Danny is shortlisted for Toadstone<\/em>, the story of a lonely, awkward man who has become \u2018obsolete in his own life\u2019. A wonderfully subtle portrayal of family, ageing, sibling rivalry and childhood memory, this darkly fantastical, warm and funny story is set during \u2018toading\u2019 season when a man returns to his childhood home with a potential cancer diagnosis hanging over his head. It was inspired by lived experience and English folklore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Danny has been shortlisted alongside Lucy Caldwell for All the People Were Mean and Bad<\/em>, Rory Gleeson for The Body Audit<\/em>, Georgina Harding for Night Train<\/em> and Richard Smyth for Maykopsky District, Adyghe Oblast<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Chair of the 2021 BBC National Short Story Award judging panel is James Runcie. He is joined by Booker Prize shortlisted novelist Fiona Mozley; award winning writer, poet and winner of the Desmond Elliot Prize, Derek Owusu; multi-award-winning novelist and short story writer, Donal Ryan; and returning judge Di Speirs, Books Editor at BBC Audio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can listen to TV actor, Shaun Dooley, whose credits include It\u2019s a Sin<\/em>, Innocent<\/em> and Coronation Street<\/em> reading Toadstone <\/em>and an interview with Danny here<\/strong><\/a>. All the shortlisted stories are contained in an anthology which is available to buy from the University Bookshop<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Danny says: \u201cI was thrilled when I heard the news. Writing can be a lonely business. To have this story recognised in this fashion is like an electric jolt to the system, a reminder that it\u2019s all worth the pain. After learning I was shortlisted I immediately read the story and found myself welling up, a concoction of self-justification, pride and, rather curiously, relief. To be shortlisted (there’s only five of us) is pretty much a ‘win’ in itself. Previous shortlisted authors who didn’t win include Zadie Smith, Jackie Kay, Hilary Mantel, William Trevor, Rose Tremain and Naomi Alderman. That says it all really.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n