Douglas Kyle Memorial Prize

Short Fiction

    • Single story by a New Brunswick resident author or WFNB member
    • 2,000 to 4,000 words
    • Prose only, please. Narrative poems are not admissible
    • First Prize $250, Second Prize $150, Third Prize 1 year WFNB membership

    2025 Judge: Vernon Oickle

    Vernon Oickle is considered the Dean of Nova Scotia authors writing about Maritime folklore, superstitions, and traditions. He is the author of 39 fiction and nonfiction books, including Red Sky at Night, Strange Nova Scotia, Bluenosers’ Book of Slang, Ghost Stories of Nova Scotia, Forerunners: Harbingers of Death in Nova Scotia and Grandma’s Home Remedies. Oickle is also the bestselling author of the eight volumes in The Crow murder mystery series. He resides in Liverpool, Nova Scotia.




    2024 Judge: Willow Kean

    Winners

    First Place: Very Best – By Heather Gunn, Moncton

    Second Place: Jack Currie, By Trent Pomeroy, Rothesay

    Third Place: The Ducks, By Olivia Mazerolle, Moncton


    2022 - 2023 Judge: Marianne Ward

    Winners

    First Place: Cheyenne Kean-Lemery (Sackville, NB), The Yellow Door  

    Tied for Second Place: Trent Pomeroy (Rothesay, NB), Now That We Can Choose and Brent Mazerolle (Moncton, NB) Setting the Hook

    Third Place: Trent Pomeroy (Rothesay, NB), Holes 


    2021 - 2022 Judge: Hugh MacDonald

    Winners

    First Place: Andrew Campbell, Nail House: 10048  

    Second Place: Eva Allen, The Gift  

    Third Place: Pat Post, The Defaulters 


    "It was a gift to receive the call that I had been awarded the Douglas Kyle Memorial Prize for my short story. The story I submitted to the contest has deep personal meaning for me and to hear it had reached someone was an incredible feeling. From start to finish, the contest was a positive, affirming experience for me. It was meaningful to hear the kind words from the contest judge and an absolute treat to meet with other writers to read our work. There are so many talented writers working in this province; being part of the reading was a huge honor. Writing communities are creative lifeblood for anyone who wants to write and this contest, for me, was a way to interact with the talented writers in New Brunswick. "

    Agata Atonow, Florenceville-Bristol, NB, 2021 winner

    "I received the Douglas Kyle Award in 2016. At the time I was getting rejection letters left and right and really feeling it. This award and the recognition of my peers gave me the confidence to keep going and even though I’ve since gone through long periods where I can’t seem to get the words down on the page, having that award in my back pocket always reminds me of what I am capable of."

    Jamie Gibbs, Miramichi, 2016 winner

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