Rehoboth Beach Reads Short Story Contest winners named

Cat & Mouse Press of Lewes announced the winners of the 2020 Rehoboth Beach Reads Short Story Contest.

A panel of six judges selected 22 stories, which will be published as a collection titled “Beach Mysteries.” The book will be available in December.

Browseabout Books of Rehoboth Beach is the contest sponsor and will be awarding $500 for first place, $250 for second place and $100 for third place. Each judge also selected a story for special recognition.

The winning stories and the authors are ”Thalassotherapy,” first place, Carolyn Eichhorn, Baltimore, Md.; “A Stitch in Time,” second place, Chris Jacobsen, Rose Valley, Pa.; and “Killer White Paint,” third place, Rich Barnett, Rehoboth Beach. 

Judge’s awards went to “Tiny Solves the Case,” James Gallahan, Herndon, Va.; “Catching Up,” Susan Towers, Lewes; “The Dripping Man,” Will Eichler, Dover; “Thaddeus Zoon,” Teresa Berry, Hockessin; “Hiawatha's Smile,” Doug Harrell, Wilmington; ”The Sound of Lightning,” Kim Biasotto, Wilmington; and “Baba's Flying,” Paul Geiger, Ocean City, Md.

Additional stories selected are “Not Your Ordinary Thanksgiving,” Sarah Barnett, Rehoboth Beach; “Treasured Time,” Michele Connelly, Pottstown, Pa.; “Canary Creek,” Justin Stoeckel, Millsboro; “Mystery at the Lilac of the Sea,” Caren Pauling, Avon, Conn.; “Murder at the Sea Wall,” Pat Valdata, Crisfield, Md.; “The Guests' Guess,” Doretta Warnock, Frankford; “What Lies Within Us,” Sarah Beth Harris, Marietta, Ga.; “The Ship to the Grey Havens,” Linda Chambers, Baltimore; “The Mermaid of Rehoboth Beach,” Jennifer Walker, St. John, VI; “Circles, Tara Elliott,” Salisbury, Md.; “Bus to the Beach,” Kathaleen and Terrence McCormick, Smyrna; and “Teething Toddlers Tell No Tales,” Rachael Tipperman, Devon, Pa.

This year’s Rehoboth Beach Reads Short Story Contest invited writers to submit stories of 500-3,500 words that feature Rehoboth Beach and the theme, Beach Mysteries.

Judges for the 2020 contest were: Tyler Antoine, program librarian at the Rehoboth Beach Public Library; Dennis Lawson, writer and English instructor at Delaware Technical Community College; Rebecca Lowe, adult program coordinator at the Lewes Public Library; Laurel Marshfield, writer, ghostwriter, and book coach; Mary Pauer, writer, developmental editor, and national contest judge; and Ron Sauder, owner of Secant Publishing LLC, an independent publishing company based in Salisbury, Md.

Cat & Mouse Press was established to produce books and other materials that are fun and entertaining and of particular interest to residents and visitors to the Delmarva region. The company publishes a free weekly newspaper for writers, Writing is a Shore Thing.

For more information, go to writingisashorething.com and catandmousepress.com.