Flash Fiction Winner

Thanks to everyone who entered my flash fiction contest and signed up as a follower. I recruited three judges and they have spoken. My judges liked the energy and voice in the winning entry as well as the use of dialogue. So the winner is:

 A Halloween Collar by Wayne Zurl

Wayne Zurl is a retired New York police officer who lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with his wife, Barbara. Wayne has been getting good reviews on his Sam Jenkins mystery series so it isn’t  surprising that he can also whip out a little flash fiction. His latest release, A New Prospect, was named the year’s best mystery at  the 2011 Independent Publisher’s Book Awards. To learn more about Wayne, visit his website HERE.  My friend Sylvia Ney did an interesting interview with Wayne HERE.  And he was a guest blogger for Sylvia HERE.  If you like series characters, check out Wayne’s books on Amazon and make note: they’re print, some are audio and some are digital.

Now, read Wayne’s winning entry:

A HALLOWEEN COLLAR

“I’ve had a wonderful time, but this wasn’t it,” I said, and smacked the kid on the back of his head.
The ghoul mask fell from his hand to the floor.
“Up yours,” he said.
I grabbed his nose and put my face an inch from his ear. “The next time I hit you, sport, you’ll lose your teeth.”
His eyes strained to look at me. I removed my fingers from his beak.
“I chased you four blocks,” I said, “and ripped my pants going over that fence. I am not a happy policeman. I’ll ask again. Where did you get those fireworks?”
“I forget.”
I smacked him again, this time a little harder.
His hand went defensively to his head. “I’ll have your badge for that, man.”
“I doubt that. Blowing up a mailbox makes you guilty of a felony. Where did you get the M-80s?”
An arrogant smirk crossed his face. “From my father, the chief inspector.”

Wayne will receive a print copy of Southern Writers Magazine. Thanks everyone!