In July 2016, Short Fiction Break hosted the 5th Anniversary Writing Contest in partnership with The Write Practice. The theme was “Scar,” and we invited writers to submit stories of 1,500 words or fewer.
Winners of the 5th Anniversary Writing Contest
We received hundreds of excellent submissions. After much deliberation, our judges selected the following winning stories:
In first place, Red Beans by Justine H. Cho.
In second place, The Tea Party by Denise Harris.
In third place, The Womb as a Tomb by Gayle Woodson.
In fourth place, The Cicatrix by Allison Walters Luther.
In fifth place, The War Within by Deb Bailey.
In sixth place, WingTips by JD Edwin.
Congratulations, everyone!
All Contest Stories
Though we could select only six prizewinners, we offered all entrants the opportunity for publication. Our writers worked hard to craft compelling stories, and their writing is well worth a read. You can find all the stories from the contest below, or navigate between them here.
The Diary by Trynda E. Adair
Icy Resolve by Tammy Adams
Inmate 7954478 by Jim Aldrich
Hope by E. Baris Altintas
Storm in a Teacup by Jennifer Alexander
Hungry Hands by Krista Alexandersdottir
Pride Goeth Before the Crash by Dorothy Al-Ghosien
My Angel by Sabrina Al-Ghosien
Scars (For the one that couldn’t speak) by angel patricks amegbe
Human Trials by Jason Anderson
The Orphan by Sarkis Antikajian
Salt by Christopher Arnold
Counting the Scars by Sandra Atkins
A Tough Lesson by Ava
Sky Lanterns for Redemption by Lourdes Badgett
Voyage of One by Ethan Bailey
New Life by Clayre Barkema
The Metamorphosis of a Good Madman by Alejandro Bastidas
The Sorting by Leanne Baston
Scars scar by Zeina Bazarbachi
Cheater by Valeri Beatrix
Green Means Go by Jason Beattie
For Him and for Me by Katianna Beaudoin
Awakened by Celestial Bedford
The Smoking Man by Laura Becker
When Morning Comes by Laura Beiler
Scars That Heal by J E Bennett
The Forgiveness Curse by Robert Lynn Berman
Broken Home, Happy Memory by Rodrigo Blanco
White Chips by Retta Bodhaine
Dancing Trees by Esther St. Juste Bondi
the scars we left behind by justin boote
218 by Katie Booth
Just one more time by Debbie Brassard
The Wounded Healer by Amanda Brend
Hurting Words, Healing Words by Hannah Bright
On My Own by Kelly Brookbank
Dreamer by Jane Brunton
A Real Good Person by Tracey Buchanan
The Hero of Pegwell Boggs by Grace Allman Burke
The Memory of Breath by Catherine Callicott
The Old Woman and Her Scars by Josephine Starla Campbell
How Aunt Lavinia Got Her Scar by LOUISE CANFIELD-SANDER
Self-Confinement by Lesley Cara
From a Child’s Perspective by Susan Carpenter
The Making of Scars by Ann Case
The dark face of moons by SARAH CLACK
The Disappearance of Bronwyn James by Valorie Clark
Sacred Scars by Charmaine
A Scar for A Scar by Joslyn Chase
The Bobrix by Pem Charnley
The Scar Game by Gaelle Chatenet
Stripper With a Dream by Cassidy Chilcott
To James: The Things I Should Have Said by Hayden Church
The perfect scar by Sef Churchill
Sitting in the Shade with Jeremiah Rust by Simon Ciappara
The Warrior’s Scar by CJ Clark
Everything I Had by JB Clark
one by cheryl coder
Darkness by Lee Conde
Just Like Me by Julia Condon
The Martyr by Michael Conlon
The Handover by Paula M. Coulter
The Title Is Everything by Samuel Cronin
Christmasitis by Bluedolphin Crow
The Scars of Victory by Fred Cucchi
The New Girl on Bus #5 by Cherie Dargan
Where the Sun Doesn’t Shine by Ross Deatrick
Holding On by Bryant DeBerry
My Heart and Soul by Melissa (Missy) De Graff
For Life by William J. DeProspo
FORGET by Sharon Dobbs
Red Is the Color of Anger by Nancy Dohn
