Storytime with Writers' Playground

A woman finds strength in an unexpected place after a tragic loss... "Something You Can Touch" won 6th Place, out of 642 entries, in our Ninth Playground Challenge... Cathee Phillips is a talented writer from Barboursville, Virginia and she is currently working on a volume of short stories with the working title: "Spilled Milk." Instead of writing a memoir exploring the generat...

First published in 1895, and translated into English by Constance Garnett in 1901, “Master and Man” by Leo Tolstoy is set in 1870s Russia, and follows a landowner and his servant as they struggle through a blizzard on their way to a neighboring homestead where they hope to conduct some business… With an introduction and short closing analysis, the actual story begins at 8:05… From one of the great...

Sixteen-year-old Eve takes part in the Rite, during which she will be matched with her future husband. All she has to do is prove her worthiness... "Break Glass" won 4th Place, out of 691 entries, in our Eighth Playground Challenge... Sabina Trojanova is a talented writer from London, UK and you can follow her on Instagram @girlvsglobe - Read more of the winning stories from our challeng...

An arranged marriage between a young Japanese woman and an older Japanese soldier bodes well until a new presence threatens to divide them forever... "Three, Three, Nine" won 4th Place, out of 570 entries, in our Sixth Playground Challenge... Pauline Marie Morris is a talented writer from Albany, NY. She is currently seeking representation for her thriller, Water on The Grid , and she is...

Between a fouled swimming pool, a school bus fight, and a half-packed runaway bag, a girl comes face-to-face with anger, loyalty, and the quiet ways love shows up... "Have You Seen Me?" won 2nd Place, out of 639 entries, in our Twelfth Playground Challenge... Sarah Newman is a talented writer who lives in Richmond, Virginia, where she splits her time working for the local children's...

Long-held secrets unravel when an estranged son returns to the family house for a graduation party... "Graduation Cake" won 1st Place, out of 639 entries, in our Twelfth Playground Challenge... Originally from Beacon, NY, Charlie Rogers is a talented gay writer who lives in New York City. He is a former photographer and aspiring hermit. He finds himself writing the same story over and ov...

Gordon navigates the social complexities of a new family dynamic. Meanwhile, astronauts explore new frontiers in space... "One Small Step for a Man" won 7th Place, out of 642 entries, in our Ninth Playground Challenge... Erin Brandt Filliter is a talented writer from New Brunswick, Canada, and you can follow Erin, and find more of her work on her website, erinfilliterature.squarespace.co...

An eighteen-year-old girl, two young boys, and a reclusive elderly neighbor work together to survive the aftermath of a destructive hurricane during the summer of 1969... "Despite the Wind" won 1st Place, out of 691 entries, in our Eighth Playground Challenge... Holly Grover Brandon is a talented writer from Petal, Mississippi. She is a preschool teacher and mother of four who squeezes b...

Hank Whitaker, a journalist, stumbles upon Don Mateo Corvalán, an ailing Argentinian widower who claims to hear the voices of the dead from a dry well... "Somewhere Between" won 7th Place, out of 716 entries, in our Tenth Playground Challenge… Russell Mickler is a talented writer from Vancouver, WA who enjoys writing fantasy, science fiction, magical realism, and horror… He is an avid pa...

Fifteen-year-old Sophia retreats to her childhood treehouse as she grapples with the weight of expectations and a future slipping beyond her control... "The Hothouse" won 3rd Place, out of 697 entries, in our Eleventh Playground Challenge. Natalie Minaker is a talented writer from Worcestershire, UK and you can follow, and read more of Natalie's work on her website, nfminaker.wixsite...

A science-fiction piece that takes place once Earth has become uninhabitable, and humanity is sending some of its survivors to Mars, and others on exploratory missions through space in search of other habitable planets... "Suicide Protocol" won 2nd Place, out of 553 entries, in our One Year Anniversary Challenge. Lucy Joyce is a terrific writer who has placed multiple times in our writin...

Set in the 1950s, a shop owner tells a story about regret to some neighborhood boys... This episode is dedicated to Tita Moreno - In Loving Memory and Always in Our Hearts...

A young girl finds peace by the river while the world finds itself once again at war... "A World of Men" won 3rd Place, out of 642 entries, in our Ninth Playground Challenge. Alex Atkins is a talented writer from Utterson, ON, Canada, and she is a chronic genre-hopper. She won the NYC Midnight Prize for Flash Fiction for her science fiction short story “The 4:10 to Tarick” but also enjoy...

