carole morin's first impact as a writer was as a prize winner of the bridport short story competition in 1984. john fowles described her entry "thin white girls" as 'an intriguing blend of sophistication and innocence'. she followed this by winning the stand short story competition in 1987, for which the judge was angela carter. "thin white girls" was subsequently published by faber & faber in their prestigious first fictions collection along with her stand-prize-winning short story "hotel summer" later republished in the herald newspaper.