2025 Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition Longlist Announcement
Hawkeye is delighted to announce the longlisted entries for the 2025 Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition!
The judges have selected the longlist, comprising the top 40 entries, out of the 181 entries we received this year. The longlisted stories were chosen for the writing skills shown by entrants, as well as the emotional impact, clever writing and twists, comedy, and how well they addressed this year’s theme of ‘Lost and Found’.
Hawkeye Publishing Director Carolyn Martinez said, ‘From 181 entries, our judges have selected a dazzling longlist of 40 stories that stopped us in our tracks. The calibre this year is exceptional—razor-sharp craft, emotional heft, clever twists, laugh-out-loud moments, and a profound engagement with our ‘Lost and Found’ theme. My heartfelt congratulations to the longlisted writers, and sincere thanks to every entrant for trusting us with your work—you made judging a joy and a challenge.’
2025 Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition Longlist, in no particular order:
No Dominion by Richard Yaxley
Tarnished by Laura Morris
Rekindled Love by Virginia Suckling
Only That Would Be Death by Hannah Bilby
The House by Jenny Woolsey
Man in Grey by Andrew Brown
Khalifa Gardens by Joan English
Remembrance Day by Jo Skinner
The Return by Fiona Harvie
Light by Julie Faulkner
Time: Lost by Jodie Woodward
The Luckiest Couple by Sandra Thom-Jones
The Lost Choir of Summer's End by Nicole Lenoir-Jourdan
Waking Up by Leila Wright
Two Hearts in Pieces by Christine Neumann
Wishbone by Susan Hancy
The Stars and the Seasons by Chyna Whittaker Goodwin
The Gingerbread House by Karel Vine
An Otherwise Beautiful Page by Elizabeth Kay
Stitched by Kelsey Argia
Finger Posts by Adele Gibson
Windows into Memory by Des Brady
When the Corn is Ripe by Lyndal Weightman
Submerged by Susan Booker
Once More by Fibiandini Yustiana
The Rabbit by Kylie Kaden
Saving Spiders by Judi Carr
You Broke Me by Jared Kranz
Salvage by Peter Lucas
In the Shadow of Ozymandias by Ned Stephenson
Hide and Seek by Devon Lomas
The Thing About Spiders by Ashleigh Young
Loss by Kenneth J Johnson
One Day by Alexander Michael
Fields of Lavender by Selena Budgen
Phoenix by Mina Schafer
The Close by Jessica Eve Diez
Salvation by Lee McKerracher
An Honest Woman by Andrew Brown
The Dancing Lights of Good and Evil by Jan Mosler
Please join us in congratulating these entrants. Longlisted entrants should be very proud of this achievement as this year’s competition included some excellent stories as well as entries from published authors.
The longlisted stories will be published in an anthology titled If Found, Please Return, with the cover design based on the winning story. Longlisted entrants will each receive one complimentary eBook copy.
Pre-order your copy here. This is a limited edition publication and only available through pre-orders, until 31 December 2025.
The shortlist for the competition will be announced on 14 November 2025, and the winners will be announced on 28 November 2025. Ensure you’re subscribed to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram and Facebook to be among the first to see the competition results.