Short Story Contest
’Guidelines
• ’The story must be original, fictional, written in either Japanese or English by the submitting author and never been published (even online).The use of generative artificial intelligence and plagiarism in the creation of submitted stories is prohibited. Please contact the organizers at imaginelittletokyo@gmail.comfor any clarifications.
• ’The same story submitted in a previous year cannot be resubmitted.
• ’The setting of the story should be in Little Tokyo – either past, present or future.
• ’Submitted manuscript should be 2,500 words or less for English or 5,000 ji or less for Japanese and have a title.
• ’File should be a Microsoft Word doc, docx or rtf.
• ’For English-language entries, please use 12 point font, preferably Times Roman or Courier type and double space.
• ’Please remove any mention of your name from your short story, including headers.
• ’The short story manuscript must be submitted digitally as an e-mail attachment to Imaginelittletokyo@gmail.com (include SHORT STORY in the subject line). In the e-mail message, please include your name,phone number and age if 18 or under.
• ’The submissions should include a signed agreement, which can be found on the Little Tokyo Historical Society website. The agreement can be either e-mailed or sent via US Postal Service.
• ’Submissions need to be e-mailed by February 28, 2025, 12 midnight PST. NO EXCEPTIONS.
• ‘Immediate family members of judges (first-round or final) are ineligible.’
CORVUS
Mr. O’Connell paced back, and forth next to the delivery room. His wife had gone into early labor, and he was taken aback by the news. He did not even know that she was expecting a baby. His mother had informed him that his wife had gone to work on securing a business deal with the Japanese— and he knew that the voyage there would take a while. But then one of his guards had informed him that his wife had been admitted into the labor ward. That had shaken his very inner heart’s core- or in fact where his heart was supposed to be. After what seemed to be eons he heard the screams of a little babe. He stormed into the delivery room, and nearly pounced into his wife’s OB/GYN Doctor. She rolled her eyes, and muttered to herself: Here we go, this fella has no control. The Doctor was familiar with this man- his father had been here to help a young woman not too long ago with an issue. She had claimed that she was carrying his son’s child. Mr. O’Connell Sr. made sure that the young woman in question would never see the light of day ever again. The Doctor had tried to contact her, but her line did not patch through. So, the Doctor had come to the conclusion either the young Miss in question had been disposed of, or she had been sent to a far away island where she would not be a problem any more. Mr. O’Connell Jr. almost was at a loss for words. He gazed upon the newborn child- the first born. It’s hands were teeny tiny. Mr. O’Connell Jr. was afraid to good it. The newborn just cried, and cried. Mr. O’Connell did not seem pleased. He grabbed his wife’s bags, and soon there were right back at the O’Connell abode. The O’Connell abode was a mix between a Victorian style home with a touch of the most modern gizmos, and gadgets. From the top-notch security cameras with 24/7 surveillance, all the way down to an underground bunker in case of an emergency, or total world alien invasion. The moment his wife stepped into her own chambers, Mr. O’Connell Jr.’s hand moved across his wife’s cheeks. They burned and started to turn a mix between purple- and blue, with a touch of scarlet, too. She held onto her baby making sure that it felt, and knew that it was in safe hands. Mr. O’Connell stared with bulging eyes at his wife and then bellowed: You think you’re a clever lass…huh?! That child may have come from your womb, but it looks nothing like me..Who’s its real father? His wife felt the bitter sharp stings of pain in her heart. Why in the world had she decided to come back to the O’Connell’s, to be more precise….back to Mr. O’Connell Jr.’s side?
Slowly time passed, but the wounds in the newest mother’s heart did not fade away. She had taken great care of her kid. He was growing up to be a big, and strong lad. But deep down in the lad’s heart, he felt something begin to grow in his heart, mind, and soul. He felt it sink into him like an anchor going down into the depths of the Indian Ocean.
