What is Underdog?
Underdog is the first #LoveOzYA anthology for unpublished writers. The project was specifically designed to foster the growth of aspiring Australian young adult fiction writers, and to provide them with a platform to have their voices heard.
Featured Short Stories
‘My geek is hard to harness. And now that I’m actually in the same room as Matthias Brown it’s bucking like a full-grown unicorn. I’m sure he did a longitudinal survey of my entire life and decided to write a novel. Even the main character is called Cooper. It’s uncanny, and slightly unsettling, but entirely life-affirming.’ - Meet and Greet by Michael Earp
‘A place can soak through your skin like sweat, and ooze into your heart and soul. Breathe it in, and let me tell you a story.’ - Breathe Me In, by Sophie L Macdonald.
‘Back then, the seasons were shorter and the weather was milder and the food tasted better—although not everyone had it, not even then. Cold and hot existed but there were happy mediums as well, like spring afternoons and summer showers, or the smearing of pastel colours during the sunrise. Not like today.’ - Remnants, by KM Stamer-Squair.
‘ “It’s just… I’m turning nineteen in a few weeks and everyone else’s powers came in during puberty or a little after. Maybe once you hit a certain age and your powers haven’t come in, you automatically get the power of a spinster aunt or something. Maybe I’ll become like a homing beacon for cats.” ’ - Mediocre Heroes, by Sarah Taviani.
‘When she woke in the morning, the sun was hot and glaring, and Marlowe hoped the night before had all been a dream. A strange dream, but a dream nonetheless. She sat up and barely smothered a scream. The swan sat at the end of her bed, a blotch of darkness in the bright room.’ - The Swan, by Felicity Martin.
‘In Wagga, nobody ever commented on how I looked different, but I often felt that it was implied. Here in Sydney, I finally felt comfortable in my own skin.’ - The Chinese Menu for the Afterlife, by Vivian Wei.
‘I played footy for years—for Dad’s sake—but I knew, deep down, that I was just wasting my time. And I’ve always believed that if you can’t be the absolute best at something, then why bother? Why live a mediocre life doing one thing when you can be bloody brilliant doing something else? And the thing is, I’m really good at ballet.’ - Variation, by Tobias Madden.
‘Autumn knows the difference between what makes a person happy—a Macca’s run after school, grabbing a pet and holding them tight—and what happiness actually is: chemicals.’ - Chemical Expression, by Jes Layton.
‘The government finally sounded the alarm—a constant beep emitted from speakers bolted to the roofs of all the skyscrapers—and started herding us all out of the city, setting up a refugee camp above the coastal plain. That was my seventeenth birthday.’ - The Bees, by Stacey Malacari.
‘It was Liz’s idea to leave, to make it an adventure. Her parents bought her the Corolla as a present for being the first person in her family to finish high school, without realising she’d be going overseas a year later. Feeling quite indebted and guilty, she wanted to use it as much as possible. Really give it a whirl before flying away from home—from me.’ - The Gap Between Us, by Sofia Casanova.
‘When I open my eyes again I’m in the lounge, still lying on Romy’s lap. His fingertips are gentle on my scalp and on my shoulder and on my chest, making faint patterns on my body. His ghost fingers glide underneath my clothes and through my hair. I can almost pretend it’s real.’ - Afterdeath, by Cassi Dorian
‘Olive just stares at her sister, her lips twisted, wishing she had one ounce of the easy-going spirit Rose has. She wishes the words “I can do it” didn’t fall out of her mouth so easily. She wishes she could choose herself over everyone else, but she never, ever does.’ - Living Rose, by Kaneana May
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Meet the Underdog team
Tobias Madden - Editor
Tobias is a writer, editor, avid YA reader and proud Hufflepuff from Melbourne. Recently, he edited an indie short story compilation titled WOLVES, and typeset another called Seasons of Discontent, both of which also feature a short story of his. Tobias's first novel is currently on submission, and he is thrilled to be facilitating the Underdog Short Stories project.
Sarah Taviani - Assistant Editor
Sarah has a degree in Creative and Professional Writing, and a Master of Arts in Writing, Editing and Publishing. She’s worked as an editor and journalist, and is a co-creator of book-inspired nail polish business Bottled Books. Sarah is a big fan of rainbow bookshelves, and is constantly worried that she’ll be crushed by her TBR pile.