The Larry Brown Short Story Award, now in its tenth year, is a fixture of Pithead Chapel's commitment to narrative craft. The award honors the legacy of Larry Brown, a writer whose unflinching, voice-driven fiction continues to influence contemporary short story writers. This iteration is distinguished by its exclusive call for BIPOC writers, a deliberate curatorial choice that acknowledges the historical barriers faced by writers of color in literary publishing and seeks to create a dedicated space for their work. The guest judge for 2026 is Deesha Philyaw, author of the acclaimed collection The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, whose own work exemplifies the kind of nuanced, character-rich storytelling the award seeks to celebrate. Winners will receive cash prizes: $500 for first place, $50 for second and third, and copies of Tiny Love: The Complete Stories by Larry Brown for fourth and fifth. All prize-winning stories will be published in the January 2026 issue of Pithead Chapel. The contest employs blind judging: manuscripts must contain no identifying information, and the writer's name and contact details should appear only in the cover letter. This ensures that the work is evaluated solely on its merits. The $5 submission fee is a discounted rate for this category, reflecting the magazine's effort to reduce economic barriers for BIPOC writers. The award is open from August 1 to October 31, 2026, with a final deadline of November 1, 2026. Stories must be under 4,000 words and previously unpublished. Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but writers should notify the magazine promptly if their work is accepted elsewhere. Pithead Chapel's editorial vision favors stories with a strong sense of voice, emotional precision, and a willingness to explore the complexities of human experience. This award is not a thematic contest; it is an opportunity for writers to present their finest short fiction to a discerning readership.