Winner of the Editor's Choice Award - Best of 2013
We've spent a whole month revisiting the best stories from 2013, and we've revealed the winner of the Reader's Choice Poll. Now it's our turn to weigh in. Behold the results of the Editor's Choice Award for the Best Story of 2013.
Gah, I can't do it. It's too hard. We're immobilized with anxiety. There are too many good stories to choose from!
Okay, deep breath, pull it together. It has to be done. Here we go.
Sorry you had to see that little pep talk. But the upshot is that after meditation, self-affirmation, and copious amounts of dwarven mead, we are now ready to make the announcement. And puke. But we'll save that part for later.
Drumroll please. Our pick for the best story of 2013 is ...
Pollinger's Notebook: Years 4.3 - 6.4, by Mark Burgh
This is one of the first stories we published, and it still sticks with us. The premise is fascinating, the style is challenging but engaging, and the ending is both haunting and hopeful. Mark carries us through a story that takes place over a couple of years, with multiple characters, and does so in a way that makes us feel like we're discovering it for ourselves instead of listening to a narrator. It does so many things right that it just has to be the best story of 2013.
Congratulations to Mark, and thanks to all our authors. We really must emphasize how hard it was to make the choice. We've seen some fantastic stories, and there are plenty more where they came from. Stay tuned for another awesome year of speculative fiction!
(If you haven't seen the results of the Best of 2013 Reader's Choice Poll, check it out!)