Writer’s Digest - 7th Annual Short Short Story Competition Winners

This year's grand-prize winner is Kathleen Latham and her short story, "3:57 (Night Vision)". Congratulations to all of the winners in the Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition. First-place winner Kathleen Latham wins $3,000; second-place winner Kristene Perron wins $1,500; third-place winner Elizabeth Monroe wins $500; fourth- through tenth-place winners win $100; and eleventh- through twenty-fifth place winners receive a $50 gift certificate for Writer's Digest Books. All winners receive the 2007 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market and the The Insider's Guide to Getting an Agent. The competition attracted 8,119 entries. Judges Gina Ochsner, Debby Mayne and J.A. Konrath helped narrow the field. Finalists were judged and ranked by Writer's Digest editors.

The names and story titles of all 25 winners will appear in the June issue of Writer's Digest, along with an article featuring the first-place winner. You can also read the top five entries below.

The Short List

1. Kathleen Latham, Westwood, Mass.: "3:57 (Night Vision)"
2. Kristene Perron, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada: "Attempted"
3. Elizabeth Monroe (aka Max Wiley), Ashland, Va.: "Five Minutes After an Earthquake"
4. Benjamin Gleisser, Lakewood, Ohio: "Twitch"
5. Scott Merrow, Albuquerque, N.M.: "The Good Mother"

6. Tea Obreht, Ithaca, N.Y., "The Parasol"
7. Kaenan Oliver, Gendale, Calif., "Surface Shock"
8. Michael Barber, Loudon, Tenn., "Baghdad Blue"
9. Zara Peisker, Jacksonville, Fla., "War and Innocence"
10. John Kimbrough, Beaverton, Ore., "The Money is in the E-mail"
11. Carmen Jessee, Chicago, Ill., "The Pinch"
12. Melanie Haney, Hudson, N.H., "Dodd"
13. Marx Prewett, St. Charles, Ill., "Consolation Round"
14. J.L. Munn, St. Bruno, Quebec, Canada,"The Victrola"
15. Jenny Lentz, Philadelphia, Pa., "Sleeping Lessons"
16. Archie Algas, Chicago, Ill., "The Blue One"
17. Seth Augenstein, Westfield, N.J., "Something Else Is Slipping Away"
18. Samuel Sahl, Sharon, Mass., "A Visit"
19. Jennifer Byrne, Glassboro, N.J., "Holding"
20. Richard Hofheimer, Richmond, Va., "American Standard"
21. Liberty Kontranowski, Essexville, Mo., "Next Best Thing"
22. Bonnie Lievan, St. Paul, Minn., "Heecha"
23. Jacquelyn Speir, Hanalei, Hawaii, "Roots of Change"
24. Matthew Simmons, Florence, S.C., "Some Idiot"
25. Teresa Roberts, Chicago, Ill., "The Journal"

To receive a booklet containing the full manuscripts of the top 25 winners, visit our Competition Collection sponsor, Trafford Publishing.