Resilient mindsWinning authors meditate on how we cope with change and lossA mother dies, leaving her daughter in the care of her stepfather. A child is diagnosed with cancer. A new sister is born. What do we do when everything around us transforms? Sometimes we react with fright and despair, nestling into the protective shells of habit and denial. Other times we adapt, embracing the new and making the best of what we have. In the winning stories of the Palo Alto Weekly's 28th Annual Short Story Contest, the authors dwell on the way their characters deal with dramatic changes in their lives — ultimately underscoring the resiliency of the human mind. The Palo Alto Weekly would like to thank the more than 100 writers who submitted their work to this year's contest; the readers Katy Hall and Isabella Hill, who selected the top entries in each category for the judges to consider; and contest co-sponsors Bell's Books of Palo Alto, Kepler's Books of Menlo Park and Linden Tree Books of Los Altos. |
Adult WinnersFirst Place Second Place Third Place |
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Youth Winners
Tween 9-11 First Place Second Place Third Place |
Teen 12-14 First Place Second Place Third Place |
Young Adult 15-17 First Place Second Place Zachary Cherian Then and Now |
Short Story Contest judges
Sponsors
Past winners: |
