Flash Fiction 2012 Winners
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This year brought another international group of contestants to Ligonier Valley Writers’ annual Flash Fiction Contest. Entries came from all over the United States, including California, Alaska, New York, Florida, New York, and of course Pennsylvania. Entries also arrived from Canada, Indonesia, France, and Romania.
The entrants ranged in age from eight-year-olds to a great-grandmother in her eighties. Entries started arriving the day after the contest was announced. The last entry was received at 11:50 p.m. on August 14, with a full ten minutes to spare before the midnight deadline. The judging was difficult because we received so many well-written entries with such diverse takes on the subject of dragons.
One-third of the entrants were repeaters. That is, they were writers who have partaken in LVW's prior Flash Fiction Contests. Of the winning writers, two-thirds were repeaters. Some had entered four or five previous LVW Flash Fiction Contests, proving that old but not worn-out cliché: Winners never quit.
First Place: “Best Wings in the Burgh” by Jim Busch
Second Place: “Home Alert Dragons” by John A. Frochio
Third Place: “Gift of the Magi(cian)” by Kirk Baker
“Connor's Dragon” by R. F. Marazas
“The Dragon Coin” by Barbara Purbaugh
“Feeding Time” by Chris Sandusky
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The winning stories will be read at Red Barn Books starting at 1:00 on Saturday, October 13, 2012. The bookstore is at 203 Old Route 30 in Greensburg, PA 15601. Complete directions to the store are at www.redbarnbooks.com. Authors who can attend are invited to read their stories to the audience.
After the readings, two free mini-workshops will be held: “How to Lose a Writing Contest” (taught by Ed Kelemen, organizer of the Flash Fiction Contest), and “How Not to Get Published” (taught by Mary Ann Mogus). Both authors will also be signing their books: The Haunted Foothills; Shadow Hands; and The Lethe Gene.
The event is free and open to the public. Food and prizes will be provided.
Flash Fiction 2012 Winners
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Flash Fiction 2011 Winners
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The judging for this year's Flash Fiction Contest was challenging due to the sheer number of entries. Short-short stories were received from all over the United States and as far away as India. First prize earned $50, second prize $25, and third prize $15. Additionally, three stories were awarded honorable mentions. Those authors will each receive $10 gift certificates donated by Red Barn Books.
First Place: “A Venomous Plan” by Ciel Kessler of Greensburg, PA
Second Place: “Buried Treasure” by Naomi Bergner of Cocoa, FL
Third Place: “Bullet 25” by Bill Kemp of Penn Hills, PA
Honorable Mentions:
"Grave Robbers” by Chris Sandusky of North Olmsted, OH
“Old Legends Never Die” by Mary Ann Back of Mason, OH
“Missing and Presumed Dead” by Barbara Purbaugh of Somerset, PA
For more information about the Flash Fiction Contest and readings, contact Ed Kelemen at (724) 235-9399 or ed.kel@verizon.net. This year, in honor of LVW’s 25th anniversary, each story had to be set in a cemetery or other burial place and each had to include the words twenty-five, anniversary, and silver somewhere in the story.
If you have suggestions for the theme of next year's contest, drop Ed a line. Previous themes have included ghosts, vampires, and zombies.
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Flash Fiction 2010 Winners
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From: "Edward Kelemen" <ed
Ligonier Valley
Writers' Flash Fiction Contest 2010
Winners Are
Announced
First
Place: "Witch Is Best" by April Serock of Masontown, PA.
Second
Place: "Snap" by Ronald Murphy of Indiana, PA
Third
Place: "Duplicity" by Colleen Reynolds of Trafford, PA
First
Honorable Mention: "New Neighbors" by Joe F. Stierheim of
Ligonier, PA
Second
Honorable Mention: "Twisted Trail" by Alicia Stankay of
Ambridge, PA
Third
Honorable Mention: "Leatherleaf" by Marcia A. Sherman of
Sewell, NJ
This
year's Halloween-themed topic was Witches, Warlocks, and Wizards. The
contest included dozens of entries from all of the United States and
Europe. The first-place winner receives a cash prize of $50, second place $25, and third place $15. All winners also receive a
complimentary one-year membership in the Ligonier Valley Writers. In
addition, all winning entries will be published at www.LVWonline.org.
"Even
though the judging was done using a triple-blind system, five of the
six winners were from western Pennsylvania this year. I guess it
says something about the quality of writers we have around here,"
said Ed Kelemen, the contest organizer. "Congratulations to all
the winners!"
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