When Lorna was fourteen, the driver of a white station wagon drifted off to sleep and sailed in a dream along a dimly lit road, through the front of her parents’ red hatchback and into their seated bodies. ~ Lucy Nelson, winner, 2021 Newcastle Short Story Award 

The winning stories are noticeably different in style and theme, but display flair, confidence and a genuine proficiency in the tricky business of short story writing. The diversity exhibited in this year’s anthology pleases us enormously. It’s a glimpse into the established and emerging talents of Australia’s wonderful short story scene.