Raymond Carver read those. Now he needs a drink
If you ever pick up writing, you'll find yourself reading a lot more short stories than before you did. There are several reasons for that, but mostly, because it's a first, mandatory stop for writers. A way to send their names out there and make themselves a wanted commodity. It has very little to do with novels, but there are tremendous shorts out there. Segments of peoples lives that raised as many questions as it proposed answers.This award is meant to reward the short story that gave me the most visceral enjoyment over the reading year. It doesn't matter who wrote it, it doesn't matter when, it I read it this year and cursed heavens because it was over, it's eligible. Last year, it was the most hotly disputed category and this year will also give me headaches. The nominees are.
Read any of those? If you didn't, most of them are dirt chep (or free) so do so now and tell me. Who do you think should win?