So many great stories passed through the site in the past year. Let’s take a look at the twelve finalists for the Story of the Year award!
Here are the 12 Story of the Month winners for 2020.
JANUARY: Why I can’t go home again by Bob Thurber
FEBRUARY: Your Pills by Jennifer L. Freed
MARCH: Holes by Alison Carroll
APRIL: Beautiful Things by Jennifer L. Freed
MAY: Our Good Luck by Jennifer L. Freed
JUNE: In Memoriam by Thad DeVassie
JULY: Cracked Lives by Yash Seyedbagheri
AUGUST: I Point at the Shadows in Lieu of What I Dread by Graham Robert Scott
SEPTEMBER: Inbox Emptiness by Yash Seyedbagheri
OCTOBER: Mourning Mama by Yash Seyedbagheri
NOVEMBER: Extra Time by David Holloway
DECEMBER: The Gift Exchange by Zoe J. Walker
The winner, as chosen by editor Tim Sevenhuysen, will be announced on Sunday, January 31!
The prize for the Story of the Year winner is:
- $50 (Canadian)
- Enshrinement in the 50WS Hall of Fame
Let everyone know your favourite story in the comments!
Throwback: In 2015, Bob Thurber won the Story of the Year award with his piece The Mapmaker’s Calligraphist Daughter. In 2016, Guy Preston took the prize with One Job Away From Retirement. The 2017 winner was Jennifer L. Freed, for Aunt Peg. In 2018, Constellations by Jonathan Kosik won the award. In 2019, Bob Thurber won his second Story of the Year award for The Summer of Sweet Mary (circa 1972). In 2020, Evan McMurry won the Story of the Year for After the Water.
All wonderful stories! “In Memoriam” painted an especially poignant image for me and I remember reading it over and over.
David Holloway made me feel how time is flying by in our world today.
Extra time was definitely my favorite as well. Great job, David! That one really got me thinking.
I loved Jennifer L. Freed’s “Beautiful Things.” I remember reading it many times and never growing tired of it. A beautiful piece; I would enjoy seeing it as the story of the year.
These are all so great. I’m torn between “Beautiful Things” by Jennifer L Freed and “The Gift Exchange” by Zoe Walker.
The Gift Exchange is my favorite. A sweet confection of wonder and hope, a nice story to end a less than wonder-ful year.
So many good stories! “Beautiful Things” really captured me. Why are we keeping the “fancy” things for other times? Shouldn’t now be the time to unearth all the happiness we have?
Fine choices, every one.
But to my mind Ms. Freed’s “Beautiful Things” has that indefinable & undefinable magical quality that makes it stand out.
all good wishes,
Bob
Some very strong stories. Maybe Covid / lockdown has helped get people writing more? Don’t envy your position having to select one this time, Tim! Hope all’s well