We are thrilled to announce the winners for this year's American Short(er) Fiction Prize, judged by Amber Sparks. Thank you to everyone who submitted. The winning stories will be published in the magazine’s fall issue. _____ First-Place Prize: "The Old Woman at the Edge of the Cliff" by Ariel Berry. Judge Amber Sparks writes, "This incredible, careful story read like an excavated fairy tale—brand new to us, but also somehow old as humans, and strange and sad as the wilder parts of the … [Read more...] about The 2018 American Short(er) Fiction Prize Winners
The Art of Staring: An Interview with Jamel Brinkley
In his much-anticipated debut collection A Lucky Man, Jamel Brinkley lays bare the full and complex interiority of black men and boys kicking against all manner of inexorable truths, while living an inch from ruin in Brooklyn and the Bronx. With stunning clarity and generosity of detail, each of the nine stories leaves its own lasting impression, while the book as a whole coalesces into a devastating tapestry of confused masculinity, familial responsibility, and the intractable power of … [Read more...] about The Art of Staring: An Interview with Jamel Brinkley
Best of the Net 2017!
We are thrilled to announce that two ASF stories—"Endangered" by Allegra Hyde and "A Bruise the Size and Shape of a Door Handle" by Daisy Johnson—have won Best of the Net 2017. Congratulations to all the winners! Allegra Hyde's "Endangered" 'The artists were kept in cages. This was for their own good. The world had gotten really ugly, really fast, and the artists, generally, did not have the skills to survive." (Read the entire story here.) Daisy Johnson's "A Bruise the Size and Shape of a … [Read more...] about Best of the Net 2017!
The American Short(er) Fiction Prize is now Closed
The American Short(er) Fiction Prize is now closed for submissions. Thank you to everyone who entered! We look forward to reading your work. A winner and runner-up will be announced in the coming months. * * * We are thrilled to announce that Amber Sparks will be judging this year’s American Short(er) Fiction Prize. The prize recognizes extraordinary short fiction under 1,000 words. The first-place winner will receive a $1,000 prize and publication, and the second-place winner … [Read more...] about The American Short(er) Fiction Prize is now Closed
Support ASF & Get this Dog-Approved Tote Bag!
As the new year approaches, we look back with gratitude on the magazine's accomplishments and think about how we can grow in the years to come. Here are a few of our favorite highlights from 2017: - We published 22 stories, including our first issue dedicated exclusively to the work of emerging writers. We proudly offer competitive payment to all writers whose stories we publish. - Through "ASF Goes Back to School," we donated hundreds of back issues to creative writing classrooms across … [Read more...] about Support ASF & Get this Dog-Approved Tote Bag!
The Stars at Night: An Interview with Dan Chaon
I first came to Dan Chaon's work years ago via his celebrated story collection Among the Missing; even as a fledgling writer, I recognized that Chaon had the chops for beautiful writing and even greater empathy. Now, Chaon's newest novel Ill Will showcases a multi-talented writer diving into the deep waters of emotional hazards and physical violence, all set against the backdrop of contemporary America, where our greatest fears and darkest truths lie just beneath the surface. Tonight, he will be … [Read more...] about The Stars at Night: An Interview with Dan Chaon