Black Shoes/Prawn Sandwich Competition RESULTS
Let me first of all declare that the prose section of this competition was the most difficult I have ever had to judge. The standard was exceptionally high and in the end I really had to gird my loins and just choose!
Once over the initial hurdle of good spelling and grammar I am looking for fine story-telling, good characterisation, believable dialogue and excellent description. With so many making the grade it was the power of the story that made the final choice.
I felt that the poetry was not as good as usual. I think that the subject matter was very difficult for poets and I commend you all for your fine efforts. The next time I go for the 'dual phrase' comp in prose I shall set a different test for the poets. In any case the winner was stand-out and the runner-up was clearly ahead of the rest of the field.
These things are always inevitably personal and subjective so please don't be down-hearted if you didn't win this time. I thank you all for your entries and for posing me such a difficult, if enjoyable, task.
Tony Cook
Prose:
WINNER (£100 PRIZE):
http://www.abctales.com/story/judygee/hilda-and-george
RUNNER-UP (£25 PRIZE):
http://www.abctales.com/story/alisonmcmanus/phoebes-party
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
http://www.abctales.com/story/alibob/sunday-tea
http://www.abctales.com/story/oldpesky/put-face
http://www.abctales.com/story/denzella/first-day-grammar
http://www.abctales.com/story/kath-irvine/unforgiving-minute
http://www.abctales.com/story/richard-latimer/two-hundred-not-out
http://www.abctales.com/story/purplehaze/thrown
http://www.abctales.com/story/stantheman/day-chapter-9-rewrite
http://www.abctales.com/story/jennifer/prawn-sandwich
http://www.abctales.com/story/tonythorne/anti-social-behaviour-macabre-b...
http://www.abctales.com/story/scozen/black-shoe-prawn-applique
OTHER ENTRIES:
http://www.abctales.com/story/shellyberry/waiting
http://www.abctales.com/story/drnevil/button-tin
http://www.abctales.com/story/neil-j/predatory-pair-heels
http://www.abctales.com/story/chrispypin/wake
http://www.abctales.com/story/kilb50/something-hard-inside-him
http://www.abctales.com/story/francishayes/diplomatic-incident
http://www.abctales.com/story/fatboy74/wasps
http://www.abctales.com/story/hudsonmoon/clown-squad
http://www.abctales.com/story/linda-wigzell-cress/prawn-sandwich
http://www.abctales.com/story/blessing/pandering-thoughts
http://www.abctales.com/story/bill-beach/bathroom-tap
http://www.abctales.com/story/sorraya/gift
http://www.abctales.com/story/don-michael/short-shaggy-dogs-tail
http://www.abctales.com/story/dragao40/place-sun
http://www.abctales.com/story/scozen/black-shoes-and-prawn-sandwich
http://www.abctales.com/story/celticman/black-shoes-and-prawn-sandwich-c...
Poetry:
WINNER (£100 PRIZE):
http://www.abctales.com/story/kilb50/ghost-milton-friedman-talks-disaste...
RUNNER-UP (£25 PRIZE):
http://www.abctales.com/story/albamac/annual-prawn-ball
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
http://www.abctales.com/story/animan/black-sandwich-prawn-shoes
http://www.abctales.com/story/fatboy74/roy-keane-dog-daydreams-and-wet-t...
http://www.abctales.com/story/barb7/sandwich-versus-stiletto
OTHER ENTRIES:
http://www.abctales.com/story/prettyrose/not-just-another-day
http://www.abctales.com/story/russiangypsy/texture-illusion
http://www.abctales.com/story/judygee/lost
http://www.abctales.com/story/cavalcaderl/sweet-memories
http://www.abctales.com/story/linda-wigzell-cress/black-shoes
http://www.abctales.com/story/alibi/cut-through
http://www.abctales.com/story/onangelswings1111/wake
http://www.abctales.com/story/cavalcaderl/when-i-was-young
http://www.abctales.com/story/indrani-ananda/prawn-shoes-black-sandwich
http://www.abctales.com/story/silver-spun-sand/no-fairytale
http://www.abctales.com/story/markihlogie/blackout
http://www.abctales.com/story/camilla/owl-time-rag
http://www.abctales.com/story/arthur-ray/hills-where-air-clear
http://www.abctales.com/story/highhat/proud-kids