Sometime during the dead of night, in the summertime, a dark shadow had snuck into the O’Connell’s abode. It moved stealthily past the guards, and managed to sneak into Mr. O’Connell’s room. The man was snoring like a humpback whale. It was the loudest sound that echoed throughout the mansion. The dark shadow squinted its eyes, and growled. It protracted its paws, and slashed at Mr. O’Connell Jr.’s throat.
One of the guards had heard the sound of Mr. O’Connell sputtering out: Cccc….ooo….or…..vvv.
The guards called the police. When then finally arrived on the scene, they were in for quite a pickle of a case.
The Detective sighed, and then shook his head: When god, and his angels slept…something sinister took their place..showing not a single trace of grace for Mr. O’Connell.
#CORVUS. Monday 01.27.2026
https://youtu.be/AqSOTpBmYhQ?si=-Gd0aF7mxBIXH_AR
The Manny.
Ian slipped on a banana peel, and his bottom hit the ground— HARD. None of the children gave even the slightest snicker. All of them carried on with their daily chores. Sasha came tumbling down the stairs- her newly found method of speedier moving than crawling, or walking. This, too, did not seem to faze the other kids. They continued to carry out their tasks~ but as soon as Ian went to open the front door…a grand burst of laughter proceeded out of the McGregor villa. Ian had had enough, and was ready to storm back in when he was greeted by a little birdie. It cooed, and cooed. Ian tried to shoo it away. Then it began to laugh. This was now all too much for Ian. He ran toward the little birdie and took a dive trying to grab a hold of it. The little birdie flapped its wings, and took off into the beautiful indigo cotton candy like evening sky. Ian had landed in a pile of the McGregor’s cow dung. What a day he was having! He took a deep breath, and tried to calm his nerves. This had been quite an arduous time for him. Not only had he been instructed to watch over the McGregor hyper bunch, but he had to also make sure that even their livestock- including the indoor and outdoor pets- had to be all taken extra care of. Ian stared at his reflection in the front entrance glass door. In his current state, he looked like some kind of manny who just happened to have finished performing a circus act- either being chased by a pack of cackling hyenas, or swimming in a tank full of great white sharks. This was the end of trying to be a serious manny. Maybe he would just have to work on being hired as a birthday clown for children in other parts of the village, or at least further away from the McGregor estate.
https://youtu.be/lvPvBTSr-mc?si=BzCOi0gA1kmXf0YM
Sunday 01.26.2025 #TheManny.
Feather Project VII
Word Mage & Sage in training: MNEZZ.
(NOTE: Here’s a quick snippet into The Shadow Man story world/realm).
Link to the other -chapters/parts:
-theprose.com/book/2851/do-you-know-the-shadow-man..
Welcome to the stories/tales of—
The Shadow Man!
**********
-Do you know the Shadow Man?
~What lurks in the shadows.
The clock ticked & tocked
Sasha woke up with a start
What time was it?
She stared at her notes
Euh, not bad, for now
The moonlight was her guide
The frogs croaked outside
She wished they would stop
When they did she smiled
She marched off to bed
With no thoughts of her work
Running in her head
As soon as her head hit the pillow,
Something had moved past the willow
It watched Sasha all night long
Just waiting for the right moment
To get closer to her~ in the shadows-
Later on it would find a way to have—
Her beating heart....right in its jaws!
**********
Eep!
There is no place to hide child
The Shadow Man pointed at Stella
She lay still and quiet
Not making any sound
Fear creeped in
It smiled
Eep!
Eep!
It smiled
Fear creeped in
Not making a sound
She lay still and quiet
The Shadow Man pointed at Stella
There is no place to hide child
**********
Never stare into their eyes
There is no place to hide child
The Shadow Man pointed at Stella
She lay still and quiet
Not making any sound
Fear creeped in
It smiled
Eep!
Eep!
It smiled
Fear creeped in
Not making a sound
She lay still and quiet
The Shadow Man pointed at Stella
There is no place to hide child
**********
Metastasis
Bob clapped his hands, and the lights to the kitchen turned on. He opened his fridge to check the leftovers he had.
