The story of the week for July 18 to 22 is…
Once, and Forever by Angela Brett
Angela gets us inside the character’s head and implies a deep, rich story from the character’s own perspective. That’s a great accomplishment, and very difficult to do in this format.
The story of the week for July 11 to 15 is…
White Elephant Sale on the Town Green by Matthew Eichenlaub
There’s so much character development packed into this story, for both the character being described and the narrator. Great work.
The story of the week for July 4 to 8 is…
Aunt Peg by Jennifer L. Freed
From concept to execution, this is one of the most striking stories I’ve received this year. Brilliantly done.
The Story of the Month is chosen from the Story of the Week winners announced from the past month.
The finalists for June were:
The Last Gig by JD Lone Bear
There Be Monsters by Eva Lucien
Could You Please Direct Me to the Self-Help Section? by Ozzie Nogg
The Daily Check on His Enchanted Girlfriend by Mark Farley
The Leaking and the Legacy by Bob Thurber
The winner of the June 2016 Story of the Month, and the $10 prize, is…
There Be Monsters
The final sentence of this story is haunting and darkly beautiful. So much is suggested by these 50 words, written in between the lines. I love the world-building. Great work, Eva!
The story of the week for June 27 to July 1 is…
Mind Your Own by Bob Thurber
Good emotional core, and a great example of “show” rather than “tell.”
The story of the week for June 20 to 24 is…
The Last Gig by J.D. Lone Bear
I enjoyed the transition from utopia to dystopia, and the turn to dark humour at the end.
The story of the week for June 13 to 17 is…
There Be Monsters by Eva Luçien
The ending of this story renders the entire thing chilling and evocative. Truly an imagination-opener.
The story of the week for June 6 to 10 is…
Could You Please Direct Me to the Self-Help Section? by Ozzie Nogg
It’s relatively easy to tell a joke in 50 words. It’s much more impressive to add this many layers and subtleties to the humour. I was won over even harder when I recognized the punchline built into the story’s title.
The Story of the Month is chosen from the Story of the Week winners announced from the past month.
The finalists for May were:
Cryptic Quest by John H. Dromey
Alone by Verity Park
Encroachment by Daniel Slaten
Alien Nature by Patrick Yu
The winner of the May 2016 Story of the Month, and the $10 prize, is…
Alien Nature
Patrick put together something very poetic, unique, and fascinatingly speculative. It gets my mind wandering in a lot of different directions, that’s for sure!
The story of the week for May 30 to June 3 is…
A double!
The Daily Check on His Enchanted Girlfriend by Mark Farley
The Leaking and the Legacy by Bob Thurber
This is what happens when two of the strongest repeat authors in 50WS history go up against one another. Both stories are exceptional in very different ways, and both deserved recognition.