Thank you to everyone who entered this year’s competition. We had 1134 entries, so we, 14 judges from six countries, have been busy. Our decision-making process is similar to our general submissions process: two editors are assigned your work initially. If at least one editor voted maybe this time, your work was sent along to one senior editor. If this editor also voted maybe, your work was assigned to all the senior editors. We have been discussing the top entries for weeks and continue to discuss them as many came in during the last days of the reading period.
The list below reflects the top 40 entries in the competition. This number–a particularly pleasing number–is entirely coincidental. It could have been 39 or 46; we have simply included work we fell in love with. We read a lot of stunning work that didn’t make it to the top 40, so please don’t be discouraged if you don’t see your title(s) below. We wish you lots of success with your writing. Update: one entry has been withdrawn, so we have now 39 on the long list.
Please note that if you sent us 4 entries there was a coupon code for $25 off A SmokeLong Summer 24 in the response to your entry.
If the title of your entry appears on the list below, please feel free to rejoice on social media, but refrain from identifying your work by name/title. Anonymous judging is ongoing. We plan to have a shortlist shortly, but we are far from reaching a consensus.
The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction Long List
A story about queers and moths
Ambrosia
American Monster
And at Christmas I’ll Visit the Nursing Home, Pretend An Elderly Couple Are My Grandparents
At Nite
Baby Goat on the Roof
Beauty Queen in the Hive
Bird Watching
But We Live in Tampa
Cake
Dad Left Us During a Mast Year for Acorns
Do You Have a Family?
Dress Blues
Flight
Grocery Store Mama
Hair on My Chest
He Loves Me Not
Illusion Museum
In My Daydreams, I Taste Pistachios
In Our Father’s Absence
JFK’s Brain
June
Like a Man
Lover Boy
Mom gets me a dog for my ninth birthday because she says all kids should have a dog
Octopus Heart
Older Girls
Pompeii
Sarah draws little moustaches
Sick Day
Strong Female Character Goes by Her Last Name Only
The Art of Making Perfect Rice and Other Secrets of Home Cooks
The Family Business
The hot priest told me to say a prayer for the repose of your soul
The human spirit is not mathematical
The Maze
The 7-11 That Exists in Every Reality
The Touch Forecast
The Yellow Greenhouse
