Winner:
Township Dumyat
by
Moira McPartlin
Runners-up:
Eurybia by Anne-Marie Saich
Greener by Jane Coneybee
Comments from the organisers:
We were very excited to open the Cymera Prize for Speculative Short Fiction to a wider range of writers for 2023. Over 120 entries showed the great diversity and ambition of Scottish writers, and I can confidently say that the future of Scottish Science Fiction is bright (and weird, funny, creepy, hopeful and a bit disturbing).
In her winning story, Township Dumyat, author Moira McPartlin gives us a hero for our times — no-nonsense Agnes, who, when faced with great upheaval, meets everything with that dour Scottish attitude. I am hopeful this will not be her last outing.
And from the judges, Camilla Grudova and Robbie Guillory:
Township Dumyat
I loved this for the strong sense of place, the unusual protagonist and how the author played with hierarchy and my expectations. It reads like the start of something bigger – and I hope it becomes exactly that!
Eurybia
I fell for this curious agricultural imaging satellite and thoroughly enjoyed how the author brought me into the story. It is no mean feat to bring a machine to life, especially one that has no physical agency of its own, and they did a wonderful job.
Greener
This was a brilliant story of environmental collapse, and spoke to most of my current fears in a way that was both horrific and compelling!
You can read Township Dymyat in Shoreline of Infinity 35
