“A Hell of A Rescue” is a Contest Finalist

I was just notified that “A Hell of a Rescue” is a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association 2022 Literary Contest in the Short Story Category.

This was a Flash Fiction I wrote originally for the NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Contest. It was a ton of fun. I worked hard to deepen my point of view and to improve the pacing of the story compared to some previous pieces. It finished first in its group, and the judges had great feedback.

Some comments:

“There was so much to love about this piece. The premise was so inventive, and I thought you did a great job maximizing your use of the space to make every character…burst with individual character.”

“I found your story funny and engaging. You have quite a literary imagination ! I think this could be the beginning of a graphic novel or inspire a comic book.”

“The originality behind this….and the humor present in Achilles’ perspective, the events that occur, and portrayal of well known gods and demons…makes for a unique, entertaining read.”

I also submitted it to a Writer’s Digest Short Story Conference Critique opportunity earlier this year, and got positive feedback there as well.

“Oh, the agony of reading these is a peculiar problem. Most of them I’m glad I only have 500 (words), but then there are a few stars that make me grit my teeth that they end so soon. You are a star….This is one of the best stories I’ve ever read for this event in terms of action and dialogue. Most 500-word excerpts are the writer telling you a bunch of backstories before anything happens. Here, the story starts with a view that is stupendous and interesting. The reader is immediately caught up in the plot.”

I am excited for the potential for this story, both for the PNWA Contest – winners are announced at the conference on September 24 – and for the potential to expand it into a screenplay or novel.