the trifecta
![Orange%2520Book_edited_edited](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_c9b5eef64bed4533b041ce75a7f77c65~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_160,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_c9b5eef64bed4533b041ce75a7f77c65~mv2.jpg)
![Orange%20Book_edited](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_c49c1b3f24394a13a2dd794e8a7c1078~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_160,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_c49c1b3f24394a13a2dd794e8a7c1078~mv2.jpg)
![Orange%2520Book_edited_edited](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_c9b5eef64bed4533b041ce75a7f77c65~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_160,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_c9b5eef64bed4533b041ce75a7f77c65~mv2.jpg)
![Orange%20Book_edited](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_c49c1b3f24394a13a2dd794e8a7c1078~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_160,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_c49c1b3f24394a13a2dd794e8a7c1078~mv2.jpg)
the long story
Every fall, for seven years, Iron Horse has accepted submissions for our annual Trifecta, an issue in which we published those marathon-long manuscripts most journals won't consider. While we originally published three long pieces every year--one long poem, one long essay, and one long story, we are converting the line to prose only. (Our NaPoMo issue will include a contest for poets now.)
Every fall, we still read marathon-long submissions but only in nonfiction and fiction--prose manuscripts that run between 20 and 40 pages. The entry fee is $15, which includes a year's subscription. The winner--either one essay or one story--will receive $1,000 and be published in an e-single, in full-color, available for free download to all readers via ISSUU.
The winner will receive a lot of PR on our website, but also on our social media outlets. Anyone can read, download, and share the e-single when released.
NOTE: Iron Horse does not read long manuscripts outside of the LONG STORY submission period. So don't miss the opportunity to have our editors look at your long stories or essays every fall. Gates are open from Aug 15 through Oct 15. Our free submission day is Sept 1, on which we will accept 25 free submissions.
For all other days in the submission period, submit here.
And read the IHLR Trifecta stories, essays, and poems at IHLR Online ... for FREE!
2024 finalists & winner
Winner
Leslie Pietrzyk, "F-I-N-E" (Fiction)
Finalists
Yvonne Conza, “F-stop” (Fiction)
Menasheh Fogel, “Cabin in the City” (Fiction)
JK Haman, “Whole Life” (Fiction)
Chad Koch, “Liquid” (Fiction)
Sarah Walker, “Back in My Body” (Fiction)
Semi-Finalists
Rebecca Bernard, “An Overwhelming Loneliness” (Fiction)
Anna Chotlos, “Self Portrait as Betty Crocker (Nonfiction)
Sue Granzella, “Unbearable Cruelty, Spectacular Glory” (Nonfiction)
Jill Talbot, “My Mother’s Dresses (Nonfiction)
Erin Wood, “Athens, Revised” (Nonfiction)
current/previous winners
![IHLR 2020 Fiction Trifecta](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_ad9de51d33354b45ba88988b61a77976~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_157,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_ad9de51d33354b45ba88988b61a77976~mv2.jpg)
![IHLR 2019 Fiction Trifecta](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_e661f0155c164396a2bfa5b19f76905b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_157,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_e661f0155c164396a2bfa5b19f76905b~mv2.jpg)
![IHLR 2019 Nonfiction Trifecta](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_112cada3fc0a47d48a05f20a584903ae~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_156,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_112cada3fc0a47d48a05f20a584903ae~mv2.jpg)
![IHLR 2019 Poetry Trifecta](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_b45b0e7a481744019cc3718e50b77708~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_155,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_b45b0e7a481744019cc3718e50b77708~mv2.jpg)
![Kate Blackwood](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_d5354722719d48228cedc680abfc15e8~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_123,h_152,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_d5354722719d48228cedc680abfc15e8~mv2.jpg)
![Elissa C. Huang](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_a48970a76e8c4a0ab8c3342280c62fff~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_144,h_139,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_a48970a76e8c4a0ab8c3342280c62fff~mv2.jpg)
![Susanna Childress](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_0efc7b99de1b4a9fad4914f4dd4dc448~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_56,h_54,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_0efc7b99de1b4a9fad4914f4dd4dc448~mv2.jpg)
![Benjamin Gucciardi](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_acb37317b1184d36b3e32824db128edf~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_110,h_125,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_acb37317b1184d36b3e32824db128edf~mv2.jpg)
![Leaving a Trace](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_55e7efc25bd54376a3c5f7ad050e2f9e~mv2_d_2475_2625_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_156,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_55e7efc25bd54376a3c5f7ad050e2f9e~mv2_d_2475_2625_s_4_2.jpg)
2018 Poetry Trifecta
![The Cello Part](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_85dff6d367d7483a88addfdccb6ef561~mv2_d_1341_1440_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_158,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_85dff6d367d7483a88addfdccb6ef561~mv2_d_1341_1440_s_2.jpg)
2018 Fiction Trifecta
