Apologies, contest fans. This took a little longer than usual; California is a long way away and I think the mail sent the stories by stagecoach... but no matter. We have our winners in one of the toughest competitions we recall, the judging of which, fortunately, we deferred to Guest Judge PERCIVAL EVERETT, award-winning author of thirty books and novels, including Assumption, Erasure, I Am Not Sidney Poitier, and Glyph.

Here are his choices:

2016 CONTEST as judged by PERCIVAL EVERETT

---

Winner of the 2016 JAMES HURST PRIZE for Fiction
Zachary Lunn, “Guts”  (Raleigh, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Molly Sentell Haile, “On the Far Edge of Paradise”  (Summerfeld, NC)
Vivian Lu, “Shanghai, 1966”  (Cary, NC)

Finalists
Theresa Dowell Blackinton, “Reunification”  (Durham, NC)
Anita Collins, “Upline”  (Chapel Hill, NC)
Blair Donahue, “Ten Cent Balloons”  (Raleigh, NC)
Matthew Fiander, “Everywhere Scarecrows”  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Tayler Heuston, “Prudence”  (Raleigh, NC)
Laura Moretz, “Dancing with Shaky”  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Travis Price, “HumanKind”  (Raleigh, NC)
Mary Anna Rice, “The Difference Between Us”  (Raleigh, NC)
Marie Seegmiller, “I Flatter Myself”  (Raleigh, NC)
Julie Steinbacher, “The Pokémon Game”  (Raleigh, NC)

Winner of the 2016 NCSU Prize for Short Fiction
Vladimir Ureña, “Gringo School”  (Raleigh, NC)

Honorable Mention
Riley Kross, “The Elephant”  (Raleigh, NC)

Finalists
Genevieve Austin, “The Red Dress”  (Boone, NC)
Marcus Blyden, “Red Lipstick”  (Davidson, NC)
Cindy Brookshire, “Balloon Baby Jesus”  (Pine Level, NC)
Debra Madaris Efird, “Palette of Love”  (Harrisburg, NC)
Lauren Fulcher, “Gentlemen with Flowers”  (Chapel Hill, NC)
Tayler Heuston, “Process of Illumination”  (Raleigh, NC)
Vivian Lu, “Untethered”  (Cary, NC)
Laura Moretz, “Letter from the Roanoke Valley Detention Center”  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Travis Price, “Kansas”  (Raleigh, NC)
Thomas Wolf, “Fear”  (Chapel Hill, NC)

Winner of the 2016 NCSU Undergraduate Fiction Prize
Mary Anna Rice, “The Difference Between Us”     (senior, English)

And here are our past years’ winners:

2015 CONTEST as judged by KELLY LINK

---

Winner of the 2015 JAMES HURST PRIZE for Fiction
Leah Hampton, "Fuckface" (Waynesville, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Anita Collins, "The Anderson Kid"  (Chapel Hill, NC)
Brian Ownbey, "The Lucky One"  (Raleigh, NC)

Finalists
Matthew Fiander, "The Disaster March"  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Paul Harvel, "When the Leaves Change" (Pittsboro, NC)
H. Martin Hebert, "Casablanca"  (Raleigh, NC)
John Lawton, "Floating Holidays" (Raleigh, NC)
Craig Lincoln, "Pride of Pele"  (Durham, NC)
Laura Moretz, "Bulldog"  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Jon Mozes, "Old Goats"  (Chapel Hill, NC)
Travis Price, "The Girl in the Coma"  (Raleigh, NC)
Elizabeth Sinden, "Love Sick"  (Raleigh, NC)
Emily Sorge, "Half World"  (Greensboro, NC)
Cadwell Turnbull, "Jump"  (Raleigh, NC)
Billy Warden, "Night Hitch"  (Raleigh, NC)

Winner of the 2015 NCSU Prize for Short Fiction
Helena Bell, "Shark Bites: Five Dollars"  (Raleigh, NC)

