2024 Writing Award Longlist

I've been writing fiction for five years and I've just finished my first novel which began as a story told around a campfire, imagining walking into the woods and out into a different time. What might happen? Who would you meet? What would you do? At first, it was an an exciting story to tell the

Writer, romantic, cynic, surgeon

Physician, psychiatrist, podcaster, and author Richard Gillett received his medical degree from Cambridge University, England, and is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He has published three popular books on psychology. "Overcoming Depression" (Penguin), translated into six languages;

Celeste Lovick is a Canadian author and singer-songwriter residing in Norfolk, England with her husband and son. Her first novel, 'Medicine Song', was self-published in 2017 and was inspired by her experiences performing at greenfield festivals over the years. She has released four solo albums of

I write women’s upmarket and historical fiction. As a former retail executive specializing in e-commerce, for years I’ve channeled my story-telling passion into writing thousands of words in the form of published articles, white papers, website and social media content, marketing materials

I have always written and though I have never been published, I’ve been placed in many writing competitions: most recently I have been longlisted in the CWA’s Debut Dagger, The Yeovil Literary Prize, Flash 500 Novel Comp, The Joan Dempsey First Chapter Contest and shortlisted in The Retreat West

I have published short fiction and poetry, and I have been short- and long-listed for the Fish Short Story Prize. As an undergraduate I majored in English literature, though I currently work in technology.

Adrian Cowderoy was born at Hyde Park Corner, London. His early experiments with writing were inspired by a school alumnus, W. Somerset Maugham, and an English teacher who allowed him to write fiction instead of essays. Adrian’s career has influenced his writing. He has worked on a communal farm in

My work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Christian Science Monitor, Writer’s Digest and Family Circle. A Pushcart Prize nominee, I won the Grand Prize in the annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition and received a Finalist Award in Prose from the Illinois Arts Council. I graduated with a

Kristen Dobson was born in Ontario, Canada and graduated college in 1996. For the past thirty years she has worked as a massage therapist while continuing to pursue writing in her free time. Over decades, she has had the unique privilege of delving into peoples stories, while gaining an in depth

Although born in the UK, and educated at Cambridge University, I embarked on a teaching career in California. Securing several promotions, and working in a variety of schools and settings, I became a headteacher in the UK. I currently live in London and am an educational consultant, supporting

I have always loved reading and sharing books with others. I never thought I'd write my own, and it wasn't until I hit my fifties that I decided to give it a go. It has been a steep learning curve, but one I've enjoyed from the first step to now. I started writing historical romance, and that

Steve conveys perspectives and emotions in poems and songs. His draft memoir, Galvanized, tells how he overcame timidity as an air cavalry officer in the Vietnam War. A tuxedo cat from a shelter encourages him from a perch over his PC keyboard. Steve assists disabled veterans in getting government

Born in 1977. From Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland. Fledgling author, full-time dreamer.

I was born in Great Britain, a long time ago, then emigrated to Alberta Canada. My wife and I are now retired and living in the South Okanagan, BC Canada. I am in the process of writing 4 fictional books - a collection of short stories, a spy thriller, a western action and adventure book and an

Alicia Doyle is a voracious reader and lover of large cups of tea. Taking her love of the written word a step further, she published a small collection of her poetry in 2021 and had the pleasure of having one of her short stories published in the online magazine, Short Fiction Break, in 2022. In

Corporate turned creative. Swapping life in a FTSE for freedom, I now enjoy more creative days as an aspiring writer and a business and marketing consultant. My novels, written with screenplay adaptation in mind, draw on the reality of today - the highs and lows, twists and turns of modern life and

Now retired, my career began as a teacher of French and German and ended as a specialist in helping pupils who do not speak the language of instruction all over the UK and Europe. I was a member of an EU Working Group promoting better Education outcomes for pupils of Roma heritage in Europe. I

