By Kathleen Colburn –

What is flash fiction? We asked writers to paint a picture, to tell a story, with 500 words or less. 

A flash fiction story should be concise and complete. I was looking for stories that were vivid and bright; clear and clean; without being forceful and hard-hitting. Sentences should be active yet tight. The writer illustrates a moment; or a series of moments; and every one of those moments matters. Subtlety and surprise are key, as are endings that offer an emotional punch.

Thank you to all the great writers who participated in our contest.

The winners were announced in the December 2015 issue of Rapid River Arts & Culture Magazine, available now in over 400 locations throughout Western North Carolina.

Congratulations to the Winners!

1st place

RF Wilson for Life From Sixty Feet, with a prize of two tickets to the Asheville Symphony holiday performance “Simply Sinatra Christmas.”

2nd place

Joseph S. Sollazzo for Fog, with a prize of a “4 Flex Pass” plus two concession vouchers from the Asheville Community Theatre.

3rd place

Gina Malone for Alvin Gets a Girl, with another prize from the Asheville Community Theatre of two tickets to any performance, plus two concession vouchers.

Honorable Mentions

Mickey Hunt for Denying the Signs
Susan Damerville for The Last Tenants
Tom Davis for The Truth About Santa and Sex

I would also like to give honorable mention to two stories I really enjoyed that were not chosen by the judges – The Dresser by Kirsten Marino Walz, and Discovery of a Lifetime by Michael Landolfi.

A huge thank you to our generous prize contributors.
The Asheville Symphony Orchestra
The Asheville Community Theatre

The Asheville Symphony Orchestra was established in 1960 and continues to perform and promote excellent symphonic music for the benefit, enjoyment and education of the people of Western North Carolina.

Asheville Community Theatre is the oldest continuously operating theatre in Asheville and has been delighting audiences for over six decades with a wide range of high quality performances and programs.

The Judges.

I had fun with Tom Chalmers and Waylon Wood as they reviewed and judged all the stories. Both are great writers and performers and lent their considerable experience and expertise to choosing our winners.

Tom Chalmers is a writer and performer as well as the host and producer of Listen to This: Stories in Performance, a monthly series at ACT’s 35 Below.

Tom also heads up the improv program at NYS3 (New York Studio of Stage & Screen) and teaches comedy writing and performance at Warren Wilson College.

Waylon Wood has won numerous awards for his one-act play, Irene. His plays from the li’l Nashville played to packed houses during the catalyst series at NC Stage. His plays Chipola and Letters and Notes Found on the Windshield at the Piggly Wiggly Parking Lot both saw successful runs ACT’s 35below. Chipola was last seen off-Broadway at Urban Stages.

His other plays include Bed and Breakfast, State Park/Fire Line, Black Top Highway and the upcoming Sopchoppy. He is a regular contributor to Listen to This at 35below and has told his first story for THE MOTH. He continues to write.

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The Flash Fiction contest was curated by Rapid River Magazine
Short Story editor Kathleen Colburn. She can be reached by email to rrshortstories@gmail.com.