AmericanBookFest.com

SHORT STORY



Fiction / African-American / Anthologies / Cross Genre
Fantasy & Sci Fi / Graphic Novels / Historical / Horror / Inspirational
LGBTQ / Literary / Multicultural / Mystery & Suspense / New Age
Novella/Novelette / Poetry / Religious  / Romance / Short-Story
Thriller & Adventure / Visionary / Western / Women's Fiction / Young Adult



Mixed Company: Stories by Jenny Shank

Winner
Fiction: Short Story
2021 Best Book Awards

In Mixed Company Jenny Shank reveals moments of grace and connection between people of her hometown, Denver, through stories that contrast the city during its oil-bust era of economic troubles and court-ordered crosstown busing for racial desegregation with the burgeoning and gentrifying city of recent years.

In "Casa del Rey," a cautious pregnant woman must contend with her out-of-control and intrusive neighbor. In "Hurts," a girls' basketball team at a majority Black Denver high school clashes with a white mountain team. In "La Sexycana," a bottom-feeding journalist ventures to a dance club to confront the young Latina woman she mentored as a teenager who then cut off all contact with her. "Lightest Lights Against Darkest Darks" follows a white middle schooler bused to a majority Black school who falls under the spell of her magnetic and racially ambiguous art teacher. In "Signing for Linemen," a graduate student in medieval literature takes a job as a summer tutor for a college football team and ends up learning more than she expected about athletes, American Sign Language, and herself. In "Local Honey," middle-aged white parents bring their adopted Black teenage son to a Wu-Tang Clan concert in an attempt to bond with him.

Read More...




Miserable Holiday Stories by Alex Bernstein

Winner
Humor/Comedy/Satire
2021 Best Book Awards

Finalist
Fiction: Anthologies
2021 Best Book Awards

Finalist
Fiction: Short Story
2021 Best Book Awards

Why wait for Christmas when you can be miserable all year long! Author and humorist Alex Bernstein presents a collection of quirky, bittersweet tales calculated to ruin even the most blessed festivities. Featuring the Glimmer Train finalist (but not winner) "Brownie Mix", the infamous chapter-book parody "The #$@!# Bicycle Boys Save Christmas, Again!", the never-before-printed "Blue Christmas", and stories previously appearing in such eclectic journals as The Big Jewel, Litro, Corvus, eFiction, Dysfunctional Family Story, The Legendary, Blue Print Review, and Hobo Pancakes, "Miserable Holiday Stories" is the perfect gift for that special someone you'd rather not ever hear from again.




Bourbon Street Nocturne and Other Short Stories: Fictional Tales on a ride of Twists, Turns, and the Unexpected by Elle Stockton

Finalist
Fiction: Short Story
2021 Best Book Awards

A labyrinth of compelling stories with intertwists that hold the reader in their grip from beginning to end!

Prepare to be frightened, fascinated, mystified, and romanced as you immerse yourself in the tales of this multi-genre book—noir, dark fantasy, horror, murder mystery, romance, suspense, psychological thriller, and humor.

After the only daughter of a Manhattan socialite vanishes for two days, her mother hires a female detective to find the girl—dead or alive. Trouble brews in Chinatown when a thief cleans out a flophouse safe. The door of a hospital room mysteriously opens on its own, emitting a foul odor. Magic on a small island off northern New Zealand could change the lives of two people. In New Orleans, a woman secretly employs a private detective to catch a blackmailer. The creative director of an advertising agency in Chicago faces deadly competition to win a new account. One resourceful woman matches her wits against a villain out for blood. In San Francisco, a blonde bombshell lives in hock to a vile, pockmarked gambler.

Read More...




Pigeon Soup & Other Stories by Rosanna Micelotta Battigelli

Finalist
Fiction: Short Story
2021 Best Book Awards

Fiction. Women's Studies. The characters in PIGEON SOUP AND OTHER STORIES are navigating relationships and grappling with issues of translocation, language and identity, religion and culture, and food. These tales portray the dark places they inhabit physically, emotionally, or metaphorically, with twists that sometimes provide a flicker--or even a bright beam--of hope.




The Blow Off Letter and other Fabulous Tales by David Lastinger

Finalist
Fiction: Short Story
2021 Best Book Awards

What if your imagination would let you redo the life events that went sideways on you? (Mine does!)

Picture, if you will, each of the following:

  • Getting the best revenge possible on someone who dumped you
  • Discovering you can converse with rescued pets
  • Receiving a marriage proposal in a treehouse
  • Sneaking peeks at and playing with presents on Christmas Eve
  • Killing a zombie
  • Hearing a tree speak
  • Having an incredible sexual encounter at a high school reunion

Read More...




The Mask by Clayton Marshall Adams

Finalist
Fiction: Short Story
2021 Best Book Awards

He was born that way. Few would forgive his appearance. Fear and revulsion, even rage, were not unfamiliar to him. The villagers, but for one small child, have not been kind. The forest, his home, was not only a sanctuary, ironically, it also became his prison. One day, the forest offered him something more. What he found both chilled and excited him. It was a discovery that would change his life forever.

