Finalists for the 2020 J.F. Powers Prize

[caption id="attachment_16215" align="aligncenter" width="1577"]The Powers family, suddenly thrust into social-distance homeschooling[/caption]

In this time of great upheaval and uncertainty, it is good to know that some things go on as usual. The editors of Dappled Things are very pleased to announce the finalists in our 2020 J.F. Powers Prize for Short Fiction. From more than 500 entries, we have selected an elite group of 29 finalists to compete for our top prize of $500 as well as publication in our journal.

Giving due consideration to more than 500 stories is no easy task, so we would like to extend a sincere thank you to our entire editorial board as well as guest judges Taryn Okuma, Rhonda Ortiz, and Arthur Powers for helping us. We also thank everyone who submitted. The quality of the stories (and therefore the difficulty of judging!) gets higher every year. Submissions for the 2021 prize will open in the Fall--and we expect some truly excellent work, after all the time you writers will be spending at home.

Finalists are listed in no particular order. Congratulations, and best of luck in the last round!

A Fire in the Hills, Sally Thomas

The Truth About Existences, Diane Gillette

At the Pool, Nancy Burke

Remission, Gloria Whelan

The Clod at Sea, Jacob Appel

Notre Dame Down by Three, Robert Kinerk

A Reason for Everything, Amy Welborn

Lucy and the Paradox, David Cook

Open House, Jennifer Marie Donahue

Alone, Anthony Regolino

Renunciation, Denton Loving

Pianos and Stuff, Barrett Warner

Asteroid, T.M. Doran

Mary's Tomb, Jenean McBrearty

Charity, Munib Khan

Waiting for the Light, Ellie Anderson

Drenched, Stella Duarte

The Calling, Christopher Doyle

My Mentorship, Sam Simon

Up in Smoke, Susan Ingram

The Cake, Erica Eisdorfer

The Bishop, the Tower, the Apple, Evelyn Somers

Unfinished Business, Rob Davidson

Witch's Brew, Eric Bodlak

In Sophia's Wake, Lee Patton

Doreen Dreams of Cars, Cadence Mandybura

Closing Costs, Maya Sinha

The Crescent, Anne Weisgerber

Our Lady of La Vang, Robert Brian Mulder