Menu
Prompts
Contests
Stories
Blog

Menu

✕
CONNECT
Editing Design Marketing Publicity Ghostwriting Websites
BLOG
Success Stories
APPS
TOOLS
Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Independent Publishers Literary Agents Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Publishers Directory Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships
ABOUT
About Reedsy Terms Privacy

CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#211: Cozy Corner

You’ve probably noticed that cozy fiction has been on the rise for several years, and even more so post-pandemic. Cozy mysteries about grandparent sleuths, pets, food, bookshops, and villages have flourished, allowing people to dabble in suspense while still maintaining a sense of warmth, familiarity, and comfort. The same is beginning to happen in the fantasy genre (think of Travis Baldree’s Legends and Lattes, about an orc opening a coffee shop), so it’s clear that the appeal of wholesome, comforting fiction exceeds the mystery genre.


With that in mind, let’s get comfy — as much as summertime allows! Put on your imaginary cardigans and let’s see what this week’s homely prompts will yield.

This week's prompts

Write a story starring an octogenarian who’s more than meets the eye.

Fiction – 67 stories

Begin your story with a librarian searching for something.

Fiction – 70 stories

Write a story involving a friendship with an adorable animal.

Fluff – 50 stories

Set or begin your story in a room lit by the flickering flames of the fireplace.

Fiction – 70 stories

End your story with two characters reconciling.

Adults – 47 stories

Stories

“Chickened Out” by Valerie M.

Submitted to Contest #211

Sam—short for Samhain, not Samuel, the irony of which was not lost on himself or his family—worked as a software engineer in the suburbs. His position was uniquely suited to him for two reasons: he enjoyed the clarity of numbers and the complexity of problem solving, and he preferred to avoid all human contact, which was exponentially easier to do when he rarely left home.  Though his parents had raised him to be a risk-taker, Sam favored a quieter life glimpsed through the all-seeing window of his computer screen. It didn’t bother him...

1 comment 1
Read story

“Bright Days Ahead ” by Janet Abramowski

Submitted to Contest #211

I sat staring at the crackling fire in the fireplace of the lobby of the lakeview resort . It held me in a hypnotic trance . So much has happened in the last 6 months that it felt good to just be able to sit , breathe , and simply exist . I still had no idea what lay ahead for my life . Everything in life happens for a reason is what people say . I just couldn’t imagine how my marriage of 15 years ending , my mother passing away , and my house being robbed while I worked the overnight shift at Main Street Hospital would lead to any...

1 comment 1
Read story

“Stiffback Mountain” by Chris Miller

Submitted to Contest #211

Wyatt was stirred from his doze by the pop of a burning log. The fire was low but still hot and healthy. Odours of pine and smoke mingled in his whiskers. He adjusted his blanket and stretched his good leg, causing his old chair to rock softly. Brutus rolled over on the rug, thumped the ground once with a single heavy wag of his tail and fell back asleep. The other rocking chair was empty. He looked to the pegs by the door, Zeb’s jacket and hat still hung there. On a late autumn night, he wouldn’t have gone as far as the outhouse without the...

6 comments 6
Read story

“The Riverbed” by Ian T. Smyth

Submitted to Contest #211

To end all suffering is the primary directive of life, insofar that suffering can be ended, but I, a stern believer in the hope of mankind, believe it can, and should be. To end all suffering is to cease fighting the losing battle with which the Self wages, to dis-identify from identity itself, to let go the ego, to surrender and give in to the all consuming and all powerful force of love, and to know deeply in one’s heart that violence and corruption and verisimilitude are as futile as a cloud hanging forever in the sky. It is with these ...

0 comments 0
Read story

“NEMESIS” by Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #211

NEMESISBeyond the castle walls, the wind raged violently, the heavy falling snow unable to withstand its great force as it was swept north against its natural flow. The country all around, bleak and desolate, was blanketed in a coat of white that helped disguise its normal barrenness.Would he come? The Earl paced nervously in front of the enormous fireplace that blasted out its heat to counter the freezing air that entered through the windowless balistraria; the vaulted ceilings of this great hall towering high above the lone occupier, the m...

3 comments 3
Read story

“Sailing Out of Orlando” by Ben Mulvey

Submitted to Contest #211

As a twenty-one-year-old he knew less about women than he thought he knew. Even less about himself. Every day spent with his girlfriend that was not complete bliss was a disappointment. How hard is it to be happy? Just happy. It seemed simple to him. It’s all he aspired to since being a teenager. It’s what he daydreamed about in high school. He tried living in California. A life of surfing and pot and girls with tans that showed the outline of their bikinis. None of that worked out quite as he envisioned. His mom and dad seemed happy, cont...

1 comment 1
Read story

“A Parting Pair” by Evan Charles

Submitted to Contest #211

Tabitha Wilson regretted not getting decaf and watched her coffee cool, worrying what numb nerves would do to her mental state with caffeine. Come to her senses, perhaps. But when the barista mentioned today's special Tabs felt that odd social anxiety of wanting to avoid disappointing their server - a stranger. Looking down into her cup, she felt her upper lip sweat from the steam of an untouched double-whipped something or other. At the very least, the blessed aroma of roast coffee beans captivated her; she could almost hear a smooth jazz e...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Count Massey” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #211

The fire at the Cascade Arms in Roseland was a five alarm blaze that reduced the place to rubble. I was working the swing shift at Advocate Trinity Hospital when the ambulances brought in a half dozen of the residents suffering from smoke inhalation.  The neighborhood around Cascade Arms is predominantly black and poor. Known to most folks as Section Eight Housing.  I don’t live far from there and I am all of those things, too.  During my senior year, I became part of a special program where I receive training as a medical a...