Scar by Jeremy Dorfman
The Kid With a Dream by Vincent Drakes
Annie by DQ
We Survived Something by Nicole Dwigans
A Scar Deep Within by Janine Eadie
Forearms by Emily
The Final Flight by Shawn English
Self-Inflicted by Nancy Epperly
Rise Above by Peggy Ernest
Tough Love by Kristen Esselment
Heather’s Circle by Rohn Federbush
Hidden Scars by PJ Feliz
Through You by Saray Fitzhenry
Healing Rosa by Shane Fitzpatrick
Interview With the 12 Days Killer by EJ Flynn
Survivor by Sarah Ford
Scars We Share by Annscher Fouche
Stoning Dooley Parker by Bob Gardner
Match Point by L.E. Gibler
Abracadabra by Michelle Glassley
There’s Something in the Woods by Monica Gransee
Yellowed Indigo by Nicole Grant
You’re Wearing That? by Janine Gray
Whippoorwill Silent by Laurel Grube
Slave by Jessica Gruber
The Life and Adventures of a Desk-Job Confabulator by Alexandra Jade Goh-McMillen
Scarred by Karen Goldrick
Not Alone by Linda Gonzalez
Scarred by Anindita Choudhury Sen Gupta
Tuesday Afternoon by Aryaa Gurjar
What Good Are Scars? by Konnie Hall
Coffee Stop by Loretta Hamilton
My Pulse by Amy Hardy
Emotional Scars Don’t Always Heal by Kellie Hatman
Wheelchair Future by Katrina Hawkins
Thank You for Your Service by Tom Heaven
What a Ride by S. J. Henderson
Spare the Rod by Marion Hermannsen
Our Guy by Mark Heyer
Bloody Scared by judith Higgins
Two Scarred by Julie Hodges
Do you have any scars? by Coleen Holley
Sanctuary by Joan Huggins
Nothing Ventured . . . by Jonathan Hutchison
Look Me in the Eyes by Alyssa Inlow
The Scar you left behind by Taylor Irwin
Picture Perfect by Paul Isaac
Hooks by Jordan James
Scar by Phoenix James
Scar on the Floor by Alan Jarrett
Promise and Pain by Mira Johnson
Lies by Teresa (Tess) Karlinski
The Soul Print on the Shell of My Heart by kawtar
The Momento by A.R Kelly
Just Ask by Jennifer Kelly
Losing Joy by Jane Kenyon
A Happy Duet by Wanda Kiernan
Sick People by Vanessa Kilmer
Let’s Do Lunch by Kimiko
Family Ties by James Knox
Magic Is What Magic’s Not by Tiffany Ko
On Memory’s Dock by Andrea Krist
Back Soon Baby JJ by Faye Kristine
The Curse by Michael Ksiezopolski
The Scar Reader by Anton Kucera
Mine by Chris LaRoche
Seven Hours to Freedom by A. M. Larrivee
Forgiving the Man Next Door by Cathy Leach
Blue, Red by Monique Legaspi
The Scars that Lit Your Way by Olivia Leitner
The Accidental Charm by Jeanne Lemire
Retribution by Avon Leonard
Love Scar by Patti Lioon
Pink by Gary Little
A Scarred Heart by Debra Lobel
Grandma’s Scar by Phil Logan
Scars by ricky lucier
Once Upon a Time in Havana by Claire M. Machado
Threatened by Shell Madden
Paper Heart by Jordan Majka
Say Something by Janette Malcolm
DIARY OF A SNOWFLAKE by CHRISTOPHER A. MALONE
The Girl Who Didn’t Care by Bart Mann
Wounded Healer by Michael Mara
The Siren’s Scar by Ricardo Markland
My Mother’s Hands by Deb Martens
The Life of Riley by Mary Jo Martin
The German Trip by Frank Martin
The Samaritan by Ethan McCray
Autumn of 1940 by Donna McGuinness
Beyond Comprehension by C. McKane
Love Holds the Answer by Elizabeth McKenna
Invisible Scars by Alisa McNulty
Perfect Penelope’s Burden by Laura Meemken
An Honest Morning by Lara Mekkawi
A Beer for a Scar by Dennis Melancon
A Migraine in May by Cindy Mendelson
The Scars of Injustice by Holley Mesler
The Deep Freeze by Amber D. Meyer
The Shadows by Sofia Miller
The Minister by Stephanie Mohs
Scars Aren’t Beautiful by Molly & Hanna
The Visit by Elin Molin
SILENT Is My BREED by Shalea Montamez
Dammit, Jack by Jordan Motley
Collateral Damage by michelle muhs
Tell the Story by Pamela Mytroen
Lessons From the Bar by Vince Nakovics