Hannah Costelle is a Kentucky writer with a love of whodunnits, howdunnits, and whydunnits. She attended Eastern Kentucky University, where she studied Journalism and English. Today she works in historical archives. For the past ten years, she has been working on a trilogy of mystery novels, as well

Alexandra Grace started writing emotional poetry as a teenager, but her biggest dream was writing a novel that made readers feel. That dream finally came true in her 40s when her first idea wouldn't let her sleep. She likes to combine her respect for military service personnel with her heartfelt

Before Melissa started writing romantic comedies and women’s fiction, she worked as a surgical Physician Associate in Nashville, where one of her favorite procedures was re-suturing a lower-lumbar tattoo. Her stories, like herself, are always a mix: light and dark, laughter and tears, outlandish and

Andrew Phillips for "SHOES," "WHISPERS," RIMBOMBO," AND "HOPE OF GLIMMER" I am currently retired from the public education system in North Carolina. My career spans nearly thirty years of teaching early childhood classes, working as a Home/School Coordinator, Arts Coordinator and elementary

Kathryn Crowley writes short fiction and memoir from her home in Dublin. She has two published collections with Emu Ink Publishing, 'Sweaters and Small Stuff' (2014) and 'Room for One More' (2016). Her work has been published in Westword, Ruby Literary and other magazines.

Mikey Jackson is a versatile scriptwriter and novelist from the seaside town of Worthing, near Brighton, United Kingdom. His debut play Cruel was performed at Etcetera Theatre, Camden Town, London. His TV drama spec script Seven Magpies earned him a place as a finalist in the Amazon Studios and

Ayesha lives in Norway with her husband and two beautiful daughters. She was raised in Pakistan and worked for several years in Islamabad before moving to Norway, where she currently has a day-job as a Product Manager. In 2022 she won a bursary for Jericho Writer’s Self-Edit Your Novel course. Her

I am currently the head of the journalism department at City St George's, University of London and a former journalist who’s worked as a staffer for the BBC, the Independent, the Washington Post, the Sunday Times amongst others. An award-winning short story writer, my work has also been longlisted

I was born in Wisconsin, raised in Southern California, then moved back to Wisconsin, where I’ve lived for the last 35 years. Having four seasons instead of two has been one of the many benefits of living in Northwestern Wisconsin. So is living in the country, because I get to enjoy its beauty and

Mike Darcy is the debut author of the Little Joe series, as such it is not a series yet, but trust him, there is more than one book. He spent the better part of his youth wandering the forest, subsisting on foraging wild berries and the generosity of concerned woodland creatures. He holds degrees in

Wendy A. Warren writes upmarket historical fiction set in the Pacific and Inland Northwest. Her short stories and essays have appeared in Bright Flash Literary Review, HerStry, Hare’s Paw Literary Journal and elsewhere. She's querying her award-winning, unpublished debut novel, THE BUTCHER'S

I write queer YA fantasy inspired by Scandinavian folklore, exploring gender, animal welfare, and the importance of knitting. I'm an Oregonian of Scandinavian descent, but currently live in Australia with my fabulous wife and numerous reptile pets. I’ve published four nonfiction books with academic

Holly taught English in UK secondary schools for 15 years before relocating to Hong Kong with her family. The move enabled her to complete a Distance Learning MA in Creative Writing with the University of Lancaster (Distinction; winner of Portfolio Prize 2023). She has had eighteen short stories

Michael is a graduate in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University. He lives and works as a lawyer in London. In between spending time with his wife and chasing after his spirited young son, Michael reads and writes.

