Helen Laycock

• Longlisted for Mslexia Flash Fiction Competition with ‘(Mother Loved a    Bath)’, Jan 2019

• 1st prize in Lucent Dreaming’s Flash Fiction Contest ‘Lead’ April, 2019

• Longlisted in Retreat West’s Flash Fiction Competition with Final Flight

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• Honourable Mention Flash!Friday for High Hopes

High Hopes by Helen Laycock

SO: In a week when many stories centred on the idea of the whale’s skeleton reanimating, this one stood out. Its powerful, beautiful, and controlled use of language, and its holographic twist, meant it was deserving of a special mention.
 

CA: This one did a great job of mixing the old with the new, the beautiful language (the ribs as silent harp strings, the door closing like a crashing wave) contrasts with the technology of the hologram and the great escape through the skylight. The last line is great too, revealing the cleverness of the title.

• Honourable Mention Flash!Friday for Hearing Voices

Hearing Voices by Helen Laycock

TS: From the analogous first sentence (creeping thyme/creeping time) to the last (I feel her joy, and I know she feels mine), this story sings, nearly literally, with longing for the loved one who is absent and the joy of finding him in memory. So good!
 

EM: That last line gets me – “Probably nods.” Grief and loss and voices that make make a child feel loved.

• Honourable Mention in Flash!Friday with Singular Love

Singular Love by Helen Laycock​

SO: This story was so fresh and interesting, with an interesting and engaging perspective that drew me in right away. Well executed, with excellent details like the blood on the character’s thigh, which let the reader infer the subtext. A story with a whole world in it, skilfully drawn.
 

CA: I loved how this one started, which such powerful imagery of the women all moving in sync, like white smoke. That great imagery continued throughout, with the flames gently cradling the bundle, and the meandering blood, all painting such a vivid picture of a horrifying scene. The ending added a great punch, and twisted the whole tale on its head.

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• Runner up in Flash! Friday for untitled (shoe story)

Untitled  by Helen Laycock​

BS: I loved seeing all the ways writers played with point of view with this prompt, and this one felt uniquely special. So much character and story contained within, and the ending is just sublime and heart-level.

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KR: Taking the low-level photo prompt and staying there, this story gave us a shoe’s-eye view of the daily commute. Some fun, well-written observations (and a lovely soul/sole pun) helped this one reach the podium, and those final lines sealed the deal. Sad and stunning.

• Special mention for Ocean Lament in Flash!Friday

Ocean Lament by Helen Laycock

for the gorgeous and heart-breaking Romeo/Juliet-esque love story.

• Honourable Mention for Consumed in Flash!Friday

  ​ Consumed by Helen Laycock
  

BS: This one contains such detail, especially “Franco raised his right hand, covering the tear in his trousers with the left.” That says so, so much. Well done.
 

KR: That ‘flip’ moment seals this story for me. Franco’s life has turned upside down, and even if his only patrons now are the pigeons, he’s still trying to recapture what was. The lovely little detail with the torn trousers says that no matter how far he’s fallen, he still has his pride.