He stared at the bowl of noodles. Then there was another dish: fried rice.
Decisions, decisions.
The fridge door was pushed gently. He smiled. Now he was ready to have more of the fried rice. He could have it for any meal of the day: breakfast, lunch, or even dinner.
Bob clasped his hands, and blessed his food. The moment that he was about to dig into his meal, the lights went out.
‘Ugh.’
He walked away from his meal and tried flicking the light switch. Nothing. He stood still for a while, and then something caught his attention.
‘Hello? Is anybody there?’
Bob shook his head. He was not a kid anymore. Was he really still afraid of the dark?
He turned around and just right there he spotted another one. The shadow snarled. It dashed forward towards Bob.
Bob quickly ran up the stairs. He shut the door and hid under his bed.
‘It’s only a dream. A bad dream.’ He said to himself.
Then he heard the sound of the door. The squeak made him jump.
From his current position, all that Bob saw was a dark fog growing in his room. It reached his mouth in a few seconds. He tried to fan it away with his hands, but he ended up sucking some of the dark fog into his mouth.
He coughed, and coughed. Trying to get it out of his body. He felt his heart begin to pound in his chest.
Bob started feeling dizzy. Was the room getting smaller? His body shook and he gasped for air, as if he was drowning. The shadows had won.
His eyes became grey just like smoke. He could not see any thing.
Bob screamed. The last thing that ran in his mind was the thought of how scrumptious the fried rice would have tasted for another go.
The lights came back on right after the shadows vanished. Bob lay quietly and still under the bed. The shadows had taken another life & heart, too.
**********
Ce Cœur
The shadow bent down on his knee, and lowered his head, then it presented the heart to The Shadow Man. This pleases him so much that he chuckled.
His laugh startled the crows near the Black forest. The Shadow Man took hold of the beating heart. He held the heart with his claws.
‘‘This heart has been through hell. I can tell. It had managed to still fall in love. How sweet.’’
The Shadow Man made a face and said, ’’Yuck. Humans and there need for bonding. This heart also seems heavy.
’’Oh, his love left town. Well, why didn’t he follow her? No way— she had a family.
’’She did not tell him. Man. That does hurt.
‘‘Anyway, now thanks to my pack of shadows, this guy will not have to worry about a thing- not at all!’’
The Shadow Man opened his mouth wide. The heart went down his throat and straight to his belly.
*burps*
‘‘Excuse me.’’
The Shadow Man smacked his lips. ‘‘This heart was a bit sad. This is why I can not send a shadow to do my work.’’
The shadow apologized. It bowed & left its master to search for a less blue heart.
**********
Henri et Melon
Henri fell on his bottom. He raised his hands and asked for forgiveness.
The thing took hold of Henri by his collar & sank its teeth into Henri’s chest. Henri did his best not to cry, but tears streamed down his face like a river.
He heard his cat hiss.
‘‘No,’’ Henri tried to shout, ‘‘Melon get out of here.’’
Melon leaped into the air. As soon as it approached the creature, it was hit by the side by a giant blade. The edge of the weapon had created a deep cut by the cat’s neck.
Henri sobbed. He was tossed on the ground right by the cat’s side.
All he had wanted was to watch the stars and spot the constellations in the night sky. Now he wished he could turn back the clock, & just stayed in his room.
The thought of dying on the rooftop had never crossed his mind. Ç’est triste.
Henri used his last strength to crawl to his cat’s side. He felt rain drops fall on his face.
The rain slowly sent Melon’s & Henri’s blood right down the rain gutter. Henri placed one hand on Melon’s neck.
He closed his eyes while the rain continued to pour and mix the blood of Henri and Melon. Their blood flowed together down the gutter.
