Saboteur Awards Festival 2022: The shortlists!
At Sabotage Reviews HQ we’ve been buried underneath votes for the last week or so. It’s been a delight, as always, to see these votes flood in and to see the excitement around social media in support of them. This year more so than ever I’ve taken stock of how important these awards are, especially as it will be my last year involved in this process. The job is a hard but joyous one, and it’s been an honour to be a part of this for the last four years. Thank you to everyone who voted and supported it all. Now, after all of that, it gives me great pleasure to announce this year’s shortlists…
Note: I have endeavoured to provide links to relevant websites and purchases pages. That said, some artists and organisations can be harder to pin down than others and I’m also aware that preferences may have changed in terms of what information is being shared and promoted here. If you would like your information to be edited somehow, please do email me at [email protected].
The form for the second round of votes is now available HERE.
While you’re here, why not take a browse at our accompanying festival line-up? All of our events will be taking place online this year so they’re easy to attend, and we’ve tried to collate a programme that caters to a wide range of needs and interests. The listing is available just HERE.
Best Short Story Collection Shortlist
- Fauna by David Hartley
- The Evolution of Birds by Sara Hill
- 100neHundred by Laura Besley
- No one has any intention of building a wall by Ruth Brandt
Special mention to:
- Only About Love by Debbi Voisey
- Dreaming in Quantum and Other Stories by Lynda Clark
- I Am the Mask Maker and other stories by Rhiannon Lewis
- The Map Waits by Sharon Telfer
Best Spoken Word Performer Shortlist
Special mention to:
- Jasmine Gardosi
- Ilaria Passeri
- Elizabeth McGeown
- Kathryn O’Driscoll
Best Magazine Shortlist
Special mention to:
- Ellipsis Zine
- Finished Creatures
- Streetcake
- Ink, Sweat and Tears
Best Literary Festival Shortlist
Special mention to:
- UniSlam
- Ledbury Poetry Festival
- StAnza
- Flash Fiction Festival
Best Novella Shortlist
- Crossing the Lines by Amanda Huggins
- Kipris by Michelle Christophorou
- How to bring him back by Claire HM
- Hairy on the inside by Tracy Fells
Special mention to:
- The Listening Project by Ali McGrane
- What will says by Lynne Buckle
- Taking flight by JT Torres
- Small things like these by Claire Keegan
Best Poetry Pamphlet Shortlist
- Lemonade in the Armenian Quarter by Sarah Mnatzaganian
- If All This Never Happened by Vicky Morris
- Pneuma by Faye Alexandra Rose
- Weeding by Jess McKinney
Special mention to:
- I am a Spider Mother by Flora Cruft
- The Kidnapping of Self-Kindness by Chris Singleton
- My Name is Mercy by Martin Figura
- May We All Be Artefacts by Chloe Hanks
Best Regular Spoken Word Night Shortlist
- Verbose (Manchester)
- Sayin? (Manchester)
- Fire and Dust (Coventry)
- Flash Face Off (Online)
Special mention to:
- Blue Balloon Theatre (Manchester)
- Tonic (Bristol)
- Flight of the Dragonfly (Online)
- Switchblade Society (Manchester)
Best Spoken Word Show Shortlist
- Turtle by Broccan Tyzack-Carlin
- Outlier by Malaika Kegode
- Dancing to music you hate by Jasmine Gardosi
- Becoming marvellous by Cathy Carson
- How to be a better human by Chris Singleton
Special mention to:
- I am 10,000 by Harry Baker
- Lady Ilaria’s Drawers by Ilaria Passeri
- Dry Season by Kat Lyons
- Bold by Nathan Evans
Most Innovative Publisher Shortlist
Special mention to:
- Fawn Press
- Broken Sleep Books
- Fairlight Books
- Fair Acre Press
Best Reviewer of Literature Shortlist
Special mention to:
- Melissa Todd
- Dzifa Benson
- Vic Pickup
- Laura Besley
Best Collaborative Work Shortlist
- Offcumdens by Bob Hamilton and Emma Storr
- GenderFux by Jem Henderson, Jonathan Kinsman, JP Seabright
- Eat the Storms convened by Damien Donnelly
- Same But Different by Katrina Naomi and Helen Mort
Special mention to:
- The Candlelit Sessions produced by Kathryn O’Driscoll
- First Line Poets Project
- The Dirigible Balloon
- The Conversation by Jo Burns and Emily Cooper
Best Anthology Shortlist
- 81 Words Flash Fiction Anthology (Victorina Press)
- Elements: Natural & The Supernatural (Fawn Press)
- Snow Crow (Ad Hoc Fiction)
- Songs of Love and Strength (Mum Poem Press)
Special mention to:
- Hit Points: An anthology of video game poetry (Broken Sleep Books)
- Ten Ways the Animals Will Save Us (Retreat West)
- The Weight of Feathers (Retreat West)
- What Meets the Eye? The Deaf Perspective (Arachne Press)
Thanks again to everyone who voted. If you’d like to cast you in this second round of voting, you can access the voting form here.
The 2022 winners will be announced at a LIVE awards ceremony taking place at the Library of Birmingham on May 14, 2022. Tickets are available NOW for anyone who would like to come along to see our winners announced, and to network and re-connect with new and long-standing literary friends. The ticket purchase page is available HERE.
Warm wishes,
The Sabotage Reviews team!
