Chapbook Contest Winner

Hey folks. We’re pleased to announce that Gregory Sherl is the winner of this year’s Chapbook Contest!

Sherl’s linked short fictions knocked us out clean. I’ve been quoting bits and pieces to cabbies. Sometimes the cabbies stop and kick me out. Other times they smile and give me a free ride. Brian Carr says the only thing we have to sherl is Sherl himself. The title of the manuscript is I HAVE TOUCHED YOU.

Here’s an excerpt:

I have to put my ear to the carpet to hear the music. There is a thumping in my chest and I understand that the goodness left once and forgot where it was headed. Girl #8 calls and says I feel like a drawbridge every time I think about you thinking about me. We have phone sex even when it’s light out. Girl #3 is making a documentary about her heart. In it I say Do you need some water? Three weeks later, I’m sleeping on the floor. I don’t remember how Girl #5 tastes, I just remember counting the cigarette butts. I listen to a song, and it goes But if you’re worried about the weather, then you picked the wrong place to stay. You can see my pores open when I yawn. Have you ever been stuck in a sun shower? So confusing.

Congratulations to Greg, his chapbook will be published in January 2011. We’ll keep you posted as things move forward.

Congratulations also goes to the runner-ups. We received lots of great submissions, three of which really kicked us in the ass. They are (in no particular order):

Mike Meginnis — WHAT THEY DID WITH THE BODY

Christy Crutchfield — THE FUTURE OF FAMILY RADIO

Andrew Borgstrom — THIS NEW BODY

(We promise, no BODY(IES) were hurt in the running of this contest)

Mike, Christy, Andrew, you guys have earned some well-deserved bragging rights, as well as a complementary copy of Dark Sky Magazine’s first print issue. We hope you like our stuff. We definitely like yours.

So, there you have it. Big, big ups to Greg. We’re gonna have beautiful children together. And many, many thanks to everyone who submitted. We had a blast running this contest. Hope you come round for next year’s.

Peace.