From The Cauldron: Women’s Voices in the 21st Century

A bold new collaboration between Pen to Print, The Boathouse Studios and ByTheBook

On International Women’s Day, we are delighted to announce the twenty-one winners of our short story competition, celebrating our diverse community of women writers and femme-identifying individuals. The competition was launched at the Boathouse on 31 October 2025. The judges asked writers to share the stories – whether fiction or memoir – that make us who we are. They were looking for bold, authentic narratives that explore how women rise, resist, and reclaim their space in the world – voices that challenge silence and celebrate the many ways women navigate and own their power.

With nearly one hundred entries from all over the UK, the judges were thrilled with the range of writing – a powerful chorus of women’s voices sharing stories of transformation, memory, rites of passage and bold spirit.

Now each of the winning stories will be professionally edited, and preparation will start for the publication of the From the Cauldron anthology, which will be launched on 31 October 2026.

Winners:

Danielle Marie Cahill – London | Maddy Casey – Somerset | Lisa Chatterjee – Newcastle upon Tyne | JM Cyrus – London | Bronagh Daly – Leeds | Anne Elicano-Shields – London | Naomi Elster – London | Allyson Gadbury – Buckinghamshire | Jeannie-Ellen Gale – Buckinghamshire | Gillian Gilmore – Northern Ireland | Dorinda Hulton – Exeter | Rachel Lindo – Hertfordshire | Beth Parker – Nottingham | Hannah Pettitt – Norfolk | Taslin Pollock – Falkirk | Nazarat Ranea – Edinburgh | Fahima Sahabdeen – London | Sue Turbett – Buckinghamshire | Mary Walsh – Hornchurch | Lesley Webb – Wiltshire | Amanda Wynne – Romford

www.bythebook.press

www.pentoprint.org Carole Pluckrose (CEO/Artistic Director)