Traditionally, each summer, magazines publish issues devoted largely to fiction. Our contribution to this tradition is the annual Easy Reader/Beach Anniversary Writing and Photography contest.
Because summer reading issues are largely fiction, they are easy to set aside in favor of breaking news stories.
I fear a similar fate awaits this issue of Easy Reader/Beach, whose stories recall events long past or events that never happened. But it is because fiction is timeless that it deserves attention at least equal to news stories.
The best fiction, such Nicolas Gustavson’s “Tasting Class” and Drew Holland’s “All rivers run into the sea” inform readers differently, but no less importantly than news stories, as do the best photos. Is Mike Barbee’s cover photo simply a pretty wave lapping over a pretty rock or the foretelling of a tidal wave breaking over Oahu? — Kevin Cody, publisher
Writing
Grand prize
“Tasting class” by Nicholas Gustavson
Honorable mentions
“All rivers run into the sea,” by Drew Holland
“Five summer stories,” by John Shearer
“Funny thing, the past. It isn’t,”
“A monster in the garden,” by Julia Hulvey
“Big summer/the tide in June,” by J.E. Marshall
Photography
no images were found
“Wave,” by Mike Barbee
Second place
“RB Tranquil Waters,” by Homer Hernandez
Third place
“Hello Spring,” by Linda O’Rourke
Honorable mentions
“Beach tennis,” by Henry Hancock
“Moon under the pier,” by Joel Gitelson
“PV Peacock,” by Brooke Gerlack
“Peaceful perfection,” by Marisa Marshall
“Looking back,” by Renee Garcia
“Rock climber,” by Laura Trueman
“Redondo spinners,” by Rolfe Metzger
“Still of the night,” by Kathy Miller-Fujuimoto
“Whales ahead,” by Beverly Gates
“Old man and the sea,” by Dave Weldon
“Wayfarers Chapel,” by Edward McClure
“Sunday with the boys,” by Frank Goroszko
“Sunset seagull,” by Cathi Lundy
“Tower 26,” by April Reppucci
“Big Wednesday Snow Globe,” by Ted Anderson
