A Haddenham-based writer’s story called Popping Your Cherry has been highly commended by judges in an international writing competition.
Sarah Taylor, who recently completed a course in creative writing at Oxford University, was noted in the flash fiction category of The Bridport Prize, beating thousands of other writers.
Earlier this year, Ms Taylor performed some of her work at the Oxford Literary Festival.
Sarah’s story took the eye of renowned author and competition judge Patrick Gale, who said: “This year’s flash fiction entries were a revelation to me, perhaps because this is a form I have never knowingly practised.
“I could never have predicted that their overall standard of writing, wit and originality would be higher than the short stories, but this was undoubtedly the case.
“The envious professional in me was left longing to know how many of the writers were indeed writing for a living, or attempting to, and how many were merely cruelly gifted dabblers.
“The winners demonstrate that making a narrative extremely short need not involve sacrificing style, wit or emotional wallop.”