**********
Eons
They wait in the darkness
Growing ever hungry with each passing moment
Most call them shadow creatures, or simply: shadows
No one knows where they came from-
Some folks say they have been there since the dawn of time
Even before the invention of fire
The earlier community had tried to destroy them
All things seemed to be getting better
Until he arrived...The Shadow Man
He led the shadows into the Black forest
From there many thought they were safe at last
But things only became somewhat more scary
The Shadow Man was able to change the shadows form
They could blend in taking a human appearance
Or just take over a human’s body, mind and soul
Once that happens you might be added to the shadow pack
Some nights we stay up, keeping watch in the night
Staying awake to keep an eye on the candle light
Once it blows out, we strike another match
Hoping the little ray of light will keep the shadows away.
***********
Phantasmagoria
Pretty how leaves fall on the ground
Hear the owls hootin’ in the night
As the whispers echo in the breeze
Now the shadows start to gather
Tearing someone limb from limb
Another unlucky soul loses their head
Shadows chew the meat off the bones
Making them pleased ‘n’ mor’ hungry
Ah— see them begin to grin widely
Giants tremble whenever they’re near
O~ they fear the shadow man’s army
Raised to spread out across many
Islands, villages, across cities, & towns
Anything that faces them never live to see the light of day!
***********
Carry on
Chad sneezed & stared at the eyes glowing in the dark—
‘‘Ah!’’ He jumped out of his bed and ended up sliding on the floor, because of his socks. He bumped his head on the floor & it was lights out for him from there.
Rising sounds of sirens buzzed in his ears. Chad slowly opened his eyes, but he couldn’t see a thing.
Rays of light burst through and he covered his eyes.
‘‘You are welcome here.’’ Chad stared at the being standing in front of him. ‘‘who are you?’’
‘’Oh— I’m the Shadow Man..
‘‘Nice to have you join us...in my realm.’’
**********
ARIAS
Angels descended in blazin’ glory
Ready to aim their arrows at the man
In a flash~ somethin’ took over him
And his body began to transform
Smiling, and then cackling, he snapped his fingers & was gone!
**********
CLAIRVOYANT
Crystals lined up near her body
Lulling a simple tune
Always ready to sing along to it
In a hurry— she leaped over the roses
Running- trying to hide from the figure she saw in her mind
Voices cried out and told her to be calm
Obeying them she ran to her cottage
“Yes!” She jumped, & almost screamed
“Agh.” Not another one. The images were not something she could control.
Now they slowly faded. But she felt the presence of someone near.
The room became much darker. When she spun around~ she saw...the Shadow Man. He moved closer to her side, held her hands, and asked, “What do you see?”
*********
Le Dernier Repas
*takes a deep breath*
*stares at the dish pushed under the steel door*
Mmhh, this is odd?
Why does the last meal look not so bad?
I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try it—
Eh- *spits the food out* still tastes like dirt~
Uh, they could at least have provided me with something appetizing seeing as this’ll be mon dernier repas
Now I wait for my final moments here on earth
Wait, what was that?
*rubs eyes*
Did my shadow just move?
Nah, my mind is playing tricks on me
Whoa..um...where are the guards?
*steel door squeaks*
Is anyone there?
(silence)
Eirik, I’m not going to fall for your prank again!
[A shadow with glowing crimson eyes stretches from the side of the door & reaches for the death row inmate]
No....stay back
Whatever you are.....
[The shadow spins around and transforms into a person like form.
Then stares into the inmate’s eyes.
It leans closer toward the inmate, & opens its jaws.]
**********
Coffins or Caskets?
Something caught its eye. Why would someone else be in the graveyard & at such a late hour?
Its head started spinning. Its body suddenly felt weak. The world was slowly becoming darker.
It fell with a thud onto the gravel path. The last thing it heard before hitting the ground was—
‘‘It’s down! Which one do you think it prefers to be placed in- a coffin, or a casket?’’
“It doesn’t matter. We just have to make sure that its really dead- this time.”
**********
So Long…Francis..
Shadows can’t wait to reach the lad
Over the fence they leap
Listening for the lad’s heartbeat
Oh~ they smile & simply tsk at the lad thinking he can escape
No- there is no where to run, lad—
Get back, do not run into the closet
Find another place to hide
Reach for a spot that has some more bright rays
At least be surrounded by even a bit of moonlight
Never think you can escape from the shadows
Carefully try with all your might to keep your eyes closed while we surround you
‘I see you trembling in there lad!’ every shadow utters.
