Here are the twelve incredible finalists for the 2021 Story of the Year award!
JANUARY: Homecoming by Finn Burnett
FEBRUARY: I Call My Mother by Jennifer L. Freed
MARCH: Bonkers by Robert Markovich
APRIL: A man (not her husband) by N. West Moss
MAY: Righteous Defiance, Newfoundland 1951 by Tawnia Courage
JUNE: Father’s Day Again (For Sarah Kate 1980 – 2010) by Bob Thurber
JULY: Takiwatanga by Deirdre Smith
AUGUST: They all Take her Photo in the Lounge by Marie Little
SEPTEMBER: Moment by Fiona Kamal
OCTOBER: The Man at the Door by Cathrine Goldstein
NOVEMBER: Only a Minor Miracle by Sam Hall
DECEMBER: Fish Rain by Deborah Tapper
The winner, as chosen by editor Tim Sevenhuysen, will be announced on Sunday, January 30!
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 2014, Bob Thurber won the Story of the Year award with his piece The Mapmaker’s Calligraphist Daughter. In 2015, Guy Preston took the prize with One Job Away From Retirement. The 2016 winner was Jennifer L. Freed, for Aunt Peg. In 2017, Constellations by Jonathan Kosik won the award. In 2018, Bob Thurber won his second Story of the Year award for The Summer of Sweet Mary (circa 1972). In 2019, Evan McMurry won the Story of the Year for After the Water. The 2020 story of the year was Your Pills by Jennifer L. Freed.
Your link for May is broken – it takes you to April’s story. Tawnia Courage’s is nowhere to be found
Thanks! Copy/paste error. It should be fixed now.
Just a quick note–the September link brings you to the wrong story.
Thanks! Copy/paste error. It should be fixed now.
How is it possible to pick just one? I can’t even decide on a top three–such strong contenders! Wow.
They’re all so well put together. Each is a pleasure to read over and over. But I must say “N WEST MOSS: A man (not her husband)” impressed with its pacing and its depth. It’s subtle layers are worth studying. – bt
Bob – I just saw this comment and now I want to be friends with you :)
I really enjoyed reading all these stories again. Each one is amazing. Hard to pick a fave. I loved them all, and I especially loved “They all Take her photo in the Lounge” by Marie Little, “Fish Rain” by Deborah Tapper and ” A Man” by N. West Moss. A Sincere Congratulations to all these twelve brilliant writers, you all inspire me to keep writing and practicing my craft.