Flash Fiction Winners – 2018 GLVWG Write Stuff Conference™

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Flash Fiction, Flash Literature Contest, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Writer's Conference, Writing

 

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Article by Bernadette Sukley

 

Closing up with our final post about this year’s GLVWG Write Stuff Conference™, we are honored to list the winners of the Flash Fiction Contest held on March 24, 2018.

Bernadette Sukley, contest chairperson for the last eight years, gives us a quick rundown on how the process worked.

 

1. Contest is open to Conference Attendees Only.
2. Participants provide 100 words of poetry, fiction or non-fiction (or all three genres).
3. Entries submitted via email or in person at the Write Stuff Writers Conference™.
4. Entries are posted for reviewing and voting by all attendees.
5. Tally of votes and announcement of winners (first, second, third prizes awarded for each of the three genres) at the end of conference.

 

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For the Fiction Category:

1st Place – Rita Civitella: “Round Up”

2nd Place – Chris Ochs: “An Evening Encounter”

3rd Place – Douglas Troxell: “One More for the Pile”

 

Winning Entry – Round Up, by Rita Civitella

“Don’t do it Steve. Think of the loss.”

“They’ll only take over. Should’ve killed them all before.”

“No, some are good. We need them.”

“I’m only shooting the bad ones.”

“How can you tell bad from good? To you they all look the same. If you shoot at anything you don’t like, you’ll kill all the good ones, too.”

“You know how much I’ve sunk into this place? I’m not letting them take over. You can let your property value go down, but not me.”

Steve aimed the weed killer at the flower bed and pulled the trigger.

 

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For the Non-Fiction Category:

1st Place – Rita Civitella: “The Escape”

2nd Place – Rosemary Detrolio: “Garden Blessings”

3rd Place – Suzanne Mattaboni: “ Near-sighted Girl’s Guide to Twins”

 

Winning Entry – The Escape, by Rita Civitella

 While she inspects some contraband, I see my chance. I slowly back away, attempting to soundlessly reach the tiny room, avoiding the squeaky floorboard near the stairs. I purse my lips, exhaling a short silent breath, trying to quiet my thumping heart as I reach my goal.

The door closes with a soft click. Easing myself onto the seat, I relax.

Sudden pounding on the door causes me to nearly jump to my feet. I see the doorknob turning back and forth.

“Grandma what are you doing in there?”

At least I got into the bathroom before I wet myself.

 

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For the Poetry Category:

1st Place – Douglas Troxell: “The Express Lane”

2nd Place – Suzanne Mattaboni: “Lie Glitter”

3rd Place – Rita Civitella: “The Curse of the Blarney Stone”

 

Winning Entry – The Express Lane, by Douglas Troxell

 

Twenty-four items?

Twenty-four?!

Lady you’re gonna bring 24 items into the express lane?

The sign above the cashier reads 15 items or less not 15 items or best offer.

I’ve got two items

A Gatorade

A hoagie

Two

We arrived in the lane that same time.

And I being a gentleman I am, ushered you forward

Grocery store chivalry is not dead

YOU looked at me

You saw my items

You glanced at my Gatorade

You glanced at my hoagie

And still, you stepped forward with your 24 items.

Twenty-four items.

Twenty-four.

 

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Bernadette Sukley, Write Stuff Writers Conference™ Flash Literature Contest Organizer and Chairman of the GLVWG Anthology, ‘The Write Connections’, has been researching, writing and editing for over 25 years. Her work has been featured in national and international publications. Her focus is human interest, health, and lifestyle. She’s also written and edited guides, pamphlets, columns, stories, and novels. She’s published two novels (A Saving Hurricane, Find Me a Woman) and a nonfiction book (Made in Pennsylvania) within the last eight years.

An Interview with Matt Betts

Tags

Media Kits, Poetry, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Writing Conferences, Writing Craft, Writing Horror

 

Matt Betts’ short and flash fiction has focused a lot on humor and horror. His work appears in Arkham Tales, Ethereal Tales, the Triangulation: Taking Flight anthology, Bizarro Fiction! The Journal of Experimental Fiction 37, A Thousand Faces and Cinema Spec: Tales of Hollywood and Fantasy.

Matt’s poetry has been published in numerous venues, and his poem “Godzilla’s Better Half” was nominated for a Rhysling Award, the Science Fiction Poetry Association’s highest honor. His poetry has appeared in Star*Line, Escape Clause, The Book of Tentacles, Illumen, the 2010 Rhysling Anthology, Kaleidotrope, and others. One of his pieces was also mentioned in a New York Times article on zombie poetry.

“Matt Betts doesn’t seem to know all writers get put into a box. He ignores genres and boundaries and simply writes what his imagination wants. His stories are what make reading fun.”—Greg Hall, Everyone Hates a Hero

Bernadette Sukley had a chance to speak with Matt about his writing and the writing industry.

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Bernadette: A favorite author(s)? Why?

Matt: I read quite a bit, and have a number of favorites. Stephen King is certainly one of them. He’s written some fantastic books. I think he’s a favorite because he makes stories seem so simple. As an author, I started writing because I thought anyone would be able to write his kind of fiction, but I soon found out that it isn’t easy to write like that. It takes work to make something so easy to read, and yet so effective.

