EDITOR FAVORITES
MYSTERY MONDAY
“Midnight” – This magical whodunnit with a paranormal angle is perfect for the holiday season.
“Night’s Journey” – The opening lines and vivid descriptions quickly hook the reader. We also loved the fact that the main character had a medical issue, as that’s not common in most of the stories we read. You could feel her emotion over not wanting to miss out on key life events.
TECHNO TUESDAY
“Monster’s Call” is a wonderfully whimsical take on superpowers and their consequences. Gripping emotion and a perfect conclusion make this story one you won’t want to put down.
“Always the Future” has a Star Trek-esque concept brought poignantly to life. If you had a choice, which would you hold onto—a future known or unknown?
WACKY WEDNESDAY
“A Feather and a Wink” has gryphons, unlikely heroes, and a fae who can quite literally see emotions—all thrown together in a hilariously awkward predicament. Written with flair and packed with drama, it’s a delightfully amusing read.
“Your Nosy Neighborhood Granny” wonderfully combines the crotchety voice and dry humor of your favorite granny with the danger and intrigue of a vampire hunt. An uncannily fun read.
THRILLER THURSDAY
“The Hallowed Heart” – We really enjoyed this touching take on the ‘sixth sense’ theme, and really appreciated the message of empathy’s importance in all times and circumstances.
“Zombies and Sloths” – This struck a wonderful balance between fun, weird, and fantastic. Like the survivors of this sleep-deprived world, I too am thankful for winged, magic sloths.
FANTASY FRIDAY
“A Ghost’s Guide to Haunted Hugs” is a lovely, wild story right from the title itself! It’s so full of imagination and character, and the ending was so unexpectedly heartwarming.
“Blinded by Color” is the story embodiment of a vibrant swirl of colors in our mind. The concept is so unique, and the characters so realistic. This whole story is bright and colorful, but still touches on a deeper struggle underlying the vivid premise.
READER FAVORITES
- “Predator or Prey“ by Kaitlyn Emery (Staff Saturday)
- “Your Nosy Neighborhood Granny“ by Beka Gremikova (Wacky Wednesday)
- “Departures“ by Elizabeth Liberty Lewis (Staff Saturday)
- “Komainu” by Michael Erasmus (Thriller Thursday)
- “The Last Phoenix“ by Ryan Ouellette (Fantasy Friday)
Editor Favorites and Reader Favorites are just two of the factors that we consider when determining which stories are selected for our seasonal anthologies. If you see your story here, it means you’ve earned some extra attention! We’ll announce which stories actually make it to the finals when we post the Anthology Long List in February. In the meantime, keep reading and voting!
Congratulations, everyone!!! 🎉
Wahoo! Very fun to see my story on this list. :D
Congrats to you all!
Yay, congrats, guys!! So many good ones on here!! Like Zombies and Sloths—sloths make every story better 😁 🦥
That’s so cool!
So excited to be listed here among other talented authors! I really enjoyed “Departures” and “Your Nosy Neighborhood Granny”
Oh! Late to the party, but I totally didn’t realize my story was on this list! ^.^ That’s awesome!