The Writers' Union of Canada is pleased to announce that Kailash Srinivasan has won the $2,500 prize for its 31st annual Short Prose Competition for Emerging Writers, for the best story under 2,500 words, with his piece “1984.” The Union will submit the winning story and the eleven other shortlisted stories to four Canadian magazine publishers for their consideration.
WINNER
“1984” by Kailash Srinivasan, North Vancouver, BC
The jury comprised of Francine Cunningham, Frances Itani, C.M., and Ian Roy noted, “1984” is a highly credible piece of fiction, told in a confident style, with striking detail, and with an ease of narration. This personalized account closely examines a disturbing societal fracture in the year 1984. Rooted in sometimes disturbing detail, this story is beautifully rendered, with uncompromising descriptions that challenge the reader.
Born and raised in India and now living in Vancouver, Canada, Kailash Srinivasan’s narratives often highlight personal, economic, religious, and political fractures in our society. He also writes about injustice and inequality. His prose and poetry have appeared in several Canadian and international literary journals. His work has been shortlisted for the Malahat Review Open Season Awards for Fiction, the CBC Short Story Prize, the Bridport Prize for Fiction, the Bristol Short Story Prize and the Into the Void Fiction Prize. He's currently working on his first novel and a short story collection.
This year, 29 Union members donated their time and expertise to read 652 submissions and distill them into a long list of 144 stories. These stories went on to a second round of 29 readers who selected the finalists to pass on to the jury:
FINALISTS
- “When Faduma Saw Red,” Jennilee Austria, Toronto, ON
- “Fairy Dust,” Bonny Beswick, Calgary, AB
- “It Means No Berries for You,” Jacob Cardinal, Vancouver, BC
- “Christmas in July,” Lindsay Foran, Ottawa, ON
- “Four Stories,” Evan J, Winnipeg, MB
- “Unchained,” Zilla Jones, Winnipeg, MB
- “The Boys,” MJ Malleck, Kitchener, ON
- “A Good Son,” Kate O'Gorman, Saskatoon, SK
- “Tea for Two,” Nancy Pearson, Victoria, BC
- “Texture,” Iryn Tushabe, Regina, SK
- “Matches,” Lynda Williams, Calgary, AB
FINAL JURY
Francine Cunningham, Frances Itani, C.M., Ian Roy
READERS FOR THE COMPETITION
Rona Altrows, Jass Aujla, Catherine Austen, Leanne Baugh, Ellen Bielawski, Ann Birch, Kevin Burns, K.R. Byggdin, Lucian Childs, Judith Chopra, Suzanne Craig-Whytock, Denise Da Costa, Lauren B. Davis, Marjorie (M.M.) DeLuca, Isabel Duarte, Jeffrey Dupuis, Ann Eyerman, Meghan Fandrich, Amy Fish, Alison Fishburn, Colleen Fisher Tully, Monica Graham, Gord Grisenthwaite, Yolande House, Lisa Hrabluk, Anna Lee-Popham, Sidura Ludwig, Colette Maitland, Tāriq Malik, Francine McCabe, Michael Mirolla, Christine Miskonoodinkwe Smith, Elizabeth Monier-Williams, Donalee Moulton, Terry Murray, Sue Nador, Shari Narine, Monica Nawrocki, Daniela I. Norris, Carol Ann Parchewsky, Kamal Parmar, Shawna Partridge, Brigitte Pellerin, Sara Power, Concetta Principe, Dawn Promislow, Syr Ruus, Vanessa Shields, Jim Smith, Nicole Smith, Jennifer Spruit, Terese Svoboda, Dennis Vanderspek, Jessica Vitalis, Cristy Watson, Susan White, Kevin Wilson, Gina Leola Woolsey.
The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC) is the national organization of professionally published writers. TWUC was founded in 1973 to work with governments, publishers, booksellers, and readers to improve the conditions of Canadian writers. Now over 2,700 members strong, TWUC advocates on behalf of writers’ collective interests, and delivers value to members through advocacy, community, and information. TWUC believes in a thriving, diverse Canadian culture that values and supports writers.
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For additional information:
Kristina Cuenca, Program Manager
The Writers’ Union of Canada
twuc@writersunion.ca
Date: June 11, 2024
