The International Fish Short Story Prize 2009 is now open with Ronan Bennett as the judge. The ten best stories will be published in the annual Fish Anthology 2010. The prize was started in 1994 to get new writers published in book format. So far we have published over 300 writers from all over the world. Overall winners have come from the USA more than any other country, and include Molly McCloskey, Marc Phillips, Kathy Hughes, Karl Iagnemma, Gina Oschner, Julia van Middlesworth, Catherine L. Dowd, and Maureen E. O’Neill.

The 1st prize is 2,000 Euro ($3,000), with an additional 1,000 Euro to travel to the book launch in West Cork, Ireland, in July 2010. Entry online is 20 Euro ($30) www.fishpublishing.com. The second prize includes a week’s residence in Anam Cara Writers Retreat in West Cork, and 300 Euro. The closing date is 30 Nov, and there is a 5,000 word limit. There is no restriction on theme or style.

Hon Patrons: Roddy Doyle and Dermot Healy.

Fish also runs a One Page Prize, 1,000 Euro, 300 word limit, closing date 20 March ’10, and a Poetry Prize, 1,000 Euro, judge Matthew Sweeney, closing 30 March ’10. The winners of both competitions are published alongside the Short Story winners in the Fish Anthology. Entry is 12 Euro for both of these competitions. Full details and on-line entry on www.fishpublishing.com. Any queries info@fishpublishing.com. Postal entries must not have name and address on the text, but on a separate sheet.