This December, we hosted the 2016 Winter Writing Contest in partnership with The Write Practice. The theme was “Two Worlds,” and we invited writers to submit stories of 1,500 words or fewer.
Congratulations to everyone who entered!
Winners of the Winter Writing Contest
We received hundreds of excellent submissions. After much deliberation, our judges selected the following winning stories:
Grand Prize: The Appointment by Erin Halden
Fiction First Place: High Noon by Mark Casper
Nonfiction First Place: Never Run From a Gorilla by Nancy Adair
Honorable Mentions
The following honorable mentions are listed alphabetically by author:
When Life Gives You Lemonade by Retta Bodhaine
Betrayed by Christy Brown
Blind Faith by JD Edwin
Great Almond Street by AJ Watt
Surviving by Jessica Gilmartin
Fading Glow by Natalie Lawrence
‘Membrances by Gary Little
The Poo-Poo Man by Joanna South Dunn
Daydreamer by Brent Stinebaker
From Comfort to Chaos (nonfiction) by Brandie Swenson
Congratulations, everyone!
Readers’ Choice Award
As the judges considered the contest entries, we invited you to vote for your favorite story to win the Readers’ Choice Award.
The winner of the Readers’ Choice Award is Enclosed by Ester Salgado. Congratulations, Ester!
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.
Fiction
The Slow Down by Jason Anderson
Outsiders by Tanja Chung
So Long As We Float by Katie Conrad
Eden by Fiona Evans
The One by Ruth Fanshaw
Intangible by L.L. Gappa
Stone Street by Faith Hakimian
The Cold Air of Winter by Sara Headley
The Figgywits by Sarah Prescott
King Silence by Sara Rottbøll
A Lawn Apart by Sue Weems
Nonfiction
Kathleen by lynn bowie
Mars One by Samantha Campbell
China Doll by JD Edwin
Monticello, Adolescents and the Things Never Change by Bethaney Herrington
A Coward’s Confession: Things I Did Not Say by Loretta Martin
Cameron. Karma by Allison Merrill
Winter Writing Contest Stories
You can find all the stories writers chose to publish in the contest below. If you have entered a story in the contest, we suggest you read this guide to help you get the most out of publication on Short Fiction Break.
Fiction
Mirror by Bana Aassy
The Date by Shanna Adams
The Magistrate by Alec Adsett
Flower Boy by Nausheen Ahmed
No One to Share It With by Rasheed Akinfolarin
A Casual Sunday by Evrim Akyilmaz
The Birthday Present by Kayla Aldan
Varna the Vixen by Jennifer Alexander
Kingdoms Come and Go by Adam Al-Ghosien
The Sweet Life by Dorothy Al-Ghosien
Greener Grass by Sabrina Al-Ghosien
Pippin’s Funeral and Furniture Emporium by Muriel Allingham
Her ugliness by Evin Baris Altintas
Rasmound the Kidnapper by Jessica Arrillaga
Home by Kimberley Ash
The Dervish by Ana Avramovska
The Stranger With the Keys by Christy Bailey
Assassin vs. Necromancer by Georgina Ballantine
Argyle Fergusen by Jesse Barnett
The Missing Link by Karen Barr
The Dreamer, the Stranger, and the Savior by Alejandro Bastidas
It’s a Bear by Barbara Bates
Edgewalker by Ryan Batla
Nichola’s head by Zeina Bazazrbachi
Whoever Asks First by Gordon Bell
Shutout by Alan Benlolo
Heterochromia by Denis Berckefeldt
Gemma and the warmth of snow by Sabrina Beretta
Ghost in the Theater by Tammy Berry
