Macclesfield Inaugural Literary Festival Short Story Prize
Sponsored by Moonglow Publishing and The Ozone Hotel, Kangaroo Island.
In recognition of Robert Koehne, author of Killer Island
Celebrating Book lovers, Local Readers, Local Writers and Local Stories, Moonglow Publishing invited local SA writers to submit a 500 word short story that included reference to Kangaroo Island and The Ozone Hotel.
And the winner are:
First Prize
"Fire Girl" by Amanda Solly
Second Prize
"KIndred Spirit" by Kristin Murdock 
Third Prize
"Game Over" by Kelly Clarke
Special Prize 
 Josephine Humphrey - Island Time 

There were many excellent stories submitted for the Prize, but only 4 winners could be chosen. So, these 4 stories and more will be published in the Moonglow Anthology Vol. 1 "OZONE: Fire Girl and Other Stories" - forthcoming. 
If you would like to become a supporter of the Macclesfield Literary Festival, the Moonglow Youth Writers Initiative, and become a Gold, Silver or Bronze sponsor of the Anthology, please email us at info@moonglowpublishing.com.au
And if you would like to pre-order you copy of this inuagural anthology for $21 please get in touch on the above email.

The Winners of the Macclesfield Literary Festival 2026 Youth Writers Short Story Prize are: 
First Prize: "Leap" by Tamika Retallack
Second Prize: "The Way She Lived" by Sachini Wimalarathna
Special Prize: "The Diary Book" by Lucia Gray
Special Prize: "The Mystery Flower" by Sandali Wimalarathna
The winning Youth Writers' Short Stories are available to read on the Youth Writers Blog
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Macclesfield Literary Festival 2026 Program - May 9th

MORNING SESSION A
WELCOME  - For the Love of Local Publishing and Local Printing – and announcing the winners of the Macclesfield Inaugural Literary Festival Short Story Competition - and Youth Writers Initiative.
BOOKS FOR KIDS
Cate Ellis - One at a Time
Don Oswald and Mark Rogers – Waylon’s Adventures (kids) and Skating Through Trouble (YA Fiction)
ART, HISTORY, & HEALTH
Margrit Warmer – Impressions of the Heysen Trail
Rick Sarre – Life Actually: A feast of 500-word memories
Laura D Martino – Cremona House – An Italian Migration Journey
Lindsay Childs – Adapting to Hearing Loss
Maya – Bound by Compassion, and Hahndorf a History to Colour and Keep
YA and Gritty unstoppable force
​Aayan Adhora - Crown of Knives (YA Fiction)
Lisa McMurtrie - Unstoppable Force: Immovable Object
CRIME & THRILLER
Robert Koehne – Killer Island
Judith Lees – The Silent Syringe & The Dispatch
Leanda Herring – Beneath Her Lies
Kerri Reeks – Cage of War & Castelle
​Michael R. Brooks - The Retired Country Doctor
MEMOIR
Sandra Kanck – Nothing and Everything: A childhood memoir
Peter Douglas – The Longest Day of My Life
Andrew Ovenden – Meet Me in the Cool Room
Priyambudi Sulistiyanto - Finding Captain Boodieman - Travels in Indonesia and Australia
OFFICIAL BOOK LAUNCH
Craig Chapman - The Long Way Home: A Journey of Survival

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