The Mask is an allegorical tale that touches upon our human frailties, inspires us to find our inner truth, and dares us to be more courageous than we can imagine.

Beautifully illustrated and designed, The Mask compels a reader to ponder important social issues such as bullying and body image as well as the meaning of beauty and truth.

The Mask recently received a starred review on Kirkus and a lightning bolt via BookLife.

Age: 10 to 16




Turning Points by Off Campus Writers Workshop

Finalist
Fiction: Short Story
2021 Best Book Awards

Turning Points is the product of a grand challenge to the members of Off Campus Writers' Workshop: spend a year working together to create the best writing of your life. Forty-three authors answered the challenge—some had never been published before, some bearing gaudy resumes of literary accomplishments, many in between those extremes. Turning Points is the unique product of their labors, and a celebration of 75 years of Off Campus Writers' Workshop.




Fiction / African-American / Anthologies / Cross Genre
Fantasy & Sci Fi / Graphic Novels / Historical / Horror / Inspirational
LGBTQ / Literary / Multicultural / Mystery & Suspense / New Age
Novella/Novelette / Poetry / Religious  / Romance / Short-Story
Thriller & Adventure / Visionary / Western / Women's Fiction / Young Adult



Home / 2022 Best Book Awards / American Fiction Awards / Autobiography
 
Business / Careers / Entrepreneurship / Management / Marketing / Motivational / Personal Finance / Real Estate / Reference / Sales / Technology / Writing & Publishing
 
Children's Books / Educational / Fiction / Mind-Body-Spirit / Non-Fiction / Novelty & Gift / Picture Book Fiction / Picture Book: Non-Fiction / Children's Religious
 
Cookbooks
 
Fiction / African-American / Anthologies / Cross Genre / Fantasy & Sci Fi / Graphic Novels / Historical / Horror / Inspirational  / LGBTQ / Literary / Multicultural / Mystery & Suspense / New Age / Novella/Novelette / Poetry / Religious  / Romance / Short-Story / Thriller & Adventure / Visionary / Western / Women's Fiction / Young Adult
 
Health / Addiction / Aging / Alternative Medicine / Cancer / Death & Dying / Diet & Exercise / Medical Reference / Psychology & Mental Illness
 
Non-Fiction / Animals & Pets / Anthologies / Art / College Guides / Crafts & Hobbies / Current Events / Education / History / Home & Garden / Humor / Law / LGBTQ / Multicultural / Narrative / New Age / Novelty & Gift / Performing Arts / Photography / Science / Social Change / Sports / True-Crime / Women's Issues / Young Adult
 
Parenting & Family / Religion / Self-Help / Motivational / Relationships / Spirituality / Travel / About Us - Contact Us
 
American Book Fest , Best Book Awards and American Fiction Awards are Trademarks of American Book Fest.

Copyright 2003-2022. All Rights Reserved.

Terms & Conditions / Disclaimer
 
ABF@amerbookfest.com
 

Home

2022 Best Book Awards

2021 BBA Press Release

2021 BBA Full Results

American Fiction Awards

2021 AFA Press Release

2021 AFA Full Results

2020 AFA Full Results

2019 AFA Full Results

2018 AFA Full Results

Autobiography

Business

Careers

Entrepreneurship

Management

Marketing

Motivational

Personal Finance

Real Estate

Reference

Sales

Technology

Writing & Publishing

Children's Books

Educational

Fiction

Mind/Body/Spirit

Non-Fiction

Novelty & Gift

Picture Book: Fiction

Picture Book: Non-Fic

Children's Religious

Cookbooks

General Fiction

African-American

Anthologies

Cross Genre

Fantasy & Sci-Fi

Graphic Novels

Historical

Horror

Inspirational

LGBTQ

Literary

Multicultural

Mystery & Suspense

New Age

Novella/Novelette

Poetry

Religious

Romance

Short Story

Thriller & Adventure

Visionary

Western

Women's Fiction

Young Adult

Health

Addiction

Aging & 50

Alternative Medicine

Cancer

Death & Dying

Diet & Exercise

Medical Reference

Psychology & Mental

Non-Fiction Books

Animals & Pets

Anthologies: Non-Fic

Art

College Guides

Crafts & Hobbies

Current Events

Education

History

Home & Garden

Humor

Law

LGBTQ Non-Fiction

Multicultural Non-Fiction

Narrative

New Age Non-Fic

Novelty & Gift Books

Performing Arts

Photography

Science

Social Change

Sports

True Crime

Women's Issues

Young Adult Non-Fic

Parenting & Family

Religion

Self-Help

Self-Help: Motivational

Relationships

Spirituality

Travel

About Us / Contact Us

BBA Award Archive

Laureates