Rhys Davies Short Story Competition

Penny Simpson wins £1,000 in the
2007 Rhys Davies Short Story Competition 

From L to R back row: Michael Thomas, Jamie D’Lima, Bridget Keehan, Huw Lawrence and T J Davies.
Middle Row: Marjorie Wynn and Jo Mazelis
Front Row: Penny Simpson

Penny Simpson was announced by Academi Chief Executive Peter Finch as the 2007 Rhys Davies Short Story Competition winner receiving a prize of £1,000 for Eagle in the Maze. The story follows Jim, a stone mason from Monmouth, commissioned by Lily to design her gravestone. Penny’s first novel The Banquet of Esther Rosenbaum was be published by Alcemi in May 2008 and Penny said ‘I am delighted that my writing has received this boost in the run up to my first novel’s launch’.

The winners of the 2007 Rhys Davies Short Story Competition were announced on Wednesday 6 February over brunch in Brazz restaurant, Cardiff Bay. The equal runners-up in the competition each receiving £100 were: Marjorie Wynn from Conwy, T J Davies from Cardiff, Michael Gordon Thomas from Caerphilly, Huw Lawrence from Aberystwyth, Jo Mazelis from Swansea, Bridget Keehan from Barry, Deborah Kay Davies from Sebastopol and Kate D’Lima from Swansea. 

Click here for more information on all of the winners.

Three of the prize-winning stories, including the winner, were recorded for broadcast on Radio Wales. They were read by Welsh actors Richard Harrington [BBC’s Bleak House], Torchwood star Eve Miles and Ruth Jones who stars in and co-writes the multi award-winning sitcom Gavin and Stacey.    

Ruth Jones read White Rabbit by Kate D’Lima

Eve Myles read Sorry for the Loss by Bridget Keehan

Richard Harrington read Eagle in the Maze by Penny Simpson

Peter Finch said: ‘Academi and the Rhys Davies Trust have again proved that significant short story talent exists in Wales. With the BBC and others we are now working to keep it at the forefront of Welsh literature.’

An anthology of the winning stories was published by Cinnamon Press in May 2008 and launched by Academi and the Rhys Davies Trust at the Guardian Hay Festival on the Literature in Wales stand.

Penny Simpson trained as a journalist before winning the Barclays/TMA Theatre Critic of the Year in 1991. Her short stories have appeared in anthologies from Bloomsbury, Tindal Street Press, Honno and Virago. Dogdays (Gomer, 2003) was her debut collection of short fiction and The Banquet of Esther Rosenbaum (Alcemi, 2008) is her first novel. She currently works as Head of Press at Welsh National Opera.

Click here to read the judges adjudication

To see the photos taken by John Briggs of the ceremony
click here to visit our gallery.

For more information contact Academi:
029 2047 2266 / post@academi.org