In her call for submissions for our February 2025 Flash 405 contest, “Anchor”, judge Ashley Moon asked for stories about what “holds you down.” We received many incredible entries, but the winners of this round held our attention down to the very last word with their complexity, their dreaminess, and their visceral descriptions.
We are pleased to share the winners of our first contest of 2025!
Judge’s Comments:
What a wonderful experience it was to read the entries submitted to this round of Flash 405! I enjoyed seeing the many different and creative directions these writers took in their interpretations of my theme “Anchor.”
Ultimately the pieces that spoke to me most were the ones that stopped me in my tracks and held me in place. I was left thinking about these pieces for a long time after I first read them.
Thank to all of the writers who submitted their pieces for this round. It was an honor and a pleasure to read them.
– Ashley Moon
Congratulations to the winners! You can read their work (with individual comments from Ashley) below:
1st Place:
You Never Really Come Back from Space by Laila Amado (Fiction)
2nd Place:
Shells by Evelyn Krieger (Experimental)
Honorable Mention:
Sanctuary by Abigail Mills (Fiction)
Want to read more? Check out our past Flash 405 contests and winners, and sign up for the Expo Extra newsletter to get updates on new publications, reading recommendations, events, and submission opportunities.
Want to write your own flash? Our next contest theme, “Quitting”, is rife with inspiration, and will be accepting submissions through May 5!
Photo by HyeRyeong Oh