I just want to keep you in the loop on how things are going with our reading for the Frazzled Lit Short Story Award 2026. We’re halfway there, and Laura, Kerry, Emily and I are flat-out with the reading effort, so it seems likely that we’ll have the longlist out at the end of July or in the first week of August. The shortlist etc. will follow very soon after that. Closer to the time, I’ll let you know the exact announcement dates, so hang in there - you won’t have long to wait!
I also wanted to let you know that our judge, Donal Ryan, has a brilliant new novel launching on 13th August. It’s called Where Are The Kings, and promises to be one of his very best.
Kenny’s Bookshop are currently accepting pre-orders for limited edition signed copies. Just click the image below to connect with Kenny’s and place your order!
Something terrible has happened to Jack but no one seems to want to talk about it.
His uncles can tell him about everything from quantum physics to how to hunt for deer, but they can’t seem to tell him anything about their own sister or why Jack doesn’t feel sad for her in the way he should, or why Grandad tries to shoot Jack’s dad when he gets out of the hospital.
Still, there’s work to be done in the oily wonderland of his uncles’ garage; there’s his beautiful aunt Rose to hypnotise him and his loving grandparents to console him; then there’s JJ, who wants to fight him one day and save him the next.
But with so many questions, in a family with so many secrets, it is difficult for Jack to understand the person he is becoming. How can a simple boy learn to become a king?