Han Smith, the Bridport Prize shortlistee whose stunning debut Portraits at the Palace of Creativity and Wrecking will be published by John Murray Originals in this summer, has been longlisted for the V.S. Pritchett Short Story Prize for her story aftermorph.

The prize was founded by the RSL at the beginning of the new millennium to commemorate the centenary of an author widely regarded as the finest English short-story writer of the 20th century, and to preserve a tradition encompassing Pritchett’s warmth of feeling and mastery of narrative. The winner receives £1,000 and their entry will be published in Prospect magazine and RSL Review. This year’s judges are Julia Armfield, Fred D’Aguiar and Juliet Jacques. Find out more about the prize here.

Han’s debut novel, Portraits at the Palace of Creativity and Wrecking, will be released on 20th June 2024. You can read an extract and a short introductory essay in Encounters here, and you can pre-order your copy here.

Follow Han on Twitter @Han_Smiff.