Australian Book Review is delighted to announce that Josephine Rowe has won the 2016 ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize for her story 'Glisk'. Ian Dickson announced Josephine as the overall winner at the 2016 Melbourne Writers Festival. Anthony Lawrence placed second for his story 'Ash' and Jonathan Tel came third for his story 'The Water Calligrapher's Women'. Subscribers can read all three shortlisted stories in the August 2016 Fiction issue. We would like to congratulate all three shortlisted entrants and thank all those who entered their stories
This year the prestigious ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize Prize attracted almost 1,400 entries from thirty-eight countries. The 2016 Jolley Prize is worth a total of $12,500, with a first prize of $7,000 and supplementary prizes of $2,000 and $1,000.
The judges also commended three stories – ‘Help Me Harden My Heart’ by Dom Amerena, 'Window’ by Cate Kennedy, and ‘Slut Trouble’ by Beejay Silcox. The commended authors each receive $750 and their stories will be published by ABR.
The 2016 Jolley Prize was judged by ABR Deputy Editor Amy Baillieu, and authors Maxine Beneba Clarke and David Whish-Wilson. Click here for more information about the judges.
About the 2016 Jolley Prize shortlisted authors
Anthony Lawrence has published sixteen books of poems and a novel. His most recent collection is Headwaters (Pitt Street Poetry, 2016). His books and poems have won a number of awards, including the Peter Porter Poetry Prize (for 'Domestic Emergencies' in 2010) and the NSW Premier's Award. He lives on the far north coast of New South Wales. Read his shortlisted story 'Ash'
Josephine Rowe is the author of two short story collections and the novel A Loving, Faithful Animal (2016). Her fiction and essays have appeared in McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, Best Australian Stories, The Monthly, The Saturday Paper, and elsewhere. She is a recent recipient of a Stegner Fellowship in fiction from Stanford University. Her story ‘Suitable for a Lampshade’ won the Reader’s Choice Award in the 2010 ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize. Read her winning story 'Glisk'.
Jonathan Tel’s stories have won the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Prize 2016, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2015, and the VS. Pritchett Prize from the Royal Society of Literature 2015. His story ‘Year of the Panda’ was commended in the 2015 ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize. He has lived in Tokyo, Jerusalem, Berlin, London, New York and San Francisco. Read his shortlisted story 'The Water Calligrapher's Women'
The 2016 Jolley Prize longlist
'Help Me Harden My Heart' by Dom Amerena (Vic) - Commended
'Like Family' by Glendaliz Camacho (US)
'Material Remains' by Stephanie Buckle (NSW)
'Batons and Ropes' by SJ Finn (Vic)
'Blue Monsters' by Anthony Howcroft (US)
'Window' by Cate Kennedy (Vic) – Commended
'Ash' by Anthony Lawrence (NSW) - Shortlisted
'First Regret' by Jessica Lim (QLD)
'The other girl' by Beth McMullan (WA)
'Shearwater' by Astrid O'Neill (ACT)
'Honeysuckled' by Elisabeth Passmore (NSW)
'Dignity' by Mirandi Riwoe (QLD)
'Glisk' by Josephine Rowe (Vic) – Winner
'Perfect' by Kate Ryan (Vic)
'Slut Trouble' by Beejay Silcox (ACT) – Commended
'Will it leave a scar?' by Elizabeth Smyth (QLD)
'The Water Calligrapher's Women' by Jonathan Tel (UK) – Shortlisted
'Black Soil' by Jessica White (QLD)
'Mothership' by Michelle Wright (Vic)
Please read our list of Frequently Asked Questions before contacting us with a question about the Jolley Prize.
You may be interested in reading the shortlisted stories from previous years.
More information about all our past winners is available here, along with links to their stories.