Sure the shadows like to see their prey shaking with fear, but now they think maybe it’s time to call it a day, then again....maybe not...
**********
TALISMAN
The midwife moved swift..
Arne beamed with pride-
Leaned forward to stare at his wife—
“Irine?” She lay peacefully like an angel.
Something was not right.
Midwife transformed & jumped to grab the kid~
Alas, she got zapped by the talisman around Irine’s neck.
Now seeing her shadow form, Arne drew his sword, the midwife cackled, & went flying out of the cottage, through the front door, like a plume of smoke.
********
NIGHT HOWLERS
Never bend down to pet the creatures
It may look all cuddly— at first
Grizzly- it becomes after it’s turned
Howling loudly at the full moon!
The Shadow Man cackles
Howlers of the night..do not pet them.
Or you’ll be met with quite a surprise
Worse you will just hear its howl~ but,
Let’s hope you don’t get to feel it’s bite
Each becomes more painful than the
Razor sharp first...& remember not to Scream your lungs out.
**********
La Reine de la forêt
The Queen of the forest only had one rule...
She forbid any being, or thing, to take control over her own kind..
The Shadow Man of course did not follow the rule-
Now he would have to face the Queen of the forest!
*********
Abyss
Angelic order gathered around the table
Bringing all stories, tales & latest tidbits about their current problem
Yeshi, one of the elders, cleared his throat—
‘’Sanza- are ye ready to track down the
‘Shadow Man’?’’
**********
Soul taking 101: Take the soul with some dramatic flare*
FOREWORD: About this chapter
No persons were harmed in the creation of this part. Also, this chapter’s inspired ‘n’ dedicated to my fellow author, mentor and poet on Prose. Thank you so much for your tips, & sage advice.
Write on. Happy reading and writing to one & all! :)
**************************************
The only sound that could be heard from his office was his two fingers moving at lightning speed on the keyboard. He paused to take a quick chug of the last pint of whiskey.
Howls began to ring in his ear. He turned around and scratched his head. Hmm, maybe he needed to call it a night. It was almost midnight.
He rubbed his eyes and thought to himself. ‘Now, where was I? Ah, yes. The Land Where Shadows Never Die..’ The cursor on the computer screen blinked at him. ‘What now?’
In a quick motion, he turned his chair around & then yelled. ‘‘Whoa! Who are you? Why are you hiding in the shadows—?’’ The figure raised its arms and slowly clapped. ‘‘I have been keeping an eye on you, Farin.’’
‘‘I have come to help you with your book. Surely you have questions about the Land Where Shadows Never Die..Well, I am here to take you to that place.’’
Farin gulped. What kind of crazy talk was this? Was this one of his buddies pulling a prank on him? They always laughed at his work. But hey, he didn’t mind.
The Shadow Man waved his hand and the floor beneath them opened. Farin felt a powerful wind pulling him into the portal. ‘‘Hold on~ I have not agreed to this....’’ Before Farin could say another word, his body was sucked in & taken to the Land Where Shadows Never Die.
**************************************
Note: Do not try this at home. flare* The Shadow Man has trained in soul taking, and still has to work on his writing skills. correction— the word: flair- was supposed to be used, but then the flare felt more appropriate here. xD
*********
LEVITATION
Lyam’s eyes looked on at her body
Eve’s feet were not touching the floor
Very close to screaming— Lyam was-
In his mind he could not figure out
The reason why her body was afloat
And then in the corner of the room
Twisting it’s head around~
It smiled & winked at Lyam
Only thing it wanted now was Eve
Not even Lyam could stop it from taking her to the Shadow Man!
