Annual $5,550 Tom Howard Short Story, Essay & Prose Contest

A no-frills site, this page provides essential information on the $5,550 short story, essay and prose contest only.

Each year, John Howard Reid and Tom Howard Books sponsor three Writing Contests, one for prose and two for poetry. These Contests are open to all writers worldwide, although please note that all entries must be written in English.

SUMMARY for The Tom Howard Short Story, Essay and Prose Contest, deadline March 31, 2010: Entries for Contest 18 are now being accepted. Prize money will amount to $5,550. The entry fee is $15. Cash prizes for Contest 18 will be: First Prize of $3,000; Second Prize of $1,000; Third Prize of $400; Fourth Prize of $250. In addition, six cash prizes of $150 each will be awarded, making a grand total of $5,550.

You can buy from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other bookstores. What's $12.50 compared to increasing your chances of carrying off that $3,000 in cash First Prize? If you would prefer the First Edition rather than the revised, expanded edition above, please click this link below:

The 18th annual John Howard Reid & Tom Howard Short Story, Essay and Prose Contest is now open. Results for the 17th Contest are posted below.

$5,550 total prize pool!

First Prize: $3,000

Second Prize: $1,000

Third Prize: $400. Fourth prize: $250

Plus six Most Highly Commended Awards of $150 each.

Please note that the judges will endeavor to award at least one of the cash prizes this year to a humorous story, essay or article.

This contest will close on March 30, 2010.

It's a smart idea to take a look at the entries that have won major prizes in previous years. The bookstore edition of "Watching Time" was out of print for over a year. One store actually sold a copy for $145.00, even though you could always buy proof copies -- and you can still buy proof copies -- at http://www.lulu.com/filmindex for only $12.95 and even preview some of the stories free of charge. But now the trade edition has again sold out at most book stores. Fortunately, Amazon still have copies. As the book is once again officially out of print, you will find trade edition copies now selling for over $75 elsewhere, so my advice is to buy a copy from Amazon while stocks last for only $12.95.

Another piece of good news is that a previous anthology of winning stories, "Mr Christian and the Bag Lady" is also now available from Amazon.

Although the theme for stories and essays is open (the subject matter is your choice), it's also helpful to know what particular subjects and themes may be of special interest to the judge. You can find out simply by clicking the Amazon links (see below) to the judge's own books, "Micaela Morris in Jo's Heaven" and "Mexican Autumn". You don't have to buy the books, of course. Just reading the descriptions at Amazon will give you some clues.

Your story or prose piece should be no longer than 5,000 words. There is no minimum length. Closing date is March 31, 2010. You can send as many entries as you like. You can also enter stories, essays, one-act plays or articles that have already been published or even won prizes in other contests (so long as you hold the online publication rights). Unpublished stories are certainly most welcome too! In fact, the judges are positively eager to discover new authors and boost the literary careers of gifted writers.

All ten winning stories/essays will be published on the WINNING WRITERS web site. At his discretion, the publisher may also from time to time offer selected winning works print publication in an Anthology similar to WATCHING TIME or MR CRISTIAN AND THE BAG LADY. Writers are completely free to accept or decline such an invitation.

It is recommended that intending entrants read either some of the previous winning stories and essays included in the anthologies, "MR CHRISTIAN AND THE BAG LADY" and "WATCHING TIME", or the Chief Judge's own collections, "MICAELA MORRIS IN JO'S HEAVEN" which includes work that has won major awards (including two first prizes) in other competitions; or, if you are feeling more adventurous, "MEXICAN AUTUMN" which contains a title story awarded First Prize by the judge of a British-based contest that attracted nearly 1,000 entries from around the world.

Unfortunately, as noted above, the trade edition of "WATCHING TIME" has almost sold out, but you can still buy the book for $12.95 at Amazon. You can also order beautifully printed proof copies direct from the publisher at http://www.lulu.com/filmindex (you will need to scroll right down to the bottom of the page).

Entry forms are not necessary for this contest, but by entering you agree to abide by all its conditions. Decisions by the Chief Judge are final.

You retain all rights. For instance, you are free to submit your work to other Contests and are free to accept or decline any offers of print publication.

ENTRY FEE: $15 per story/essay.

Maximum length: 5,000 words.

No minimum length requirements. No restrictions on the type or theme of the stories or prose pieces you may submit. Send as many entries as you like!

Entries must be postmarked on or before March 31, 2010, or lodged online before midnight, March 31, 2010, Pacific Time.

