Announcing the Finalists of The 2021 NC State University Fiction Contest
The annual NC State Fiction Contest is a free literary competition open to all North Carolina residents. Drawing more than 300 entrants last year, it’s one of the largest free-to-enter writing contests in the South. This year’s guest judge was Gabriel Bump, author of the debut novel Everywhere You Don't Belong, winner of the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence and a New York Times Notable Book of 2020.
Winner of the 2021 JAMES HURST PRIZE for Fiction
Elizabeth
Quirk,
“The
Plague
of
Wolves”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Honorable
Mentions
Matthew Fiander, "The Black-Barred Heart" (Winston-Salem, NC)
Clayton Walker, “Neck Tattoo” (Rolesville, NC)
Finalists
Maya Afilalo, "We Are All Adults Here" (Raleigh, NC)
Jean-Luc Bouchard, “Turn Your Back to the Sun” (Greensboro, NC)
Holly Brantley, "The Purification of Augustine Albemarle" (Spring Hope, NC)
Michael Colbert, “Dinner Party Stories” (Wilmington, NC)
Elizabeth Coletti, “You Don’t Know Me Yet” (Carrboro, NC)
Philip Goldberg, "One Road Out" (Durham, NC)
Courtney Justus, “Stained-Glass Windows” (Wilmington, NC)
Sarah Newton, “The Stipulations of Flying” (Rocky Point, NC)
Howard Pearre, "Byline" (Winston-Salem, NC)
Isabel Walsh, “Screen” (Raleigh, NC)
Winner of the 2021 SHORTER FICTION PRIZE
Michael Colbert, “Horror Movie” (Wilmington, NC)
Honorable Mention
Robert McGee, “Secrets” (Asheville, NC)
Finalists
Albert Howard Carter, “All Stretched Out” (Chapel Hill, NC)
Emily Clemente, “Poppy” (Chapel Hill, NC)
Matthew Fiander, “The Storm Rattle” (Winston-Salem, NC)
Ian Holmes, “The Old Hunter” (Morrisville, NC)
Sarah Katz, “Heart” (Winston-Salem, NC)
Alexander Lopez, “Christ’s Place” (Raleigh, NC)
Vivian Ina Lu, "Elegy" (Fayetteville, NC)
Alex Pickens, “Memory” (Raleigh, NC)
Michelle Qiu, "Bitter Greens" (Winston-Salem, NC)
Winner of the 2021 NC STATE UNDERGRADUATE FICTION PRIZE
Holly
Brantley,
“The
Purification
of
Augustine
Albemarle”
(Spring
Hope,
NC)
senior,
English
&
Psychology
Due to volume, we cannot respond to individual queries or return your stories afterward. Winners and honorable mentions will be contacted directly. There will not be a public ceremony this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The results will be posted on this page.
Winner of the 2020 JAMES HURST PRIZE for Fiction
Allison
Darcy,
“Feel”
(Butner,
NC)
Honorable
Mentions
Josh
Tvrdy,
“Painting
the
Bull”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Billy
Warden,
“The
Comeback”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Finalists
Holly
Brantley,
“Snakes”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Jendayi
Brooks-Flemister,
“Up
Falling”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Matthew
Fiander,
“The
Gulley
Cart”
(Winston-Salem,
NC)
Donald
Hammond,
“Me
and
Mr.
Wissebrodt”
(Pinetown,
NC)
Jody
Herring,
“A
Thing”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Courtney
Justus,
“The
Station”
(Wilmington,
NC)
Camilla
Keil,
“Eternal”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Alexander
Lopez,
“Beefcakes”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Harvey
Slade,
“Battle
Worn”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Susan
Wilson,
“Welcome”
(Clemmons,
NC)
Winner of the 2020 SHORTER FICTION PRIZE
Clint Alexander, “Soliloquy of the Community Gardener” (Cullowhee, NC)
Honorable Mention
Michael Colbert, “Mr. Anderson” (Wilmington, NC)
Finalists
Robert
McGee,
“Stranger”
(Asheville,
NC)
Sara
Newton,
“Orange
Trees”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Alex
Pickens,
“)”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Kayla
Rutledge,
“The
Jury”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Lane
Smith,
“Beige
Blue
Jeans”
(Raleigh,
NC)
C.G.
Thompson,
“Of
Cell
Phones
and
the
Zombie
Apocalypse”
(Greenville,
NC)
Clayton
Walker,
“Baby
in
the
Backseat”
(Rolesville,
NC)
Winner of the 2020 NC STATE UNDERGRADUATE FICTION PRIZE
Amelia Fee, “Fragaria” (Chapel Hill, NC) Senior, College of Design
Winner of the 2019 JAMES HURST PRIZE for Fiction
Kayla
Rutledge,
“Chicken”
(Chapel
Hill,
NC)
Honorable
Mentions
Kathryn
Barber,
“Sorry
About
Your
Bird”
(Wilmington,
NC)
Isaac
Hughes
Green,
“The
First
Time
I
Said
It”
(Durham,
NC)
Finalists
Gina
Atkins,
“The
Callaloo
Children”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Katherine
W.
