Listen to some short stories

All this week on Radio 4 there is a chance to hear, and via the website catch up on those you have missed, the short stories that are finalists in the Prospect magazine organised short story competition.

The winner is announced next Monday and along with a cheque for £15,000 the author has of course had the chance to reach a significant audience as a result of Radio 4's involvement.

Having said that of course it can backfire as it appears to have done with Haif Kureishi who had a story about beheadings in Iraq, which is deemed to be too senstive at the moment. According the The Guardian's report about it Kureishi is angrey at the decision and believes it is unhelpful censorship.

One of the short story writers that was name checked by last year's winning author on the radio last week was Chekhov and the plan is to post my review of his short story selection tomorrow...