Flash 405, February 2017, “Monster” Winners

Flash405-Monster

For our first Flash 405 contest of 2017, judge and Expo editor Lauren Gorski asked for short form narratives that explored “the abnormal, deviations from the acceptable, the outsiders”—and you delivered, with a “monster” number of submissions! From February 4 to March 5, we broke another Flash 405 record for most entries, receiving almost 100 submissions!

Among these entries were stories that scared us, thrilled us, and softened us to the gentle monster within. Lauren wanted “the emotion of Quasimodo compacted to 405 words. The violence of Grendel in 4-5 lines. The conviction of John Proctor in 4-5 pages.” We think she got it. The winners that emerged were able to deftly weave emotion, ugliness, and horror to create very human, but no less memorable monsters. Read on to discover them for yourself!

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Call for Entries! Flash 405, February 2017: “Monster”

Flash405

Our annual issue submissions are closed, but you know what that means—it’s time for the 2017 Flash 405 season! That’s right, Expo’s multi-genre short form writing competition is back. Offering you a chance to win cash prizes and online publication, we will be accepting entries for our first round of Flash 405 from February 4–March 5, 2017. We accept entries in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and stage & screen via Submittable.

Read on to get inspiration on this month’s theme from judge and Expo editor Lauren Gorski:

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