For close to six decades, the N3F has operated a yearly short story contest. The first contest was judged by August Derleth (and others), with a collection of winners in a booklet published by the N3F with art by Astrid Anderson and others. We are gradually in the process of reconstructing a complete list of winners.
Short Story Contest Winners
Year
Place — Writer — Story
2025
First — Joshua D. Martin — Blood Remembers the Pain
Second — Charles van Wettum — Time is a Harsh Mistress
Third — Charles Walter — The Super Senior’s Sitter
Honorable Mention — Kalvin M. Madsen — The Simulation
2024
First — Miranda Rain — We Follow Dragons
Second — Robin Rose Graves — A Part From Reality
Third — Charles Walter — The Universe is a Capricious Place
Honorable Mention — Jordan Kirton — All That Glitters Can Be Sold
2023
First — Clint Stevenson — Island of Avarice
Second — Charles Walter — Denebolan Marathon
Third — J.L. Cook — Forged in Fire
Honorable Mention — Jeff Cassell — Welcome to Vulpye
2022
First — Sean Jones — From Invention Springs Necessity
Second — Clint Stevenson — After the Siege
Third — A.C. Cargill — Book of Memories
Honorable Mention — Guy Lillian — The Candlestick Maker
2021
First — Sean Jones — The Prudence of Silver
Second — Adrian Rayner — Breaking Good
Third — Markus Nyström — Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair
Honorable Mention — Patrick McKay — The Landing at the Somme
2020
First — Chris Owens — The Azazel Tree
Second — John Yarrow — The Eternal Secret
Third — Jack Mulcahy — If Music Be the Fruit of Love
Honorable Mention — Charles Douglas — The Haunting of the Jabberwocky
2019
First Karen — L. Kobylarz — As Day Follows Night
Second — Gustavo Bondoni — The Safety of Thick Walls
Third — Adam R. Goss — Where you G-O-H When You Die
Honorable Mention — Michael Simon — The Captain
2018 First — Gustavo Bondoni — Iced
Second — Graham J. Darling — The Tim Machine
Third — Michael Simon — The Answer
Honorable Mention — Karen L. Kobylarz — Talisman and Bone
2017
First — Philip A. Kramer — Quantum Quietus
Second — Gustavo Bondoni — Qualnoth’s Favor
Third — Robert W. Jennings — Trash Smashers
Honorable Mention — Graham J. Darling — Immaterial Witness
2016
First — Robert N. Stephenson — Moonhenge
Second — Michael Simon — Natural Selection
Third — Frank Sawielijew — Beyond the Spires
Honorable Mention — Gustavo Bondoni — Free Fall
2015
First — Sean Gillhoolley — The Bazaar of Forbidden Dreams
Second — Jeff Spitzer — The Last Ordeal of James Willoughby
Third — Kristin Janz — Fabiana’s Fairy Godmother
Honorable Mention — Deborah Rocheleau — Track Invasion
2014 No Award
2013
First — Michael Simon — Desperate Times
Second — R. Jean Mathieu — The Short, Strange Life of Comrade Lin
Third — Geoffrey Francis — Map of the End of the World
Honorable Mention — Danny Knestaut — Blue
2012
First — Michael Simon — The Human Condition
Second — Darren Moore — Crimson Typhoon
Third — George Casey — There Are Other Miners