 Galley Beggar Mail |
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We have a longlist for the 2025/26 GBP Short Story Prize! The Prize is an annual highlight for our press: a chance to share some fantastic stories and demonstrate just how creative and interesting so many writers out there can be. I’m also happy to say that the 2025/26 feels like a tremendous success already — not only because of the number of entries that we received, but because of their quality. All in, since November we’ve read over 1100 stories. It’s been very difficult to decide on the final list - and that is testament to the fact that so many we were sent were of such high standard. I’m aware that I say a similar thing every year — but that doesn’t make it any less true. This prize renews our faith in the talent and hard work of writers around the world. And now, with thanks to every writer who submitted, to our judges — and with links to the stories, and the hope that you will read and delight in them just as much as we have - here is the official longlist: |
THE 2025/26 GBP SHORT STORY PRIZE LONGLIST |
Sam Jordison and Eloise Millar, the founders and co-directors of Galley Beggar Press, have been joined in the judging of the Galley Beggar Press Short Story Prize this year by the literary agent Sebastian Godwin, author and publisher Sam Mills and author and academic Selby Wynn Schwartz. Sam (that’s me!) says: “This has been a really strong year for our beloved Prize. It was challenging to get the long list down to ten stories — as well as a lot of fun — and there were many excellent stories that didn’t make it through. But while it was sad to have to set aside so much high quality fiction, it’s delightful to be able to share this longlist and wide range of talents. These stories are variously funny, challenging, cheering, sad, outrageous, quietly moving, wild and cleverly constrained. It’s going to be even tougher producing a shortlist — but at least we’ll know it’s going to be a very good one.” Elly says: “I’m grateful to every writer who has submitted to the Prize this year, whose stories have kept me company through some long winter nights over the past three months. As ever, I’ve laughed, felt a lump in my throat, been unexpectedly angered, unexpectedly moved — and inspired by the sheer brio of so much of the writing: the plays with form and voice; the fierceness and inventiveness in the content; the fearlessness in theme… Over the past eleven years, the Prize has been a constant reminder of just how brilliant, mischievous and invigorating the very best writing can be — and I hope that these ten stories and writers on the longlist will delight other readers, just as much as they have us.” In addition to the longlist, we always ask our judges to select a number of special mentions for stories that they found impressive and interesting. This year, we want to highlight six more excellent stories: The Translation of the Sirens by Matthew de Abaitua, The Crisis by Chris McCabe, Helping the Girl by Bethan Cooke, Nemo Kizh – the Fight Against Beauty by Peter Hankins, Sudu Putha by Piyumi Kapugeekiyana and To Stumble Where We’ve Never Seen by Alice Miller. The shortlist of three stories will be announced on 16 March 2026, and the winner of the 2024/25 Galley Beggar Press Short Story Prize will be announced on 30 March 2025. The winning prize is £2500. Previous winners of the prize include Anna Woods, who went on to publish her debut collection Yes Yes More More with Indigo Press, and Gurnaik Johal, whose debut novel Saraswati (selected as an Observer Best Debut of the Year) was published by Serpent’s Tail in June 2025. |
We’ll be back with more news of the prize soon, more news of other books on the way, a new set of critical reading classes (look out for those — the last ones sold out in record time!) and more love for top quality literature. We wish you all the best until then - and bon courage! Fondly, Sam |
PS We’ve just started taking pre-orders for Mark Bowles’ new novel. We’re going to be publishing it in July - so that’s another very good reason to look forward to the summer. How Do People Stay The Same is the follow-up to Mark’s first novel All My Precious Madness, which (yes it did!) won the inaugural Speakies Best Fiction Award, and was shortlisted for The Goldsmiths Prize, The James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and The Author's Club Best First Novel How Do People Stay The Same contains the exquisite prose and lacerating wit that readers loved so much in All My Precious Madness - but this book also reveals even more layers to Mark’s talent. It’s a delicate, deeply tender book – an exploration of family, childhood, love, and the personal bonds that tie us together. It’s told as a series of journal entries that move backwards in time, following the life of Patrick Boyd – from the present-day contentment of family life and backwards through darker, lonelier, sadder stretches of time. It lays all of Patrick’s experience before us, with the challenges of work, housing and all the other pinpricks of existence jostling with his complex inner world. It reveals a fragile man ground down by the world around him – but who might just be able to change and might just have the hope of a brighter future. Might… Anyway, it’s wonderful. Elly and I love this book and we’re very proud to be able to present it to you - and to the world. You can get your copy here. |
PPS Telenovela - still great! |
I hope you’ve been enjoying Telenovela - and maybe even taken some hope from its story about the final days of a mad, rightwing dictator. I’m happy to say that it’s continued to get superb reviews since publication. For instance, in The Irish Times Colm McKenna agrees with me that Gonzalo gives us lessons for the future as well as from the past:
Telenovela’s context gives cause for optimism. Set just before Pinochet’s 17-year rule was put to an end by a presidential referendum, Garcia’s leads are so acclimatised to Pinochet’s rule that the possibility of its end proves as fanciful as the daydreaming that fills these pages. Concluding on the cusp of a breakthrough, Telenovela is a convincing portrait of the darkest period in Chile’s modern history, which, by homing in on those on the wrong side of history, reflects the subtle weaponry of silence and language.
We still have a few special signed limited edition subscriber copies, as well as signed regular subscriber copies - and you can snap one up by subscribing right now! |
Here’s another special thing about Telenovela: |
We're very proud to be the first publisher to have the Books By People stamp - and it feels very fitting that it should be on Telenovela; a book about the fight against authoritarianism and all the associated nonsense. |
The usual reminder that we’ve produced an ebook edition of The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford. If you haven’t read it, now is your chance. Ford’s novel is superb; a shocking and constantly surprising tale of marital strife, sexual intrigue, deep deception, fathomless mystery and tragic death. It’s wrong-footing, deceptive, brilliantly plotted … and a masterpiece. One of the finest novels of the twentieth century. |
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Our edition features a new introduction by Sam Jordison (that’s me!). It details Ford Madox Ford's turbulent, fascinating life, explores his place in posterity, recounts his many loves and frequent feuds, and explains why he was such an unreliable narrator of his own life story.
The introduction also includes a critical commentary on The Good Soldier itself. It discuses its influence, investigates the many narrative tricks, conceits and deceits employed by Ford and makes the case for why this book should be recognised as one of the greatest stories ever told.
It costs just £1.89.
It’s available in our online shop, Apple, all good ebook stores and also the bad one.
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PPPPPS You can find us on Bluesky if you’re keen for more book talk and more pictures of our dog, Sirius. |
PPPPPPPS Thanks for reading all the way down here. I haven’t seen Wuthering Heights yet, but I’m enjoying the Charli XCX soundtrack album. A few days ago I also went to see Suede in concert, and that made everything feel better. Thank you Suede! |
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