Welcome to the 2026 Kerth Quiz: Best New Author Story 
SPIFFY DISCLAIMER THINGY!: All the stories featured in this quiz qualify for a New Author story, but this quiz is not a stamp of recommendation for nomination. There are more fantastic stories which qualify for this category, but this quiz only covers 6 randomly chosen ones.
(Instructions are blatantly copied/linked from previous Kerth Quizzes.)CATEGORY: Keep in mind that this quiz highlights a specific category to help remind us of which stories had kisses, revelations, new characters, etc. They help when voting since sometimes categories (like kiss and waffy and even dramatic) can start to feel like they overlap, but they do all have specific distinctions! And you’ll want to nomination and vote based on what best matches each category!
- This quiz is Best New Author story: Each year we send some love to our newest authors to join the fandom, and this category honors one in particular. They may have written just one or might have managed more than a dozen! No matter how much fic they give us, we’re always grateful for new authors, especially after 30 years!
RECOMMENDATIONS: Don't forget that recommendations for other favorite eligible stories are *very* welcome and encouraged! So don't forget to add these in a section after your guesses!
QUIZ RULES: One point each for getting the story and author from the quote. Plus, shiny gold stars for those who recognize their own stories. Please don't forget to mention which number you're answering. Rule recap: Open hard drive and open boards (+AO3!), *don't* forget to snip out the excerpts in your replies, and don't forget the spoiler tag when you post in the replies thread.
The DEADLINE for entries for this quiz is SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2026, by 11:59 p.m (Eastern Time Zone), which is when the next quiz will be posted.
Here’s the full list of
Eligible Stories.
Here are the full quiz instructions:
Countdown to Kerth Quizzes Extended Instructions and Disclaimers.
Please post your answers
HERE.
Good luck!
Evie
__________________________
EXCERPT #1:Friday arrived. Fortunately, it was a slow news day, so they got to leave the Planet early. Clark said he needed to patrol the city for a bit, and Lois headed home to get ready. She wanted to show up glowing—literally and figuratively—at the hotel by 7 p.m.
Clark made her promise not to enter the room before then, though he didn’t explain why.
“Maybe he’s planning some kind of surprise,” Lois thought, glancing at her watch. “Let’s hope it’s a good one.”
At exactly 7 p.m., Lois knocked on the hotel room door. It opened by itself.
She stepped inside—and froze.
Standing before her was a life-sized statue of Superman… made entirely out of chocolate. Within seconds, she realized it wasn’t just chocolate-colored—it was chocolate. The smell confirmed it.
Lois was speechless. It looked so real. For a second, she almost believed Superman himself had been dipped in chocolate and left to harden. She reached out, tentatively touching it. It was solid. Then she noticed a small note pinned to the statue’s chest:
“For your third favorite thing, you’ll have to find it inside me.”
“Inside?” Lois squinted. “I’m supposed to eat this thing to find out what’s inside? And where the hell is Clark?”
She paced around the room, irritated. But curiosity got the better of her—reporter instincts, after all.
Lois grabbed the knife on the table and began carving into the chocolate, slightly guilty about destroying such an impressive sculpture.
She tasted a piece. “Oh my god. Swiss chocolate. This is amazing. Best I’ve ever had.”
She kept eating. When she got about halfway through the statue’s arm, something shiny caught her eye.
“What the—?” she muttered, digging into the chocolate with her hands. Finally, she pulled out a familiar object: a brilliant blue crystal-shaped award.
“My Kerth Award? You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Of course it was. Her Kerth was one of her most prized possessions.
Lois shook her head in disbelief. “He buried my Kerth Award in chocolate. That lunatic.”
She felt a little dizzy from all the sugar and surprise. The room started to spin—just as her knees gave way, a gust of wind whooshed past and caught her.
“Are you okay?” Clark asked gently, cradling her in his arms.
She looked up at him, half annoyed, half impressed. “You were here the whole time?”
Clark grinned, clearly trying to stifle a laugh. “Yep. Hiding in the closet. Perks of not needing to breathe.”
Lois swatted at him lightly. “Clark Kent, you almost gave me a heart attack. You seriously buried my Kerth Award? What is wrong with you?”
“I thought it’d be the perfect way to bring your three favorite things together,” he said with a proud smirk. “Chocolate, your Kerth… and me.”
Lois rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help smiling. “You’re lucky I love you.”
“I know,” Clark whispered, pulling her close. “That’s why I go the extra mile.”
EXCERPT #2:“Clark,” She rebuffs gently. “While you have some good points, all of that is circumstantial evidence.” True. I’ve never been able to get anything concrete on Luthor. Except…
“Clark…?” Lois must sense my discomfort at this particular topic. Sighing, I sink back into the couch. Now that everything’s out in the open, I guess there’s no real reason not to tell her.
