Shropshire Star

Charlotte pens award winning short story

Author, Charlotte McCormac has taken second place in an international writers competition for her short story, Apple Skins.

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The 24-year-old from West Felton near Oswestry chose the tough subject of emotional abuse for her entry. She was up against authors from 25 countries in the Hammond House Publishing awards.

The international literary prize delighted Charlotte who would like to become a novelist.

A content writer and editor, Charlotte, who went to the Priory School, Shrewsbury, completed her masters at Birmingham University this year.

"The theme for the literary competitor was survival and I thought Apple Skins would fit perfectly," she said.

"Physical abuse is often talked about but not so much emotional abuse. I wasn't sure whether it would be good enough for such a prestigious competition but thankfully my tutor encouraged me."

"The competition received a record number of entries from 25 countries this year."

Apple Skins is a longer than average short story with 4,500 words.

"I started writing stories when I was about eight years old," Charlotte said.

"I would write them for my younger brother, Jimmy. I have always wanted to be a author.

"I wrote a series of stories for Jimmy about a ghost in a school."

She said writers had be be very organised.

"You really have to be strict with your time."

Hammond House Publishing will be holding a virtual ceremony in February, which will be broadcast to Billboard TV. This will be followed by a live ceremony at its annual literary festival, which will provisionally take place later in 2021.