
When it comes to rounding out our Flash 405 season this year, we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than with, well, a party theme. As we prepare for a new season at Expo and celebrate seasons past, Barrelhouse fiction editor Christopher Gonzalez knows how to kick off the festivities with the theme “House Party” for our August Flash 405 contest.
Entries for this round will be accepted until September 5, 2021 via Submittable. We also encourage you to visit our Flash 405 page where you will find the full guidelines and can read past contest winners.
Read on to learn more about this month’s contest:
Continue reading “Call for Entries: Flash 405, August 2021: “House Party””






With the theme “International Travel,” judge Dave Gregory asked to “see the world through your words,” and received numerous entries that did just that: stories that made us richer, even at a time when the desire to travel and boundaries—physical, emotional, and social—seem more keenly felt than ever. We are now pleased to share the best of those stories with the world! Plus, with a portion of the entry fees and Exposition Review matching the amount, we were able to donate to an important nonprofit in the Los Angeles community.
We are pleased to announce the winners of Flash 405: “Change in Perspective,” selected by guest judge K.B. Carle. The April 2020 contest asked writers to tell stories that changed them, but from a completely different point of view. K.B.’s prompt challenged writers to think outside the box (or even as the box!) and pushed them out of their comfort zone, resulting in some excellent, unexpected pieces.