An author from Hampshire has been shortlisted for an international literature prize.

Damhnait Monaghan, from Ringwood, has been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2025.

Her story, 'Nualu Nu', has been selected as one of 25 stories from a record-breaking 7,920 entries across the Commonwealth.

This is nearly ten per cent more than last year.

The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded for the best unpublished short fiction from the Commonwealth's 56 member states.

It is one of the most accessible writing competitions, accepting entries in multiple languages, including Bengali, Chinese, Creole and French.

 

The shortlisted stories cover a wide range of themes, including exploitation, racism, and greed, as well as kindness, humour and courage.

Dr Vilsoni Hereniko, chair of the judges, said: "A great story moves us, causes us to think, and sometimes changes us.

"When a whole life, or a slice of life, is distilled into a short story, we marvel at the writer’s ability to find the perfect sequence of events and fit them into the short story form."

Five regional winners will be announced on Wednesday, May 14, with the overall winner revealed on Wednesday, June 25.

The 25 shortlisted stories will be published in the online magazine of the Commonwealth Foundation, adda.