Christmas Competition Results, 2018
|
Congratulations to Ann-Louise Truschel on winning the 2016 Friday Flash Fiction contest for her story Saguaro In The Snow. Ann-Louise, a long-standing contributor to Friday Flash Fiction, lives in Arizona, USA, and US$50 will shortly be winging its way to her.
The judges' comments on Ann-Louise's story were: "The judges unanimously agreed that Ann-Louise Truschel's story Saguaro In The Snow combined all the best features of good flash fiction. A good story should describe something that has happened, yet still find time to paint the scene and convey some sense of feeling about the central characters. Here, Ann-Louise's story not only describes the scene today, but also in past times, and – purely from the tone – it is impossible to imagine the narrator not feeling a close bond with her grandfather. Finally, in the last sentence we learn that he's recently died: a classic example of 'show don't tell'. There's actually no reference to his death at all other than the use of the past tense, and to his ashes. The theme invited entrants to write 'a story that tells a picture'; any reader can 'see' this story in his or her mind's eye." |
Image:
Andrew Horne
/WikiCommons
|
The Winning Entry
SAGUARO IN THE SNOW
Ann-Louise Truschel Snow tufted the arms of the giant cactus as it stood there, alone, a silent sentinel in a field of white, stoically accepting the cold. The white desert blended into the white-gray sky making the day feel colder than it was. Nothing moved in the still air. Only my footprints indicated that a living being had traveled through.
Grampa loved the desert in winter. He loved to walk among the snow-blanketed saguaros, standing there like soldiers guarding his special spot. Today, I brought Grampa’s ashes here to bury them beneath his favorite old saguaro. Two old friends spending eternity together. |
Here are the others on our short list, all 'Highly Commended'. A round of applause for each!
Amy Friedman, Tick Tock
Ian Fletcher, The Lone Drinker
Guy Fletcher, The Invisible Prophet
Eric Smith, Pallet
Bobby Warner, Gloaming
Fliss Zakaszewska, Just A Rusty Old Nail
Clicking on any of the links will take you to the stories on our website here.
Ian Fletcher, The Lone Drinker
Guy Fletcher, The Invisible Prophet
Eric Smith, Pallet
Bobby Warner, Gloaming
Fliss Zakaszewska, Just A Rusty Old Nail
Clicking on any of the links will take you to the stories on our website here.
Well done to all, and also to the many other entries we received from all over the world. They gave the judges a lot of pleasure reading them, and – sponsorship permitting – we look forward to the 2017 Christmas Competition. By the way, you're getting quite good at this, and there are signs that practice makes perfect, so please keep submitting stories.