“Do you remember,” my voice is barely above a whisper, “When Superman went missing for a few weeks, back in the beginning?”
“Yeah…” She leans forward, clearly intrigued now.
“The Carlin building explosion, the double suicides… they were tests.”
“Tests?”
“To see how strong I am, how fast, whether or not I’m invincible.” I’m not, I remember bitterly, but she doesn’t need to know that. “Anyway, I suspected Luthor was the one behind it, so I confronted him.”
“And?”
“And…” This is the hardest part, but maybe it’ll make her see the truth. “He said that innocent people would continue to die so long as I kept Superman around.”
“He… what?” Her eyes have blown wide as saucers as she leans back into the couch. A moment later, she sits back up, and slaps me.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Oh, good, she’s yelling now.
“What was I supposed to say, Lois?” I fire back. “He scared me! And if he found out that you were involved? I have little doubt he would have hesitated to use you to get to me. After all, Trask did, and he’s not half as calculating, or cunning as Luthor.” She nods solemnly, and relaxes back into the couch. It only lasts for a moment, though, before her heart rate spikes again, and she turns to me, her eyes wide as saucers.
“Clark?”
“What? Lois, what’s wrong?” I reach out to put a hand on her shoulder, as my own heart rate speeds to match hers.
“Kryptonite.” She breathes numbly, barely audible. “It’s real isn’t it?” What? How on earth did she come to that conclusion? I swear, I will never understand the way her brain works. “Isn’t it?” She looks up at me now, tears forming in her eyes, pleading with me to deny it.
“Yeah.” I have to pull my gaze away from her as she slumps back into the couch, and gasps, as if she’d been holding her breath until I confirmed her suspicions
“And you let me publish that story?”
“What?” She’s made another leap of Lois logic that I will never understand. What story?
“Clark, if Lex is half as clever, and determined as you say he is, he could decide that Trask wasn’t crazy, and find Kryptonite for himself.” Oh. That story. I guess I didn’t think of that. But it’s a stretch anyway. And the last of the Kryptonite was destroyed in the lake. I hope. “He could turn it into bullets, or knives.” She continues without missing a beat. “He could kill you! Trask almost…” She starts hyperventilating, as she collapses into my shoulder, sobbing now, and I don’t know what to do.
“Promise me you’ll be careful.”
“Lois, you know I can’t-”
“Clark. Please.” I’ve never heard her plead for anything before. Her voice is so small, and afraid, and I would do anything to take her tears away, and calm her fears.
“I promise.” Of course, I can’t promise to stay out of trouble, any more than she can. But I can promise to be careful, and to not take any chances, especially for Lois’ sake.
EXCERPT #3:Standing there in between the bars, was a bright yellow bird.
It looked just like a warbler… but she knew that was impossible. There was no way one could have ended up here in the congo, was there?
Lois watched transfixed as the small bird hopped through the bars, head tipping from side to side curiously, before it took flight again, this time landing right on top of Clark’s head.
He jolted slightly in surprise, but managed to stay fairly still, lifting his hand up in gentle offering. The bird hopped on eagerly, and Clark brought the little creature down in front of him, observing it with a smile.
“Hey little guy,” he whispered. “Where’d you come from?”
“Oh you have got to be kidding me…” the words came out of Lois’ mouth impulsively.
It was just… too much.
Clark’s head twisted towards her so quickly she was surprised it didn’t spook the bird. He looked mildly self conscious at her reaction, but did nothing to get rid of the little creature he was so delicately cradling.
“You’re awake,” he said quietly.
She was sure he sounded nervous. Guess he’d had some time to ruminate on their situation too. God, she’d give anything to be able to read his mind right now… to know what was going on in there for sure.
She prided herself on being good at reading people… but this guy… he was like no one she’d ever met.
“You know, in some cultures, a yellow bird is a good omen,” he said tentatively. “It symbolises new beginnings.”
Lois shook her head in disbelief again. “There’s no new beginning here, Clark. Once those men come back… it’s the end.”
“No, it’s not,” he said, with unexpected conviction.
Clark rose to his feet, bird still resting on his hand, and leaned over to the window to set the little creature down. It chirped happily at him, before hopping back through the bars and flying away.
Lois watched, intrigued in spite of herself, as Clark just… stood there in front of the window, taking a long deep breath. It looked like he was drinking in the very sunlight itself…
Then he opened his eyes and looked at her with newfound assurance.
“I’m going to get us out of here now,” he said, his voice sounding more authoritative than she’d have thought him capable of. “Just… stay back.”
