Submissions to The Insider Prize—a writing contest for incarcerated writers in Texas, which we held for the first time this year—came to us in envelopes of many sizes. Most had been previously opened, with a red TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS stamp on the inside of the lip of the envelope that had been taped shut after an inspection. Some were composed on a typewriter. Others were handwritten. Like many literary journals, American Short Fiction accepts only electronic submissions. And while ... [READ MORE]
NEWS
2017 American Short Fiction Prize Winners
We are delighted to announce that Lauren Groff has selected the winners of the 2017 American Short Fiction Prize. The first-place prize goes to Michaela Hansen for her story "The Devil in the Barn." Michaela Hansen is a Northwest native who likes to call Tacoma, Washington home, even though she doesn't always live there. She's a recent graduate of the Texas State University MFA program and her work has been published in McNeese Review, and is forthcoming from Fourth Genre. When she's not ... [READ MORE]
The Stars at Night 2017
[Please note that this event has passed. Keep an eye on this space for information about The Stars at Night 2020, a virtual celebration of literary community!] Join us on the night of Thursday, November 2nd, for our second annual The Stars at Night, a beer-and-boots gala celebrating American Short Fiction, our Texas heritage, and our city's writers and those who champion them. Come for the live country music and dancing (courtesy of the great Weldon Henson and his band!), and stay for the ... [READ MORE]
ASF Goes Back to School: Our Second Annual Back Issue Giveaway
Last year, we shipped over 150 free back issues of American Short Fiction to colleges and universities including Rowan University, the University of Iowa, the University of Wisconsin, Towson University, Missouri State University, and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. If you're a creative writing instructor who's teaching a workshop at a U.S. college or university this fall, we'd be happy to send you a box of back issues to use in your classroom. These could be a teaching tool, or a little ... [READ MORE]
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2017!
We're so pleased to announce that Manuel Muñoz's story, "The Reason Is Because," from ASF Issue #61, has been selected for The O. Henry Prize Stories 2017 by Laura Furman and this year's jury panel of Elizabeth McCracken, David Bradley, and Brad Watson. The anthology will be out in September. Congratulations to all the winners! ... [READ MORE]
Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award Winner!
Hooray for Bret Anthony Johnson, whose beautiful elegiac story "Half of What Atlee Rouse Knows About Horses," published in ASF's 25th anniversary issue, was announced as the winner of the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award on April 27th in London. The prize is the richest for a story in the English language. Congrats, Bret! ... [READ MORE]