![The Light of Who We Are](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_c62c91516fa247af90667681de82b5be~mv2_d_1339_1438_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_158,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_c62c91516fa247af90667681de82b5be~mv2_d_1339_1438_s_2.jpg)
2018 Nonfiction Trifecta
![Helpless Instruders / Strange Wor](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_8ee7624c70814551958547273ba3dd63~mv2_d_2175_2325_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_157,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_8ee7624c70814551958547273ba3dd63~mv2_d_2175_2325_s_2.jpg)
by Heather Altfeld
![Melanie Figg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_cc20eae7ab004424be421056d679eb93~mv2_d_2616_3931_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_221,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_cc20eae7ab004424be421056d679eb93~mv2_d_2616_3931_s_4_2.jpg)
Winner of the 2018 Poetry Trifecta
![Danielle LaVaque-Manty_edited](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_73ca6042e39345928b280964e11e4a7b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_206,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_73ca6042e39345928b280964e11e4a7b~mv2.jpg)
Winner of the 2018 Fiction Trifecta
![Sheryl St. Germain](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_1cc208dbb9574d69a0d7ff2bc19f1c43~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_220,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_1cc208dbb9574d69a0d7ff2bc19f1c43~mv2.jpg)
Winner of 2018 Nonfiction Trifecta
![Nice photo of me, stockholm_edited_edite](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_79f25877aa7b45afb59aea5098294987~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_83,h_86,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_79f25877aa7b45afb59aea5098294987~mv2.jpg)
![Letter from Bernie, Letter from Ben](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_f89bab6ec3d44d249a69a428867d5f92~mv2_d_1388_1478_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_157,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_f89bab6ec3d44d249a69a428867d5f92~mv2_d_1388_1478_s_2.jpg)
2017 Nonfiction Trifecta
![From the Watchtower](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_2703ce927d9145c69d5e6251c1524e51~mv2_d_2175_2325_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_157,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_2703ce927d9145c69d5e6251c1524e51~mv2_d_2175_2325_s_2.jpg)
2017 AWP Intro Award
![The Twi-Lite](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_aa37714edc4d4e0f912d17cdde59cb4a~mv2_d_2159_2305_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_157,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_aa37714edc4d4e0f912d17cdde59cb4a~mv2_d_2159_2305_s_2.jpg)
![The Apparition at Fort Bragg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_e2d64d122c814542b7b19ab93c9cb802~mv2_d_2175_2325_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_157,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_e2d64d122c814542b7b19ab93c9cb802~mv2_d_2175_2325_s_2.jpg)
![Willa Elizabeth Schmidt](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_d5dbc0825b8346e08f35da40f9d62a93~mv2_d_1422_1500_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_155,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_d5dbc0825b8346e08f35da40f9d62a93~mv2_d_1422_1500_s_2.jpg)
Winner of the 2017 Nonfiction Trifecta
![Nathaniel Barron](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_cf35623d50344beda8b5334a6106d809~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_108,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_cf35623d50344beda8b5334a6106d809~mv2.jpg)
Winner of the 2017 AWP Intro Award
![C. J. Spataro](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_58361686b55c468da6079ce1f4fc6839~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_141,h_173,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_58361686b55c468da6079ce1f4fc6839~mv2.jpg)
Winner of the 2017 Fiction Trifecta
![tiffany higgins_edited](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_a532ee67bad1455c92b3566b3679b2c5~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_74,h_64,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_a532ee67bad1455c92b3566b3679b2c5~mv2.png)
![Grand Avenue: an essay](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_0bd41414bce04100a224fe35a6f37e39~mv2_d_2175_2325_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_157,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_0bd41414bce04100a224fe35a6f37e39~mv2_d_2175_2325_s_2.jpg)
![Collateral Damage: a story](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_6b5a276e65f44d3db6aa3b623cb6968c~mv2_d_2175_2325_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_157,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_6b5a276e65f44d3db6aa3b623cb6968c~mv2_d_2175_2325_s_2.jpg)
![Ordeal by Water: a poem](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_ac6c46bbca174e9ea5e443d5079220e8.jpg/v1/fill/w_55,h_59,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_ac6c46bbca174e9ea5e443d5079220e8.jpg)
2015 Poetry Trifecta
![Conflict: an essay](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_000b20ea124345338a4c46959106b432.jpg/v1/fill/w_56,h_59,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_000b20ea124345338a4c46959106b432.jpg)
2015 Nonfiction Trifecta
![Sarah Pape](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_88ebdda2dbb94ec2a2c83853c25c5c1a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_51,h_75,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_88ebdda2dbb94ec2a2c83853c25c5c1a~mv2.jpg)
Winner of the 2016 Nonfiction Trifecta
![Kate Norris](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_9d3a09270591456fbea548ef25c03a35~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_100,h_100,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_9d3a09270591456fbea548ef25c03a35~mv2.jpg)