6 comments 6
Read story

“Louie Lesak” by Ralph Aldrich

Submitted to Contest #211

When I was five, my family moved from Whitinsville, Massachusetts, to the nearby town of Uxbridge. I always thought it funny that we moved from one Oak Street to another. Oak Street in Uxbridge ran from Mendon Street to a fork in the road, where it split to the left and became Granite Street.  The right fork ran up over a small hill where my father bought a small parcel of land. Here he built our home. In the middle of the fork was a World War II memorial with a flag pole that displayed a large American flag. F...

1 comment 1
Read story

“A Little Bit Safer” by David Bush

Submitted to Contest #211

*Content warning- some violence * Blamm! Blamm! Two consecutive shots rang out in the alley. Each was eclipsed by the sounds of the city—jackhammers, commuter buses, and the nearby L train atop Franklin Street. The killer gazed down with contempt at his victims, a pair of vagrants. “Good riddance,” he sneered. Still breathing, one of the derelicts moaned and reached out toward his assailant as if seeking a lifeline. Blamm! The third shot erupted from the barrel of the .38 and blood spattered against the dumpster behind the...

1 comment 1
Read story

“Finding Orlando” by Melissa Maize

Submitted to Contest #211

At some point in Patti’s life, her eyebrows disappeared. She used to have them, there was photographic evidence. They were perfectly ordinary, nothing like the thick, robust tufts of hair that rested above Richard’s eyes. Her husband seemed to be acquiring more body hair as he aged. It now appeared in his nostrils and ears, although none of this seemed to faze him. Patti felt slightly embarrassed each morning, penciling in her eyebrows like lines in a children’s drawing. She knew she should be thankful, that things could be much worse, but...

1 comment 1
Read story

“Sunny View Guest Home” by Teresa Kubo

Submitted to Contest #211

This story was inspired by a photo taken in 1953 in front of the “Sunny View Guest Home” in Helena, Montana. It can be seen on the web at http://www.helenahistory.org/sunnyview.htm. How could he! Ruth was furious. She had told him specifically that she did not want to be included in the “happy group photo.” The other residents of the Sunny View Guest Home might be happy to pander to Mr. Jonathan Dumas, the tall, striking owner, by allowing their likenesses to be used to sell the lie that was Sunny View, but Ruth had standards. She sat apa...

1 comment 1
Read story

“Echo of Darkness: The Secret Within Beatrice Cunningham.” by Brandon Hunt

Submitted to Contest #211

In the peaceful town of Willowbrook, nestled between rolling hills and meandering streams, life flowed at a leisurely pace. The townspeople knew each other by name, and the scent of freshly baked pastries often wafted through the streets. It was a place where time seemed to stand still, and everyone felt safe within the embrace of the community. One crisp autumn morning, the tranquility of Willowbrook was disrupted by an unexpected visitor at the local police station. The officers exchanged puzzled glances as a petite, white-haired woman w...

4 comments 4
Read story

“Pick A Card” by Hannah Lynn

Submitted to Contest #211

“Pick a card,” her classmate said while passing her the jar. She smiled at the older woman then realized with a start that they were probably close in age. In fact, she was most likely the elder of the two. She felt all eyes upon her as she held the smooth jar, giving it a quick shake. She had a sudden memory of her father’s voice. “Pick a card.” As if it were yesterday and not fifty years prior, she recalled sitting in the kitchen playing rummy while eating her mother’s sugar cookies. Before cell phones becam...

4 comments 4
Read story

“King of Coffee” by Anthony Carello

Submitted to Contest #211

Benjamin Duval slowly opened his eyes, as the early morning light shone through the cracks in his blinds. He turned and looked out the window. Still early, probably not even past six am… Well, I might as well get up and start my day. Slowly Benjamin grabbed the sheets and took them off of him, careful not to disturb his still sleeping wife, Marie. His joints making quite the ruckus as they usually did in the morning.  Pop. Crack.  Benjamin checked on Marie to see if the noise had woken her. He let out a sharp breath in relief w...

4 comments 4
Read story

$250

Prize money

304

Contest entries

107

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 18, 2023 EST

Won by Kenz Ross 🏆

Title: Do Flamethrowers Belong In The Library?

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

Join our weekly contest

Get 5 new writing prompts every Friday. Write and submit a story for a chance to win $250.

NEW VIDEO COURSE 🎉

How to Write a Novel

Join Tom Bromley for a writing master class and finish your first draft in 3 months. Learn more →

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adults Writing Prompts ⭢

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Angst Writing Prompts ⭢

Character Writing Prompts ⭢

Christmas Writing Prompts ⭢

Dark Writing Prompts ⭢

Dialogue Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Dystopian Writing Prompts ⭢

Fall Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Fluff Writing Prompts ⭢

Funny Writing Prompts ⭢

Halloween Writing Prompts ⭢

High School Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Horror Writing Prompts ⭢

Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

Middle School Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Narrative Writing Prompts ⭢

Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Novel Writing Prompts ⭢

Poetry Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Sad Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Short Story Writing Prompts ⭢

Spring Writing Prompts ⭢

Summer Writing Prompts ⭢

Teens Writing Prompts ⭢

Thanksgiving Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢

Valentine's Day Writing Prompts ⭢

Vampire Writing Prompts ⭢

Winter Writing Prompts ⭢

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

Join our weekly contest

Get 5 new writing prompts every Friday. Write and submit a story for a chance to win $250.