Honorable Mention
Michelle Crouch, "Dad tells a story with a dog in it"  (Durham, NC)

Finalists
Threa Almontaser, “Night Reading”  (Raleigh, NC)
Kartika Budhwar, “Showtime” (Raleigh, NC)
Grace Dow, "Nine Hundred Feet"  (Monroe, NC)
Bryce Emley, "Preservation" (Raleigh, NC)
Matthew Fiander, "Trivia" (Winston-Salem, NC)
Tayler Heuston, "Don't challenge the kids in the polio camp" (Raleigh, NC)
Craig Lincoln, "Carbonus Kilroy's Menagerie of Misfit Machines" (Durham, NC)
Calista Moon, "Late Afternoon" (Pittsboro, NC)
Jon Mozes, "The Foyer" (Chapel HIll, NC)
Elizabeth Oliver, "Blue Like Ours"  (Apex, NC)
Gary Phillips, "The Way Love Circles" (Pittsboro, NC)
Megan Roberts, "Between the Cedars"  (Raleigh, NC)

Winner of the 2015 NCSU Undergraduate Fiction Prize
Threa Almontaser, “Night Reading”                (senior, English)

2014 CONTEST as judged by WILEY CASH

---

Winner of the 2014 JAMES HURST PRIZE for Fiction
Ross Garrison, "Migration"  (Greensboro, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Theresa Blackinton, "Next Time, The Whale"  (Durham, NC)
Hannah Jones, "All Women Welcome"  (Raleigh, NC)

Finalists
Heather Bell Adams, "Salamander in the Garden" (Raleigh, NC)
Mark Cravens, "Miserable Lives and Hell Thereafter" (Apex, NC)
Tayler Heuston, "A Sherpa and a Yak" (Raleigh, NC)
George Kretchun, "Family Values" (Reidsville, NC)
Matthew Maslowski, "The Briefest of Love, on the Daily" (Raleigh, NC)
Jon Mozes, "New Haven" (Chapel Hill, NC)
Brian Ownbey, "Baitfish" (Raleigh, NC)
Julie Steinbacher, "Bright Objects" (Raleigh, NC)

Winner of the 2014 NCSU Prize for Short Fiction
Cadwell Turnbull, "Ears"  (Raleigh, NC)

Honorable Mention
Tayler Heuston, "Isla Vista"  (Raleigh, NC)

Finalists
Heather Bell Adams, "Third Shift"  (Raleigh, NC)
Judith Behar, “Boxed In” (Greensboro, NC)
Bryce Emley, “Small Fires"  (Raleigh, NC)
Carlene Kucharczyk, “All Souls”  (Raleigh, NC)
Ben Murphy, “Still Life”  (Raleigh, NC)
Kat Reece, “Guilt” (Raleigh, NC)
Jen Suchanec, “The Meteorologist’s Party” (Raleigh, NC)
York Wilson, "To Our Valued Customers"  (Timberlake, NC)

Winner of the 2014 NCSU Undergraduate Fiction Prize
Marcus Blyden, "Sick Bastards"               (junior, English)

2013 CONTEST as judged by REBECCA LEE

---

Winner of the 2013 JAMES HURST PRIZE for Fiction
Lucas Church, "The Dog Upstairs"  (Chapel Hill, NC)

Honorable Mentions
A. K. Benninghofen, "Belmont Heights Historic District" (Asheville, NC)
Brian Ownbey, "Familiar Strangers"  (Raleigh, NC)

Finalists
Theresa Blackinton, "Spelunking"  (Durham, NC)
Hannah Jones, "The Fat Twin"  (Raleigh, NC)
Rebecca Lanning, "Severe and Profound"  (Durham, NC)
Justin Meckes, "The Cat Burglar"  (Chapel Hill, NC)
Jon Mozes, "Lost and Found"  (Chapel Hill, NC)
Elizabeth Tarver, "The Sidney Bechet North Carolina Blues"  (Raleigh, NC)
Kasey Thornton, "Captivity"  (Wendell, NC)
Drew Wade, "Legal Age"  (Raleigh, NC)
Jonathan Williams, "Winter, Keep Us Warm" (Greensboro, NC)

