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  For the past twenty four hours a team of talented, highly trained monkeys has been busy collating the votes. All that remains is to announce the winner. Congratulations to: Dharval Mehta Dharval’s submission impressed us during the short list phase. The judges were also enamoured, with every judge assigning Beach Vacation points from their 3,2,1 pool. Judges cited a lack of readership interaction as the only bad mark against an otherwise excellent submission. This really was a close tournament, with each of the other five entrants only a few points at most from Dharval’s score. In no particular order, here’s some feedback from the judges on each of the other five submissions. The Visitor by Helen Rose Schneider The Visitor made the short list with its strong imagery. We are …

Edward W Robertson is the author of Breakers and Meltdown. He also writes at his blog, Failure Ahoy! Edward is one of those rare authors who has his finger on the pulse of the industry. We asked Edward a bunch of questions. Grab a cup of tea, this one is well worth it.   The Ed: Tell us a little about what your reading at the moment. Edward W Robertson: I’m reading The Righteous, by Michael Wallace. It’s the first in a series of polygamist thrillers. Wait, that’s thrillers about a polygamous sect, not a thriller novel with multiple wives. I don’t read a lot of mystery/suspense stuff, but it’s really good. Setting it among a fundamentalist Mormon group was inspired–not only do you have all this political intrigue between families, but you get a …

Dhaval’s an interesting type. Not content to run with the pack, Mehta chose a (lone) wolf for his avatar. Fitting, given the ‘non-compliance’ theme. None of this should detract from his submission. Beach Vacation challenges us to break the rules, placing freedom over conformity. Check out the author’s interview below.    Tell us about a book you have read recently, and why you enjoyed it. I just finished reading David Sedaris’s “Old Faithful” in The Best American Essays 2005 (edited by the very gifted Susan Orlean).  After reading “Old Faithful”—after reading anything simply touched by Sedaris—I ask the cruel forces of the world to throw me headlong into a terribly awkward but painfully funny circumstance, just so I can write about it.  Then I remember I don’t have Sedaris’s wild …

  This is Jason’s second nomination for a NITH short list. Considering we’ve only done two awards that gives him a hundred percent success rate. Like all our short list authors we threw a few questions his way. Jason’s submission for the ROSA is here.   The Ed: Tell us about your ambitions as a writer. What sort of fiction do you prefer to write? Jason Fink: My first ambition is to be able to find the discipline to get my ass in a chair and write; that’s the hardest part for me as I’m always distracted by shiny things and squirrels.  As for the kind of fiction I enjoy writing and what I want to write… it varies depending on the time of day you ask.  I’ve started a dozen different novels in various …

  Tashiina Buswa’s submission for the ROSA is a reflection on mass education,  ethics, and the arbitrary values we assign to success. You can check it out here.  Read on for the interview…    The Ed: Tell us about your writing career thus far. Where did you get your start, and how long have you been writing? Tashiina Buswa: I’ve been writing since I was a kid. My best friend and I began an ill-fated novel when we were ten, a laughable project now but I’d say that’s what spurred my love for writing. As I grew older I was more inclined to poetry, but recently have been focused on short fiction. What role to paper books having in an increasing digital marketplace? I still have a lot of faith in print. …

  Helen’s short listed submission, The Visitor, tackles gender, religion and compliance in a supernatural thriller. Read on for Helen’s q&a.. The Ed: Tell us a little about your ambitions as a writer.  H.R. Schneider: My primary ambition for writing actually lies in the realm of non fiction. I am still in high school, but I would like major in journalism next year at college. I believe that journalism is best utilized to pursue social justice. Because of this, I would like my fiction writing to also have an aspect of social justice. I still have a long way to go as a writer, but I hope that whatever work I produce, whether fiction or non-fiction  can bring about some issue at hand and perhaps make a difference. What role to …

The Interview is a ROSA short listed piece of  fiction that works as a character study. Cassie Kosarek one woman’s plight to break out of social compliance in a contemporary setting. Her writing is deft and always on point. We asked the author a few questions. The Ed: Tell us about an interesting habit you might have when writing. Cassie Kosarek: I stare at people. I don’t like to write at home because I’m too easily distracted, so I end up going to the public library or a coffee shop, where, in my own pondering, I have been caught way too many times staring strangers down without noticing it. What role to paper books having in an increasing digital marketplace? I’m an active blogger and explored the digital humanities quite …

The votes are in, The points tallied, all that remains is too announce our first ever award winner. Congratulations to: Nathan Boole Nathan’s was the most ambitious submission, painting the portraits of three damaged people. His use of chronological jump cuts adds depth to the storytelling and even though it was our longest piece, it was also surprisingly economical. A strong sense of character is present in Boole’s writing, as is the ability to take risks. Not always a good thing, but we look forward to seeing where he takes us from here. The competition was incredibly close.  The judges actually voted in a three way tie. The overwhelming response from the readership pushed Boole ahead of Fink and Ross, but neither runner up should be discouraged. Jason was praised …

Submissions aren’t the only way writers get to be creative on NITH. We asked Jason this question, check out his response below. Question: You are sitting in an expensive restaurant with a group of friends, enjoying a classy meal. The room is packed, the waiters are busy, yet the mood is sombre. In one corner a string quartet plays dutifully over the culinary din. A waiter brings over your entrée, mushrooms stuffed with cheese and red pepper. As your fork pierces the fungal skin the door opens and a woman enters. She is barefoot and wears an overcoat. Her hair is auburn. She crosses the room near to where you are sitting and disrobes. Beneath she is nude. Deftly, she climbs into the lobster tank and begins to swim with …

  Submissions aren’t the only way writers get to be creative on NITH. We asked Nathan this question, check out his response below. Question: You are sitting in an expensive restaurant with a group of friends, enjoying a classy meal. The room is packed, the waiters are busy, yet the mood is sombre. In one corner a string quartet plays dutifully over the culinary din. A waiter brings over your entrée, mushrooms stuffed with cheese and red pepper. As your fork pierces the fungal skin the door opens and a woman enters. She is barefoot and wears an overcoat. Her hair is auburn. She crosses the room near to where you are sitting and disrobes. Beneath she is nude. Deftly, she climbs into the lobster tank and begins to swim …