Hello everyone,

We want to first say THANK YOU for all of the amazing submissions for our very own first contest. Trust us when we say that we found some really great stories in there that in fact we have been adding to our personal reading lists and we cannot wait to read more!

Because each of us has had such a hard time making the final choice, we are going to announce not only the 11 winners, but also the runner-ups - the stories we enjoyed so much, even if they did not make the final cut. Shout-out to all of you!

And now, without further ado, here are the winners selected by each of our SciKick judges:

bnlfan - The winner is: Escape by ihardison

Why did you love that story?

The first chapter gripped me from the outset. I immediately took to the intriguing    main character, Amelia, who is taking desperate measures to hide her imperfections. Living in a sheltered world, behind high walls, her life is turned upside down when Riley, Zorin-born, and therefore the enemy, literally crashes into her life.  The relationship between Amelia and Riley is immediately interesting, real and endearing.

I loved the imagery in the story and  her ability to calculate Riley's chance of survival to two decimal places was a brilliant touch.

I found it very hard not to read on, as I had others to read. Can't wait to return to it.  A sign of a good book is how long it stays with you, and for days after my thoughts kept returning to Escape.

Which stories were your runner-up choices?

Honourable mention goes to bfregal for Tele and just_a_booklover for Reality T.V   You made my choice so so difficult.

emilita - The winner is: We Survivors by ljthomas

Why did you love that story?

I could tell it is a well-planned story from the very beginning - the quotes at the top and the simplicity of the first sentences are powerful tools. Also, there is something so special about the main character and the way she worries and blushes like a regular teen, even if she is in the middle of the apocalypse. I loved those details!

I can already tell I am going to be in love with the characters, so I can't wait to read more!

Which stories were your runner-up choices?

Escape by ihardison - It was just so captivating that I can't wait to get back to it!

The End Of All Things by J_D_McLachlan - I loved the perspective of Rylee's little cousin in the prologue and how that contributed to chapter 1. I plan to read on!

famouxx - The winner is: Arottir by ElleRoseBooks

Why did you love that story?

It was gripping from the start, with beautiful diction to match. It made me want to go straight to the next chapter.

Which stories were your runner-up choices?

The Shatter by MagneticMelon -- It had a great build up. I liked the build up of suspense.

Genesis by MulanJiang -- I adored the concept of Genesis. Anything with a boarding school captures my attention.

HannahNelson809 The winner is: Asylum (formerly R.E.I.N) by W_James

Why did you love that story? I was swept away by the character Rein and the world we are introduced to. I also love the internal struggle that the character has, and feel as I know him. The writing is vivid and I feel as if I am part of the world.

Which stories were your runner-up choices?

I Dream of Dragons by rabb1tmouse I appreciate how the author takes the time to introduce her world and her characters. She isn't rushed, and in result the world feels genuine and alive.

kaijuviper The winner is: Numbering the Stars by heavenlyhash333

Why did you love that story?

I picked this because the descriptions are absolutely amazing and really helped me visualize the story. The way everything was set up really sucked me in, and my anticipation was building line by line. It's the type of writing where from the first line you know this is going to be a good story.

Which stories were your runner-up choices?

Surviving Earth by staleisha and Where Shadows Walk by katefaul.

MikaelaBender The winner is: Searching for the Stars by Sachula

Why did you love that story?
I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I was sucked in when I read about Lexi (the Main Character) being able to connect with her ship by plugging herself into it. The chapter was written so well, and I know it's going to be difficult finding something to critique.

Which stories were your runner-up choices?
Renegade by TjaneBooks
I loved the concept so much because it reminded me of the Selection series which is an all time favorite of mine.

SarahPerlmutter The winner is: Genesis by MulanJiang

Why did you love that story?
In one chapter, Lani was able to (1) make me fall in love with her character Evangeline, who is so funny but also rightfully skeptical of the world she's just entered, (2) introduce a mystery big enough to draw readers in (and make me beg her for a second chapter), and (3) make me laugh. It stuck with me the most, because I had such a fun time reading it. As a genre, science fiction can get pretty heavy (take The Blast, for example haha), but it's always nice when you see a book that has the potential for depth but still retains a lot of humor.

Which stories were your runner-up choices?
The Ex-Pacifist by sarahklwilson -- The opening sentence was enough in itself to draw me in, I mean--my goodness, what a way to open a book! I loved the world she created in the first chapter and I can't wait to keep reading!

I Dream of Dragons by rabb1tmouse -- After only one chapter, I felt like I knew the character exactly, and the hint of something bigger going on in her world at the end of the chapter was perfect!

Beauty in the Bones by Holly_Gonzalez -- The first chapter is so creepy and has a Victorian horror story feel. Between the vibe, the characters (a robot mother figure and an estranged father? Yes please!), and the plot, I was definitely enjoying this first chapter!

scifiwriter The winner is: All is Dust by Wishberry

Why did you love that story?
My first pick was All is Dust because of the author's crisp writing style and gradual build-up to the mystery and awe of her story. Her writing is clean-cut and the perfect pace. I'm so excited and curious to keep reading!!

Which stories were your runner-up choices?

Linked by lozzykiwi
Labeling Theory by fretzels

shadowcheah The winner is: The Glitches by Strawberry_Cream

Why did you love that story?

First, I love the idea of the story which is a world where people are being picked off one by one from a diesase, and the only hope is through this program (not unlike matrix, but slightly different). Second, I love how it is able to convey the plot and back-story without giving away too much or too little. Thirdly, I like the pacing and the characters so far.

Which stories were your runner-up choices?

Marked by BlAckRoseE7777777 and Linked by lozzykiwi 

StevenSteel The winner is: Infinite by AnniesBooks

Why did you love that story?

It was a genuine, original and entertaining piece which I think has lots of potential to it. I will leave my full-length review on the first chapter of the book, so go check it out!

Which stories were your runner-up choices?

1st Runner-Up: End of All Things by  J_D_McLachlan

2nd Runner-Up: 2136 - A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller by genk01

The-Scrivener The winner is: Forces of Nature by DoxVulupine

Why did you love that story?

Well what is there not to love? It starts like an action movie with a big opening. We (Reb and I ) are big suckers for anything just that little bit different - the book is in the third person, which is unusual, and it's about two boys again not common with the books we looked at. Not too much exposition in this chapter ( which is a mistake we and others make all the time.) The balance between dialogue and description is excellent and the exchanges aren't stilted or unbelievable. The alien/werewolf crossover is genre busting. We kind of liked the main characters and the first chapter ended really pulled us to want to read the all important second chapter. As you've seen from the others lots of outstanding work we could have also voted for.

Which stories were your runner-up choices?

The End Of All Things, Forces of Nature,Alternate Universe, Surviving Earth, Glitches (Book 1), Scars of Throne. We could go on.

We'll be sending messages to the winners with instructions on how to receive their stickers, and then their critiques when they are finished.

This has been an amazing chance for us to get to know more stories and authors on Wattpad, who share our love for Science Fiction. Keep up the amazing work, keep writing and keep being awesome!

Thank you and see you next time!

The SciKick Team