Winner of the 2012 NCSU Prize for Short Fiction
Theresa Blackinton, "How to Have A Kid"  (Durham, NC)

Honorable Mention
Craig Lincoln, "Nothing on Harpo"  (Raleigh, NC)

Finalists
Heather Bell Adams, "Green River Gorge"  (Raleigh, NC)
Paul Dixon, "Jesus, My Protector"  (New Bern, NC)
Ellen Adele King, "Trance"  (Raleigh, NC)
Elizabeth Sinden, "For the Remission of Sins"  (Raliegh, NC)
Cadwell Turnbull, "Obeah"  (Raleigh, NC)
Emily Sorge, "Willa"  (Raleigh, NC)

2012 CONTEST as judged by TONY EARLEY

---

Winner of the 2012 JAMES HURST PRIZE for Fiction
Melanie Raskin, "Now You See Her, Now You--" (Chapel Hill, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Ellen Adele King, "Ant Season"  (Raleigh, NC)
Craig Lincoln, "Rabbit Hill"  (Raleigh, NC)

Finalists
Matthew Fiander, “Liner Notes”  (Greensboro, NC)
Laurie Lail, “Watching for Elizabeth”  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Laura Knight Moretz, “Philo Goes Home”  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Emily Palmer, “Face Painting”  (Chapel Hill, NC)
Elizabeth Sinden, “Recipe Writer”  (Raleigh, NC)
Elizabeth Tarver, “Runnergirl”  (Raleigh, NC)
Kasey Thornton, “Blood on My Hands”  (Wendell, NC)

Winner of the 2012 NCSU Prize for Short Fiction
Brian Ownbey, "Happy Now"  (Raleigh, NC)

Honorable Mention
Theresa Blackinton, "Unscripted"  (Durham, NC)

Finalists
Chase Cline, "They Were In Love"  (Raleigh, NC)
Ross Howell, "Vision"  (Greensboro, NC)
Ellen Adele King, "Bodies"  (Raleigh, NC)
Susan Kirby-Smith, "Misplaced" (Greensboro, NC)
Kirsten Lemmons, "Lost Words" (Raleigh, NC)
Raymond Morrison, "The Old Woman on the Porch"  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Kat Reece, "My Father's Dream" (Raleigh, NC)
Kemper Wray, "Local Landscaper Drowns Lover" (Raleigh, NC)

Winner of the 2012 NCSU Undergraduate Fiction Prize
Chase Cline, "Neighborhood Watch"   (senior, English)

2011 CONTEST as judged by RON RASH

---

Winner of the 2011 JAMES HURST PRIZE for Fiction
Ashlee Crews, “Church Time”  (Durham, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Stacey Cochran, “Eddie and Sunny”  (Raleigh, NC)
G.J. Villa, “Lifestyles of the Bored and Aimless”  (Cary, NC)

Finalists
Matt Alston, “Some Observations to Consider for your Second Draft” 
                (Raleigh, NC)      
Laura Giovanelli, “The Survivors”  (Winston-Salem, NC)        
Ariel Rudolph Harwick, “Rich All Over”  (Cary, NC)   
Rose Lambert-Sluder, “The Bull”  (Chapel Hill, NC)  
Mesha Maren, “Confluence”  (Asheville, NC)
Lisa Ward Meadows, “Interment”  (Raleigh, NC)
Cortney Phillips, “Fascinating Woman”  (Raleigh, NC)
Charles Rucker, “A Flash of Red”  (Hillsborough, NC)
J.B. Sparrow, “Passing”  (Greensboro, NC)
Christine Stark, “Fields of Heather”  (Wilmington, NC)
Kasey Thornton, “Took Up”  (Wendell, NC)

