlightenment by Alison Lloyd
An atmospheric murder mystery, set in a beautifully rendered private world; an assured and memorable story.
The Race by Alice Fowler
A heart-in-your-mouth portrait of bravery in a fully realised community.
The Sentinel Bird by Jacqui Scholes-Rhodes
A rich sense of place with convincing characters; beautifully constructed.
The final winner and two highly-commended entries will be announced on 2 November, 2020. The winning story will be published online in Historia and in Whispering Gallery – the magazine of the Dorothy Dunnett Society. The writer will also receive £500. The writers of the winning and the two highly-commended short stories will also be offered craft and career mentoring sessions.
All six fantastic shortlisted stories will be published by the HWA/DDS as an ebook and print-on-demand anthology. Each shortlisted writer will receive two author copies and £25.
Congratulations to all six shortlisted authors!
See the 25 stories longlisted for the 2020 HWA/DDS award.
Read the winning stories from previous years:
The Daisy Fisher by Kate Jewell (2019)
Nineteen Above Discovery by Jen Falkner (2018)
A Poppy Against the Sky by Annie Whitehead (2017)
Find out more about awards given by the Historical Writers’ Association.