Almanac Books: The Furphy Anthology 2021

 

 

 

 

The Furphy Literary Award is an annual national short story (and non-fiction) competition. It attracts entries from first-timers, hobbyists, emerging writers and old pros. I encourage all writers to have a go. It’s free to enter and you can write on any topic which fits into the category ‘Australian Life – in all its diversity’. Which is really a way of opening the award up to any story.

 

The stories on the short-list are published in an annual collection The Furphy Anthology, and the 2021 edition is out now. It includes a range of short stories including a footy yarn from the winner, young Toowoomba writer Thomas Alan. You can read all about the collection in the media release below.

 

It can be purchased HERE

 

 

You can read about and purchase The Furphy Anthology 2020 HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

Read more about The Furphy Literary Award (including how to enter in 2022) HERE

 

 

Here is the media release about The Furphy Anthology 2021:

 

The art of Australian short story writing is alive and well – enjoy a selection of the best in The Furphy Anthology 2021.

 

Eclectic, funny, surprising and poignant, the 16 stories chosen for The Furphy Anthology reflect different Australian characters, lifestyles, experiences and attitudes. This diversity allows readers to find their own favourite. There truly is something for everyone.

 

Over 500 stories were entered in this year’s Furphy Literary Award, the richest short story competition in Australia. Award Director Sam Furphy said: “It is fantastic to have received these very well written Australian stories from a variety of viewpoints. With such a large field of entries from all over the country, the winning and shortlisted works really are a joy to read.”

 

Toowoomba-based writer Thomas Alan is the winner of the 2021 Furphy Literary Award with his entry Oranges. This is the story of an angry kid reacting to the world around him. The reader is left to wonder if he will realise his issues are within himself or will he continue to project them onto those around him?

 

Described by judge Anson Cameron as “beautifully rendered small-town dystopia”, this story earned the winner $15,000 in addition to a residency program at La Trobe University and publication in the 2021 Anthology.

 

Two other works were highly commended by the judging panel in the Open Category. Second placegetter Holden by Adelaide-based author Michelle Prak tells the story of a young girl from a difficult and disadvantaged background. It was described by judge Margaret Hickey as “a skillful story, beautifully structured”.

 

Coming in third was No Good Deed by South Australian Andrew Roff. Here, an archaeologist recovers consciousness after blacking out to find she has committed acts of kindness which she can’t recall and has no memory of planning. Judge John Kerr complimented “a deft economy of writing”.

 

These three winning stories and another 13 shortlisted entries are published in the 2021 Furphy Anthology.

 

About the Furphy Literary Award

 

The Furphy Literary Award is named in honour of Australian writer Joseph Furphy, who wrote under the pen name Tom Collins and published Such is Life in 1903. Originally established in 1993, the Award was relaunched as a national prize in 2020.

 

The Open Category is for short stories of 5000 words or less with $20,000 total prize money up for grabs.  There are also four Junior/Youth categories, open to young people from the greater Shepparton area in Victoria.

 

For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact DMCPRMEDIA
Debbie McInnes T: 02 9550 9207 | E: [email protected] 
or Catherine Szentkuti M: 0449 077 900 | E: [email protected]