Short | Poto The big book of small stories | Iti te kupu, nui te korero

Short, short stories, sometimes known as flash fiction or microfiction, are one of the trickiest forms to write. Create a resonant world in fewer than 300 words? Not so easy! In this collection of 100 stories, a range of New Zealand writers, both well known and emerging, deliver emotionally charged stories that punch well above their weight and length. And there’ s more! Each of the stories has been translated into te reo Maori (and some are written in te reo and translated into English) by some of this country’ s most experienced translators, making this book a valuable contributor to our literary landscape that rewards repeated readings.

Introduction | He kupu whakataki 12 Stories | Korero 01 Airini Beautrais Self-loathing woman with snow | Wahine wetiweti ki ro hukarere 20 02 Alex Reece Abbott Crew | Kahui 22 03 Alison Glenny Feather/bone/cloud | Huruhuru/koiwi/kapua 24 04 Andrea Hotere Moving day | Te ra hunuku 26 05 Angela Trolove Blackberries | Nga parakipere 28 06 Anna Granger Territories | Nga rohe 30 07 Anne Kennedy Morning tea | Paramanawa 32 08 Anne Marie Basquin Private acts | Mahi matatapu 34 09 Anton Blank Red skirt | Panekoti whero 36 10 Apirana Taylor The overtone following through the air | Te haunga e rere nei i te rangi 40 11 Ariana Tikao Head red | Me w(h)ero te upoko 44 12 Arihia Latham Hiwa hopes | Nga manako ki a Hiwa 46 13 Averil Robertson Choices | He kowhiringa 48 14 Ben Brown Bro story | Paki parata 52 15 Bill Manhire Lyrical ballad | Waiata paki kupu 54 16 Briar Wood According to Hina | Hei ta Hina 56 17 Cadence Chung Carnal | Okiko 58 18 Cassie Hart Huka Falls | Nga Wairere o Huka 60 19 Cilla McQueen Span | Tipae 62 20 Claire Beynon Coral arranging | Te whakarite kaoa 64 21 Claudia Jardine A gift to their daughters | He oha ki a ratou tamahine 66 22 David Eggleton Perfume | Whakakakara 68 23 Diane Brown From the roof of my doll’ s house | Mai i te tuanui o taku whare tare 70 24 Emma Barnes The crowd | Te minenga 72 25 Emma Neale Frè re Jacques | Frè re Jacques 74 26 Emma Timpany Remains | Nga toenga 76 27 Erik Kennedy Self-affirming mantra | Tauaki whakatau i a tamaroto 78 28 Gail Ingram Dendrites | Nga peka roro 80 29 Grace Yee Duty | Haepapa 82 30 Hana Tuwhare Quad bike or grass? | Wha wira patiti ranei? 84 31 Harry Ricketts In the Karori supermarket | Ki ro hokomaha i Karori 86 32 Hayden Pyke Long white coats | Nga koti ma e roa ana 88 33 Heather McQuillan The weeping woman (Exhibit: TAL5662) | Te wahine tangi hotuhotu (Whakaaturanga: TAL5662) 92 34 Helen Rickerby A story about kindness | He korero mo te atawhai 94 35 Himali McInnes Marama’ s basket of kumara | Te kete kumara a Marama 96 36 Hinemoana Baker The choir | Te koaea 98 37 Ian Hosford, with Roger Whenuaroa The photograph | Te whakaahua 100 38 Iona Winter Torea | Torea 102 39 Isla Huia The moon | Te atarau 104 40 James Norcliffe A day like no other | He rangi inati 106 41 Jessica Hinerangi Horse girls | Kohine hoiho 108 42 Jordan Hamel The day the dad jokes died | Te ra i nunumi ai nga paki papa 112 43 Justine Waterson The girl in the garden of eyes | Te kotiro i te mara o nga whatu 114 44 Karlo Mila Touch in the age of Covid | Te pa a-tinana i tenei wa o te Kowheori 116 45 Kay McKenzie Cooke Clocks turned back | Te hoki whakamuri nga karaka 118 46 Khadro Mohamed 20 daughters of the east | Nga tamahine 20 no te rawhiti 120 47 Kim Te Rangiaonui Logan Watching | E mataki ana 122 48 Kiri Piahana-Wong Tappa | Tappa 124 49 Kirstie McKinnon Pussy willow | Puhi wirou 126 50 Lee Murray Fox | Pokiha 128 51 Linda Collins In the field | Kei roto i te whira 130 52 Linda Jane Keegan The Buddha in my window | Ko Buddha kei taku matapihi 132 53 Lola Elvy Drought | Tauraki 134 54 Lynley Edmeades Nothing there | Kare he aha i reira 136 55 Lynn Jenner On joy and other obligations | Mo te harikoa me etahi atu herenga 138 56 Madeleine Slavick Kahu | Kahu 140 57 Margaret Moores Moon landing | Te tauranga marama 142 58 Melanie Harding-Shaw Indenture is a nervous system | He punaha ioio te hononga 146 59 Mereana Latimer By starlight, the garden | I te aho whetu, te mara 148 60 Michele Leggott They are out on the point | Kei te kurae ratou 150 61 Michelle Elvy Tussock | Hinarepe 152 62 Michelle Rahurahu The native species | Te momo maori 154 63 Mikaela Nyman He corners you at the dairy, almost | Ka here ia i a koe i te toa, tata nei 156 64 Miriama Gemmell Did you hand-wash the tea towels? | I horoi a-ringa koe i nga ti taora? 158 65 Moata McNamara Nga wai | Nga wai 160