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Teen Short Story Competition in Association with Tertulia Books – Cash Prize!

We are delighted to co-host the Teen Short Story Competition with Tertulia Books in Westport, Co. Mayo.

Our theme for this competition is ‘Waves’. Put your thinking caps on and start writing!

The competition closes on August 1st, at 6 PM.

We are thrilled to have award winning YA author Deirdre Sullivan as our guest judge.

Submit your short story to: competition.paperlanterns@gmail.com

In the body of your email, please include:

  • Your name.
  • Your age.
  • Your county of residence (you must live on the island of Ireland).
  • Your school (if applicable).
  • A little bit about yourself!

Our guest judge will read and select the winning pieces (one from each age group) from the shortlist.

The winners will be published in Issue 6 of Paper Lanterns.

The winners will receive a cash prize sponsored by Tertulia in association with Spot-Lit EU.

The winners will also receive a copy of Issue 6.

Guidelines:

  • You must be a resident on the island of Ireland.
  • You must be aged between 13-18. We have two judging categories: 13-15 years and 16-18 years.
  • Your work must be an original piece.
  • Short stories must be between 1200 and 2000 words. Please do not exceed this word count.
  • All stories will be read blind. Do not include your name or contact details within the submitted document.
  • We will not consider work that is prejudiced in nature. We will not consider work that includes, but is not limited to: sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, or classist content.
  • We cannot accept work that has already been published.
  • The judge’s decision is final. Our guest judge cannot provide feedback on any submitted or shortlisted pieces.
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Review: City of the Uncommon Thief by Lynne Bertrand

City of the Uncommon Thief
Lynne Bertrand
Dutton Books, February 2021
Hardback, £15.99
ISBN 9780525555322

I suggest you tie yourself securely to the nearest structure before embarking upon the reading of this novel, for you are about to have the ground swept from beneath you. Much of the mysterious allure of this book is supplied by the setting: a quarantined city of 1,000 sky scraping guild towers, each with their own painstakingly crafted exports. The inhabitants of the towers never have to set foot on the streets below.

Your guide for this journey, one Odd Thebes of the knitting needle guild, is a lucky one, a runner who runs, or rather flies, errands from rooftop to rooftop. Odd feels it is his purpose in life to be a bard, to tell the stories of others, and so he does for the jaw dropping and oftentimes grisly tale of his cousin, the much loved Errol Thebes.

At some moments in this story I admit to feeling a little lost in the waves of mysteries, but I implore you not to give up, for the depth of your confusion will only add to your astonishment when the answers are brought to light. Social class is a predominant theme, with working class guilders divided from the destitute foundlings, who are deemed subhuman. Jamila Foundling is an exquisitely written character, the first I have encountered with the sensorial cross-wiring condition, synesthesia. She is rich in determination and care for her kind, but not much else.

This book contains so many mind-bending plot twists that, at the very least, you will be left reeling — and at the very most, left with a severe case of whiplash. One thing is for certain: this is an uncommon tale.

Shona Gogarty, teen reviewer.

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Review: The Spirit of the River by Declan Murphy

The Spirit of the River
Declan Murphy
Illustrated by Clodagh Power
The Lilliput Press, April 2021
Paperback, €15.00
ISBN 9781843518020

The Spirit of the River follows the writer’s experiences and awe of the captivating world around him as he follows the lives of birds and animals alike. Set in the Wicklow Mountains, Declan Murphy’s search for answers and knowledge
drives him onwards. He feels a strong connection to the animals he comes across and treats them as family.

This is a mystical and, at times, comforting novel, which explores the beauty of nature, and the loss and death that come hand in hand with it. The book follows the writer’s idea of patterns, and how he cannot help but see the patterns all living things are driven to create. Murphy also mentions the less colourful birds who almost go unnoticed, yet their lives are as busy and remarkable as their vibrant friends. The book does not present time as a key factor, and instead shares moments, past, present and future, tying the book together.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, sharing with the author his joy at finding the next nest of a kingfisher or discovering that the bird he had been tracking for weeks had found a mate. Murphy connected the book well and created a smooth flow throughout. This is a novel of lessons and journeys brought together by nature and beautiful illustrations, which I would recommend to everyone.

Lasairíona Scarff, teen reviewer.