Bailey,
“The
Summer
of
the
Duck”
(Atlantic
Beach,
NC)
Kathryn
Barber,
“Sorry
About
Your
Bird”
(Wilmington,
NC)
James
Breeden,
“Targets”
(Durham,
NC)
Allison
Darcy,
“Zochreini”
(Butner,
NC)
Matthew
Fiander,
“The
Silence
Before”
(Winston-Salem,
NC)
Isaac
Hughes
Green,
“The
First
Time
I
Said
It”
(Durham,
NC)
Courtney
Justus,
“Flight”
(Wilmington,
NC)
Jack
Lynch,
“Pre-Seed”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Janet
Smith
Moore,
“Thanksgiving”
(Asheville,
NC)
Craig
Lincoln,
“Life
At
Sea”
(Durham,
NC)
Emily
Morris,
“Tilled”
(Greensboro,
NC)
Kayla
Rutledge,
“Chicken”
(Chapel
Hill,
NC)
Kristin
Tajlili,
“Hope
It
Gets
Better”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Rachel
Ranie
Taube,
“Small
Cogs”
(Wilmington,
NC)
Isabel
Walsh,
“Other-Side
People”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Winner of the 2019 SHORTER FICTION PRIZE
Andrés Manosalva Castañeda, “Root” (Raleigh, NC)
Honorable Mention
Kayla Rutledge, “The Pool” (Chapel Hill, NC)
Finalists
Chris
Brincefield,
“This
is
Your
Life”
(Statesville,
NC)
Michael
Colbert,
“Mary
has
been
quitting
her
job”
(Wilmington,
NC)
Amelia
Conklin,
“Last
Goodbye”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Allison
Darcy,
“Dream
Eater”
(Butner,
NC)
Joanna
King,
“GETAWAY4U,
Inc.”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Emily
Morris,
“Their
Voices
are
in
Their
Legs”
(Greensboro,
NC)
Rachel
Ranie
Taube,
“A
Girl
Cawed”
(Wilmington,
NC)
Gail
Williamson,
“Dumpster
Treasures”
(Lexington,
NC)
Winner
of
the
2019
NC
STATE
UNDERGRADUATE
FICTION
PRIZE
Jack Lynch, “Pre-Seed” (Raleigh, NC)
Winner of the 2018 JAMES HURST PRIZE for Fiction
Holly
Hilliard,
“Beyond
His
Reach”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Honorable
Mentions
Allison
Darcy,
“Fidelis”
(Butner,
NC)
Mary
Anna
Rice,
“The
Disappearance
of
Morimoto
Airi”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Finalists
Erika
Grandstaff,
“It
Could
Happen
Like
This”
(Garner,
NC)
Sharon
Louise
Howard,
“The
Interview”
(Boone,
NC)
Gina
Malone,
“P.
Burlington”
(Waynesville,
NC)
Emily
Morris,
“7-Eleven”
(Greensboro,
NC)
Nancy
Swanson,
“If
You’re
Laughing,
You’ve
Never
Been
to
Idaho”
(Pisgah
Forest,
NC)
Isabel
Walsh,
“Invitation
(Raleigh,
NC)
Angela
Wilhite,
“La
Posada”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Winner of the 2018 SHORTER FICTION PRIZE
Mary Anna Rice, “Jaybird” (Raleigh, NC)
Honorable Mention
Emily Morris, “Popsicle Sticks” (Greensboro, NC)
Finalists
Joshua
Durham,
“At
Work
With
Dad,
1983”
(Charlotte,
NC)
Molly
Edmonds,
“All
the
Guys
with
Their
Dogs
at
the
Lake
on
a
Sunday”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Holly
Hilliard,
“If
Not
For
Modern
Medicine”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Zachary
Lunn,
“Hurry
Up
and
Wait”
(Raeford,
NC)
Davis
Moore,
“The
Sweatshirt”
(Highlands,
NC)
Emily
Morris,
“Popsicle
Sticks”
(Greensboro,
NC)
Caitlin
Norris,
“Child
6”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Mary
Anna
Rice,
“Jaybird”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Arshia
Simkin,
“Chrysalis”
(Burlington,
NC)
Susan
Wilson,
“New
Shoes”
(Clemmons,
NC)
Winner
of
the
2018
NC
STATE
UNDERGRADUATE
FICTION
PRIZE
Victoria Anne, “Flamingo Milk” (junior, University College)
Winner
of
the
2017
JAMES
HURST
PRIZE
for
Fiction
Taylor
Sykes,
“Creeper”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Honorable
Mentions
Janet
Smith
Moore,
“Beatitudes”
(Asheville,
NC)
Arshia
Simkin,
“No
More
Kissing
Talk”
(Burlington,
NC)
Finalists
Marcus
Blyden,
“Barbwire
Blues”
(Davidson,
NC)
Austin
Cunningham,
“August”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Molly
Edmunds,
“Ivette”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Matthew
Fiander,
“The
Starland
Box”
(Winston-Salem,
NC)
Holly
Hilliard,
“The
Remainders”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Amy
Sayle,
“Taking
A
Leap”
(Carrboro,
NC)
Susan
H.
Wilson,
“Lunch
Hour
for
the
Not
Dead
Yet”
(Clemmons,
NC)
Winner
of
the
2017
SHORTER
FICTION
PRIZE
Jen Julian, “Attachment” (Supply, NC)
Honorable Mention
Nick Story, “Opportunity” (Wilmington, NC)
Finalists
Threa
Almontaser,
“Time
for
A
Visit”
(Raleigh,
NC)
Allison
Darcy,
“The
Cannibal’s
Wife”
(Oxford,
NC)
Alex
Gaines,
“Denali”
(Durham,
NC)
Erica
Grandstaff,
“Bottled”
(Garner,
NC)
Arshia
Simkin,
“Son
of
An
Owl”
(Burlington,
NC)
Winner
of
the
2017
NCSU UNDERGRADUATE
FICTION
PRIZE
Austin Cunningham, “August” (Raleigh, NC)
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:
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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
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)
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)