Tag Archives: Writing Contests

Toasted Cheese announces the winners of Fall 2020 Three Cheers and a Tiger.

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The challenge was to write a speculative fiction story within 48 hours using the prompt “Write a fantasy or science fiction story of up to 3,000 words on the topic of returning to a childhood neighborhood to find only one house still inhabited.”

First place: “Back Home” by Meg Hilt
Second place: “Rushville” by Briana Suazo
Third place: “WPP1G Product Review” by David Lukes

The winning entries will be published in the December/Winter issue of Toasted Cheese (Issue 20.4).

Judges for Three Cheers (Fall) are Boots & Broker.

Congratulations to the winners!

20th Annual Dead of Winter short fiction contest

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We are thrilled to announce the opening of the 20th Annual Dead of Winter contest (December 2020) and to mark the occasion, we’re doing something special with this year’s theme.

SPECIAL:

Your entry will not only use the theme but will also use it in a central way, not as a peripheral or “dropped in” detail. Give your story a unique title, not using the theme as a title.

Choose from one of these previous DOW themes for your short horror fiction entry:

  • ALASKA
  • ALTERNATIVE SANTA
  • THE AWARD
  • BLOOD RIVER BRIDGE
  • DEATH AND WINTER
  • FAMILY TREE
  • THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS
  • THE HAND OF FATE
  • THE HAUNTED LIGHTHOUSE
  • HEART AND SOUL
  • HIDDEN GRAVE
  • THE HOUSE AT THE END OF THE ROAD
  • IT’S NOT NICE TO FOOL MOTHER NATURE
  • THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN
  • NEVERTHELESS SHE PERSISTED
  • THE PODCAST
  • SKULL AND BONES
  • THE SOUVENIRS/TROPHIES OF A RETURNED SOLDIER
  • TOYS IN THE ATTIC
  • URBAN LEGEND
  • VENTRILOQUIST
  • WHAT’S POSSIBLE ON THE LONGEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR

EVERY YEAR:

Stories MUST be based on the theme provided.
Stories MUST be set in winter.
Stories MUST fall in the horror genre.

HOW TO ENTER:

The contest opens October 1, 2020 and the deadline for submission is 11:59 PM ET December 21, 2020.

Email entries to dow2020[at]toasted-cheese.com with the subject line:
Dead of Winter Contest Entry.

Include at the beginning of your entry: Title – word count (theme)

The word count range for DOW 2020 is 1000–5000 words. You may round your word count however you like. Stories that do not fall within word count parameters will be disqualified.

Follow general contest guidelines and general Dead of Winter guidelines.
See DOW guidelines for prize information.

Three Cheers and a Tiger Fall 2020 is CLOSED

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Your challenge for the Fall 2020 Three Cheers and a Tiger Writing Contest:

Write a fantasy or science fiction story of up to 3,000 words on the topic of returning to a childhood neighborhood to find only one house still inhabited.

Be sure to read both the Three Cheers and a Tiger contest rules and the general contest guidelines before submitting your entry.

Your 48 hours start now. Good luck!

2020 A Midsummer Tale Winners

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Toasted Cheese is happy to announce the winners of the 2020 A Midsummer Tale Narrative Writing Contest.

First: “Staring at the Sky” by C.A. Rowland
Second: “Morning Run” by Justine Gardner
Third: “The Shave” by Emma Williamson
Honorable Mention: “Personally, I Feel Nothing” by Chelsea Wilson-Flynn

Congratulations!

First place receives a $50 Amazon gift card, second place a $15 Amazon gift card, and third place a $10 Amazon gift card. All three stories will appear in the September issue of Toasted Cheese.

Kudos to everyone who entered! We received 50+ entries again this year and enjoyed your varied and thoughtful explorations of the “quarantine” theme.

We hope you are all safe and well in this challenging year. Please join us for A Midsummer Tale again in 2021 and pass the contest info along to your writing friends! Next summer’s theme will be announced April 1, 2021.

Our next contest is the fall Three Cheers and a Tiger 48-hour writing contest, which runs the weekend of September 18-20. See our contest page for details.

A Midsummer Tale 2020

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A Midsummer Tale is a summer-themed narrative writing contest open to non-genre fiction and creative nonfiction.

The theme of the 2020 A Midsummer Tale writing contest is: Quarantine. One definition of quarantine is “a state of enforced isolation.” This year, your midsummer tale must be about being quarantined—or isolated—during the hot summer months. The reason for the quarantine is up to you—a pandemic is not required.

The theme must play an integral role in the story.

Deadline for entries is June 21, 2020.

The Spring 2020 Three Cheers and a Tiger Writing Contest is CLOSED

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The Spring Three Cheers and a Tiger Writing Contest is now open.

Entries must be received by 5 PM Eastern Time, Sunday, March 22, 2020.

Write a mystery story that centers around a magic trick.

Word count: Between 2,300 and 2,600 words.

  • Send entries to: threecheers20@toasted-cheese.com
  • Your subject line must read: Three Cheers and a Tiger Contest Entry
  • Paste your story directly into your email. No attachments please.

For complete rules:
Three Cheers and a Tiger Guidelines
General Contest Rules

Three Cheers and a Tiger Fall 2019 winners

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Toasted Cheese announces the winners of Fall 2019 Three Cheers and a Tiger.

The challenge was to write a speculative fiction story within 48 hours using the prompt “Write a fantasy or science fiction story under 5000 words that opens with something needlessly dramatic, which becomes actual drama when…”

First place: “Risk Assessment” by Annie Percik
Second place: “Devil’s Take” by Joshua Flores
Third place: “Interdependence” by Deana Zhollis

The winning entries will be published in the December/Winter issue of Toasted Cheese (Issue 19.4).

Judges for Three Cheers (Fall) are Boots & Broker. 

Congratulations to the winners!