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Review: Guard Your Heart by Sue Divin

Guard Your Heart
Sue Divin
Macmillan Children’s Books, April 2021
Paperback, £7.99
ISBN 9781529041675

Guard Your Heart by Sue Divin is a romantic tale which centres around two teenagers living in Northern Ireland. Aidan and Iona come from very different backgrounds and have different beliefs. When they meet on the Northern Irish border, their worlds collide and they begin to learn a lot about each other, and themselves as well.

The book alternates from both of the main characters’ points of view, giving us an insight into their thoughts. I found this writing style particularly gripping, as I could understand the opinions of the two protagonists from their perspectives throughout the book. I really enjoyed the way that this book was written and the language used. It is very modern and realistically portrays what a teenager would do and say, so I found the characters easy to relate to which is very important while reading a novel.

As soon as I picked up this book I felt that it was glued to my hands and I couldn’t put it down. It kept me interested the whole way through and I enjoyed reading every page. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a beautiful romance novel or to learn more about the history of Northern Ireland and the Troubles. I would rate the novel an eight out of ten.


Juliet Russell, teen reviewer

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Review: What Love Looks Like by Jarlath Gregory

What Love Looks Like
Jarlath Gregory
The O’Brien Press, 2021
Paperback, €9.99
ISBN 9781788491624

What Love Looks Like is The O’Brien Press’s newest addition to Irish LGBT+ YA fiction. Last year, The Queen of Coin and Whispers was the LGBT+ fantasy we needed. This year we get a romance that takes place on the streets of Dublin.

Ben is a 17 year-old living in Dublin at the time of the Marriage Equality Referendum. It has only been a few months since the Yes vote and our main character is in search of love. Along with friends Chelsea and Soda, he spends his time frequenting the Panti Bar drag shows or discussing bad dates. Ben is on the lookout for a boyfriend.

Overall, the story is heart-warming and bound to bring a smile to the reader’s face. As the author explained in the afterword, there are not many stories for queer teens about a happy character with a nice family and with a satisfying ending.

At the same time, the novel is realistic and attempts to face up to the challenges that are still faced by LGBT+ youths, despite the recent legal acceptance. At times, Ben himself falls victim to homophobia or other microaggressions. Still, he and his friends know how to handle such situations.

The story is not perfect, as the book may not always be as inclusive as it hopes to be, especially in terms of body positivity. Still, it gives us a happy ending that we all deserve.

Sara Chudzik

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Review: Smashed by Andy Robb

Smashed
Andy Robb
UCLan Publishing, 2021
Paperback, £7.99
ISBN 9781912979400

Smashed is a snapshot of the life of Jamie, who turns 16 as we join his story. He has a best friend, Adil and a girlfriend, Nadia. He also has a dark secret he is keeping from them, and from the reader at first. At home, things are not going well. From the first pages, Jamie’s father looms large as we are told that “something” happened, with references to “The Night Everything Gone Weird”. Jamie deals with this by pushing those closest to him away. He sees it as his duty, the “Weight of Manhood”, to be there for his mother and his younger sister Bex. However, Jamie continues to be overwhelmed and put in the undesirable position of mediator between his parents. This leads him to make some poor decisions.

The narration brings us right inside Jamie’s head and it’s a frantic place to be at times. He is trying his best to be a responsible older brother and son, but when those responsibilities become too much, he in turn becomes reliant on negative influences to try to ease the pressure.

My heart broke for Jamie as he seemed to be a decent teenager with such a weight on him. This is a tense read at times. Readers should be aware that there are discussions of physical abuse as well as scenes of alcohol abuse.

Derek Carney

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Review: Gut Feelings by C. G. Moore

Gut Feelings
C.G. Moore
UCLan Publishing, 2021
Paperback, £7.99
ISBN 9781912979431

Chris is not a typical eleven year-old. But from the moment he is diagnosed with FAP — Familial adenomatous polyposis, a rare genetic illness that causes cancerous polyps in the colon — Chris is trapped in a cycle of hospital appointments, fasting and enemas. Perhaps the only thing worse than waiting for an invasive surgery is the painful recovery and life-style adjustments that follow. Or perhaps it’s knowing that another, even more extreme, operation might be hanging over your future self like a spectre.

This remarkable coming of age story, based on the author’s own experience, is told through free verse. The writing is bold and honest, both in its portrayal of chronic illness and its examination of Chris’s hopes and fears. An account of being tricked by a modeling scam is both self-aware and heartbreaking. Complex relationships with family —particularly his mother — are beautifully captured, and the way that the poems are laid out on the page is endlessly inventive and immersive.

