The Overland Victoria University Short Story Prize aims to discover the finest in original short fiction by Australian and New Zealand writers who have not yet published a book with commercial distribution. With a $6000 first prize and two runner-up prizes of $1000, the award is the most lucrative of its kind in both countries. All winning stories are published in Overland magazine.
'You are: stiff lines, hard colours, corporate setting. Pleats ironed, turtle neck immaculate, hair pulled back. You are: an intern, savvy, eyes-bright, tail-bushed.' (Introduction)
'It's pre-dawn, all dark. Breeding season. Elise wakes just before her alarm goes off, skin sharp in the cold air. She tugs the blankets back across her body, curls her knees in and lets herself - for a moment - think of Dan asleep at home in Brisbane, long limbs spidered into all the corners of their bed. In her mind, she sits across from him and kiss-counts the freckles on his shoulder. On his nose. His beard tickles her chin. He exhales warm air through his damp gap mouth and he will never know it, how she runs her hand across his clavicle, sternum, ribs as he sleeps; how she traces the lines of his wrist and hip where the flesh is thinnest, where she might so easily push in.' (Introduction)
'800 stories were submitted for consideration this year, many exploring the politics of this decade. After six weeks we decided on a shortlist of ten impressive examples of the contemporary short story, which included this years three finalists.' (Introduction)