Winner of the 2011 NCSU Prize for Short Fiction
Julia Patt, “Boy Come Home”  (Greensboro, NC)       

Honorable Mention
Mesha Maren, “Eminent Domain”  (Asheville, NC)

Finalists
Matt Alston, “They Call Him Sugar”  (Raleigh, NC)  
Holly Beilin, “The Genetic Mutations of Love”  (Chapel Hill, NC) 
Lucas Church, “Donkeys”  (Raleigh, NC) 
Sandra Jung Hall, “Appalachian Wal-Mart at Christmas”  (Durham, NC)
Corbie Hill, “Cody”  (Pittsboro, NC) 
Smriti Jaiswal, “Lord Ram’s Marriage Anniversary”  (Durham, NC)       
Meredith Jones, Untitled  (Chapel Hill, NC)   
Jacqueline Kantor, “The Mood for Forgetting”  (Chapel Hill, NC) 
Tracy Knight, “Far From Home”  (Raleigh, NC)                                             
Madeline Raskulinecz, “Red Line to Glenmont, 3:09 a.m.”  (Carrboro, NC) 

Winner of the 2010 NCSU Undergraduate Fiction Prize
Corbie Hill, “Cody”  (junior, English) 

2010 CONTEST as judged by MADISON SMARTT BELL

---

Winner of the 2010 NCSU Prize for Fiction
Emily Howson, “Country Club People”  (Raleigh, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Shervon Cassim, “Falconry” (Durham, NC)
David Flatley, “Gabriel’s Hundred” (Lillington, NC)

Finalists
Will Badger, “Boxes”  (Holly Springs, NC)
Stacey Sanchez Bigliardi, “The Juggy”  (Garner, NC)
Shane Combs, “Cave Boy and the Sun”  (Wilmington, NC)
Paul Dixon, “The Repairable Nature of Things”  (Winterville, NC)
Buddy Harris, “Things Blur Together” (Durham, NC)
Marion Hodge, “Amends”  (High Point, NC)
Aimee Mepham, “Raving Ones”  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Cortney Phillips, “Books on Tape”  (Raleigh, NC)
Caroline Swicegood, “Stories”  (Raleigh, NC)
C.G. Thompson, “Some Call It Magic” (Greenville, NC)

Winner of the 2010 NCSU Prize for Short Fiction
Aimee Mepham, “Paper Cut”  (Winston-Salem, NC)

Honorable Mention
Josh Eure, “Hurricane”  (Hertford, NC)

Finalists
Theresa Dowell Blackinton, “Flying Into the Dark”  (Durham, NC)
Paul Dixon, “Revival”  (Winterville, NC)
Laura Giovanelli, “Border Crossing”  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Lyn Fairchild Hawks, “3.0”  (Chapel Hill, NC)
Smriti Jaiswal, “Connections”  (Durham, NC)
Paul Lascara, “I Am Sorry”  (Raleigh, NC)
Ariel Rudolph, “Little Thing In A Big Place” (Carrboro, NC)
Greg Shemkovitz, “The Retired Postal Worker”  (Greensboro, NC)

Winner of the 2010 NCSU Undergraduate Fiction Prize
Sherri Thompson, "Round Midnight"  (junior, Biochemistry)

2009 CONTEST as judged by SAMUEL DELANY

---

Winner of the 2009 Brenda L. Smart Fiction Prize
Katherine Pearl, “Inside of Pappy Pig”  (Durham, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Cory Harris, “Swaddled Disappointment”  (Cary, NC)
Anthony Sams, “Ich Bin Ein”  (Wilmington, NC)

Finalists
Cathy Adams, “Boxes”  (Asheville, NC)
Stacey Sanchez Bigliardi, “What People Remember”  (Garner, NC)
Michelle Bliss, “Driving Home”  (Wilmington, NC)
Jacqui Causey, “Neither Here Nor There”  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Jeffrey Evans, "Sure Thing"  (Winterville, NC)
Smriti Jaiswal, “Old Iron Trunks”  (Durham, NC)
Jennifer Julian, “Stereograms”  (Greensboro, NC)
Jennifer Morgan, “Iblis”  (Chapel Hill, NC)
Mallory Tarses, “Tennis Lesson”  (Wilmington, NC)
Jessica Thummel, “The Replacement”  (Wilmington, NC)