Winner of the 2016 Fiction Trifecta
![Matthew Miller](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_e3d7d60d2b6542bbb8c2fa4f1f0702ad.jpg/v1/fill/w_149,h_168,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_e3d7d60d2b6542bbb8c2fa4f1f0702ad.jpg)
Winner of the 2015 Poetry Trifecta
![Dario Headshot_edited](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_6fe7fadf5414426680a3e0b0d9ed7512.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_186,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_6fe7fadf5414426680a3e0b0d9ed7512.jpg)
![French for Weakling: a story](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_9c5439c611b649418998cfdd61943f8d.jpg/v1/fill/w_55,h_59,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_9c5439c611b649418998cfdd61943f8d.jpg)
2015 Fiction Trifecta
![Fine Open Spaces: a story](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_28795af0450d4cf58e400f20f0aaa6b2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_157,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_28795af0450d4cf58e400f20f0aaa6b2.jpg)
2014 Fiction Trifecta
![Off Owl's Head: a poem](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_1d025c01ecd3418ba04af4448a55915d.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_137,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_1d025c01ecd3418ba04af4448a55915d.jpg)
2014 Poetry Trifecta
![Dying in Red Dirt Country: an essay](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_6e3f054e8e244aa8a60a91461f97ea0e.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_157,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_6e3f054e8e244aa8a60a91461f97ea0e.jpg)
2014 Nonfiction Trifecta
![David Armstrong](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_971184ee983d430bad0020e44acf46b0.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_173,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_971184ee983d430bad0020e44acf46b0.jpg)
Winner of the 2015 Fiction Trifecta
![Lee Barnes](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_4cad5199cd0b44fca2d78a36bfe794c5.jpg/v1/fill/w_75,h_95,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_4cad5199cd0b44fca2d78a36bfe794c5.jpg)
Winner of the 2014 Fiction Trifecta
![Thorpe Moekel](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_5bc889ecfdce4bba80d7d87c4ed436fe.jpg/v1/fill/w_109,h_117,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_5bc889ecfdce4bba80d7d87c4ed436fe.jpg)
Winner of the 2014 Poetry Trifecta
![Kip Stratton](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_2e30ee31ee904ba69fa39f7cca812c0c.jpg/v1/fill/w_62,h_71,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_2e30ee31ee904ba69fa39f7cca812c0c.jpg)
Winner of the 2014 Nonfiction Trifecta
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_97c55fe5cf5f4bc8819d26ed0dbcba6a~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_73,h_84,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_97c55fe5cf5f4bc8819d26ed0dbcba6a~mv2.png)
2026 Long Story Winner
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_97c55fe5cf5f4bc8819d26ed0dbcba6a~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_73,h_84,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_97c55fe5cf5f4bc8819d26ed0dbcba6a~mv2.png)
2025 Long Story Winner
![Leslie Pietrzyk](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_4e0e03c2165d4f5c9d73e5bd272038f4~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_147,h_118,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_4e0e03c2165d4f5c9d73e5bd272038f4~mv2.jpeg)
2024 Long Story Winner
![Sarah Freligh](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_4f69172dff014bb08b175d2d716e3dfb~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_129,h_145,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_4f69172dff014bb08b175d2d716e3dfb~mv2.jpg)
2023 Long Story Winner
![IHLR 2026 Long Story](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_97c55fe5cf5f4bc8819d26ed0dbcba6a~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_73,h_84,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_97c55fe5cf5f4bc8819d26ed0dbcba6a~mv2.png)
Forthcoming June 2026
![IHLR 2025 Long Story](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_97c55fe5cf5f4bc8819d26ed0dbcba6a~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_73,h_84,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_97c55fe5cf5f4bc8819d26ed0dbcba6a~mv2.png)
Forthcoming June 2025
![IHLR 2024 Long Story](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_21813734c1f241899fc1b5332071fa60~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_158,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_21813734c1f241899fc1b5332071fa60~mv2.jpg)
![IHLR 2023 Long Story](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_debb2e8bf8124f7ab0453ab3c9ca9a79~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_143,h_155,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_debb2e8bf8124f7ab0453ab3c9ca9a79~mv2.jpg)
![IHLR 2022 Long Story](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_4b669ff882344ab78ff615dfaf9b826f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_157,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_4b669ff882344ab78ff615dfaf9b826f~mv2.jpg)
![IHLR 2021 Long Story](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_959b21161c814933bdda8871e52c79c5~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_145,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_959b21161c814933bdda8871e52c79c5~mv2.jpg)
![IHLR 2020 Nonfiction Trifecta](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/debc74_a50b625f64c24cf98809bf56044c0a32~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_157,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/debc74_a50b625f64c24cf98809bf56044c0a32~mv2.jpg)
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