Nairn Book & Arts Festival launches short story competition in memory of gifted young writer

A Nairn literary festival has launched a new prize in memory of a talented young writer.

The Astley Prize is a brand new international short story competition run by the Nairn Book and Arts Festival in memory of Veyatie Astley, who lost her life in 2023.

The contest, whose chosen theme for the inaugural edition will be around “coast”, aims to celebrate bold, original storytelling and is open to writers worldwide.

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Veyatie's mum, and the festival’s artistic director, Tanera Bryden, said: "My daughter Veyatie was a gifted writer, among many other things.

“She loved writing about nature in particular, and as a family we spent a lot of time out of doors roving the wilder parts of the Highlands when she was growing up, so it is particularly special that this exciting new writing prize, launched in her memory, has the theme of 'Coast' this year."

Veyatie was a bookworm from a very early age and a fanatical fan of JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series and the Harry Potter novels.

In 2023 she was awarded Nairn Literary Institute’s Christine Kennedy Award Bursary to support her English Literature and History studies at the University of Edinburgh.

Chairman of Nairn Book and Arts Festival, Ronald Skeldon said : “In my role as president of the Nairn Literary Institute, I also had the privilege of knowing the gifted young writer after whom the prize is named.

“Her passion for learning — whether in musical theatre, skiing or painting — shone through in her application.

“However, it was her deep love of English Literature and History that became her driving force, inspiring her dream of becoming a writer. The Astley Prize is a tribute to her boundless creativity, potential and her great love of literature."

Bestselling author and former festival chairman Sean Lusk — winner of the Manchester Fiction Prize and the Fish Short Story Prize — will be the judge of this first edition of the new award.

He said: "I am truly honoured to be the inaugural judge of the Astley Prize. The competition is named in memory of Veyatie Astley, a talented young writer of boundless potential.

“I hope its launch will encourage both new and experienced writers to gain recognition. I'll be looking for original voices that surprise and intrigue."

Entries must be original, unpublished and written in English, with a maximum of 5000 words (no minimum).

The winners will receive £500 (first prize), £100 (second prize) and £50 (third prize).

Winning stories will be published on the Nairn Book and Arts Festival website and their authors will be invited to read their work at the 2025 festival’s New Writers event in early September.

Entries are open now and will close on June 30 with a £10 entry fee per story and £5 for any subsequent entries.

More information can be found at www.nairnfestival.co.uk/about/the-astley-prize

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