**********
In his chamber, he grabs hold of his axe
Ready to swing it back 'n' forth
At any of the shadow creatures and their leader
Taking his golden armour-
Heavy it is, but he does not mind
Everyone is waitin' for him to join the order
Glorious light shines around him
Ladies in indigo robes bow down
A choir sings out Ira’s name
Dawn breaks ringing in the rosy morning
Ira smiles and walks toward the throne
And the sound of trumpets is heard
Throughout the heavenly realm
On and on the joyful music echoes
Raising a melody for even the Shadow Man to hear
**********
DEAREST EVE
Darkness was all around the space
Eve looked for a sliver of light
Among her new dwelling place
Resting her head in her hands
Embracing herself a bit later
Soon she heard the dungeon door open
Then her eyes fell on a dark figure—
Every cell in her body felt terror-
Voices echoed chanting loud’r & loud’r
‘‘Escaping is not possible here, Eve~’’
**********
SUNFLOWER
Screams from varying sides are heard
Uh, what an odd & macabre realm
Now who’s goin’ to save her where the
Flowers lost their colour—
Leaves turnin’ black~ fallin’ down.........
Onto the dark volcanic like floor-
Where no flower can bloom, or grow....
Eve takes a deep breath & then smiles
Remembering days in her own world.
********
RATTLESNAKE
Roars & hisses echoed like a nightmare
As the rattlesnake slithered nearer
To her side~ she used her feet to try &
Toss the thing to the side- ‘n’ not close
Lilting in a symphonic way— making
Eve feel much more panicked, ready to
Shout for someone to save her from the
Never endin’ torture brought on by the
All evil, powerful master & the one
King of the Nightmare Lane who put
Eve under a long hypnotic spell
**********
HALLELUJAH
Hurrying past the guardians
Amir the Leader of the guardians
Looked at the messenger
Lowering his head to the Chief
‘‘Eve’s in nightmare lane—’’
Listending nearby was Ira who was not
Under no right to be in charge for now
Just as soon as he tried to speak~ King
Amir raised his hand & shook his head
‘‘Here’s the rule- Sanza’ll be in charge!’’
**********
HELLO… THERE….
Heroes grabbed their weapons
Every guardian raised their shield
Letting out a warrior’s cheer- ready to
Lay down their lives for their loved
Ones in their glorious city & realm!
**************************************
The Shadow Man stared in the mirror
He saw them gather~ forming an army
Each one of them looking so fierce—
‘‘Really?- they think this’ll be just so Easy, well, they’re in for a big surprise.’’
CORVUS
The guards zipped through the market, trying their best to keep up with the so-called thief. Folks in the village, and surrounding areas had heard talk about some farmers losing their cattle. But up until this moment in time— no one had caught the perpetrator, or perps. One of the fishermen had watched the young lad zip past him. The lad thought he was going to make it back into the shadows of the thick forest that was supposedly harboring all the thieves that had been stealing the cattle. The fisherman smiled, and thought to himself: ‘‘Here we go, again.’’ Just when the lad was about to see the path leading into the forest, his tracks were stopped by the ebenaceae. Once the ebenaceae had caught wind of your scent, they could find you anywhere- even in the depths of the Red Sea…not even Moses would’ve been able to escape from their talented tracking magickal skills. The lad felt the earth beneath his feet start to sink in. He began to panic as his body sunk further, and further into the ground. One of the ebenaceae slowly clenched their fists, and the lad’s body took on the shape of a crumpled piece of paper.
https://youtu.be/catURHmSQSw?si=AdGoUizWnenHujiG
#CORVUS. Jan.|20|25
Kuomboka
I took a quick hold of my son.
My eyes were like a portal to a black hole.
Harry— the way I said his name- with a mixture of something that was not myself.
I grabbed his hand in a quick motion.
My eyes now seemed to be staring off into outer-space.
Harry— I choked on his name- with a tinge of scarlet spewing out of my chest.
I pushed him, and he landed in the back of the Nalikwanda.
My heart sank.
Harry— I whispered his name, and hoped that Nyambe and the Zambezi gods would keep watch over him.
