Three-minute fiction

Our first reading from Round 10 of our Three-Minute Fiction short story contest comes from Kevin Windorf of Westfield, N.J. Read the full story here.

This round of the short story contest for weekends on All Things Considered will be judged by author Mona Simpson. For Round 10, she wants original fiction with the "texture of voice."

After six weeks and nearly 4,000 stories, we've reached the end of Round 9 of our Three-Minute Fiction contest, where we ask listeners to come up with an original short story that can be read in about three minutes. This round's judge, novelist Brad Meltzer, has chosen the winner.

Round 9 of weekends on All Things Considered's short story contest is coming to a close as judge Brad Meltzer is nearly ready to make a decision on the best of the best. NPR's Lynn Neary reads an excerpt from Speechless by Steve Bismarck of Medford, Ore., and NPR's Bob Mondello reads from Harding on the Boulevard du Montparnasse by Nick Kolakowski of Brooklyn, N.Y. These stories, along with other Three-Minute Fiction submissions, can be read in full at npr.org/threeminutefiction.

Three-Minute Fiction is getting ready to wrap up as graduate students from across the country comb through nearly 4,000 submissions and pass the best of the best on to judge Brad Meltzer, author of The Inner Circle. NPR's Susan Stamberg reads an excerpt from one of their favorites, Executive Copy, by Cori Schattner of New York.

Round 9 of Three-Minute Fiction is in full swing. Readers from all over the country have made their selections, and now judge Brad Meltzer is close to making his decision. Meltzer is best-selling author of The Tenth Justice and The Inner Circle. He tells host Guy Raz about his favorite stories in Three-Minute Fiction so far. You can read the stories at www.npr.org/threeminutefiction.

The judging of Round 9 of Three-Minute Fiction continues. NPR's Susan Stamberg reads an excerpt from one of the favorites so far, A Day in the Sun, by Rita Bourland of Columbus, Ohio. You can read the full story below and find other stories at npr.org/threeminutefiction.

The president laughed and stuck the pea in his nose again. The first time he had done it, he had gotten such a big laugh that he simply had to do it again. After all, it was Christmas Eve! No war, no unemployment. Just a little dinnertime fun for the leader of the free world and his family.

The judging process for Round 9 of Three-Minute Fiction is now under way. NPR's Bob Mondello reads an excerpt from one standout story, The Interview, written by Georgia Mierswa.

Round 9 of Three-Minute Fiction has closed and the judging process is now under way. Susan Stamberg reads an excerpt from one standout story, Butterflies, written by Jennifer Dupree. Listeners can read the story in its entirety along with other stories online at www.npr.org/threeminutefiction.