Summer may be in full swing, but here at Expo, we’re still basking in the glow “Spring.” And, in the spirit of not “quitting” the season, we have even more new work to share: the winners of our latest Flash 405 contest.
“Quitting” was the theme of our April contest, judged by Francesca Spiegel. As our Associate Nonfiction Editor, Francesca asked for stories that condensed the big, hard truths of quitting into beautiful micro narratives.
Congratulations to our 1st and 2nd place winners, who both received a cash prize. They, along with two honorable mentions, can be read below:
Judge’s Comments:
I was curious how much dynamism and energy could come out of the inherently negative concept of quitting. I began reading the flash pieces thinking that quitting was a punctual action, a one-time event. I expected short, breezy pieces about a clean break, snapping.
But the submitted works surprised me by packing glittering complexity into their tiny molds. They examined the painstaking back-and-forth of a decision to leave. They went down memory lane, to a bridge burned long ago that no longer exists. Some entries came from the side of those left to pick up the pieces after someone else quit. There were stories about the “quitted” returning, needing to be quit all over again. And tales of hope to mend what was once broken. Some works channeled anti-consumerism in a consumerist world. Others grappled with stuckness, bad habits, with love, loss, fear, and our perennial desire to get free.
I came away thinking of quitting as having more presence in our daily lives and in our thoughts than I gave it credit for, before. Quitting can be both: a deliberate act that feels good, reclaims individual agency, and promises a fresh start. And an act of disruption, apt to take away more agency than it bestows, and leaving scars. One thing is for sure, I won’t “quit” thinking about these works!
– Francesca Spiegel
Congratulations again to the winners! You can read their work (with individual comments from Francesca) below:
1st Place:
Exemplum by Paul Arenson (Fiction)
2nd Place:
Hank & Mary Lynn: A Love Story in Postcards by Suzanne C Martinez (Fiction)
Honorable Mention:
Orchid Remains by Charlie Rogers (Fiction)
Choose Your Audience by Angela Townsend (Nonfiction)
Want to read more? Check out our past Flash 405 contests and winners.
Want to write your own flash? Our next contest has yet to be announced, but will open in August. Follow on social media or sign up for the Expo Extra newsletter to get updates on submission opportunities, publications, and more.
Photo by Jon Sailer