Monday 25 July 2011

Hooray, it's the G.S.S.S.S. (Guardian Summer Short Story Special)!

Last weekend, the Guardian issued its annual Summer Short Story Special. This is becoming a bit of an event for me, as if nothing else it marks pretty much the only time when I make a real effort to buy a newspaper. They always seem to have a good selection of writers and even if I don't actually like every one of the stories I usually feel like I can learn something from them.

This year it's an extra special one because my friend Teresa Stenson was picked as a runner-up with her story "Things Which Are Not True". Only the winner gets a place in the printed magazine alongside all the established authors, but the runners-up get a slot on the Guardian website. Do check Teresa's story out, it's excellent.

It's been a while since I had any success of my own to report so it's nice to be able to relive my own Guardian experience through somebody I know. It's been a couple of years, but I remember the dry mouth, the racing pulse and the rollercoaster of elation and being-utterly-convinced-it's-all-a-horrible-scam that came along with the notification email.

I know it means a lot to Teresa and I couldn't be happier for her. The best bit is that she predicted we'd be swapping successes this year, which means I get a prize at Bridport. I can't pretend I'm not excited about that prospect.

8 comments:

Chloe said...

Just read both your story and Teresa's. Both so good! But both sad. Sad is obviously the way to go with light-hearted summer reading!

Looking forward tor eading your Bridport prize-winning entry too...

Teresa Stenson said...

Thanks for posting this Dan, you treasure. Thanks and hi to Chloe too - it's great to know that you liked the story. Maybe it's not sad really, maybe Coral DOES meet Sebastian and go to live with him in France...

It's gonna be so cool when you get a Bridport Prize. I will maybe be knighted.

Dan Purdue said...

Hi Chloe,

You're right - there's nothing quite as summery as tales of loneliness and heartbreak as far as the Guardian is concerned. Glad you enjoyed the stories, though.

Hi Teresa,

You're welcome! It's a great story and I'm only too pleased to be doing my bit towards directing other people to read it. Besides, I have to earn my Bridport Prize somehow, don't I?

Chloe said...

Now you just need to fight it out between you to see who gets the Nbel Prize for Literature...

Teresa Stenson said...

We'll have a warm-up fight for the Booker first. Ooh, but before then a 'spat' for the Costa.

Dan Purdue said...

Oh no, it's going to end in fisticuffs on The 'TV Book Club' sofa, isn't it?

That's if we're still talking at all after the Seán Ó Faoláin results are out...

Teresa Stenson said...

We'll be just like Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. Started out as team mates... end up ENEMIES!

Can I be the passionate and enigmatic Senna and you be Prost, the uptight villain?

Dan Purdue said...

Why do I have to be the evil one?

Well, if we're going down that route, you can be Penelope Pitstop and I'll be Dick Dastardly.

I'm off to practise twirling my moustache, villainously...