I’m so excited to announce today the winners of our writing competitions! We had many fantastic submissions in each category. First place in each category is $50 and publication in our annual anthology. Second and third places in each category will receive publication in the anthology. Additionally, we will soon be contacting several of the authors of pieces that didn’t place to offer publication in the online journal, because, even though not everyone could win, we received a great deal of quality work. Thank you to everyone who entered!

Without further ado . . .

Nonfiction Competition:

• 1st Place: Either Way by Elizabeth Brina
• 2nd Place: The Outcast of Viperville by Kristine Perkins
• 3rd Place: With Love, From Lunch by Rachel Francis

Please note that the original announcement of Nonfiction winners was in error. After the announcement, we learned that the 1st place entry was no longer eligible to win because it had already been published in another journal between the time it was submitted to the competition and when the winners were announced. The author has withdrawn her piece due to this ineligibility, and we wish her well. Her piece, though not eligible to win this competition, will be featured at a later date in an online issue of the Same. We extend our apologies for the confusion and our sincere congratulations to all of our Nonfiction winners!

Short Story Competition:

• 1st Place: A Kind of Falling by Shelley Wood
• 2nd Place: Roxie and Strum by J.L. Perez
• 3rd Place: Finding Saraswati by Hema Nataraju

Congratulations to all of our winners! You will be able to read their wonderful essays and short stories soon in our print anthology. Also, thank you to Amy J.E. MacKenzie for helping judge the contest entries.

In today’s issue, we’re proud to bring you three wonderful pieces by three talented women authors: a thoughtful and beautiful essay called “Unexpected Blessings” by Sarah Bigham, an incredibly imaginative short story called “The Little Cornstalk That Was” by Chantel Sandbach, and the wonderful poem “New Clothes” by Janet Reed, a two-time contributor to the Same.

Until next time!

Rachel Holbrook

Editor in Chief