The Storyteller by Leanne Beusekom
Bugged by Lou-Ellen Bissell
Netty and Me by Sam Black
Train Ride by Rhianna Bonsall
A New Born Baby by Mia Botha
Under the Same Sky by Maggie Bowling
A Changed Life by Anne Boyle
The Colonel by Mike Boze
Hell to Paradise and back again by Daniel Bradley
Fiddle Sticks by Emily Brady
Croix – The Prequel by Charlotte Brown
Get up and ride by David Brown
The Precipice by Nathan Brown
For We Are Young And Free by Stacey Brown
Home by Cindy Bucher
Kirita’s Journey by Jeannette Buck
Death of a Small Town by Kurt Buss
Rising by Catherine Callicott
The (Not so) Great Outdoors by Casey Callison
Asymptote by Tahlia Campbell
The Rotting House by Stephen Carter
The Curse of Karma by Audrey Cash
Working Man by Dave Cenker
Rosa by Gaelle Chatenet
The revenge of Betty Biskup by Yubany Checo
The Shift by Sef Churchill
The Trunk in the Attic by Cj Clark
Dune Rascal by Roland Clarke
Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit by Rosemary Clarke
Renegade by Kristen Cochran
A Tour in Melancholia by Emily Coit
Granny’s Angels by Bernadette Conroy
Legions and Gladiators by Delaney Conroy
Chindi by Charles Cooper
This is Home by Taralyn Cooper
The Holiday Spirit (or whatever) by Aarika Copeland
The Transplant by Paula M. Coulter
Steady Now Charlie by Hannah Custer
The Spectacles by MC D’ Alton
Ghost Of Christmas Past by Debashish Das
The Lost by Naomi Davidson
The Sky is Falling by Holly Davis
Trading Day by Michelle Davis
Candiotti the Catholic by William Daye
The Possibilities by Ross Deatrick
Guess Who’s Coming to Easter? by Faydra Deon
Hug me a Terrorist by Reginald de Palm
Little Jackie Pile by William J. DeProspo
QA by Cristina DiGiacomo
Towards the glow by Stewart Ducklow
A Season For All Things by John Dungan
Florence’s Smile by Juliana Durso
Winter’s Leaf by Nicole Dwigans
Child of Sorrow by Teresa Edmond-Sargeant
The Deal by Susan Elwell
Calling the Stars to Attention by Danielle Erickson
The Battle of McCrory’s Garage by Robert Evans
An Early Frost by Bob Evenhouse
Every Man For Himself by Dominique Fields
Third Floor Window by Audrey Flores
Mission Holocaust by Zenani Fogg
Coming of Age in Death by Sarah Ford
Lucky Break by Blithely Fostering
Nobody Was Hurt by J.P.J. Fox
Saturday’s Child by Melany Franklin
Dedicate It to Someone You Love by D.K. Fynn
One moment by Daniela Galashan
Same Difference by Sakuntala Gananathan
A Real Chicago Guy by Matthew Gaspar
The Trick by Beth Ginard
Blissful by Jessica Gruber
Fog on the Glass by Timothy Guy
Going Back by Pat Hare
Fired by Jay Harold
A brown bag for Lunch and A Lunchbox by Kenneth Harris
The Unamenable by Karissa Haskin
Unlikely Friends by David Heald
The Little Robin by Heise
Lonely Soul by Sarah Henderson
The Octopus Tree by Lizzy Henry
The Fire Within by Jeanna Herbert
Safe Inside by Gramisha Hernandez
Planting Cats by Andrew Hill
Not A One-Night Stand by Michele Holcomb
Mere Images by Coleen Holley
The Runaway by Michael Hotchkiss
The Gray Inbetween by Kylie Hough
Sand-wich by Anita Howard
Swine Swap by Rebecca Hurley
Two Worlds, One Peace by Jonathan “Jon” Hutchison
The Dernier Enoncer Hotel by Kurt Hunter
Primary Lessons by Brodny Iveans
The Highest Price Paid by Theresa Jacobs