I am an LGBTQ+ writer hailing from Newry in Northern Ireland, right on the border. I graduated with a B.Ed Hons degree in English and Drama in 1995 and have been a Primary School teacher ever since. I am also very lucky to teach and perform Burlesque with my dance troupe, The Scarlet Belles. I have

Cameron Thompson is an Editorial Coordinator for the Today Newspaper Group, based in Ipswich, Queensland. He has worked as a journalist since 1981, at regional centres and in capital cities across Australia. Cameron was a Member of the Australian Commonwealth Parliament in the lower house seat of

After deciding to make the most of his surname, Bob has been writing modern Gothic fiction for the past few years. Taking inspiration from current authors such as Catriona Ward and Andrew Michael Hurley, he also draws from the classic horrors by Shirley Jackson and Susan Hill. Always putting queer

I was born in the south but grew up in Virginia, returning briefly to North Carolina to complete my bachelor’s degree in business. I’ve spent my professional life to date in sales and marketing positions, and as an entrepreneur. Along the way, I discovered my passion for people is only exceeded by

Madison Hamill is the Ockham award-winning author of Specimen: Personal Essays. She is currently embarking on a PhD in Wellington, New Zealand, where she enjoys speedy ocean dips, painting pictures of her friends and turning her life into bestseller material.

Maria is a British Zillennial who loves languages, photography and travelling. She has a First Class degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from Lancaster University and works in recruitment. She recently won the ‘Thriller’ category in The People’s Friend Writing Competition (2024), was

Maria is a British Zillennial who loves languages, photography and travelling. She has a First Class degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from Lancaster University and works in recruitment. She recently won the ‘Thriller’ category in The People’s Friend Writing Competition (2024), was

Kirk Rafferty loves to imagine new characters and write their stories. Unfortunately (for them, but fortunately for readers) he has a terrible habit of putting those characters through hell, and oftentimes even outright killing them. Kirk primarily writes historical fiction and fantasy. He lives

I was born into a working-class family in the North of England. My family on my father's side are Romany Gypsies who lived a travelling lifestyle. Education wasn't a priority in my family but I was fortunate in that I attended a grammar school which enabled me to get a university education. I have

Page Turner 2022 Genre Award winner for her recently published debut novel, I, SAID THE FLY (award under its working title: The Assassin Who Loved Me), Jay Jones is currently working on book 2 in The D.I. and The Assassin series. Originally from India, Jay and her husband now live in Worcestershire

A Massachusetts native, Abby Sandman was on skis before she could walk, and this early tendency towards adventure has carried her from the canyons of Peru to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. She is an associate editor for Indagare Travel, where she writes for the company’s tri-annual magazine and

Tanya's upbringing lacked adult supervision, allowing her to frolic through the 1970s on the sunny beaches of California. She's a real estate Broker, a WFWA mentor, and a freelance editor, but her greatest achievement to date has been raising a decent human. She lived in Carlsbad with the yang to

A Massachusetts native, Abby Sandman was on skis before she could walk, and this early tendency towards adventure has carried her from the canyons of Peru to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. She is an associate editor for Indagare Travel, where she writes for the company’s tri-annual magazine and

Born in Wlingi, Indonesia, Lis Porter has called Adelaide, Belfast, Byron Bay and Oxford home. A former professor with an extensive academic publication record, she now writes fiction. Her writing explores complex family relationships, with strong women as the focus. Lis loves the research and

Erin L. Swann is an avid home cook and works as an art teacher in Central Maryland. Her work appears in numerous anthologies and publications including Factor Four Magazine, Aurealis Magazine, and Andromeda Spaceways Magazine. She has won three honorable mentions from L. R. Hubbard’s Writers of the

My name is Mariela (Ela) Randall, and I currently live in Austin, Texas. I'm a United States Army veteran, accountant, and writer. I quit my job at The University of Texas at Austin in October 2022 to follow my dream and work full-time on Rayen, my first manuscript. I love writing and will continue

Originally from South West England – I am now settled (with my wonderful dog Millie) on the edge of the beautiful Lake District National Park. My writing, like my life, reflects some deep inner shifts – and I find great inspiration from being near the mountains, walking in the woods, or breathing in

Originally from South West England – I am now settled (with my wonderful dog Millie) on the edge of the beautiful Lake District National Park. My writing, like my life, reflects some deep inner shifts – and I find great inspiration from being near the mountains, walking in the woods, or breathing in