This March, we hosted the 2017 Summer Writing Contest in partnership with The Write Practice and JBD Entertainment. We invited writers to submit stories of 1,000 words or fewer based on one of nine urban fantasy, science fiction, and action/thriller writing prompts.
WINNERS OF THE SUMMER WRITING CONTEST
We received hundreds of excellent submissions. After much deliberation, our judges selected the following winning stories:
Grand Prize:
Subject 34 by Jacklyn Carroll
Second Place:
Whatever Happened to Jeremy Mankin? by David Safford
Third Place:
The Better Part of Valor by Joslyn Chase
Honorable Mentions (alphabetical by author):
Candy Run by Tim Grahl
The Melting Pot by James Hardesty
The Speech by Nicholas Killham
Chester by John MacIlroy
Honorable Discharge by Chris Murphy
Congratulations, everyone!
SHORTLISTED STORIES
There were so many good stories in this contest, the judges were hard pressed to narrow their selections to just a handful of winners. While the following stories didn’t win a prize, the judges noted them as some of their favorites.
Alpha by Mark Casper
Shreds of Humanity by Jeremiah Chersin
Goose-Stepping Out of Line by Valorie Clark
Sanctioned Dead Loss by Alex Crenshaw
Resurrection by Donya Dunlap
But A Walking Shadow by Jade Goh-McMillen
Festival by Sage Mandzik Kahn
Blame It On The MTA by Wanda Kiernan
The Trenches by Sandy Richards
What I Saw by Sheilah Ward
READERS’ CHOICE AWARD
The judges are deliberating over the winners of the grand prize. As they sift through the entries, we invited you to vote for your favorite story to win the Readers’ Choice Award.
The winner of the Readers’ Choice Award is It. by Suzy Monzer. Congratulations, Suzy!
WRITING CONTEST SPONSORS
The prizes for this contest are provided by the following sponsors:
JBD Entertainment: JBD Entertainment is a publishing company focused on giving readers and viewers their next great adventure. JBD Entertainment is always on the lookout for talented authors. If you’d like to learn more about publishing with them, you can submit your information here.
Becoming Writer: Becoming Writer is the premier workshopping community from The Write Practice. Contest participants receive six weeks’ access to the workshopping community to get feedback on their short stories, novel chapters, and other writing pieces.
Real Artists Don’t Starve: Real Artists Don’t Starve, the new book by bestselling author Jeff Goins, debunks the myth of the starving artist and replaces it with timeless strategies for artistic thriving. Preorder this amazing book here.
SUMMER WRITING CONTEST STORIES
You can find all the stories writers chose to publish in the contest below. If you entered a story in the contest, we encourage you to read this guide to help you get the most out of publication on Short Fiction Break.
Impersonation by Stephanie Abello
John by hasan abis
Give Daddy a Kiss by Jared Abraham
The New Normal by Amber Adams
Shooting Star by Ohita Afeisume
Admiral’s Prideby Evrim Akyilmaz
A Softened Heart by Josephine Albers
Freedom by Kayla Aldan
Blood Matter by Alexandra Aloia
Summer 2014 by Evin Barış Altıntaş
The Bang Box by Joseph P Arcara
Case Unresolved by Jenny Arsenyuk
Tahlia by Stephanie Arttus
The Thief by Alita Baggett
The Father by Cecilia Baker
The Evolution by Jessica Baker
Rusted Medal Marine by Austin Bartolo
Oppidan Spirit by Anindita Basu
OctoMedusa by Zeina Bazarbac
Closing Acheron by Amber Bengson
