The Best of the Nest
We are delighted to announce the winner and honourable mentions of the 2024 Hummingbird Flash Fiction Prize, with commentary by final judge Finnian Burnett.
Winner: ‘The Art of Tear Eating and Other Non-Predatory Behaviours’ by Cheryl Skory Suma
“I loved the juxtaposition of scientific facts about butterflies with the painful reality of life with another human whose shared traumas don’t always align in peace and love. The story’s throughline felt poignant, and the interspersed musings about tear eating as both a metaphor and an actual plot point was unique and stunning.“
Unranked Honourable Mentions: ‘Life After Bifurcation’ by Soramimi Hanarejima and ‘Blue Wax Paper’ by Adam Fout
“Two close contenders for first place were ‘Life After Bifurcation’ and ‘Blue Wax Paper’, two wildly different stories — both brilliant and engaging from start to finish. I loved the unusual format of ‘Life After Bifurcation’ and the slow reveal of the twist in the main characters’ friendship. In ‘Blue Wax Paper’, the author used visceral imagery and emotional interiority to drive home the main character’s feeling of absolute uselessness. Both the stories left me thinking about them after first, second, and third readings.“
Congratulations!
Look for the winner and honourable mentions in Issue 45, Winter 2025. Thank you to all of our submitting authors for sharing your words and supporting Pulp Literature!
And our thanks to judge Finnian Burnett! Be sure to check out their novella in flash, The Price of Cookies, now available.
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