There is a tiny fist curling around the faded-blue seat in front of me on the train to Blackburn. ~ I will reach out my hand to touch the sticky, pink fingers, and they will retreat so quickly, it will make me laugh. A head tufted with soft baby hair will appear from behind theContinue reading “First Place: Things I Could Have Done After Spending Too Much Money on a White Jacket from Harvey Nichols by Donna Greenwood”
Author Archives: Oxford Flash Fiction Prize
Hidden Element Prize: Nightlight for the Galaxy by JR Fenn
She’s picked up her grandson from school, taken him to the food carts, given in to his pleas to go roller skating instead of doing his homework. She watches from the bench. The strobe lights flit across her front like the ghosts of swallows. Thinking of the way they flocked in the sky, thousands ofContinue reading “Hidden Element Prize: Nightlight for the Galaxy by JR Fenn”
Second Place: Faces by Katy Yelland
I first see your face not across a room of strangers but in the queue for the number 42 bus. Your hair is pink. You tuck it behind your ear as you look quickly away then glance back again. A small smile flashes across your face. Across a restaurant table, I admire your cheekbones asContinue reading “Second Place: Faces by Katy Yelland”
Third Place: Stephanie’s Side Hustle by Clare Williams
Stephanie sat in the worn-out holding area of the police station, waiting for the nice young man who had arrested her. She had plenty of time to think about the events of the last few months. She was a respectable seventy-eight-year-old woman. In her younger years she’d worked at the local biscuit factory, starting onContinue reading “Third Place: Stephanie’s Side Hustle by Clare Williams”
New Voice Award: The Visit by Letian Cheng
Diane recognized Daniel’s right hand at first sight. Palm down, the fingers slightly curled, the index finger’s nail was flatter than the others. Five years ago, he had his hand bruised after a fall on the bathroom floor. There was also the pale burn on the wrist, like a carp swinging its way through theContinue reading “New Voice Award: The Visit by Letian Cheng”
The 2026 short-list
We are thrilled to announce our short-list for the special ’34: The Critical Raw Materials shaping our future’ themed Oxford Flash Fiction Prize 2026. Congratulations to all of the authors who reached the list and will be published in our next anthology. As always, we saw a wonderful range of genres, topics and stories fromContinue reading “The 2026 short-list”
The 2026 mega long-list
We are thrilled to announce our especially large long-list for the special ’34: The Critical Raw Materials shaping our future’ themed Oxford Flash Fiction Prize 2026. Congratulations to all of the authors who reached the list and for all those who entered this round. As always, we saw a wonderful range of genres, topics andContinue reading “The 2026 mega long-list”
First Place: Dugout by Emma Oldham
I spread my legs, drawing up my sarong, the colour of burnt dust, past my thigh. The fabric clings to my skin, wet with sweat. Every Friday, Nikola takes the long way home, circling the brittle edge of our camp in Coober Pedy like a dingo sniffing heat. Nothing’s pretty in this part of Australia.Continue reading “First Place: Dugout by Emma Oldham”
Second Place: Diva by Cate McGowan
She didn’t sweat. That was the first thing I noticed about her. This was Georgia in July. Church fans fluttering like moth wings, sundresses sticking to the small of your back. Pews tacky to the touch. But that girl, that new girl in the peach dress, stayed dry as chalk. No pit stains. No shineContinue reading “Second Place: Diva by Cate McGowan”
The 2025 short-list
We are thrilled to announce our short list for the winter Oxford Flash Fiction Prize 2025. If your story is listed, please do not identify which story belongs to you, as the judges are hard at work making their decisions. SHORT LISTED STORIES … But Why Now? A Poster of Three Cats A Sheer Drop of ThreeContinue reading “The 2025 short-list”