Online submission using your credit card or PayPal is available at Winning Writers. Please use this link: http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/tomstory/ts_guidelines.php

Please send postal submissions to Winning Writers, Attention Tom Howard Short Story Contest, 351 Pleasant Street, PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060-3961, USA. Make all checks, etc., payable to Winning Writers.

Chief judge: John Howard Reid. Associate judge: Dee C. Konrad.

We very much regret we cannot return entries. Please make sure you keep a copy. Also we cannot retrieve an entry to make alterations. However, you can always submit a revised version of your entry by paying another entry fee.

TOM HOWARD SHORT STORY, ESSAY AND PROSE CONTEST

PRIZE LIST FOR CONTEST 17

1. $2,000 Gabriela Blandy: The Buck

2. $1,000 Debbie Fox: Attachments

3. $500 Vicky Gouldthorp: The Phone Call

4. $250 Dixon Hearne: The Right Eye of Justice

High Distinction (in order of merit):

5. $200 Laurie Gough: The Border Crossing

6. $200 John Biggs: Total Eclipse

7. $200 Susan Keith: Kicking Up Red Clay

8. $200 James Dickson: The Decision

9. $200 Johnmichael Simon: Terminal

Most Highly Commended (in order of merit):

10. $100 Raymond Trainor: A Death on 33^rd

11. $100 Mary Caperton Morton: The Suffer Fest

12. $100 Ray Clark: Promises To Keep

13. $100 Barbara Westwood: Taste of Dirt

14. $100 Fred McGavran: The Pennington Scarabs

15. $100 Desiree Winkle: Summer Friends

16. $100 Margo Frazier: The Prophetess of State Street

17. $100 Erin Neil: Boston Public

18. $100 Evelyn Krieger: Child of the Light

19. $100 Sally Hermsdorfer: In the Colored Waiting Room

20. $100 Annie Eagleton: At the Pagoda of the Golden Tortoise

Highly Commended (in order of merit): Jodi Diderrich for Hiram's Rock; Dixon Hearne for both Journey Forth and Native Heart; Judy Willman for The Ride of My Life.

Other Highly Commended entries (in random order): Amanda Stein for Two Birds; Beverly Lessard for Jesse's Great Escape; Terrence O'Keeffe for The Quest for Karas; Sheri Snively for Table Grace; Efua Traore for Neighbors; Gerard Thistleton for Wild Grapes; Susan Lanigan for Together Forever; Nancy Gould Thompson for Tails from the Crypt; Rachel Lyon for Balance; Peggy Troupin for A Memoir of Nadezhda Yakovlevna Mandelshtam; Tracey Cramer-Kelly for Born Rescuer; Rachelle Strawther for The Ignorance of Benevolence; Edson Atwood for Stargazing; Michelle Sim for Winter; Gregory Papadoyiannis for The City Beyond the River; Tony Smark for Once in a Blue Moon; Helen Bar-Lev for Bobbie; Judy Winter for Grace; S. Elaine Nelson for The Blood of Francesca Vitale; Vicky Gouldthorp for Best of Intentions; Susan Keith for Cross Town; Karen Scott for Prayer for the Dying; John Leahy for Play It Again Sam; Joseph Cavano for Phineas Rising; Christine Ferguson for The True Story of the Kent Tekulve; Andrea Moriah for The Fence; Kristen Gudsnuk for The Optimist; Michelle Handsaker for Three Essays; Justine Mazin for Terror's Passage; Nancy Roberts for The Maintenance Man; Brighten Cambridge for Lazarus Come Forth; Michael Noonan for The Different Complexions of the Detective Story; Kathryn Jordan for Breaking Point; Kriss Erickson for Autumn Miracle; Sanjay Chopra for Odysseus; Peter Charles Spanton for Trees; Jack Ellison for Amaboo; Rachel Poliquin for The Flying Men; Wandy Dager for In Your Dreams; Richard DiPirro for Quiet River; Linda McGovern for Michael's Gift; Kirstin Hirni for Grandpa's Shadow; Jeff Howe for The Train; Vince Williams for The Broadcast Journalist's Concise Handbook; Herb Wakeford for Safe on an Error; Persephone Vandegrift for Death of a Mortal Woman; Denise Falcone for Yellow; Lester Colodny for both Snake Eyes and The Agent; Anthony A. Mastrantuone for Face in the Flower; Jim Cassidy for Aries; Katie Kyzivat for The Difference; Mari Grana for Reiver; Erika Carmody for Sally The Pink Cheetah; Diana Woodcock for Arabian Desert Revelations; Mary Lou Simms for The King of the Geese; Laura T. Jensen for Up Up and Away; Gerald E. Sheagren for Remembering Roxanne; Bob Tracz for Captain Nat.