We follow Chris through secondary school and college life at UCD. Through painful struggles with scarring and body image. Through distressing crushes on boys, coming out, self doubt, and ultimately, embracing himself as a gay man who deserves passion and love. There is a choppy quality to the way time moves between poems that helps to convey the confusion of Chris’s experiences with health and wellness, and of adolescence more generally. Highly recommended for fans of Dean Atta and Meg Grehan.

Rachel Sneyd

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Review: The Deep-Sea Duke by Lauren James

The Deep-Sea Duke
Lauren James
Cover artwork by Helen Crawford-White
Barrington Stoke, 2021
Paperback, £7.99

Hugo is an android travelling with his (rather odd) group of friends (Duke Dorian and living island Ada) to Dorian’s
home planet, Hydrox, for the summer only to run into a butterfly refugee crisis and a mysterious creature causing chaos beneath the sea.

In The Deep-Sea Duke, James creates the intricate world of Hydrox and throws us in feet first, and yet the planet is familiar enough that she is able to do so. James uses mythological creatures that already exist in our mythos and puts
a beautiful spin on them, making them unique in her newest novel. James’s language is simple and eloquent, and her dialogue snappy and realistic.

The Deep-Sea Duke drew me in from the first chapter with its colourful characters, hilarious interactions, and fun premise, and it kept me entertained with its excellent and teen-friendly depictions of the climate crisis, racism, and LGBT+ love. The protagonists get what they need by the end of the book, but not necessarily what they want. The story emphasises that this is okay. While aimed at readers aged twelve and up, this novel is a mesmerising science-fiction story perfect for children, teens and adults alike who like to step into a new world.

The Deep-Sea Duke is the perfect story to read in one sitting on a warm summer day in the garden with a fresh glass of lemonade. Or any day, really. This book is just that good.

Elliot Gallogly

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Review: My Epic Spring Break (Up) by Kristin Rockaway

My Epic Spring Break (Up)
Kristin Rockaway
Underlined, April 2021
Paperback, £7.99
ISBN 9780593180112

This book is a fun, coming-of-age story revolving around the friends-to-lovers trope.

My Epic Spring Break (Up) is a contemporary novel about a girl experiencing love for the first time. The plot is simple: Ashley, a coding prodigy, thinks that she has her future planned out with the end goal of working in Silicon Valley as a software engineer. When Ashley’s future plans confront an obstacle, she decides to live more adventurously, leading her down the road of having a very eventful Spring Break.

The book is easy to read and the fast pacing conveys the sudden changes in Ashley’s life. I could see a younger YA audience between ages 12-14 especially enjoying it. To me, it was evident that the characters portrayed classic stereotypes: the nerd, the prankster, the popular girl and the troublemaker. The most entertaining character was the prankster Jason, Ashley’s childhood friend. A key characteristic to this book is the references to Taylor Swift songs as they complement moments that happen to Ashley and describe her feelings. This adds a soundtrack to the book which I thought was a nice addition. I believe this book would be an amazing introduction for young readers into contemporary YA!

Eimear Feeney, teen reviewer

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Review: As Far as You’ll Take Me by Phil Stamper

As Far As You’ll Take Me
Phil Stamper
Bloomsbury YA, 2021
Paperback, £7.99
ISBN 9781526630728

Marty is a 17-year-old (mostly closeted) gay kid from Kentucky with a passion for playing the oboe. His parents are devoted Christians. He tells them he has been accepted to the famous Knightsbridge music academy in London and heads over to stay with his aunt Leah and cousin Shane — but really, he is trying to escape.

We follow Marty as he discovers not just his sexuality, but himself. Even still, As Far As You’ll Take Me is not about self-discovery as much as the discovery of others: that letting people into your life is always a risk, that others will somehow fail you as often as you fail them, but that they are worth it. It is about the reality of love as opposed to the ideal. Stamper’s biggest achievement in this book is to show how love is a kind of effort that we make with people.
Not all the book’s threads quite lead in this direction: in particular, Marty’s relationship with one of his Kentucky friends is not quite fleshed out and feels unresolved at the end. But in general, the book moves with feeling.

The narrative is often light-hearted and full of quips, mostly fish-out-of-water stuff that simulates the experience of an American teenager abroad for the first time. These are funny and give the book a roundedness: there aren’t so many as to overwhelm an Irish reader. The book contains discussions of mental illness, eating disorders, and troubled family relationships — it handles these sensitively and sincerely.

Rory O’Sullivan