Winning entries from the inaugural 2020 Furphy Literary Award have now been published in a book packed with stories on a wild variety of subjects, including a huge Murray cod, dancing neighbours, a naval tragedy and buck’s night shenanigans. The Furphy Anthology 2020 features the $15,000-winning entry, Awakening by Melbourne-based writer and poet Ruby Todd, who recounts a moving story about the human cost of the maritime disaster of the Melbourne-Voyager collision in 1964.
The Furphy Literary Award, established locally by Shepparton’s Furphy family in 1992 to commemorate the writing of Such is Life author Joseph Furphy, was re-launched as a national competition last year by cousins Sam (pictured left) and Adam Furphy (pictured right), 5th generation descendants of Joseph. The award’s $20,000 prize pool, funded by Furphy beer-brewing giant Lion, makes it the richest short story competition in Australia.
The Furphy Literary Award for 2021 is now inviting entries of previously unpublished short stories up to 5000 words. The closing date for entries is April 30 2021. The Furphy Anthology 2020 can be purchased online via www.furphystory.com.au.