“Wait…” she called out in concern.
She wasn’t sure exactly what he thought he was going to do, but she had a horrible feeling he was about to get himself badly hurt.
Except… why should she even care what this nutcase did to himself?
But she did care.
Something about the infuriatingly endearing, confusing, mysterious, puzzle of a man, had made her care.
EXCERPT #4:The high-rise Trade Center tower stood out from its neighboring buildings like the city’s trophy. There were no scheduled press reports in the building, so Lois was most likely investigating something, possibly illegal, incognito. Clark had no immediate evidence for his guess, but he knew Lois and her exceptional ability to secretly navigate places. And given how much chocolate she had eaten, speed was of the essence. What if she was stuck somewhere, unable to stop singing or dancing, unable to ask for help? Superman didn’t waste time enquiring at the front desk but flew instead around the building in circles from bottom to top, x-raying the building as he went, searching for his partner. He quickly confirmed that Lois was not inside the building.
The roof was currently being developed into a restaurant and gardens and was covered in scaffolding and tarpaulin. Superman flew above it and hovered. He was about to scan the building works but there was no need.
Like a Busby Berkley number, a whirling circle of dancers high kicked their way out from under the tarpaulin towards the edge of the building where barriers had yet to be erected. It was just a sheer drop, a hundred floors high.
Clark was mesmerized by the sight. Men who could be easily identified as mobsters by their striped suits, hats and spats were linked arm in arm, kicking in sync. In the center was a solo performer, a woman, tap dancing. And tap dancing. And tap dancing. Smoke arose from her feet. Superman flew closer. The noise grew louder. She seemed to be singing but no... she was crying. Sobbing. Pleading for help.
Lois. Lois was the tap dancer, and the troupe of mobsters was spiraling closer and closer to the edge of the building.
~~~ \S/ ~~~
Lois’s ears were buzzing, her arms and legs ached, and her lungs burned. Her scorching feet were tap-dancing to their own manic beat. Her whole body seemed to pulse to a new and frightening rhythm. Trapped in the mobster circle, she was desperate to stop but her twirling body would not obey. The world blurred as she was ricochetted, terrified, from mobster to mobster, bouncing off their linked arms like a bruised boxer in a ring. Although the mobsters too were dancing, even in their confusion they eyed her with lethal threat as she pinged between them.
Like a spinning top, the chaotic speed of the Busby Berkley mobsters bundled her outside.
The sun was blinding, but even so, a flash of blue and red caught her attention and Lois gathered what little strength she could.
“Superman!” she panted hoarsely. “Please, I can’t…I can’t stop. He-elp!”
The circle was moving too fast and losing its cohesion. It collapsed on itself, the men falling over themselves like dominos. But Lois couldn’t stop moving. The men collapsed just as she was thrown from the opposite side of the circle and as she tripped over the fallen men her momentum sent her tumbling over the top.
Then there was nothing beneath her feet. Nothing to tap dance against.
Just the suffocating tornado-force wind on her cheeks as she dropped into an abyss.
Falling.
Arms flailing. Anything to grasp onto.
Screaming.
“Heeeeeeeeeeelp!”
Then thud.
Solidness surrounded her.
“I’ve got you,” she heard whispered into her ear.
EXCERPT #5:Cold. That’s all Lois can think about; how cold she is. And tired. Dying can really suck the life out of you. She smirks at this thought, this witty joke she made up in her own mind, especially when she’s unable to think about anything other than how cold and tired she is. Clark had breathed life back into her lungs and his heat vision had brought her out of a frozen state of temporary death, but he hadn’t been sure of the effect that his heat vision could cause if she was exposed to it for any length of time. She thinks he said something about radiation, but she’s not sure because she’s been in and out of consciousness. She does remember him saying that he would help her warm up by sharing body heat. Sounds perfect to her. She’s comforted by the thought of Clark keeping her warm and giving her solace while she regains strength.
Next thing she’s aware of is being home in their bedroom. “Clark, I’m so cold,” she says through full-body shakes and clattering teeth. She sits on the edge of the bed sipping on hot herbal tea that she doesn’t really remember him bringing her, knowing that she has to change clothes but wanting so badly to just fall asleep and wake up when she’s warm.
Across the room, Clark is pulling clothes out of her dresser for her. First, he had suggested naked snuggling so they could be skin to skin, transferring some of his warmth to her without any barriers. It sounded heavenly, sleeping naked together, but right now she can’t imagine surviving one moment without clothes on to keep in any shred of heat that her body is creating. He brings over sweatpants and helps her remove her skirt before sliding socks over her feet. After guiding each of her feet into the pant legs of the sweatpants he then gives her support as she stands up to pull the pants all the way up. She removes her shirt to put on a tank top, followed by a t-shirt, and finally one of Clark’s hoodies as the outer layer. She keeps the hood up to cover her head, continuing to shiver but already feeling more comfortable surrounded by warmth that the clothes are keeping in.
