Honours go to writers from Italy and France

Judge Fiona Cooper has selected her winners for the February Global Short Story Competition and writers from Italy and France have taken the honours.
The £100 first place prize goes to Catherine McNamara, of Albettone, Vicenza, Italy, for The Sneeze, of which Fiona says: “This story takes us through the ambivalent and confusing surges of emotional reality that are brought on by enormous changes to one's life. It reads as a compelling stream of consciousness, with vivid snapshots along the way which serve to mark the fleeting changes of mood and reality. While it does not promise a 'happy ending' there is enough in the last two paragraphs to hint at hope and redemption.”
Our highly commended runner up is Vanessa Couchman, of Caylus, Tarn-et Garonne, France, who wins £25 for Into the Abyss, of which Fiona says: “Atmospheric and gripping, this story has a 'hairs on the back of your neck' quality and it is cinematic in quality and also in the way the writer makes the reader see and feel the setting and immediately empathise with the main character. No easy conclusion is reached, but an enormous sigh of relief that someone, at least, will live, we hope, happily ever after. Excellent.“
The writers on the shortlist are:
Fiona J Mackintosh, Silver Spring, MD, United States
Lucy Bignall, Pullenvale, Queensland, Australia
Katy Budd, Hordaland. Norway
Mandy Huggins
Winning stories will be posted on www.inscribemedia.co.uk Well done to our successful writers. You can enter the latest competition at the same address.

　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
John Dean