EDITOR’S NOTE IN 500 WORDS
W
We read about dogs, tennis players and war
fanatics, but also about aliens, apocalypses, and
fewer.
fantasy. Authors told us about the ravages of war,
the mistreatment of animals, the varied dynamics
of the family unit. The stories provided alternate
explanations for human existence, and thoughtprovoking commentaries on life. And each and
here does the writer’s mind wander when
presented with three completely random,
unrelated words or phrases? That’s the question
that Mash Stories will answer, every quarter,
every competition. Three random words, pulled
together by creative minds from all over the world
The idea for Mash Stories germinated when its
founder, author S.E. Sever, read about how Anthony
Burgess would sometimes choose random words
from a reference book in order to help guide the
plots of his novels by sparking new ideas or thought
patterns. In the stories that are shortlisted for each
competition, you’ll see a surprisingly broad range
of styles, subjects, characters, plots, and structures,
as each author presents a little slice of their view of
the world.
This is the allure of Mash Stories: each author’s
distinct life experience sha