Two Step

Prospect magazine commissioned this illustration for Two Step, a short story by Maile Meloy from a new collection called Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It. “I wanted to write about love and adultery in such a way that the nature of the story changes, as you read it,” she told Prospect, “in which the power shifts among the characters and what you understand about them turns, and turns again.”

Maile Meloy’s first novel, Liars and Saints was shortlisted for the 2005 Orange prize. She is also the author of the novel A Family Daughter and the short story collection Half in Love. Her stories have been published in the New Yorker, Granta, Prospect and other publications. In 2007, she was named one of Granta’s Best Young American Novelists. Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It (to be published by Canongate in March) was selected as one of the New York Times Book Review’s Ten Best Books of 2009. She lives in Los Angeles.

Art direction by David Killen.

The Not-Dead and the Saved

Prospect magazine commissioned this illustration for a poignant, thought-provoking story by Kate Clanchy about parental love and sacrifice in a hospital ward. The Not-Dead and The Saved has been awarded this year's V.S. Pritchett Memorial Prize and the BBC National Short Story Award.

Clanchy's story has been praised for its "rich lyricism" and "deeply affecting style ... an account of a deeply painful experience" that becomes "richer on every re-reading." Critics were impressed by its "acute control of emotional tone and by the vividness and generosity of the writing." Listen to Penelope Wilton reading the story here.

Kate Clanchy was born in Glasgow in 1965 and educated in Edinburgh and Oxford. She currently lives in Oxford where she now works as a teacher, journalist and freelance writer.

Art direction by David Killen.

Taming the banks

Adair Turner, chairman of the FSA, answers a group of leading financial analysts in this month's Prospect magazine, calling for greater vigilance from big investors, global agreements that regulate financial insiders and a recalibration of moral values for the world's biggest industry.

Art direction: David Killen; inspiration: Gustav Moreau.

Haunted

Prospect magazine commissioned this illustration for Haunted, a memoir by Kamran Nazeer. His best friend Ben killed himself but then continued to make appearances. Kamran doesn't believe in ghosts or life after death, but he wants Ben to go.

Art direction by David Killen.

Magic

Magic is a short story by Carlo Gébler about a persistent drug trafficker serving time for his offences. Gébler was born in Dublin in 1954 and has taught at Trinity College Dublin, Queen’s University Belfast and HMP Maghaberry, where he has been writer in residence since 1997. He is "drawn to conflict as a writer, and you’ll find there is no greater crucible of conflict than a prison.”

Commissioned by David Killen for Prospect magazine.

Living Arrangements

Living Arrangements is a new short story by Alistair Morgan about a woman who discovers an uninvited guest in her home. The author was inspired by two incidents. The first was "a news story about a man in Japan who discovered a woman secretly living in his apartment. He found her by setting up cameras after noticing his food was disappearing. The second was last year’s outbreak of violence in South Africa. Immigrants from neighbouring countries were attacked and killed after being accused of stealing local jobs."

Commissioned by David Killen for Prospect magazine.

Door in your Eye

Door in your Eye is a curious short story by Wells Tower about a large hearted old man viewing the world from a studio flat window. The sense of unfulfilled desire, world weariness and alienation - contained by doors and windows - immediately suggested Edward Hopper . . . which sounds unbearably sad but without spoiling the story let's just say it doesn't turn out as you might expect. Door in your Eye is taken from a new collection by Wells Tower called Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned (Granta).

Commissioned by David Killen for Prospect magazine.