This is real by Noor Janahi
A Life In Death by rosanna jimenez
The Lone Wolf by Gloria Johnson
Girl of a Thousand Souls by Leah Johnson
His Eyes Opened by Elizabeth Jones
In Rapture by Valerie Jones
A Fated End by Julianne Kelsch
Cybilla by A R Kelly
Straddling Two Worlds by Jennifer Kelly
“The One True Gospel, As Translated by An Enlightened Madman” by Robert Keyes
Tucked in the Corner by Toni Kief
Hot Dogs by John King
Of Heaven and Earth by Kareena Kirlew
The Black Wolf by Jennifer Knight
Win or Lose by Diane Krause
Cherries by Katherine Krauser
I Am Your Darkness by Maya Kuipers
The Tale of Velina Fey and the Crow by Jonathan Lagunez
There, Then by Dominic Laing
Blown Away By Love by Cecelia Landress
Sodena by Leila Tovo Larsen
Rosewood Inn by Kathi Laurino
Lost by Susie Lee
Coffee Break by Natasha Lemieux
The Banishment by Jeanne Lemire
As it ought to be by Brandkamp Lennard
Time’s Up by Dave Lerner
A Touch of Ink by Daniel Letchford
The Searching by Broderick Lindeman
Conspiracy of Silence by Sheila Lischwe
Gods and Monsters by Amanda Llewellyn
THE OTHER SIDE by Jim Lotshaw
Wren and The Gwendolyn by Lucrisha
Christmas Lights by Martine Macmillan
The Forbidden World by SAYANTI MAITRA
Split by Jordan Majka
Marry Me by Janette Malcolm
Unfamiliarity familiar by Emily Manley
Under the Bridge by Bart Mann
Withered Dreams by Blade Marcantel
Brooklyn Ashtray by Georgia Marsh
Of Mazes and Men by Tracy Maxwell
The Skin You Live In by Karen McCandless
Lunch Time by Jay McCarthy
1962-Dinner in the Field by Dave McClure
A Class Apart by Derek Mccracken
The Water Line by Shelby J McDaniel
Wishes in the City by Laci McGee
Desperate times Desperate Mesures by Elizabeth McKenna
Fast Food by Tuder McShane
Escaping History by Bethany Meeker
An Answer For Today by Melissa Nichols-Rodriguez
The Glass City by Brittany Miller
Like They Used To by Lonnie Miller
Faolan of Xkillia by Sharron Minchella
Henry Hammond by Greg Moberg
Bridges by Hannah-Rose Monegro
Hearts of Hollywood by Matt Mueller
A View of Flame by Franklin Murphy
The Passing of Phillip Stanley Westover by Cheryl Murphy
A Shrink-Wrapped Life by Sandra Naiman
As She Melted Away by Alice Neilson
The Man Beyond the Skies by Kylie Nelson
Passionate Pheonix by Bob Nimmo
Construction Delay by Lori Nishimoto
A Question of Honor by John Notley
Ain’t That a Shame? by Sandor Novak
A Brave New World by Femi Oloyede
Driftwood by Quenby Olson
StarStuck by Tia Oshel
Alternating Realities by K.C. Otenti
Possessed by Folake Owodunni
Interlaced by Andres Palacios
A Rich Man’s Poverty by Anjali Pandey
Crossing Over by JC Papenberg
Unblest by Gabriel Pena
Our Legacy/His Eulogy by ross perkal
The Teachable Moment by Jan Perry
The Garden by Patricia (Trish) Perry
Lucid Deals by Dinalee Peterson
Listings by Kate Petersen
Poppy and Luke by Joey Pinkney
The Rose on Street 32 by rachna priyanka
You’re Too Nice To Talk To by Marty Rachap
When Death Gives You Choices by Brittany Raschdorf
The Scowling Corpse by Alexandra Reid
The One Who Understands by Steven Reid
With Deadly Intent by Charles Reith
Snowflakes and Memories by Rachel Rheam
Raw by Eglė Rimšaitė
“The Christmas Party” by Kristin Rivers
The Iron by Marie Ryan
