I was so delighted to hear that I've been awarded 1st Prize in the Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition 2017. This year there were 650 entries from the USA and worldwide, so it was a great thrill to receive a personal email from Lorian letting me know that my story 'Welcome to Legoland' had won. She wrote:

'I absolutely loved "Welcome to Legoland" ... Your story hit me in that spot in my chest that aches when a story evokes emotion so authentically. For the 37 years of this competition I have trusted that instinct and it has yet to let me down. Such a beautifully rendered work.'

A vintage Leica camera features in the story ... which is set in 1970s Runcorn New Town.

Lorian is the Director and Final Judge of the competition - so thank you Lorian! - and to Dr Rob Merritt, also on the longtime judging panel. Congratulations to the other winners and honourable mentions, too. 'Welcome to Legoland' will be published in Cutthroat: a Journal of the Arts in Winter 2018.

This weekend I attended the awards ceremony at Wexford Literary Festival, Enniscorthy, Ireland and was delighted to be given 2nd prize for the inaugural Colm Toibin International Short Story Award 2016. It was a wonderful event, held at the newly renovated The Athenaeum.

As well as meeting writers and the judges, I also had time to explore the Wexford coastline, including a visit to the very beautiful Curracloe Beach:

It was a particular pleasure to visit Enniscorthy (and to receive the prize!) as I'm a huge fan of Colm Toibin, to whom the Award is dedicated. Parts of his book, Brooklyn, are set in Enniscorthy and its environs. Thank you, Wexford Literary Festival, for welcoming me!

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