Captivating Opening Winners 2016






As always, Stef’s popular contest attracted diverse and imaginative entries from all genres. Stef would like to stress that if you didn’t make the final cut it could be because of his bias in genres, even though he enjoys most of them, and he would like to thank each and every one of you for participating in his annual contest.

The overall winner of the hotly contested competition is:

High-Rise Crew: Dirty Money  – A cyber crime adventure novel by Tim Brost. This newly published novel checked all of Stef’s boxes: including proportion, exposition, plot, diversity of characters, economy and quality of narrative, and above all reader captivation.

The two runners-up (in alpha order) are:

Spring-Clean by Proxy by Robert Bayley – one of the most original science fiction novels I have ever read, and Something Good by Darlene Deluca – a truly enigmatic and well-structured romance.

Congratulations, all, and thanks from Stef for a most enjoyable reading experience!



5 comments:

  1. I am so grateful to Stef for this award! Against strong entries like 'Spring-Clean by Proxy' by Robert Bayley, and 'Something Good' by Darlene Deluca, I'm humbled to have been selected for first place. I'm sure Stef would have liked to honor many other entrants as well. Congratulations to all.

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    1. Thanks, Tim -- yes, there were many other entrants who kept me entertained over the last few months and deserve to be honored. Good luck to all who enter next year (entrants can re-enter the same or a new novel).

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  2. Can I add my thanks, too, most unexpected. Congratulations to Darlene and of course Tim and thanks for taking the time to look over my work, that's why we write. :)

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    1. Thanks, Rob.

      I enjoyed every page of your original Sci Fi story, and, of course, your paperback takes pride of place on my "favorites" bookcase alongside Wells, Asimov, Arthur C, Adams, et al...

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