Best Restaurant in Baghdad by Maria Salmon
The Lightbox by Ash Sanborn
Misty Mornings by Tor-Arne Sandstrak
Mind’s Requiem by Carlz Santiago
Timmy’s Forest Escapade by Anna Savastano
Glossoly by Sailor Scrivner
Scars by Nira Seijin
Gone by Ramsay Short
Forever and Beyond: A short story of Past and Future, Life and Death, Betrayal and Atonement by Victoria Shroud
Cinders and Souls by Bryn Shutt
The Breach by S.J. Siedenburg
The Roses on Park Lane by Elena Silva
When dreams begin to come true by Meghana Singh
The Words I Never Said by Simran Singh
The Smoke We Shared by Lauren Sisley
All For Blood by B. Shaun Smith
Maisie Blanchard and the Bright Blue Hope by Doug Smith
Jack by Helen Smith
Call Me Valery by Kellie Smith
Dorian’s Tale by Susan Smith-Harmon
The Heartbreak Before Hello by Stefany Snedden
Becoming by Michael Vorsaa Solander
Reflection by Cassandra Spielbauer
The World’s Richest Woman by Janelle Spiers
Tell Me a Story by Margaret Springett
Virtual Lesson by Renette Steele
Some Nightmares Are Justified by Rowan Stewart-Smith
My Diamante Lady by Neela Sukhatme-Sheth
Nothing is cold by Tamas Zoltan Szenasi
A Life in Colour by Charlotte Taylor
S.F.E.S. Repeat by John Teel
A Casual Chat by Calysta Thompson
Catastrophe by Desiree C Thompson
Derby Winner by Kenneth Thompson
Carolina by Kourtney Torres
Sandy Toes by Marissa Tracy
Dear God by Mayera Tufail
Beverly Hills Blue by Nigel Tunstall
Too Dark For Daniel by Roy Turner
Twisted Fate by Dawn Van Beck
In The Dark by Karen Vernon
Fool’s Gold by Paige Vest
Once A Hero by Abbie Wainwright
Dream Child by Mitze Wakefield
Mirrorrealms by Chevy Watherston
I Wish by S.M. West
Juniper by Katie Wheeler
Changeling by Amber White
The Salt in the Sea by Patricia Whitney
The Old Dog by Keltin Wiens
The Confession of A Violinist by Brynden Winfrey
The Promise by Evelyn Wong
A Reality of Fantasy by Tracy Woodfield
Moonstone by Eileen Wu
Yedda by Jessica Wylie
Pandora’s Box by Pauline Yates
Dumpster Babe by Melvia Zeigler
Dognapping by Ondrej Zelinka
The Legend by Janna Zuercher
Haunted by mabvuto zulu
Narrative Nonfiction
Baby Shoes by Matthew Arant
The Folk in Folklore by Icza Avila
The Life of Aria by Maria Ayala
The Enemy Within by Laura Beiler
“It’s Miller Time!” by Ruth Berman
Diamond Fever by Anthony Craxton
Songs in the Night by Mary Derksen
The Things I left behind by uma eachempati
MY ESCAPE by Susan Finlay
OK By Me In America by Alexandra “Jade” Goh-McMillen
Sad Eyes Espresso by Eva Goldsby
Choosing Worlds by Leslee Hare
WAR by Tiara Hawkins
Reluctant Awakening by Anna Hazelton
The Third World by Thomas Heaven
The Woodshed by Teresa (Tess) Karlinski
The Intersection of Two Spectrums by Debra Lobel
Miracles and HARD-ONS by Amelia Energy
Tanya by Sharon Mortz
Two Worlds Intersecting by Marilyn Murphree
Rising above the Earth by Kirsten Nixon
Karma by Victoria Price
Sweet Memories by Sarah Schmeckenbecher
The Trump Phenomenon and the Loss of the Multicultural Ideal by Vanessa Shinmoto
Hurting to Heal by Madison Stafford
To Be Rich or To Be Poor, Is the Answer War by Anna Stewart
extraordinary lives of ordinary people by stella vlachodimitriou
Being Held Back vs Afraid To Let Go by Henrietta Wiseman
Up, Up & Away by Pamela Wright