2022

Two Side Steps and a Forward

November 2022: Longlisted in Flash 500 Competition

His green jumper

March 2022: Longlisted in Free Flash Fiction

On a Rising Current

February 2022: Longlisted (no shortlist) in Reflex Fiction Flash fiction Competition.  READ >

The Sunset Peach and The LemonTree

January 2022: Cranked Anvil Flash Fiction – 2nd place  READ >

2021

Casper’s Galleon

December 2021: Finalist in Joanne Burns Micro Lit Award.

A Man, a Woman and a Cherry Chocolate.

December 2021 longlisted on Retreat West’s Echo Themed competition.

Unblinking

November 2021: Longlisted on Retreat West Micro Fiction Competition.

Collateral Damage 

November 2021: Published in Fifty Word Stories

Rumba of Second Chance

November 2021: Shortlisted on Flash 500.

Comment by the judge:
‘The Rumba of Second Chance tells a poignant story through small, well-chosen details. I include this in the category of ‘ambitious’ as it can be incredibly difficult to tell quieter stories; each choice of what to include and what to leave out can make or break the piece.’

The Sweetness of Baklava 

November 2021: Longlisted on Free Flash Fiction.

The Fragility of Together

October 2021: Longlisted on Bath Flash Fiction Award.

To be published in forthcoming anthology December 2021

The Winter of Relationship

September 2021: Shortlisted on Mum Life Stories.

Retreat West Micro Fiction competition
PEOPLE’S PRIZE WINNER and
Runner up THE JUDGES PRIZE  READ >

The Hollow

September 2021: Shortlisted on Mum Life Stories.

The Woman in the Pink Hoody

August 2021: Longlisted (no shortlist) on Reflex Fiction READ >

Sharon Boyle on twitter:
‘Love it – the language, the feeling, but especially the story.’  

Sudha Balagopal on twitter:
‘Such an intriguing piece! Well done, Dettra.’

Katia Sass on twitter:
‘Absolutely stunning story. I told my husband about it in the car.’

Guarding the Broken Gate

July 2021: Longlisted in Free Flash Fiction Competition Four.

His DNA in the Dust

June 2021: People’s Prize Winner  – Retreat West’s Micro Fiction monthly competition. READ >

“We loved this story for the way it transports you through the senses and the sense of complete story in so few words.”

The Woman in the Pink Hoody

April 2021: Longlisted in the Australian Writers Centre Furious Fiction Competition.

Tomorrow when the Tears Come

April 2021: Longlisted in Free Flash Fiction Competition 3.

The Rubble of Longing

March 2021  Nominated for BIFFY 50  (Best British Irish Flash Fiction 20/21)

Love and Lipstick 

March 2021: Longlisted in Retreat West micro Fiction monthly competition.

Thicker than Water

March 2021: Longlisted in Free Flash Fiction 300-word competition.

Love of Generations

March 2021: Honourable mention in Morgen Bailey’s 100 word Flash fiction Competition.

Two Ghosts in a Landscape 

February 2021: Longlisted in Blink Pot 2021 Flash Fiction Award.

The Twenty-Five Year Silence  READ >

January 2021: Shortlisted in Retreat West January Micro Fiction Competition

2020

Rubble of Longing  READ >

December 2020: Longlisted (no shortlist) in Reflex Fiction Flash Fiction Competition.

When Nobody Came to Stay  READ >

November 2020: Mum Life Stories Micro-Fiction Writing Competition – 3RD PLACE

Comment by Jo Caddy (Founder)
What we liked: Who doesn’t like a happy ending story? This one certainly felt satisfying in that department and was well executed and convincing, with its strong point-of-view and poignant imagery.

The Landscape of Hands  READ >

September 2020: Mum Life Stories Micro-Fiction Writing Competition – 2ND PLACE

Comment by Jo Caddy (Founder)
What we liked: A story about stories that is wonderfully descriptive with thrilling turns of phrase. It’s warm, nostalgic and invites us into the story, leaving us wanting to know more.

Two Ghosts in a Landscape

September 2020: Longlisted in Retreat West’s September Micro Fiction competition.

