The Commonwealth Short Story Prize announces its 2023 shortlist

The Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2023 has announced a 28-strong shortlist from writers hailing from 19 countries across the Commonwealth. 

The prize is awarded annually for a piece of unpublished short fiction from any of the Commonwealth’s 56 member states. This year’s international judging panel included chair Bilal Tanweeer, Rémy Ngamije, Ameena Hussein, Katrina Best, Mac Donald Dixon and Dr Selina Tusitala Marsh. 

The 28 shortlisted authors were selected from over 6,000 entries, 475 of which were written in languages other than English. The shortlisted entries tackle subjects from illness, human trafficking, to friendship and work, covering speculative and comic fiction to historical fiction and crime. 

The shortlisted stories will be published in the online magazine adda with the writings from each regional winner published in Granta Magazine. The winner from each region will be announced on 17th May 2023  with the overall winner announcement on 27th June 2023. Regional winners will receive £2,500 and the overall winner wins £5,000. 

Tanweer commented: "On behalf of the jury, I am thrilled to reveal the shortlist for the 2023 Commonwealth Short Story Prize. This year’s shortlist is a concert of voices from across the Commonwealth, showcasing the richness of its writing traditions, histories and perspectives. These stories brim with the energy and urgency of the present moment—read them to experience the beat and pulse of contemporary storytelling." 

Dr Anne T Gallagher, director-general of the Commonwealth Foundation, said: "The Foundation is proud of the Short Story Prize: proud of what it reveals of the richness of Commonwealth culture; proud of its reach into all Commonwealth countries; and proud of the role that the prize plays in unearthing and nurturing emerging talent. Working so closely with civil society, we see, every day, the power of storytelling to challenge, to inspire, and to help us make sense of ourselves and the world around us."

The shortlist in full

Africa

• Price Tags by Buke Abduba (Kenya)
• Punching Lines by Josiah Mbote (Kenya) 
• Arboretum by H B Asari (Nigeria)
• Mama Blue by Michael Boyd (South Africa) 
• The Undertaker’s Apprentice by Hana Gammon (South Africa) 
• Falling from a knife tree by Matshediso Radebe (South Africa)

Asia 

• Deficiency Notice by Arman Chowdhury (Bangladesh)
• A Groom Like Shahrukh by Vidhan Verma (India) 
• Relative Distance by Shih-Li Kow (Malaysia) 
• Khicheenk! by Usama Lali (Pakistan)     
• Oceans Away From My Homeland by Agnes Chew (Singapore) 
• Principles of Accounting by Rukshani Weerasooriya Wijemanne (Sri Lanka)

Canada and Europe

• Lost Boys by Trevor Corkum (Canada)
• So Long, Gregor by Mehdi M Kashani (Canada)
• The Fisherwoman by Eva Koursoumba (Cyprus) translated from Greek by Lina Protopapa 
• Lech, Prince, and the Nice Things by Rue Baldry (UK)                
• Crossing Lake Abaya by Gail Davey (UK)      
• Because You Drowned by Jay McKenzie (UK)  

Caribbean   

• The Ovelias at Benzie Hill Dump by Alexia Tolas (Bahamas)
• Where The Winds Blow by Cosmata Lindie (Guyana)
• Road Trip and Fall by Demoy Lindo (Jamaica)  
• Ocoee by Kwame McPherson (Jamaica) 
• Teef From Teef by Deborah Matthews (Trinidad and Tobago)      

Pacific

• Sauce by Jean Flynn (Australia)
• Catching Up by Janeen Samuel (Australia)  
• Sugartown by Emma Sloley (Australia) 
• Kilinochchi by Himali McInnes (New Zealand) 
• When this island disappears by Dennis Kikira (Papua New Guinea)