Winners

CONGRATULATIONS to the winners of the May 2008 SWW International Monthly Writing Competition

Happy Memories

1st Prize: Amy C. Williams, Haven, KS, for "The Apricot Tree."

2nd Prize: Hamilton Edwards, Abilene, TX, for "Easter Photo."

3rd Prize: Catherine Ford, Redwood Valley, CA, for "Noisy-Paladin."

Honorable Mentions:

Rose Marie Kern, Albuquerque, NM for "Flying Up Front."
Marc Calderwood, Albuquerque, NM for "I Can Surf If I Want To."
Charles J. Garcia, Erie, CO for "Face to Face with the Champ."
Doug Ellerbusch, Albuquerque, NM for "The Case of the Collapsible Columbo."
Jan Fenimore, Rio Rancho, NM for "The Case of the Missing Lingerie."
Murray Edwards, Clyde, TX for "Nakakin."
Ruth Friesen, Albuquerque, NM for "Fifteen Minutes of Fame: Modeling in Las Vegas."
Rose Marie Kern, Albuquerque, NM for "Those Who Can't..."
Anne Marie Whitmore, Albuquerque, NM for "Wedding Blues."
Elsie Schmied Knoke, Oak Ridge, TN for "The Holy Terrors of Holy Week."
Carole C. Deily, Plano, TX for "Plastic Dinosaur Goes to Church."
Barbara DuBois, Socorro, NM for "The Happiest Birthday."

Judges' Comments:

The quality of submissions was surprisingly high. The entries were all closely ranked, but the winners had that little "extra."

Winners

CONGRATULATIONS to the winners of the June 2008 SWW International Monthly Writing Competition

Flash Fiction

1st Prize: S.L. Allen & D.A. Snyder, Albuquerque, NM for "Fatal Flight."

2nd Prize: Scott Merrow, Albuquerque, NM for "The Book of Stan."

3rd Prize: Frank Carden, Las Cruces, NM for "The Bedroom."

Honorable Mentions (alphabetical):

S.L. Allen & D.A. Snyder, Albuquerque, NM for "No Such Thing as Monsters."
Stan Euston, Albuquerque, NM for "Learning to Write."
Jan Fenimore, Rio Rancho, NM for "Siren Alert."
Mel Gellenthien, Sandia Park, NM for "Glimmering Mass."
Mel Gellenthien, Sandia Park, NM for "Wealth."
Scott Merrow, Albuquerque, NM for "Julia Needs a Change."
Scott Merrow, Albuquerque, NM for "The Cube."
Scott Merrow, Albuquerque, NM for "A Ghost in the Embers."
Jo E. Schilling, Edmonds, WA for "Haywire and Stampede."
Ron Schultz, Albuquerque, NM for "Improv."
Charlotte H. Stocek, Albuquerque, NM for "The Silk Scarf."

Judges' Comments:

Kudos for entering this contest. Many entries were well-written and good stories, but the top stories were "gripping from beginning to end" and had surprise ending that were satisfying. The "gold medal" entry won because of the texture inherent in its story; the "silver medal" had an eerie, unrelenting quality; and the "bronze medal" was a solid story. There are lots of honorable mentions because they were good stories; just a little more work and they would have gotten onto the medal stand. The lesson in this month's contest is that you need more than a good story; you need a great story that has extra qualities of richness and depth.

Keep writing and you'll eventually find yourself a top winner.