Winner of the 2009 Brenda L. Smart Award for Short Fiction
David Flatley, “Sunday at Dad’s” (Lillington, NC)

Honorable Mention
Cyra Sherburn, “The Inside” (Wilmington, NC)

Finalists
Darlene Cah, “The Jazz in Her Soul”  (Columbus, NC)
Jackson Connor, “The Kids in My Neighborhood” (Greensboro, NC)
Courtney Han, “Taking Her With Me” (Durham, NC)
Cory Harris, “The Christian Magician” (Cary, NC)
Smriti Jaiswal, “Over Hair and Hips” (Durham, NC)
Cassandra Mannes, “Elena” (Raleigh, NC)
S.P. Matchett, “Leaving Home” (Charlotte, NC)
Maggie Smith, “Fish” (Clayton, NC)
Mallory Tarses, “How Was Your Weekend?” (Wilmington, NC)
Amy Willoughby-Burle, “What She Couldn’t Do”  (Candler, NC)

Winner of the 2009 Undergraduate Fiction Prize
Cassandra Mannes, “Elena” (junior, English)

2008 CONTEST as judged by C. MICHAEL CURTIS

---

Winner of the 2008 Brenda L. Smart Fiction Prize
Erica Plouffe Lazure, “The Cold Front” (Greenville, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Robert McGee, “The Last Great Skull Man” (Asheville, NC)
Katherine Pearl, “Invisible Force Fields” (Raleigh, NC)

Finalists
Megan Mayhew Bergman, “Bound to Land” (Raleigh, NC)
Kevin Casey, “The Welcome Brigade” (Raleigh, NC)
Roger Cordes, ”Window One Dollar” (Oriental, NC)
Josh Eure, “Only An Engine” (Hertford, NC)
Smriti Jaiswal, “The Temple" (Durham, NC)
Tommy Jenkins, “Three Plays” (Raleigh, NC)
Aimee Mepham, “Cul-de-sac”(Winston-Salem, NC)
Daniel Parsons, “Rose (La Diabla)” (Raleigh, NC)
Alisonn Rose, “Mira’s Treasure” (Raleigh, NC)
Ben Turney, “Back to the Old Ladies” (Durham, NC)

Winner of the 2008 Brenda L. Smart Award for Short Fiction
Kevin Casey, "April Wade " (Raleigh, NC)

Honorable Mention
Paul Dixon, "What I Got, I Got" (Winterville, NC)

Finalists
Jake Burnett, "Zeke Skeen" (Raleigh, NC)
Aileen Carson, "Conflict in the Sixties" (Winston-Salem, NC)
Smriti Jaiswal, "Bad Mother" (Durham, NC)
Lisa Long, “Amen” (Chapel Hill, NC)
Robert McGee, "There Was An Echo" (Asheville, NC)
Jason Orders, "Severance" (Apex, NC)
Megan Roberts, "Gestures" (Greenville, NC)
Sarah Simpson, “Someone You Don’t Know Who Loves You"
          (Cary, NC)
Diana Spindler-Jones, “Liz Phair’s Voice Change” (Cary, NC)
Rachel Wingo, "Us" (Raleigh, NC)

Winner of the 2008 Undergraduate Fiction Prize
Joel Mikkelsen, “Mascot” (senior, Philosophy)

2007 CONTEST as judged by JIM SHEPARD

---

Winner of the 2007 Brenda L. Smart Fiction Prize
Whit Coppedge, "Paint" (Chapel Hill, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Josh Eure, "Balloon Vine" (Hertford, NC)
Megan Roberts, "Corners" (Greenville, NC)