A story about an old wizard on a time-sensitive pursuit, and some young mages who stand in his way... Out of 462 entries, "At the End" won Honorable Mention in our Fifth Playground Challenge. David Ley is a talented writer from London, UK, and you can follow David on Instagram @david_ley. You can also read more of the winning stories from our challenges on our website, writersplaygroundl...

A story about an adolescent girl and her relationship with her father... "Shane Lives in Allouez Now" won 3rd Place in our Second Playground Challenge. Michael J. Vowles is a talented writer who lives in London, UK and works as a copywriter in financial services. You can follow Michael on his website, tumbleweedwrites.com/ and check out his book of short stories, Fractured Threads, which...

Tired of waiting for God's justice, a priest is compelled to take action in this classic tale of revenge ... "The Tragedy of Montague Bellot" won 1st Place, out of 553 entries, in our One Year Anniversary (Fourth) Challenge. Ryan Fleming is a Hospital Administrator from Birmingham, Alabama. He is a talented writer and frequent guest on the writing podcast "Writing in Progress&qu...

A colourful journey on a train for a young girl... "A Suitcase of Colours" won 6th Place, out of 606 entries, in our Seventh Playground Challenge. Anne Wilkins is a sleep-deprived primary school teacher from Auckland, New Zealand, and she is a talented short fiction writer who, one day, hopes to actually get around to publishing some books and longer work… Check out her website, annewilk...

An ancient shape-changing being haunts a pool of water, feeding on passersby. Can it change its nature for a man who refuses to fear it? "Time Like Water" won 5th Place, out of 570 entries, in our Sixth Playground Challenge. Ashley Evans lives in Bethlehem, New Hampshire with her husband and one very spoiled dog. She enjoys working from home as a graphic designer by day, and dabbling in...

When 14-year-old Ivy learns she’s moving, she retreats to her childhood treehouse to work through her complicated feelings about her mom, her dad, and what it means to let go... "Holding Pattern" won 2nd Place, out of 697 entries, in our Eleventh Playground Challenge: A Fiction Short Story Competition. Corrie Haldane is an award-winning short fiction writer whose work appears in numerous...

A frustrated teen spends summer holidays at his grandparents' vineyard while his parents try to work on their marriage. Personalities clash in this Australian coming of age tale... "The Whole Mosquito" won 1st Place, out of 697 entries, in the Eleventh Playground Challenge: A Fiction Short Story Competition. Louise Walton lives in Australia on NSW's mid-north coast with her husba...

In the winter of 1937, a young girl and her parents seek safety in the prelude to one of the greatest tragedies of World War II... "The Snow Shrine" won 3rd Place, out of 606 entries, in our Seventh Playground Challenge. George Cooksey is an officer in the US Air Force who likes to write in his spare time. He is a part of the "Suggestion Mode" writing group alongside lifelong f...

When Nora's older sister speaks of the creatures she sees, Nora almost sees them as well, but as their parents understand the extent of her beliefs, they react differently. Set in 1920s Denmark... "The Mare in Me" won 5th Place, out of 606 entries, in our Seventh Playground Challenge. Liv Strom is a writer from Zurich, Switzerland and you can follow Liv on Instagram @authorlivstrom a...

Ben is trying to build a new life, but is haunted by a past he can’t escape... "Splitsville" won 5th Place in our Eighth Playground Challenge. Stephen James is a writer from Calgary, Canada and you can follow him on Instagram @the.short.word and keep your eyes out for an upcoming collection of his short stories. You can also read more of the winning short stories from our challenges at w...

A pregnant, sarcastic teen is sent away to St. Bernadette’s Maternity Home in 1966, where she’ll have her baby in secret and get on with her life... "Unidentified Flying Objects" won 1st Place in our Ninth Playground Challenge. Read more of Mandy's work on her website www.mandylange.com and follow her on Instagram @m.m.lange . You can also read more of the winning stories from our ch...

Ada is dead and wants nothing to do with the afterlife. Charley is alive and is desperate to contact someone on the other side... "When the Soul Catcher Knocks" won 3rd Place in our Tenth Playground Challenge. Read more of MM Schreier's work at mmschreier.com or check out her collections: Monstrosity, Humanity , a monster horror collection, and, Bruised, Resilient , a speculative &am...