I was thrilled to win second prize in the recent Minehead Literary Festival 2020, judged by Tessa Hadley, for a short story I wrote. Here's what she said:

"For my second prize I’ve chosen The Woman and the Sea by Susan Mitchinson, where a woman is appalled to find herself developing scaly nodules between her toes, and turns eventually into a mermaid.  Again here the tone was very nicely judged, balancing comedy with something wistful and poignant.  And like the previous story, it was so elegantly put together, with great economy."

Her words were such a boost! I can't wait to have the Festival celebration post-pandemic.