A Fijian national has been shortlisted for the 2015 Commonwealth Short Story Prize which attracted nearly 4000 entries – a record number.
Mary Rokonadravu is one of 22 finalists who have made the shortlist and the only one from a Pacific island.
Rokonadravu says she finds inspiration in the lives of ordinary people and communities, particularly untold stories of people in the frontlines of climate change and environmental degradation in the Pacific islands region.
She believes in the power of culture and the arts, particularly storytelling, to inspire transformation in society.
Her story is titled ‘Famished Eels’.
Twenty-two stories from eleven countries around the world make up the shortlist which according to the judges, reflect the breadth and quality of writing in the Commonwealth today.
Five regional winners will be drawn from the shortlist on 28 April.