I’m also a huge fan of Elmore Leonard. Again, his stories are pretty straightforward, but his dialogue and characters constantly blow me away.  He’s another one that made it seems easy. His stories are simple crime stories that never turn out quite so simple. My goal has been to make my dialogue as good as his and to follow one of his rules for storytelling: Cut out the parts that people tend to skip.

Bernadette:  What is it about zombies that have captured the attention of literature (and other media)?

Matt: I think zombies are one of the great monsters in literature and pop culture. As a reader, you don’t have to understand their motives or anything else about them. They want to kill the living. That’s pretty much it for motive. Therefore, the author can write about the heroes of the story. The focus shifts to how average people handle dealing with such a mindless adversary. You can examine how people do, or don’t, band together to survive. I think from time-to-time that’s a welcome change from complex villains with intricate schemes and complex backstories. And it’s fun to see how each author has interpreted zombies-are they fast or slow, smart-ish or mindless, are they after brains, is someone controlling them? Each vision can be interesting and pretty unique.

Winning Entries – Flash Literature Contest

Tags

Creative Writing, Flash Fiction, Flash Literature Contest, Non-Fiction, Poetry

 

The Conference over, the votes tallied, it’s only fitting we honor the first place winners from the Write Stuff Writers Conference™ Flash Literature Contest, held on March 25, 2017.

Bernadette Sukley, who’s been chairing the Flash Literature Contest for seven years, gives us a quick rundown on how the process worked.

1. Contest is open to Conference Attendees Only.
2. Participants provide 100 words of poetry, fiction or non-fiction (or all three genres).
3. Entries submitted via email or in person at the Write Stuff Writers Conference™.
4. Entries are posted for reviewing and voting by all attendees.
5. Tally of votes and announcement of winners (first, second, third prizes awarded for each of the three genres) at the end of conference.

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For the Fiction Category:

1st Place: Christopher Ochs

2nd Place: Elizabeth Thomas

3rd Place: Judy England McCarthy

 

Winning Entry – “I Glimpsed Them“, by Christopher Ochs.

Poe saw the Monsters. Lovecraft saw Them. Campbell saw Them as well. They all saw Them, then they wrote about Them.

Last year, I glimpsed Them — and They saw me. Of course, I was stupid enough to write a story about it.

Poe died from opium, or so the legend goes. Lovecraft succumbed to syphilis, which I find curious since the poor slob was a virgin. Campbell died of esophageal cancer — yet he was an avid non-smoker.

When they decide to tear me from this life, what fate shall They choose I wonder, to fool this unwitting world?

 

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For the Non-Fiction Category:

1st Place: Rita Citivella

2nd Place: Ralph Burns

3rd Place: Terry Ingalsby

 

Winning Entry – “The Line“, by Rita Citivella.

I feel their judgment. I don’t belong here. I haven’t mastered the language. I long to fit in, to be a part of this nation. I’ve gone over the answers a hundred times. Still, my heart beats faster as the line moves forward. Soon they will question me.

Don’t let them intimidate you. You have a right to be here. Don’t say anything to arouse suspicion.

My turn now. I tremble under their steely glare.

Take a deep breath. Answer confidently.

“Tall Vanilla Latte.”

 

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For the Poetry Category:

1st Place: Beverly Botelho

2nd Place: Rita Civitella

3rd Place: Sharon Boudreaux

 

Winning Entry – “Song of Solace“, by Beverly Botelho.

Your pigments paint me happy, calm, and serene

My pea green turns to blush and

I feel the rush a drug might provide

A balm that Solomon would be proud to claim, bless, and seal Under your brush

 

I spread red and peach mixed with pine I am proud to say

I am your creation

Under cerulean sky and a cover of violet white

I am jealous of this day, a day filled with laughs and a smattering of night

 

Paint me again a gallery of todays

Tomorrow may turn black

 

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Bernadette Sukley, Write Stuff Writers Conference™ Flash Literature Contest Organizer and Chairman of the GLVWG Anthology, ‘The Write Connections’, has been researching, writing and editing for over 25 years. Her work has been featured in national and international publications. Her focus is human interest, health and lifestyle. She’s also written and edited guides, pamphlets, columns, stories, and novels. She’s published two novels (A Saving Hurricane, Find Me a Woman) and a nonfiction book (Made in Pennsylvania) within the last eight years.

 

Award Winning Poet – Therése Halscheid

Tags

Creative Writing, Poetry, Writing, Writing Conferences

Once again, GLVWG’s intrepid Dawn Sooy took the time to interview award winning poet, writer, teacher, and photographer, Therése Halscheid, who will present Writing From The Inside Out, at The Write Stuff Conference™ on Saturday, March 25, 2017.

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DS –  It sounds like you have a busy schedule and have traveled extensively. Do you have a family? If so, what kind of reaction do you get when you are ready to leave home?”

Therése – I do not have a traditional family. My comings and goings reflect my writing process, which is to say that I am nomadic. I live on the road to write — largely by way of house-sitting or artist colonies or teaching opportunities. It is a contemplative lifestyle though I often feel those I house-sit for are my extended family. There is a sense of oneness when our lives join for periods of time. Over the years there have been occasions where a partner has joined me, which made the house-sit very enjoyable. It is a lifestyle that requires no home though, for me, home is wherever I am on Earth.