Announcing the Winner of the 2024 First Page Cage Match

The Final Chapter

With last year’s First Page Cage Match under our belts, we had a more complete idea of how our recreation of live-action slush would unfold, but of course, this year’s batch of manuscripts were full of surprise and intrigue!

For a look at our process, read through this post…

While judging this year’s stories, we kept this same, simple question in mind: Which manuscripts drive us to continue turning the page?

A good deal of stories caught our attention this year with their fantastic first pages and more (check out our quarterfinalists and semifinalists), but two stories stood out in particular. Our finalists, Going North by Catherine Mackie and The Change by William Kaufmann drew us in with their complex characters, striking story worlds, and unique sources of conflict.

And now, after much deliberation, we have settled on a winner for the 2024 First Page Cage Match!

The winning author will receive $300, an editorial review, and a synopsis critique.

Congratulations to…

Going North by Catherine Mackie

“A smooth and intriguing read from start to the end.”

“A well told story with memorable characters, resonant themes, a well-crafted mystery, and a unique Canadian setting and atmosphere.”

We would like to thank all of the authors who entered this contest for sharing their stories with us. There was much to love about each of them and it was a joy to read them all!

Want a chance at contest glory? Our Bumblebee Flash Fiction Contest is currently open!

Get your entries in by today January 15th, 2025 to take advantage of our Earlybird pricing!

For all the details, and to enter, stay tuned to the blog, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.