A Literary Journal for New & Established Voices

Contests

Winners of The Sunlight Press Contests (2017-2025)

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Please note: Currently, The Sunlight Press is not offering a 2026 writing or photography contest. Stay tuned for details soon on any upcoming contest. Thank you.

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The winner of The Sunlight Press Fall Flash Fiction Contest (fall 2025) was Kathryn Kulpa’s Sam & Ruby on the Brink. She was awarded $600.00.

First Place Winner: Sam & Ruby on the Brink

Second Place: Mother Said I Was Air by Dawn Miller. She was awarded $250.00

Third Place: Resistance by Laura Nagle. She was awarded $150.00.

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The winner of The Sunlight Press Photography Contest (spring 2024) was Graham Tobin‘s Sagebrook Rookery. He was awarded $300.00.

Our Photography Contest Winner
Sagebrush Rookery

Our Photography Contest Finalists
Sardinian Crane Flower by Viviana De Cecco, Second place
Grasshopper on Gourd Flower  by Kat Mincz, Third place

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The winner of The Sunlight Press Flash Fiction Contest (spring 2023) was Michelle Ross‘s Pinch Hitter. She was awarded $750.00

Our Flash Fiction Contest Winner
Pinch Hitter

Our Flash Fiction Contest Finalists
George Gershwin Invites Arnold Schonberg Over For Table Tennis by Laton Carter, Second place
Love Says My Husband by Jill Witty, Third place

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The winner of The Sunlight Press Essay Contest (spring 2022) was Aria Dominguez‘s The Art of Negotiating. She was awarded $500.00.

Our Essay Contest Winner
The Art of Negotiating

Our Essay Contest Finalists
Photographic Evidence by Skye Pratt Epperson
To the woman sitting in her parked car during the first month of a global pandemic by Diane Spechler

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The winner of The Sunlight Press Flash Fiction Contest (spring 2021) was Justine Gardner‘s Collapse. She was awarded $500.00.

Our Flash Fiction Contest Winner

Collapse

Our Flash Fiction Contest Finalists

Lunch in the Park by Kevin Sandefur

Compensations by Candace Hartsuyker

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The winner of The Sunlight Press Flash Fiction Contest (spring 2020) was Monica Wang’s The Stupid Smart Girl. She was awarded $125.00.

Our Flash Fiction Contest Winner

The Stupid Smart Girl

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The winners of The Sunlight Press first Photography Contest (fall 2019) were Arpan Chowdhury’s Breaking of a Shackle, and Amanda Davis’s Icelandic Horse. Each was awarded $100.00.

Our Photography Contest Winners

Breaking of a Shackle

Icelandic Horse

 

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The winner of The Sunlight Press Essay Contest (spring 2019) was Jacqueline Doyle’s Dear Maddy. Jacqueline was awarded $100.00. The contest finalist was Erica Goss’s Zucchini Bread.

Our Essay Contest Winner and Finalist

Dear Maddy

Zucchini Bread 

 

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The winner of The Sunlight Press first Flash Fiction Contest (fall 2018) was Cathy Ulrich’s, A Bouquet of Stars. Cathy was awarded $100.00.

Our Flash Fiction Contest Winner

A Bouquet of Stars

Our Two Finalists

Memorial of Imaginary Lines by Sabrina Hicks

Hindsight by Shana Ross

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The winner of The Sunlight Press first themed edition, Our Tech Life (fall 2018), was Shannon Lise’s poem, We Don’t Need These Great Big Clocks. Shannon was awarded $75.00.

Our Tech Life Winner

We Don’t Need These Great Big Clocks

 

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The winner of The Sunlight Press Essay Contest (summer 2017), was Amy Bee’s The Adult Section. Amy was awarded $50.00.

Our Essay Contest Winner

The Adult Section

 

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The winner of The Sunlight Press Fiction Contest (spring 2017) was Tom Gumbert’s A Conversation with Rose. Tom was awarded $50.00.

Our Fiction Contest Winner

A Conversation with Rose