Jonathan Tel has won the 2015 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for his story, The Human Phonograph. The story is set in 1960s China and encompasses major events and the culture of the time.
Tel was one of five regional winners selected from 4,000 entries, his being the entry for Canada and Europe.
“I think of the short story, along with all the other stories that were regional winners, as existing, as it were, alongside each other, having a sort of genial conversation, stories interacting and remarking to each other,” Tel says.
He is currently writing a novel made up of several short stories about contemporary China, including The Shoe King of Shanghai, which was shortlisted for the Sunday Times EFG Award 2014. He is looking for a publisher for the book. Tel is also writing a book of poems about Berlin.
Entries are now being accepted for the 2016 Prize. For more information see: www.commonwealthwriters.org
