Stories of the Week: Love is in the Air

[Isabella (Reedsy)]

Stories of the Week: Contest #342 Welcome back to your weekly wrap-up of the Reedsy Prompts contest! This week’s tales are hot off the press, so settle in and check out our latest contest winner, the runners-up, and recent popular entries in your preferred genres below. Also, don’t forget to like and comment on your favorites! Our authors work hard on their submissions every week — your support and feedback mean the world to them. Winner 🏆 By any other name by Katy H A shy teen's life is upended when he lends a pen to the new kid, leading to an unexpected friendship filled with cookies, family secrets, and showing up for someone when they need it most. 💡 Inspired by the prompt: Write a story about love without using the word “love.” 📌 Why it won: A beautiful coming-of-age tale that had us judges hooked from beginning to end (and wow, that ending! It’ll definitely stay with us for a long time). We loved this story’s unique, knowing voice that only the third person POV could capture so perfectly. We also thought the author did a wonderful job creating such a believable relationship between two boys trying to figure out their places in life. Tender, heartfelt, and absolutely moving. Runners-up 🏅 The Egyptologist's Dream by Pat Bland Sparks fly as a professor and a librarian discover a shared passion for history... and each other. 💡 Inspired by the prompt: Include a first or last kiss in your story. Armistice by Marie Conrad A different spin on a love/hate relationship, with a woman named Jennie becoming the caregiver of a man she used to fear. Will they finally find a way to mend their broken bond? 💡 Inspired by the prompt: Write about two characters who have a love/hate relationship. Stories you might like 👀 This week’s top stories from your preferred genres. American Looooong wait for a helicopter ride by Terry Rumsey The Anatomy of Shadow by Maureen Ognanovac Roudebush Fiction The Crystal Ship by Brutus Clement The House Remembers by Niveadita Razdan Friendship Dandelions by Annalisa M From Tank to Home by Jenny Springs And there you have it: the latest and greatest of this week! If you want to change your preferred genres or opt out of this newsletter, you can do so anytime in your Account Settings. Stay tuned for next week’s wrap-up, which will feature stories from the "Tension, Twists, and Turns with WOW!" edition of our contest. Happy reading, Isabella, Chief Story Curator @ Reedsy P.S. Want to be featured in this newsletter? Submit a story to the current edition of our contest, "Stranger than Fiction with Zack McDonald", for the chance to receive fame, glory, and a top prize of $250! Copyright © 2026 Reedsy, All rights reserved. You're receiving this email because you signed up for Reedsy Prompts. Unsubscribe here

[Isabella (Reedsy)]