The nominees for this year’s Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award have been announced, revealing a record breaking longlist of 77 short story collections from 17 different countries.
Despite a €10,000 drop in the overall winner’s prize purse this year (down from €35,000 to €25,000), the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award remains one of the world’s richest literary prizes for the short story form. Open to short story collections published for the first time in English anywhere in the world between July 2011 and June 2012 (translations into English also qualify), the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award longlist for 2012 is as follows (links wherever possible, lead directly to the publisher’s product page for each collection. Note also, that the above cover images are also hyperlinked):
The shortlist for this year’s Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award, which will be decided on by a jury of three (poet James Harpur, novelist and short story writer Mary Leland, and literary programmer and short story promoter Ann Luttrel), will be announced in June, with the overall winner being announced in July. The winner will also be required to attend the Cork International Short Story Festival in September, where he/she will receive their cheque.
About Rob
What a lovely post Rob. There is so many great short stories on that list. I am looking forward to reading the ones I have not read yet.
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Kind of you to say Sarah. Thank you. and yes, there are some splendid collection in the longlist this year. That’s why I like it so much. It always highlights collections that I haven’t even heard of.
Warmest
Rob
Hi Rob,
We were very happy when we received notification about this post by Google Alerts. The image above is impressive, and the links are a great resource. Best of luck with this excellent blog–we have linked to it from our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/FrankOConnor.Award
The Munster Literature Centre
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Wow…I’m deeply honoured that you stopped by to pass on such nice words of appreciation. It’s not a single image, rather it’s individual images of each book cover, linked wherever possible to the publisher’s webpage for each book. A lot of work I know, but I do adore Frank O’Connor Short Story Award and I wanted to shine a light on it. I also have a thing for seeing so many covers sitting side-by-side, so it was for personal gratification too.
And thank you also for posting a link on your Facebook page. It’s very much appreciated.
Warmest regards
Rob
Hi Rob
Nice work
My cover will be available asap. Meanwhile the publisher’s site is http://www.newisland.ie/
Best wishes,
Nuala
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Nuala,
Thanks for stopping by. I’m stunned to see you here. You know, I literally trawled New Island’s website, and your own website and blog, in the hunt for the elusive cover but alas, as you know already of course, no joy. I’ll replace my dreadful placeholder image one with the proper cover when it’s available.
Warmest
Rob
Hey Rob, thanks so much for putting this wonderful quilt of covers together. It means a lot to a first-timer like me to be included.
Best wishes,
Alice
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Dear Alice,
How delightful of you to drop. What a thrill. Thank you for the kind words.
I should point out though, that this ‘quilt of covers’ is actually a display of the individuals covers, which I guess, because of the quantity, looks like a quilt. It’s functional. Each cover is hyperlinked so clicking on All the Voices Cry for instance, will take you directly to your publisher’s page for the book. Not rocket science by any stretch, but certainly a bit more functional than a simple collage.
Anyway I wish your collection every success. I’m aiming to read and review all 77 titles within a year (see here), so hopefully we’ll chat again at some point.
Warmest
Rob
Dear Rob,
Thank you. It’s such a delight to see my collection up there with the big boys/girls. The cover is now available and the book will be out in about two weeks. I’ve forwarded an image of the cover for your display.
Best Wishes,
James.
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Very much appreciated James. The new cover is up, and it looks so much better than my dreadful ‘filler’ graphic.
Warmest regards
Rob
I’m honoured that my book is in this display, Rob. What a great array of titles and covers – it gives me renewed confidence in the future of the short story, a genre I love. And I’m glad to be introduced to your excellent site – I’d like to link to it from my blogs, Starling City and White Threshold (http://whitethreshold.blogspot.co.uk/) if I may.
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Matthew, an absolute thrill and pleasure to have you stop by. Thank you so much for your kind words. Your book sits well among the others. The cover has something of an haunting charm about it, and for this reason it really stands out.
You renew my confidence also Matthew, that there are writers out there who do take the time to say Hi.
As you can probably tell, I share your love for the short story. They’re the end all and be all of literature as far as I’m concerned; the purest of sustenance for the soul.
As for linking me? I’d be more than overjoyed Matthew. Thank you so much. And thanks again for your very kind and lifting comments. I wish you every success in this year’s Frank O’Connor Award.
Warmest
Rob
Hi Rob
Just sent you the cover image for Mother America.
Cheers, Nuala
says:
Thanks Nuala – received and amended. Great cover by the way.
Warmest
Rob