We are excited to announce the winners of our Speculative Fiction Contest. This is our first contest featuring speculative fiction. Submissions to this contest were original, thought provoking and highly creative. For some of the submitters, writing in this genre was a first. Thank you for taking that risk, and submitting your work. One more win to defeat imposter syndrome!
A special shout out and thank you to our Judges, Maci Aurora, and Kurtis Hassinger. Your collaboration on deciding the top three was intense. Not an easy job! Thank you for your continuous creativity as you inspire all of us to keep doing our art.
Over the next few weeks, we will publish the six winning speculative fiction stories. Keep an eye out for each one as they are fantastic!
1st Place: Rachel Donalson, The Seeds of Texas – $70 Prize Winner
Rachel Donalson is currently pursuing an MFA in fiction from Texas State University. In her writing she delves into the dangers of intimacy, betrayals of the body, and liminal spaces that are both physical and conceptual. She can be found in the freezer section of your local 7/11 or in the sidewalk cracks that break your mother’s back.
2nd Place: James West, Birdy – $50 Prize Winner
James R. West studied creative writing at the University of New Mexico. He has been blessed to have worked with Native American tribes for most of his career. He is an active member in the local scooter club and enjoys working on and riding Vespa scooters. He is a Gulf War veteran, a baseball fan, and a creator of art. His beloved birth mother and Native mother are both named Linda.
3rd Place: Erica Sage, The Watch – $25 Prize Winner
I am an author and English teacher, and I live in Washington State with my husband and children. When not reading and writing, I love to hike and garden. My young adult novel JACKED UP was published by Sky Pony Press. I also write short stories, including “The Collective” and “Dinner Time” published by Underland Press in the anthology XVIII (Eighteen) and Arcana Magazine, respectively. My short story “Starling” won 1st place in the 2021 Summer Fiction Contest sponsored by Indie It Press.
4th Place: Shannan Chapman, The Death Crier – $20 Prize Winner
Shannan is a writer, a mother, grandmother and wife who lives in Tucson, AZ. Besides writing, she loves red wine. And cold beer on a hot summer day. With chips and guacamole. Oh and travel. And reading. And cake. Chocolate cake. Which is why she’s always on a diet. She is currently working on her first novel.
5th Place: M.J. Weisen, Her Feral Figmant – $15 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.
Honorable Mention: Judith Pratt, Landscape with Flowers – $14.00 Prize Winner
My varied experiences– actor, director, professor, fundraiser, and freelance writer–inspire my novels, stories, and plays. Most recently, my stories were published in ” Fresh Words,” “The Gateway Review” and “Fifth Di” magazine. They have also appeared online in a number of publications, including “Synchronicti”. My novel, “Siljeea Magic”, was indie-published in 2019. My current novel is under contract with Pegasus. In 2019, my play “Maize” was selected for the Louisiana State University SciArts Prize. My play “Losing It” was published in Best Ten-Minute Plays of 2020.