Album of the Year, Gavin Broom
“The new year is in its infancy – minutes, maybe only seconds old – and born to a drunken world already neglecting it.”

The Last Goodbye, Chantelle Aimée Osman
“They said she was able to utter a few words before she died.”

The Old Man and the Shark, Tara King
“The old man was startled, but grabbed the shark’s dorsal fin before it swam away.”

Family Tree, Brian Long
“Joe was enjoying his day off from work – which, thanks to unemployment, was every day.”

Like I Wasn’t There, Adam Gilmour
“It’s 4 a.m.
Thud thud thud.”

Pulling Feathers Off a Phoenix, Rich Mallery
“To an outsider the neighborhood was a lawless mess, with syringes sparkling on the sidewalk and junkies smiling rotten on every corner.”