Congratulations to Eric Baker, a runner-up of the 2026 Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize, for “This History of Violence.”
“Being named Runner-up has been nothing short of exhilarating. To be recognized among the most exciting, voice-driven fiction written today by my literary heroes has been a dream come true.”
Eric Baker is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s MFA program in Creative Writing, where he teaches. His work explores the intersection of his Korean and Jewish heritage, as well as legacies of armed conflict. He has been named a finalist for the Alice James Book Award, Helena Whitehill Award and the Berkshire Prize from Tupelo Press, as well as runner-up for the Desperate Literature Prize. His writing can be found in Gulf Coast, West Trade Review, Tupelo Quarterly, as well as in Painted Bride Quarterly, where he reads poetry and fiction and is featured on the podcast, Slush Pile.
Find Eric on Instagram @baekboi_sung