Brought to Book

BROUGHT TO BOOK

The winners of the 1994 Ian St James Awards

Copyright

HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

The Secret of the Lake ©Jackie Kohnstamm 1994; She’s Only a Doll © Stephanie Ellyne 1994; The Food of Love © Sue Camarados 1994; A is for Axe © Mike McCormack 1994; The Welfare of the Patient © Anna McGrail 1994; Prospero’s Other Island © Vivien Gaynor 1994; The Day the Wolfman Ate My Sister © Peter Caley; Magdalen © Alison Armstrong 1994; The Home-grown Boys © Tom Smith 1994; Metropolitan Love © Kate Lincoln 1994; Hooks © Clare Stephens Girvan 1994; The Saviour ©Joshua Davidson 1994; White Chrysanthemums © Bronia Kita 1994; The Fool © Kirk O’Connor 1994; A Poetry Reading on Riverside © David Evans 1994; The Possibility of Jack © A. S. Penne 1994

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

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Source ISBN: 9780006493600

Ebook Edition © NOVEMBER 2016 ISBN: 9780008235444

Version: 2016-11-22

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Foreword

Judges

THE SECRET OF THE LAKE

Jackie Kohnstamm

SHE’S ONLY A DOLL

Stephanie Ellyne

THE FOOD OF LOVE

Sue Camarados

A IS FOR AXE

Mike McCormack

THE WELFARE OF THE PATIENT

Anna McGrail

PROSPERO’S OTHER ISLAND

Vivien Gaynor

THE DAY THE WOLFMAN ATE MY SISTER

Peter Caley

MAGDALEN

Alison Armstrong

THE HOME-GROWN BOYS

Tom Smith

METROPOLITAN LOVE

Kate Lincoln

HOOKS

Clare Stephens Girvan

THE SAVIOUR

Joshua Davidson

WHITE CHRYSANTHEMUMS

Bronia Kita

THE FOOL

Kirk O’Connor

A POETRY READING ON RIVERSIDE

David Evans

THE POSSIBILITY OF JACK

A. S. Penne

Keep Reading

About the Publisher

Foreword

Don’t bother trying to be a writer – there are far too many people at it already.

Well, that’s the sort of attitude that some people in the business seem to have. Publishers, agents and magazine editors are very busy people. Sources of encouragement for new writers are as rare as rhinos in Reigate. For this reason alone, the annual Ian St James Awards for short fiction are vital. Each year, sixteen writers who have not yet published a novel see their work appear in the anthology. Another sixty–four runners–up are published in Acclaim, the bi–monthly magazine launched so that the Awards could help more new authors into print.

This year, the organizers received four thousand two hundred and twenty–five entries. A vast team of professional readers made a full report on each story and all entrants received a copy. From these critiques, a shortlist of eighty was drawn up and then seven judges, myself included, selected this anthology. The administrators of the Awards are often asked what the criteria are (not least by the judges themselves). Actually, it’s very simple. The length of the stories varies from 2,000 to 10,000 words. The subject matter can be anything except work for children; the style ditto. This year’s book includes fiction which could be called experimental, romantic, literary or fantastical; often within the confines of one story. Winning tales come from Britain, Ireland, the USA, Canada and Greece. If you want to know what sort of story to write the only real answer is – a good one. It’s a subjective judgement, of course, and tastes always vary but, by and large, writing which stands out is sprightly, original, individual and, above all, written from the heart. Whether you love the work in this collection or hate it, they are all stories which impressed us in some way or another.

Thanks are due then to my fellow judges – especially Ian St James for his continued support and Nick Sayers, Deputy Publishing Director, HarperCollins Trade Division. It is never easy for a publisher to justify a book containing work by virtually unknown writers. HarperCollins’ involvement with these Awards is a highly welcome demonstration of their commitment to new and exciting work. This year, the Awards have also benefited from the support of pensions specialists NPI, who printed and distributed thousands of entry forms, and from Elysée, who have presented all shortlisted writers with fountain pens. Looking ahead, the organizers would like to be able to introduce new ideas; reduce the entry fees to widen participation from writers across the world, increase the print run and distribution of Acclaim and run short–story workshops around the UK. To do this will require the backing of a major sponsor. At the moment the Awards break even but only just, and the judges and staff are all unpaid.

A special mention is therefore due to the administrator, Merric Davidson, who, as well as directing the Awards, also runs the New Writers’ Club which publishes Acclaim magazine. His endless enthusiasm and capacity to get by on very little sleep ensure the healthy continuance of these Awards.

In addition, all entrants contribute. Without the writers who send in their stories each year the Awards would not exist. There is a tendency within the industry to be a little snooty about enterprises such as this – to regard them as somehow amateurish or not terribly serious. This is a gross mistake. The people who enter the Ian St James Awards and the readers who buy this book are the writers and readers who keep publishing alive. Apart from encouraging potential novelists, all those who support awards like these contribute to an important and often undervalued facet of our literary culture – the art form of the short story.

For the authors selected, it is a step forward in a possible writing career. I should know. In 1990, the second year of the Awards, I was one of the winners – and a part–time secretary. This year, the sixth, I am a judge – and a full–time writer. I look forward to the next six successful years, when maybe the person introducing the year 2000 anthology of the Ian St James Awards will be one of the writers you are about to read in Brought to Book.

LOUISE DOUGHTY

(Louise Doughty’s first novel, Crazy Paving, is published in January 1995.)

Judges

THE 1994 IAN ST JAMES AWARDS

RODNEY BURBECK

Book Trade Journalist

LOUISE DOUGHTY

Novelist

ALAN DUNN

Novelist

MAGGIE NOACH

Literary Agent

IAN ST JAMES

Novelist

NICK SAYERS

Publisher

JOHN TRENHAILE

Novelist

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