What an honor it is for me to have been entrusted with the job of selecting this year's Wigleaf Top 50. My thanks to Shome and Scott and especially to the tireless editors who compiled the longlist from which I made my selections. Any of you whose story is included in that 200+ should feel very proud. Every story, without fail, moved or awed or delighted me in some way.

This list has consistently demonstrated the very best of flash fiction published today. Not only is it a treasure trove for those of us read it; it serves as a wonderful introduction to those new to form. It's also an easily accessible, free resource for teachers and students. It is quite simply a gift.

I've never been more grateful to writers and artists. I've never felt surer that what we do is vital, not only by adding grace and beauty to the world, but also by confronting it. Flash, as its own unique form of distilled magic, is both powerful and necessary.

It was such a pleasure reading and rereading this list over the last few months. The task of narrowing it down to just fifty, incredibly difficult. Judgments of art are always a subjective exercise and I have my own preferences and biases. In the end, I chose the stories I felt did the best job of balancing distillation, originality, and emotional resonance.

And so, it is with great joy I present to you this year's Wigleaf Top 50.

Yours,

Kathy