ZZ Packer

ASF Celebrates Black Writers

by ASF Editors | February 25, 2020

As Black History Month 2020 nears an end, we asked members of our staff compile a list of their favorite short fiction by Black writers. For this list, our scope was broad. After all, while Black History Month has its roots in American history, it's not an exclusively American endeavor. Canada celebrates along with us during February, but in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands, Black History Month is aligned with the start of the school year in October. So, rather than give our … [Read more...] about ASF Celebrates Black Writers

Closed: The Halifax Ranch Fiction Prize

by ASF Editors | March 8, 2018

**The 2018 Halifax Ranch Fiction Prize entry period has now closed.** The deadline for our brand new Halifax Ranch Fiction Prize was June 15, 2018. The winner of the prize will receive $2,500 and publication in an upcoming issue of American Short Fiction. We're kicking things off with a bang as our inaugural judge will be the incomparable ZZ Packer, whose writing has been hailed by everyone from John Updike to Oprah. George Saunders called Packer a wonderful writer "who somehow manages to … [Read more...] about Closed: The Halifax Ranch Fiction Prize

Read the winners of the 2024 Insider Prize

By ASF Editors

“Memories are a nuisance,” Peter wrote to one of our writers after reading his short story, “but nonetheless they seem to make us who we are, as this story confirms.” This year’s submissions told many stories burdened with memory, but just as many stared bravely into the face of hope, satirized the state of politics, speculated on the future of the world, or else built entirely new worlds to inhabit. In short, the stories written on the inside reflected the stories we wrote this year on the outside. Stories of human toil and dreams and everything in between.

Story Sessions: Percival Everett in Conversation with Roger Reeves

By ASF Editors

Join us for the first installment of Story Sessions, a literary series that brings exceptional authors together for a freewheeling discussion about the power of stories and the ways we share them, on September 27, 2024, at Huston-Tillotson University from 6 – 8:00 p.m. We’re thrilled to welcome the nationally award-winning novelist Percival Everett to the stage alongside the distinguished poet and National Book Award finalist Roger Reeves.

Announcing the winners of the 2024 American Short(er) Fiction Prize

By ASF Editors

We are delighted to announce that Dantiel Moniz has chosen the winners of our 2024 American Short(er) Fiction Contest. Thank you to our judge and to everyone who submitted—it is always inspiring to read your work. Congratulations to the winners!