#Kuomboka
1.7.25
https://youtu.be/dulzKNE0Yww?si=sUCWx5jQGUdeyFBy
1. Mr. Harry Banda.
Harry stared at the vast blue sky. He took a deep breath in, and tried to make his way through the throng. He’d never had imagined that his great grand father’s homeland would be so full of life. Most of the other big cities that he had visited with his daughter had seemed densely populated, but the people seemed to be focused on their own business, and trying to become a rich vlogger. Their smartphones were glued to their sides 24/7 which made Harry feel somewhat disconsolate. Yes, he had been a part of the so-called young and upcoming business technology gurus, but that time back then was like a distant nightmare that Harry wanted to forget. The devices that he had helped to create— he had hoped to have seen them being used for the greater good- Samaritan work, Volunteering to plant trees…or maybe he just needed to find a way to get the younger generation into learning how to spend more time in nature: enjoying the view of a beautiful sunrise be it over the ocean/lake, or spending some time with a family of elephants in a rainforest. These were also on his list of activities Harry planned to do with his daughter after his vacation. He gazed around the busy city of Lusaka. He chuckled to himself when he spotted a familiar face, Pamela. She waved at Harry, and he waved back.
Pamela: Mr. Banda…where are you headed today?
Harry: (shakes his head) Well, Hello to you, too, Pamela. I’m surprised you’re already here at KKIA to pick me up. I thought you would be still fast asleep.
Pamela: (grins) Ha! I was…eh kinda. I took a nap while waiting for you to arrive.
Harry: (sighs) This means my daughter won the bet.
Pamela: She’s a smart girl that one.
Harry: Yeah, that she is. She takes after her mother, and grandmother.
Pamela: (chuckles) That is true. Oh, by the way, Fiona wants to know what you’d like to have for breakfast.
Harry: Please tell her not to over cook like she’s serving the King of Nubia. All I need is some toast, scrambled eggs, and a cup of milo. I have to have some milo every morning now thanks to my daughter. (smiles)
Pamela: Aight. I’ll let Fiona know. (clears throat) How’s your wife doing?
Harry: Not so good. She’s still in a coma.
Pamela felt for Harry. She told Harry that she would continue to pray for his wife.
Harry felt his heart sink. He missed his wife’s presence. The memories of that night still lingered in his head— like a heavy fog that seemed to stay, and never vanish even as time- or seasons passed. He had not been at home. He’d decided to continue his work at the office, burning the midnight oil. Then his daughter called him and informed him that her mother had not made it back home from the library. Harry had nearly fainted. He rushed home, and on his way there he had made a call to the police station. The were right on top of it, and searched for his wife’s vehicle. Her body had been found lying still in her car underneath an old bridge. All doors of the vehicle, and most of the front as well looked quite beaten up. His wife had lost a lot of blood from a head, and neck injury. The airbag malfunctioned, and she had lost control of the car after hydroplaning off the road.
Harry took a deep breath. Now was not the time for thinking of his wife’s accident. She was in great hands. Harry and his daughter tried not to worry too much. They also prayed for a speedy recovery. Maybe his wife would be alright before, or by Christmas Day. If that was going to be the case, Harry would immediately cut his vacation time short, and head back home. Meanwhile, he would later check in on his daughter and find out how boarding school was going.
#Mr.HarryBanda
December 3rd, 2024.
Writing Contests
Short Fiction Contests
“Fabuly Writer’s Challenge
“Step into Fabuly's writer's challenge and create a short 2,000-word story that focuses on this year's theme: an unexpected encounter. The winner of Fabuly's contest will win $500 and be featured in the mobile app as a professionally illustrated and produced audiobook.
Deadline: December 14, 2024
Prize: $500 and Audiobook production
“Story Shares’ Story of the Year
“It's the seventh annual Story of the Year Contest hosted by Storyshares, featuring up to $15,000 in cash prizes. In addition to the available monetary prize, winners and runners-up will have their works included in the Storyshares library, which currently serves tens of thousands of students worldwide.