Finalists
Robin Follet, "Sarcasm" (Cary, NC)
Parfait Gasana, "Equilibrium"  (Chapel Hill, NC)
Cathy James, "Mr. Chinese Right" (Weaverville, NC)
Molly McCaffrey, "The Other Man" (Laurinburg, NC)
Katherine Pearl, "Unscheduled Departures" (Raleigh, NC)
Eric Roe, "Notes from Lazarus" (Raleigh, NC)
Maureen Sherbondy, "The Final Simcha"  (Raleigh, NC)
Jodi Lynn Villers, "ABC"  (Raleigh, NC)
Brendan Walsh, "Bruised" (Raleigh, NC)
Lisa Ward, "Road Side" (Raleigh, NC)
Anne Woodman, "Cherries in the Snow"  (Morrisville, NC)

Winner of the 2007 Brenda L. Smart Award for Short Fiction
Jodi Lynn Villers, "Vocabulary Builder "  (Raleigh, NC)

Honorable Mention
Tommy Jenkins, "The Scar "  (Raleigh, NC)

Finalists
Jane Andrews, "Frames" (Raleigh, NC)

Whitman Bolles, "Down There"  (Chapel Hill, NC)

Whit Coppedge, "Irritated " (Chapel Hill, NC)
Paul Dixon, "Snap" (Winterville, NC)
Molly McCaffrey, "Look Away " (Laurinburg, NC)
Robert McGee, "That Woman That Night"  (Asheville, NC)
Shailen Mishra, "Performance Behind A Theater" (Raleigh, NC)

Megan Roberts, "R Like Me " (Greenville, NC)
Sarah Simpson, "Conservation" (Raleigh, NC)
Jennifer Weathers, "Triplets"  (Wilmington, NC)

Winner of the 2007 Undergraduate Fiction Prize
Josh Eure, "Balloon Vine" (junior, English)

2006 CONTEST as judged by SHANNON RAVENEL

---

Winner of the 2006 Brenda L. Smart Prize for Fiction
Amy Knox Brown, "Why We Are the Way We Are"  (Winston-Salem, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Mitch Conover, "A Short Story for the Last Man Who Still Liked Whistling Dixie"
              (Chapel Hill, NC)
Molly McCaffrey, "The Lake in Winter" (Laurinburg, NC)

Finalists:
William Boggess, “There”  (Burnsville, NC)
Danielle DeRise, “Small Bodies”  (Wilmington, NC)
Paul Dixon, “Precious Memories”  (Winterville, NC)
Mary Hennessy, “Chicago”  (Raleigh, NC)
Nell Joslin, “Danny”  (Raleigh, NC)
Kathleen Laughlin, “Persons in Need of Supervision”  (Cary, NC)
Shailen Mishra, “The Fifty Year Old Dream”  (Raleigh, NC)
Jeanne Mullins, “On the Spectrum”  (Wilmington, NC)
Melinda Shail, “Pluto—Not A Planet Anymore”  (Raleigh, NC)
Stella Ward Whitlock, “Bear Train”  (Fayetteville, NC)

Winner of the 2006 Brenda L. Smart Award for Short Fiction
Megan Mayhew Bergman, “The Wet Bones of Eldress Parker Comar”
           (Raleigh, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Jane Andrews,  “Nautilus”  (Raleigh, NC)

Finalists:
David Bell, “Second Choice”  (Laurinburg, NC)
Melissa Bickey, “November Water”  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Vicki Crouser, “In Holyoke Hell”  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Adam Currie, “Cleaning House” (Wendell, NC)
Cathy Freeman, “Daisies”  (Chapel Hill, NC)
Zackary Vernon, “Birthday Suit and the Texture Flat”  (Hillsborough, NC)
Jodi Lynn Villers, “Church Bells”  (Raleigh, NC)
Robert Wallace, “Why Do Cold Brown Chickens Wear Watered-Down Pants?”  (Durham, NC)
Kate Wheeler, “Mark and Jane Talk About Math”  (Carrboro, NC)

