We are excited to announce the winners of our 2nd Annual Napkin Microfiction Contest. This is our first contest of 2022. Submissions were descriptive, intense, and highly intriguing.
A special shout out and thank you to our Judges, KC Loesener, and Kurtis Hassinger. Their energy and passion for storytelling and the story weavers is inspiring.
Congratulations to all bold submitters to this contest! Way to go working toward defeating imposter syndrome. It’s difficult to put ourselves and our art out there AND you keep doing the thing!
Over the next few weeks, we will publish the eight winning Microfiction stories. Keep an eye out for each one as they are fantastic!
1st Place: R.C. Reyn, We Should Run – $70 Prize Winner
R.C. Reyn lives and writes in North Carolina with her husband, four young children, and a cat named “Cat.” She writes a variety of genres, from paranormal to mystery, and always during naptime. Join her on Instagram at @rcreynauthor
2nd Place: Michele Merens, Flunge – $50 Prize Winner
Michele Merens – I am a writer and playwright living in Milwaukee. My novel, Inside Our Days, was published by Muriel Press in 2020. I am a Barnard College Senior Scholar in Creative Writing and member of the Dramatist’s Guild.
3rd Place: Madonna Wood, The Napkin – $25 Prize Winner
When M.K. Wood published the first book in this series, Piper’s Pond, which was inspired by her children, Skyler and Brody, she was often approached by readers wanting to learn about the pond’s origins, and so, Piper’s Pond; the Unwritten Fairy Tales was born-a prequel to the popular first book. Having always been inspired by the outdoors and nurtured by the beauty of nature, M.K. has been creating unique worlds and artwork her entire life, with stories, poems, paintings, and photos that bridge the distance between reality and fantasy. She currently lives close to her very own fairy garden, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, with Tomasz (her king), and their two cats, Calvin and Moka.
4th Place: M.J. Weisen, Only Whispers – $20 Prize Winner
M.J. Weisen is a new fiction writer. He enjoys exploring magical and supernatural realism while still exploring what it means to be human, and a resident of this planet. He has been published in anthologies by Daily Prompt, Brilliant Flash Fiction, and Lulu. M.J. lives in Wake Forest, NC with his wife, his two children, two cats, and two dogs.
5th Place: CoRy Wyszynski, Elles Fine – $15 Prize Winner
CoRy Wyszynski is a writer, podcaster, and narrative improviser, or at least he was in another lifetime. His first book, U-turn at Next Synapse, was published by Quill through Inkshares in 2017, where two timelines merge together to the detriment of one man, who is slowly losing his mind. Nowadays, he still writes, but now spends most of his creative endeavour with his design/graphic art internet emporium he coined: Photo Alchemy {Experimenting with the Static Medium} or hosting his own late night talk show, From the Couch. In one form or another, Wyszynski is in constant disarray due to multiple complex illnesses, including but not limited to: Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome, ME/CFS, and Dysautonomia…there is ample time dedicated to navigating doctors, insurances, symptoms, and so much more! He lives with his caregiver/best friend, his dad, in Agoura Hills, CA. There is also Zoey. Zoey, a cat.
Honorable Mentions:
Keema Waterfield, The Rehabilitation of Lou the Devourere
Keema Waterfield is the author of Inside Passage, a nomadic childhood memoir set along the wild coast of Southeast Alaska. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, WIRED, Brevity, Scary Mommy, and others. She resides in Missoula, Montana, with her husband, two children, a bunch of extra instruments she doesn’t know how to play, and a revolving cast of quirky animals. She lives and writes on Séliš and Qlispé land. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @keemasaurusrex.
Bobby Corpus, Lonely Ghost At The End of Time
My name is Bobby Corpus. I’m currently an English major at the University of Houston – Downtown. I actually graduate this spring with my bachelor’s degree in English, and I plan on getting my Master’s of Arts in Rhetoric and Composition. And yes, I do want to get my doctoral in English Literature! My overall goal is to teach English at a college level. I am very passionate about English and writing.
Sherring Dartiguenave, Green Gold
Sherring Dartiguenave is a writer and editorial professional with over twenty years of experience in book, magazine, and digital publishing. She earned a BA in Writing, Literature & Publishing from Emerson College, and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing from The New School University. A Brooklynite by way of Boston, she serves on the Board and has written for the blog of the New York chapter of the Women’s National Book Association, and has been published in the anthology 2020: The Year that Changed America. Follow her musings on justsherring.com and @justsherring.