Deadline: January 13, 2025
Prize: Up to $15,000 and publication
“Story Unlikely’s Short Story Contest
“The folks at Story Unlikely run a monthly digital magazine that shares a wide range of short stories with no genre restrictions, providing something for nearly every reader. The team also runs its annual short story contest, offering up to $1,500 for the first-place winner and the opportunity to be included in the publication's yearly print magazine.
Deadline: January 21, 2025
Prize: Up to $1,500 and publication
“Arc Manor Books' Mike Resnick Memorial Award
“The Mike Resnick Memorial Award, hosted by Arc Manor Books, is presented to a new science fiction author to reflect upon the American fiction writer of the same name who was nominated for 37 Hugo Awards in his lifetime. Short science fiction works up to 7,499 words can be submitted by authors who have yet to have any work published.
Deadline: To Be Determined (2025)
Prize: $250 and a trophy
“Baen Books' Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award
“The team at Baen Books' is hosting the Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award, recognizing a work of science fiction under 8,000 words. The publisher is looking for stories that show manned space exploration in the near future (50-60 years out). Baen notes they want to highlight realistic, optimistic science fiction showcasing our potential future, so no dystopian tales here.
Deadline: February 1, 2025
Prize: Publication with pay and a trophy
General Prose Contests
“Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition
“Minotaur Books, an imprint of Macmillan Books, and the Mystery Writers of America are teaming up to offer a competition highlighting a debut writer's first crime novel. You can submit previously published manuscripts (self-published not permitted) for consideration.
Deadline: December 15, 2024
Prize: $10,000 future royalties advance
“Kinsman Avenue's Stories of Inspiration
“Kinsman Avenue Publishing is running its Stories of Inspiration contest, an opportunity for nonfiction writers. Writers with stories highlighting the struggle and resilience of the human spirit related to marginalized communities' cultures are welcome. Individuals of a BIPOC or underrepresented community are preferred.
Deadline: December 21, 2024
Prize: Publication with pay
“L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest
“Lafayette Ronald Hubbard wrote science fiction and fantasy at the beginning and end of his life. The Writers of the Future Contest was launched in 1983 to highlight aspiring authors in the field of speculative fiction. Today, the contest continues annually, offering the grand prize winner a $5,000 cash prize and trophy.
Deadline: December 31, 2024
Prize: Up to $5,000 and a trophy
“Friends of American Writers Literature Award
“The Friends of American Writers Literature Award focuses on emerging authors whose books focus on the Midwest United States. If you have a book that has already been published, you can submit it for consideration as long as you are a Midwestern resident or your book's setting is within the Midwest.
Deadline: December 2024
Prize: Recognition
Poetry Contests
“Poetry Society of America's Four Quartets Prize
“The Poetry Society of America, founded in 1910, continues its mission of bringing poetry into everyday American life with its Four Quartets Prize. If you are a poet with a complete sequence of poems published in the United States in 2024, you are invited to enter. Finalists receive $1,000 each, with the winner receiving an additional $20,000.
Deadline: December 31, 2024
Prize: Up to $21,000
“Defenestrationism Lengthy Poem Contest
“Based on its name, we cannot think of a better organization to host the Lengthy Poem Contest than Defenstrationsim. Poets are invited to enter a poem of considerable length, at least 120 lines long, for submission. The contest runners will publish the three finalists on the website, and several days of public voting will be available before a winner is announced.
Deadline: January 1, 2025
Prize: $300
The Levis Reading Prize
“The Levis Reading Prize is offered yearly in memory of the Virginia Commonwealth University poet and faculty member. It recognizes the best first or second book of poetry published by a poet. Winners receive an honorarium and are invited, expenses paid, to Richmond, Va., for a public reading the following autumn.
Deadline: January 15, 2025
Prize: Honorarium and an invitation to Richmond
“Note: Before submitting to any writing contest, please carefully review the contest's rules and eligibility. These change regularly, so make sure to confirm that a contest has not instituted submission fees since this article was written.
15th November, 2024