Announcing the Longlist for the 3rd Annual Short Story Contest

Written By Colin Mustful

History Through Fiction is proud to share the longlist for our Third Annual Short Story Contest!

This year, we received 110 submissions from historical fiction writers around the world. Every entry was carefully reviewed by our editors and evaluated by one of our dedicated volunteer judges, each of whom provided direct feedback to the author. After much consideration, we’re delighted to announce the 35 stories that make up this year’s longlist.

What’s Next?

  • October 15, 2025: Announcement of the shortlist. All shortlisted stories will be published in our paperback anthology, with each author receiving $75.

  • November 15, 2025: Announcement of the grand prize winner ($250) and runner-up ($150).

  • March 3, 2026: Release of our third annual anthology, featuring all shortlisted stories.

And now, here is the 2025 Longlist:

A Guide by Serena Samantha Seshadri
Child of The Moon by Ian Van Anglen
The God of Sight by Morgan Want
Lucky by Zena Ryder
Flowers & Rubies by Zena Ryder
Sisterhood by Elizabeth Margaret McLean
The Presbyterian Settee by Rob Hardy
Never Forget You’re a Harvey Girl by Julie A. Sellers
Soap (Salt) Sally by E. Jax Willoughby
The Bright Leaf Legacy by Jacqueline Van Hoewyk
The Panther's Dance by Oliver L Fosten
The Cut of His Clothes by Christine Venzon
Golden Paratroopers by Bryony Lorimer
Conflagration by Trish MacEnulty
The Smallest Church in Saint-Chabanel by Nathan W Blatman
Christopher Marlowe 1587 by Michael Edwards
A Small Treason by Isabella Jay Finley
Bless us and Keep us by Sarona Edwards

A Hanging by Pamela F. Dunnam
Burning Crowns by ML Strijdom
Diary of an Empire by Shay Galloway
Just in Time by Shannon Skaer
The Future Is Here by Jaime Gill
Augustodunum by Steven Huff
Body #311 by Christopher DeWitt
L'Espadon by Nihar Bhave
Hope by Soobin Rachel Lee
The Violinist by Ezra Harker Shaw
The Ballad of Chetco Jennie by Henry L Delaney
San Francisco Is Buckled, San Francisco Is Burning by Rachel Henderson
No Shelter by Nicole M Babb
Hell for the Heart by Ellaine Ban
All But Three by Mary Timony Ellenburg
A Voice in the Ravine by Barbara Marshak
The Blood of Englishmen by Cecil J Armstrong

Congratulations to all the longlisted authors, and thank you to everyone who shared their work with us this year!

Colin Mustful

Colin Mustful is the founder and editor of History Through Fiction, an independent press dedicated to publishing historical narratives rooted in factual events and compelling characters. A celebrated author and historian whose novel “Reclaiming Mni Sota” recently won the Midwest Book Award for Literary/Contemporary/Historical Fiction, Mustful has penned five historical novels that delve into the complex eras of settler-colonialism and Native American displacement. Combining his interests in history and writing, Mustful holds a Master of Arts in history and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing. Residing in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he enjoys running, playing soccer, and believes deeply in the power of understanding history to shape a just and sustainable future.

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