She Became Me  READ >

July 2020: Lightbox Originals #100Words Story Competition – 2ND PLACE

Comment by Judge Amanda Saint:

There were lovely details in this story of ageing and growing into understanding. Such a vivid picture painted of the grandmother in that first line. It left me wondering about what the glasses enabled the narrator to see and why the glasses were handed down the family line. This story is not as straightforward as it initially appears and left me with more questions than it answered.

Red Ochre Rising  READ >

June 2020: Longlisted in the Bath Flash Fiction Award.

August 2020: Longlisted (no shortlist) in Reflex Fiction Flash Fiction competition soon to be published in the forthcoming print anthology.

‘A story from the inimitable Dettra Rose, it’s a vivid and perfectly balanced piece that showcases Dettra’s fine ability to tell a tale through intimately observed sensory details.’ 

Trail of Jewels

June 2020: Longlisted in the Australian Writers’ Centre’s Furious Fiction competition.

Fire Bird and the Phoenix 

March 2020: Shortlisted in the Bath Flash Fiction Award.
Published in Bath Flash Fiction Volume Five

Relationship Maths  READ >

March 2020: Longlisted (no shortlist) in the Winter 2019 Reflex Flash Fiction competition. Published online and in the forthcoming print anthology.

Comments:

This flash is also poetry. I love the contrasts between he and she, the distance in their intimacy. And great phrases. Marvellous. John B. Mahaffie. Writer

I love this. All the feelings. Amazing. Zoe. Writer.

Relationship Maths blew me away. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since reading it. Laura Besley. Writer

In the subway  READ >

February 2020: Shortlisted in the Australian Writers’ Centre’s Furious Fiction competition.

Stones among Trees

February 2020: Longlisted on Retreat West’s ‘Earth’ themed competition.

What I’d give my husband

February 2020: Longlisted (no shortlist ) in the Mslexia Fiction Competition 2019: Flash Fiction

What lives inside  READ >

January 2020: Shortlisted in the Australian Writers’ Centre’s Furious Fiction competition.

2019

My Perfume is Chlorine  READ >

Highly Commended in TSS Publishing micro fiction competition.

Highly Commended in the BIFFY50 Microfiction Competition 2019-20

Comment by judge Emily Devane:
I loved your story, Dettra. It felt like a lifetime in a tiny story and the last line was a beauty. 

When the Party’s over  READ >

Oct 2019: Runner up in Retreat West’s October 2019 Micro Fiction competition – Published online at Retreat West.

Falling In. Falling Out.  READ >

Sep 2019: Winner of Retreat West’s September 2019 Micro Fiction competition – Published online at Retreat West.

Nominated for Best British/Irish Flash Fiction 2019/20 (BIFFY50)

When Lies Come Undone

Longlisted in Retreat West’s August 2019 Micro Fiction competition.

Alesandro Goes Home

Shortlisted in the Byron Writers Festival 2019 Flash Your Fiction competition.

Fill your boots – 100 word challenge  READ >

National Flash Fiction Day UK

June 2019: the write-in.blogspot.com challenge – To edit an existing piece down to 100 words.

The Gentle Art of Sock Balling  READ >

May 2019: Highly Commended TSS Flash 400 competition – Published online at TSS Publishing

‘I found your story so uplifting and utterly charming, Dettra.’
From Elizabeth Ingram Wallace, one of the judges

Beyond the Rattling Gate

April 2019: Longlisted in the Fish Publishing Flash Fiction Prize.

Flammable Material

March 2019: Shortlisted in the Bath Flash Fiction Award.

2018

Her Symphony  READ >

Autumn 2018: Longlisted (no shortlist) in Reflex Fiction’s Flash Fiction competition.

Published online and in Reflex Fiction Volume Two The Real Jazz Baby

Freefalling  READ >

Summer 2018: Longlisted (no shortlist ) in Reflex Fiction’s Flash Fiction competition.

Published online and in Reflex Fiction Volume Two The Real Jazz Baby

Fill your boots  READ >

February 2018: Winner of the Australian Writers’ Centre’s inaugural Furious Fiction competition

“The compact style grabbed us immediately and manages to tell so much in so few words (327 to be exact). Seven short-burst, stacked stanzas, with excellent use of repetition and a real understanding for the stages that we go through. It reads as it should, like a ‘to do list’ for a broken heart – hence why this format makes sense here. The ultimate ‘moving on’ manifesto!”