Fiona J Mackintosh
Published Stories2023
Trojan Horse – Highly commended in Free Flash Fiction Competition Sixteen, July 13, 2023
Coup de Grâce – Reprinted in Bulb Culture Collective, July 4, 2023
The Exposure of Delight – Reprinted in the National Flash Fiction Day’s FlashFlood, June 24, 2023.
The Ways of the Esquimaux – Published as part of Fictive Dream’s Flash Fiction February, February 5, 2023
2022
Les Soeurs Jumelles – Published in Imprint, Bournemouth Writing Prize Anthology, August 2022.
While the Planet Still Remains – Published in the 2022 Fish Anthology, July 2022. “Immersive second-person narration and lyric rhythm at the sentence level were at the heart of this piece’s impact. It took on a vast and weighty subject, containing it effectively through sustained focus and a personal approach, building a clever analogy into its ending.” Tracey Slaughter, Judge.
Flight Path – Published on National Flash Fiction Day’s FlashFlood, June 18, 2022. Nominated for Best Small Fictions 2023, December 5, 2022.
All the Tiny Shiny Things – Winner of Flash 500 4th Quarter 2021 flash fiction competition, February 10, 2022. “I loved the specificity in this story, the physical details, the mordaunt humour, the perfectly judged images.” Full judge’s report here.
Shapeshifting – Published as part of Fictive Dream’s Flash Fiction February, February 1, 2022. Nominated for Best Small Fictions 2023, December 5, 2022
How Different Atoms Handle Light – Published in Ellipsis Zine, January 28, 2022.
2021
All the Lonely People – Published in Snow Crow: Bath Flash Fiction Volume 6, December 2021.
The Other Half of the Sky – Published in Winter 2021 issue of The Phare, November 13, 2021.
The Ring – Published by Ellipsis Zine online, June 14, 2021
Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Salt – Published in Janus Literary, Volume 1, Issue 3, June 1, 2021
A Phlebotomist’s Chance at Love – Published as part of Fictive Dream’s Flash Fiction February, February 17, 2021. Nominated for Best Microfiction 2022.
2020
Flesh and the Devil – Published by Reflex Fiction, September 14, 2020 and published in Beguiled by a Wild Thing, Reflex Fiction Volume Four, 2021.
Lepidopterae – Published by Ellipsis Zine online, August 31, 2020
On Warren Ward – Republished in National Flash Fiction Day’s Flash Flood, June 6, 2020
The Cardboard Box of Happiness – Published as part of Flash Fiction February by Fictive Dream, February 20, 2020
2019
How Gypsy Jenny Likes to Bathe – Published in Flash Fiction Festival 3 anthology, November 2019.
The Exposure of Delight – Longlisted in the Bath Flash Fiction Award, October 2019, and published in Bath Flash Fiction Volume 4.
Atropa Belladonna – Nominated for a 2020 Pushcart Prize. Published in the National Flash Fiction Day’s Flash Flood, June 16, 2019.
Madonna and Child with Apocalypse: A Triptych – Published as a Special Feature in New Flash Fiction Review, April 20, 2019.
Snow Falling Upwards – Published in Bath Flash Fiction Volume 4 and nominated for The Best Small Fictions 2020. Second place in February Bath Flash Fiction Award, February 28, 2019. “The prose here is just beautiful… and the gentle poignancy of the ending is so well done. I went back and re-read this one many times, savouring gorgeous thoughts and images like: “snow falling upwards, it’s just a trick of the light,” and “nothing but a goitered winter moon…” Vanessa Gebbie, Judge.
Old Woman Cooking Eggs, Diego Velásquez, 1618 – Second place in Retreat West Flash Fiction Prize 2018, February 18, 2019. “Inspired by the famous painting by Velázquez, Fiona J Mackintosh’s beautifully imagined story is told from two points of view: the “old” woman’s (old for her time) and her grandson’s. With lush prose, cinematic imagery, and a narrative scope that belies its brevity, this is accomplished and deeply moving flash fiction writing.” Kathy Fish, Judge.
2018
The Real Jazz Baby – Winner of Reflex Fiction’s Autumn 2018 flash fiction competition. “This is flash fiction of the highest order. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to pluck it from the list.” Annemarie Neary, Judge. Full judge’s report here.
Siren – Winner of the October 2018 Bath Flash Fiction Award, October 30, 2018. “I loved this flash from the first few words and found myself smiling with happiness as I read on: I adore the colloquial, vigorous prose; the sensuality; the exotic, unusual details and the setting. An excellent flash that encompasses the whole of a historic love story with energy, economy and gorgeous language.” Nuala O’Connor, Judge. Selected for Best Microfiction 2019, Pelekinesis Press, and for Best Small Fictions 2019, Sonder Press.
Manao Tupapau – Published in Flash Fiction Festival Anthology 2018, Ad Hoc Fiction, November 2018
Consanguinity – Second place in Reflex Fiction’s Summer 2018 flash fiction competition, September 29, 2018
Agape – Runner-up in Retreat West’s Quarterly Themed Flash Fiction competition, August 31, 2018
World Enough – Published as part of Spelk Fiction’s August Summer Read, August 14, 2018
The Chemistry of Living Things – Winner, Fish Flash Fiction Award 2018, Published in the Fish Anthology 2018, July 2018. “What wonderful language in this story. Loop-de-loopy, fizz, and dazzle create a great tension between the internal and external states of the character. The mundane party, the pills that get her through, and then the beautiful, mysterious deer at the end create a depth that makes this story seem longer than its word length. This story has all of the qualities I love in a good piece of flash fiction. It tells a story in a way that is uniformly unique and compelling—compressed, expansive, and surprising.” Sherrie Flick, Judge. Selected to be included in Best Microfiction 2019, Pelekinesis Press.
