Waving at the Gardener

The Asham Award is a biennial award for short stories by women which, since 1996, has been promoting and encouraging innovative, ground-breaking writing for the future Features four commissioned writers (Margaret Atwood, Esther Freud, Alison MacLeod and Yiyun Li) and twelve finalists of the Asham Award 2009 Published to coincide with the prize-giving ceremony for the Asham Award 2009 at the Small Wonder Festival. The judges this year are Di Speirs, Erica Wagner and David Constantine

A new collection of the best in contemporary women's writing to celebrate the Asham Award 2009'As a woman I have no country. As a woman my country is the whole world' Virginia Woolf Asham House in Sussex was once home to Virginia and Leonard Woolf and is the inspiration behind the Asham Award. Launched in 1996 to support and encourage new writers, it is Britain's only prize for short stories by women. Waving at the Gardener presents the twelve fresh, engaging and original voices shortlisted for the Asham Short-Story Award 2009, as well as four specially commissioned new stories by beloved authors Margaret Atwood, Esther Freud, Alison MacLeod and Yiyun Li.