When I learned that a short story I wrote was a finalist in the 2022 Great American Fiction Contest (The Saturday Evening Post) I was surprised. Not that I didn't have faith in my story, but I was certain it had been rejected. According to the Post's submission guidelines, non-winners would not be notified due to the large number of submissions the contest receives every year.
I had submitted "Francine" last June. Around the first of October I thought I would check to see if the winners had been announced, and there they were for all the world to see--the winners of the 2021 Great American Fiction Contest. I had forgotten my submission was for the 2022 contest. I was disappointed, however being used to having my work rejected, I moved on.
I had begun contemplating other places I might submit "Francine," so it was quite a shock when, on October 28th, I received the following email from Patrick Perry, Executive Editor of The Saturday Evening Post:
You are a finalist in the 2022 Great American Fiction Contest (GAFC). The panel of judges is reviewing the stories now. In mid-November, we will announce the winner, runners up, and honorable mentions in the GAFC.
Since first learning about the GAFC, I had planned to enter "Francine." Set in my home town of Klamath Falls, Oregon, the story was a perfect match for the contest's qualifying statement:
Entries should be character- or plot-driven pieces in any genre of fiction. Think local. The Post has historically played a role in defining what it means to be an American. Your story should in some way touch upon the publication’s mission: Celebrating America — past, present, and future.
Stupidly, I missed the deadline for the 2021 contest and held onto "Francine" for an entire year before submitting it in June. I had confidence in my story. It had received an honorable mention from Glimmer Train in 1919.
We really enjoyed "Francine" and are pleased to tell you that it made the Honorable Mention list, which puts it in the top 10% of the entries in this Fiction Open - congratulations!
However, being a realist, I wasn't confident enough in my work to imagine it receiving higher than another honorable mention in the GAFC. Therefore, I was shocked again when I received a second email November 10th from Patrick Perry:
The votes are in. It's official. You are 1st runner up in the 2022 Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction contest. Congratulations! It was a very competitive contest, one brimming with exceptional talent.
Needless to say, I'm thrilled. If you'd like to read "Francine," it will be published in the magazine's January/February online edition. https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/
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