The judge, Debbie Young, wrote lovely things about my story:
Flight Path
This tiny love story about an unexpected connection with a stranger layers sparse prose with carefully coordinated detail. The bright orange wall in the opening paragraph is echoed by the streetlight halfway through, then by potential flames sparked by the closing word. The fiery images shine like a Belisha beacon in fog, against the cold grey of the geese on a wintry afternoon, reminding the reader to be alert to sparks amidst the ash of humdrum everyday life. I felt as if I’d read a painting, as much as a story. The well-timed crescendo leaves the reader wondering not only about the outcome for the narrator and her “bird man”, but also about one’s own near misses in life.
This tiny love story about an unexpected connection with a stranger layers sparse prose with carefully coordinated detail. The bright orange wall in the opening paragraph is echoed by the streetlight halfway through, then by potential flames sparked by the closing word. The fiery images shine like a Belisha beacon in fog, against the cold grey of the geese on a wintry afternoon, reminding the reader to be alert to sparks amidst the ash of humdrum everyday life. I felt as if I’d read a painting, as much as a story. The well-timed crescendo leaves the reader wondering not only about the outcome for the narrator and her “bird man”, but also about one’s own near misses in life.
Thank you, Debbie!