Night of the Spirit Walkers by Michelle Bettauer
Blue by Alex Blair
My Father a Vampire by Naveen
Act of Love by Retta Bodhaine
Family Reunion by Andreea Borcea
Initiation by Kayla Bouy
Two Men walk into a BAr by Mike Boze
The Visit by Karen Bromberg
My Hidden Talent by Kelly Brookbank
The Great Bumble by David J. Brown
Olivia by Joy Burke
Do or Die by David Burns
Lifetime Opportunity by Justin Caldwell
DREADFUL NOVEMBER by Debra Campoli
Speaking in Tongues by Angelina Capozello
Run by Samantha Caro
Operation Lynx (A John Rathbone Story) by Annie Carter
Mother’s Gift by Tom Chambless
Only a scream away by Rockebah Charles-Stewart
The Wish by Kenneth Tan
The Dark Truth about Jeanette Tanner by Kaartika
Sights by Erica Christie
Suddenly Alone. A Randall Anderson Story by Ruth Church
Scraps of Reason by Victoria Collins
Gabe’s Gift by Carly Commiato
Coffee with Vengeance by James Cook
War-torn Illusions by Olivia Couture
Night Shift by Candace Cox
The Visitor by Glenda Cox
The Baby by Karen Crawford
Medal of Honour by Robert Cullen
Future’s Past by Elisabeth Davis
Kelly’s Last Job by Robert De Lauter
The Sacrifices We Make by Rachel
Now you see it by William J. DeProspo
Technicolor Dreamscape by Vania Ding
Frackwater by Robert Lee Dixon
The Weight of War by Tyler C. Dollberg
The Soldier by Melissa Dopp
My Little Demons by Stu Ducklow
The Noble Deed by Emily Dupree
Whisky Neat by Maxwell Dyke
Change Me by Victoria Edwards
Grudge by Blake Edwards
Dog of a Deal by JD Edwin
Sticks and Stones by Jodi Elderton
The one with the Halfling by cortney emerson
The Night Force by Lauren England
Skinhead by Carmen Esposito
Before I Go by Gregory Faraone
Werewolves Don’t Eat Salad by Loring Felix
One for the Door. by Shane Fitzpatrick
Full Moon Killer. by Angely N. Florez
The Protector by Barbara Forward
How I Became a Coke Dealer by John Fowler
Defining Monsters by Nick Franck
Family Blood by GW Fuqua
Nothing Lasts by Kyra Furner
Island Job by Rob Gadtke
Be Careful What You Wish For by Sal Gallaher
An Interesting Encounter by Zoe Garcia
The ‘Thing’ by Lilian
Cross the Threshold by Grace Geil
Penetrating Eyes by J. M. Gill
Stunned by Jefus Godwin-Enwere
Pendragon by Gwendolyn Grace
Between a Rock and Jupiter by Scott Granado
Sealed Fate by Janet Leigh Green
The Storm by Donald Gregg
The Necrophiliac….. by Julie Grenness
The Long Roll by LaurelGrube
Don’t Speak Silence by Melissa Guckin
The Warning by Hana Wu
Tango In Opportune Time by Daniel Haar
Turned Against Me by Liora Sophie
The Bridge by Karen Margaret Hall
I stare at you. by Grace
Gulliver’s Tavern by Terry Hamilton
The Boon by Kim Hardin
Nikolai by Kenneth Harvey
Who Reads Minds! by Tony Hawley
Hell Hath No Fury by David Heald
Courage by Thomas Heaven
No coming home by Thibault Heitz
Last Stop by Lauren Hester
Bernie’s Foe by mark heyer
Just Like That by Kathy Hill
Family Secrets by Kate Hill
John Rathbone’s Early Retirement by Linda Holbrook
Second Wave by Gabor Holch
Creature in the Road by Coleen Holley
Those Who Look After by Audra Claire Hopson
Mixed Drinks by Emily Hornbur
What Are You Running From? by Michael Horner
Earbuds, iPhones & Sheep by Michael Hotchkiss
Breathless by D.L. Hiunter
Guardian Angel by AJ Hunter
Professional Courtesy by Paul Isaac
The North Woods by Brodny Iveans
Ever Watchful by jack
The Werewolves of the Hamptons by Dan Jackson
Rat Race by TheresaJacobs
Blue Blood NYPD by Crystal Johnson
The Thief by L.M.