The Birth of the Baptist – Winner, National Flash Fiction Day Microfiction Contest 2018. Published in Ripening: National Flash Fiction Day Anthology 2018, July 2018.
A Still Small Point of Reference – Published in the National Flash Fiction Day’s Flash Flood, June 16, 2018
Haven – Published by Reflex Fiction, May 3, 2018
Postbellum – Published by Flashback Fiction, April 16, 2018
How It Begins – Published in Fictive Dream’s Flash Fiction February, February 27, 2018. Nominated by Fictive Dream for Best Microfiction 2019.
The Yet Unknowing World – Published on Café Aphra, February 14, 2018
2017
Hindsight and Reign – Published in Paper Swans Press Flash Anthology, December, 2017
A Still, Small Point of Reference – Published in Hysteria Writing Competition 2017 Winners Anthology (shortlisted), November 2017
This Is How You Mourn Your Father – Longlisted for Reflex Fiction Autumn Contest, published on December 7, 2017. Published in Barely Casting A Shadow, Reflex Fiction Volume 1.
Triangle – Published on Lost Balloon, November 1, 2017
Chapter 1 of The Virgins of Salem – Shortlisted for the Retreat West First Chapter Competition, July 2017. “The opening certainly grabs the reader’s attention. The scene setting and vivid description of early 20th century India is very well done… It certainly is a memorable opening chapter.” Laura Williams (Agent, PDF)
Resting Place – Longlisted for the Bath Flash Fiction Award, June 2017 and published in the Bath Flash Fiction Anthology 2017, December 2017
Sole Survivor – Published on FlashFlood on National Flash Fiction Day, June 24, 2017
The Shape of Things to Come – Published in the Nottingham Review, March 2017. Nominated for The Best Small Fictions 2018, January 2018
Alien – Published in the Bath Flash Fiction Anthology, February 2017 (longlisted for the Bath Flash Fiction Award, October 2016)
Interstate – Published by and longlisted for the Galley Beggar Short Story Prize, January 2017
2016
Ice Harvesting – Published on Spelk on October 19, 2016
Noli Me Tangere – Longlisted for Plymouth University’s 2015 Short Fiction Prize and the 2016 Bristol Prize. Shortlisted for the 2016 Exeter Short Story Prize and published in 2016 Exeter Story Prize Anthology
Penitentiary – Published in Abundant Grace (anthology of DC women writers)
The More Things Change – Published on The Casket of Fictional Delights, August 5, 2016
Latchkey – Published in the National Flash Fiction Day Anthology, June 2016
Individual Artist Award in Fiction 2016 from the Maryland State Arts Council – March 2016
First Time – Winner of Retreat West’s Monthly Themed Flash Fiction Contest (February 2016).
“I loved how this story just jumped and crackled off the page with life, joy and hope. The imagery and sensory detail were done so well that I could taste the vinegar and feel the sea wind. A huge achievement in under 150 words.”
Water Like a Stone – Published on FlashFlood on National Flash Fiction Day, June 25, 2016. Also published in Worcestershire LitFest anthology A Cache of Flashes, Launch November 20, 2016
Janus – Published in Gargoyle #64, Spring 2016
Jericho Road – Published in District Lines III (Politics & Prose Bookstore’s anthology of DC writers), January 2016
Polaroid # 17 – Published on the Found Polaroid website, January 2016
Nighthawks – Winner of the Ad Hoc Fiction Contest, January 2016
2015
Hindsight – Winner of the Ad Hoc Fiction Contest, December 2015, nominated for the Best Small Fictions 2016
On Warren Ward – Winner of the TSS Flash Fiction Competition, November 2015. “Many congratulations to Fiona Mackintosh for her superb flash fiction, ‘On Warren Ward’ – a piercingly honest look at old age and loneliness.”
Coup de Grace – Published on Platform for Prose, November 2015
2014
Abby and the Astronaut – Published in District Lines II (Politics & Prose Bookstore’s anthology of DC writers), Summer 2014
Previous Work
From the South Seas to the North Sea: A Biography of Princess Titaua of Tahiti – Published by Kilrenny & Anstruther Burgh Collection, July 2011
The Province of the Imagination (novel) – semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, 2008
Stolen Time: Profile of Novelist Keith Donohue– Bethesda Magazine, July/August 2008
A Writer’s Life: Sigrid von Bremen – Bethesda Magazine, November/December 2007
Dorence Atwater: A Civil War Story – America’s Civil War Magazine, May 2005
A Restlessness that Runs in the Family – Washington Post Style Section, January 26, 2004
The Revitalization of Henry Adams – American History Magazine, August 2003
Persons Under Trains – finalist, Heekin Group Foundation’s Tara Fellowship in Short Fiction
Equilibrium – Published in Metropolitain, 1989
Dancing Classes – Published in The Washington Review and accepted by Harpers & Queen UK, 1988