Who will emerge?

Without hyperbole, this was by far the most challenging contest we’ve ever judged here at Molotov HQ. The quality of submissions has never been higher, making even the Close-But-No-Cigar shortlist a challenge to crack with such fierce competition. 

We saw U.S. entries roll in primarily from the East and West Coasts, with some Midwest thrown for good measure (and a smattering of the landlocked West), and we were thrilled to also read submissions from writers stationed in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, India, Ireland, Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.  

The following writers had stories that made it through several rounds of cuts, but didn’t quite squeak into the Top 10.

Close-but-no-cigar shortlist shout-outs go to:

Dmitri Akers
Kristopher Armstrong
Beth Bauman
Brook Bhagat
Mason Binkley
Andrew Bourelle
Andy Brown
Michael Carter
Travis Chambray
Christina Dalcher
Phillip Dixon
Mitchell Duran
Robert Fael
Justin Florey
Kate Garklavs
Jenna Gersie
Candace Hartsuyker
Nikki HoSang
Ama Kirchner
Levi Krain
Jennifer Lynn Krohn
Emily Laubham
Veronica Lavia
Rebecca Matteson
Emma Miller (2)
Emma Neale
David Northedge
Alexandra O’Neil
Alyn Spector
Christopher Stanley
Ernest Gordon Taulbee
Ingrid Taylor
Liza Taylor
Deanie Vallone
Alpheus Williams
Michael Worthington
Maura Yzmore
Angel Zapata

The Top 10 that you’ll find below will be published in our forthcoming Flash Beast mega-issue, which will drop on Monday, August 27th. They will also be included in our fourth-annual Prize Winners Anthology print issue, to be published in Fall 2018. 

“And now, here’s something we hope you’ll really like.”

10th Place – “The Spoils” by John Skewes

9th Place – “The Boy with Birds in His Heart” by Quentin Norris

8th Place – “Fish Brain Therapy” by Neil Clark

7th Place – “They Who Keep the Sky” by Travis Chambray

6th Place – “The Lions” by Alexandra O’Neil

5th Place – “Hunger” by Elinam Agbo

4th Place – “Bear Necessity” by Aeryn Rudel

And now on to those three stories that really separated themselves from the pack.

3rd Place ($50)

“Gutted”
by Barlow Adams

2nd Place ($100)

“Riding Deep Night”
by Alpheus Williams

1st Place ($200)

“Cocoon”
by Julia Pike

Congrats to the winners and a huge thanks to everyone who participated in our Flash Beast contest! Always a pleasure to read your work, and we couldn’t host these contests without you.

Check back on Monday for the Flash Beast mega-issue.