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THE SECOND ANNUAL MOM TRI’S BOATHOUSE SHORT FICTION
CONTEST
March 2008
I know I said this last year, but it bears repeating: Judging a
writing contest is a dumb thing to try to do.
Writing fiction isn’t a race. It isn’t anything like Olympic gymnastics or
synchronized swimming. It isn’t even a beauty pageant (although, now that I
think of it, I am available for one of those if anyone has that kind of duty
going). Writing fiction is…well, it’s art, for Christ’s sake. There. I’ve
said it. Art.
And now, first place in the Best Painting in the Louvre contest goes
to……..
See what I mean? Idiotic, huh?
Still, the nice folks at the Boathouse asked me to pick the best of the
submissions to their short fiction contest this year and that’s what I’ve
tried to do. By the way, you should know that I get the entries without any
names attached so this may well be the only entirely honest undertaking in
Thailand. Wait. Scratch that last line. I never said that. I deny it
absolutely.
Anyway, if you’re interested, here are some very brief observations as to
why I ranked the winning entries the way I did. You might have ranked them
differently. In fact, I’m certain you would. That’s why they call it ‘art.’
First place – THE GIFT – Eric Rosenkranz
It’s both solidly written, almost poetic in patches, and offers a
remarkably touching insight into the lives of ordinary Thais living in
Phuket. That’s not something that many writers have achieved, Thai or
foreign, and God knows more than enough have tried.
Second place – UNPACKING – Barbara Ransom
There’s a good deal of honest to gosh, actual life in this piece, much
that rings real and true, and achieving that in not much more than a
thousand words is a considerable accomplishment.
Third place – THE BRIDGE – Dr. Michael Moreton
Like the two entries before it, this piece felt authentic to me,
although it was perhaps just a touch less professional and accomplished in
its execution and prose style than the first and second places; thus, its
third place finish.
Honorable mention – 6-2-6-4-6 – Alexander Maycock
A fresh and lively narrative, well told and consistently engaging, but
overall just not quite as smoothly written or as slickly presented as the
first three placings.
Honorable mention – LETTA ‘OME – Barry Daniel
An absolutely wonderful job of writing dialect, which is extremely
difficult, but the core narrative was too short and too thin for me to
feel comfortable placing it above other entries with stronger narrative
lines.
Honorable mention – THE PERFECT VACATION – Frank Visakay
Solid writing, novel plotting without turning gimmicky, but a little
too like the much repeated tales of feckless Thai bar girls for me to feel
good about ranking it above the first three placing with more original
story lines.
So there you have it. My reasons, such as I can rationally explain them,
for ranking the entries in the 2008 Boathouse Short Fiction Contest the way
I did.
You think you can do better?
No problem. Next year the job’s yours.
Jake Needham |