Louise Walters Books

Welcome to the 2024 page 100 competition results page

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I'm thrilled to announce the winner and the runners-up in this year's page 100 competition. It was a very tough decision! I had to read the page 100s many times, along with the short-listed writers' first ten pages. In the end I printed off all seven page 100s, stood up, and read them out as if performing them to an audience. I have to say, this really helped... and in the end I made my picks based on my heart: what moved me, delighted me, surprised me, or just plain old entertained me. Without further ado, many congratulations to: 

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My winner

 

Kayte Genders - Shag/Marry/Avoid

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​My runners-up 

 

Elizabeth Gill - Staring into the Dark

 

Emma Albrighton - Words and Pictures​​​

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Rod Cookson - Ill Met by Murder

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My other short-listed writers:

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Angela Young - The Seahorse Effect

Simon Martin - The Topsy Turvey Tale of Lamb SmallHands

Steven Southern - Blue Skies, Black Death​​​​​

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And my long-listed writers: ​​

 

Amanda Huskisson

Denny Jace

Emma Mather

Fiona Jefferson

Frances Merivale

Judith Gruet-Kaye

Julie Hancock

Kate MacCarthy

Kelly Railton

Maureen Ross

Rachel Davidson

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You can read each of the seven short-listed pages by clicking on the links below. Let's start with the winner, Kayte's Shag/Marry/Avoid. I must admit to noticing the title as soon as I started reading through all the entries. It's attention-grabbing, and works hard to convey the tone of the story... or does it? Read the page and see what you think... I was intrigued by the characters, and the relationship dynamics. I wanted to know what has led Rachel to this situation in her life... I also picked up on the element of sadness, perhaps even desperation, as Rachel reflects on this affair. The "sell-by date" line is revealing, and I think it was this line that made me pause and want to dig deep and re-read this page. The title is fun; the writing is fun; and the emotion is evident. Having now also read Kayte's first ten pages, I'm pleased to say my instincts were right: this is women's fiction with emotional intelligence, truth, and honesty. My deserving winner! Read Kayte's page 100 here. 

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Next, my runners-up. Any one of these could have also won, and during my deliberations, I think they all were the winner at one point or another. Rod Cookson's Ill Met by Murder is a masterclass in well-controlled dialogue with plenty of forward momentum. I had to read this page four or five times while deliberating its placing in the comp. And the first ten pages are even better. Really impressive stuff. You can read Rod's page 100 here.

 

Next, Emma Albrighton's Words and Pictures. Fabulous page with a really endearing and intriguing remark by the narrator about how this couple are holding hands... what it feels like, and what it doesn't feel like (the most important of the two, I thought). It's a great detail and was the main reason Emma's page made it this far in my competition. The attention to detail is so good. Have a read of Emma's page 100 here. 

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My final, and third, runner-up (these are not in any particular order, because I loved them all) is Elizabeth Gill's Staring into the Dark. What strikes me the most with this page is the dialogue. It's quietly confrontational, loaded with subtext, tense, and emotionally interesting. The third line from the end, which I won't spoil here for you, is just breath-taking in its observation and accuracy. Not to mention very heavily loaded. Elizabeth's page is here. 

 

Finally, my other three short-listed writers and their great page 100s. Simon Martin's novel for kids, The Twisty Turvey Tale of Lamb SmallHands, is so much fun. I was drawn to it after my initial read of all entries because it was one of the few that used the second person voice. I found myself very drawn to what this narrator had to say to me. It's a difficult device to get right, second person. But I think Simon does a good job. See what you think here.

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Angela Young's The Seahorse Effect also stood out from the earliest read through. Good dialogue, lots going on, and a great sense of forward momentum. The sort of page that is always going to do well in my page 100 comp. Here it is. 

 

And last but in no way least, Steven Southern's Blue Skies, Black Death.  This is a great page full of visual drama and intrigue. It's an arresting page and one I deliberated over for quite a while. I got that all-important sense of a story in motion. It has movement, as all my short and long-listed pages do. Have a read of Steven's page here.

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My top four entries will each have their first ten pages and page 100 critiqued, and Kayte, as the overall winner, will receive a 12-month book subscription from the very lovely Big Green Bookshop. 

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Thank you to every single writer who entered my competition this year. It's been another amazing experience!  I have now completed all the feedback, and have earned a large Baileys! ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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I'm taking a break in 2025, but will run the competition again in 2026, so do please consider entering. I will open to entries on 1 January 2026.