The twelfth year of the incredibly successful anthology of the BBC National Short Story Award shortlist. This year, no.1 bestselling author Joanna Trollope will be chairing the judging panel, taking the mantle from Radio 4's 'Women's Hour' presenter Jenny Murray. Trollope, known as one of the most insightful chroniclers and social commentators writing today is also a long-time short story writer. Trollope is joined by an esteemed panel of award-winning writers and literary specialists: Baileys Prize winner, Eimear McBride (Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction), Jon McGregor (IMPAC Award, short story writer and academic), Sunjeev Sahota (Encore Award winner), and returning judge Di Speirs, Books Editor at BBC Radio. All the judges are eager to read the best, and most innovative, works of short fiction from new and established writers. Last year's winner was K J Orr with her story 'Disappearances'. As always, this book will be strictly embargoed until the announcement of the shortlist on Radio 4's Front Row at 7:15pm on Friday 15th September. The shortlisted stories will be broadcast between Monday 18th - Friday 22nd September accompanied by interviews with the authors from the 15th September. The winner will be announced in a live broadcast from the Award ceremony on BBC Radio 4's Front Row from 7.15pm on Tuesday 3 October 2017. Previous shortlisted authors include Hilary Mantel, David Constantine, Lionel Shriver and Zadie Smith.