Flash Fiction Contest
Rules, information, timeline, and prizes listed below.
Please Read in Full
**All info on this page is subject to change until the contest starts**
Rules & General Information
Word Limit: 1,000 —— Hard Limit. Any stories exceeding the limit will be disqualified.
Submissions Open: March 1, 2026, at 12:00am ET (New York, USA).
Submissions Close: March 31, 2026, at 11:59pm ET (New York, USA).
This contest is open to anyone, anywhere in the world. Submissions should be written in English.
No entry fee.
One submission per person. Anyone submitting more than once will be disqualified.
TBO editorial staff will read all submissions and choose the longlist. Guest judge will read the longlist, choose the shortlist, and select the winners.
All submissions will also be considered for publication in an upcoming issue or as a featured story.
Formatting
12-pt font (Garamond, Times New Roman, Georgia, or something else readable with serifs)
One-inch margins, preferably justified, but aligned left also accepted
File type: .docx or PDF
Page numbers centered at the bottom of each page
***Include the word count at the top of your first page***
Your Mission
Write a story inspired by one of the mood boards below.
Mood boards revealed February 22, 2026 at 10am ET.
Submit your story via the Google Form link at the bottom of this page.
Timeline and Results
Submissions Accepted: March 1-31, 2026
Longlist: April 20, 2026
Shortlist & Winners: May 15, 2026
Mood Boards & Submit
Choose one of the following as the inspiration for your story.
All choices are judged equally. Mood boards revealed February 22, 2026, at 10am ET.
Mood Board # 1
Compiled by Leah Harter
Mood Board # 2
Compiled by Leah Skay
Mood Board # 3
Compiled by Daniel Groves
Guest Judge
Adam Van Winkle was born and raised in Texoma and currently resides with his wife and two sons in South Carolina. In addition to publishing his short fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction online and in print at places like Pithead Chapel, Cheap Pop!, BULL Magazine, The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, Revolution John, Roi Faineant, The Gorko Gazette and Red Dirt Forum, he has published several novels and plays with Red Dirt Press, Cowboy Jamboree Press, and LEFTOVER Books. His novel Abraham Anyhow was named the June 2017 Read of the Month by The Southern Literary Review, featured in the Monkeybicycle “If My Book…” series, and an excerpt from it was nominated for a Puschart Prize. His next book, Count the Dust (a radio play novel), will be out on December 2, 2025 from LEFTOVER Books. He is the founder and editor of Cowboy Jamboree Press and Magazine, an independent press and magazine now in its second decade of publishing good grit lit. Adam is named for the oldest Cartwright son on Bonanza. Find him and his publications online at www.adamvanwinkle.com and @gritvanwinkle.
Results
Longlist - April 20, 2026
Shortlist - May 15, 2026
Winners - May 15, 2026
First Place -
Second Place -
Third Place -
Prizes
First Place
One-hour Q&A session with The Bloomin’ Onion editorial staff via Google Meet + $50 Barnes & Noble Gift Card + Publication
Second Place
$35 Barnes & Noble Gift Card + Publication
Third Place
$15 Barnes & Noble Gift Card + Publication
Shortlist
Publication