It's an unfortunately wide spread misconception that short stories are the training wheels of literature. Young writers often make their name with them and moved afterward to longer projects. It's hard to find established names in literature writing short stories. But truth is, they're just a different field of competencies. Writers like Raymond Carver and John Cheever proved that they can have just as much of a lasting effect as a novel. They are shorter, but they are tighter and often leave you distraught. They are a single, well placed shot, as a novel is an assault. This category will reward the writers whose stories for me were "one shot, one kill". Here are the nominees.
Heath Lowrance for "It Will All Be Carried Away" in Dig Ten Graves
Daniel Woodrell for "Black Step" in The Outlaw Album
Frank Bill for "The Accident" in Crimes In Southern Indiana
David Cranmer for "Clouds In A Bunker" in Pulp Ink
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Read them in November, they're short and discuss who do you think should win before the ceremony!