We are thrilled to announce the fifteen finalists for Opium39's 7-Line Story Contest (judged by Amy Hempel). The issue, which will release in November, will feature the winner and nine other of these stories, while a handful will appear online as a run-up to the issue's release. The winner will be announced the day the issue releases. 

We'd also like to congratulate every writer who entered. We were introduced to an incredible variety of stories that used the 7-line form to great effect. Amazing what people can do with a measly seven lines. 

So, below are the titles of the 15 stories — there actually only 14 finalists, as one writer submitted two stories that made the cut (listed in alphabetical order by story title): 

A Family Tradition by Charlene Clarke
Abigail’s Walk by Marina George
Against Nostalgia by William Bradley
Cobweb Farming by Lauren Haldeman
Do this in remembrance of by JR Walsh
Fifty Years Later by Jaime Karnes
Making Money In Tulsa by Guinotte Wise
Migration by Benjamin Busch
Our Babies Are Going to Get Married by Adam Peterson
Subject by Nathaniel Missildine
Take What You Want, Leave What You Don’t by Jeff Price
The House at the End of the World by Carmen Machado
The Sea that Drowned the Men by Benjamin Busch
We Are All Damaged by Autumn Humphrey
Why I Don’t See Her Anymore by Sean Toner

Also, we'll be featuring a load of the contest entries in the coming weeks, as so many were so good — paring the lot down to 15 finalists was very, very difficult. If you submitted a story and your entry is marked "Recommended for Acceptance" there's still a chance your piece will appear on Opium's .com. Sit tight, and we'll let you know soon!