2023 Adult Writing Contest
Announcing the winners of the 2023 Adult Writing Contest! In November and December of 2023 we solicited entries for our second Adult Story Writing Contest at the Hamilton-Wenham Public Library. The theme was “In a Flash” Flash Fiction, with an upper cap of 1,200 words per entry. Read the winning entries below. Congratulations to our winners and to all who participated!
FIRST PLACE
Author: Chrissie Hoag
Title: Pregaming
Inhaling, I twist, scanning my backside in the mirror, wondering if I already look divorced in these jeans. Henry the Eighth’s wife Kitty had laid her blushing cheek on a prison stool to rehearse her beheading. “Like this?” she might’ve asked, raising her eyebrows up at the guard for approval.
SECOND PLACE
Author: Kim Aalfs
Title: What She Noticed
She noticed that every time S’s name came up, his face changed. He got squirmy and vaguely uncomfortable and the air soured between them. And yet she noticed that S’s name came up often in daily conversation, during reports from his workday, what people were doing for fun over the weekend, that kind of thing. He seemed to know a lot about her social life. She noticed that he had become more distant, especially in the evenings. And there were those phone calls she kept getting at the house, almost daily, in the middle of the day. The caller never said a word when she picked up. Just silence.
She found it rather curious that S felt compelled to send gifts for their children at Christmas time; it had never occurred to her to send one to S’s daughter. One year there was even a gift for them, as a couple. It seemed strange, since there wasn’t a social connection. And that awful cocktail party, when S was drunk and running around with a bottle of scotch under her arm—a work party, no less. She was hanging all over him all night. But he just chuckled about it and shrugged his shoulders, said it was nothing.
And another cocktail party: S asked her what she was drinking, and upon hearing the reply said with an oily wink, “So many similarities!” This time she noticed the way her own gut clenched and her head started spinning and she felt nauseous when she heard those words. And that was the moment she knew. Later in the evening, S had switched to an eau de vie, and encouraged her to try it. When she came back from the bar, S asked what she’d chosen. And she held up her ruby red glass and looked S right in the eye as she said, “Port.” And that was the moment that S started to understand that she knew.
S became much more solicitous after that. She maintained a distance at parties and gatherings and stopped wanting to chat with the other women. But the damage had been done; now it was only a matter of time.
He became more careful, too. He started erasing the browser history on their shared computer after he’d been on it late at night. When he talked about work, he carefully picked his way around mentioning S. She noticed the omission. Then, months later, he was invited to attend a conference on the West coast. When she asked him what other colleagues would be going, he reluctantly told her there were two others—Vernon. And S.
Over the next few days, her mind took the information and let it tumble around, over and over, in her head. She knew he shouldn’t, couldn’t go on that trip. But how to stop it? How to find out what was truth and what was fiction? Finally, one evening in the middle of a workout, it came to her: she had to ask him. Just ask him, for God’s sake! Confront him calmly, without shutting him down. And as the sweat rolled down her face, she noticed that she felt freer already, happier than she’d been in a long time. Of course, just ask him about it! How could she not have thought of this before? Of course, he would say it was nothing, they were just friends, she had nothing to worry about. But she needed to ask. And he needed to say it.
She waited until after the holidays. And then, one evening after the children were in bed, she took the first step. A leap into the unknown, the great abyss.
“So, how are you feeling about the conference next month? You must be excited to get away for a few days.”
“Oh. Well. I dunno. I guess it’ll be good. At least I’ll get some good sushi out there.”
“I see. Big dinner plans?”
“Yeah, S has some restaurant in mind, says the food there is really great.”
Her heart skipped a beat.
“You know, I can’t help but notice that every time S’s name comes up, you get kind of weird. You’re uncomfortable talking about her. What’s that about, anyway?”
His jaw dropped open. He looked away. Silence. Silence. Silence.
“Say something, for God’s sake.”
More silence. His mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air, but no sound came out.
And it dawned on her that her life would never be the same again.
Interested in reading the winners for the 2022 Adult Writing Contest? Click here.
Original contest rules are included below.
In a Flash Writing Contest for Adults
1ST PRIZE: $60 CASH PRIZE
2ND PRIZE: $40 CASH PRIZE
Have you ever read a short story that grabbed your attention? It’s your turn to write one! Write a flash fiction story in any genre on the theme of your choice. Stories must be 1,200 words or less.
Guidelines:
- Participants must be 18 or older.
Submissions are accepted November 1 through December 15. Entries are due by midnight on December 15, 2023. - Submitted works must be original, written in English, and previously unpublished. Any works that do not fit these criteria will be disqualified.
- Only one story per writer may be submitted.
- Please keep your story content appropriate for a wide audience.
- Email entries to Jessica at [email protected] The following information must be written in your email: your name, phone number, email address, and title of the story. Attach your story in a document. Please do not include identifying information in your document.
- If you prefer to submit a hard copy, please include your name, phone number, email address, and title of the story in a cover sheet. Bring your submission to the Circulation Desk.
- Participants agree that, if selected as a winner, their entry may be posted on the library’s website and social media, either in its entirety or in excerpts.
- Submission indicates acceptance of all contest rules.
- The contest will be judged by Adult Services Librarian and writer, Jessica Furtado.
Contest winners will be announced in January 2024 through direct notification to the winners. The winning stories will be shared on the Library’s website.
Prizes are sponsored by The Friends of the Hamilton-Wenham Library.