The Third Shift by Veronika Jordan
Mother by Apurva Kandicuppa
Comic Cop by Larry Keeton
Pennies from Elswere by Az Kelly
Return to Europa by Melody Kenoyer
Golden Opportunity by Stacey Knox
I know you by Nicholas Krig
Closing In by Josie L
Baby Junior’s Debut by Elizabeth Stuart Lacey
The Wolf Curse by Cassandra Lane
Unobtainable Innocence by Rebecca Lawrence
Do You Feel It? by Madison Lawson
Death, Life and Something in Between by Kelsey
Lost by Stephanie Laza
Game Over by Chris Le Roy
Fallen Point by Natasha Lemieux
Mistaken by Jeanne Lemire
First Moon by Jacqueline Lewis
Monsters Among Us by Susan Liddle
Sixteen by Tara Lieb
Blanko by Gary Little
Mission: Improbable by Roy Lord
Society’s Perceptions by Grace MacPherson
Death Feathers by Sara Makris
Watching the Rip by Bart Mann
12 killed in brutal animal mauling by Rebekah Markillie
This Time by Julie A Martin
“In West 70th Street” by REFILOE MASHALA
Herb by Chris McGurl
A Bad Dream by Noah McKay
Shadow in the Lens by Sarah McKee
Surprise! by Robert N. McManus
A Cure for the Mind by Monisha Menon
Just Eurconchince by Sofia Merolla
Area 52 by Amber Meyer
Frattin Around by Carleste Mitchell
It. by Suzy Monzer
Firebird by Kathleen Morley
From Beginning to End by Audrey Mullen
A Trickster by Rashed Nabi
The Athens Park Massacre by Marg Nelson
Ambush by Tim Nicole
Monday Blues by Danielle Nolan
A Beautiful Girlfriend by Lisa Nowatzki
The President by Peter Chika
Internet Famous by Rory O’Keeffe
A World to Win by Alison O’Neil
Graduating with Honors by Trish Olson
A Twist of Fate by Marka Ormsby
Grim Tidings by Meghan Owens
Dead Inside by Luisa Pak
Brooklyn by Andres Palacios
Trap in the Darkness by Brian Palmer
Take Me with You by Jacqueline Parker
Close, But No Congressional Medal of Honor by ross perkal
Operation Take Out by Patricia(Trish)Perry
The Shadow Man by Angelique Perry
A Hell of a Start by Dinalee Peterson
The Neighborhood Watch by Emily
Death Is But A Shadow Walking by ML Pilalis
Son of Oya by Estefany Pinzón
To Serve and Protect by Rachel Pliess
Unwinnable by Matthew Plumb
The Ark by Sarah Prescott
A Light-Hearted Murder by Rebecca Quigley
NCIS Agent John Rathbone is being forcibly retired because of a botched investigation. by Marie-Claire Rackham-Mann
When the World Fell (Short Story) by Aspen Rand
A Stab in the Dark by Trey Reed
We’re Vampires Honey by Terence
The Lost Sister by Daniel Rivard
The Hellhound’s Accord by Katie Rodante
Three Stops Later by Luci Rodda
It’s Still Here by Pernell Rogers
Mirror Me by laura
“Bloody Thorns” by Cassie Rybka
Whatever Happened to Jeremy Mankin? by David Safford
Addictions by Maria Salmon
A Demon In Dachau by Erin Saucier
The Double Cross by Anna Savastano
A Means to an End by Max Müller
Life in Waves by Justin Schottmuller
The Gentleman Ghost by Jenna Seachman
The Other Me by Lara Tollin
Jeannette wants Answers by Natalie Shannon
Fire at Will by Heather Shannon
Late for Work by Philip Shepherd
The Man with the Key by S.J. Siedenburg
When Death Arrived by Kristin Skipper
Unintended Target by Cathy Smades
One Way by Maya Smith
The Fourth Body by Bryan Smith, pen name B. Shaun Smith
Semper Fi by Haru Sone
The Dark Woman by Nick Stals
John’s Dilemma by Renette
A Man of Honor by Michael R. Stern
Ulysses’ Last Stand by Steven Stilwell
Ice Water by Linda Stimson
The Angel of Forgiveness by Becky Swainson
Funny Business by Dusty Thorne
A Fool’s Reason by Ashley Vajentic
Diminished Capacity by Jackie Valacich
Irresolute Valor by Dawn Van Beck
“Assassination Fail” by Anand Venigalla
Welcome To The Hall of Presidents by Moe Vrban
Beware the Night by Amy Ward
The Jumper Squad by Gillian Webster
The Car Chase, A Mistake by Judy Welch
Chamber 6 by Samantha Weldon
The Eyes Lie by Juanita L.White
Medal of Honor by Frederic Widlak
El Susto by Christiane Williams-Vigil
Cross Words by Rachel Wilson
A New Beginning by Barbara (BJ) Wingate
The Faraway War by Jonathan David Wong
To Win a War by John Wood
The Park, A Boy And Me by Tracy Woodfield
Tunnel Vision by Gayle Woodson
Perfect Presidents by Kristine Yarwood
The Sacred Tree by Lisa Yew
It’s not all Greek to him by Christos Zervas (aka Kristian Ryggesen)