“Get under the covers,” he says gently, pulling back the covers on her side of the bed and helping her get in. “I’ll be right back,” he says and pulls the blankets over her.
“Hurry,” she whimpers and rolls onto her side with her back to him, bringing her knees to her chest to keep the warmth in. She must have drifted off because the next thing she knows is feeling him get into bed with her. His arm slides over her waist and he pulls her into his chest.
It’s so comforting, but he still feels far away from her. In her exhaustion, she doesn’t have the energy to articulate how she wants to be held, so she just grunts and starts rolling over. His arms loosen around her waist a bit as she turns over. She weaves her legs in between his and pulls her body into his as close as possible. Her arms are folded between them, as she’s still subconsciously trying to warm herself, but when he tightens his arm around her again, she buries her face in his neck and moves her hand to rest on the skin of his waist. She feels him jump a little and make a hissing sound.
“You have cold hands,” he chuckles.
“Mmm,” is all she can say. A couple moments pass while enveloped in his warmth before she feels tears seep from her eyes at the wave of relief and comfort that washes over her. She can finally get warm and sleep. He must have heard her shaky sigh because he runs his hand up and down her back.
“You okay?” He murmurs the question into her hair.
“Mm-hm,” she mumbles. “Think I can sleep now.”
She sighs once more and drifts off.
EXCERPT #6:At 6:00, the pressure began. Not pain. Not quite. More like static behind his eyes, a low-frequency buzz threading through his chest. It built slowly but steadily, like the start of a storm only he could feel. His hands wouldn’t stop moving. His breath felt off. He was wired and unmoored all at once.
He sat. Stood. Paced. Pressed his palms flat to a table, willing himself to breathe through it.
It didn’t help.
The magnetoreception he’d worked so hard to refine had turned to static. What had once been sharp and orienting now offered nothing but noise. No pulse of the city grid. No bearings. Just dissonance—chaotic, directionless.
He muttered into the room, “You said you’d let her handle herself.”
But something was wrong.
The air was too still. Heavy. Charged with something he couldn’t name. His balance wavered. His chest tightened.
She wasn’t just chasing a lead.
She was walking into something she might not come back from.
By 7:45, he was lacing up his shoes, jaw clenched tight. His cane sat untouched. His hands shook—not from fear, but from restraint stretched too thin.
At 8:04, the hum inside him became a scream. Sharp. Silent. Absolute.
His head jerked northeast. His senses locked onto nothing and everything all at once.
No sound. No signal. Just a pull.
Lois.
He launched.
The air tore past him like knives. He pushed harder, faster, the wind howling in his ears. He didn’t have time to think and couldn’t afford to be careful.
Whatever had broken inside him when he fell—whatever pieces hadn’t fit back together—none of it mattered.
Not when she was in danger.
Not when she might not come back.
The warehouse loomed ahead, a hulking silhouette against the dark.
He dropped low, feet slamming into the pavement hard enough to crack it. His magnetoreception flickered—then cut out entirely. The structure was too dense. Too much interference. His internal map went black.
He froze. Lost. Uncertain.
No. Not again. Not when she needs you.
He reached out with his hearing. Anything. A footstep. A breath. A voice.
Nothing.
He turned in a slow circle, panic rising fast.
“Come on,” he whispered. “Come on, don’t do this to me now.”
The silence swallowed him.
He tried to anchor himself in sound, in instinct, in memory. Reached for her heartbeat. Her voice. The shape of her presence.
Nothing. Just void.
His mind reeled, cycling through every failure. Every hesitation. Every time he’d told himself he wasn’t ready. That he couldn’t go back. That he couldn’t be who he was.
And now—this. This was the cost.
Lois. Here. Alone. And he—
“You came back.”
The memory slammed into him.
Her voice in the hospital, small and stunned. The press of her hand in his. The break in her voice when she realized he’d come.
And underneath it—something stronger. Older. The way she’d always seen him, even when he couldn’t see himself.
He gasped—not in pain, but in release.
The floodgate inside him shattered.
Good luck, everyone!
________________________________________________
Have a question? Ask it here! Or you can PM any of the K-Com members or reach out on Discord too! You can also send an email to us here: Kcom@kerthawards.com
In order to help you find all things Kerth for this year, we’ve created a TOC for all the
🏆TOC for Kerth Awards 2026 Posts🏆.
The Kerth Committee
(KSaraSara, Michael, lovetvfan, and Evie)
