Festive Flash Fiction Winner Announced

18.12.19

The Australian Society of Authors is delighted to announce that the winner of our Festive Flash Fiction competition is Kim Foale. Kim receives $150 cash, a book bundle and of course, her winning entry published on the ASA website, which you will find in this article.

Authors were asked to submit a 150-word short story that included the word ‘elf’ or ‘bauble’.  The flash fiction contest was open for just one week as part of our ASA Advent Calendar. You can read the winning entry below.

Congratulations to Kim and thanks to everyone who entered the competition. We look forward to running another Flash Fiction competition soon.

I always dreaded Christmas. The recent death of my spouse, after a long illness, meant this year would be horrendous. Not one to diminish the festive spirit in his last week, we assembled the tree as soon as December arrived. Each Christmas, my husband arranged a new bauble commemorating another amazing year of marriage. I berated myself for my thoughtlessness in not arranging it this year. It was the least I could have done.

Following tradition as we normally did on Christmas Eve, I placed our sacks under the tree. Surprised by a bulge present in mine, I peered inquisitively inside. Tears rolled down my cheeks before a smile crossed my face. A bright red bauble with our names and ‘together forever’ embossed in sparkling gold glitter stared back at me. I should have known. No matter how much I feared Christmas, he always managed to make me feel merry.