Off-Track by Ryan Neave
Stars and Darkness by David Nelson
Hoochie Mamas! by Margaret Nelson
The Concrete Proposal by Catherine Nichols
Rift by Miriam Nicholson
Scar by Katja Nilsson
One Last Chance by Emily Nikiforuk
The Scarlett M by Shana Nizeul
Take Me Away by Jenn Nguyen
Cherchez la Femme by Sandor Novak
Flesh by Brian Nuckols
The Fire in the Sky by Raquel Nweze
Big Brother Is Always Watching by Trish Olson
Winged Victory by Nora O’Reilly
Scars That Bind by Marka Ormsby
On the Edge by K.C.Otenti
What I See at Night by Kelsey Page
The Crucible of Character by Louise Pare-Lobinske
Forsaken by A.D. Pate
The Swimmer by Mary Patrick
The Space Between by Jen Paulin
Turning of the Tide by Brandon Perkins
Highway 12 by Patricia Perry
Night Scar by Wendy Pearson
Metallic Yellow Ferraris by Tope Phillips
Your Number’s Up by Tricia Pilkington
Miss Sting Ray by Wicky Poarch
The Dead Light by Céline Poulin-Lape
Just Breathe by Rosemary Prawdzik
Repercussions by Sarah Prescott
In Secrets and in Lies by Betty Prophète
the future is now by Inês Pupo
For She Was Lost by Naomi Quezada
The Unripe Guava by Samran Ramzan
Shoots and Leaves by Priya Rajdev
I AM SCARLETT by Judy Reeves
Some You Can’t Heal by Steven Reid
Snake’s serenade by Matilda Reys
Scar by Noelle Reyes
Sorrow Can Turn to Joy by Elizabeth Ricci
First Cut by Gavin Ritchie
The Book Club by Kristin Rivers
Remembering the Dogs of War by Michael D. Roberts
Stranger Than Fiction by Candace Robinson
SCATTERED CHAIRS by Maite Rodriguez
Cast to the Flesh by Angela Rooker
Scars Are Here to Stay by Rana Roshdy
That’s going to leave a Scar by S. Timona Ross
Three by Kimberly Russell
I Think of the Burns by Reshma S
Red Painted Pillars by Farah Sadek
Nicks and Dings by Sonja Salcido aka Soni Cido
The Birthmark by Christian Sarti
wounds of childhood by Susan Schadler
A Scar on My American Psyche by Trina M Schartz
A Bad Day by Mackenzie Scherer
The Scar of Her Mind by Hannah Scheuter
The Telescope by Stacey Seaman
Calypso—Scarred and Confused by Joao Serro
Scars and Stories by Joe Sewell
The Favor by Courtney Seyl
A Family Affair by Smita Shandelya
Family Written on Her Face by Laura Shay
The Dirty by Randall Shreve
Healing by Sarah J. Siedenburg
Statistics by Leasa Simmons
The Bitter Taste of Success by Meghana Singh
Moonlit Escapades by Erika Skorstad
TK6 by Amber Smith
The Scarred Stranger by Marye Smith
Roadmap by Marg Sooley
Matching Scars by Liora Sophie
The Nanny by Kara Soylular
I’m Sorry by Amanda Spain
Can we stay? by Chel-Mari Spies
SCARs by Renette Steele
The Whisper of the Orb by D.A. Steen
I Won’t Change by Cassandra Steller
Truth scars the Most by LaJoyce Stewart
The Dragon’s Kiss by Edmund Stone
One Day by Annette Swafford
Laundry by Elisabeth Swann
What Now? by Drago Tan
The Things We Don’t Say by Tara
When Love Stopped by Jeanine Taylor
Bat Wings by Theo
Lionel by Eric Therkilsen
My First Scar by Pbo Toki
A Wish for a Scar by Lisa Van Ahn
Hope Whispers by Dawn Van Beck
Scars on My Funny Bone by Mike Van Horn
Outsides Match the Insides by Rebecca Van Horn
A Daughter’s Heart by Elizabeth Wafler
An Unhealed Scar by Karen Watkins
Regards, Logic by Lauren Webb
A Wild Ball of Golden Fur by Kody Wescott
A Thin White Line by Waldo Wesley
A Woman on Her Thirtieth Birthday by Ametha Williams
Apple Pie by AJ Wilkerson
Memories on Our Skin by Stephanie Williams
The Working Girl by J.D. Wills
Invisibility by Olivia Wisse
Inside and Out by Jenna Wolfstone
Vows by Liberty Wright
What Makes a Hero by John Wood
Unattainable by Kayla Xu
Partners in Crime by Pauline Yates
My Scar by Teng Kim Yen
Father’s Day by Jenny Young