Richard Newton, a finalist in Narrative’s 2017 Winter Story Contest, was born in Sunderland, England, and grew up in Africa (Lesotho, Kenya, Botswana, and Malawi) and South Korea. He has been a travel writer since 1989, writing for many leading newspapers and magazines in the United Kingdom and the United States, and broadcasting for BBC Radio. He lives with his wife near Winchester, England.


THIRD PRIZE WINNER


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FIRST PRIZE WINNER.



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SECOND PRIZE WINNER.



Contest Judge: ANN BEATTIE

Appassionato

An iStory

by Richard Newton

After the performance, Howard accompanied three violinists and the timpanist to the bars of old San Juan. With Beethoven’s Ninth still ringing in their ears, they needed to wind down. They toasted the tour with mojitos. Howard found himself dancing the merengue with his hands locked to the gyrating hips of a buxom Puerto Rican. He retired to the hotel alone.

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