The short memoirs in this anthology are the inaugural finalists of what has become known, affectionately, as The Amy Award. The pieces represent a range of styles: a lyric essay; a travel chronicle; a letter to a younger self; a portrait of a forgotten relative; tales of childhood, coming of age, family tensions and surrenders; vignettes of caring for ageing parents; and a sketch of powerlessness and love during the pandemic.

While they vary in subject and form, these essays all contain the common pulse of grounding, resonant love. In the words of award-winning memoirist, Anne Bokma, the judge of this year's contest: "Each of these short memoir pieces is a unique jewel that illuminates some aspect of our human experience."

The International Amy MacRae Award for Memoir was created in celebration of the life of Amy MacRae and in support of her legacy to improve the outcomes of women with ovarian cancer.

All proceeds from this book are donated to Amy's Living Legacy in support of ovarian cancer research.