History

The Story Quest Short Story Contest was first held in 2010, managed by IFWG Publishing LLC. The purpose of the contest was essentially an extension of IFWG’s philosophy of trying to get new writers’ profiles lifted in the speculative fiction world, with the incentive of cash or publishing-related incentives.

The first two contests were held in 2010 (June and November), but in subsequent years it has been an annual event. The first five contests were managed by IFWG Publishing, with SQ Mag publishing the short listed stories from 2012 (the 2011 Contest). From the 6th Contest (2014), SQ Mag has taken over management of the Contest completely and the Editor-in-Chief of SQ Mag was added as a judge.

In 2017 the contest was ceased.

8th Contest Short List and Winners (December 2016 – Lee Murray, guest judge)

‘Old Growth’ by J. Ashley Smith (winner)
‘Of Dreaming and Destiny’ by Jamie Lackey (2nd Place)
‘Pevel Was Here’ by Michael Stroh (3rd Place)
‘Reef‘ by Kate Clay (finalist)
‘The Skull Collector‘ by Jodi L. Milner (finalist)
‘My Son, the Afterbirth‘ by Tony Conaway  (finalist)

7th Contest Short List and Winners (December 2015 – Angela Slatter, guest judge)

‘Papaya Leaf Falling to the Surface of a Puddle Reflecting Streetlights‘ by Jamie Killen (winner)
‘Kai‘ by Maggie Denton (2nd Place)
‘A Hero for His People‘ by Jason Lairamore (3rd Place – tie)
‘Beaver Resplendent‘ by Sally Basmajian (3rd Place – tie)
‘An Almost Tidy Case‘ by Meghean Major (finalist)

6th Contest Short List and Winners (November 2014 – Tonia Brown, guest judge)

‘The Carbonite’s Daughter‘ by Deryn Pittar (winner)
‘Like Clockwork‘ by Tim Major (2nd place)
‘Robert Fairweather And The Wrong Ticket‘ by Mark Rookyard (3rd place)
‘Rainbows and Death Machines‘ by J. B. Rockwell (finalist)
‘Riding a Runaway‘ by Andrew Knighton (finalist)
‘Final Journey‘ by Stephen C. Ormsby (finalist)

5th Contest Short List and Winners (November 2013 – no guest judge in this year)

‘Inside Ferndale‘ by Lee Murray (winner)
‘Black Smoker Hero‘ by Rachel Acks (2nd place)
‘Keeping An Open Mind‘ by Dan Rabarts (3rd place)
‘Webs‘ by Cindy Hernandez (finalist)
‘Exponential Growth‘ by Justin Short (finalist)
‘It’s Only Going To End Badly‘ by John Smith (finalist)

4th Contest Short List and Winners (November 2012 – Daniel I. Russell, guest judge)

‘Strike Day‘ by Mary DesJardin (winner)
‘Endangered Species X‘ by Guy Prevost (2nd place)
‘Faye’s Diner‘ by J.T. Seate (3rd place)
‘Unbound‘ by Dan Hankner (finalist)
‘My Trip To the Circus‘ by Jason Lairamore (finalist)
‘Caldera‘ by Joshua Moyes (finalist)
‘Fairest Fowl‘ by J.B. Rockwell (finalist)

3rd Contest Short List and Winners (November 2011 – Mysti Parker, guest judge)

‘Rationalized‘ by Larry Hodges (winner)
‘No Free Parking at Journey’s End‘ by Louis Baum (2nd place)
‘The Witness‘ by Laura Haddock (3rd place)
‘Masks‘ by Stephanie Barr (finalist)
‘Confinement‘ by Kenneth Schneyer (finalist)
‘Duet‘ by Nu Yang (finalist)

2nd Contest Short List and Winner (November 2010 – Daniel Pearlman, guest judge)

‘The Critic’ by J.C. Martin (winner)
‘Water For Sunshine’ by Amanda Crum (finalist)
‘Rejection’ by Stephen Gepp (finalist)
‘Freeman’s Toll’ by Darren Moore (finalist)
‘The Harness’ by Imran Nazar (finalist)

1st Contest Short List and Winner (June 2010 – no guest judge in this contest)

‘The Shield’ by Hunter Liguore (winner)’
The Curious Gift of Oscar Copeland’ by Aaron Booth (finalist)
‘The Great Dragon’ by Adam Dunbsy (finalist)
‘Station’ by Karen Lethlean (finalist)
‘The Face in the Frame’ by Peter Rondell (finalist)