Staunch Prize shortlists for flash fiction and short stories revealed

The 2021 shortlists have been revealed for the Staunch Prize’s unpublished flash fiction and short stories without violence to women, while the original book prize is on hold until 2022. Welsh writer Katrina Moinet makes both lists.

In the short story category, the shortlist features “My Flood Book” by Greg Beatty, “Swine Tags” by Tom Leins, “The Toll Bridge” by Arendse Lund, “Like Glue” by Kimberly Shaw along with Moinet’s "Tremor”. 

In flash fiction, “Cornered” by Moinet is pitted alongside “Serial killers” by Adele Evershed, “Two Faced” by M J Harbottle, “Pale on the Gatepost” by Alison Ringrose and Ros Thomas’ “How To Leave Your Childhood Behind”. 

The judges were sexual violence expert Esther Huntington-Whitely, writer and editor James Boyce with author and lecturer Rachel Marsh acting as chair. 

Marsh said: “This year’s shortlists show how the genres of thriller and crime fiction need not stick to a formula. They represent a breadth of voice, theme and structure. Yet, despite this variety, they all, with ease, eliminate that element of violence towards women that can become a part of the genre trope. These pieces prove that good writing can reflect an ever changing literary landscape.” 

The winners will be announced on 25th November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. 

The Staunch Book Prize was founded in 2018 by writer and editor Bridget Lawless (pictured) to promote writing which did not feature violence towards women. 

The original novel prize was suspended for 2021, while Lawless launched the Staunch Test, a system for rating films and television dramas for violence against women. Coming together under the newly formed Staunch Group, both the book prizes and Staunch Test are committed to challenging the normalisation of violence against women in popular culture and researching its wider impact on women in real life. The novel prize returns in 2022.