The choices for our second short story contest were fantastic! The entries were chosen for their unusual slant, appropriate titles, excellent endings, creativity and originality, an international “flavor” and/or just plain ol’ outstanding writing. You’ll find humor, surrealism, real voices, and a touch o’ the Irish in unexpected places and times throughout these short stories.
The final winners were chosen by Bridget Haggerty. She writes, “While there were very few entries, you and Hugh should be pleased with the overall quality; that said, several of the offerings relied way too much on stereotypical “Irishness”…others started off well, but the endings were weak. Of all the writing genre, the short story is one of the most difficult. So, my hat’s off to everyone who made the effort.”
Get a hat rack, because we feel gratitude to all the entries. Here’s our winners and runners-up:
$100 First Place: Paul Alan Fahey - Coffee in Glandore
Bridget Haggerty says: “…Both #1 and #2 are excellent and deciding who should get first was tough; I read both stories several times before tipping my hat to Glandore because it evoked such a strong emotional response…it’s a great read - and a very sensitive/unusual treatment of a difficult topic.”
$50 Second Place: Jane FitzGerald - The Curse of the Coffees
Bridget Haggerty says: “…it was in the #1 spot for a long time. It’s creative, well-written and adheres to all of the required criteria. In the end, I went with gut feelings - now there’s an Irish judge for you!”
$25 Third Place: John Kraft - God Bless Joe Sheridan
Bridget Haggerty says: “…this one made me laugh out loud! Thoroughly enjoyable; this author did a great job and I think he/she deserves the recognition.”
Editor’s Note: Bridget, of course, had no idea who the writers were when she judged the stories.
Runners-Up (In alphabetical order by title):
- Dublin Live by Julie Douglas. Bridget Haggerty says: “…This one gave me the willies; very imaginative treatment. Knowing how it ends, I especially like the title.”
- Home for the Christmas by Hazel Larkin. Bridget Haggerty says: “Juxtaposing “old Ireland” with the Celtic Tiger of today is an interesting approach - and the author has a good grasp…”
- Impact by Matthew Blake. Bridget Haggerty says: “When I began reading it, I was impressed with the style, the quality of the writing, the originality - it had all the earmarks of a finalist.”
- The Luck of the Irish by Richelle Putnam. Bridget Haggerty says: “… great sense of humor which set this one apart from the other “romance” offerings.”
- View by the Window by Christine A. Verstraete. Bridget Haggerty says: “…intriguing concept.”
About our Judge
By profession, Bridget Haggerty is a freelance advertising copywriter. She is also the author of “The Traditional Irish Wedding” which was published in Ireland by Wolfhound Press and in the United States by Irish Books & Media. She is currently working on her next book about growing up Irish. Visit her article about Irish Coffee here at CoffeeBeanShop. For many other articles about Ireland, visit Bridget’s Web site, Irish Cultures and Customs.
