Five Make the Shortlist for our December Writing Contest
We are so pleased to announce that five writers have made the shortlist for our December 2020 Write Prompt Challenge.
We try to choose images that can take authors in countless directions, and the image of a person on a foggy path took people on some interesting adventures. These writers approached the provided image with wonderfully unique views that were clever and surprising.
Thanks to Ronald Zajac for providing the prompt image for this contest.
Congratulations to Alyssa Cooper, James Dick, Natalia Hrycay, Sarah Law, and Ashvaria Rai — we wish you well as you go on to the final stage of judging!
Alyssa Cooper | shortlisted for her story, 'The Bouquet'
Alyssa is a Canadian author, poet, and performer currently living in Belleville with her partner, two cats, and a Boston Terrier. First published in 2008, she is the author of four novels, a short story collection, and two poetry collections, as well as having her work included in publications such as Postscripts to Darkness, The Ottawa Arts Review, and The Dalhousie Review. An active spoken word performer, Alyssa has performed at festivals, conferences, and special events from Gananoque to Toronto, including Kingston WritersFest and the Voices of Today festival. She believes in feminism, veganism, and the power of the Oxford comma.
James Dick | shortlisted for his story, 'Rain Over Rivne'
James is an actor, writer, screenwriter and director living in Toronto, Ontario. He has written short stories, flash fiction, and novels across the science fiction, fantasy, horror, and speculative fiction genres. His work has previously been featured in the December 2020 issue of Blank Spaces magazine. His short horror-comedy film, "Clucked", was shortlisted as a finalist in the 2020 Toronto 48 Hour Film Project. James is also a full time student in Ryerson University's Media Production Program.
Natalia Hrycay | shortlisted for her story, 'Forsaken'
Natalia currently lives in Montreal with her husband and two children. Her earliest childhood memories were the vibrant Ukrainian fairy tales her grandmother recounted at bedtime. Her love of stories quickly turned into a love of the written word. Natalia pursued her interest in human language and graduated with an M.Sc. in Speech-Language Pathology from McGill University. She is currently working on her first fiction novel inspired by her family’s history during and after WWII.
Sarah Law | shortlisted for her story, 'Two Wet Feet'
Sarah is a reporter for the Gravenhurst Banner newspaper and lives in Muskoka, Ontario. She enjoys writing, running, and playing with her cat, Panda.
Ashvaria Rai | shortlisted for her story, 'The Start of Nothing'
An eternal undergrad trying to stay grounded in these chaotic times through writing.
These five entries will be sent out to our panel of judges who rate each story based on its own merit. [See a breakdown of what the judges look for here.] Winners will be announced at the beginning of February - with first place being published in the March 2021 issue of Blank Spaces - available for pre order now.
You may have noticed that we did not post a shortlist for our September contest. Due to some personal challenges, in combination with the turmoil of a pandemic, some responsibilities were set aside in the name of mental health. Thank you for your grace and understanding and the kind messages of support that were sent my way. I know we’re not out of the woods yet. Who knows how long the current state of things will prevail; however, I am confident that, with your help, Blank Spaces will keep pushing forward. Stay safe and healthy, friends! — Alanna Rusnak