Winner of the 2006 Undergraduate Fiction Prize
Adam Currie, “Cleaning House” (senior, English)

2005 CONTEST as judged by LEE SMITH

---

Winner of the 2005 Brenda L. Smart Fiction Prize
Whitman Bolles, "The Saving of the Turtles"  (Chapel Hill, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Erica Berkeley, "Fine People Come About By Accident" (Pittsboro, NC)
Sarah Boone, "Homecoming"  (Raleigh, NC)

Finalists
Greg Behr, "Massapequa"  (Cary, NC)
Daniel DeRise, "Who Said Anything About Love?" (Wilmington, NC)
Kalyani Deshpande, "The Drawing on the Wall" (Morrisville, NC)
Kristine Forrest, "Waves"  (Cary, NC)
Rebecca Morgan Gee,  "Icie"  (Apex, NC)
Matt Griffin, "Final Expenses"  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Miriam Delaney Heard, "Southern Sweetness"   (Winston-Salem, NC)
Nell Joslin, "Amputee"  (Raleigh, NC)
Penelope Robbins, "Like the Moon, Only Fuller"  (Raleigh, NC)
Leslie Youngblood, "Poor Girl's Palace"  (Greensboro, NC)

Winner of the 2005 Brenda L. Smart Award for Short Fiction

Amy Knox Brown, "Sitting Bull's Translator Remembers the Speech in Bismarck, N.D."
              (Winston-Salem, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Claire Guyton, "Demonstrating the Versatility of a Blender"  (Raleigh, NC)
Miriam Delaney Heard, "Samson's Might" (Winston-Salem, NC)

Finalists
Whit Coppedge, "My Wife Knows Where I Keep My Golf Clubs in Winter" (Chapel Hill, NC)
Paul Dixon, "Have A Nice Day" (Winterville, NC)
Mackenzie Dotson, "Stark White" (Cary, NC)
Mary Hennessy, "A Clean Sheet" (Raleigh, NC)
Leigh Johnson, "Stranded" (Raleigh, NC)
Sharon Kurtzman, "Slanted" (Raleigh, NC)
Elizabeth Livingston, "Light At Dusk" (Raleigh, NC)
Claire Moseley, "We All Fall Down" (Asheville, NC)
Jodi Lynn Villers, "Underwater Where It's Safe" (Raleigh, NC)

Winner of the 2005 Undergraduate Fiction Prize
Claire Moseley, “We All Fall Down”  (senior, Parks and Recreation)

2004 Contest judged by RANDALL KENAN

---

2004 Winner of the Brenda L. Smart Fiction Prize
Misha Angrist, "Paper Boy" (Durham, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Tim McBride, "Mr. Wittington" (Cary, NC)
Robert McGee, "Ed Ramirez" (Asheville, NC)

Finalists
Kate Betterton, "When They Ring the Orchard Bell" (Chapel Hill, NC)
William Conescu, "The Bridge Group" (Durham, NC)
Whit Coppedge, "Towers" (Chapel Hill, NC)
Claire Guyton, "Where Your Head Goes" (Raleigh, NC)
Irene Harvley-Felder, "Naming the Stars" (Burlington, NC)
Vishal Khanna, "Garbo's Eyes" (Winston-Salem, NC)
Paul Koning, "The Ends of the Earth" (Raleigh, NC)
Nicholas Perros, "Break Up" (Raleigh, NC)
Penelope Robbins, "Girlfriend" (Raleigh, NC)
Denise Sherman, "Gift From A Sinister Santa" (Raleigh, NC)
Mallory Tarses, "Boy At Sea" (Wilmington, NC)
Art Taylor, "Mrs. Marple and the Hit-and-Run" (Raleigh, NC)
Tara Thompson, "Bald" (Wilmington, NC)

Winner of the 2004 Brenda L. Smart Award for Short Fiction
Tracie Fellers, "Reverb" (Greensboro, NC)

Honorable Mention
Kevin Boyle, "Palm" (Burlington, NC)

Finalists
C.L. Dowd, "By The Numbers" (Chapel Hill, NC)
Linda Finigan, "Simple Mission" (Durham, NC)
Mary Hennessy, "In Over Her Head" (Raleigh, NC)
Colin Hickey, "Courage" (Raleigh, NC)
Michael Jasper, "Tiny Disaster" (Wake Forest, NC)
Sharon Kurtzman, "Fresh Air" (Raleigh, NC)
Jason Lundberg "The Artists' Penaptych" (Raleigh, NC)
Greg Shemkovitz, "When You Get Home Late At Night" (Greensboro, NC)
Shelley Stout, "Comfort in the Poetry of Songs" (Matthews, NC)
Mallory Tarses, "World Series, 1979" (Wilmington, NC)
Art Taylor, "Here For You" (Raleigh, NC)
Jodi Lynn Villers, "H is for Husband, B is for Baby" (Raleigh, NC)
Brent Winter, "I Wish I Could Tell You" (Carrboro, NC)
Leslie Youngblood, "Daddy's Biscuits" (Greensboro, NC)

Winner of the 2004 Undergraduate Fiction Prize
Millie Breedlove, "I'm Not Afraid, Exactly" (senior, English)

2003 Contest as judged by MARGOT LIVESEY

---

​Winner of the 2003 Brenda L. Smart Fiction Prize
L.H. Finigan, "Rain, Heavy At Times"  (Durham, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Mallort Tarses, "Details" (Wilmington, NC)
Lisa Ward, "Those Who See"  (Rocky Mount, NC)

Finalists
Misha Angrist, "Venn Diagram"  (Durham, NC)
Amy Knox Brown, "Habeas Corpus"  (Winston-Salem, NC)
Gerard Canavan, "When the Boys Comes Out to Play" (Greensboro, NC)
Kim Church, "World Without Columbo"  (Raleigh, NC)
William Conescu, "Cam and Collin"  (Durham, NC)
Brian Crocker, "Late Skate"  (Greensboro, NC)
Timothy Davis, "Mexican Space Shuttle"  (Charlotte, NC)
Therese Fowler, "Outside the Lines"  (Raleigh, NC)
E.F. Harabin, "Do You Know What It's Like?"  (Wake Forest, NC)
Louisa Jones, "Viet"  (Burlington, NC)
Rebecca Lanning, "Leaving Paradise"  (Wilmington, NC)
Laura Grant McGuire, "Heads or Tails"  (Raleigh, NC)

Winner of the 2003 Brenda L. Smart Award for Short Fiction
Jennifer Garrison Stuber, "Clown Baby"  (Raleigh, NC)

Honorable Mentions
Wes Saylors, "This Just In: Bear Drinks Sodas for Money"  (Boone, NC)

Finalists
Misha Angrist, "Holidays"  (Durham, NC)
Amy Knox Brown, "Dr. Faustus in Lincoln" (Winston-Salem, NC)
Russell Campbell, "Jake"  (Durham, NC)
Whit Coppedge, "Drought"  (Chapel HIll, NC)
Brian Crocker, "Mill Town, NC"  (Greensboro, NC)
Paul Dixon, "Empty Nest"  (Winterville, NC)
Patrick Egan, "Like We're Talking"  (Greensboro, NC)
L.H. Finigan, "Birth Mothers, Seeking"  (Durham, NC)
Lisa Hartman, "Bald Mountain"  (Durham, NC)
Jordan Hester, untitled  (Raleigh, NC)
Mel Jones, "MIssissippi Funeral"  (Chapel HIll, NC)
Charles Merwarth, "Think of the Alternative"  (Raleigh, NC)
Tom Sowders, "Special"  (Raleigh, NC)

Winner of the 2003 Undergraduate Fiction Prize
Lisa Ward, "Those Who See" (senior, English)